Flame of the Hearth

by LooselyReadyMade

Summary:

Life had not been kind to you. Reaching the end of your limit, you turn to dark magic and demons to escape. Your call is answered by Evil itself, blessing you with a curse and releasing you in Hell to begin your new life.

You deal in favours; a currency that collects as wealth in the Rings of Hell. Greater deals lead to greater risks, rendering you vulnerable to some very powerful demons. Escaping the Lust ring, you hide in Pride, only deepening the danger you're in as those close to you are getting targeted.

Then Lucifer Morningstar came and upturned everything you thought you knew about this world. Your initial hate for him ran deep, hiding the undercurrent of attraction when he came near. He breaks down those fiery defences, tests your limits, and teaches you control over your flame. His mentorship is skewed by his desire to touch you, losing his self-control and giving in to temptation. Taking you around the world, his once broken heart revives as you fall dangerously deep in love with him.

His distraction leads to far greater dangers in Hell than he previously anticipated. When conflict arises, the question is asked; who's side are you on?

Chapter 1: Flame of The Hearth: Part One

Chapter One: In Death You Want   

       

Pristine crimson nails dripped with black oils. Blazing eyes looked back at you through the mirror, an expression of temptation and sin at her lips. The visage of lust and violence, of dread and fear, encased in pure femininity.    

You pushed the book to the side, rising from your knees to stand face to face with the demon. She made no movement, following you only with the coal black irises in cherry-red sclera.    

You repeated yourself as you had before her summoning.   

“I want a way out. I need it.”   

Her hair swirled in ribbons of black silk, defying gravity and silhouetting her ashen face. Her only response was the corner of her mouth gliding upwards, teasing into a knowing smirk. The voice that followed did not flow from her vocal cords; it plucked strings in the air, a chorus of echoes and resonance forming the words through melody alone.    

“How much are you willing to sacrifice for such a favour, young one?”   

Your chest compressed as the memories flooded; people you loved, who you’d left behind, hurt, lost, abandoned... All in vain attempt to satisfy cravings your life was never meant to fulfill. There was never enough. You were never enough.   

“Take it, all of it. Everything I've worked for, everything i am. Everything this fucking useless brain tortures me with. Please, just make it all stop. I want something, anything to live for that can just make me feel alive .”   

Her silence was loaded, considerate. She gave you precious moments to reconsider. You needed none. At the very end of your tether, in the broken, shattered pieces of your life, you had nothing left to lose.     

“I can make it better.” Her melodical voice whispered dangerously into your mind through the motionless lips.   

“Please, I'll do anything. I can’t do this anymore.” It was truth; more so than you were ever able to admit to any human being. You poured your agony into your plea.   

“You will never see your loved ones again.  
“You may never know grief, nor loss with the same fondness.  
“Each breath you take will be borrowed, stolen even, from a life you were not permitted to exist within.   
“Turning your back on your humanity will be your greatest curse.  
"And it will be your most revered sacrifice. Here.”  

The temptress offered her palm to the glass, pressing ghost-grey fingertips level with your heart. Thick veins of jet black pulsed to the fingers with slow, forceful beats, projecting gentle trickles of onyx-shaded blood down her fingernails.   

You swallowed a harsh lump in your throat, forcing back the adrenaline your body tried to strangle you with, urgently protesting its demise. Your hand raised, shaking but determined, extending to meet hers. Your fingertips touched through the glass, a perfect reflection as her features shifted to mock yours. She looked afraid, wide-eyed, broken. Her other hand raised to the glass, pressing palms this time, the colour of your clammy skin in the afternoon light. You followed her movement, palm to palm, noticing the lacing veil of black veins across your wrists in front of you.    

You watched yourself. Fascinated, full of sorrow, and eager to set yourself free. Your body shuddered in the mirror. You adjusted minutely, your fingers interlacing in your reflection, allowing the dripping of fate to seep from your veins into the awaiting hands, mercilessly flowing where your hands now held across realities. You held your reflection, even as the body fought, struggling against the invading power. You forced yourself to drink it in, soaking and absorbing as new veins throbbed, taking in dark magic as though it belonged only to you.   

Through the eyes of the demon, you watched yourself become inhuman.   

Spreading like a virus, taking root like a weed, the magic was brutal and unyielding. Under your skin, the black in your veins reached out into fimbriae across your capillaries, discolouring your skin, hair, nails, lips, eyes. You felt nothing of the agony that seared through the body in your reflection; instead, only soft tendrils of malice and loathing filled your mind. Now gaunt and devoured in black blood, your body fell to the floor, releasing the intertwined fingers.   

You stood, on the wrong side of the glass, pondering your own death. For all that your body had forced you to suffer, to endure, this was far too kind of a departure. Yet, you were immensely glad to have not been inside it when it happened. You withdrew your hands, staring fascinated as the throbbing of black blood lessened, gradually softening and fading into your skin. New colour rose, tinted and pretty, glistening with a faint shine. You admired the way your hands moved, so coordinated and obedient, long and delicate. New sensations gently fell upon your shoulders as soft, silken hair grew. Pale, shimmering, lighter than any blonde you had seen. The colour of a pearl held to the light of a sunrise. New muscles awakened, startling you as they flexed and released at your whim. No brittle aches or long-standing pains, no bone-deep weariness. Just the perfect feeling of being .   

The demon came into focus beside you, watching over the body laid on the other side of the glass. “She was beautiful, you know. You made her a fighter.”   

The memories that came to you now brought no anxiety, no harsh edge. You appraised them with the kindness they deserved. “I know. But there was only so much that body could give, before it took everything i had left.”   

As yet unmoving, the words sung peacefully into your mind, soothing and delicious. “It is done, little one. Your new life awaits. And remember, when the time comes, you will owe me one favour, not to be questioned or refused. Your contract is bound, from now until the end of time.”   

You drew a lungful of fresh air into new lungs, tasting a strange metallic burn. “I’m ready, i think.”   

The demon’s eyes swept to yours, drinking in your faint hesitation. “No, you’re not. But i will make you so. Tell me, which do you prefer? The burn of flame, scar of ice, or brace of steel?”   

You turned to face her, not understanding. “What do these choices mean?”   

Her mouth relaxes, allowing your curiosity for now. “You will require resilience and capabilities beyond your human flesh to survive where i intend to birth you. This meagre form is only skin-deep temptation. To truly ensnare, to devour, to thrive, you must be able to withstand the perils with dignity. I have a blessing yet to bestow, as a final gift to our pact.”   

Her words swirled in your mind as you debated, cautious of the implications. Given that your ritual summoning had dredged the demon from evil itself, it was likely you’d end up somewhere that meant you’d be using these abilities as an offensive form of defense. Ice, you had no idea how that would help. Steel? Maybe something about weaponry or shielding? Fire was simple enough, and very tempting. Something about the way it dances beyond any element that can be understood, it was a force of its own.   

“Flame.”   

Her finger pointed upwards, a gentle flicker of orange bursting at its tip. The point of the fire burst into spirals, with tiny symbols and eyes rippling in waves from the centre of energy at her whim. In response, your body grew warm, hot, scalding. Your first taste of pain in this new body, and it was the combustion of sorcery in every blood vessel. You gritted your teeth and scrunched your face, determined to accept the scorch of new power.   

As soon as it had built, it simmered, easing into a comfortable warmth under the skin. You sighed in relief, running the back of your fingers against your forearm to test the temperature. Warmth like fresh sunburn, tingling with sensitivity. The residual energy coursed through your veins, tasting of charcoal and heat at the back of your tongue.   

The demon’s hands now rested at her side, still facing the mirror with a patient expression.   

You followed her gaze, awaiting her to usher you into the promised afterlife. Slow, violent thuds emerge from your chest as your nervous system engaged with a new heartbeat. Your extremities felt fuller, satisfied with the reach of oxygen. Your eyes moistened, saliva pooled. In a way that couldn’t be touched upon by conscious thought, your body felt complete.   

“Ahh, there you are. You’re ready now. Would you like to see?”   

As soft as a breath in a higher pitch to your normal voice, you utter “yes.”   

The light of your bedroom in the glass begins to falter, shimmering and wavering, diluting in focus until it mists into peach and white swirls. All your furniture, your keepsakes, your previous body even, all blended into the strange wall of light. The demon’s finger outstretches once more, touching the wall and resurrecting a reflection of the person you are becoming.    

In your face, there’s traces, ghosts of your familiar features. They’re shrouded under your new shapes, eyes a touch larger, mouth sharper at the edges, cheekbones higher. Your jaw was firm and resolute. The expression it held was one of self-assurance, of certainty. Unrestrained by your anxiety, your new face blossomed with confidence.   

Your body was hardly any less breathtaking. Everything you had so desperately wished to change about yourself, it was as if the demon had weaved it all into the form before you. It held none of the self-harm, none of the chronic fatigue, no scars or stretch marks. The unsightly wrinkles, loose skin, excess mass, all of it was firmed and toned into nothing short of a weapon . As blank as a canvas, or as perfectly finished as a marble statue, this body had so much potential to help you achieve everything you so very desired.   

Behind your reflection, the mist shimmered into reds, blacks, deep blues, undulating and dancing until a horizon under navy skies painted with cityscapes and clouds grew clearer. Your body responded unexpectedly; it longed for the darkness, yearning in anticipation. The excitement rippled in your throat, seeping out as a growl, low and hungry. Your fingertips teased wisps of fresh heat as they released tiny flames. You clenched your fists, containing the energy for now.    

The glass stopped reflecting you; instead, a frame appeared ahead. A crystal-clear glass door, with one tiny handle. The invitation was open to your will.   

   

Chapter Two: Inner Flames   

   

The handle twisted easily under your grip, releasing a gust of thick, sulphurous air into your cleansed lungs. You drank it in, stepping through the frame into Hell.   

Crossing the boundary opened a world of sensations to your body; traffic, screeching and crashing, metal and screams in your ears. Twinkling of flames and streetlights dazzling your vision in the dark city. The taste and smell of smoke, thick and persistent, dressed with hints of flesh and alcohol on the breeze. You rolled your shoulders and tilted your head back as you absorbed the cooling night air, welcoming each of the senses with open palms. A new sense, one you had never known before, touched your mind. In the distance, much akin to vision, blended with touch; each flame within a short distance, maybe a street or two, came into your mental peripheral. You felt the hearths warming their inhabitants, the store fronts billowing with tainted inferno. You hummed with pleasure, enjoying the way it tasted as the flames consumed their fuel.    

Straightening your head and opening your eyes, you appraised the surroundings. With smooth grace, your feet began relaxed strides into the city.   

You passed dens of sin, nightclubs awake beyond the reaches of judgement, the shops selling wares of lust and deviance well into the early hours of the morning. Twisted creatures with horns, fangs, protrusions and hulking muscle, lanky or plush, malformed and hideous, or stunningly ethereal. All variations of physical being crossed your path, all appearing just as confused to see you as you were seeing them.    

You continued walking until you found purpose.   

The invisible flickers lapped at your attention, drawing you closer to where they shone brightest. From a distance, you could see high-rollers, club owners, lovers, even strangers on the street, filled with their vibrant glow. In comparison, the meagre dying flames surrounding them seemed pitiful, weak. They seemed to gather in collectives, forming crowds in bars, surrounding dancers, stacking at card tables. Consumers, desperate to fan their own flames by tasting the brightness of others.    

The sight made you shake your head. What a joke. This was no different to being back home. If you’d wanted to see a bunch of crushed spirits and cocky businessmen, you’d just go to Vegas. Perhaps this was a twisted, Hellish version of it, filled with souls who’d lost their own lives and ended up here.   

“Hey sweetheart, you lost? You’re looking waaaay too fine to not be on a table! Arwoooooo!”   

The voice startled you, projecting from a stocky male near two of his friends. His flame was far from anything worthwhile. Yet the grin on his face said otherwise. You looked away, continuing your path, though now very aware of their wolf whistles and lewd comments as they followed you. Their pace quickened, narrowing the distance, making your heart beat just a little faster. You heard the crunch of their footsteps on the gritty pavement as they were nearly within reach. You clenched your teeth, ready to test out what the demon had gifted you with.   

The hand clamped onto your shoulder and span you to face the trio. The largest man, the one who had catcalled, wore thick a fishnet mesh shirt and multiple gold teeth. His form was nearly human, but with dark red skin and twisting white and black striped horns. Beside him, two scrawnier versions of this guy stood, with slightly more modest clothing, clearly just taking cues from the leader. The grin stretched, with sickly odorous breath teasing your nostrils. You visibly cringed while trying to step back, held tightly by the lecherous male.   

In your throat, a noise like the rumble of thunder mixed with the rattle of a snake leaked out; a growl?   

“Oh, little kitty’s warning us? How sweet. Hey cutie, we need a little entertainment, and there’s plenty of room back at mine for a private dance. How much do you cost sweetheart?”   

The rumble again, but louder. Your body disliked him just as much as your mind did. He guffawed in response, swiftly jerking you towards his group and trying to push you forward. You braced your feet, grabbing the arm that held you and trying to force him off you. He resisted easily, now supported by the guys pulling your other arm away and dragging you. Your feet lost traction. Your breath caught in your throat as your panic rose, feeling trapped. Your head darted, looking for means of escape, ways to try and feign out of the grip, anything. They had you held tight, both arms in holds and feet uselessly scraping pavement, not even within biting range. Your throat and chest tightened, pooling with what felt like bile, but much hotter. Your fearful shaking turned violent as you pulled back, fighting their hands, trying to break out. You felt their claws digging into your skin as your resistance increased, feeling the pierce of sharp nail. In your left arm, clutched tightly by the lead male, you felt a deep burning at the wrist, like resting it against a branding iron. You fought, both against their hold and against the scorching in your hand. The flame won. I burst from its pressure point in your wrist to engulf your entire hand, releasing in streams of blue and white against the man’s skin. He jumped back, flapping to pat out the fire on his top, screeching at the fresh burn that was blistering well into the flesh. The other two leapt back, dodging as your hand turned to claw them, still blistering with white-hot flame. Your lip curled as you slashed towards them, animalistic hissing and rumbles spewing at the offenders. Their eyes widened in panic, peeling off and abandoning their leader. You spun back to him, flames intensifying with a roar as you bared your teeth. He stumbled back, eyes wide as saucers with pinprick pupils, tripping onto his back and trying to push away with his heels.    

“Why shouldn’t i kill you right now?” You managed, barely withholding the urge to throw Hellfire at the sick bastard.   

“I- I... fuck, please, please don’t kill me, please, I'll do anything! Whatever you want! I’m sorry!” He pleaded, scrambled, begged, all under your rage as you slowly stepped towards him, following him like a predator stalking prey. “I’ll do anything! Please!”   

You forced yourself to a halt, trying to curl your hand back to stifle some of the flame. It felt so incredibly powerful, so vital. All you had to do was just let it go. The fury in your flame would do the rest.   

But... you weren’t quite able to do it.    

The torch of white fire glowed orange, becoming less violent in its roar, now dancing at your hand as a warning, not an attack.   

Humanity, weak but real, sank into your being as you assessed the situation. “You have one shot at persuading me you’re worth leaving alive. Tell me what you bring to the world, what makes you any form of worthy right now.”   

His eyes darted, panicking, struggling for an answer. His ragged breathing slowed a little as he settled on an idea. “Maybe I'm not... worthy. Maybe that’s just what being in Hell does to you. None of us are worthy of jack shit. I was born here. I was made to be broken and twisted and fucked up. You can’t judge me for being what this place made me!”   

You scowled, displeased at the answer. “No, that’s not good enough. It’s an excuse. And I'm far better off not having you on the streets if that’s all you are.” You stepped forward, claws in your hands outstretched for a swipe. He recoiled, begging again, bursting into tears as he cowered. Just as you raised your hand, he held his up, making another plea.    

“Wait, wait! I can do better, i can make something work. I’ll work. Uh, for you? Yeah, if that’s what you want. Ill do whatever shit makes you think will make me ‘worthy’. Please just don’t do it, i got shit to live for, man!”   

You lowered your hand, pausing at the offer. Work for you? What even would you need?   

“Be more specific. What are you living for? Hmm?”   

“I- I’m from this ring. Lust. My family’s here, as fucked up as they are, i look after ‘em. I let off steam every once in a while, who doesn’t? But i- ah, I don’t know what they’ll do if I'm gone. Ma and Paw’s getting older, and i don’t want my little bro to get into sex work like me. Right now he’s doing alright, doing some office shit. Not enough to hold everything together. If you let me live, i keep him from joining the strip like me. Is that worthy enough, sweetheart?”   

The plea in his eyes contrasted to the sarcasm at his final sentence, though you felt the honesty of his words. The burnt-out flame inside him barely flickered when he spoke about them, but it was noticeable enough. It could be brightened.   

“If you don’t like your line of work, why stay in it? That’s not the one single job open to you, surely?”   

He laughed harshly, looking away while the hand-shaped burn on his arm seeped blood and healing fluid. “You got no idea how this fucking ring works, huh. If you’re born here, you serve. If you travel here, you’re served. Problem is, I'm an incubus, literally a walking sex icon. No-one looks at you when you apply for anything other than prostitution or dancing. Bartending at a push, but even then you still get made to do ‘private shows’. Wanna know what i wanted to do when i was a kid? I liked building shit. The little bricks, the Ferris wheels, the works. Was barely twelve when i got reality slapped on me that all i was gonna be was just someone’s pet for the night, every night.”   

You contemplated the words, tasting the nostalgia on his flame as he spoke. Sinking down onto the curb, you crossed your legs and thought.    

“One week. Give me one single week, meet me exactly here, at ten PM sharp. I will hunt you down if you don’t. If i manage to find you better work, with reasonable pay, you owe me a favour at a time of my choosing, equivalent to the value of this favour I’m doing for you.”   

He blinked, surprise written on his face. “Why?”   

“Because i don’t quite want to kill you yet, and I'm tempted to see what i can do. One week. Yes or no?”   

“Yes! Yeah, I'll take it. Wait, I'll uh, I'll write down my details in case you need them. Shit, i need a pen. Uhhh...” He pats and searches pockets, finding nothing. You didn’t exactly have anything to offer. He pushes to a stand, looking around the nearest buildings. “I’ll just dip in there, one sec. I’ll be right back!”   

You shrug, allowing him to go. Curious, you follow him in, interested by the swirl of dark purples and green strobe lights in the bar. He’s ran straight to the counter, pleading for pen and paper from a cringing bartender who’s eyeing up the nasty weeping burn in his upper arm.    

You take a space beside him, addressing the bartender too. “Just a pen and paper. Nothing major. I just need it for a project. Ignore that shit, he earned it. Pen. Paper. Please.”   

The bartender nods, confused but complying. A sticky note and pen appear before the incubus. He’s scrawling furiously, mumbling about extras to write. Soon enough it’s double sided with personal details and bullet points about his ‘personal qualities’. A tiny stoke of excitement glimmers in the man’s internal flame. You felt a little hope in your own task as his eagerness increased.   

He hands it to you with genuine optimism in his face. The bartender hands him a damp rag, asking if he needs anything. The incubus, startled by the kindness, takes the rag and shakes his head, looking cautious. The mistrust made you chuckle under your breath. You tap his shoulder, catching his attention. “You took the burn pretty bad. Will it get infected? I don’t know what it’s like around here for medical treatment.”   

He hesitates, “I don’t think it’ll be too bad. Ma’s stitched me up from worse, just from my job. Might even get me a new nickname when it scars over. Speaking of, it’s Varren. Or Varr. I... thanks for giving me a shot. Hope you find something.”   

His back spins to you as he hastily leaves, shy from the vulnerability. You look over the note, wondering where the Hell to start.    

The bartender stands nearby, eyeing you curiously. “So, what did the kid do to you? You said he deserved it? But you’re helping him”   

“Hmph. I said he earned it. Rightly so. I’m just trying to get him out of a shitty situation so he doesn’t try to hurt someone the way he and his friends tried to hurt me. Giving him a second chance, i guess. Fuck knows how though. Where am i supposed to find somewhere that’ll take a sex doll like him seriously, if he doesn’t even see himself as more than that?”   

The bartender pursed his lips, considering. “Yeah that’ll be a toughie. Might not work in this ring, there’s too much stigma. Could go somewhere like... Well there’s Pride, with all the sinners, there’s tons of new buildings being made to accommodate when a new war or mass death comes along. Or Wrath, tons of construction there, shit gets blown up all the time. Greed is just asking for the guy to get eaten alive, even i saw the naivety. Wouldn’t go there. Envy and Gluttony, unlikely but possible. Sloth doesn’t have much going on, unless he’s got an eye for making everything all fluffy and springy, they love their comfy shit.”   

You scanned the note again, not seeing anything strike you for Sloth, though there were a few references to wanting to work long hours for fewer days. Considering how quick buildings would need to be constructed if they’re getting knocked down half the time, Wrath seemed a fair bet. “I’ve not been there before, what’s Wrath like to newcomers?”   

“I mean, it’s a cunt, obviously, and full of just about every type of killer you can name. But they generally leave the staff alone, as long as they’re not causing trouble. He’d probably skate by unscathed as long as he keeps his head down and doesn’t do... well, whatever caused that nasty little burn.”   

You nodded, “yeah, sounds fair. Alright, I’ll go have a look. How do you get between rings?”   

The bartender talked you through it, getting animated as he explained how to navigate the safer parts of Wrath towards the business district.   

You started to notice trickles of hesitation in his words, the odd little twitch in his hands, a darting glance here and there. You let him finish giving you advice before pausing him to ask what was bothering him, too.   

“Ahh, well... It’s not so straightforward as just ‘what’s up’. I'm caught up in a few debts, but not exactly financially. If you’re walking around, handing out favours to people... what’s the price?”   

Intrigued, you counter, “the price is the equivalent value of the favour asked. What i do for you, you do in turn for me. And I'd not ask anything you couldn’t afford, financial or otherwise. There’s no harm in asking, so what do you need, hmm?”   

“It’s... ugh, it’s complicated. I made shitty choices, I'm paying the price, but now i don’t know what to do. I have a kid. Real cute, full of smiles, looks exactly like his mam. Who... i kinda cheated on... while she was pregnant. I want to make it up to her, so i can see the kid. They’re in this ring, no major travelling required, just... if you can get through to her, or figure out what she needs to make it worth letting me back in, I'll owe you whatever favour that works out to be.”   

You roll your eyes, naturally disgusted by the bartender’s transgression. “Fine. I’ll add that to my list. Details, on the little notepad, now please.”   

   

You leave the bar, avoiding catching any other side-quests as you pocket the notes. The bartender’s seemed the most achievable in a short time, but for tonight you needed a place to crash. With no money on you and nowhere free to stay, you contemplated how to make a quick cash grab without breaking any laws. Nothing came to mind, though as you walked you did notice a few ‘for sale’ and ‘for rent’ signs around various apartment buildings. The windows did not appear empty; squatters clearly weren’t rare in Hell.   

Passing a long queue of customers, you glance over the bar they all eagerly awaited to get into, even this late into midnight. ‘Ozzie’s House of Lust’. That name had popped up in various signs and posters throughout the walk on the street; maybe this was the big guy in this ring. It seemed far too out of your league at the minute to try to approach someone like him to offer a favour; for now, you continued crossing streets until something caught your eye.   

   

Your gaze fell upon the desolate being by accident in one of the back alleys.   

Hunched over, shattered and crying on the pavement. In its chest, you felt the faintest glimmer of flame, almost extinguished. They seemed so dim compared to those who walked past, ignoring the pathetic demon. You crouched beside him, trusting the instinct to guide your actions. In soft tones, you asked what they needed.    

He barely looked up. Eyes bulging in short stalks, the demon wiped thick mucousy tears from their eyes. “I just want to be done with all this. I don’t wanna need to score. I’m flat broke. I got nothin’. If i can just... kick the habit... i’ll be okay. But i can’t.”   

He slipped into pathetic sobs as you cringed, unsure what you were supposed to do with this information.   

In your mind, an image emerged. Chains, a dark room. A hint to go cold-turkey the hard way, perhaps?   

You looked around, assessing the available options. It was too central here, too occupied. You weren’t going to find somewhere to use without cost. Unless you could utilise the suffering?   

“Stay here. I won’t be long.”   

He barely acknowledged you in his snivelling; but sat in place all the same.   

You explored the local blocks, investigating for potential options. An interesting option arose from advertised dominatrix services.   

You followed the sign into a private underground club, following the neon strips on the walls to the offensively erotic photos plastered outside a metal double door.   

You knock, patiently waiting for a minute before a letterbox-sized peephole slid open, revealing heavy-lidded dark green eyes with a harsh glare.   

“I’m looking for the dom here. I have a client. Urgent, if possible.”   

He snorted, looking you up and down. The letterbox slammed, followed by a few long minutes as you rested a hand on your hip.    

The door clicked and shuddered, opening down the centre as the doorman half-bowed, allowing you in. At the end of the room, on a thick-quilted heart shaped bed with various straps and wooden appendages on the bedframe, you spot the lounging figure of a reptilian dominatrix. Her tongue flickers out, tasting the air at your approach. Her inner fire was, to put it lightly, struggling.   

In a raspy voice, she asks whether you are the client. You decline, first asking her what she seeks in her submissives. She looks at you, confused. “I have little say in who comes to me. I provide services that only attract specific types. So, what degenerate will i be humiliating next?” Her hiss of disgust answered your curiosities; she hated her line of work. Perfect.   

“Humiliation isn’t required. Rather, i need you to... revitalize someone. Help them find themselves, through your unconventional means. If you successfully wean them off their dependency, i will help you find greater meaning to your career. Consider it... an exchange of favours.”   

Her eyes narrowed, tongue flickering cautiously. “I don’t particularly help people. I break them.”   

“That’s why I'm here. My client is at breaking point. I want you to push them beyond it and awaken a new spark. I can work on him from there. All you have to do is keep him locked up, sweat him out, remind him of the freedom he will gain if he survives the withdrawal. Really test his mental limits. I want him in pieces. Not literally, mind.”   

In her stiffening posture you see just the slightest hint of interest, a curiosity long-since forgotten to the old dominatrix. You waited, patient and steady, a reassurance in your confidence. She took it, pursing her scaled lips with anticipation. “Very well. Bring him to me, i will see what i have to work with. If i get other clients in the mean time, he will be chained and kept aside to sweat while i work. Will this be an issue?”   

You shook your head, “no, I'd not expect anything less. He can’t become dependent on you. He needs time in isolation as well as support. I’ll be back in three days. I expect he will not have a lick of substances beyond water and bread pass his lips. We will discuss your payment, or your desires, when i see the results.”   

She curled her claws, pinching the nails as she looked around the room. “I shall prepare. I take it this is not for sexual gratification?”   

“Not one bit, i insist so.”   

“Fucking finally.”   

You laugh, amused by her relief. She begins gathering tools and gear, bringing them to a box near a door on the back wall. She looks back to you, nodding once before leaving the room with her kit.   

You let the doorman know you’d be back, with the new client in tow. He grunts and shuts the door behind you with a scuffled clang.    

Back on the street, you retrieved the sad little demon and near enough dragged him to the dominatrix’s door. As it opened to her grinning toothy maw, the snivelling creature shivered, clinging to your arm. You brushed him off, promising to be back in three nights, expecting him to have stuck to his recovery. Before he entered the den, he turned back to you, asking what you wanted in return. You glanced down at him, meaning to reassure, though earned a fearful cringe. You weren’t used to handling the expressions on this face yet, clearly. “I will be back for a favour in due course. I’m not yet done with you. Face your weaknesses, and we will proceed.”   

He swallowed, creeping nervously towards the dom. The door quickly slammed shut, indicating your exit.    

You turned, striding back out into the city, still no closer to a warm bed for the night. You wondered how well this body would fare if you just skipped sleep tonight to continue collecting these little favours.   

In the early hours, you found a few more desperate pleas for help, turning down the ones so pathetically minor it wasn’t worth your time. If only some people got a little more backbone, they could fix this shit themselves . One of the more interesting ones was a request for a smear campaign against a business rival. You probed, investigating the real motivations behind the malice.    

The man you spoke to claimed the rival CEO was a previous colleague who essentially stole ideas and made a new company based on his budding success. His bitter remarks faltered every so often when you felt he was lying. Pressing further, his tales unravelled, slipping with conflicting information.    

You nearly walked away when he turned begging, ready to tell the whole truth. To no surprise, he was the one who had stolen the ideas, and was under major corporate investigation for it, needing an escape or at least a distraction so he could cover his tracks. Disappointed and tired from the wasted time, you asked him what he actually wanted out of all of this, if the matter got resolved. He gave the usual reasons; money, accreditation, respect, nothing new. He bored you, making you consider whether his rival had a more interesting favour to be gained from.    

Sensing your waning attention, he made one final plea. Help him out of this investigation, and he’ll liquidate the company, start fresh with a new name. This one had been worn out in Lust. His wording caught your interest. “This is not the first time you’ve made a new identity, is it?”   

He shook his head, now exposed under his revelations. You raise an eyebrow, indicating for him to explain.   

“Look, it wasn’t meant to get this big. I just got caught up in the lifestyle. I ain’t never been a CEO before. My gigs are more on the low. I’m not meant for baller shit like this, and now I'm in trouble. Can’t even afford to get new IDs like i normally would. Like i said, i just need an out, a distraction, and i can get clear, dig?”   

“No, not ‘dig’. You’re a con artist, with eyes too big for your gut. And this is a pretty huge favour you’re asking. The favour i will require in turn will be equally valuable. You understand? If i have to search for you, that price increases. I expect full candid communication from here on out if you even want to discuss me getting you out of this mess. Including a way of getting a hold of you if i want to call on that favour you’d owe.”   

He grumbled, irritated. “I ain’t got shit to prove you can find me. When i get a new ID, I'll be outta here. Whatever you want, you gotta name before i go.”   

You took your time, considering. Perhaps it would be useful to have a fresh new name to tie to bank accounts down here, if that sort of thing was needed. “What do the IDs give you? What are they needed for?”   

“An ID? Bitch, where the Hell have you been living? You need ‘em for anything. Housing, bills, phones, banks, driving, fuck- pretty much anything that someone can arrest you for not paying for, i guess. You seriously ain’t got one? Were you literally just fucking born yesterday?”   

You glare at him in warning. He cringes, dropping his shoulders under the weight of your contempt. “Consider it a long story. Fine, favour for favour. I get you out of this shit, you get me a comprehensive set of IDs that’ll fly under any major radar. Whatever contacts you have, use them wisely. How long do you need?”   

“I can get ‘em together in five or six days. I’ll need a photo to work with, and whatever details you wanna have on the cards. Can get you a passport too, useful if you need ta get work between rings. But, that one’s gonna cost more than just getting these guys off my back for long enough to escape. I need my current name cleared. You manage that, I'll get all those done for ya.”   

“Agreed. Right, i need details. Write them down for me, who i need to get hold of and where to find them.”   

He pulled out his phone, asking for a number. You held your hands out, an expression of ‘what the Hell do you think’ pointed at him. He sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Damn, bitch. Pen and fuckin’ paper it is. Medieval shit, this.”   

    

You attended the scheduled meeting, still stiff from the motel bed. It was pretty much all you could afford from the meagre cash you made from smaller deals; it barely did the job with shabby locks and questionably clean linen.   

The business owner he’d ripped off worked deep in the financial district of Lust, a proprietor of aftercare pharmaceuticals and equipment that was in contracts with two Sloth ring companies. He had made quite the impressive living, having provided a very useful niche in the market that was entirely built on sex. By the sounds of it, all the scam artist did was make a bit of an interesting spin-off from one of their major branded products and tried selling it off-market with price gouging. Tempted by the shady deals, demons had taken quite well to the knock-off products and caused a slight dip in the legitimate business’ profits.   

A formally dressed succubus opened the door, head to toe in modest cream despite the rowdy logo on her jacket. She looked down at you from tiny eyeglasses, the way women do when they sense a threat to their appeal. In fairness, you felt the same, having planned to use some feminine charm to try to weasel the con artist out of his issues.   

In the meeting room lay a desk with a wide spread of folders and stationery beside two large monitors. Two empty chairs sit outside of it, clearly intended for visitors. You took one, waiting for the blue-skinned leathery businessman to finish up his furious typing.   

He took his time, clearly engaged in whatever conflict the screen had him tied up in. You ignored the faint buzzing of your new cell phone, wanting to appear polite.    

He glanced up once during his typing, long enough to look you up and down before resuming the email. Your irritation was beginning to win over your patience, gently tapping your finger against your knee.   

Finally finished, he dramatically pressed enter and smirked at his perceived win. He relished in it for a whole minute before bothering to turn to you.   

Patience now exhausted, you wait for him to speak before you snapped.    

“Well, i don’t have all day, and my time is of great value. You claim to have useful information about the rival i am currently pursuing?”   

“Yes. Though whether it actually matters to you or not, i can’t tell. Surely if it was that important, you’d have paused your tippy taps to speak to me?”   

A gleam appeared in his eye at your challenge. “I have enough plates to spin, this one is far from a priority. As it is, i want this resolved so it can be pushed aside for a bigger deal. Whatever information you have, I'm not interested. I am however pleased to hear you have direct contact with the brand’s head. Inform him i wish to buy him out.”   

You blink, taken aback. “Pardon?”   

“Did i stutter? I want that brand off the market, and i want his product redesigns. Make him an offer, and if he refuses, I'll get every lawyer from this side of Lust so deep in his asshole he’ll be coughing up written notices. Cherén! The contract, now.”   

Behind you, the cream-clad succubus trotted over, a stack of paper in her arms. She places them in front of you on the cluttered desk.   

Confused, but curious, you pick up and scan through the documents. It’s the closest thing to a hostile buy-out you could imagine. If the scammer had been legitimate and been running beyond just ripping off this guy’s products, it would be a nasty way to threaten all rights to their products and ongoing functioning in the current market. As it was, this CEO clearly had no idea how much of a scam the minor company was. He wanted the branding and blueprints immediately under his name.    

The gift horse was NOT looked in the mouth. You pretended to pore over the pages, deliberating. Finally speaking, after making him wait a little extra just out of spite, you nodded and agreed to share this with your affiliate. The CEO seemed pleased, grinning as he waved you off, requesting the documents to be signed and submitted within the month. You’d hardly need that, given how quickly the scammer wanted to be out of Lust.   

   

The third night came; time to collect the addicted demon you’d found. At the door to the dominatrix’s den, you felt an interesting flicker of life beyond the barricade. The metal doors opened at your approach, revealing a clear-sighted slug-like demon with a black gown wrapped tightly around him. He looked exhausted, stretched beyond his limits, and unmistakably more vibrant.   

His dom smiled down at him approvingly as she pushed him forward. Her own spark was faintly brighter than before. “He’ssss doing far better now. He toughed through the worst of it with quite admirable strength. I thoroughly enjoyed the role. Thank you.”   

You met the steady gaze of the dominatrix, actively trying to soften your expression as you expressed your own appreciation. Your attention turned to your new protégé. “So, feeling a little more ready to get your shit together now, huh?”   

He nodded eagerly, clutching the material at his waist. “I don’t need it as bad now. I’m still not... absolutely free of it, i still want it... but I'm stronger. I can say no now. You said... there was more to come?”   

You smiled, glad he was game for the next steps. To the dominatrix, you asked if you could come in while you deliberated. She welcomed you eagerly, snapping fingers at an unseen imp to serve refreshments.   

You sit gingerly at the cleanest surface you can find, tapping your fingers against your knee as you consider.   

“So. You’re now at rock bottom, and there’s only up to go from here. What’s your idea of success?”   

The little face ponders, scrunching from the effort. He muses, titters, chews, all the while you and the dom patiently wait.   

“I think i want to do something that makes me feel a bit less... hopeless. Maybe like i can make a difference, like you did for me. I know so many helpless addicts that have given up on themselves. Maybe i could run a class, or a clinic or something?”   

“That’s quite the admirable dream, though dangerous. You don’t think you’ll be tempted to slip if one of your friends did too?”   

He cringed, processing the truth of your words. “I... maybe, i guess. I don’t know.”   

“Maybe it’s not so much about you leading it, but just being in a partnership to help others. You can have someone keeping an eye on you, making sure you’re not gonna relapse, while also running some sort of recovery group. There’ll need to be some sort of funding...” you trailed off as the enormity of this endeavour stretched beyond your prior assumptions. This was looking like a whole new business needing to start from the ground-up.    

A thought came to you, one that would tie in very nicely and not cost you a favour.   

You dialled the scammer, waiting two rings before he picked up with an excited voice. “Hey, you got good news for me?”   

 “Yes, with a little extra. I have a potential need for someone business-savvy with contacts, and not afraid to work with recovered addicts. You down?”   

“To start another business in Lust? You crazy? I’m trying to get outta this one!”   

“I know, but this one’s legitimate. From the very foundations up, it’ll be your own, no tricks or scams needed. Huge gap in the market for it. You wouldn’t even need a new name.”   

He groaned under the pressure. “I don’t know, this seems real stupid. Did ya get me outta the first company’s claws?”   

“Yeah, but you need to come down to discuss the terms and sign the deal. Which is where i think the next business is going to take off from.”   

He relents, agreeing to meet with you down in the dom’s chambers. After about an hour, he shows up, brainstorming a new company structure and funding sources to form a rehabilitation programme in Lust.    

“Thing is, these programmes are real big in Gluttony and Greed. Hell, even Wrath has a few. But Lust? They kinda got lost in the system, since everyone down on their luck just ends up stripping or sucking. There’s real potential here for this to take off. I gotta hand it to ya chick, this might just work.”   

You nod approvingly, feeling warmth building in the small gathering. The dom, the addict and the scammer, an unlikely trio forming a new hope in this little corner of Hell. Their inner flames sparked and flickered, stoked by their palpable potential.   

   

Deals tied up and new favours emerged like dominoes as your reputation for problem solving began to take wing. It felt like you’d barely managed to solve one when another two or three would ask for help.   

Between running the jobs and cashing in enough small favours to fund a slightly nicer motel, you had a full-time project going on.    

In the small gaps where you were alone to think, you tried to process the violently different sensations of being alive in Hell compared to everything you knew on Earth. Chronic pain and fatigue were long-since gone, replaced with a hunger for success.   

Your body wasn’t yours as you knew it, though you had full control. It just felt more like getting in a Lamborghini when all you knew was a bicycle. You barely even knew how to make it work, and yet everyone seemed to pay it so much more respect once you’d proven your networking and communication skills. Your voice made promises sound so tempting, so full of potential to succeed. Your fierce expressions and proud stature emanated a certainty you’ve never known before, assuring those you make deals with of the power in their corner if they made a deal with you.   

You stared into the dingy bathroom mirror, reminiscing on the death of your old body. You didn’t miss it, God no. But this reflection wasn’t yours. It didn’t make sense to your memories. The closest you could come to reconciling the unusual visage with your mental personification was to consider it an armour or disguise of sorts. You could wear the confidence, the savagery this face dripped with, and still protect the little fragments of humanity you had left inside.  

 

Chapter Three: Tensions at the Hazbin Hotel   

   

Alastor’s POV: Persistence in the Power  

 

Alastor blinked, barely amused by the argument between Charlie and Angel.   

Their high-pitched voices faded into the background as he stood, dissociating blissfully.   

“I don’t WANT to do deals with them, that’s the whole point! For Satan’s sake Angel, please listen to me! It’s just advertising! They’re the biggest supplier of major technology and apps in the Pentagram, no-one else has that reach!”   

“That’s the whole fuckin’ issue, doll. You’re too blind to see how badly they’re gonna screw you over the second you turn your back. There’s nothin’ you have that will be enough to prevent them from ruining your reputation the second they get what they want outta ya. Even all the money in Hell won’t prevent that. I’m tellin’ ya, FIND ANOTHER DAMN WAY.”   

The two bickered, voices rising as Charlie clenched her fists and Angel pointed his fingers. It went round in circles until Vaggie stepped in, pivoting Charlie away as she glared at Angel.   

“Charlie, come on. You’ve said all this before, he’s not listening. Chill out. Let’s go for a walk? Take a second.”   

Angel crossed his arms, scowling and muttering.   

“And YOU, Angel,” Vaggie pointed at him, “go let off some steam. Go out, go upstairs, go piss off Husk, i don’t care. We’re not making any soul deals with the Vees, i promise you that. No matter what happens, even if we pay for a little promotion, you’re not gonna be affected. Chill. The. Fuck. Out.”   

“ANY deals are gonna get you screwed over, babe. They’re the VEES. And Charlie’s too naive for this bastard place. Just don’t go doing any stupid shit without at least letting us know so i can get out of here.”   

Charlie shook off Vaggie’s hands as she spun back to argue further. “You have no idea how hard it is to run this place, let alone try to promote it. Especially when i have people like you in my ear, when all I'm trying to do is HELP. If you can think of another way, I'm all ears! But right now, i need you to stop trying to tear this place down with your negativity.”   

“Negativity! Is that what you call being realistic, baby? If i-”   

Husk slammed his palm onto the bar top. “STOP. For Christ’s sakes, the lot of you, shut the fuck up. Sort out ya bullshit in your own time, away from the bar.”    

The four of them stood, facing off with thinly veiled anger, waiting for the first to back down. Only Alastor, who was at the far end of the bar staring blankly, held no malice in the argument.   

Charlie turned off first before the dampness in her eyes turned to falling tears. She stomped off upstairs, Vaggie holding her hand tightly.   

Angel threw his head back and sighed before sitting heavily at the bar. Husk ignored him, refusing to partake in the petty bullshit.   

Alastor slunk into the shadows after the tension was diffused, disappointed it hadn’t become more interesting. He reformed in his bedroom, staring out into the mystical Bayou.    

Truly, the hotel was in dire need of assistance since the exorcist battle. Hardly any sinners had even gone near the Hazbin Hotel since, besides the new guests Cherri and Lora. Much to Alastor’s grievance, Lucifer had stayed fairly firm in his residence too, on the opposite end of the hotel at least.   

He strode out into the grass, running his fingers along a tree branch as his muscles unwound. He picked up the pace, feeling the stretch of his grin as he began tracking the scent of a young buck in his woods.   

Noticing broken brambles and disturbed leaf piles, he followed the trail to a small, enclosed clearing where the young deer grazed peacefully. He admired the creature as it remained blissfully unaware of Alastor’s silent, creeping footsteps. He came close enough to crouch, ready to pounce. He debated giving chase, tasting the metallic edge of blood as he sank his teeth into his tongue. A soft growl left his lips in anticipation.   

The deer heard nothing from its position, barely adjusting its head to graze in deeper grasses.   

Alastor pounced, throwing his arms up to frighten the mammal into pure terror. It fled, darting between the trees, followed closely by Alastor on all fours, shifting into demonic elongated limbs and thick green sutures. His claws dug into the mulch with ease as he gave chase, salivating at the thought of the fresh muscle soaked in adrenaline. The aftertaste would be exquisite.   

Sensing the deer at peak terror, Alastor rushed forward, grabbing it by a hind leg and snapping the neck for an instant kill. The light left its eyes swiftly, head hanging limp as Alastor’s monstrous form carried it by the mouth back to near his bedroom to eat off the little Alfresco table.   

   

Later that evening, he re-emerged clean and pristine as ever to join the Hazbin staff for dinner. Vaggie was cooking; though it wasn’t up to his standards, he barely cared. He was present only to keep tabs on the discussions more than the food anyway, as he’d already eaten plenty of his fill from the white-tailed deer.   

He turned the corner into the dining room, seeing the table already nearly set, with Angel in much better spirits now he had Cherri to bounce his energy off.   

Charlie hadn’t yet come down, and Lucifer was pleasantly absent.    

Alastor took a seat, resting his head on his hands as he awaited the discussions around him to turn interesting.    

Charlie rounded the corner a few minutes later, deep in discussion with her father. Alastor stifled a scowl, ignoring the king as he strolled in.   

“I know Char, we’ll make something work. We don’t need the Vees. If i can get a hold of a few guys from Envy, I'm sure their network system can be installed quick enough to not get shut down by that Vox. Their advertisement systems make the Pentagram look like its just flapping polaroids in the wind screaming ‘extra! Extra!’”    

Charlie giggled, eyes alight with hope. “Thanks, Dad. Maybe that was all i needed to hear. I kinda forgot we had other options out there, especially with all your contacts. Is there anyone you might know that can come up with more activities? I’m getting stumped, here.”   

“Eh, I'm not sure the other rings of Hell are the best places to ask for that kinda stuff. At least sinners will have experience from Earth, maybe know of a good few things they did to rehabilitate up there. If you ask me? I think the sooner we get this place filled up with souls, the better off we’ll be. Lets start there, eh?”    

Lucifer’s eyes shined in reflection of his daughter’s joy. The sight near enough turned Alastor’s stomach. “Ah yes, the King of Hell finally remembers the contacts he has. Took you long enough, especially since you left your dear daughter to figure it out by herself when her very life was at risk. Quite the absentee father when needed.”   

Both Charlie and Lucifer shot him accusatory glances, starting to speak at the same time to defend Lucifer. They stumbled over their words before Lucifer sighed and shrugged, refusing to engage further. Charlie turned back to Alastor, warning him with a glare before helping Vaggie serve up the food.   

The table was quiet while they ate, lost in their own thoughts.   

After a short silence, Husk perked up, nudging Angel. “Hey, you seen that new back massager they released last week? I’m thinkin’ of getting one myself. That shit looks strong . Made by one of the bigger aftercare dealers in Lust, too. Meant to be for after you get your back blown out, but i just want it for the good night’s sleep.”   

“Aw man, no i haven’t! Show me?”   

Husk pulled up a link on his phone, muting when a loud audio of moaning filled the air. “Fuckin’ ads. Look, that one. Not cheap, but it packs a punch.”   

“Shit, yeah, that looks like a better version of the one i got. Wanna go halvsies?”   

“On a back massager? You ain’t putting that thing anywhere below the fuckin’ belt or you’re buying the whole damn thing.”   

“Oh come on pussycat, i won’t do that. Unless you want me too.” His voice tinged with flirting as he winked, amused by Husk’s grumble.   

The conversation eased into comfortable discourse as the meal progressed, though nothing interesting caught Alastor’s attention. As they brought the dishes to clean, he felt Niffty climbing up his jacket to perch on his shoulder. He looked at her, amused. She seemed energetic, clenching her fists and looking eagerly into the kitchen. He leaned in close to her ear and asked what she was so excited about.   

Just above a whisper, Niffty answered “I’m just so EXCITED Alastor, i think we’re gonna meet some BAD boys soon. Do you think they’re gonna get demons from other rings to come here? To the Pentagram?”   

He chuckled, responding under his breath, “I doubt so, Niff. You have far too much faith in the fallen angel. He hardly sees his own daughter, let alone his ‘friends’ in the other rings.”   

“I heard that, asshole. Remember who you’re speaking about. Just because you can disappear for seven years without anyone giving a shit, doesn’t mean i can. I still have responsibilities across the whole damn Inferno. Seven Rings, six other Sins, and I'm the one who has to keep them all from taking swipes at each other. The petty grudges you hold against me don’t even hold a candle to how much hate i get from Satan alone. Still, you should mind your manners, Bellhop.”   

Alastor plastered the fake smile over his sneer as he glared at Lucifer, striding past him to help out clearing up from dinner.   

Lucifer puffed out a breath and turned, beaming falsely at Charlie despite his short temper. The two headed out, leaving the rest of them to tidy up. Even Vaggie commented on how rude that was, blaming Alastor for making them leave the cleaning early.   

   

The tailor offered him a new dinner suit, trying to make a hefty sale despite his need for only a minor repair on the sleeve. He did admire the new suit, especially the crushed red velvet jacket over a silk waistcoat. He assured the tailor of his interest, promising to return should the need arise, and asked him to keep the one-of-a-kind jacket off the rack while he considered. Knowing the reliability of his customers, the tailor obeyed eagerly, setting the suit on a hanger in the back.   

Alastor meandered through town, arms folded neatly behind his back. He missed the feeling of his cane, even just how it felt to rest his arms on as he spoke. He hardly needed it to intimidate, sinners still fled from his vicinity when he came near; he just didn’t have that same firepower he had when it was still intact, leaving him feeling marginally vulnerable as he passed near the edges of the Doomsday District to reach Cannibal Town.   

Rosie greeted him warmly, delighting him with new information as she pulled his arm over to the private table.   

The two gossiped about minor transgressions and powerplays, bitching mercilessly with hearty chuckles. His dear friend lifted his spirits grandly, sending him off with a delicately wrapped fingerfood for a takeaway snack.    

   

Entering the lobby doors, Alastor felt immediately alert. Vaggie and Angel had stopped talking the second he walked in. Curiosity piqued, he wandered over, hugging one in each arm with false joy as he asked them to carry on without interruption.   

They hesitated, clearly trapped in their knowledge.   

He pushed them, prodding for information as they squirmed.    

Vaggie relented, muttering, “I’m not sure what it matters to you, but Charlie’s gonna be gone for a few days with Lucifer. I can’t come with, since they’re going to another ring. Envy for now, i think, but they said they could try others. I just don’t like that i can’t look after her while she’s there. I don’t think she’s been to the other rings in at least... well, a century in the very least.”   

Angel spoke up, “she’ll be fine. She’s got the king of Hell at her side. Plus, everyone knows her reputation for being all sunshine and joy. They won’t hurt her, if anything they might just be a bit weirded out by all the rainbows and shit. It’s still way better than getting involved with Vox, i promise ya.”   

“I know, but at least Vox and the Vees, we know what they’re about. I don’t know what Hellborn demons are really like, especially outside of the Pride ring.”   

Alastor chuckled, dismissing them. “It’s hardly going to be a challenge for them to acquire help. The demons in the other ring have nothing to lose if the hotel fails to earn the attention of its intended audience. The Vees, however, are far more involved. I imagine if the two royals flex their status, they’ll have no challenge whatsoever in their mission, so long as they don’t make overambitious promises. Did Charlie speak of her specific goals, my dear?”   

Vaggie shrugged. “Kinda, yeah. She needs a tv network that can basically hijack over the Pentagram for short bursts to advertise the hotel, or even just some really effective marketing campaigns. Other than that i don’t know.”   

“Very well. Please do not hesitate to inform me if she fails, i would enjoy the disappointment.”   

“Yeah, no surprises there, prick. Go bother someone else.”    

His drawn-out laugh settled into an easy grin as he sauntered back upstairs.   

   

It took four days for the royals to return, seemingly empty-handed. Vaggie barrelled into Charlie, kissing her as they fell. Lucifer laughed as he posed with the cane, waiting for his daughter to recover. They stood and brushed themselves off, sinking back into a close hug as they caught up the Hazbin staff.   

Charlie led the talks as Lucifer proudly watched.   

“So, we have good news, and a little bad. And some great. And some... eh? Anyway, Good news is we have someone who’s willing to come down and work on an advertising campaign, coming all the way from Envy with a couple of her PR team. Bad news, they’re not willing to lend us the network. They think it’s all a bit too dangerous to start showing affiliations with us while we’re still so hot off the battlefield. That’s where the great news comes! Dad’s going down to Lust to work out a deal with their Sin, Asmodeus, uh, Ozzie. They have amazing marketing down there, just a little bit... spicier than we need. We can make it work, though. The ‘eh’ news is we got a warning from the Vees while we were out, just saying we need to back off from all the emails. I kinda went a bit overboard in trying to get through to them. I know, i know, but it’s all working out now!” She held her hands up against Angel’s accusatory stare.   

Alastor hummed, curious about the involvement of other rings. “And pray tell, what do we have that would interest the demons from Envy? Surely the sin implies we have something they want?”   

Lucifer raised an eyebrow. “Clever, coming from you. One of the companies they have on their bankroll is taking a bit of a profit hit from a new one on the scene. It’s all business politics, but we’ve agreed to be part of a little clip even just walking into the store, not even buying anything, just to show that this company is still keeping up with the times.”   

“Eugh. Rather beneath you, is it not, sire ?”   

“Hah, not particularly, especially as this brand is one I've been quite closely involved in the development from the early days. It’s almost a favour between friends at this point. No need to bother your fluffy little head about.”   

Alastor scowled under the tight smile, eyes narrowing. Charlie interrupted, breaking their stare-off with inane chatter about the potential marketing campaign.   

   

Lucifer left for Lust the next night, hugging Charlie close before he left. Alastor waited patiently for him to leave before sidling up next to her and demanding her attention.   

Just below audible for the others to hear, he spoke; “Now, dear, i believe it’s time we worked on a little more of our project, hmm?”   

She glanced around, allowing him to guide her by the back to his radio tower, nervous and tense.   

Entering his studio, he locked the door and flicked a switch that activated a magic sound barrier.   

“All clear. Begin.”   

Charlie looked afraid as she stared into his eager expression, hesitating. His eyes narrowed into an unspoken demand until she straightened, shifting into her higher demon form and growling with the rush of sorcery.    

His grin widened with satisfaction as he mused over the fierce princess flexing her unknown abilities, swirling flame and destruction between her palms as she channelled all her energy into controlling and growing the chaos.    

Her forearms glowed with red veins in the shape of cracks on blackened skin, glowing with pure magic as she manipulated and twisted the pulsing ball of power.   

She was growing stronger each time he brought her here. And every time, she seemed to enjoy it, more and more. Always afraid at first, but as soon as her powers activated, she bared her teeth and panted furiously with a grin on her lips as she fought to maintain the effort. When she felt ready, she tried again on the cane, attempting to fuse the two pieces back together. It seemed almost stable this time as the two pieces conjoined and glowed... before rupturing in a violent burst of green and black. Alastor shielded himself as Charlie was thrown back, both pressed against the wall by the thrashing of energy until the cane’s power dissipated once more.    

Charlie huffed in frustration, clawing at her sides as she stared angrily at her failed attempt.   

“That was excellent, dear. Almost had it under control. You seem to lack that final touch to hold it together. We can work on that. Do you have the energy to try again?”   

She rested her head against the wall, closing her eyes. The exhaustion of each attempt only made the next try weaker if done the same day, but she was so close . She could feel it. Alastor could sense how very close she was to fixing his cane, restoring his power. The thought intoxicated him, tempting him beyond measure. All he had to do was just keep pushing her.   

She dropped her head back down, looking torn. “I don’t know, Al. That one really took it out of me. Can we rest for a bit?”   

He sighed under his breath, disappointed. He shadowed over to sit next to her against the wall, cocking his head as he waited for her to speak.   

She took her time, fiddling with her rolled up sleeves with the now porcelain-white fingers. “Thanks for helping me figure this out, Al. I’m sorry it’s taking so long.”   

“Do not fret dear, these things take time. I will guide you. Trust in your instincts, and we will unlock those magnificent abilities you possess.”   

Charlie half-smiled, staring ahead with tired eyes. “I know, it’s just hard right now. There’s so much going on. We’ve barely just got the hotel back up and running, and sinners won’t even come near it. What if none of this works?”   

“As if that thought has ever deterred you before. You are the very personification of fighting for what you believe in. Don’t let these frail moments of self-development hinder your value in the process.”   

“Well that’s... strangely positive. Yeah, i guess that makes sense. Thanks.”   

“Welcome, dear.”   

They sat, peaceful and patient in equal measure as Charlie allowed her body the needed rest before trying again.   

She’d failed, of course. But not without a fraction of improvement.   

Alastor sent her off to bed with praise as they left the studio, pleased with the progress she was making.     

   

Chapter Four: The Dancer

   

Your POV: Gaining Traction   

 

Favours became your trading standard as you gained attention in Lust. People knew of your fake name, the one on your ID. It amused you greatly to be called Ash, as in the residual of flame, and not short for Ashleigh like everyone seemed to assume.   

You collected favours across increasingly valuable assets, from businesses to minor porn celebrities, gathering the number of demons who owed you quite handsomely. In many cases, their once dim flames began to spark, breathing new life into their purpose. It was quite addicting in itself, fanning those flames; something akin to nurturing the fire in a hearth to warm yourself against. It only made your own powers feel stronger as the heat pulsed under your skin.   

Rarely did you ever experience anything that tested your patience beyond control. One such occasion was a trap set by Wrath bounty hunters who’d been hired to take you out; the group had experience and wit, quickly outmaneuvering and kidnapping you as you tried to escape. In an unassuming apartment, they held you captive, forcing you over a table in preparation to behead. The scalding in the back of your throat and wrists preceded their fate as you begged them to let you go, insisting they could stop this. The gang leader had laughed at you, his inner flame sizzling with anticipation as he raised the blade. Your growl broke into a wretched scream as blue fire burst from your skin, destroying your clothes and scorching the two men holding your shoulders to the table. The flames roared as the room illuminated in your rage, alight with blues, white and gold as you spun, channelling your flame into a single burst. It concentrated, slicing through the air like a ray of light, dissecting tissue and bone alike. A thick line of destruction crossed from floor to ceiling where your blast had shone, along with heavy slumping of the halved body. No blood spilt from the immediately cauterized wounds. Screaming filled your ears, a mix of yours and the other two men as you fought to contain the brimming explosion. Behind your ears like thunder, your pulse dominated every noise besides the screaming. You gripped your hair, feeling ripples of fire traversing your naked flesh, entirely engulfing you from head to toe. You panted out strained breaths, gritting your teeth and hunching down against the impending rupture of heat. In the rhythmic gasps of breath, you felt a touch of control, and clasped it like a life raft. The blazing heat toned down infinitesimally, dropping in degrees until the light behind your eyes turned orange instead of blue. You persisted, pushing through your rage to contain the heat. Your breaths turned deeper, collecting yourself, easing the last of the flames from your skin as you calmed down.   

You tentatively peeked an eye open, still entirely cautious of your own mind.    

In the room, nearly every surface was charred or covered in soot. Beneath you, two halves of a slashed open body lay, blackened from your heat into fleshy charcoal. Near the locked door, two soot-covered bodies lay, mid-scream. The body parts closest to you had shrivelled and burned, including parts of their faces. You shivered, realising you had done this to them.    

The dread sunk in, deep and gnawing. Your eyes wandered over the room, before settling on your hands. No blood, not even soot. Pure, clean and untouched, as if they had not been ablaze mere minutes ago. Aside from the violent shaking, they were the hands you had been growing increasingly used to.   

Underneath the hands, you noticed more exposed skin. You looked properly, taking in your naked body and the tatters of burnt clothing surrounding you.    

Sirens wailed in the distance, though you had no idea what kind of emergency services they were calling for. Fearing it could be police, you scrambled to your feet and ran to the locked door, feeling the lock give way easily in its half-melted state. Across the hallway, you find a bedroom with hastily packed suitcases, tearing into one and finding trousers and a top you can throw on. No shoes would fit, but given the sound of approaching footsteps, you knew you were out of time. Sliding the window open, you looked to the two stories below. This, or capture. You braced yourself, sliding down and lowering to dangle from the windowsill as you heard emergency services breaking through the front door. You take a deep breath and drop, kicking off the wall when you neared the ground, landing hard onto your shoulder and hip as you rolled to absorb the impact.   

Creeping down the back alley in your mismatched outfit, you swore harshly. Even Hell had a justice system, and right now at least three squad cars surrounded the front of the building. You looked over to the next wall, where a drainpipe led to the next floor of windows. You shimmied up, clutching the metal pipe tightly as your heart caught in your throat. You kicked in the window next to the pipe, praying it was empty.   

It wasn’t, and the demon inside looked terrified.  

You apologized, straightening up. Focusing on keeping calm as the heat rose inside you, you turned to the frightened goat-like creature with a shaking pistol.   

“Listen, kid, I'm having a very bad day. Name your price for a pair of shoes and your silence.”   

He trembled, still holding up the gun. His stutter broke up the speech; “It’s gon-nna cost you m-more than just money. I wa-want a favour. I know who y-you are!”   

You rolled your eyes, crossing your arms as you waited.   

“M-my job just fired me. For r-running a side gig. I need a new one, fast. M-make it happen, uh p-p-please!”   

You laughed once, pleased it was something achievable.   

“Alright kid. Gun down. Give me your number, I'll get back to you within three days with a new job, i swear on it. Shoes, now.”   

He scuttles off, a relieved grin on his face despite the invasion. He came back with lace-up flats, a little long but manageable with tight laces. “Thanks. Three days, you’ll get the call. Any particular job you want? Or is it dealer’s choice?”   

“Uhhhh maybe something easy, like a warehouse or shop or something. I just don’t have time to do the applications and all the waiting before the rent’s due, and my landlord’s a grade-A bitch. If you manage something cooler, like working with a studio or working in one of the nicer hotels, I'd be extra happy, but honestly anything will do if it pays by the end of the month. Here.” He scribbled his number in an empty notepad, handing the whole thing for you to take. Good, because yours was back in your bag with your phone back at the motel you’d been kidnapped from. He also passed you a cap, which you gratefully rolled your thick hair into as you snuck away.    

He slipped you out the building’s back entrance, quietly giving directions to the nearest taxi rank. You thanked him and turned to leave, surprised by the arms that threw around you. You paused, feeling strange. He stepped back, genuine gratitude on his face. His flame, once barely even there, flickered much brighter as he looked at you. He really truly believed you were going to be able to help him.    

The warmth powered over the anxious heat as relief flooded you. You made it far enough away to ditch the cap, leaning into your unusual clothing as if it was a new style for you, hanging the shirt slightly off the shoulder and hitching the oversized jeans up to your waist.    

Having no money for said taxi rank, you took a leisurely stroll back, focusing on breathing through the myriad of emotions as flashbacks of crisped, charred bodies imposed on your mind.    

As you walked into your rented motel room, you noticed nothing particularly out of place besides the sheets and knocked over lamp from the struggle. Your bag still sat carefully tucked in the top shelf of the wardrobe, and nothing appeared stolen despite the picked lock on the door. You locked it, flopping down onto the bed with relief. Energy seeped from you as exhaustion took over, processing your emotions in the privacy of your room. The worst part wasn’t the horror at seeing the bodies of your victims. It was how much your body had liked it. Pure hunger, salivating at the sight, yearning for more blood, even against your own conscious wishes. You shuddered, wrestling the images as you chanted in your head how wrong it was to feel this way.    

   

The news broke immediately in Lust, followed by promises from the local Lust Police Department about finding out who could have committed such atrocities. They lightly skipped over the details about the bodies belonging to known bounty hunters, instead painting them as hapless victims with families falling to some unknown villain. They really hammed up the damage, which... in fairness, was fairly severe. Watching the footage of the scene felt more real than having been in it; you could barely believe it was the same the line where your ray of blinding flame had sliced through floor, wall, ceiling and body. You watched in abject horror as they described the scene and the victims, swallowing back the saliva your body involuntarily produced. Heat prickled in your wrists as you watched until you pinched your eyes shut and focused on your breathing.    

It had never felt this out of control before. You hoped against all hope it was just because you were still shaken up from the kidnapping. That your roaring inner fire wasn’t near escaping due to bloodlust.   

   

You refused to leave the motel room for the next day, entirely focused on controlling the flames. Even in the night, you felt the tingle and pressure of building flame, having to wake yourself and stretch your muscles to regain composure. On the second day, you fixed your expression as neutral as possible, put on an unassuming pink midi dress, and made your way into town to repay the favour you now owed.   

It was simple enough; one of the hiring agencies was calling out for assistants left and right for one of the clients, Verosika Mayday. She was a handful at the best of times, and demanded coffee to be in her hands before she even asked for it. But she paid very well, and the job was available immediately. Probably yet another thing that the kid could have solved himself, if he just put himself out there. You follow the directions on the ad to Verosika Mayday’s team headquarters; pushing open the doors, preparing to make your case.    

The receptionist greeted you, barely sparing a glance as she took your ID and offering you a seat.    

An assistant, tired and bedraggled, called you through. Inside the small office, reams of thrown papers and scribbles littered the scene. “Sorry for the mess. We’re brainstorming a new song based on that murder in town. Verosika is... inspired.”   

Taken aback, memories of the grisly scene filled your mental vision. “She... what? What do you mean inspired?!”   

The assistant sighed, eyes resting. “It’s a whole thing. She’s convinced it’s a big conspiracy, of someone breaking free from their captors. She’s currently in the break room making them re-enact what she thought happened. It’s my turn for office work, thank Satan.”   

Your stomach churned at the thought, though you were weirdly grateful your body was having a normal reaction right now. “Okaaaay. I might actually be able to help you with that. I’m here to try and get a friend of mine a job working with Verosika, with your team specifically. He’s happy to be an assistant, but i bet he’d be helpful in lyric creation if you ask him about what happened. He lives right next door, probably heard the whole thing.”   

Her eyes widened, now intensely alert. “You’re serious? You know someone who has first-hand knowledge? Shit, get him here right now. He’s hired, whatever, i don’t give a fuck, just get him here NOW !”   

You laugh, pulling out your phone and dialling the number. He answers with a cautious hello.   

“You have a job, starting right now. Time is of the essence.”   

He responded immediately, taking down the address, audibly rushing into his clothes and running out the door while you gave him directions. Within twenty minutes he was bursting through the main door, panting as the receptionist led him to the office you both tensely waited in.   

The two hit it off immediately. She straightened his wonky tie and smoothed his hair, causing a blush that made even you cringe. He immediately set about trying to impress her while she beamed, grateful at the eager help. He barely gave you a wave as you left, having satisfied the favour as paid.   

It still bothered you how excited she had seemed. Verosika must be in one Hell of a swing with this new song to have created such unbridled chaos, and that was just in the office. God knows what that break room looked like. You tried to pass it off as just monetizing, and not some sort of anti-hero worship.    

It also played on your mind that someone had literally paid off bounty hunters from another ring to come after you. That seemed a fair amount of effort to go to, considering you hadn’t really caused any issues. If anything, you were solving them. A lot of them. Still, you considered heading out to another ring and seeing what you could make work elsewhere.   

You received a call later that evening from the co-owner of Lust’s new rehabilitation clinic; having been seen with you many times, someone had contacted him regarding making a deal with you. He asked if you wanted your details passing on, or to meet the client somewhere. You offered to meet in a small local restaurant, for the safety of public eyes. Your contact reported the meeting scheduled and ended the call. Curious, you prepared for it as if it were business casual, with a soft, high-neck jumper and tight skirt for the occasion.   

You stood in line, waiting for the mysterious client to arrive. By the time you were offered a table, they still weren’t there. You requested a table for two near the back, being seated accordingly and given two menus. You distract yourself looking through the list, realising you were actually kinda hungry. The light in front of you shifted as a person took the other seat at your table. You kept your eyes on the menu, but attention fully on them. They picked up their own wine list, browsing with a soft whistle. They let the silence drag until a waiter came to take drink orders, only speaking once they had left.   

“So, Ashleigh, i take it?”   

“Ash. How can i help you?”   

“I have... a problem. One that is very delicate, and needs to be kept off the books. Nothing egregious, merely some petty theft. But i need my name out of it. You are aware of the name Asmodeus, i presume?”   

You inhale deeply, surprised. “That’s a very powerful name there, sir. Please keep your voice to an acceptable level if you want to take this conversation further.”   

“Oh i certainly will, though i assure you i have already paid off the staff to prevent anyone being seated within the surrounding three tables for this exact reason. No one questions a ‘reserved’ sign, do they?”   

You smirk, acquiescing. “Carry on.”   

“Well, something that belongs to my client was taken and is now in our great Sin’s possession. We need it back.”   

“We? Your client? Who is actually asking the favour here?”   

“Does it matter?”   

“It does when it comes to repayment, i assure you.”   

“Ah, that’s where the money comes in. We have seen your... accommodations. You don’t seem to cash in your favours very often, and certainly not for monetary gain. This job will be cash, half upfront, and half on delivery.”   

You took a few seconds to assess, mulling over the concept of having a decent bed to sleep in. It was very fucking tempting.   

“Is this not exactly the sort of transaction that would have my accounts investigated?”   

“In Lust? No. It would be assumed you took on a sugar daddy or valuable one night stand. Nearly everyone has had a big hit or big intake for such exact reasons. They’re hardly questioned. It’s only when it becomes apparent that embezzlement or other major transgressions occur that the authorities bat an eye.”   

The logic was sound, at least. “I’ll consider it. I still need to know the stakes. What am i retrieving?”   

“A dancer. Her name is Ellie-Rose, quite the dazzling darling. She once held a-”   

You cleared your throat, interrupting him. “That’s not theft, that’s kidnapping. I’m not about to take someone where they don’t want to go.”   

“That’s the interesting part. Her contract currently rests with Asmodeus, forcing her to stay there. She is in fact the daughter of a Greed tycoon, and was set to inherit a sizeable fortune. My client has interests in her staying as the sole beneficiary, though her status as a dancer in Lust breaches the terms of her father’s will. Through whatever means you may achieve, we would like you to obtain the contract and destroy it, or find a way to persuade darling Ellie-Rose to return to her legacy.”   

You let out a low whistle as he slid an envelope under the table to you, thick with cash.   

“That thing feels pretty hefty. This is only the advance payment?”   

“Yes, half now, half on receipt of goods.”   

“Goddamn. Alright, I'm tempted. I’ll need some time for this one though. I usually aim for up to a week, but i don’t want to give it any less than a month for full completion. Do i have a strict deadline?”   

“Not so much. Ideally as soon as possible, before she gets too comfortable in her reckless lifestyle here. But other than that, as long as you can check in with me every month or so, there are no constraints.”   

“Burner phone? Or is mine okay?”   

“Yours will suffice. We will just be careful with wording, and have to throw in the odd casual conversation every so often to keep sniffers off your device. Do you have security on it?”    

“That i do, thanks to a favour cashed in the right place. Messages are all encrypted, and it wipes fully under a passcode. Still, just be careful with who you share my number with. I’ve had enough drama recently.”   

“Yes, that little... how could i put it... entanglement? With the Wrath hunters. Quite the spectacle.”   

For the first time, you look over the menu to meet his eyes. A handsome smirking face peers back at you, rich brown eyes set in yellow sclera and grinning with alarmingly white teeth. The face distracts you momentarily while you process the connection. “You know about that? About me?”   

“Only because i had someone tailing you that day, scoping out the motel coincidentally prior to your kidnapping. You have been a person of interest to my client for a short while, though your magnificent ability to defend yourself against such nasty assailants has only made them more confident in your success.”   

You drop your eyes back down to the food list, unseeing. Shit, more people following you. Definitely time to make moves in other rings before you get hunted down in this one.   

“Listen, before you panic, we haven’t spotted any other imminent assaults or captures. I have a decent span of intelligence, none of which have alerted to anything dangerous since that event. I assure you, i will call immediately if anything becomes prominent. I’d suggest keeping your phone close, perhaps on loud unless you are on a mission.”   

The small relief helped release the tension in your shoulders. “Fine. Is there anything else you can tell me about this contract? Where is it, what makes it binding?”   

“Only that it’s signed by the Sin of Lust himself, making it rather air-tight. Destroying it will be a challenge in itself. Though i am confident you are up to the task.”   

You could practically hear the confidence dripping off his tongue. If only you felt the same.   

“You know, it’s been an awful long time since we ordered drinks. They waiting for the bat-signal or something?”   

His low chuckle answered. “Something like that. If that is all you need, i shall be off. Enjoy dinner, it’s pre-paid for.”   

In a moment, he’s already gone, leaving you looking around in confusion as wine is immediately brought to your table. Confused, but utterly delighted by the crisp dry white wine, you place your order and settle in for the meal.   

   

You took your time researching this one. From poring over photos of the House of Lust to digging through as much of Ozzie’s history as the internet seemed to have, you worked out it was as rudimentary in functioning as any other bar; just extremely high-end and exclusive. Which, of course, was the next issue.   

You decided to try to swing a favour from the pop idol herself, since you brought her the key to her next song’s popularity.    

Welcomed into the office, you were immediately recognised by both the eager kid and the tired assistant, both with remarkably bright inner flames as they secretly held hands. Verosika was in the room this time, grinning feverishly over a chorus sketch.   

“Hey! Nice to see you, this guy really pulled in some major lines for the song. Verosika, it’s that gal i told you about!”   

The pop idol’s eyes shot up, widening marginally. “Ah! Excellent. Did you pay her, Jazz?”   

The assistant looked suddenly nervous, stuttering that she hadn’t been able to find you.   

“It’s alright, i don’t need cash. I work in equivalent exchanges anyway. Since you’re so very kind and generous to consider payment, would you instead consider a reciprocal favour? I need a girls night, and no less than the House of Lust will do!”   

Her grin matched yours, exuding lustful delight. “Now that’s one Hell of a request. And here i was, wondering if we were gonna spend this entire weekend trapped in this dingy shithole. Let’s do it!”   

You made hasty arrangements, kinda shocked at how easily it fell into place. You raised a brow at Verosika’s assistant, who shrugged happily as she gathered some of the skewed paperwork from the floor.   

 

Chapter Five: Sacrifice for Freedom  

 

On Saturday night, you dolled up to the nines with a dress that came offensively close to nudity. Wide slits like claw slashes exposed your skin down the sides of the black material, indicating your lack of underwear. The dress came down to your calves, though honestly only barely covered your front enough to be allowed in public. The neckline alone was plunging, held together with tiny ribbons and bows as your cleavage dangled temptingly for all to see. The slight bounce as you walked was more fun than seductive.  

You approached the queue at Ozzie’s, looking out for Verosika and her gang.   

A long white limo with streaks of gold and fine detailed ornaments pulled up directly outside of the red carpet. You watched, eager to see if Verosika was about to step out; instead, from the back, came the King of Hell himself. Your breathing faltered as you drank the sight of him in, confounded by the smug grin as he waved to the flashing cameras. Recovering, you muttered ‘ostentatious prick’ under your breath. Still didn’t look away though, until he was out of your line of sight.   

Shortly after, a second limo pulled up, this time with Verosika and five other dolled up succubi. Her assistant looked around, waving eagerly to you as she noticed you. You trotted over, bouncing with the lack of bra, clutching your little bag over your crotch for fear of a wardrobe malfunction. The body tape held up better than duct tape, thankfully. She linked her arm in yours, showing the bouncer you were with their group. He doesn’t even blink at you as he unhooks the red rope, allowing you all in.  

Under the pulsing lights of the erotic bar, you felt excitement build like goosebumps of heat under your skin. In the back of your throat, like charcoal and heat, you tasted the engulfing inner flames across the patrons in the room. Many of the people here were clearly very fulfilled and vibrant in their lives. It was intoxicating to be around.  

One of the brightest came from the stage; a beautiful, empowered demon with tattoos lacing down every inch of her body in beautiful stripes and swirls, painting her lilac skin with dark purples and golds. She had long rear-pointing horns that almost looked like a gazelle’s, though the rest of her body was more reminiscent of a feline. Mesmerised by her sway as she teased the crowd, you felt overwhelmingly certain this was your target.  

The DJ confirmed your fears as he reintroduced Ellie-Rose, commencing her next dance. A hoop descended from the ceiling, which she hopped into with a natural flourish.  

The assistant came up next to you, elbowing you for attention. “Hot, right? She’s the next big thing here. Even Verosika’s been trying to catch her eye. Apparently she’s engaged, though.”  

A shiver rolls down your spine as the long legs pivot the hoop into a dainty twirl, posing impossibly against gravity as her strength amazed the crowd.  

“She’s stunning. Engaged? To who?”  

“Eh, i don’t know. Not my business. You getting another drink? You’re cradling that one pretty hard.”  

You looked down to the half-empty glass, blinking. The harmless cup had barely registered in your hands for the entire time you’d watched your target perform.  

You follow your group to a booth, well within easy view of the stage as Ellie-Rose is joined by two other dancers for pole routines. Her flame matched her eyes; she was so happy .  

The dancers finally took a break for an intermission as a round of shots was handed out as courtesy of the show. You took yours gratefully, feeling a subtle hint of a buzz despite trying to stay sober. The night was too tempting not to enjoy. In the distance, you see where the dancers departed stage right, where hidden bouncers led them aside.  

The bright spark of Ellie-Rose was still in plain sight to your mind, helping you track her movements.   

Claiming you needed the ladies room, you took off down the regal corridor and past another bar, acting as if you knew exactly where you were going to onlookers. When stopped by bouncers near the staff only areas, you cocked your leg and acted huffy.  

“I’m here to discuss Ellie-Rose's contract terms. She’s in breach, and it needs addressing quickly before her next performance. If you won’t let me in, please pass on the message immediately, before Ozzie gets wind of the legal issues right under his nose.”  

The doorman hesitates, deliberating. You tap your foot, expectant, leaning into your performance. His movements are jerky as he decides whether or not to speak to the dancer.   

“I need this addressing now, sir. Please do not cause my client nor Ozzie any more delays. I will be taking this further otherwise.”  

Still uncertain, he relents, rushing into the dressing rooms. He reappears a few minutes later, Ellie-Rose in tow, sheathed in a thick velvet robe. Her eyes, once dazzling, were now venomous.  

“What the Hell do you mean legal issues, bitch? My dad sent you?”  

You cock your head, raising a brow, still acting the busy messenger. “You wish to do this in the corridor? Even with the will?”  

Her eyes darted around, realising the gravity of what you knew. She reached out and grabbed your elbow, leading you roughly to her private dressing room and locking the door.  

She leaned against her vanity, glittering makeup and tattoos reflecting off the bright rectangle of bulbs surrounding the mirror.   

“Ellie, I'm not here to drag you back. But there’s people after you, trying to take you home. You wouldn’t believe how much they paid me to destroy your contract. I just want to understand why they care so much, and what you want out of all this.”  

Her facade cracked at your warning, showing fear in her eyes.  

“Ellie? What is it?”  

She released a slow, shaky breath, looking away.  

“I’m the daughter of what you could consider a Duke in Greed, with the power and status you’d expect of someone who makes a living destroying the lives of others. He expects me to carry on the family name, just because I'm half his blood. Doesn’t matter that I'm a person; I'm just a namesake to him. He’s got me paired off to this psycho bastard who owns oil and uranium plants. Trust me, i KNOW I'm a fucking cliché. The funny thing though? I’m not an exotic dancer because I'm rebelling against Daddy Dearest. I’m doing it for the money, so i can make a break for it. I’m almost there. I don’t even really know where I'm gonna go. But either way, I'm not staying with that abusive piece of shit, and I'm not inheriting my dad’s blood money. Fresh start, dancing or not, and I'm so fucking close.”  

“That... yeah, pretty nasty cliché, sorry you’re having to live the reality of it. If you don’t want to dance, what do you actually wanna do?”  

She blinked, assessing you. “What does it matter?”  

“Because i help people. I exchange favours. I can help you get out of here, get you a safe place to go, without breaking the deal i have with... well i don’t actually know who it specifically is to be fair, but either way they want you back home. My only real requirement was to break your contract, or to persuade you to come home. I’m happy to just do the former and help you make a run for it.”  

She hesitates, withholding her response. You patiently wait, knowing she was under more time constraints than you as her next performance was nearly due.  

“That’s... kinda my issue. Ozzie signed it so that it can’t be broken by just anyone. That way, I'm safe. The contract prevents me from leaving Lust. So i can’t be dragged home. You see where I'm stuck?”  

You kissed your teeth, impressed by the loophole. “Yeah, that’s real good actually. Well done girl. Alright, new plan. Ozzie breaks the contract, and instead... go on the run, but with me?”  

She furrows her brow at you, confused. “Wait, why you? I thought you said you just do favours?”  

You shrugged, “i do, and that’s pretty much the long and the short of it. I need a way out of Lust anyway, I'm sure Ozzie could help us with that if it’s to protect you, too. We can lay low until we figure out a new identity for you. Oh shit, i actually have someone for that, too! The main issue is how recognisable you are. They permanent?”  

She looks to where you gestured, across her arms and torso, a smile ghosting on her lips. “Yeah, they are. Yet another act of rebellion against Daddy Dearest. I don’t really want to lose them, either, you know? Wherever i go, it’ll need to be pretty well guarded against... well, people who come to try and steal me away.” You laugh at her obvious wink.  

“Interesting challenge, get you somewhere where you’re safe, but also with the same identity? They’ll be chasing you down.”  

“As always.”  

“You might never fully be free of them?”  

“AS ALWAYS.”   

You both chuckle, her warmth fuelling yours.   

“Fine. It’s nearly time for your next show. Do you have anything that can get me up to see Ozzie himself? VIP pass or something?”  

“Nah, i have one better. Show the bouncers this and every door will unlock on your way.”  

She handed you an incredibly large gem bound in velvet and silk, tying it to your wrist like a bracelet. She gazed at it fondly as she made the final knot.  

The door peeped open with a nervous stage hand quietly asking if she was ready for the next set. She dropped her robe, revealing her stunning visage in one incredible motion, taking your breath away. She winked, sashaying past you to follow the staff out to her next dance.  

The bright orange crystal dazzled you, with hundreds of facets and a sleek cross in its centre. It called to you, like you were made to touch it. Holding back from the temptation, you strode confidently out the dressing room, following signs upstairs.   

True to Ellie-Rose's promise, anyone who saw you with the crystal dodged out of the way as if you were royalty. You feigned confidence as you followed vague indicators towards the main chambers, grotesquely aware of your near-nudity. Though, with the spicy outfits everyone else wore- staff, dancers and otherwise- you blended in fairly well.  

The main chamber doors opened before you reached them, making you duck behind a lewd statue in panic. The Sin of Lust, a blue-flaming being with such an immensely tall stature that you had to tilt your head to see his three faces, was walking out the hilariously short King of Hell with jovial conversation. From behind your hidey spot, you watched them stride, elbowing and jostling each other like brothers.   

Near the elevators, the two stopped. You slowly walked out into the corridor, suddenly incredibly conscious of the many faces in the hallway with you. Thankfully, all of them either had their heads down or were blatantly staring at the two Sins.  

Standing awkwardly, you waited as Ozzie waved off the King with his massive hands. His internal flame shone as bright as his mane, and in a similar colour, too. It had its own sense of being, as if he was invigorated by the fire of those around him just like you. A smile played on your lips as you hoped he was a kindred spirit.  

He nearly walked past you back into the chamber when you had to call his name. He barely glanced before catching a glimpse of the crystal on your arm. His eyes narrowed dangerously and flames roared brighter as he loomed over you.  

“How in Lust did you get a hold of that particular crystal?”  

Suddenly very incapable of speech, your mouth opens and closes uselessly. He bends lower, holding his hand out.  

You offer up the offending arm, willing your brain to form words. “It- ah, my- it's not- i didn’t take it, ah not from anyone. Not Ellie. She, uh, gave it to me. So i can speak to you. Please. Your... highness?”  

His three faces tilt in the blue flame as he listens. “Wait, Ell gave this to you? Why?”  

“We want to... break her contract, please?”  

His eyebrows all raise in unison. Motioning towards his chambers, he guides you to a seat and plops into his desk chair, appraising you.  

You clear your throat, coughing dryly as the nerves wrack your body.  

“Ellie’s being tracked and hunted by someone who claims to have an interest in her receiving the inheritance. They hired me to break her contract, OR persuade her to come home. I’m not trying to bring her back to them. Judging by what she’s told me, she’s far better off on the run than she is going home. But she’s not safe here either. We think, given the situation, we might be able to clear off from Lust and get her somewhere safer where she can be free from her family’s connections.”  

Ozzie leaned back, contemplating.  

“See, this is why we made that contract. She’s bound here. Can’t leave, thus protecting her from being forced to go back. If we break the contract, she’s exposed. No matter where you run, they’ll find her. Hell is an incredibly small place when you have a lot of money.”  

“I think that’s what i want to lean in to. Maybe, if we can break her legal ties to her family fortune, they’ll leave her be. Did she ever talk to you about the will?”  

“Yes, in fact i have a copy here, managed to swing it when her father’s lawyer tried to force her back.”  

He handed you the documents, over a hundred pages of legal jargon.  

“Well, fuck, that’s a lot of paperwork. Can you summarize?”  

“You kidding? I ain’t reading that much shit. Nah man, once they admitted she was stuck here under my contract, i left it at that. Til you showed up, of course.”  

You exhaled, considering options. “Right... know any lawyers you can trust? These need reading through ASAP.”  

“Ah, i actually do. One sec babe, i need to make a call.”  

He leaned back, nearly laid flat in the creaking office chair as his tiny cell phone rung.   

“Hey Stolas! I need you for a little visit. Got your favourite things, drama, money and paaaaaperwooooork! 
“Hahah, of course. Now. 
Yeah, i gotchu. Just be here in-” 

The call was interrupted by a shimmering portal in criss-crosses and diamonds of purple. A tall Goetic demon was still on the phone, being pushed through from behind by an imp. The sight made you burst out laughing, especially when he ended the call with a polite ‘goodbye’. They greeted fondly, with the sassy imp clearly convinced he owned the room. You sat back in amusement, watching them get to work over the will while you and Ozzie watch.  

“This is rather interestingly written, Asmodeus. There are multiple catches to try and bind the estate to a specific partner, with the requirements of producing at least one genetic heir. If they are not able to do so, ‘by any means’, the current heiress is to be re-paired accordingly. It’s all a little... non-consensual?”  

You spoke up, agreeing. “That’s the issue here. She’s already been ‘paired’. The guy’s a real cunt too, apparently. We need to know how to break this will so badly they wont even try to come after her.”  

They look between you and the will. The Goetic demon, Stolas, starts fast-scanning papers until he exclaims with vigour. “Oh this one is what you need! See this subsection? It’s all about the appropriate breeding requirements. It states that if the heiress is not able to produce a child, her genetic reproductive organs will be harvested and the rights of the will shall be withheld until a genetic heir is produced through other means. I know it’s... how you would say, ‘fucked up’, but it’s by far your best bet at freeing the little bird from her cage!”  

You and the imp seemed equally confused, though Ozzie just looked horrified.  

The imp spoke up, “I don’t get it, Stols. If she’s able to have kids, she’s still tied to the will? You expect her to go on the run til old age?”  

Ozzie leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk and clasping his hands together. “No... that’s not what he’s getting at. If I'm right, you think she should have that ability... removed?”  

You interrupt, taking it a step further. “No. Not just removed, destroyed. She will never be able to have kids if she wants to be free of this contract. The only other loophole would be to have a kid and then renounce her rights to the will, leaving it all to her child. But then, she’d be condemning that kid to a life of obligation and social torture, just like she was expected to suffer. From what little i know of her, i don’t think she could do that. So i guess it would be sterilisation and destruction of all reproductive means.”  

There was a heavy pause as the weight of the words settled. Ozzie quietly pressed an intercom, summoning one of his assistants. They zipped in the room, their excitement a bitter contrast to your own downcast moods. “Go get Ellie-Rose, after she’s done the next set. Tell her to come straight to the chambers.”  

The assistant zooms from the room, gone in a blink. You mull in your thoughts, only the calm roar of Ozzie’s facial flames disturbing the silence.   

Within ten minutes, the door raps with the arrival of Ellie-Rose. She’s let in, a nervous excitement on her face that dies as soon as she sees all your expressions.  

“Did... you not find a way out?”  

Ozzie gave a sad smile, gesturing to an empty chair. She took it, wringing her hands.  

“No, we did... but it’s not good. It’s iron-clad, and fool-proof, but it’ll decide the rest of your life.”  

She swallowed, understanding the gravity of his next words. Ozzie explains the terms in the will, the caveats and loopholes, the glaring catch they could exploit. All at the sacrifice of her future progeny.  

Her eyes fell to the floor as he finished talking. You all gave her space to process. Once she was ready, she softly gave her answer; “i guess it’s for the best. If i had babies, they would be on the run forever, just like me. They’d never escape. I’ll never be free. If... if you do it, if you take away my ability to have children, will that exclude me from the will’s terms?”  

Ozzie gently responded. “We think so. There’s not much they could use to trap you once that term is broken. You probably wouldn’t even need a contract to keep you away from Greed. You’d just be... banished? Estranged? Along those lines, anyway.”  

She nodded her head. In her moments of consideration, the inner flame had dulled dramatically. You wondered how much pain she must be in to consider losing the chance to have children as such a huge impact on her spirit.  

And yet, her jaw tightened and eyes raised in determination. “I’ll do it. As soon as i can.”  

Stolas quietly raised a hand to gain Ozzie’s attention. “If i may, this isn’t quite so simple as a normal sterilisation. Even i know who she is, and without question i know how her father will react. Do you think any doctor will dare perform the surgery knowing their life is at stake?”  

You snort, an image conjuring in your mind. “That, i can help with. I have stakes in an addiction recovery clinic. Having a doctor who performs surgeries wouldn’t be too strange, there’s usually medical staff being called in to help with various wounds, overdoses, burns you name it. If we can sneak her in, i can get a surgeon. A good one, probably, though I'm sure Ozzie has more pull than me in that regard. But, since i know the staff, i can get her a private room with keycard access and restricted personnel so only the bare minimum people know she’s there. I could even get a disguise. The surgeon wouldn’t even need to know who they were performing on. Her figure’s humanoid enough to work out where the ovaries would be, right?”  

Stolas and Ozzie nod while the imp scrolls on his phone, uninterested.  

Stolas nudges the imp, “Blitzey, do you think IMP would be willing to run security for Ellie-Rose? You’d just have to be in the room prior to the surgery, you don’t want to make it obvious from the outside that there’s someone so important behind the doors.”  

Ellie looked embarrassed under the pressure of protecting her identity. Ozzie agreed with Stolas’ assessment, also promising the use of the costume department to get her a tip to toe coverage disguise. Ellie seemed increasingly nervous as the plan formed. You stood and walked over to her, crouching next to her chair. “You okay?”  

Her eye twitched as she looked to the floor again. Quietly, to you, she spoke, “i will be. Probably. This will is taking everything from me. My freedom, my future, now even my potential children. I feel like i was never meant to exist outside of my father’s shadow. I'm just... numb.”  

The truth of it sank in, deep into your bones. Never before had purposeful murder crossed your mind. It sure did now. Though, what would it accomplish, with the will still intact? She was trapped.  

“Ah, so you don’t end up with snivelling brats. Kids are overrated. You know what isn’t? Getting to go to bed at night, knowing you belong to yourself. Getting to go on a first date with someone that blushes and hands you flowers while trying not to look you in the eye. Getting to grow old and fat and happy. The assholes who think they own you? Fuck ‘em. You’re with us now.”  

Her lips trembled into a smile as a tear fell. She let her hand slip over the armrest, reaching for yours and squeezing tight. Meeting your gaze, her flame shone a little brighter.  

At the desk, the conversation had paused at the touching moment. Grim determination set in the Lust Sin’s voice as he declared they were gonna make this happen at all costs.  

 

You quickly found out what the pretty gem on your arm did as the matching one on the imp’s arm opened the next portal. It jumped you to a street nearby to your clinic, tucked far enough away that no one saw the bright rupture in reality. In a cluster of bodies, you and Ellie, deep in disguises, followed by three imps, all clamoured against the wall. They had their rifles pointed, scoping for potential threats like actual spies. You and Ellie met sarcastic expressions at the dramatic sweeps they took.   

You all sprinted across the street to the back of the clinic, key swiping in the back door. Inside, the back corridors were only illuminated by emergency lighting. You led them through to an unassuming triage room, well away from the public waiting and reception areas. The lead imp, Blitzø, whispered orders to the other two and began setting up the room for lookout. After blacking out the room with sheets and tape over the blinds, the team waited patiently for the text from Ozzie that the surgeon would be there in five minutes. You snuck out, grabbing surgical supplies and cleaning kits just in case the surgeon needed spares. Back in the room, Blitzø’s phone buzzed, indicating time to set Ellie-Rose up. She hopped on the table, shaking with anxiety as you taped sterile drapes around her abdomen, covering the rest of her except where the surgery would take place. You poured sterilising solution over the site, scrubbing it, both staining her skin to blend in the tattoos, and preparing for the incision.  

Blitzø opened a portal to let Stolas and a very confused surgeon in. With coke-bottle glasses and a sniffle, the unassuming doctor carried a heavy bag full of supplies, muttering about needing more space. He made do, bustling around preparing a temporary table. He tried to lift the drapes to give his patient the sedative, earning him a gun pointed at his face when Blitzø stopped him. You deflected the barrell, apologising to the doctor and taking the piped mask from him, strapping it to Ellie’s face under the gown where he couldn’t see. He tutted, but carried on prepping nonetheless. Once she was unresponsive, he began artfully slicing with an upbeat humming.  

He was quick, surprisingly so for his advanced age. Before you knew it, thick slopping sounds echoed from his metal dish as two ovaries were delicately extracted. You smelt a slight hint of burning flesh as he cauterised the bleeding, flashing you back to the murders for a brief, horrific moment. You shook your head, refocusing on the scene. He repaired the abdominal walls with ease, sewing the muscle and skin together neatly. He disinfected the area once more before declaring the surgery a success. In a blink, Blitzø was at the metal dish, pouring lighter fluid and igniting the organs. The surgeon stumbled back into the cupboards in surprise, asking if that was necessary. Blitzø’s wicked grin answered him.   

You cringed at the smell, grateful Ellie was still deep asleep.  

The portal glimmered with golds and purples as the surgeon was ushered through with Stolas. The three imps stayed, helping keep an eye out in case things went awry from here.  

Ellie’s recovery from anaesthesia was slow and messy. She drooled and mumbled, trying to roll and move around. As soon as she started showing signs of conscious processing and flinching from pain, you had the morphine ready. It took a good hour of watch before she was able to talk and think properly.  

You kept her on the bed until she was steady enough to walk; at which point, Blitzø opened another portal, guiding a frail Ellie through with his other two imps. You stayed behind, ready to clear up the room back to its normal state before the morning staff would arrive.  

You finished up with plenty of time, greeting the staff you knew and making small talk. A couple of them eyed you suspiciously, wondering if you were here to claim a favour, not knowing you’d already secretly used the clinic for one. Varr, now working the front desk, gave an enthusiastic wave, his hand-shaped burn scar visible under the tight blue shirt sleeve. You headed out, picking up a coffee before making your way to Ozzie’s.  

At this time in the morning the bar was closed for the general public. Thankfully, your face was already known to the servant who answered your knocks, allowing you passage to the main chamber. Upstairs, Ozzie and Stolas napped in the office while Ellie was apparently sleeping off her surgery in the adjoining bedroom.  

Blitzø quietly greeted you, catching you up on minor details while you waited for them to wake up. Your own eyelids grew heavy as the night’s events caught up to your body.  

Your shoulder shook of its own accord as you snap your eyes open. Next to you, Ellie held on to your armrest while shaking you, excitement in her eyes and a soft flame in her belly. “Hey! Wake up! They did it, the will’s broken. We just called father now. He’s losing his shit bad. If you wanna make it out of here, we need to go, pretty much right now.”  

You blinked, barely processing the words. “Hmmm ah, yes okay. Bag. I need bag. It’s... ah shit, it’s in the motel. Hey, Ozzie, i need to grab it before i leave, how do i use this thing?”  

He runs you through a quick how-to before Blitzø interrupts and just makes his own portal to the motel, promising to teach you properly another time. You run through to the room, finding it untouched as ever, and grab your bag. The portal disappears and reappears instantly in the room they saw you run into. “That it? All you need? We gotta go!”  

You nod, jumping through back to Ozzie’s office. Now you were on the spot. “Shit, where are we gonna... ahh hang on, Ozzie, you still have the contract. You need to break it if we’re leaving to another ring.”  

He held up a fist full of dimly glowing torn up paper. “Already done, no worries. She’s completely free now. Being hunted, sure, but free. Now go, go! You have a whole life to live, girl!”  

Ellie beamed, flinching slightly as she clutched her abdomen. “Pride. I always wanted to see the Pentagram City. Can we go there?”  

Blitzø laughed, clapping with amusement. “You wanna go there? HAH! No problem sugartits. We LIVE there! Let’s go!”  

From his gem, a new portal opened, showing crimson red skies and a flaming pentagram in the clouds. You swallowed, feeling a hint of fear before plunging through the portal to the new ring.  

 

Chapter Six: Moving Out  

 

IMP was not fit for purpose.   

The building, the company structure, the rostering? All of it was in shambles. You’d have thought having a royal excommunicated Goetic demon as part of the staff would whip it into shape. You would be wrong. The depressed, mopey demon was so deep in his wallowing he barely even noticed when one work day ended and another began.   

To his credit, Blitzø put in the work trying to improve Stolas’ mood. The guy constantly took on the most ridiculous jobs, practically leaping at any opportunity to make any money to improve their situation.  

You and Ellie were hardly practiced in any sort of weaponry, making you glorified roommates at best while you settled in.  

Their vague attempts to teach you gun etiquette and sharpshooting fell flat. You could just about hit an easy, unmoving target, better so than Ellie anyway. Once the target started moving, you were all over the place. Quite rightfully so, the imps gave up on that route.   

A fair few of the clients that came to get their revenge were just doing it for spite, having no actual goal beyond just killing their rivals and opposition back on Earth. After a couple weeks of sitting nicely, you had to interrupt a particular ranting bitch.  

“Please, give us a break. You died in a backwater town barfight. What the fuck did you think was gonna happen? You want her dead? So you can have more one-on-one fights until you can win just one time? She’ll have you folded like a lawn chair. Come on, what did you really want, before the fight? Forget her. Forget the brawl, the dying, all that’s inconsequential. What did you live for?”  

You sauntered around the newly deceased sinner, circling her while Blitzø tapped his fingers in irritation on the desk. As usual, Stolas was pretty quiet, watching everything until given a task.  

Her face contorted, changing between thoughts of rage, indignation and confusion. Finally, her shoulders dropped and her lips pursed. “I ain’t sure. I liked brawlin’. Was good at it. Look, all i want is that bitch dead. She killed me, I'll have her killed. Fair’s square.”  

“No, not at all. The fight was already fair, and you lost. What are you gonna do as soon as she’s dead? What if she ends up in Heaven? What’s the plan?”  

Her lip curled into a sneer. “That bitch ain’t goin’ nowhere but Hell. Look, if y’all can’t do what I'm payin’ ya to do, just say so. I’ll find-”  

Blitzø jumped in, trying to keep her on the books for the cash. “Woah woah woah, no need for that, i assure you we are professionals and just have a few issues with our TEMP STAFF at the minute, my sincere apologies – now, where does that bitch live?”  

The client’s grin spread, though you crossed your arms. They worked out a price and the imps departed, leaving the client satisfied and smirking before leaving the office.   

You grunted, feeling utterly wasted in an environment like this.  

Ellie practically hid in the apartment you shared, always with the curtains closed, and always nervously keeping distracted. You came home after being exactly zero use for the IMP team, slumping onto your side of the double bed.   

Ellie wandered in from the living room, perching beside you.  

“You know, if we get jobs, we might be able to afford more than one bed.” Her half-hearted joke felt sweet against your sour mood, lightening the moment enough to unwind your frustrations.  

“Are you kidding? And miss out on an heiress snoring like a chainsaw? Never.”  

She playfully punched your arm, leaning down to meet your gaze. “I know this is safe, but it sure is... boring. Don’t you think we can be doing so much more? I’ve seen the way you watch over the sinners from your balcony. You feel it too. They’re so... hopeless.”  

You snort, half a smile on your face as you look back at her. “I’m trying. Honestly. But the sinners who wind up at IMP already have their minds made up. I think, as dumb as it sounds, we might need to get out there. Make our own way. I’ll have a look around, see what kinds of favours i can get before we actually start. You still okay waiting here? I didn’t mean to cage you.”  

“Hah, this is hardly a cage compared to what i grew up in. For now, it’s like a little burrow, and i am but a bunny.”  

“Pffft, definitely more of a viper. Hisss for me, HISSSSSSS!” She rolls from your sharp claws as you tickle her, lavishing in her giggles. She slaps you away, jumping off the bed and escaping to the kitchen.  

You stay sat on the bed, still warm inside from feeling her little flame glow a tiny bit brighter every time she laughed.  

You leaned over the balcony as usual that evening, soaking in how beautiful the skies were in twilight under the blazing Pentagram. You had no idea where to start, but it wasn’t with IMP.  

 

Pinned tightly into a bun and tucked behind a cap, your hair was unrecognisable to accommodate your subtle disguise. Long baggy shirt dress, leggings and flats, with gaudy beaded bracelets hanging at your wrist. Your Asmodeus crystal hid near the crook of your elbow, well covered by the baggy sleeves.  

Pentagram city was huge. Far, far too expansive to traverse by foot. You had a reasonable stash of paper bills plus your debit card under your alias with you, though you tried to use anything traceable as little as possible. Taxis and buses seemed more than happy to receive cash anyway.  

You took a route leading into the entertainment district, watching Imp City fade into the distance as the taxi rumbled. Your hand unconsciously rested on the crystal, thinking of Ellie being left alone without a means to escape. A swirl of dread churned in your belly at the thought.  

Sudden neon blues and bright screens captured your attention as you crossed into the district owned by sinners known as the Vees. Every single street seemed to have at least three cameras, with storefronts and entertainment on the ground floor of every residential property. As you neared the district centre, increasingly vivid and flashy venues promoted their exotic dancers, whores, gambling, games and other consumer-based luxuries. The inner flames of sinners who strolled so confidently down these streets were as dim as fireflies. It startled you to see so many spirits near their very limits of burning out.  

The taxi pulled to the curb outside of a major entertainment venue. This thing had everything; entire floors dedicated to private dances, a porn studio, a restaurant, a fashion emporium, a movie theatre, multiple bars... The sheer size of the building compared to all the others around it was astonishing. Three Vs with kissy lips and cocktails blared in pink neon up the wall, enticing flocks of consumers into the depths.  

You debated going in, feeling very underdressed compared to the customers who were trickling in from the street. It was barely mid-afternoon, yet these demons looked ready to pull all-nighters.  

Clearing your throat and straightening up, you make the decision to at least scope out the tower for ideas.  

In the foyer, you were the most clothed customer there. Only the staff with their neat suits were fully dressed, easily identifiable with their stressed faces and various technology in their hands as they scuttled around. You wandered over to the lift, looking at the directory for where to go next. The lounge sounded pleasant enough?  

On the lounge floor, the hallway was painted in subdued terracotta and creams, adorned with sensual photos and paintings. Many of which featured a tall, incredibly long-legged purple demon, with various clamps and straps posing like he owned the room. One of the poses reminded you a little of Ellie-Rose on the hoop, except this guy was the epitome of carnal desire in every single image.   

Through large red double doors, the lounge spanned out with full tables of hungry consumers. They laughed raucously and sipped eagerly, playing off their pathetically dim spirits as if they were the high rollers here. You cringed, finding one single empty seat to take from a table and perched it near the wall to floor windows.  

While you were picking up a drinks menu, one of the staff came over to speak to you. With disgust on their face, they plucked the menu from your hand and asked if you were lost.  

Astounded by the confrontation, you leant back in the chair and refused to answer. Looking him up and down, you appraised his potential for a favour.  

After a minute of the stare off, a smile crept over your face.   

“No, not lost. Just here on business. Is there a dress code?” You flash a mischievous smile, intending to disarm him. It worked.  

“And- uh, what business would that be? Are you expecting someone?”  

“I take what comes my way. You’d be amazed at the kind of things i can do for someone. Especially if they’re in a spot of trouble. I take it you’re... unfulfilled, working here? How sad.”  

The waiter, taken aback, cringes at you before looking around. No one was paying attention, though he still lowered his voice and bent down to talk. “This is not the kind of place you go throwing those accusations around. Have you ever seen the bosses? They’ll eat you alive. Whatever you’re trying to do, this is NOT the place.”  

You leaned forward in your chair, levelling with his ear to reply. “I didn’t accuse anything. Though, if the shoe fits, do wear it with a strut. Go on, tempt me. What’s holding you back from leaving here?”  

He lets out a shaky breath, whispering, “I’m serious. You're in a shark tank right now, literally. Look, they own my soul. I have no choice. If you still have yours, then you have a chance to run. Get the fuck out of here before they see you.”  

He immediately straightens and pivots, darting back to the bar and collecting trays of drinks to serve. You contemplate the warning, enjoying how it tasted. Sounded like there was a head of a snake to cut off here.  

Two more staff tried to persuade you to leave while you were there, suggesting you were out of your depth and barking up the wrong tree. The more pressure you got to leave, the more you dug your heels in.  

As the evening wore on, once a bartender finally agreed to serve you drinks, you sat by your window and watched over the scene. The staff were exhausted, overworked and spent. The dancers who gave half-assed routines were long-since burnt out, barely a glimmer of life left in them. Everything seemed to be a facade here, a mask of pleasure to cover deep-rooted suffering.  

You felt ready to leave as the night became more excitable; drinks flowed, patrons danced, lights pulsed, yet you’d had your fill of the performances from every angle. It was answer enough that nobody even glanced your way as you left, all trapped in their efforts to appear happy.  

The lift ding-ed as it opened, letting you inside. Two sinners in tight BDSM gear stood near the back, whispering. They gave you disapproving stare as the lift jolted up to their floor, releasing them into the porn studios. Across the hallway from your vantage point, you could see demons rubbing their faces and rolling their shoulders off-camera, while others sat alone outside their assigned studios with empty expressions. Your heart fell, stuttering at the broken sight. The lift doors closed, cutting you off from the desolate beings. Before you knew it, the doors pinged again, exposing you to the bright lobby. You left, barely acknowledging the sarcastic goodbyes you received from the bouncers.  

Now feeling a little more invigorated, you began your hunt for research.  

Taking up barstools, pestering both customers and staff, you managed to get pieces of a full story about how the Vees ran the district, and how the soul deals worked. One bar in particular seemed to be in competition with the Vees tower, with a sprawling stage dotted with multiple dancers at the same time. The crowd was decent, with noticeably more invigorated inner flames than in the Vees tower. You took note of the energy, fascinated by how the staff seemed to care for each other more here.   

Approaching three in the morning, still tucked under your cap, you’re hardly bothered by the bouncing customers nor bustling staff. To the left of the bar is a ‘staff only’ door, which you strolled into as though you were meant to be there. Inside, you ignored confused staff as you purposefully made your way to the manager's office at the end of the dull grey corridor.   

A perpetually middle-aged sinner glanced up under her vivid red eyeglasses, unimpressed at your interruption of her reality show rerun. You gave her a relaxed smile, flopping into a chair opposite her desk. Her gaze, bored but otherwise unbothered, drifts back to the show.  

“Lemme guess. You need a job. Still got your soul?”  

“Well, less that i need a job, more that i need something fun to distract me. I like this place. Is it in direct competition with the three Vees over there?”  

“Hmmph. We’re making do. Nobody competes with those sadists. Our girls and gays are happy, fed and paid, ‘n that’s good enough for me. So what ya here for?”  

“Like i said, distraction. I think you’re probably at better standing for competing than you make it seem. You customers seem to genuinely enjoy being here. I could help you expand this place. Are the floors above all residential?”  

“Expand? Honey, this place is expensive enough to run as it is. We’re breaking even. Next two floors up are empty office spaces, gets rented out every so often to some cheap startup that shuts down after a couple months.”  

“Cute, so it’s available. Do you run classes here?”  

The bored expression gradually turns interested as you draft out multiple ideas for the building to make revenue whilst also engaging with the community. By five AM, she’s excitedly spit-balling her own ideas that were long-since dried up. Your mind wanders back to Ellie, wishing to know if she was still safe. You push on until the morning sun rises, gathering a list of suppliers and materials you’d need for the project.  

In one of the store cupboards of the now-empty bar, you open a portal and hop back to your apartment, eager to check on Ellie-Rose. She’s tucked peacefully in bed, hair askew and mouth slack, undisturbed by your portal. Relieved, you tuck in next to her, a respectful distance away on the double bed, and catch some sleep before your upcoming challenge.  

 

Chapter Seven: Improvise, and use Your Thighs   

   

“I’m not a teacher. I can’t even really dance that well. I never learned steps. The whole point is i made it up as i went along!”   

“That’s the best bit. You remember what you said, when you tried to show me how to climb the pole? ‘Improvise, and use your thighs’. That’s one Hell of a catchphrase there. People get bored with routines, get tired of rehearsing. If you can teach the dancers how to just let loose and throw shapes, actually dance and not just follow a programme, it’ll double if not triple the access for sinners to enjoy the stage on either side. Can you even imagine how much it’ll hurt the profits over in Sadism Heights up there? They’ll be far more amenable to favours if we knock them down a peg!”   

“‘Sadism Heights’?! Is that what we’re calling the most powerful, illustrious den of Sin in the Pentagram city now? You are NOT ready for the Vees, girl. Even I heard of them in Greed. Nasty pieces of work. Not worth trying to get favours with, i promise.”   

“Pleeeeeeease consider it. It’s not a money thing, though the tips will be *mwah*. Think of it as the next big business venture, where you’re in charge. No Daddy Dearest to make your decisions for you. No contracts or deals, no one to control you. Walk away at any time. And if you have fun? Then stay. I’m not asking you to work the stage, not at all. Just help teach some new blood. In the very least teach me, and i can have a go at it!”   

She cringed, laughing at your enthusiasm. “Yeah, maybe not. Your idea of teaching is my idea of being thrown in the deep end. Fine. Backstage, no public performances, and i decide my schedule. AND i have free access to your hot chocolate stash. Don’t think i didn’t notice.”    

Her narrowed eyes set off more laughter. You bounce on the spot, clapping and cheering as she flicks back her hair in fake vanity.    

   

You and Ellie wore thick hoodies and jeans as you make your way to the bar. The old saloon-style sign, worn down with age but rich with character, displayed the words ‘Steel Stilettos’ in reflective silver lettering. The name was quite characteristic of the dancers inside, who all had a tough edge to their smiles, like they could take care of themselves in a fight. Ellie-Rose, as dainty and delicate as she was, stood out like a sore thumb in the temporary stage setup on the first floor. In the daytime, before the bar took off, Ellie engaged her audience nervously, a tremble in her voice when she tried to explain her ideas. Some of the dancers seemed bored, eyes wandering off during her talk. You cleared your throat, indicating for Ellie to hurry up or change direction. She met your eyes and gave a grateful nod.    

Inhaling deeply, she announced she would demonstrate what she meant. In the borrowed heels, she paced gracefully, floating as she neared the pole. She wrapped the metal in one hand as the other outstretched, becoming one with the rhythm as she let go.   

The girl was an athlete on the pole. Lithe and graceful, her body moved without restraint as she threw pose after pose, circling and spinning with ease against gravity itself as the music pulsed around her. You subtly increased the volume, assisting her confidence as the audience stared, as mesmerised as you had been in Lust. This was the kind of performance bars in Pride hadn’t seen for a long time. This was sheer passion, tinged with freedom.    

She ended with the song, striking a final pose with her head thrown back. Her long hair arched behind her, lapping around her waist as she held the pose. The dancers watching barely moved for maybe twenty seconds before applauding her, wolf whistling and cheering. Ellie’s pose softened into an awkward stand near the pole, becoming her shy self again. You beamed at her, clapping, encouraging her to engage with her rapt audience.   

She took them individually, focusing on their strengths and weaknesses as the others watched, fascinated. By the evening, when some of the dancers were due to go on stage, you could see the reluctance in their eyes as they were dragged out to work. You threw a promise to them that Ellie-Rose would be back the next day for another class. Ellie grinned, waving at them. Her flame shimmered, igniting with the excitement in her little community.    

Her classes took off incredibly fast. Word of mouth worked incredibly quickly in the cramped city, leading to a very full class within only a couple of weeks. You had to hand-pick a couple of her star pupils to run sessions of their own to divide up some of the pressure.    

Ellie was in her element. Out of the very public eye, she thrived off being able to help others find themselves by taking the stage. She nurtured their enthusiasm, encouraged their learning, reassured their anxieties. You had to push the occasional unwanted thought out of your mind at how good of a mother she’d have made.   

The success poured out into the enthusiasm of the dancers as they tried out their unscripted moves. Customers lapped it up, invigorated by the excited smiles beaming from the stage.   

You took a few classes too, particularly enjoying getting to flip and spin in the air, having to exercise to keep up with Ellie’s impressive strength. Your fuller figure made some of the moves a little harder, but still hilariously fun nonetheless.   

Soon enough, the words ‘improvise, and use your thighs’ became the bar catchphrase, even getting plastered on posters and adverts as the Steel Stilettos gained traction in the entertainment district.    

On the night the second stage floor opened, the manager came to you in thanks, wrapping you in a tight hug in the booth.   

“I’ve not seen a group of people this excited to come to work before. I thought you were crazy... still do, but dang. That Ellie-Rose is something . She ain’t a sinner though is she?”   

“Nah, i pinched her from Ozzie’s. She was a headliner there, a very good one.”   

“Ozzie’s House of Lust? How the fuck did you afford her if she worked there?!”   

“It’s a long story. I think she’s doing better here, though. She’s on your payroll now, right? Does she have a contract?”   

“It’s non-fixed, can be cancelled at any time. She was very insistent about not being tied down. I’m fine with that as long as she stays here. I’ll be ruined if she goes to that fuckin’ Vees Tower and brings all our custom there.”   

“That will NOT be a problem, trust me. Both of us are well aware of how bad things are there. You know that nearly every one of their staff is under soul contract? No wonder they’re all nearly dead inside. They don’t have a choice.”   

“That’s how a lot of things work in the Pentagram, honey. Most of us are under someone’s deals. I’m under one. Not the Vees, don’t worry. I’m one of the big neon and fluff Overlord’s girls, Zeezi? You not heard of her? Nah, she’s not too bad. Stay on the right side of her and you’re pretty safe. She got me this bar.” The manager smiled nostalgically, looking out from where you both sat in a private booth. “Still, success is success. Cheers, for expanding!” She clinked her glass to yours, drinking greedily as the bubbles fizzed. You drank your whole glass in one go, raising it up with a cheer as one of your favourite pupils made his way onto the stage-left pole.   

   

Two customers stood out as they walked in, catching your attention immediately. You’d settled beside the bar, still overdressed in your oversized shirts, watching over the crowded dancefloor when new faces appeared with cautious expressions. They appeared to be assessing, analysing. The kind of looks you give when you’re scoping out a potential threat. You grit your teeth and nod to the bartender beside you to keep alert. He locks eyes on the newcomers, fixing his face into neutrality as he watched.    

You hopped off the stool, trotting towards them with a fake smile.   

“Boys! Welcome to the Steel Stilettos. You’re new here, not seen your faces before. Come, let’s get you a booth and you can introduce yourselves.”   

The two looked surprised, startled by your welcome. Hesitantly they followed you to one of the private booths near the back, sliding in and keeping their hands close to their thighs as they looked around.   

You sat opposite them, assessing their body language far more than their appearance. The spider, tightly clad in pink and black with thigh high boots, looked far more uncomfortable than his outfit deserved. His companion, the black and white tuxedo cat, held an air of caution and mistrust that piqued your interest. Nothing about their behaviour made you feel they were just there for a good time.   

Drinks appeared at the table, a bottle of wine and two whiskies. You took a glass for the wine as the waiter poured, gesturing for the two guests to make their choice. The cat reached for a whisky, giving it a sniff before sipping, an impressed look on his face. The spider took the wine, watching you drink it before taking a sip.   

“Shit, that’s actually good. Husk, you gonna try some?”   

The cat looked disapprovingly at him, still sipping the whiskey.    

They both turned back to you, clearly unsure what to say. You let them sit, waiting for their intentions to become clear.   

The spider seems to be faltering under the pressure first as you continue to calmly sip.   

“So, uh... this how you welcome all the new customers? You must get through a lotta wine, doll. Do you even work here?”   

You smirk, trying to keep your face relaxed. “Not in the truest sense. I look after the bar. As a favour. It’s kind of my thing.”   

The cat looked down his nose after he swigged the final sip of whiskey, eyeing up the spare glass. “And i guess that’s why you wanted to talk to us, huh? You spot two suckers down on their luck and think you can make a deal? You’re too late, cupcake. Old news.”   

“Far from it. From where I'm standing, you both came into the bar looking for something, and I'd like to think you found it. So, please do share what brings you to this cozy little setup?”   

The spider, nervously, “that ain’t us, doll. We're just here to check out the new scene on the strip. This place barely got a look in a few months ago, and now it’s booming? Something big happened, we’re just interested is all.”   

The cat’s level gaze met yours, loaded with accusation as he narrowed his eyes. “Keep it easy Angel. We’ve got our answer. We ain’t looking for trouble.”   

“Angel? Sweet name for a sinner. And, Husk, was it? I assure you, i don’t want trouble, and don’t expect it from you two. I am however going to need you to turn around and walk your little tails out of here if you’re planning on reporting back to someone. Just let them know there’s... new management. That should be enough.”   

The spider, Angel, drew in a sharp breath. Beside him, the cat grabbed the second whiskey glass, sipping slow as he met your eye. “You kicking us out? We ain’t done shit.”   

“I’m letting you know your job is done. Unless you’re here for pleasure, in which case then you’re more than welcome to enjoy the shows.”   

Their hesitation was answer enough. You chuckled, glancing out over the rhythmic bouncing of the crowd as they surround enthusiastic pole dancers.   

They looked amusingly torn, also looking out at the vibrant throng of demons. You make the decision for them, gesturing for a repeat round to the watching bartender and getting up to leave them be. Their surprised faces relax a little as you exit the booth and the new drinks arrived.   

You kept an eye, listening out for the bartender’s reports and milling around as you watched over the ground floor. Above, the party was ramping up, with customers having a go trying out basic moves with the help of the staff. The two unusual guests loosened up, joining the crowd once the alcohol eased their nerves.   

As they left, they were laughing and chatting, an overall good sign you thought. Though you still weren’t sure what they were here for, you noted down their names and made it the next day’s task to work out who they were.   

   

From chatter in the dance class, you hear from a few that they recognized Angel Dust, a major Vee’s porn star, but not the guy that came in with him. In true catty gossip fashion, the dancers revealed the snippets they knew to create a vague understanding. Staying with the Princess of Hell, in the Hazbin Hotel, and also working under the Vees, the spider was definitely a threat to both yourself and Ellie-Rose if he was reporting back. You give the bartenders a heads up to call you if they ever come in again, ensuring they recognise the sinners, and insist on Ellie not leaving via the main doors at the end of classes just in case. Though they didn’t turn up again over the next few nights, the caution didn’t hurt.   

You expected more spies, maybe even a new dancer with a nearly extinguished flame to show up and eek out more information.   

You did NOT expect one of the Vees themselves to stride in, surrounded by two glamorous side-chicks and a quirky assistant. The image of capitalism himself, a literal flatscreen television, glowing vivid blue with a powerful inferno of a spirit. His power practically dripped off him as he sauntered into the bar during peak times, the crowd making way like shoals of fish around a shark. The glint in his eye felt so reminiscent of the Lust demons, you almost felt as though you were back in that ring. From your seat at the bar, you unconsciously wrapped your arm around yourself, hiding the crystal further under your baggy sleeve.   

He licked his lips and appraised the room like it was built to serve him. The hair on the back of your neck raised in response, like he was invading your territory. Once he spied the booths, he nodded to the bartender and pointed to the booth he wanted, wordlessly demanding servitude. Annoyingly, the bartender yielded immediately, giving a half-bow and unlatching the rope that barred the booth. The Vee, Vox from what you remembered, placed his drinks order and handed over a wad of cash. At least he was paying, thank Satan.    

He paid not one drop of attention to you in your loose shirt. His eyes preyed on the dancers, studying them from afar. His hungry gaze caught the odd glance from your dancers, making them visibly uncomfortable. It affected their dancing almost immediately. That’s when you decided to step in. At the booth, pulling your cap back a little so show your face better, you made introductions. He sneered, looking you up and down before gazing back to the girls. You stepped into his line of sight, blocking the girls.   

“Hey, who the fuck do you think you are? Get out of the way.”   

You held his gaze, refusing to let him look at the dancers. “We don’t take kindly to unsavoury guests, sir. You’re making my staff uncomfortable. This isn’t the type of place you get to walk into, salivate all over our tables, and pay for disappointing sex. I believe you’re looking for the Vee’s lounge if that’s what you’re after.”   

He growled, the pale neon blue around one eye glowing brighter. The sclera filled with swirling lines, drawing you into the iris. You raised an eyebrow, waiting for his answer.   

His expression shifted to disappointment and confusion. The swirling stopped, replaced by a raised brow and a frown. “I don’t like repeating myself. Who the fuck are you?”   

“An interested party, affiliations with the Steel Stilettos. I value the comfort of our clients and performers. They choose to be here. I’m not about to let you change that.”   

“Hah. They’ll come and go as they please? What’s keeping them here?”   

“Aside from the good pay, the staff benefits, and wicked tips? Probably just the knowledge that if they stay with us, they’ll never need to work for you .”   

Offended, his hands clenched, face flashing brighter for a second before he reigned in the anger. He blinked, forcing a tight smile and literally switching on the charm. “Ahh, i see you’ve been tainted by the competition, though it can hardly be called that compared to the Vees Tower. Why don’t you come for a drink doll? You’ll be able to see the structure, how things run, I'll even give you a tour. You might find our accommodations a little more to your taste.” Though his words rolled off his tongue like silk, his eye twitched from false niceties. You internally cringed, aware this was his attempt to poach you.    

“How kind. Unfortunately i did visit once, I was asked to leave at least a dozen times by multiple waiters and was mocked on the way out. I’m sorry to say that ship has sailed.”   

His facade drops as he recoils, not expecting that answer. He scrambled for a response. “I’m sure it was merely a dress code issue. You hardly look the part, and our Tower is quite exclusive. If you put in a little effort, I'm sure we can make up for the unfortunate introduction. Do you, uh, dance?”   

You laugh, amused at his false smile with the disgusted curled lip. “No. Not a chance. I prefer to work behind the scenes. I make things better for people. I give favours. In exchange for equal repayment, of course. You understand.”   

“Oh? Is that how you’re ‘affiliated’ with this joint?”   

“Yup.”   

He pauses, considering. “And are you available to hire?”   

“Hire isn’t the right word. If you have need for a favour, and are willing to pay the price in due course, i can help.”   

“Favour. You keep saying that. What the Hell is that supposed to mean?”   

“I mean, if you’re struggling to keep customers for anything other than pretenses, i could arrange new attractions to make them want to come back. Or, if you had an issue in the business side of things, i can help resolve disputes, make new connections. Perhaps there’s something more personal? Dig deep. What do you think you need, hmmm?”   

He sat back, watching you with new appreciation. “That’s the look. I get it now. You don’t deal in souls, you deal in favours . You’re not officially an Overlord though, are you? How long you been dead?”   

“Is that a requirement for being in this ring?”   

“..... Are you not?”   

“I’m from Lust.”   

“Ah.”   

You snort at the pensive expression, likely now disappointed he can’t own you like the rest of the sinners.    

“I guess that changes things. At least i know you won’t be taking souls from me. Fine. Give me your digits and I'll get back to you when I've picked something.”   

“That’s not really how this works. You don’t just pick a favour for favour’s sake. If you don’t urgently need anything, don’t get yourself locked in a favour.”   

He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. “That’s the thing, doll. I don’t really care for the favour. I want you. At my bar. Looking after my dancers the way you do here.”   

“Hmm. Now that’s a pretty big favour in itself. I could arrange something temporary. What would you aim to get out if it?”   

“Firstly, i want that energy. Those sluts up there? They’re having the time of their lives. Next-”   

“FIRSTLY, you can fuck off calling our staff sluts. That’s your first issue. Secondly, they’re having fun because they WANT to. Nobody’s making them. Yeah they’re paid, and yes there’s contracts, but they can leave at any time. Do you do your best work with a chain around your neck, little pup? Or do you like when you’re in control?”   

Affronted, he snarls back, “i’m not on any fucking chain, bitch. I AM control. And i don’t deal with bitchy whining and ‘staff complaints’. They dance, or they find another way to pay off their debts. Easy as.”   

Much quieter, in a sarcastic tone, you reply, “and that’s your whole thing isn’t it? So binary, little ones and zeroes. You forget you have actual human souls working for you? Does your programming not compute?”   

He slammed his fist, standing in confrontation. You hold his gaze, ignoring the swirling in the left eye. You continue to block him from the dancers, protecting them from his angry gaze.     

Behind you, the manager steps in, asking Vox to leave in a firm, final tone. He barely glares her way while staring you down. His cronies give in to the pressure, shuffling out of the booth and heading to the door. With a final sneer, he follows and departs with indignation on his screen.   

   

You hadn’t gotten round to getting a new apartment yet. Beside you, Ellie-Rose snored, loudly but peacefully. The night’s confrontation swirled in your mind, making you doubt whether Pride was really the best ring to settle in. As it was, no one seemed to have clocked on to Ellie being here, and no one had come after you since you escaped Lust. Still, something about the face-off with Vox felt unnerving, like triggering off a new rivalry you never meant to be involved in. He was blacklisted from the Steel Stilettos, along with the other Vees, yet you could still sense it was far from over.   

   

Chapter Eight: Vox’s Offer

 

The invitation came via a messenger, neatly sealed in a pale blue envelope.    

Inside, the inscription invited you to a meeting with the business manager Vox of the Vees Tower, to be held on Thursday night at six PM, in the private VIP lounge.    

Too curious not to go, you waved off Ellie’s concerns and spent the whole beginning of the week mulling over what you could actually gain from having a favour owed to you by the major tech mogul. Granted, he had useful applications and a very wide reach over the city. Alternatively, he was a psychotic cunt.   

In pure spite and sarcasm, you pulled up looking dishevelled. You wore a thick men’s jumper, at least six sixes too big, and ripped tights over black grunge boots. If you’d styled it, it could pass for punk. You made no such efforts, entirely leaning into the ‘fuck your patriarchy’ aesthetic.   

The doorman scowled at your entry, speaking into their earphones and waving you through with disgust. You grinned at them, striding through to the elevator and pressing for the private lounge.   

Vox awaited you, pristine in his dark pinstriped suit and scowl. You greet him with a big fake smile, complimenting the room. He sighed, looking around. “Yes well, we were going to be meeting here, however since you have decided to look like Velvette’s Most Wanted list, I'll have to rearrange. Let’s head to the board room instead.” He clapped, summoning an assistant, barking orders. You follow the two, making note of the intense security in both cameras and bouncers in every major room.   

The board room was expansive, with a massive aquarium filled with neon trimmed sharks. They swam naturally, but had bioluminescence and mechanical parts catching your eye. They were, in a way, horrifyingly beautiful. You walked up to the glass, watching them curiously, all facades gone.   

Vox approached, standing beside you. His eyes wandered in your peripheral vision between you and the sharks. “Neat, huh?”   

Breathlessly, you manage, “they’re beautiful. Are they... alive?”   

“As much as anything is down here, doll. Just with a few tweaks. Don’t go for a swim with them, if that’s what you’re getting at.”   

You faintly shook your head, still gazing at the creatures. “Wasn’t planning on it. I haven’t seen much animal or aquatic life down here, though i mainly stick to cities. Um,” you blink, refocusing on the task at hand, “meeting, right. So, why the privacy?”   

He smirks as you take a seat opposite him, still half-watching the sharks.   

“Because you look like shit, and our private lounge gets some rather tasteful clientele at times.”   

“Hah, okay fair. Well, let’s hear it.”   

“I figured out what i want. And trust me, i want it very badly. Have you ever heard of the Radio Demon?”   

You stare blankly, raising a brow. “The name rings a bell, but nothing major. Is he one of the Overlords?”   

“Yes. One who’s been problematic for a long time now.”   

“I’m not a hitman, if that’s where this is going. I don’t kill, and i don’t break people. For lack of a better word, i improve them, give them meaning. It’s why I'm not particularly interested in making a deal with you, since i can already see how... fulfilled you are. I’m mostly just curious as to why you want me here, to be honest.”   

“I’ve done my research. That little alias you use, Ash? It’s only been around for almost as long as your reputation has. The little clinic, your side hustles, the bar, all of it stems from nowhere. I’ve heard enough to know you don’t work for anyone, and haven’t intentionally killed anyone either. There were a few rumours, something about an explosion down in Lust, near the East residential district... familiar at all?”   

You kept your face neutral, panicking inside at the volume of information he’d gathered. He clearly had quite an impressive range of contacts if he’d pulled this much information in only a few days.   

“And, far be it for me to mention, your friend, the heiress to a Duchy. Practically a billionaire, and now estranged with no return. That one hit the news; i didn’t have to dig to find out about her. Her name isn’t on the apartment you rent, but she was spotted there.”   

Your chest tightens as you felt the dread closing in your throat, still fighting for facial neutrality. You taste blood as your teeth dig into your tongue from the effort.   

“Did you think you’d have somewhere nice and easy to hide, coming to Pride? I mean, hey, maybe you could have done. But no. You stepped on my territory, insulted me and gave me enough of a thorn in my ass with that shitty bar that i had to address it in a fucking press conference. Now that’s all out in the open, let’s talk favours.”   

An expression of conquest and hunger dominated his pixelated features. For the first time in a long while, you felt the burn of withheld flame stinging beneath your wrists. “Let’s.”   

Pleased, he swipes across the tablet screen in his hands, tapping purposefully until he found the relevant file.   

In the centre of the table, from the tablet, a hologram burst into being; a still-frame of the Radio Demon with a cane rested under his arm. Well-dressed, though the bottom of his coat was shredded, and hair unkempt in an easy sweeping style.    

“I want him out of that hotel. Away from the Princess, at all costs. My drones have caught visual of him and her in the radio studio, casting powerful magic. If I'm correct, which i usually am, he’ll be trying to repair his cane and restore himself to full powers. As of now, he’s weakened, vulnerable. Protected only by the Princess and her little misfits. This-” he pressed the tablet again, shifting the image to a frame of the Radio Demon hunched on the floor, broken cane in one hand, arm clutching a deep wound across his entire torso in the other, “is how Adam left him. He hid, preventing us from finding him before he healed and slunk back to her majesty. I’m not asking you to kill. I’m asking you to isolate him. Seduce, seclude, torture, capture, bribe, i don’t give a shit. If he’s out of the picture for long enough, i can take him out.”   

You study the image, pensive and shaken from being verbally undressed like that. The task seemed reasonable enough, especially considering the implied threats to Ellie if you didn’t comply. You weren’t sure where else she’d be safe if you couldn’t protect her here.    

After a long pause to process, you pulled your gaze away from the image, back to the smirking Overlord. “I need to think. This isn’t my usual job. Like i said, i don’t hurt people, which inadvertently is going to happen here due to my actions. I'm not dismissing your... impressive research. The fact you know so much? Yeah, i probably underestimated you. But that doesn’t mean I'm willing to sacrifice everything i stand for just because you threatened me. Ellie stays out of this. Let me make this clear now. If you go after her, or give me any more reason to think she’s in danger from you, i will personally tear you down, from the ground up. You will be the first demon i ever intentionally harm, and it will be slow, and very painful. I’m only debating this because i have yet to see how big of a threat this Radio Demon is, and if i believe Hell is safer without him, i may yet consider breaking my morals.   
“Please do not underestimate me either, Vox; i will not tolerate threats any further. From here on out, we are business partners, acquaintances, or enemies. You choose.”  

His cocky smile falters, debating whether to continue pressuring you, or to acquiesce to your demands. Holding a steady poker face, you patiently await the response.   

He swallows, his facial expression looking like he was chewing on his cheek. “Maybe you need a little more background. One sec.”   

He taps on the screen, opening up a second file location filled with hefty volumes of information on the Radio Demon. Page after page of news reports, images of mutilated Overlords, video captures of his fights, shots of his humungous monstrous form eating sinners , the works. Your stomach churned at the brutality, though your saliva pooled. This fucking body, Christ.     

After the lengthy impromptu presentation, you’re left stunned into silence.    

“Has that made things any easier, doll? I’m not the bad guy here. I run a business, and I'm interested in expanding my territory. That guy? He plays the tortured screams of his enemies on radio broadcasts like they’re the evening talk show. Each and every one of those screams is real. Want me to find them? Hang o-”   

“No. No, thank you. That’s- I've seen enough. Give me time to scope out what protection he has, what his powers are like. I’ll see what i can do.” Your tone held a note of defeat as you genuinely consider hunting someone. It felt wrong, twisting in your mind and gut like poison.   

Pleased, Vox offered you the tablet to take. You waved it off, not wanting the spyware in your home. With Vox’s reach, you doubted anywhere in the Pentagram would be safe to hide Ellie in right now. You’d need to get her back to IMP in the very least.   

You leave, shaken to your core, wondering what your morals really stood for if you let someone like the Radio Demon live. And yet, Vox himself seemed every bit the conniving villain, evidenced over and over by the dead eyes and listless flames inside his staff.    

Caught in the middle of an Overlord turf war and in charge of protecting an heiress, all you could do was kick yourself for acting so cocky to get involved in the first place. Well, so be it. Bring it on .   

   

Chapter Nine: Alastor’s Counteroffer   

   

The taxi pulled up into the driveway of the grand Hazbin Hotel, lights glittering in the early evening red skies. You released a shaky breath before stepping out, regretting getting into this mess.    

You stood at the double doors, aware there were hidden cameras that could see you from this angle, feeding right back to Voxtek. Hesitantly, you knock, wondering if that was the right thing to do for a hotel.    

After a minute, the door opens by the same cat you recognised from the bar. “Husk?”   

“Eh? The fuck are you doing here?”   

“I... came to speak to, uh, management i guess?”   

“I’m not sure the likes of you are welcome here. First you accuse US of spying. Now you’re here with your own agenda? Double standards, much.”   

A strange pitch like the tuning of a radio caught your ear, making you jump. Husk rolled his eyes, holding the door open a little wider for you to walk past. Cautiously, you enter, studying the room carefully with wide eyes. Almost immediately they land on the familiar red-coated form of the Radio Demon, grinning maniacally with his hands behind his back. You immediately stop breathing, frozen by memories of Vox’s presentation.   

“Ahhh, the little dealmaker from the bar Angel has been going on about. Quite the impressive turnaround. I know a few demons who frequent there, it’s gained quite the traction since you’ve been around! Tell me, what brings you to our hotel?”   

Your voice trembles slightly as you fumble for the words. “I heard you’ve been... struggling with getting visitors, uh, guests i guess. I wanted to see if i could help at all. I’m good at networking.”   

“Hmmmm. And what would your network be used for? This hotel is for rehabilitation, the saviour of poor, pitiful souls to bring about their non-existent shot at redemption. You can’t force souls to stay here, much to my own displeasure. So, what are you suggesting you bring to the table?”   

While processing his words, one descriptor caught your attention. “Non-existent? You don’t believe in redemption?”   

“HAH! No. I do however believe in Miss Morningstar’s unwavering spirit, and she believes in it, so here we are.”   

“So you’re not here to help souls. You’re openly willing to admit that?”   

His head tilts with a mixed expression of affront and irritation. “I’m not certain why you would care to ask. If you’re offering to help, why would my opinion matter?”   

He’s got you there . “It’s gonna be an uphill battle if i try to help when even the staff don’t support its goals.”   

Husk interrupts, sounding annoyed. “Don’t bother then. We didn’t ask for shit from you. We don’t even know how the Hell you fixed up Steel Stilettos so quick. We got no reason to trust you.”   

Still watching the Radio Demon in your periphery, you turned to Husk. “I never asked for trust. I’m offering a favour. Tell me what your hotel needs, and i will try to achieve it. For an equivalent exchange. There are things i need too, this isn’t charity.”   

“Now there’s the catch, hmm? A little deal in the making. What would you be seeking in return?”   

“I haven’t decided yet. It depends on what i see happening here. Whether i can trust you all or not.”   

Husk, harshly, “Well you can’t. Take your favours and sti-”   

The high-pitched screech of radio tuning made both you and Husk flinch.   

“Settle down Husker, there’s no need for poor manners. Trust is earned, not freely given. I will admit, the hotel has been facing its share of challenges with gaining new faces. If you can prove you can obtain, say, five or more willing guests for the hotel, we will consider opening discussions for larger scale favours in the future. Consider it a gesture of good faith, rather than a favour for now. Deal?”   

“Is there stipulations for who that can include?”   

“Well, i suppose they have to be sinners, and have to want to be redeemed. Aside from that? No.”   

A smile plays at your lips at the challenge. “Very well, deal. I guess I'll get back to you.”   

They politely wave you off, shutting the door with a quick slam as soon as you’re outside. Your shoulders heave from the tension releasing. At least you survived a conversation with the Radio Demon in one damn piece.   

   

You take the shortcut with a hidden portal back to the apartment. It just seemed so damn empty without Ellie. You wondered if it was the general companionship, or if you just liked having someone to trust. She’d been so consistently kind and pure, it was hard not to put your faith in her.   

Laying back on the sofa, you call the number and wait. It rings a few times while the events of the day swirl in your mind. “Hello?”   

“Hey, Ell. Just me. How’s it going with the imps?”   

“Hey! I was just thinking about calling you, too. I have some news, nothing big, but I'll bet you wanna know. Sitting down?”   

You pause, uncertain, confused by the excitement in her voice. “Spill it, I'm curious now. Is it good or bad?”   

“Good! You remember how Ozzie put me as the headliner in the House of Lust?”   

“.... yes?”   

“Well, he caught on to Steel Stiletto’s success and heard down the grapevine that there’s a new teacher, i don’t know how but he clocked on that it’s me. And you, by proxy. He wants to look into getting some of the newer signups from the House of Lust to come down for a few sessions, as he said, ‘to learn from a master’! Can you believe it? He really liked the freestyle performances. Says there’s a huge potential to change the way performances are rehearsed and built on. Eeeek! I might have found somewhere i fit in! Are- hey, are you listening? You still there?”   

“I- Yeah, sorry, i was just listening. That’s amazing. Not a surprise, anyone can see how great you are with the dancers. I’m so proud!” The truth in your words taint with a hint of hesitation before you continue. “But... isn’t this a little soon after you got cut off from your inheritance? To be making such a big step, having people travel from other rings to learn from you, it sounds risky. There might be adverts with your name, or they might figure out that it’s you, or someone could feed back to your dad... I don’t know, Ell. It sounds-”   

“Babe, he’ll find out one way or another. Right now, he has NO claim to me as an heiress nor a ‘progeny producer’. I’m free of his control. If he wants to send people after me, it’ll be useless. Besides, you’ll be there, right? For the classes?”   

You sigh, swayed by her excitement. “Of course. Wouldn’t miss it.”   

“Great! Thank you, so SO much! It’ll be worth it, i promise. Maybe we can even head back to Lust one day. We can have our own show. I’ll get you dancing like you were made for it!”   

You chuckle, leaning into the cushions and imagining the ridiculous idea. “I have two left feet and exactly zero sense of rhythm. You’d be better off having me as the bill-sweeper after you’re done!”   

She giggles, telling you story after story of her big ideas for the future; the venues you could travel for shows, the sights she never got to see when she was younger, all the amazing places in Hell that she wants to see with you as her bodyguard. Your eyelids grew heavy as the call neared its end, sinking into an easy goodnight before you hung up and fell asleep on the sofa.   

   

Morning came peacefully as you slept in, no alarms or big demands from today. You planned on taking a walk out to one of the other districts to start scouting out sinners for the hotel, so you could at least get a little closer to figuring out what side you were on.   

In an ideal world, it would be neither. You wanted to scoop Ellie-Rose up and run, leaving this ring behind. Yet, it felt the easiest place to hide her from her family, being surrounded by so many new sinners every single day. Far less likely to be recognised than in the other rings. For now, your focus was on getting to know each of the two rival Overlords before deciding who to support.   

You wandered by the Cannibal town, opting not to enter as a few gave you absolutely ravenous glances. Your very humanoid form was not particularly safe in a town like that.    

Next, the Doomsday District. Equally unsafe, but far less targeted at you. They just wanted to blow shit up. In fairness, a lot of the sinners fighting and looting were noticeably more fulfilled than in the entertainment district.    

Finally, before giving up and heading back to the entertainment district, you tried out the inner city. A few promising leads, but nothing solid enough to grab your attention for potential redeemers.   

Surrounded by the dull inner flames within the entertainment district, you got the sense that your targets would be best picked from here, but would require extreme caution. Stepping on Vox’s territory by poaching customers for redemption at the Hazbin Hotel was just gagging for trouble.   

Your phone buzzed as you wandered up the stairs to the apartment. A text, from Ellie, with far too many emojis for those few words: ‘Coming this weekend!!!!!!’   

You cringe, already predicting the security issues. This was way too short notice to get enough favours called in for a full set of bouncers and plainclothes bodyguards. You’d have to prioritize getting staff for this weekend over finding sinners to send to the hotel.   

   

Saturday came at you fast . The bouncers already working at the Steel Stilettos made your job way easier, directing you to some very easily swayed and paid beefcakes from the weapons and armour district. They were only on loan for the night that you expected Ozzie and his little group to be in town, with the hope that Ellie could be teleported into and out of the bar as needed to avoid further exposure.   

At three PM, you picked Ellie up from the IMP office and helped her fix her hair for the classes. You portal into the backrooms of Steel Stilettos, preparing for the trainees to arrive around half four.    

The manager gave a polite knock on the dressing room as you finished up Ellie’s braid, admiring her final look as she beamed. Finding her stride suited her, and fuelled that brilliant inner flame.    

“Hey, bus has pulled up. How many were you expecting...?”   

Your stomach dropped. “What do you mean bus? How many are there?”   

“There’s at least twenty hovering in the main bar, looking lost. The actual Sin of Lust is there too. He’s tall as fucking shit ain’t he?”   

Ellie laughed, clinging on to your arm and bouncing on the spot. You tried to cool off her enthusiasm, reminding her of the risk she was taking. She blew you off, dragging you to the ground floor to meet the students.   

Ozzie towered over them all in giddy flames as he spotted Ellie entering from the staff corridor. Half crouched, he scuttled forward to catch her as she leapt, arms outstretched, cheering at the sight of him. You hung back, watching the scene, whilst also appraising the eager flames of new students. All of them seemed genuinely interested, no alarmingly dull or bright hearths among them.   

Ozzie looked around, spotting you at the back and waving you over. You expected him to be cordial, entirely shocked when he swept you in a tight hug too. Fascinated, you held him back, subtly placing your hand in the flames. They weren’t hot to touch, but had substantial pressure, as though they were almost a semi-solid state. Ozzie caught your staring and laughed, plopping you down and grinning.    

“Hey babes, you’re looking more casual than i last saw you. Dressing down or going undercover ?” He emphasised the word with waggling eyebrows, amusing you.    

“A little of this, a little of that. Nice to see you, Oz. You didn’t warn us there’d be this many to teach!”   

“Hahah! We got a LOT of interest, initially it was only... two, three, five, uh... six maybe? Then word of mouth hit. You know this place has been getting some serious attention for how quickly it got popular?”   

From behind the bar, the manager waved him off. “You’re not kidding. That girl’s the best thing that ever happened to this place. I’ve got a stack of resumes just for bottle collection. Don’t you dare go poaching her!”   

He grinned at her, teasing, “oh, i won’t make her do anything. But i sure as Hell won’t be stopping her if she wants to come back home.” He turns to Ellie with a wink, making her blush with pride. He offers her a goodbye wave before heading out, calling out that he’d be back to see her on the stage later on.   

You start to usher students upstairs, taking care to give directions for amenities and staff-restricted areas. They umm and ahh appropriately, eagerly keeping pace. Entering the second stage area of the first floor, now considered the teaching and VIP bar, you and Ellie fan out the students into manageable rows while setting up to start.   

You took over the initial introductions and explanations, relieving Ellie from her usual flowery waffling. The students listen, some pulling out notebooks and scribbling. You reiterate the main concept; “Having fun on stage means the customers have fun below it. It’s the power of captivating an audience by showing them that what you’re doing is meaningful, enjoyable. Like real, honest intimacy, your dance is meant to make both you and the audience feel. No touch is needed. Think of the last time you read a book that had you kicking your heels and rolling on the bed with a big ol’ plot twist. That’s the kind of excitement you want to share with them. Keep your distance, protect your boundaries, but use your body to tell stories beyond their imagination.”   

Ellie took your hand, distracting you with her sparkling eyes. “And, if there’s only one thing you take from today: Improvise, and use your thighs!”   

Relaxed laughter rippled around her from the excitable students. You take your seat off to the side, pulling out your phone to check the status of security downstairs. The manager confirms they’re still in place, no signs of any issues so far. Clacking of heels distracts you, indicating the first couple of lessons have begun.   

 

Chapter Ten: Misdirection   

   

You get another text closer to seven PM; the manager giving you a heads up that the bar was getting pretty packed downstairs now sinners had clocked on to the Sin of Lust coming for a visit. You typed back asking if Ozzie had come back. She confirmed he hadn’t yet. It was getting a little close to the end of the classes, and you weren’t sure if you were expected to just let all these Hellborn demons out into the crowds with the sinners or what.   

Ellie had her hands full with some of the more resistant demons, ones who struggled to not have a fixed routine. Some had taken to improvisation quite naturally; others had inner barriers to break down, expectations to manage. She promised to work with them again if they still struggled in the future.   

Another buzz. The manager; ‘He’s back. He’s got company. Get down here, NOW’   

Your stomach drops as you lurch from the chair, giving Ellie a warning glance as you make it to the stairs. She looks puzzled but carries on, trusting that you’d let her know if things escalated.   

Down on the ground floor, bodies packed nearly every square metre. Strobe lights and beams made the demons luminescent, dazzling you with the sea of neon and black. Hunched into the corner of the bar, Ozzie’s blazing neck shone well above the head height of the crowd, catching your attention immediately. You couldn’t see who he was with from here. The bouncers and plainclothes guards hadn’t radioed, so surely it couldn’t be too bad?   

Famous last words. The demon in question came into view as you pushed past the last group blocking your way to the bar. You recognized him instantly, even from behind. His crisp white suit reflected the strobe lights, a purple sheen glimmering on the apple cane beside him.   

Involuntarily, a deep growl tore from your throat, startling the customers in your immediate vicinity.   

Lucifer Morningstar flinched, spinning his head to look back at the noise.   

One lip curled in disgust, his eyes darted until they landed on you, locking into your furious glare. His face dropped immediately. In a word, he looked blindsided.   

You took advantage of the shock to approach, claws drawn by your sides. You come within one foot distance, baring your teeth again as another growl escaped.   

He slowly turned his body to face you, eyes wide. He didn’t seem afraid, though why the Hell would he be. It didn’t matter; You just wanted him out of your bar and away from Ellie.   

“You are NOT welcome here. I don’t care how or why you ended up in MY bar and i sure as fuck don’t care where you go, but you need to leave right fucking now. Get. Out.”   

Your words rung clear, even over the thumping bass. All you could see was the King of Hell, still stood gawking like he’d lost all words. Your eyes narrowed and nose scrunched, coming an inch closer to the blank expression. Heat prickled on the back of your neck, down your wrists, across your entire throat and chest. Even your eyes felt dangerously close to flame as the anger boiled.   

Ozzie, perplexed, leaned over and rested a hand on Lucifer’s shoulder, addressing you. “Hey, hey! Chill girl, chill! We’re just catching up! You haven’t met my friend here, this is Lucifer Morningstar, THE King of Hell. Also the big guy who runs Pride. He goes anywhere he wants here. Mind backing down a little? Come on, let’s go take a seat.”   

You ignore Ozzie, clenching your jaw with locked teeth as you gave a warning growl. Your anger flared visibly as one corner of his mouth slipped into a half-smile. Enraged by his nonchalance, you dare him, “you think I'm fucking joking? TRY ME.”   

Heat escaped in tiny flames from your palms, forcing you to clench your fists to stop them. Your body shuddered from the effort of holding in the urge to scream hellfire at him.    

Ozzie’s reassurances and the manager’s calming tones were entirely lost on you behind the rage. All you could see was the risk to Ellie-Rose if he saw her. You’d never let him take her back to Greed, not while you were still kicking.   

The face in front of you softened. He didn’t respond to your threats at all . There was just this glazed over expression, like he was studying you, exploring your expression with nothing more than intrigue. All your ferocity was lost on the King of Hell. Still, you didn’t back down. If he didn’t leave, he’d learn the hard way what happens if you lost control.   

His eyes dropped to your claws, still tightly shut with the odd flicker of flame escaping through the crevices between your fingers. He reached down to touch one of your hands; in response, your claws flew to clutch his wrist, preventing his motion. Fire, uncontrolled and searing, simmered against his wrist... with no effect whatsoever. No burn, no pain. Like he was entirely immune to it, not even bothered by the heat. He stared, fascinated by the intense flames leaking out the side of your tense grip, blue and white from your anger. His lack of any sort of pain made your fury weaken immediately, realizing you couldn’t defend yourself, let alone Ellie, against this demon if he decided to become a problem. You released his wrist, panic setting in.    

His hand dropped to his side, completely unharmed. Eyebrows raised, he looks back up to you. There was something in his expression, maybe concern, or bewilderment, you couldn’t tell. His large red irises seemed to expand, exploring your face with minute darting movements. You try to steady your breathing, swallowing back the flames that were dampening at a rapid pace.    

Shakily, you try another tactic, still ignoring the manager beside you and Ozzie behind him.   

“I... want you to leave. Please.”   

His head tilts a fraction, just a hint of hurt in his eyes. “Why?”   

You tear your eyes away from him to look over at Ozzie, who’s looking incredibly uncomfortable. “Please make him leave. She can’t...”   

He understood immediately. “That’s what this is about? Oh honey, no. Please don’t fret, our tiny dancer is perfectly safe with Lulu. I swear, on my honour he won’t go near her unless SHE wants him to. Right Lu?”   

Lucifer turned his head, his eyes leaving your face at the last second to look back at Ozzie. “Who are we talking about?”   

“My old headliner, you remember the girl with all the tattoos like tiger stripes? The one who’s teaching all my new dancers today?”   

Confusion takes over his expression. “Yeah, what about her?”   

“Well, she’s... under close protection. You’ve met her father, surely you can see why.”   

Your spine went cold as you processed the words. He’d met her father. That was confirmation enough. Defensive anger bristled in your shoulders as your claws drew again, adrenaline kicking in. Ozzie immediately noticed your reaction.   

“Woah, woah, not like that. Lu met the guy just to get an idea for what happened. He knows it’s all bullshit. Our girl’s safe with you. I promise. In fact last i checked Lu, you told them you weren’t willing to help them out, right?”   

Lucifer’s face turned back to you, flinching at your threatening glare. His features relaxed as he chuckled under his breath, vexing you further.    

“If this is about that damn inheritance, i have nothing to do with it. I blew them off -what was it- last week? Seemed like real controlling pieces of work. Oz told me how far the kid had gone to avoid staying in that mess. So, you’re looking out for her now, huh?”   

Your shoulders twitch as you continue glaring, shrugging off the manager’s firm grip on your arm. You refused to dignify him with an answer.    

Behind you, an uproar of cheering erupted, preceding the jostling of the crowd quickly backing up. You’re roughly bumped into, pushing you chest to chest and practically nose to nose with the King of Hell. You push away from him, glaring as he blinked rapidly.   

Turning to see the commotion, you watch as the parade of students clad in their dancing gear made their way into the crowd, reinvigorating the energy of the room. Your hand twitched into a fist as you spotted Ellie among them, chatting to one of the bar’s hired dancers. Peeking back at the King of Hell, you throw him a final warning glare and a snarl before forcing your way through to reach Ellie.   

She’s completely lost in the room’s vibe, swaying with the music as she spoke energetically. You caught her arm, pulling her back to the staff corridor. The bass muffled as the door closed, with Ellie looking windswept from the classes.   

“Hey, what’s wrong? You okay?”   

“No. The King of Hell is here, and he’s spoken to your father. I really think we need to go, Ell. We don’t have the security or the firepower if he tries to take you.”   

“But... he won’t, not if he’s with Ozzie, right? I mean, it doesn’t get much safer than that. I know Oz will look out for me. And maybe he just spoke to father and ignored him? Or maybe he wants to see my side of things? We can talk-”   

“Stop it, please. You’re too naive for something this dangerous. It’s too risky to take the stage tonight. My gut is screaming at me that something’s gonna happen. Something’s really wrong, Ell. Please listen to me!”   

She analysed your face, concern etched into her expression as she pulled you into a hug. Her voice quietened, soothing you. “They’re not gonna take me anywhere. Not while you and Ozzie are here. I can’t run forever. Just stay with me. Don’t go, and I'll be safe. Please, just give it a shot, just for tonight?”   

“Give exactly what a shot? Let you wander into a trap? You’ll be exposed for everyone to see, and dangling right in front of the King of Hell. What if they’ve bribed him? What if he gets to you before i can portal you out? What do i do then?”   

She swallowed, looking sad. “Then you come find me. I know you will.”   

You knew she was right. You’d cross the entirely of Hell, break through the Earth’s crust to keep her safe. “I can’t lose you, little sister. Please don’t let them take you.”   

Her gentle smile sealed her decision. “Never. Hey, if you’re that worried, how about we get you some dancing gear and you can be right next to me the whole time?”   

You grimace, shaking your head. “If you’re doing this dumb shit, i need to be in the crowd, looking out for threats. Which apparently includes Lucifer freaking Morningstar. I’ve got such a bad feeling about this.”   

“Heh, i can tell. But honestly, i feel that tonight needs to happen, in whatever way it was meant to. I’m not hiding any more, sis. I don’t need to.”   

She brushed the loose strands of hair behind your ears, resting her forehead against yours. You rested your hands on the back of her shoulders, fighting the pit of dread inside.    

She led you out, back into the crowd with your hand locked in hers for now. You scoped the room, paying more attention to anyone not necessarily dressed the part, then on anyone who seemed to be watching Ellie too closely. No one really stood out to you. The spectacle of having the King of Hell and the Sin of Lust visiting the bar had forced management to create a one-in-one-out entry flow to prevent going much further over capacity. The second stage upstairs had opened and was nearly full, barely reducing the mass of bodies in the main bar.   

The manager came over, checking on you, though you dismissed her concerns. She then turned to Ellie and asked if she was sure about performing tonight. Ellie nodded eagerly, squeezing your hand as she bounded off to hop behind the curtains. You turned to the manager, making one final demand to keep security tight and have someone monitoring Lucifer Morningstar at all times. She gave you a tense nod.   

Picking up the microphone, the manager took to the brightly lit stage, owning the room with her power stance.    

“Ladies, Gentlemen, and all the rest of us in-between – welcome to the Steel Stilettos. Tonight, we are proud to introduce our headlining performance, from the dazzling one-and-only, Ellie-Rose!”   

The applaud deafened you as you perched on a bar stool, looking out over the sea of sinners and Hellborn. From your vantage, no-one appeared suspicious. An idea struck; closing your eyes, you reached out and sensed the inner flames of the packed bar, tasting to see if there were any patterns. Small groups seemed noticeable, especially where some of the usual Vees customers had come to visit. They seemed marginally brighter here, unlikely to be spying. Then there were the vivid inner flames of the usual crowd, plus a few extras possibly from other districts, maybe some from the students mixed in that category. Ozzie’s remarkable flame was easy to identify; though you couldn’t feel anything at all that would identify Lucifer. You knew he hadn’t left, you’d seen him barely a minute ago. Opening your eyes, you confirmed he still sat next to Ozzie in the private booth, with his gaze fixed on you, not the stage. You curled your lip at him, irritated by the staring, and utterly confused by the lack of flame. Did he have the ability to hide it from you?   

In the short time you spent assessing the spirits, Ellie made her entrance with the powerful bass of her chosen song. Her hips swayed in perfect rhythm, captivating the room as she reached the pole. She teased it, sinking and rolling her hips, nearly sat on the floor before sliding into the splits and bending forward. Her legs spun under her as she grabbed the pole, deftly swinging into her first move as the pace of the song picked up.   

You paid only half a mind to her as you looked out over the crowd, spotting a few stoney-faced demons watching Ellie as they moved around the room. Closing your eyes, you found the pattern of dim inner flames as they spread out in a perfect arch around the crowd, concerningly carefully spaced out. You quickly gained a visual of the demons, now noticing the pattern, shaking as you realize the ambush was just beginning. Ellie was on stage with no way to stop her early. The demons held their gaze, seeming to be waiting for a cue. Nothing around the room indicated a leader. In the closest one to you, in between the bar and the left side of the stage, you spot an earpiece tucked subtly under the messy fuzz of hair, leading down into the demon’s casual shirt. You swallow dryly, becoming engulfed in panic as realization dawned.    

Glancing up at the security camera, the little red light that usually flashed to indicate it was active now shone consistently and unfalteringly blue. Vox.   

Your breath came out in gasps as you pushed through, members of the crowd resisting to try and keep their place. You elbowed and forced, meeting irritated glances with your controlled anger as you fought your way past. Watching Vox’s spy near the bar, you noticed the shoulder move, like they were pulling out a weapon. Unsure if it was a blade, gun or otherwise, you fought harder, finally reaching the stage. With only a second’s hesitation, you leapt up, catching Ellie mid-pose and pushing her against the bar, spinning yourself to face the audience with bared teeth and claws.   

Ellie, now pinned behind you, asked what the Hell you were doing. The crowd looked puzzled, unsure if this was part of the show, while the spies looked undeterred as you climbed up. Ozzie and Lucifer stood, moving forward towards the main crowd. Heat simmered and thrashed beneath your skin, threatening to choke you as you snarled in warning at the nearest spy.   

The spy smirked, quickly raising the gun and firing.   

You flinched, raising your hand as if to swat the bullet, feeling a cascade of fire billowing from your claws as an extension of your arm. The bullet’s path got caught in your fire, fizzling as you redirected it towards the front of the stage, where it bounced and clattered in the dissipating flame. Flickers of fire burst from both hands, creeping higher up your forearms as you snarled furiously. The next two guns raised, this time Ellie spotting them too, ducking into a crouch as you roared. Your vision tinted orange as flames engulfed you, bursting sporadically and randomly across your body. Your hair unravelled from its bun as the locks ignited, ribboning around you as you crouched in front of Ellie. Startled but persistent, the guns fired.   

You drew in and thrust your torso forward in a roar, projecting hellfire in a shielding tornado surrounding you and Ellie. She cried out, catching a burn as the fire spread. Bullets ricocheted and swept up in the whirling inferno. The roar of the fire deafened you to the screams of the terrified crowd and the firing of bullets. All you could do was force the fire to keep circling you, protecting her. You had no other control, no other thoughts. Only to maintain the crackling shield of wildfire.   

Your baggy clothes burned and ignited, the velvet of your Asmodeus Crystal bracelet destroyed. It fell to the floor where Ellie caught it, urgently summoning a portal behind you. She screamed for you to follow, pleading. Your mind felt torn, wracked between holding the shield and escaping to safety. Her final plea cried out, relinquishing your control over the swirling of flame as you span and leapt through the portal with her.   

 It immediately closed as you rolled to the dirt, the fire now contained to your skin. It rippled and coursed, still roaring in your ears as you fought to control it. The fire was winning. On your knees, you dug your claws deep into the dirt and screamed, overwhelmed by the blinding chaos in your head. Ellie was shouting for you, yelling from afar as she dodged the bursting fire. You dug deeper, lost in the heat and fury.    

“I’m going to get help! Stay here!”   

You wanted to stop her, to grab her, but the fire was too strong. Her portal flashed bright beyond your hazy vision, reappearing almost immediately with two red figures.   

You recognized their voices; Blitzø and Moxxie, with Ellie close by, all trying to get through to you. Your body shook violently, flames dancing over your face and eyes. Blitzø tried to touch your arm, recoiling when the hellfire burned him.   

“What the fuck is this Ell? What kind of fire is this?!”   

“I don’t know! But i can’t stop it, and she’s not in control, she won’t listen. Please just help her!”   

“Shit. Fuck. Moxx, find some way to get water. Ell, stay back. Get something cold for the burn. I’ll stay here. Hey? Hey, can ya hear me? Look, look at me. Come on Goddamn it, look up!”   

Your shaking slowed to trembling, with shallow gasps in hyperventilation. Your claws flexed in the burned earth, clinging on to any sensation beyond the anger. You manage to choke out a single word: “Burn?”   

Blitzø answered, “yeah, she’s got a nasty one on her arm and shoulder. Bit on her leg too, i think. Wanna make sure she’s okay? You gotta calm down first. Come on.”   

Your gasping turns into a pained whine as you realize you hurt Ellie. You grit your teeth, fighting with every bit of power you have to gain control. Each time you think you have purchase over it, it slips, the flames hissing louder each time.   

“Shit, she can’t hold it together for long enough to bring it down. Ell, i think you gotta do something real stupid, for her. Come here, just fucking do it alright?”   

You shiver, fear clutching at your throat as you hear him demanding Ellie to approach.   

You hunch a little lower to the ground, digging your claws deeper, trying to keep yourself at bay and failing.   

Over the flames, you spot Ellie’s delicate purple form cradling her arm as she kneels next to Blitzø in front of you. You plead, beg her with your eyes to not come nearer.   

He takes her wrist and raises it, nearing your face.   

You panic, slamming your head down to your knees, crying out in fear.    

“You’re not gonna hurt her, okay? You’re gonna calm down, so she doesn’t get burned worse. You’re gonna breathe, and she’s gonna touch your skin. Ready?”   

You were not ready. You felt her nearing the tip of your flames, felt her recoil as the heat brushed her skin. You threw your body back a few metres, bracing yourself to run.   

Ellie and Blitzø carefully stood, slowly approaching you. Panic and fear tore through your chest. Behind them, you spot a long, stark horizon over a cliff, with faint clouds under the navy sky, no Pentagram in sight. It’s beautiful.    

For only a few seconds, you find that moment of control and cling to it. Your body fights you every step, adrenaline and fury resisting your forced slow breathing. The fire yielded bit by bit as you stared, barely blinking, focusing intently on the beautiful horizon. The roar died out into a simmer, which became naught more than heat as Ellie and Blitzø came closer. You vision was untainted now, locked on the view as your only means of control. Now just in front of you, Ellie slowly reached her hand towards your face, making her intent clear. You dragged in shaky breaths, willing the skin to cool, trying not to burn her. Her hand hovered, patiently waiting for you to be ready.   

You felt a strange sensation as your face cooled; tears, hot and sizzling, evaporating off your cheek. The further you cooled, the lower the tears made it before disappearing into steam. Soon, they dripped onto your shoulder, a sensation that made you finally drop to your knees in relief. Ellie’s hand met your face, still hot to touch, but manageable. You leaned into her palm, grateful beyond words she stayed with you.   

Her hand adjusted as she kneeled too, gently singing to you. Blitzø and Moxxie took a seat, waiting for you.    

Parched did not begin to cover how dry your throat felt. Dizziness overcame you once the last of your anger left your body. Moxxie held out a water bottle, which you weakly took and gulped greedily from. Exhausted, you held out a shaky hand and squeezed each of their hands in turn, silently thanking them.   

Blitzø turned to Ellie, asking for the full story. She recapped it from her perspective, having only noticed something wrong when you jumped onto the stage.   

They paused their discussion when you gruffly cleared your throat, trying to speak. You take another sip of water and try again. “It was -cough- ambush. Vox. Hitmen.”   

Moxxie’s incredulous voice responded, “Vox? The guy from TV? Why the Hell would he be after Ellie?”   

“Not her. Me. Wanted to hurt Ellie to get to me. Stepped on his toes.”   

Blitzø rubbed your arm, reassuring you. “It’s alright, sounds like you got her out in time. You can’t go back to that bar now, and probably not to your apartment. Do you think they know about IMP?”   

Ellie answered him first, “i’m not sure, though if you have any sort of Voxtek cameras nearby, then maybe. I guess as long as we portal there, we should be okay.”   

Blitzø shrugged. “I don’t think we use their systems over in Imp City, but yeah we should definitely use portals anyway. Speaking of, where the fuck are we?”   

You blinked, looking back over the cliff behind them again. You were just as confused as him.   

Moxxie spoke up, recognition in his voice. “I think i know... this is the Drop Off isn’t it? We’re in the Greed Ring, aren’t we?”   

“Yeah, i just panicked. Picked a place i thought we wouldn’t be followed. My father took me here a couple of times, when i tried to refuse my birthright to the Duchy. I don’t know why i chose it, sorry guys.”   

You shook your head, thinking a little clearer now. “Don’t apologize, you got us out safe. Can i see your arm?”   

Hesitantly, she showed you the angry red burn up her arm. It seemed to have some blisters already. You cringed, feeling fresh prickles of tears as you assessed it.   

“Hey, it’s okay. We’ll get some salve on it back at IMP. I’m better off with a burn than a bullet wound. You saved me. Thank you.”   

Her gratitude felt out of place in light of the infliction.   

Moxxie supported Ellie to stand up while Blitzø helped you. She opened a portal to IMP, glancing back to check you were steady before leading you all through.   

   

Chapter Eleven: Evil Rooted Deep   

   

Lucifer’s POV: Three Too Many   

   

He couldn’t make it through the stampeding crowd quick enough to stop them. The assassins took shots, bullets piercing and deflecting off the blazing shield. Two were taken out by the bar’s security, while another made the mistake of coming close enough to Ozzie to take a flaming claw to the throat. The cascade of fire shuddered in the air as the demon maintaining it let go, dashing into the portal behind her with the dancer. Lucifer pushed against the panicking audience, fighting to get closer as the portal disappeared. In its wake, melted pvc flooring, charred wood, a white-hot pole and a generous scattering of bullets littered the stage. Lucifer touched the side panel of the stage, still simmering hot from the inferno, panicking they may have been hurt. As far as he could see, there was no blood on the melted stage floor; though it could well have cauterized as quickly as it appeared under that intense heat.   

The screaming and stampeding gradually toned down, leaving a few panicked dancers and staff tucked around the edges of the dancefloor, while guests from the upstairs bar fled down the fire exit. Ozzie came up beside Lucifer, asking what the Hell happened. He shrugged, trying to make sense of the multiple armed assassins, all six of which had been taken out by now.   

Lucifer crossed over to the nearest body, a demon with shark-like features and shoulder length dull hair that hid a wired earpiece. Lucifer picked it up, finding the small radio box that it connected to, suspiciously free of any brand or logo.    

“There’s one on this guy too, Lu. Looks like they were all working for the same dude. Thinking this was some sort of planned hit?”   

“I... don’t know. You’re the one who invited me. What was supposed to happen after the headliner came on? Was it advertised?”   

“No, we specifically avoided it. By the looks of things, the bar only got so busy because they saw me and a bunch of new dancers rolling up. I can’t tell if this was planned in advance. Do you recognize any of them?”   

“Nope, none. I really don’t know if this was a hit put out by the ex or the father, either. The show was way too last-minute for anyone out of the loop in Greed to find out and plan this. I have half a mind to wonder if this was an inside job.”   

Ozzie rested one knee on the floor, scowling at the demon he’d had to kill. “I don’t think I'd put it past any of the sinners, especially if someone’s paying them off. The thing that’s bothering me, though... why kill Ellie-Rose in front of everyone? It’d be way easier to take her out when she’s leaving, or in a back room, pretty much anything except with six assassins in a crowded bar. That wasn’t a hit, that was a show. Someone who was watching that dance was meant to see it happen.”   

Lucifer pulled his hat off, running his hand through his hair as he followed the train of thought. “I see what you mean, and yeah, it makes sense. Problem with the logic is the audience. It wasn’t televised, so it wouldn’t get fed back to her family. There’s no recording equipment on the assassins either, just the radios. I didn’t spot anyone in the crowd who looked like her dad or ex, who surely would want front-row seats if they were making a big show out of taking her down. Out of the people you recognized, did anyone in the audience stand out to you?”   

“Except the girl who made it rain hellfire? Nah, not really. I didn’t even pick up on the hitmen until they were shooting. That was close, man.”   

Lucifer’s gaze fell back to the ruined stage, vividly recollecting the scene.    

Ozzie’s phone buzzed, the ringtone set for Fizz blaring from the jacket pocket. He answered, confused but eager to hear from the imp. “Hey Froggy! Wassup?”   

Lucifer watched as Ozzie’s face turned wide-eyed and panicked. He spun to the bar, ordering the staff to turn on the news. Recoiling in fear, they obeyed immediately.   

The bar TV switched on, already tuned into an emergency broadcast of security camera feed from the incident, with Vox’s voice overlaying the video.   

“- unfolded. As you can see, poor, defenseless sinners ran for their lives as the fire grew, leaving many terrified and hurt from the escape. From this angle, you can see two of Hell’s Sins, Asmodeus and Lucifer Morningstar, unable to save the poor girl from being kidnapped. The criminal is still at large, and still holds the daughter of Lord Hedringham of the Greed ring. Where are they now, and what fate does poor, sweet Ellie-Rose have in store for her at the mercy of this crazed animal?”   

The camera cut to Vox on a news presenter desk, addressing the audience.   

“If you or anyone you know has any information, please come forward now, on this number. If witnesses are to be believed, it is suspected that this unhinged mutant may have been the killer at large from Lust, where three unsuspecting men were killed using unprecedented degrees of heat and flame. Stay tuned for witness reports, and keep alert. You, our dear citizens, are at the forefront of our hearts... Trust US.”   

Lucifer cringed watching the Overlord use hypnosis, clearly having an effect on all the sinners in the room. “Shit. That answers that then. Ash really pissed off that guy, huh?”   

Ozzie still stared dumbfounded at the television, now showing recaps of the fire shield. “It’s not exactly showing the hitmen, is it? That’s some nasty camera manipulation right there. Now THAT’S got to be our guy. Think we should pay him a visit?”   

Lucifer smirked, “you know what? Yeah, i think we should.”   

   

Cameras flashed incessantly as Lucifer and Ozzie walked into the Vees Tower, arms stiffly by their side. Reporters were yelling, trying to get any comment or response from the two Sins as they crossed over to the elevator. Wordlessly, they pondered which floor to take, before the lift opened of its own accord. They stepped inside, no longer questioning when the lift immediately shut and proceeded without pressing a single button.   

Just below the top floor, where a private lounge sprawled with luxuries and comforts belonging to the three Overlords, Lucifer and Ozzie found a place to stand and await a confrontation.   

The doors behind them creaked open, preceding all three Vees entering the room. Their faces held the same features of power and challenge, daring the Sins to question them.   

Lucifer had no issue in doing so. “So, you want to explain how you got the footage so quickly from the Steel Stilettos?”   

They grinned in unison, slowly stalking around the room. Velvette's high pitched laugh made Lucifer follow her voice as she purred. “Oh i think his highness has forgotten what it’s like to be in Pride nowadays. No one’s seen him down here on the streets with the rest of us in... what is it, centuries?”   

Valentino sneered next. His tall form silhouetted behind the large plant he walked around. “I’d imagine more than that. He has no idea what we’ve been up to this whole time. I imagine it’s quite a shock for the old man to realize how unnecessary he is.”   

Ozzie clenched his fists, retorting accusingly, “He’s had far bigger shit to deal with than keeping you chucklefucks in line. You can’t see past your own big fuckin’ foreheads to know what else is happening in Hell. You’re lucky he’s holding his temper. If you were in Lust? I’d have crushed you already.”   

Vox laughed, unphased. “Oh I'm certain he has much more to worry about. I mean, I'd be terrified if i was him. My daughter, getting so close to the Radio Demon, right under my nose? PahaHAH, i bet he’s already got his hooks into her. Maybe even literally.” His grin flashed with the implication, expression alight with malice.   

Lucifer involuntarily growled, feeling the subtle shift of his horns extending and eyes changing. Ozzie stepped closer to him, pressing his arm against Lucifer’s shoulder to remind him to keep calm.   

Velvette teased further, “Ohh what’sa matter sire? Don’t like the thought of your little girl at the Radio Demon’s heel?”   

“Heh, or somewhere else below him, of course.” Valentino suggested carnally.   

This time Ozzie gripped Lucifer’s arm, physically holding him grounded.   

“Lu, they’re trying to wind you up, you know it. Rise above. Remember what we’re here for.”   

Lucifer swallowed, fighting back the enmity. “The camera feeds were fresh, barely even recorded by the time you started your broadcast. You were watching. You wanted Ellie-Rose dead. Why?”   

The three chuckled like hyenas as they stalked. Velvette answered him, “Oh plenty of sinners were watching. They got a really good look at how useless it is having the King of Hell and the Sin of Lust there if something were to happen. Just look at that poor girl, taken clearly against her will by the savage beast who mounted the stage and set the place ablaze. I imagine Hell’s going to lose a little more hope after seeing THAT shitshow. Not that there was much faith in you to begin with. You’ve been leaving us to fend for our-fucking-selves for shit knows how long against the exorcists. Maybe it’s time you took up a little rocker in a retirement home and leave it to the real demons now, eh gramps?”   

The narrative made no sense to either Sin. They looked to each other, puzzled.   

“How far did you have to dig up your ass to make that up? Did you get lost on the way to finding your common fucking sense?”   

Ozzie chuckled at Lucifer’s snide remark. “I mean, he’s not wrong. You guys are full of bullshit. I wonder how bad things would go if we really took some responsibility and cleaned you three out of the picture?”   

Valentino growled into a purr again. “You could try, sure. Of course, you’d then lose control over nearly a third of the Pentagram’s population, just from the amount of sinners who depend on us for their lifestyles. Plus the souls we own, too. Could you imagine the carnage you would be releasing if that many demons suddenly lost all the meaning in their pitiful afterlives? There would be a revolt, for sure. Mutiny on a mass scale. Not to mention how Heaven would respond to such disarray. Do you think they’d continue to allow you to stay in charge when you cause that much death and destruction? When your poor decisions put them at greater risk of demon uprising?”   

Lucifer scowled, remaining silent, refusing to dignify the accusation with a response. Both him and Ozzie crossed their arms, surrounded by the circling Vees like sharks smelling blood in the water.    

Vox stepped in front of the two of them, holding his arms out as if to reassure. “Well then, now we have a bit more of an understanding, i think we can come to more agreeable terms. You back the fuck off our territory, and we’ll continue to ensure this place runs smoothly without pissing off an angelic army. I can assure you, we already got what we wanted from that little bar fiasco. I doubt they’ll be getting any decent custom for quite some time, and that blonde cunt is practically public enemy number one. Superb outcome, if i do say so myself, and i only have you two to thank for it. Our ratings are through the roof after seeing your pathetic bystanding while the bitch literally combusted.”   

Velvette and Valentino strode to stand beside Vox, the three forming a vicious and powerful conduit for Hell’s chaos. Lucifer’s hands curled into claws, digging into his crossed arms as he held back the anger simmering inside. His hellfire scalded in his throat and chest, tempting him to get rid of the threats. Logic and reason held back the desire, though he was exceptionally torn knowing he was forced into leaving his realm to such malicious Overlords. Internally he kicked himself for not nipping this in the bud sooner.   

They stood, three versus two, Overlords versus Sins in a stare-off. Vox’s eyes lost focus for a second before he burst into laughter, pointing his finger at the television and turning it on with a zap.   

On the screen, a news crew had pulled up to the Duke’s mansion. Reporters questioned him intensely regarding his daughter’s kidnapping. He played the part of grieving, fearful father, giving a sorrowful speech to the cameras about his dear daughter running away and becoming ensnared by the manipulations of a fire demon. He made pleas to the camera, asking for anyone to come forward if they see or hear any sign of his daughter, reaffirming his urgent wish to bring her safely home.   

It was complete bollocks. Lucifer had met with him only a week or so ago, sat in his office and listened to the misogynistic piece of work make his case for dragging his daughter back home so she can serve the family fortune until he can produce a new heir, to prevent getting tied up in legalities of his own right to the property.    

This was fresh Hell on a whole new scale to the King. All the vile, twisted inner workings he’d allowed to fester beneath his neglect had come back to haunt him. His arms dropped to his sides with clenched fists, giving Ozzie a pointed look. The Sin nodded back, snapping his fingers to create a portal, departing with heads held high while the Overlords made a final mockery at their departure.   

   

Lucifer paced in the grand office of Ozzie’s House of Lust. Arms balled tightly behind his back, jacket and hat discarded on a chair. He felt the crumbling remains of what pathetic little pride he had left being ground into dust. At this point, he felt the King of Hell as a namesake title only, having no say in his own damn realm. Ozzie kept silent, stewing in his own frets. He’d turned his TV off, answering the barrage of texts from his boyfriend as soon as the notifications popped up.    

He felt increasingly wound up, trapped in a spiral as the minutes turned into hours. Sitting, pacing, thinking, internally screaming, on loop. Bee had even messaged, asking what happened after seeing them on the news. He’d not replied, throwing the phone to Ozzie to call her and catch her up.   

“Hold on Bee, another call’s coming in. Gonna have to let you go, i know i know i will. Will do, yeah. Alright. Bye, chick..... Hello? Charlie? Hey, yeah, he’s here, i was just using his phone, hold on.”   

Lucifer perked up immediately from hearing his daughter’s name. Swallowing back the wretched guilt in his throat, he took the phone and greeted her with fake enthusiasm.   

“Dad, what the Hell happened last night? You and Asmodeus are all over the news at some sort of kidnapping turned exploding bar fight. The news is saying you practically let it happen. What’s going on?”   

He shuddered, flashing back. “I can’t explain it over the phone, Char. It all went to shit, we had no idea it was gonna happen. I’ll be over later. Is that the time? Aw, Hell. Look, uh, just hold on and I'll explain. For now, can you keep an eye on the Vees somehow? Just... just trust me, okay? They’re plotting something big, and i think they just made their first move.”   

“I don’t understand. Why do you think the Vees are involved?”   

He overheard voices behind her, a mix of arguing and debating. “Sorry, Char. Not over a call. I’ll be there when i can. Just keep safe for me, okay? I love you.”   

“I... Okay, i will, but you need to tell me everything, as soon as possible. Love you too, Dad.”   

He hung up, wincing at the ache behind his eyes. Nearly Seven AM. He’d been spiralling literally all night.   

Ozzie leant over the desk, sensing Lucifer’s tiredness. “There’s nothing you can really do right now, not when you’re like this. Go get some sleep, and we can revisit this with a fresh pair of eyes. I'm crashing out here too. We’re no good to anyone this tired.”   

Reluctantly Lucifer agreed. Dread pooled in his gut as he imagined the insomnia and overthinking that was surely due before even a wink of sleep.  

Chapter 2: Flame of the Hearth: Part 2

Summary:

Life had not been kind to you. Reaching the end of your limit, you turn to dark magic and demons to escape. Your call is answered by Evil itself, blessing you with a curse and releasing you in Hell to begin your new life.

You deal in favours; a currency that collects as wealth in the Rings of Hell. Greater deals lead to greater risks, rendering you vulnerable to some very powerful demons. Escaping the Lust ring, you hide in Pride, only deepening the danger you're in as those close to you are getting targeted.

Then Lucifer Morningstar came and upturned everything you thought you knew about this world. Your initial hate for him ran deep, hiding the undercurrent of attraction when he came near. He breaks down those fiery defences, tests your limits, and teaches you control over your flame. His mentorship is skewed by his desire to touch you, losing his self-control and giving in to temptation. Taking you around the world, his once broken heart revives as you fall dangerously deep in love with him.

His distraction leads to far greater dangers in Hell than he previously anticipated. When conflict arises, the question is asked; who's side are you on?

Chapter Twelve: Seeing the Cracks  

  

His restlessness only further heightened the feeling of failure as the images of the previous night replayed mercilessly behind his eyelids. The Vees were right; had him and Ozzie not been there, it wouldn’t have been as much of a spectacle. There might not have even been an assassination attempt. The whole thing seemed curated based on their presence and the popularity of the night as a result.  

He managed brief stints of interrupted sleep, always waking as soon as the flaming eyes glared back at him in the dreams.  

He couldn’t move past the sense of premonition she must have had. She was right to chase him out in order to protect Ellie. The girl knew an ambush was coming. Lucifer just had no idea how.   

Then, another idea tore at him, chastising him in a different way. If only you’d been closer to the stage. If only you’d have been able to get them out safely . He hadn’t known. At the time he didn’t even think about how his presence would have had an impact, yet it was so obvious now. Hindsight’s a bitch.  

He watched scenarios like movie clips in his head; scenes of leaping into the fire, shielding them from the bullets. Taking out the assassins before they had even begun to shoot. Standing strong and proud in front of them, warning off the assailants with words alone. So many routes the night could have taken if he’d been anything more than just a gawking bystander, staring at the most beautiful woman he’d seen since he first met his wife in the Garden of Eden.  

The failure to protect her gnawed on his chest. He didn’t even know her real name. And yet, the visage of her fury, a magnificent shield of pure hellfire summoned to protect the dancer... it astounded him. Her courage had knocked him wildly off kilter, rendering him speechless at the command of her presence. She’d even tried to burn him with a type of fire that matched his own. No regular Hellborn or sinner he knew just casually summoned hellfire like that.  

He revered her in his memory, reliving the moment she’d climbed she stage and warded off the assassins with murderous snarls; a kind of protective fury he felt for his own daughter.   

Lucifer rolled, pressing his face into the pillow and groaning at his increasing list of inadequacies.  

  

That evening, the vibration of his phone pulled him from a lucid dream; still exhausted, barely able to mumble out a ‘hello’ into the device.  

“Hey Lu, I've managed to find out where the two girls from the stage are staying. I can’t talk over the phone, we have a suspicion there may be a bug somewhere. Meet me in the office when you can?”  

“A bug?”  

“Just get here, okay?”  

“Yeah, sure. Won't be long.”  

Lucifer freshened up enough to look halfway immortal, setting his hat neatly on his head before summoning a portal to Ozzie’s main office. He stepped through, feigning being well-rested. In fairness, Ozzie didn’t look much better than he felt.  

“Hey, Lu. I’ve had the room checked, there’s no bug here, but i think we should leave our phones somewhere out of the way just in case.”  

“You sure you’re not being paranoid, Oz? Here, you can have it, but I'll need it back to get a hold of Charlie later.”  

Ozzie handed both his and Lucifer’s phone to an assistant who put them in a sound-proof box, carrying them into the next room. Lucifer blinked at the intense caution.  

“I know it’s ridiculous, but Blitzø and Fizz have a strong theory that the assassins knew about the performance even before it happened. I’ve had the footage pulled; the assassins were there, dotted around the local streets long before our bus pulled up, scoping out the Steel Stilettos like a mark. There’s one shot where one of them actually speaks into his earpiece when me and you walk in later on. Since Ellie was the target, and they look like they were clearly planning this before i even arrived, the guys think it must be the phone network. Which, from what records we can pull, is indeed owned by Voxtek. The signal towers in Pride are, anyway. So any messages that were sent by those towers were probably monitored by Vox himself.”  

“I take it you planned the show out in detail with the girls before?”  

“With Ellie-Rose, yes. A lot over text specifically. I didn’t know.”  

Lucifer rubbed the back of his neck, floored by the depth of planning the Vees had gone through. “Alright, so that’s something to bear in mind. So, bug aside, you found the girls?”  

“Yeah, they’re hiding out with Blitzø at the IMP offices. Not even sleeping on a bed, they’re just using the sofas there until they can figure out a new place to crash. They’re screwed, now Ash is a villain to the public and Ellie is still on the run. Even i don’t know if i can protect either of them right now.”  

“Ugh, i get it. This really is an awful situation. I guess i can try to work something out with Charlie at the hotel, so they at least have somewhere safe to sleep that i can be nearby.”  

“I mean, it sounds like a good idea, as long as they believe you.”  

“What’s that supposed to mean?”  

“Well, those camera shots were pretty damning. I’m sure Charlie has plenty enough faith to take your word for it, but are you sure they’d be safe around all the sinners there?”  

Lucifer paused, contemplating. “Maybe. I’ll get a feel for their stance before bringing her. Have there been any more blazing infernos since they got away?”  

“Nah, all good. They’re just tired and probably scared.”  

“I know. Thanks for the heads up, Oz, and sorry you got mixed up in all this. Can i get directions to the IMP offices?”  

Ozzie hesitated before giving his answer. “Maaaaybe we’re better off just creating a portal there. If you walk in, someone’s bound to see you, then their cover is blown.”  

Lucifer conceded, waiting patiently for his phone and the portal.  

It opened with a minor gust and a bright shimmer, leading directly into the centre of the IMP offices.  

Lucifer stepped through on his own, throwing a wave back at Ozzie.  

In the office, he looked around, only spotting one singular Hellhound staring shocked from the reception desk.  

“Hey! Uh, I'm here to see... your two new guests?”  

A puppy whimper escaped the shocked hellhound’s throat as she pressed an intercom and stuttered for Blitzø to come to the front. He slammed the door behind her, already complaining about taking evening calls when he noticed the King of Hell stood politely next to the desk. Blitzø pursed his lips, freezing as he processed. He stuttered out a greeting with an overenthusiastic bow, asking how he could help his highness today.  

“I’m after your two stowaways. Ellie and Ash. I’m just here to help. I might be able to find them shelter, but i need to talk to them first.”  

“Oh! Uh, yes, of course, uh... ELLIE! GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!”  

The door behind Lucifer creaked open, the shy purple face of Ellie-Rose peeking out. She had a thick white bandage around her arm as she cautiously stepped through the doorway. Her loss for words seemed to stem from fear, not awe.  

“Ellie-Rose. I’ve seen one of your performances, back in Lust. You’re a true expressionist. A natural. Your talent and bravery are miraculous considering the scum who raised you, if you forgive my language.”  

She nervously chuckled, “yeah, my dad earned that. Mom died a long time ago, so i don’t blame her. If i may, uh, your majesty, why are you here?”  

Lucifer smiled reassuringly. “I wanted to speak to you and your friend, if you’ll allow me? I may be able to find you a safe place to stay, with security and protection, once i know a little more about you both. Is she available?”  

“Ash? No... she’s, uh... letting off steam, in the literal sense.”  

The wording confused him. “She’s not here? Where would she go? I thought you were cooped up trying to hide from getting caught?”  

“Oh, we are. But that wouldn’t stop her. She has an Asmodeus crystal anyway, so she can just pop in and out of wherever she wants to go. Last portal i saw her use looked an awful lot like the Drop Off in Greed.”  

He cringed at the well-known body disposal location. “Why there?”  

“It’s where i took her to escape the bar. I think she finds it peaceful.”  

“Hah, that’s the last word I'd ever use to describe that place. I’ll go see if i can find her. Mind staying here and letting me know if she comes back? Not by text, you’ll have to call me.”  

“Do... uh, you want my phone... number?”  

“I’ll need it to keep in touch, yes.”  

He ignored the visible blush that painted her face violently pink as she shakily handed her mobile to him.  

He gave it back shortly after, offering a polite nod before summoning a portal to the Drop Off.  

  

Your POV: Helpless  

  

The view captivated you, holding your attention hostage as you looked over the cliff from the small boulder. It was hard to spiral when you were surrounded by such a breathtaking expanse of nature, left largely untouched due to the grisly reputation the Drop Off held.  

Being trapped in the IMP offices only made your anxieties worsen. Each time you saw Ellie near a window, or watched her scroll on her phone, you panicked, imagining the imminent threats as soon as the hideout was discovered.  

You rested your chin on your hands, banishing the worry and re-focusing on the moody horizon.  

A sudden crackle tore the space across the clearing, accompanying a bold flash of light as a portal opened. You stayed still, tensing every muscle ready to run if it wasn’t Ellie. Your eyes darted to the crystal on your arm, realizing it couldn’t possibly be her.  

Out stepped the ostentatious applecore-shaped coat of the King of Hell, clutching his cane and peering into the shadows.   

You jumped up, a loud snarl ripping through your teeth, curling your claws as a threat.  

His eyes found yours immediately, ignoring all of your defensive warnings. The expression on his face twisted. Regret?  

Your snarl faded, leaving a piercing silence between you as the portal dissipated.   

Now surrounded by darkness, only the moonlight to guide your view, the King appeared much smaller than you’d seen him depicted. Not height-wise, but in his presence. He didn’t carry the performative grin or the confident, outstretched arms. In front of you, at least fifteen metres away, he looked like he was struggling internally. You held your icy gaze, still wary of any tricks he may pull.   

From the distance, you notice him pull his cane closer to himself, squaring his shoulders a little more as he slowly started to walk over. He seemed... non-threatening, though you remained on high alert. You’d worked out at least three ways to escape by the time he made it to within five metres of you. Your eyes narrowed, indicating he was close enough; he noticed and immediately stopped, eyes cringing with worry. His gaze lowered, an expression of shame contorting his features as he looked away. He spoke quietly, his voice barely carrying from where he stood.  

“I need to apologize. I didn’t spot the men who were after your friend in time. I was... anyway, I'm sorry i put you in the position where you had to fend them off by yourself.” His eyes darted to yours, anxious. “Were you hurt?”  

Your jaw clenched, stifling a growl. You fought the indecision, wanting to scream at him for failing Ellie, to release all the pent-up hatred you had for Hell and his neglected realm. The other part of you wanted to stay silent until he left, refusing to accept any apologies until he understood the gravity of your resentment.  

He took a few steps closer, halting when your lips curled as a warning. You watched his eyes run over you, searching for something. Presumably any sign of injury. Not spotting anything of note, he looked back into your eyes, a soft breath slowly releasing.   

“You hated me, from the very moment you first saw me. Why?”  

This time, you had an answer. “You’re everything that’s wrong with Hell right now, and thus the reason I'm having to fight to keep Ellie safe.”  

He studied your face, questions written over his expression. After a long pause, he asked, “is she okay?”  

You looked down, ashamed and angry in equal parts.   

“What happened? Did she get shot?”  

Flames licked at your wrist and throat as you shot a glare at him. “She got burned . By me.”  

His eyes darted to your clenched fists, where a tiny flicker of light danced before you stifled it. “You were protecting her. It was an accident.”  

“Well don’t i deserve a fucking medal? Or not, since I'm now being hunted by all of Pride. You know they’re putting bounties on me now? Calling me The Phoenix? My head is a trophy.”   

You shook your head, standing and facing away, crossing your arms. You squeezed your hands tight around your biceps, trying to hold yourself together.  

Out of the corner of your eye, you see him get a little closer.   

“It was a trap. The Vees were out to get her. You were just... collateral damage.”  

“HAH. I think you have that a little backwards. Don’t you actually know why they were shooting Ellie?”  

Lucifer didn’t respond, awaiting your explanation.  

“Vox threatened to hurt her to get to me, before the bar... incident. I’d crossed his territory, made the Steel Stilettos popular under his nose. He wanted me under his control, to use me to hurt the Radio Demon. I hadn’t had enough time to work out whether that was even possible, let alone if I'd actually help him or not. I’m pretty sure you showing up was the trigger for Vox to think I'd decided to work against him.”  

Lucifer cleared his throat, “actually, well... i think it was going to happen anyway. Ozzie had the security recordings screened. The guys who tried to shoot Ellie? They were scoping out the place well before either of us turned up. It looked like they were planning the hit regardless.”  

The new information startled you. Turning to face him, you allowed a fraction of confusion to show. “They were after her even before you arrived?”  

“It looks like it. And... i don’t really know how to tell you this, but i think you stepped on something a lot bigger than you think. The Vees are making moves to take over the Pentagram. They’re acting incredibly territorial right now, even to the point of giving me and Oz a hard time. We’re not really in a position to wipe them out, either. The politics are a bitch.”  

Curiosity got the better of you. “Hold on, so three Overlords managed to have you and Ozzie running with your tails between your legs?”  

He laughed humourlessly, waving a hand. “Something like that. I’m not proud to admit it. But yeah, they have a vice-tight grip on the entertainment district and a lot of souls, meaning everything goes to shit if they suddenly disappear.”  

You cringe, relaxing the grip on your arms. “Damn. So you can’t exactly just whip it all into shape then, huh.”  

“I WISH. Getting Hell singing from the same hymn sheet was never my bag. Lil...”  

The name reminded you of the stories you’d vaguely heard, the absent Queen of Hell.  

“Lilith, as in your wife? She’s hardly been running anything around here for a while. Why did she leave?”  

Lucifer cringed, his mouth twisting from the awkward topic. “Yeah, good question. Um. I could make up a hundred excuses, lies I've tried to convince myself over the last however many years, even since long before she disappeared. Truth is, i don’t really know. She changed, and maybe i didn’t, or something stupid like that. I guess only she knows.”  

Your posture relaxed further, seeing the King baring a little of his soul. This felt honest, as much as you could work out.  

The silence stretched. You looked out over the Drop Off, seeking its comfort as stars peeked through the thin lining of silver clouds.  

From the corner of your vision, you notice him tilt his head while looking at you, then turn to face the view, too.   

Now facing away, you dared to look at him, studying from behind. Everything about his appearance was pristine, neat and full of flair in the outfit. Yet his posture was undoubtedly defeated. Slumped shoulders, hanging arms, a foot digging into the grass beneath. His face shifted upwards, watching the stars. You wondered if he saw the beauty in them as you did.   

Steeling yourself with a slow breath, you took a few steps to get closer, standing next to him with a cautious gap between you. He turned his head, probing questions written on his face. You quickly looked away, focusing on your thoughts as you tried to make sense of everything.  

“I haven’t met anyone down here with fire like mine. Angels, sure. But you don’t strike me as one. Were you born with it?”  

You held the silence, refusing to risk answering that question in case the answer got you in even more trouble in Hell.  

After a few minutes, he turned back to the stars, clearly still pondering his many questions.  

“Fair enough, if you don’t want to tell me. But i do want to know if you can control it. You said you burned Ellie, and from what little i know about you, I'll bet anything you didn’t mean to. If you needed, i could show you a few tricks, just to prevent that happening again.”  

You considered the offer carefully, honestly wishing you could jump at the opportunity. Yet, he seemed to have no reason to trust you or be kind to you. You fretted that this could just be another trap.  

“Humour me. What would you gain if you taught me a little control?”  

“Gain? As in, what would i get out of it?”  

“Yes.”  

He paused. “I’d get to help. I’d maybe feel a little better knowing i didn’t completely and entirely let you and Ellie down, if i can prevent it happening again.”  

“And if you can’t help?”  

“Then at least i tried. You don’t have much faith in anything, do you?”  

You snorted, amused by the observation. “That’s pretty rich, coming from you. The Vees give you a bit of lip and you’re cowering. If you had any self-respect, you’d have kicked their asses seven shades of Sunday, whether you let them live or not.”  

“Ouch. Yeah, I'll give you that.”  

A genuine chuckle caught you by surprise. He looked at you, also appearing amused. He took time to explore your face, even as you stared back.  

“You keep... looking at me. Like that. As if I'm something you don’t understand. Mind telling me why?”  

He swallowed, turning his head immediately. He coughed a little, straightening up and masking with his behaviour. He grumbled a quick response with forced humour; “i can’t help it if you’re a weirdo. Not my fault you spontaneously combust.”  

You burst out laughing, struck by his petty tone. “A ‘weirdo’? How eloquent, your majesty .”  

He grinned, the moonlight reflecting off his cheeks as if they were a shade darker. He composed himself before turning back to you. “I mean it, about teaching you control. You’re going to need it, if you plan on getting yourself caught up in this mess any further. I can hide you, help you find another name, a disguise, no problem. But, not even for one second do i believe you’re about to run from this. Not while Ellie, and other demons like her, are at risk.”  

You half-smiled, knowing he wasn’t wrong. You just hadn’t even known where to begin before he showed up.  

“Let’s say i do take you up on that offer. How in Hell would we do that? For me to even attempt to try this insane idea out, we’d be risking me lighting up like a beacon. That’s not ideal for staying vaguely hidden.”  

He chuckled, agreeing. “Yeah, i did think of that. I have access to a few other planets and realms with ecosystems that are tolerable for demon forms. That does mean you’re going to have to trust me, as crazy as that may seem.”  

“I’m sure there are funnier ways to get rid of me than just dumping me on another planet. I'll trust that logic enough to give this a go.”  

He seemed pleased, now holding his cane in front of him with excitement rather than shame.   

  

Chapter Thirteen: Taming a Phoenix  

  

Lucifer’s arm raised, pointing the cane towards the cliff of the Drop Off. From the apple sparked a mist and swirl of golden sorcery, followed by the crackle of a portal. Vibrant and shimmering, it hovered in a large oval directly ahead of you both. Inside the portal, you could make out a rocky surface with vivid purple hues and strange constellations. Glancing back to his excited smile, you puff out your cheeks and swallow the regret already lurking.  

The change in temperature and air density hit you first. Astoundingly humid, with a bitter aftertaste, though definitely breathable. The colours registered as multiple shades of purple emanating from the ground, glittering with untouched minerals in the dirt. You crouched, running your fingertips along the surface. Compact and firm, it barely left any trace from your touch.  

You noticed the black heels beside you. Standing carefully, you meet the inquisitive face with hesitance of your own. “Where are we?”  

He looked around, admiring the barren landscape. “Anywhere and nowhere in particular. Beautiful, right?”  

A timid smile broke through your composure as you silently agreed.  

He turned back to face you, resting his hands on his cane and waiting patiently.  

He left you feeling pressured but having no idea what to do. You look down at your hands, flipping them slowly, wondering if you were supposed to be creating flame or something.  

“I don’t actually know how to make the fire happen, by the way. It’s always like a fight or flight, anger thing. I can’t just make it appear like you do.”  

“Then you probably need to get a little angry. Or scared, or hurt, whatever works for you. You’ll probably have to do that yourself, I'll start laughing if i try to pretend to be an asshole.”  

Under your breath you mutter “you hardly have to pretend.”  

His loud chortle made you jump. “Go on. Get mad.”  

You scrunch your face in doubt. How the Hell were you supposed to just... be mad?   

In your mind’s eye, you summoned memories and imaginary versions of the two times your fire had exploded. You tried to capture the energy of it, recalling how scared you were, how desperate for escape. In the memory, you were terrified. But safely grounded on a beautiful foreign planet? It was just like watching a movie.   

“I can see you’re struggling. Hold on, let me make it a little more realistic, get you in the swing.”  

He raised his cane, shimmering an illusion around you. You were on the stage again, standing in front of Ellie as she crouched, shaking in fear. The sounds burst to life, the bullet you’d deflected rolling gently in a little arc after its fiery bounce. In a moment, your throat caught. It’s just an illusion, she’s not here . The solid state of Ellie said otherwise as she grabbed on to your arm, a pleading look on her face. In the corner of your eye, you spot one of the assassins lining up their gun to fire.  

Heart racing, a vicious snarl tore from your throat, ready to fend off the attack. You’re lost in the sensations of a hundred faces peering at you, music blaring, Ellie clinging, guns pointing. Instinct took over the logic as you lowered, snarl tearing into a low growl as you premeditate who’ll fire first. Prickles of heat built, forcing you to wrench your arm from Ellie’s grasp to prevent her from a new burn. You glance back at her, stomach dropping as her fear made her cower. Another gun glints in the strobe light as they squinted to aim. A gunshot made you flinch, bursting a heave of fire into a thick wall in front of you both. It’s uncoordinated, bursting and rippling, bright orange with streams of blue and white. The sight of it makes you panic, afraid to hurt her. You didn’t have time to process before the assailants moved around the side, forcing you to expand the wall again. You threw it, wrapping it around you both like a flag that billowed into a hurricane. You watched as it danced impossibly through the illusory ceiling. Ellie cried out, catching wisps of the flame. You fought the wall wider, desperately trying to push it away from her while also shielding her. It resisted, seeming to have a will of its own as it drew in closer.  

You stood, roaring at your own flame as you challenged it, warning it away from her. Your fingers were entirely engulfed in flame, charging higher up your arms as your fury ignited.  

In response, the tornado roared louder too, increasing in speed and heat. You braced yourself, standing over Ellie, arms outstretched with curled claws, screaming as the intensity grew. The fire took its own strength to overpower yours, expanding and tearing through the skies. You couldn’t see the bar, nor the ceiling. Only Ellie and the fire.  

Your body recoiled from the sensation of heat creeping down your extremities, igniting your clothing with an acrid chemical smoke. Still you fought, lashing out at the wall to try and push it away from Ellie.   

You screamed as it closed in, nearly reaching her as she tried to cower towards you, flinching as your own skin scorched her.    

Suddenly she was gone, leaving you alone. The panic screeched in your ears, a voice of its own among the violent decibels of roaring flame. Underneath the cacophony, a new voice came through, yelling undecipherably in the distance. You gritted your teeth, clutching your hands in your hair as the inferno drew in towards you, louder than a siren if your ear.   

Hands rested over yours. In shock, your eyes flew open, meeting glowing red sclera and pearlescent irises. Lucifer held your gaze, unaffected by the fire that engulfed him only two feet from your body. He didn’t blink, didn’t react. Just held your hands, softening their grip on your hair as the fear overwhelmed you. The flame scorched and destroyed everything he wore, coursing furiously over exposed skin with not one lick of harm.  

Your eyes darted, terrified he would suddenly feel pain, convinced it was only a matter of time before you burned him.  

But still, even through your hyperventilation, he stayed.   

Your hands lowered, his still gently cupping them as your jaw shook, teeth chattering in your ears under the sounds of deafening wildfire.   

The concern on his face slowly shifted to challenge.   

Perplexed, your heart stuttered, feeling flame emitting from almost your entire body in fear and anticipation.   

His voice broke through this time, close enough for you to understand. “Is that all you can do? HAH.”  

You recoil, startled. What the fuck does he mean ‘is that all’ ?! You were surrounded by the biggest fire you’d ever seen, and it was literally engulfing him, and that wasn’t enough ?  

In mockery, he turns his face, looking vaguely disappointed at the wall, shrugging.   

An involuntary snarl tore from you. Is that it? He had no fucking idea. The flame kicked up a notch on your hands, glowing white-hot with blue tinges, scattering dapples of blue flames across your arms as you glared. He looked down at the blazing claws, unimpressed. In his own hands, he summoned a ball of fire, rolling it around like a physical object. “Eh, i could probably make this thing reach WAY higher than your little performance here. Kinda pathetic, actually.”  

Anger overwhelmed you, choking you with violent snarls and wordless threats. He took a step back, arms outstretched in a ‘go on then’ gesture, an expression of pure dare on his face. You took his challenge, feeling the wildfire glow brighter with intensified heat, actively forcing it into submission just to prove your worth.  

The fire heeded your will, spanning around you as though it fed on the fury. It listened to your demands, billowing in a wider circle around you, craning higher into the near-invisible sky, rushing in vivid spirals and bursts.   

Lucifer stepped back with it, staying shrouded in the blaze, mocking your abilities.  

You tasted fire and blood as you screamed. Everything you had, everything you were, every fear, anxiety, loss, grief, hatred, rejection, inadequacy, all of it poured into the inferno. You felt it climb higher, spiralling with brilliance as it engulfed your senses, draining every last emotion you carried deep within.  

As the scream died, so did your will. Surrounded by the massive walls you’d constructed, drowning in your broken defenses, you finally admitted defeat. Your eyes fell closed, body dropping all the tension. He’d won.   

You heard the fire disturbed by the King of Hell’s presence walking through it. You looked up, watching over him as he casually stepped from the raging tornado. Entirely unharmed, his skin glistened in the light, shimmering with beauty that stunned you. His eyes had returned to normal, horns gone now, with wind-swept hair and an exhilarated smile. You blinked and looked away, embarrassed, realizing his clothes had NOT survived in any shape or form. The fire at your skin died out, leaving you equally exposed. You turned side-on, arms wrapped over your breasts as you fought for what pathetic little dignity you had left.  

In the snap of his fingers, you were both clothed, neat and undamaged. He stopped just a metre away, patiently waiting for you to be ready to face him. 

You lower your arms, catching your breath as you gaze around at the mass of destructive fire that hadn’t managed to harm a single thing. There seemed to be no control, and yet it burned solely from you, obedient and wild at the same time. It didn’t stray as you carefully walked over, reaching a hand to dip into the wall. It rushed around your fingers, registering scalding heat without pain. It flowed relentlessly around your movements the way a gushing stream would. It was beautiful.  

Your attention drew back to Lucifer, standing calmly in the centre of your inferno.   

He wordlessly offered his hand.  

Each step felt impossibly slow, as though time was waiting for you, too.  

His warm hand felt soothing against the heat of yours, reassuring and firm. He stayed still, eyes exploring your face. In careful movements, you tentatively raised your other arm, gesturing you wanted to hold him. His smile widened briefly for reassurance, holding his other arm out to his side. You took the invitation, slowly wrapping both arms around him and tightening the embrace. His body pressed against yours, grounding you to a reality you had never felt before. He’d stayed, even through the very worst of your hurt. He’d taken all of your rage and fear, completely unaffected by it. And after it all, he heard you, listened to what you needed. You clutched his jacket as weakness cracked through, ears pulsing as tears shed. His only response was to hold you closer. 

Shivering violently, you felt the wall of fire start to shake, losing its edge as the pain inside you softened just a fraction. You swallowed the lump in your throat, looking up at the faltering blaze, unsure how to feel about it. Lucifer looked over his shoulder to follow your gaze, a sad smile on his lips. “You can let go. You’ll be okay.”   

Your face crumpled. You didn’t know how .  

He rubbed your back, gently using one hand to guide one of your wrists up, pointed towards the fire. “Feel it, like it’s a part of you. You’re not against it, you are part of it, and it’s a part of you. It’s there, in the back of your mind, waiting for you to unlock it. Imagine using your hand to ask it to fall, like you did when you asked it to grow. Try it.”  

Obediently, you lifted your hand from his grasp and tentatively stretched out your fingers. You didn’t demand the way you had when aggravating it. This time, ever so slowly, you drew your fingers to a relaxed fist, soothing and gentle. You repeated this, noticing a small difference in the speed as it faltered further. Your fingers spread, motioning to catch it, bracing against the invisible pressure as it struggled to bring itself to a halt. You waited, muscles aching from pushing against the unseen force. It eventually yielded, becoming gradually smaller as it stilled. The wall gave way to pieces of the sky, waning peacefully as the stars caught your attention. You rested your head against Lucifer’s shoulder, letting your hand fall as the last of the fire died out.  

He held you against him, unmoving. You could hear his steady breathing, feel the strong pulse beneath your cheek. His free hand circled your ribs, stroking gently with a thumb. You hugged him tight, lost in the relief of dark purple skies and untouched ground.   

Lucifer whispered, lips just above your ear; “that was pretty damn amazing. You've got one heck of a spark. I’ve missed feeling like this.”  

Confusion furrowed your brow as you asked, “what do you mean?”  

“I mean... that was the most honest and raw i have seen anyone in many centuries. You broke down every fragile human emotion and laid it bare. Whatever kind of soul you have? It’s earth-shattering. I’m... honoured to have met you.”  

You cringed, uncomfortable in the flattery. “I wouldn’t think of it that, uh... nicely. From where i stood, it was destructive, messy and painful. I’m sorry. For... all of that. But also for setting your clothes on fire.”  

His chest gently shook you as he laughed. “They’re fine, it’s easy enough to conjure. Might have to get you something a little more fire-proof, though. And please, don’t diminish what you’re capable of. Fire is only inherently negative because of all the cruel ways it’s used. But it’s also absolutely necessary, for survival, fresh beginnings, warmth, energy. It’s an element, just as vital as the air and sea. I may be a bit of a hypocrite here, but i really believe you should be more proud of yourself for being able to feel anything that strong.”  

“What about that makes you hypocritical?”  

“Just the many years of self-doubt. I helped give humanity free will. I’m not blind to all the good it created; but all i can really focus on is the evil that took root as a result. All I'm trying to say is you’re not alone in feeling like this. And... i’m grateful to not be, either.”  

A small glow startled you, deep in Lucifer’s chest. Like the soft embers on barely lit coal, his inner flame awoke, soft and dull. Your own chest felt as though it caved in, realizing you hadn’t been able to see it before not because he hid it, but because it had died out. You hugged him closer, frightened of losing that gentle glow within him.  

  

He took you back to the IMP offices, handing you the Asmodeus crystal with fresh new flame-proof bindings. You hadn’t spoken a word since the hug, not knowing what to say. He lingered before departing, hovering for just a minute longer than felt necessary before creating a portal and darting through. He looked back, his face a mix of sorrow and gratitude, smiling weakly before the portal closed. 

 

Chapter Fourteen: The King and I  

  

You kept your phone close, despite your clear insistence on using messaging as little as possible. It felt like a small lifeline to the outside world while you hid in the run-down office building with your companion.  

Ellie was taking it badly, too. Being stifled from life yet again was reawakening nightmares, not helped by the uncomfortable sofas. There wasn’t any reassurance you could give. In honesty, you felt a distance growing between you, palpable with increasing awkwardness as you existed in the close quarters. She was safer that way. She could live in Pride just fine if it wasn’t for you. She’d still be living her best life at the bar . Your thoughts berated you day by day, only pushing you further apart.  

The water boiled unnecessarily dramatically in the kettle before you grabbed it. It irritated you, as though a personal affront to your lack of energy. Tiredness weighed heavy on your eyelids, unmotivated and otherwise uninspired during your containment. In the corner of your eye, Ellie stirred from her nap, picking her head up to look around the room. Automatically you pulled out the second mug and measured out her coffee, just the way she liked it.  

She shuffled lazily towards the mug, cradling it with a soft smile.  

Her silence was so familiar that when she spoke, you nearly dropped your mug in surprise.  

“Hey... i’ve been thinking. I’m hiding from Hell, from father, from my ex, even... even from you. I’m not doing okay here. Mentally. Um, not really bad or anything, but uh, just enough that i think it could get worse if i let it spiral. If... ah, it’s not so simple as just fixing everything and getting back out there, but i think i need to reopen an old wound, so it can heal.”  

Your eyes involuntarily cast down to the fading scar on her forearm from your flame.  

“Stop, that’s not what I'm talking about. That was an accident. I mean, maybe it’s time to shout a little louder, you know? Rather than letting father control the narrative. Maybe i could release my own response. I’m sure Ozzie would help. It’s hard not to listen when you have an entire Sin at your side, supporting you. I haven’t written anything down yet. Maybe... would you help me? Please?”  

You studied her expression, really seeing her for the first time in weeks. She wasn’t just the girl you’d failed to protect, the victim you’d burned. She was Ellie-freaking-Rose. Of course you’d help her, time and time again.  

Your response was a nod, trying to hold back the waves of emotion now threatening to break through like a dam. Her anxiety softened. “Thank you.”  

You both carried hot mugs over to the coffee table, processing the way to go about this. You considered the various ways you could go about this, thoughts wandering to how many favours you were still owed. They’d still be good for cashing in, despite your marred reputation. If Ellie was going to be giving some sort of press conference, it could be in public, showing she wasn’t afraid of another assassination. The catch would be that it couldn’t be in Pride.  

“I’m having a few ideas here, Ell. I think you’re right, it starts with Ozzie. He’s respected, well-liked, and knows how to get attention. Maybe if we can fill the crowd with enough allies, we wouldn’t have to fear another... attempt. It could be done fully in the public eye, with questions and cameras, the whole shebang, so they can see you’re not being coerced. If you really wanna stick it to them, have a whole speech prepared about what you went through, and the details of the inheritance. It’ll hurt their image, but not really affect them financially, so they might just back off and stick to their little money pits and leave you be, now you’re proving your independence.”  

She chewed her lip, cringing slightly. “It’s definitely what needs to happen, but i gotta be honest, it’s not going to be that simple. There is a financial implication. Father’s inheritance is tied to being able to continue the genetic line, keeping the fortune within the family. I have an uncle, pretty much a classic runt of the litter estranged guy who keeps to himself. And from the last i heard, he ended up with a kid or two. Chances are, if we go public with exactly what the surgery was, it becomes a very big problem for father to keep his lifestyle. Lawyers will be on him like vultures. I’m NOT saying he doesn’t deserve it, but i have no doubt there will be some sort of repercussions, revenge even. But you know what? We’re already hiding. We’re afraid of being hunted down. At least this way, we’ll be out in the open, saying ‘come get me, bitch’.”  

“Ha hah. In fairness, i wouldn’t expect anything less than that from you, my beautiful heiress-turned-pole-dancer sister. You’re right, too. Hardly going to be any different to how we’re living now, except at least you’d have a lot more protection in public from people who are ‘just trying to help’.”  

She paused briefly, a little hesitant. “You know i said ‘we’, right? I’m pretty sure that getting your image out there as my bodyguard, maybe even releasing the footage in its entirety, could clear your name. Not from the Overlords, obviously, but at least from the public smear campaign. You might be able to live semi-publicly again, maybe with me in Lust. We could get an actual bed again.”  

Your face broke into a smile as she painted the happy picture. It was unimaginably tempting right now.  

“You still want to do the ‘there was only one bed’ trope? My ears can’t take much more chainsaws.”  

“HAH, fuck off. You miss me rolling over and smacking you in the night.”  

“Obviously. Why do you think my face looks so dull? It hasn’t been puffed up from you beating me up in my sleep.”  

The two of you chuckle, cradling your drinks with just a little bit of hope.   

“You’ve been thinking about this for a while now, huh?”  

She nodded, losing the smile. “Yeah. It’s a lot to process. I’ve already cut him off in my head, but publicly denouncing him wasn't something i ever wanted. But, if he’s forcing my hand, so be it.”  

You nodded. “True. Well, you’ll always have my support, no matter what. Give me some time to get through to a few demons who owe me, and I'll have a nice crowd for your announcement. Maybe you should speak to Oz in person, privately, to test the waters for having him there.”  

“I’m not going without you. Plus, you have my old crystal. You’re stuck with me, bitch.”  

The mood lightened again as you both began to plan out the idea, sketching out on pen and paper to avoid any sort of technological invasion of privacy.  

The door unlocked, preceding the work day for the IMP team. They milled about, setting up as usual, until Moxxie caught a glance at what you were working on. His instinct to criticize came naturally as breathing, though it served you exceptionally well as he pointed out flaws in the security you’d drawn out. Without any invitation, he sat between you and picked up a pen, adding his own touch to the scheme. You and Ellie looked at each other as he ranted, scribbling furiously, entertained and inspired by the fiery imp.  

Blitzø hardly let either of you get a word in either as he took charge with his usual flair.   

His contacts helped bridge the gap between various suppliers and venues, allowing you to stay undetected while he orchestrated the public setting and arranged a tight security detail. He even had ideas for distractions and public relations. His creativity was largely fuelled by the potential to see you both back in high spirits.  

He got a hold of Fizzarolli, arranging a meeting in person at Ozzie’s House of Lust, keeping it as vague as possible over the phone but ensuring Ozzie would be there.   

The time arrived, the portal opened, and you, Ellie and Blitzø stepped through to the large private office with both excitement and nervousness.   

  

You had a single week to gather every favour you were owed for this. It had to be a big show of support for Ellie’s freedom, with as many people siding with you and her as possible.   

Despite a little pushback from some demons who had been swayed by the media releases, most fell in line fairly quickly. Only a couple refused, though you swiftly reminded them of the contracted favour being at your convenience, not theirs. Still, you allowed them to decline for now, thinking it safer to not have to truly force anyone there against their will.   

A decent crowd gathered at the makeshift public venue, set up as if a town-centre temporary festival stage. It caught the eye of the general public, creating a small stir of curiosity as they watched Asmodeus and various high-ranking demons setting up without any big fanfare for a show.  

You kept disguised as much as possible, managing to cash in deals and help with the setup without incident.  

The night before the press release, Ozzie strategically leaked information to a few news outlets about the reappearance of Ellie-Rose to be announced at nine AM the next day. Rumours spread incredibly fast. The speculation and narrative spun wildly out of control, inciting a sudden trend in social media about the Hedringham fortune.   

Scrolling without really seeing, you and Ellie perched close together on the sofa she slept on, feeling the anticipation building for tomorrow’s confrontation. A light double tap came from the window, startling you. No one else was in the office; only one of you could answer. You grabbed the Asmodeus crystal, silently handing it to Ellie before peering through the window.  

You couldn’t see anyone; until the tap came again, from the lower right of the window frame. A small white bird looked up at you expectantly with little red eyes. You hesitated, confused but otherwise unafraid. The window opened with a little scrape, allowing the bird to fly through and manifest as the King of Hell.  

The sight of him made your stomach twist in some form of unregulated emotion. Regret or anxiety perhaps, mixed with a little relief to have him nearby when you were so close to the main event.  

“Hey you two, i just heard. Making a big speech tomorrow? You ready?”  

Ellie nodded enthusiastically, a little star-struck. “Very. I want him to know I'm not afraid anymore. And i REALLY want to be able to go outside. I love this girl so much but i can’t deal with another over-sweetened coffee.”  

“Hey! I make it exactly the same every time! You didn’t think to correct me once?!”  

She grinned with her tongue out. “Nah, i found it cute. Anyway, are you going to be there your highness? It might be a big help.”  

“Of course. I just wanted to check if you needed anything, and where you wanted me to be. I can be centre-stage with you, like Oz is, or kinda to the side like an awkwardly proud dad. Up to you.”  

Her eyes shined a little with the sweet comment. “I... want you up there, next to her. I have Ozzie, but i think she’ll need backing up too, after everything that went down with the bar. You can show them you’re there for her now, so maybe people will back off thinking she’s some major criminal or something.”  

Lucifer glanced to you, an eyebrow raised with a hesitant smile. 

You sighed, avoiding eye contact. “It’s a good idea. The way the video was shown on Vox’s network was a real shitty twist of the narrative. Did Ozzie tell you we were planning on showing the whole thing, pretty much start to finish, with clips of the assassins scoping out the place earlier?”  

“Yeah, and I've seen it all too, to be fair it should clear your name if we don’t get interrupted. I suggested to Oz we play the clip pretty much from the get-go, so it’s broadcast first and doesn’t get interrupted. Hell knows how much influence that TV bastard has, even in other rings.”  

“Does it change the schedule up much?”  

“Not at all, it leads nicely into the speech you had drawn out already. Are you... okay with being associated with me? I’ll be there anyway, but i know you aren’t keen on my reputation and uh, how you put it, me being ‘everything that’s wrong with Hell right now’.”  

You cringed as Ellie looked accusingly at you. “Right, first off, i was angry. Yes, I'm sorry for saying that, but in fairness, at the time i believed you’d been the trigger for the shooters. Secondly, it’s whether YOU want to be associated with ME. I’m the problem child right now. And i still don’t have control over the fire when my temper goes. You want to risk standing beside that with a little extinguisher?”  

He chuckled, eyes sparkling with amusement. “I’m just making fun. Of you, of course. I’ll be there to stop you if it gets heated, in the literal sense. Though, we do have time for a quick practice-run on getting control if you liked. I’d have offered sooner, but i figured you needed space.” A pang of concern crossed his expression, while you looked awkwardly anywhere but his face. You caught Ellie’s eye, who was squinting suspiciously. You squinted back, warning her to shut up.  

“Well?”  

Internally you groaned. “i guess it’s a good idea. I assume we’ll be back with enough time to get sleep beforehand?”  

“Depends on how long it takes. Would you rather be a little tired and grumpy but under control, or well-rested and a fire hazard if you got in an argument with reporters? They’re pretty savage at the best of times.”  

You shrugged, conceding his point.  

He grinned, pleased. Turning to Ellie, “right, you need to get as much shut-eye as possible. I’ll have her back before you need to leave, so you can go together.”  

She nodded gratefully, still throwing curious glances your way.  

Lucifer opened up a portal to the beautiful barren purple landscape, inviting you through, despite the protests of your nervous gut feeling.  

The wall of humidity and sudden silence was far from welcome as you were now alone with Lucifer again. You locked your hands together, fiddling with your nails as he walked past you. He seemed to set up a series of illusions, each with its own challenges. Some were social-based, half a room filled with reporters or with arguing demons, others seemed more physical combat centred.  

When he had a few established, all frozen in time, he turned back to you. His eyes narrowed for just a second, flitting in concern. He closed the distance between you slowly, expression softening the nearer he came.   

Now only a foot away, your heart took up an anxious stutter, pressured by the intense gaze.  

He wordlessly held his arms out, inviting a hug. You shook your head, steadying yourself as you looked away. His disappointment was subtle, but palpable.  

At the first station, you were tasked with handling the beginnings of a bar fight, with innocent bystanders. You managed this well enough, using social diplomacy to regulate the irate demons, stepping in when it got too heated. You didn’t feel any particular loss of control there.  

In the next, a fight was already in full swing, looking like a turf war in the Doomsday District. You watched carefully, analysing the situation. You gathered that they were on equal footing in terms of shitty morals and dirty tactics. You worked out that the point of this was to NOT interrupt, and to rather let them battle it out as long as no one else got caught in the crossfire, which Lucifer had left out intentionally. He praised the assessment, commenting on your ability to stay out where you weren’t needed.  

Another room, this time with a much smaller version of the press release. You had to navigate some nasty questions, many of which you had already anticipated from Ellie’s event tomorrow, so you had steady answers. There was still a fair bit of biting your tongue and deflecting the worst of the inquisition, especially with the leading questions; though you held your fire well enough to not be overly bothered by the heat behind your wrists. He commended this too, stating he’d expected this to be the hard one.  

After a few more, he arrived at the final station; a private meeting with Lord Hedringham, Ellie’s ex, and four very expensive lawyers.  

You hadn’t recognized them during the set up, and were still unfamiliar with seeing them in person. As Lucifer had met them, he apparently got the details alarmingly similar to reality.  

The scene progressed, with incredibly conniving and cunning wordplay from the lawyers, and straight up vicious accusations from the two nobles. Facing reporters, you had diplomacy. Here, you felt utterly vulnerable and exposed. Their inquisition and arguments were savage and unyielding. They didn’t listen to reason, nor did they back down. The threats were harsh, the consequences of Ellie’s surgery being used as a weapon. Your gut pooled with dread, realizing how very true to life this was going to be. If you were ever in this situation, you probably weren’t making it out alive.  

The scenario came to a head when the illusory room surrounded you, with a door opening to three stocky dark-clothed men wearing half-masks. Your stomach plummeted, realizing the imminent danger, regardless of the illusion.  

Fire danced at your palms and fingers, barely contained in your fist as you tried to back away. They cornered you towards the nobles, clearly preparing to make a grab.   

A strong shudder took you before you attempted to make a break for it. You leapt over the table, only to be face to face with one of the men out of nowhere. He made a grab for you, which you only narrowly avoided. The other two surrounded you, preventing escape routes and raising their arms ready to grab. Flame, now uncontrolled, seared bright in your hands and stung in your throat as you growled threateningly.  

One behind you lurched forward, making you spin to dodge; landing squarely in a strong set of arms that encircled and pinned you. The third man quickly put a gag in your mouth and locked your wrists together in steel cuffs. The fire burned hotter as you tried to resist, only to feel the cock of a gun to the side of your head.   

Panic overwhelmed you. If this was real, you’d be dead.  

You cowered at the sound of the hammer drawing back, ready to fire.

 

Chapter Fifteen: Focus in Flame  

  

The scene stopped, the men restraining you suddenly frozen.  

Lucifer appeared in front of you, sitting on the table.   

“This is the lesson i thought you’d struggle with the most. Your fire isn’t always going to be something you need to swallow back. Sometimes, it’ll be necessary, for good and for... less good. Hurting these men isn’t exactly morally ideal, but if it’s self-defense; that’s as good as any reason to use the flames where they’re needed. I think you knew it too, when they got you. That’s one of the hardest things about having abilities like this; it’s knowing when you can, and when you should use them.”   

You swallow, still high on adrenaline and locked in place by the captors. “Yeah, yeah, with great power comes great responsibility, thanks Uncle Ben. Can i get out of this so i can have a do-over?”  

He smirked, amused by the humour despite your fear.  

“Lets start with using the fire to get those cuffs off. Can you will it back? Focus it on your wrists?”  

“My wrists are where the flames seem to start from. I just don’t know how to trigger them off without the emotion.”  

He tilted his head, pondering. He hopped off the table, stepping into the space in front of you between the frozen men. “Alrighty... close your eyes.”  

You did so after a hesitant pause.   

Now blind, you were more aware of the rest of your body and where the residual heat still simmered.  

Lucifer remained quiet while you focused. Your hands shifted in the binds, curling as you focused energy directly towards the heat prickling your wrist. It seemed fruitless without the anger.   

“You’re thinking too hard. Just feel it. Become it.”  

Your eyebrows furrowed as you concentrated, trying to envision the fire like a stream, just like the wall had been. You tilted your hands down, willing the heat to escape and pour down your hands. Releasing slow breaths, you used your fingers to flex and mimic the motions as if guiding a flame downwards. The lack of any actual fire began to frustrate you.  

Sudden heat gushed from just above your palms. Your eyes flew open, spotting two reddish-orange balls of fire hovering, being controlled by Lucifer’s own hands. You looked up at him, confused. “These are yours. Are they supposed to ignite mine? I’m not a gas cylinder.”  

He chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m trying to give you a sense for the heat you’re looking for. Try again, but maybe this time focus on trying to control these flames rather than the ones stuck inside you.”  

Uncertain but willing, you closed your eyes and centred your mind around the two balls of fire near your palms. You circled your hands around each of them, gently absorbing the heat, feeling the way they rippled and danced in the air. You asked them to listen to you, feeling no change. Then, you tried adding to them. A slow, concentrated force of energy, like pushing with unseen muscles, squeezing and tensing to try and summon flame. Only when you relaxed the pressure did you sense a tiny flicker of flame at your fingertips. It startled you, being created by calm instead of chaos. You flicked your finger, feeling it ignite again. You held it there, keeping your eyes closed. The heat above the fingertip felt like an extension of your body, both under your control and subconsciously free to function, the way an organ would. You focused on the parts you could control, feeding it energy and strength through focused attention. It grew larger, louder, gradually becoming more vivid than the two balls of flame.   

You tried the pouring tactic again, though this time towards your wrists, up to the steel cuffs. The flame spread willingly, as if it understood your will. You managed to stop it going much further, controlling it so intensely you felt a headache developing.  

The cuffs barely responded to your weak fire. Debating your next move, you considered drawing the palpable energy from the Lucifer’s flames. It seemed possible, given how easy it was to feel the power rolling off them. Your hands spread, absorbing the heat with new intent.  

The effect was immediate. You heard Lucifer make a quick grunt as the power was drawn, igniting an unexpectedly intense blaze up your forearms. You kept concentrating, swirling the energy directly towards the cuffs, drawing further as you summoned hotter flames. You heard the sizzle of melting metal, smelling burning as some of either yours or his clothing took some of the Hellfire. You forced a strong breath out as you willed all your focus into the cuffs, feeling the heat magnify massively. You could feel the shift between orange to white flame, sense the concentration like a blow-torch centering directly over the melting metal. You smelled burning wood and chemicals as they began to drip, releasing you as a large chunk of metal fell.   

You laughed once, startled, eyes flying open. Your forearms immediately cooled to a gentler flame, barely flickering an inch over your skin in gentle oranges and yellows. You watched, curious, gesturing and willing the flame to move over your skin. It took a minute of trying, but you got it. Swirling over your skin in a single line, then rolling into a little ball you could manipulate and hover in mid-air. You felt your face break into joy, holding the little ball of flame in your palm.  

Your eyes darted to Lucifer, still excited. His eyes were wide, with his mouth slightly open in awe. Inside him, you spotted that little glimmer of warm coal, just vaguely glowing enough to notice.  

His hands had dropped to his side, showing a few small burns on the sleeves, but otherwise unharmed. Your short-sleeved top had taken a bit of searing at your abdomen from being near the cuffs, but that was it. You felt such an immense pride that excitement bubbled, warming you through, brightening the little ball of flame in your hands. Your smile stretched as you realized positive energy could control it just as well as anger or fear. It listened as you rolled it between your fingers and shaped it into spirals and swirls. You toyed with it for a few minutes, before deciding you’d had your fun. You drew it back down to your skin, wondering how to dispel it. The flame died out during your debate, as it was no longer consciously fuelled. Huh, that’ll do it then .  

Lucifer waved, clearing the landscape of all illusions. Just you, him and some mild burned clothes remained. The excitement was intoxicating. You hadn’t felt this happy in... well, ever?   

He waited patiently as you processed. Eventually, you eased down from your high and turned to speak to him directly.  

“That was... amazing. I can’t believe we managed that. I know i still have a long way to go, but honestly, thank you.”  

He gave you a lopsided smile, eyes shining. “It’s a pleasure. I’m impressed. You figured out how to draw energy from external sources; that’s gonna be a very useful tool if you’re ever caught short or exhausted. Do you want another go?”  

You debated, looking back down to your arms. “Maybe. Can i have one more go with your energy first, then I'll try starting it off on just my own?”  

He created another little flaming orb and let you set about trying a few techniques for manipulating and controlling your own fire. It was difficult to will anything new, despite multiple attempts, though you had a fairly good grasp on maintaining it once the fire got going.   

You noticed him take a quick glance at his phone, checking the time.   

“Oh shit, the conference! What time is it? Are we gonna make it?”  

He raised his hands to calm you, phone screen displaying four AM. “We’re all good, don’t worry. You could even grab some Z’s if we head off soon. You look pretty awake, though. What do you want to do?”  

On reflection, he was right. You were wired .  

“What about you? Don’t you need to sleep?”  

“Eh, i don’t sleep that much, and I'm just there for show. I can’t imagine I'll be very needed beyond standing there looking pretty.”  

You snorted. “Fair enough. Thanks for being there for Ellie, and for training me. This means everything to me, like i may stand a shot at getting to live maybe a semi-normal life down in Hell, not just hiding.”  

“Yeah, define semi-normal. Problem is, you’re never going to really blend in the way you used to. Your face is pretty widely recognized with your power, and the two aren’t easy to uncouple. Just be careful of people’s intentions, whether they’re sinners or Hellborn, of any sort of background. You don’t always know whether they care about you, or what you can do.”  

“... and that includes you?”  

He looked confused. “Are you asking me whether I'm weaponizing you? No. Quite the opposite. I want you to be able to think for yourself and make decisions for both yourself and others, not be... ugh, how do i put it? Used.”  

The word seemed apt for how Vox had already started his manipulation, even before he knew you were a barely functional blowtorch.  

Lucifer noticed your absent expression. “Don’t overthink it right now. You have friends who really seem to care, especially Ellie-Rose, the imps, and Ozzie. I mean, Ozzie’s a HUGE fan of yours since watching you protect Ellie, i wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to put you in the spotlight tomorrow.”  

You groan, dreading the possibility. “Please stop him. All i want is my name cleared enough to be able to go out in public again. I do NOT need any more attention on me.”  

“I’ll try to give him the heads up before we start this morning. What’s the plan for afterwards?”  

“I’ve hardly thought about it. I think i want to prioritize getting Ellie safe. From there, i guess...” Your mind wandered back to all those broken souls, devoid of willpower or spirit, all crushed under the Overlords. “I think i want to go back to Pride, you know. I want to try again, maybe make a difference on a bigger scale than just a bar this time.”  

Lucifer looked quizzically at you, not speaking. You met his gaze, raising an eyebrow. He didn’t turn away, didn’t react. Just appraised you. You wondered what he was seeing.  

A heavy sigh fell from your chest as a wave of tiredness crashed over you. Suddenly, the planet seemed so very bright, and all you wanted was to be comfortable.  

“Hey, do you mind if we head back? I don’t know if I'll sleep, but i am tired.”  

He nodded, wordlessly opening a portal. You both stepped through, thankfully not disturbing Ellie on her couch.   

The portal closed, though Lucifer still hovered. You kind of stood too, not sure if you were meant to say or do anything. He looked a little off, almost uncomfortable as he looked around.   

You saw him straighten, putting on a mask of confidence as he gave you a half-bow and waved,  transforming into the little bird. You smiled and slid the window open, freeing him with a final wave.  

  

Chapter Sixteen: The Conference  

  

The brightness of Lust almost felt like Earth with the tinted blue sky.  

The stage was filled with officials milling about, setting up final details and speaking into their little microphones.   

You and Ellie waited backstage, hidden within a little booth they had set up for privacy. You gave each other pep talks and fake enthusiasm, both equally terrified of the upcoming speech.  

A gentle knock came, followed by both Sins entering.   

Lucifer spoke first, looking nervously excited. “The crowd looks pretty positive out there. You pulled in a lot of favours I'm guessing?”  

“Yeah, I'm now functionally broke, but it’s worth it. Are there a lot of reporters?”  

Ozzie waved a hand, “let’s not worry about that. We’ll take it as it comes. Just try to be as honest as possible, and don’t let them get under your skin. Lu told me all about last night, you must be exhausted.”  

Ellie’s shocked face made you turn, a sudden blush flaming at your cheeks. “It- I- uh, nothing like that, it was a training exercise. I had fire, there was uh, flaming... balls... uh, stop looking at me!” You swiped at Ellie with your sheet of notes, thwacking her with painless beating. She giggled, grabbing you around the waist and blowing raspberries at you.   

As you calmed down, you spotted Lucifer giving a death glare to Ozzie, who was looking particularly pleased with himself.  

You cleared your throat, trying to pretend your face wasn’t still bright red.  

“Right, uh, so. Is there anything left for us to do?”  

Lucifer shook his head, still slightly cringing and avoiding eye contact. Ozzie peeked out the door, giving a final check before confirming it was all ready to go.  

You took Ellie’s hand, giving it a squeeze. She gripped tightly, showing a tiny crack in her perfect mask. “You’ll be amazing up there, Ell. This could be one of the biggest days of your life. You’ll be free.”  

She whispered, scared but determined, “I know. Let’s do this, together.”  

The four of you walk single-file out to the stage, where a laughably Earth-style table with jugs of water and sheets of paper laid out with your assigned chairs. You all shuffled into place, taking your seats with little microphones, ignoring the mass of camera flashes and shouts from the reporters. All around the stage were dozens of faces you recognized from your favours, though even more so were the mases of curious demons from multiple other rings, in all shapes and forms. This was bigger news to Hell than you expected.  

Ozzie gestured for the crowd of reporters to calm down so he could speak. He gave a brief introduction before the screen lit up behind him, showing the footage of the bar from multiple angles. He explained what happened in detail, especially highlighting zoomed in shots of the assailants during the attack, comparing them to footage scoping out the building and creeping around the bar undetected before the incident. He stood, explaining the hit on Ellie-Rose, and how you had fought to defend her, before either him or Lucifer could get to anywhere near. He praised you, going a little overboard as you cringed. Next to you, Lucifer gently nudged his elbow to you in reassurance. You ignored him, feeling a touch of warmth at your cheeks. 

Finally summing up, he gestured to you and Ellie, explaining your bond and how you had rescued her, even more so than he himself was able to. He gave Ellie a nod, indicating her turn to talk. She took a deep breath, gave your hand one final squeeze, and stood.  

Her voice carried beautifully. The microphone delivered her truths with clarity and purpose. She spoke as though every word was from her heart or deep in her bones, divulging the truth about her family inheritance. Cameras began to flash again and reporters got restless as they furiously scribbled. The Hedringham name wasn’t just dragged through the mud; it was decimated under her stories.  

She broke down every single lie her father had told, with confident explanations and rational logic, disproving his claims of kidnapping and delusions. She tore apart every argument he had made, reaffirming her absolute insistence on being free from the bindings of the inheritance.  

In a move even you hadn’t expected, she lifted her shirt just enough to show the scars under the stripes and swirls of tattoos. Cameras lit up, glittering from the ground floor as she showed her surgical scars and explained how far she had to go, willingly doing so, just to escape her father. She lowered the shirt and made her final statements, thanking and praising you as Ozzie had.   

The conference then opened up for questioning.  

Sensing a scandal, all attention was directed at the family fortune and the inheritance. Ellie told the truth as best as she knew it, carefully wording some of the trickier answers about what this would mean for her father.  

Honestly, it wasn’t as brutal as Lucifer’s press illusion last night. You were pleasantly surprised, relieved to not have to face angry scrutiny or be doubted as harshly. Ellie and Ozzie had pleaded their cases excellently. You felt the introduction leading in with the incident, though startling, had been a great way to immediately dispel a lot of the rumours and doubts.  

A few questions came your way, especially regarding the fire. You looked to Lucifer nervously, unsure what to say. He spoke up on your behalf, justifying it as an extreme measure you took in the emergency situation. Someone then brought up the previous incident in Lust, which again he broke down the debate into logic and reason, defending your actions and assuring that you were learning control. He was then put on the spot, asked if he was the one training you. He faltered, stumbling over his words a little as he looked to you. You chewed the inside of your cheek, leaving him to deal with the question. He just about managed to admit that yes, he was ensuring you had the best training, and he would be overseeing your progress. He got a fair bit of pressure from reporters asking where his interests lay, and whether he was training you for anything in particular. You slowly sipped your water, fighting to keep your face neutral as Lucifer gave his best fake smile and kept insisting it is just a training exercise with intentions to keep both you and the public safe. Ellie spoke up, reiterating that she was close friends with you, but also had needed your protections, so having you well trained was very much in her best interest. The attention switched right back to Ellie for further questions as Lucifer audibly sighed with relief.  

The conference had to be ended by Ozzie when he felt the public had been satisfied enough to leave. Reporters still lingered, though most of the crowd wandered off without issue. You four headed backstage, grateful for the security preventing nosy reporters sneaking in.  

Ellie gave you a fierce hug, eyes damp with tears. You checked on her, confirming she was relieved, not sad.  

Lucifer hung back, awkwardly waiting while Ellie and Ozzie discussed next steps. He invited her to stay with him for a while, under his close protection. He even turned to you and offered the same, though you politely declined. Surprised, Ellie asked you what you were going to do.  

“I... don’t know how helpful i am for security right now, Ell. I want to be better, more controlled, safer. Give me a little time and I'll come back, or drag you to Pride with me. I have a few ideas for things i want to change over there. But right now, i think i need to work on myself, you know?”  

Her teary face smiled lovingly at you as she grasped you into a tight hug. “Thank you so much for saving me, so many times. We’ll get through this. I know we’re not gonna be able to call or anything, but you’ll still come see me, right? Even if you’re running around saving everyone else?”  

“Hah. I’m not going that far. Just want to make a difference. But yes, i am in fact very much still going to make you shitty coffee and pester you for updates constantly. I’m so proud of you, Ell. Love you.”  

You heard her inhale deeply, swallowing fresh tears. “Love you too, sis.”  

Ozzie looked nearly overwhelmed, clutching his hands over his chest and beaming. Ellie walked over to him, taking his hand as they got ready to head to his limo. You waved them off, tight sorrow gripping your chest as tears prickled in your eyes.  

You heard a sniffle; behind you, Lucifer was far less composed. You laughed, turning to face him. “Aww, look at all those feelings. You alright there your majesty?”  

He scoffed, eyes still watery. “I’m fine. That was just real sweet. Ugh, God. Okay. So, uh, you know you mentioned you don’t have a plan?”  

Your eyebrows raised, wondering where this was going as he shuffled his foot on the floor. “Well, i don’t know if you saw, but my daughter was actually in the crowd. She’s waiting for me nearby with her girlfriend. I kinda told her about what was going on, showed her the footage. She’s real impressed with your magic. Thing is, if you want to make a difference in Pride, you’re going to need somewhere safe to stay. And i really don’t think the sofa at IMP is going to cut it. You’d get somewhere warm, safe, well-tended, protected... there’s loads of good happening there too, they’re really putting in the effort to rehabilitate sinners. I’m staying there a fair amount of the time, but not all the time, so you wouldn’t have to deal with me too much, and i can just be around, you know? Uh, as friends, and i can still train you, and-”  

“Lucifer, stop, you’re rambling. I get your point, and i kind of agree. I’m willing to try, though i definitely want to be sure the hotel guests and staff aren’t going to be uncomfortable around me. Maybe if i go there as a visitor first, then we see about me staying depending on how they react?”  

He nodded, uncomfortable. His body language was hard to work out; somewhere between embarrassed and shy, with a hint of cringe. “Yeah, we can do that, no pressure.”  

You debated asking him what was bothering him; though the thought of adding even more pressure to the intense morning made you want to lie down.  

“I have a few things to grab from IMP, plus i can drop off Ellie’s stuff at Ozzie’s if we dip back there now. Do you possibly mind playing magic taxi before we head to the hotel?”  

He nodded, eager to have a plan. “No worries. Let’s go meet Charlie and Vaggie, daughter and girlfriend respectively, let them know where we’ll be.”  

“Uh, hey Lucifer, why don’t we get someone to bring them up here? So we don’t have to face reporters?”  

“Shit, yes. One sec.”  

A few minutes later, the Princess of hell and her noticeably angelic partner stood before you. Your curiosity was piqued by the spear, wondering how she was allowed it at the venue.  

“Hi! I’m Charlie, this is Vaggie, Dad says you know a bit about the Hazbin Hotel so i don’t need to do the big speech. I’m really excited to meet you, i saw the broadcast from the Vees when it first came out and had NO idea what really happened, but from what Dad’s told me and the conference today? That was AMAZING. You really fought for your friend. I know Dad’s mentioned it, but if you need a place to stay, you’re more than welcome to stay at the hotel.”  

You looked to Vaggie beside her, gauging her feelings towards you. She offered a cool stare and a handshake, very neutral in her expression.  

“I, uh, wanted to see how things go. I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable, and i can stay elsewhere, it’s just...”  

“Oh! No, don’t worry I actually got that covered. Back at the hotel right now, I've got the guests working on a task to pick apart the old broadcast and compare it to what gets broadcasted this morning, as an exercise in not just blindly following what’s shown on TV. We thought it’d be a great way to show how Overlords can manipulate the facts, but also how you can stand up for yourself and find out the truth. I’m hoping, as long as the broadcast held out the whole time, they got to see everything just as we did.”  

Lucifer cleared his throat, “they managed to keep it going the whole time. I bribed my contacts to open the Lust network temporarily in Pride so we got far better coverage, even when there was major interference attempts and even some hacking. Thankfully, we were prepared. The whole conference made it through to Pride’s TVs unscathed.”  

You blinked, marvelling at the lengths they’d gone to. “You guys did all this... why?”  

Charlie smiled encouragingly, “because there’s a lot to learn from you. A lot of sinners haven’t seen someone stand up for anyone like that, plus it got a lot of coverage across almost all of Pride, and a little bit in the other rings. I know from your perspective it’s probably a lot of pressure, but for us it’s a huge opportunity for the Hazbin Hotel to really reshape some faulty thinking.”  

The thought made you smile, too. “I Guess that makes sense, huh. I’m kinda impressed you managed to turn it all around in such a positive spin. So... there’s a reasonable chance that i might be able to stay, if your, uh, lesson took hold?”  

“I think so!”  

With unexpected enthusiasm, you made your trips to IMP, said temporary goodbyes and headed off with the little you owned in a backpack headed to the Hazbin Hotel.  

 

Chapter Seventeen: Seen in Shadow  

  

Charlie and Vaggie had arrived before you, giving the guests a heads up to your arrival. Lucifer walked you up to the lobby doors, pointing at where they had found the hidden cameras. They’d found six in total around the hotel, but that seemed to be it. You were just shocked Vox had managed to get that many in. 

He held one of the doors open for you. Swallowing your anxiety, you stepped through, ready to be more of a guest than a dealer this time.  

Inside, a small gathering of demons patiently waited for you to enter. Charlie came forward, taking your arm and immediately dragged you over to them. Thankfully no one seemed afraid, nor particularly angry or anything. There was caution, definitely mistrust. Noticeably, the Radio Demon was nowhere to be seen.   

“So, in order, Angel, Husk, Cherri, Niffty, Lora, and me and Vaggie, and Dad. Alastor’s... where is he?”  

Husk shrugged. “Said he was going to be back later. Dunno where or when.”  

“Okay, fine. So, welcome to the Hazbin Hotel!”  

You smile awkwardly, loosely greeting the group. A few timid questions fired your way before the real interrogation began. There was so much curiosity about your adventure with Ellie-Rose, and your flames. Lucifer tried to field off a few questions, taking away some of the pressure. You were grateful when the interest died down and most of the demons returned to their daily lives.  

You remained sat with Lucifer, Charlie and Vaggie, discussing living arrangements. You’d tried to explain this was possibly temporary as you figured out your place in Pride, though both Lucifer and Charlie dismissed that, insisting it could be a home base that you could commute from. It was refreshing to be so generously offered, insisted even, that you stay somewhere. The idea of having a soft, warm bed after so long on a sofa made you aware of all the weariness in your body.  

You looked around the bright red lobby, curiously absorbing the details. Charlie jumped up, insisting on giving you a tour. Lucifer and Vaggie stayed in the lobby, waving you off as Charlie hopped excitedly from place to place.  

“And this is your room, I picked it so it’d be close enough to the stairway that you wouldn’t have to worry about disturbing anyone if you needed to go anywhere, but it’s also got a pretty decent en suite due to the layout. Here’s your key,” she offered the little black key with an excited flourish, “and oh, we do sort of have mealtimes, but it can be flexible depending on the day. You’ll get used to it. I’ll let you settle in. Come find me if you need anything, and don’t feel pressured to hang out with us, i know it’s a lot and you’ve been on the run for... well, ages i bet. See you soon!”  

She departed with a huge grin, looking as proud as she was excited. You turned to your new room, taking a deep breath as you processed the concept of a safe place to sleep.  

The first impression you got was cozy . It was reasonable enough sized, generally similar to the living room slash kitchenette you used in IMP, but with a bed that seemed so thick and plush with quilts and pillows, you had to hold back from taking a run up and planting into it. With a little restraint, you removed your shoes and took timid steps around the room, feeling the soft carpet fibers squish under your toes. You explored the amenities, almost imagining how it could look with some of your old posters and decorations from Earth. Instead of shaking away the thought, you sat with it. The bedroom made you feel a little more human, and a lot more welcome. Tension slipped from your face. Each little detail captivated you, from the little scuffs on the furniture, to the beautifully carved bedframe, and the tall delicately patterned ceiling. The bathroom was fairly modern by your standards; functional and minimalist with a fair bit of space to move around in. The mirror caught your eye as you walked past; the features of your face, usually so harsh and full of defiance, looked back at you with a softness and light defined by hope  

You sat on the edge of the bed, wandering through corridors of memories you hadn’t given any spare time to listen to. In the last few months, a moment so peaceful as this had seemed impossible. It felt divine to sink into the comfort of your own room, in a place where you weren’t fearing for your life, or anyone else’s, constantly.  

The room’s ambience grew into an evening stillness as the light faded from the large windows.  

This should have been your cue to get up, to go find the others and maybe make yourself useful.  

Instead, you sighed, releasing the pressure of responsibility just for now.  

You selfishly tucked into the thick quilt on your large double bed that was all yours, and found the immediate release of sleep.  

  

A quiet knock disturbed you, waking you to a dark room with light peeking underneath the bedroom door. You shuffled out of your nest, sleepily answering the late-night caller with a yawn. Outside, Lucifer and Charlie waited for you, both a little concerned.  

“Hey, are you guys okay? Did i miss something?”  

Charlie shook her head, “no, not at all, we just wanted to make sure you were settling in okay. We didn’t see you at dinner. Saved you some, it’s in the fridge whenever you want it, uh, IF you want it, either way it’s fine. Did you get some sleep?”  

You nodded, looking curiously to Lucifer. “Yeah, long night, long day. Oh, uh, have you guys heard about any aftermath from the press or Ellie’s family or anything?”  

Lucifer gave a half-smile before answering. “Well, it’s pretty much a huge debate on a few of Hell’s talk shows, questioning the conflicting information, but also wondering who the shooters were. Especially with the implication that they were hired by someone in the Pentagram, it’s causing all kinds of drama and theories. You’re best off not looking, it’s all... eh?”  

“Hah, well ‘eh’ is good enough for me right now. I... unless you need anything, I'm gonna continue to crash out.”  

They looked relieved to see you were okay, though Lucifer was a little hesitant as Charlie turned eagerly to him.   

“Oh, i forgot to say, Dad’s gonna be staying with us for a bit, so if you needed a bit of space from the rest of the demons, you can always go pester him. Me, I'm down the opposite wing, third door from the stairs. Again, always welcome to come visit. I’m heading back down to check on the stragglers, g’night!”  

You smiled and wished her well, curiously staring at Lucifer as he slowly turned and walked off. You leaned against the door frame, trying to work out why his walk looked so jumpy. He stopped a couple doors down, tensing his shoulders and turning back to look at you. His mouth opened, closed, opened again with more confidence, then closed as he span and speed-walked towards the elevators. You laughed under your breath, too tired to wonder anymore.  

  

In the middle of the night, you woke up again, feeling a lot more awake this time. Judging by the time, you’d probably gotten more than nine hours of sleep since you initially crawled into bed. Hunger pangs demanded your attention, reminding you of a sudden list of bodily functions you’d been ignoring to sleep.  

The hallway no longer illuminated the cracks around the door, so you switched on your phone torch and set out to find the promised leftovers.  

Honestly, from the top of the stairs, the darkened lobby looked magical. Moonlight poured in from the tall glass-stained windows, gently tinting the room with soft blues and greys with no artificial light.  

Descending the stairs and entering the kitchen, you had no issues finding the neatly packed leftovers with a little sticky note with your alias on it. You smiled, amused by the cute little ‘x’ on the note, assuming it was Charlie’s handwriting.   

In the back of your mind, like catching a glimpse of something in your periphery, you felt a sudden rush of colour and heat rocketing in the distance. It made you pause halfway through pressing buttons on the microwave, now alert to a potential threat.  

Closing your eyes, you probed at the warmth with your sixth sense, tasting the flame that swirled and spiralled with arrogance and black magic in equal measure. The only face you could imagine putting to such a hearth in the Hazbin Hotel would be the Radio Demon.  

Your heart rate increased with adrenaline, unsure what the potential interaction would entail. The hearth hovered, far across the lobby somewhere, out of view from the kitchen. Gathering a little courage, you carefully stepped out to the doorway, peering into the greyscaled room. Nothing new met your eyes from before, yet the hearth was still very much blazing in its unusual manner directly over by the fireplace. You watched the space for another minute, wondering if he was assessing you. You turned back, deciding to let him hide if he wished; you’d just keep half your mind on the inner fire so he didn’t surprise you.  

He stayed put the entire time you reheated and ate the food. Maybe he really was just relaxing out there. In the dark. Invisible. Hmm .  

You washed up, tidying your mess away and headed back to your room, still curiously watching the hearth in your mind’s eye as you left. It flittered and darted to underneath the stairs as you reached the landing. Alright, definitely following you then.   

You didn’t bother sneaking to your room, just tried to walk as casually as possible and shut the door, pretending you had no idea the flame traipsed up the stairs and flitted through the shadows behind you until your door firmly shut and locked. You stood behind it, sensing the direction shift as he redirected much further down the corridor, to where you assumed his room probably was.  

Such a strange flame was hard to ignore. It awoke your mind to explore the others as you laid back on the bed, trying to decipher which would belong to whom.  

The two close together down the other corridor; likely Charlie and Vaggie, since one had such a vivid white hue to it, with a kind of regal strength you couldn’t define. There was one quite dim flame seemingly a little further down the corridor, with transient shifting in its strength every so often, as though its owner was unsure of themselves. Whoever that belonged to, probably needed therapy.   

Then there was a couple separate flames above you, nothing significant that stood out; just mildly stoked flames with perseverance and growth as their aftertaste.   

Far above, you could juuuuust about make out Lucifer’s very weak, faint glowing coals, only decipherable since you knew what to look for. Then, now still and settled again, the vibrant black magic flames a few rooms down your own corridor you assumed belonged to Alastor.  

You grew distracted and began scrolling on your phone, debating when it would be reasonable to give Ellie a visit. Maybe in the coming few weeks, when she’s had time to settle back in at Ozzie’s. You hardly wanted to give her more drama, which inevitably followed you.  

  

Chapter Eighteen: Curiosities and Questions  

  

In the morning, you heard small background noises of shuffling and talking, as you would in any hotel on Earth. It was peaceful, reminding you a little of being on holiday.  

You showered, dressed and threw your hair in a clip, keeping the look baggy and casual while you figured your place in the hotel.  

There was a seat saved for you near Lucifer, which he drew back for you to sit in. You gratefully took the gesture with a small smile, feeling a little uncomfortable with such a show in front of other people. He handed you a glass of orange juice before the morning greeting.   

“Morning! You sleep okay? How was the room? I assume there was enough supplies, though we can always get you more from town, and Char has loads of different linen if you have different preferences. Maybe we-”  

You held your hand up, amused exasperation on your face at his energetic rambling.  

“Right, sorry, just woke up. Got it. Does that mean you’re up for another training session today? Char Char came up with the best idea, we could try getting you to use different types of energy to draw from, see if that makes a difference, it’ll help you if you’re in a pinch. Whaddaya say?”  

You felt a little puzzled at the enthusiasm, feeling barely able to process being in such a lovely environment and already being thrown back into training. “I... can do, i guess. Is there a rush?”  

Charlie answered, also seeming excited. “No rush at all! Buuut, we figured there’s no time better than the present, and we really don’t want you getting caught out by any of the Overlords or sinners out there who want to try to get a rise out of you. I’ll be honest, the Vees have been alarmingly quiet about the conference. Dad says you think it was Vox?”  

“I-” You were about to reply when you felt that strange flicker in the back of your mind, black magic and malice like a shooting star directly flying to the kitchen table, landing directly in the seat between Niffty and Husk and materializing as the Radio Demon. He met your confused expression with a tilt of his own head, suspicion in his eyes despite the uncomfortably wide grin.  

You turned your head, trying to tear your eyes away from him as you swallowed and re-focused on answering Charlie. You managed to settle for staring at the food in front of you as you picked apart the crust of your toast.   

“Yeah, I'm almost certain. Almost. I don’t know the guy enough to really guarantee it, but with everything that happened before, and the lights on the security cameras, yeah i believe it.”  

Lucifer questioned you, dragging out more details from your perspective of the night. It didn’t seem staged as such, but definitely intentionally asked about in greater depth with all the others around. They too threw a few questions out, indirectly leading to asking about your powers.  

“I’m not... really sure what to say about them. I’m learning, and Lucifer’s teaching. How they came to be is kinda beyond me.” Your delicate lie seemed vague enough to satisfy most curiosities, though Alastor seemed undeterred as he pressed on asking about your training and what the power felt like to use. You tried to keep it light and vague, but he was stubborn, and really quite engaging to talk to. His manners were impeccable.  

Lucifer interrupted him as breakfast finished, dismissing his curiosities as relentless obsession with anything more powerful than him. Alastor’s grin sneered slightly, eyes narrowed at the King as he led you away towards a portal.  

You felt the now-familiar change in air and solid ground on the purple planet, wondering where these energy sources were supposed to be coming from. Lucifer explained that today was just going to be a little more general flame manipulation, just in case things got out of control with the new sources. You accepted the explanation and pushed through with a series of exercises.   

In some, you were expected to manipulate an orb into various sizes and shapes, using your concentration and hand movements to control it.   

One exercise was to try to absorb the flame from one hand and revive it in another. You’d really struggled with this one, having already had issues with conjuring the flame in general. It took a few hours before you worked out it was just easier to create a new flame at the other hand that just looked similar, shutting Lucifer up from his overzealous encouragement.  

Growing tired, he allowed you to give in after one more exercise. This time, he asked you to control the flow of a flame on the floor around you, creating a ring around your feet, like a miniature version of your shield wall. Anxiety bloomed as you remembered the searing panic of that night; Lucifer picked up on this immediately and crouched down, placing his hand directly in the Hellfire, reassuring you that no one was getting hurt. His expression was serious, but kind. Despite your reservations, you pushed on with the task, stretching and growing the small wall of fire until you were able to control its direction and strength as well as you could the diameter.  

Lucifer seemed pleased, ending the session with a clap. 

You rolled your shoulders, stretching your sore arm muscles. He asked if you were okay, seeming to not rush to open a portal back to the hotel.   

“I’m good, just tired out. This is taking a lot out of me. Is that normal?”  

He shrugged, “I guess so, though like i said before, I've never met anyone with this kind of Hellfire down here. It does make me wonder how or why you have it. You never really opened up to where you came from beyond just Lust. How come?”  

Your walls immediately built, shielding you from the dangerous questioning with practiced caution. “Because it’s extremely private. Just because you’re the King of Everything down here, doesn’t mean i owe you my story.”  

“I’m not saying you owe it, at all. I just wanted to know if there’s anything i should be worried about. If you made a deal or something, or if you’re some sort of hybrid or fallen angel, that has serious implications for the future if you have... conflicting responsibilities.”  

“‘conflicting responsibilities’, as in if i have loyalties elsewhere? I have places where i feel i owe, or in some way have relationships with, such as the rehab clinic i helped set up in Lust, or Ellie-Rose's safety, even part of me wants to work on the damage done to Steel Stilettos. But no, i have no ties to Heaven, if that’s what you’re asking, and no super-powered parents to speak of.”  

He studied your face, clearly wondering whether to believe you. You held your gaze, standing by your answer. It was truth enough, deliberately and obviously omitting further details.  

He sighed, mildly frustrated, opening a portal back to the hotel. He paused, leaving it open while he fought with inner turmoil. You waited, alert but patient.  

“Listen... I don’t want you to hate me. Every so often, i see that look in your eye, like you’re expecting me to turn around and stab you, and not even in the back. Yeah i can be a lot, and i make shitty decisions... but I'm not trying to... i don’t mean to hurt anyone. Do you mind just.... trying to trust me? Even just a little bit?”  

You puff out air from your cheeks, trying to relieve the tension in your face. “I’m already giving you a LOT of trust here, Lucifer. There’s only so much I'm willing to share, especially when i hardly know anything about you except the stories people tell, and your fascination with my powers. It’s not easy to really see past that.”  

His eyes lost focus, pupils widening at his thoughts. “I guess that’s true. I haven’t... huh. Alright, give me a few days and I'll get back to you.”  

You stare at him, perplexed as ideas started to form in his mind. He looks back to your face with a long, curious glance before gesturing for you to take the portal. You step through, expecting him to follow, surprised when it shut with him still on the other side.  

The interaction left you more confused than before. What the Hell was he planning ?  

Back at the hotel, you made your way to shower off the sweat and ash from the accidental burns your clothing took. Angel walked past you on the stairs, barely sparing a look as he chatted to the cat. Curiously enough, you spotted his wavering inner flame, picking up a brighter hue as he got excited in the conversation. He must be the conflicted inner hearth you picked up on in the night. He liked Husk quite a lot, then. 

Husk’s nearly burned-out flame responded just the slightest bit in kind. You smiled, pondering the relationship you hadn’t yet worked out between them.   

You joined for meal times, struggling for conversation without Lucifer there as a buffer. Overall, aside from the odd inquisition from Alastor, you were largely left alone, which was rather a welcome peace.  

Lucifer reappeared in his own time, four days later with two hefty suitcases, a backpack, sunglasses and a hoodie instead of his jacket. You were helping Charlie and Vaggie tidy up after an exercise when he came strolling in, surprising you all into silence. Near the bar, Alastor manifested, tilting his head with disgusted bemusement.  

“Heyyyy! I got everything, had to make a few guesses on your size but i think i got the basics. You’ll need your trainers and your phone, but that’s pretty much it. I’d probably bring the crystal too. SO! Three-week vacay, trip around the best sights, try out loads of food. You have NO idea what you’ve been missing out on!”  

You stared, having no idea what he was on about. Under the sunglasses he seemed to be talking directly to you.  

“Uhhhhh... can i get a little more background? I feel like this is a conversation we probably should have had in advance. Is that an entire suitcase for me... what is that picture on the front?”  

“You like it? Mine’s a duck, but with the lake background it almost looks more mature, right? Yours is coffee beans. I know you live off the stuff. Figured we’d need recognizable cases if we have to do flights instead of portals!”  

You blinked, looking back over to Charlie and Vaggie. They both seemed baffled, too.  

“Yeah, okay fair enough, but why the holiday? I’ve only just got to the hotel?”  

He lifted his sunglasses, grin stretching with excitement. “It’s not so much a holiday as it is just a worldly experience. I figured since you like the Drop Off so much, you’d benefit from seeing some actual sights, could even draw from the memories when you’re trying to reign in the sorcery.”  

Vaggie asked, “what’s the Drop Off?”  

You turned back to her, smiling awkwardly. “It’s where Ellie took me, when we escaped that bar. It's in Greed, and I'm ninety percent sure it’s exclusively used for dumping bodies and threatening people, but in the dark when you look over the cliff, it’s amazing. It has genuinely helped me work through some... anger issues.” 

She shrugged with acceptance at your justification. Charlie looked curious, still checking out the suitcases. “I guess three weeks shouldn’t be too bad, as long as we can reach you if needed. I don’t know if anything’s going to go down with the Overlords, but please keep your phone on you at all times Dad, please?”  

He nodded, releasing the suitcases and coming over to hug her. You glance over at Alastor, who’s blankly staring into the distance now.  

“Dare i even ask how long i have to get ready?”  

“What do you need? Last i checked, you pretty much lived on the go anyway.”  

“Well then, uh, see you guys later, i guess?”  

Charlie and Vaggie give you a wave as Alastor ignores you both leaving via the new portal.  

On the other side, you’re met with warmth and stale air in near-blackness. Lucifer summons an orb of flame for light, creating an amber illumination in what looks like a cave. He grins, pulling his suitcase behind him as you follow with your own.  

The cave winds up in a rocky, well-trodden path. You keep silent, curiously observing the way the light danced up the crumbled walls.  

He led you for a few minutes until you spotted daylight starting to brighten the cave, eventually leading to an opening you could both just about squeeze the packed suitcases through. Pulling yours through with a scrape, you turned around and stood frozen at the marvel before you.  

A vast forest spanned below your mountain, slow waves of trees yielding to the wind as thick, fluffy clouds crossed the blue skies. There was NO way this was Lust. In the far distance, you spotted further mountains, a lake, possibly some sort of buildings, and the undeniable familiarity of planet Earth.  

 

Chapter Nineteen: Happy Trails

  

Unable to move, speak, even think, you stared in wonder at the incredible panorama.   

Once reality set in enough to tear your eyes away, you spotted Lucifer sitting on his suitcase, his face quickly turning away.   

“Lucifer, mind telling me specifically why we’re no longer in Hell?”  

Hopping off his suitcase and stepping to look out over the view beside you, he nervously coughed and explained; “I did tell you i wanted you to have ‘worldly experiences’. This is what i meant. There’s so many places we can go, and i have a whole list of options to choose from. The itinerary is a suggestion at best. As long as we get to go to a few of my favourite spots, you can pick the rest.”  

You watched him curiously as he made a point not to look at you. Eventually you ask to see the list, which he summoned from thin air in the form of an A4 notepad with many pages of notes and directions.  

“The Great Wall.... Jackson Lake... Times Square.... Rio.... yeah this is the one, this page has my personal requests, it goes on to the next page too... although you can veto any of them, i won’t mind. Is there anywhere specific you wanted to see? Even if you don’t know what a place is called, uh, what kind of sights do you wanna see?”  

You blinked, reading down the frighteningly long list of his favourite spots.  

“Just to be clear... I am understanding that you, the Devil, have favourite holiday destinations on Earth?”  

He laughed, relaxing a little. “I do indeed. Haven’t been up here in a looong time, though. I’m sure things have changed a LOT. We have currency and our cases, the rest of it we’ll have to work out along the way.”  

You nodded, bemused.  

“We’re nowhere near any sort of civilization, are we supposed to walk this entire way?”  

His grin widened, snapping his fingers to summon a damn quad bike, the suitcases already strapped firmly onto the back. “Are you kidding? What the fuck do you think we’re gonna do with that?! We’re up a mountain!”  

“Hmmmmm.... hold on tight?”   

His laughter echoed out, reverberating in the cave behind you as he hopped on, dropping his sunglasses over his eyes. You stared in disbelief, wondering how insane he truly was.  

“Lucifer, we’re demons! We can’t just wander around humanity like this!”  

“Oh I've got that covered. I have a human disguise, you can just about pass for it as long as you have gloves to cover the claws, but i do also have some big hats and baggy clothes for you if that helps.”  

Wondering exactly how bad of an idea this was, you swallow the anxiety and mount the bike seat behind him, unsure where to put your arms. He looks back over his shoulder, an eyebrow raised. You show your open palms, looking pointedly for handles. He chuckled, waiting for you to realize holding on to him was the only option. You cringed slightly, shuffling closer and wrapping your arms around him. There wasn’t much to hold on to, given his tiny waist, but you did sit perfectly tall enough to peek over his shoulder at the view as he revved the vehicle. He darted forward, diving you both off the rock shelf with an involuntary scream from you both. His was FAR more excited than yours as the wheels hit the terrain, bouncing and charging into a narrow path through trees and bushes.   

You clung on for dear fucking life as he dodged and skidded, accelerating and taking dirt ramps wherever possible. Your hair clip was long gone, having fallen out in one of the harder landings. Your hair whipped around you, billowing in the wind as you rocketed through the wilderness. Without realizing it, you started laughing, swept up in the exhilaration. Lucifer briefly turned to look back at you, joy on his face as you clung tighter, screaming at him to look where he was going. He made fun of you and sped up, skidding around a tight bend.   

The ride came to a screeching halt at the lake you’d seen from the mountain. A few cabins lined the edges, though no humans seemed nearby. You shakily dismounted the bike, feeling an incredible soreness in your arms and thighs from hanging on. Lucifer sat back, doubling over laughing at your achy cowboy stance as you tried to get your bearings. He waved you over, picking a few sticks and leaves from your hair. It was hard not to notice the coals brightening inside him, even flickering into a small flame.   

  

The two of you sat with your toes in the lake, absorbing the sun with peaceful silence.   

You noticed what looked like hikers in the distance, giving Lucifer a quick prod and pointing at them.  

“Hm, alright. Disguise time. Do you want some gloves? I packed some that look like hiking or wilderness ones, they’re more soft leather than anything...” he dug through the backpack on the quadbike, throwing a tan pair of long gloves your way. “These will do as long as you don’t do any demonic shifting. Your nails will just about reach the end without piercing, and they’re thick enough to hide the claw shape. See? Not bad, huh?”  

You admired the gloves, which made your fingers look strangely long due to the shape hiding your claws. It worked, at least. You kept your own sunglasses on and unfolded a sun hat from the backpack, completing your little disguise.  

He told you to close your eyes, a cheeky grin on his face.   

“Now, open! Ta dah!”  

Instantly, you understood how humans could sell their souls to the Devil if he came to them looking like that.   

Pale skin now slightly bronzed with a tan, the red cheek circles gone and replaced with summer freckles, and irises so powder blue they almost looked grey. Unintentionally you came closer, studying the face as a concept, not as Lucifer himself. You felt like you could sit and count the freckles, study the jaw, stare forever into the enchanting depth of his eyes. Remembering to breathe, you quickly turned your head, embarrassed at your own behaviour.  

He didn’t speak, giving you space. You gratefully took it to walk away, cringing now your back was turned. Great, now you had to holiday with the most unfathomably beautiful man you’d ever met, for three whole weeks. No problem. Just fucking wonderful .  

The hikers passed by with no issue, giving a wave from afar before they disappeared into the woods further down. You stared out to the lake again, unable to focus on anything beyond the face he’d shown you, burned into your mind.  

After a while he came over, back in his demon form.  

“Did that bother you? I couldn’t tell from your reaction.”  

You looked over, now seeing the beauty mixed in with the demonic features, no longer JUST Lucifer Morningstar to you.  

You cleared your throat, scrambling for thoughts. There were none. Instead you forced a small smile, shrugging as if it didn’t matter. “So, where are we going next? Do we need the disguises?”  

“We will do, depending on what you want to do. We can either head out and take a red-eye flight somewhere new, or i can unlock one of the cabins and we can stay here for the night. It’s beautiful, but does get a bit noisy with some of the local wildlife.”  

You battled with your indecision. Either travel, and have to deal with that face, which sure you’d have to eventually anyway, or stay the night here, alone, undisturbed... Fuck, the public option was probably safer for your dignity.  

“Do you think we can go to one of the cities next? You’re right, this was unbelievable. Breathtaking-” your cheeks warm at these words, realizing you were picturing his human disguise as you said them, “and uh yes I'd like to see more places like this, but i also want to mix things up. If that’s okay?”  

He nodded, tentatively eager, the enthusiasm dampened by your avoidant gaze.  

“There’s a road just down that end of the lake, we could use a car if you’re not comfortable with the bike and all.”  

You nodded, using your hat to fan away some of the heat in your face.  

The quad bike became a saloon car, pristine and shiny white with gold trimmed interiors and a small duck statuette on the bonnet. You laughed, examining it closer.   

He relaxed a little as you smiled, hoisting the backpack into the back seat as you climbed in the passenger side.  

The car was a smooth drive, heavenly in comparison to the wild mountain rollercoaster you’d been on earlier. You sank back into the luxurious seats, enjoying the evening view passing through the windows.   

It was starting to darken as you neared the first sign of the nearby town, with the occasional car parked at gas stations as you drove by.  

“Heads up, I'm gonna need to go human for now. You okay with that?”  

“Uh yeah, of course. Go for it.”  

You stared straight ahead, desperately trying not to look at the face that turned to you with concern in your peripheral vision. 

He turned the radio on, adjusting it to one of the classic hits channels. You drifted off, head nodding on occasion as you lost your position on the headrest. Suddenly your head was well-cushioned; you scrunched your eyes, adjusting your head, feeling a U-shaped pillow around your neck. Blinking and processing the dark around you as he drove, you looked around for any idea of where you were. The vague town scenery gave nothing away and you didn’t recognize any street names. You accidentally met his gaze as you looked around, snatching a breath as those eyes engulfed your consciousness whole. Between catching oxygen and remembering to blink, all you could think about was his face.   

“Please tell me what’s going on. I don’t understand you at all. You almost look afraid.” His expression pinched with worry as he turned back to watch the road, hands tightening nervously around the wheel. You tried to look away, eyes still darting back to his perfect jawline and soft pink lips.  

Just about managing to speak above a whisper, you lead with an apology. “Sorry, Lucifer. I don’t know what I'm thinking. Or doing. Can you bear with me while i work it out?”  

His cheeks raised, uncomfortable as he acquiesced. “Of course. Take all the time you need. Sorry if this is all a bit much. I really thought it would help you. Sorry.”  

You looked down at your hands, the motion made difficult by the thick travel pillow. “Don’t apologize, this was a great idea. Thanks, genuinely.”  

The drive continued in uncomfortable silence between you, only the radio filling the void.  

He pulled into a main road, where you could see the shapes of planes taking off in the distance. Nearing the airport, he pulled into a side road and parked behind a building.  

You collected your suitcases and the backpack from the car, blinking in surprise as he made the vehicle disappear.  

“What, you thought i’d leave a car in every place we go?”  

Your response was immediately lost in the sparkle of blue eyes. You refocused, swallowing and shrugging as you turned to head to the airport.  

He led you through the terminals, conjuring fake documents to get you both through.   

“Lucas and Ashleigh? Are you kidding me?”  

He laughed awkwardly, “I was put on the spot, i forgot about passports. My bad. I can change them when we get to the hotel or something.”  

“Ugh just leave it. It’s almost funny, i just need a proper sleep and I'll actually laugh next time.”  

 

You shifted in the plane seat, having insisted on flying economy so you didn’t stand out too much in all the ostentatious VIP first class lounges or anything. He frowned, annoyed for having to go the long flight in discomfort. You told him to suck it up with a smile, swatting him with a magazine.  

He insisted you took the window seat, despite the fact you warned him you’d be sleeping most of the time. He had a book and his phone to entertain him, squeezing into the middle seat while a stranger took the aisle chair.  

About four hours into the flight, your urge to pee became impossible to ignore. More than anything, you wished you’d just gone for the first-class seats. Now you’d have to try to get past the two men.  

Lucifer seemed to be sleeping next to you, head relaxed and peacefully hanging to the side. The gorgeous face distracted you, now feeling free to gawk while he slept. Holding in the need to get up by just a few minutes, you enjoyed the view, studying the way his mousy brown eyebrows contrasted to the flaxen blonde hair.   

You steeled yourself to work out how to get through. The man in the aisle was awake, so you used hand gestures to indicate you needed to get through. He stood, clearing the way. For a second, you debated stepping on the chairs to get over Lucifer, though you’d probably get in trouble. Instead, you carefully hitched a leg over his, straddling him for a second as you tried to balance. You managed it without waking him, sneaking out to the lavatory as the stranger took his seat again.   

Returning, the man moved again, this time slightly jostling Lucifer by accident. His eyebrows furrowed, making you pause in case he woke so you could ask him to move. His face relaxed, making you cringe as you planned out the return climb.  

This time, in your effort to balance, you leaned over and rested your left hand on the headrest of your seat. As you went to straddle, Lucifer stirred, head darting up and blinking. Leg halfway over his knee, you froze, eyes wide and mouth pursed in awkwardness. He just stared blankly, while the stranger quietly chuckled. You mumbled a quiet apology as you mentally screamed in embarrassment, quickly hopping over his legs into your seat.  

Feeling like the biggest creep and weirdo know to Earth and Hell, you rubbed your forehead, avoiding looking at him. A heavy blush heated your face, likely visible even in the low lighting of the overnight flight.   

You felt a nudge in your arm. Cringing, you steeled yourself and peeked at him in the corner of your eye.  

Once he had your attention, he crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out.   

The expression startled you, making you laugh and disturb a few other travellers before you muffled it. Trying to hide the grin, you rolled your eyes and stuck your tongue back out at him. His head rested back, eyes softening as he saw you relax.  

You couldn’t read whatever was going on in his head. Maybe he pitied you, or worried for your sanity. Either way made sense. You didn’t much care as you got lost in oceans of silvery blue. The corners of his lips picked up, not looking away even as your eyelids got heavy.  

 

You awoke with barely an hour left of the flight, feeling stiff and achy. You tried to flex and stretch what you could without taking too much space. Beside you, Lucifer glanced up from his book, asking if you were okay. You answered with a nod, looking around at the other passengers who seemed equally tired and restless.  

The plane landed easily in New York, no issues with customs or the bag carousel. He offered to take you straight to a hotel to drop off the bags, maybe freshen up before the day’s adventures.  

You requested modest accommodations, still wanting to avoid the kind of attention you get walking into some of the grand buildings lining the famed streets. He checked you both in, seeming unphased by the ridiculous price for two separate rooms.   

Once you were in your assigned room, you put down the suitcase and turned to him, wanting to clarify a few things. 

He looked back cautiously at your quizzical expression.  

“Right, so uh, just so i have the lay of the land here... you just checked in to some really quite expensive rooms in a hotel for suites we really didn’t need to pay that much for. Does being the Devil mean you don’t have a budget? Please tell me I'm not going into major debt for this.”  

He chuckled at your concerns. “No, no debt. Money is no object on Earth for me. Besides, i haven’t been up here in decades if not centuries, I'm going to make the most of it. Which would be more luxurious than this, by the way. I’m toning it down for you.” He looked pointedly at you, almost annoyed but still amused. “And second of all, no, you have no debts. You don’t owe me anything. Not your time, not money, not attention, not even to be here. I thought it was a good idea, but i really can’t tell if I'm somehow fucking this all up. It was just supposed to be a nice trip, get you some good memories to hold on to when you’re trying to control your powers, and head back. I just feel like something’s wrong, and i have no idea what. But, that’s not my business if you don’t want to tell me. Take your time, see how you feel, and if you want anything, anything at all, including to go back to Hell, we can do it.” He held his hands up, emphasizing letting go of the control to you. Your gut twisted in knots as you struggled to find an answer. Offering you a final small smile, he turned and took his suitcase and backpack to go settle into his own room.  

Once the door closed, you flopped back down onto the spacious bed, contemplating what you actually wanted. In the back of your mind, where you didn’t dare explore further, a little voice quietly whispered an answer in one word; him .

 

Chapter Twenty: The Fall  

  

You felt trapped. There was no way you felt any degree of ready to even open up the Pandora’s box of emotions you had going on right now, let alone to tell Lucifer about it. However, to leave him all confused and disheartened like that, almost felt worse than just humiliating yourself and getting it out in the open.  

You took a hot shower, at maximum temperature, trying to keep distracted.  

Inside the suitcase were so many different outfits for different parts of the world, all incredibly neatly folded to maximize space. You managed to loosely work out where the outfits were coordinated for weather or location respectively. You found a pair of black jeans and baggy sleeve top, suitable for the warm New York climate whilst also hiding the crystal. You did NOT feel safe enough leaving it behind in the hotel. 

It took a lot of lying to yourself that you could get through this holiday and just pretend to be chill, casual, easygoing. You neutralized your expression, practicing nonchalance in the mirror.   

With your room key and phone in your pockets, sunglasses on your head, you left the room feeling ready to face the Devil himself.  

The Devil in question opened the door with a startled smile, immediately cracking your resolve while you blinked at the excited face.  

“Hey, come in, i’ll just grab my things. Wasn’t sure you’d come around. You look great by the way, do you feel any better?”  

Inhaling deeply, you deliver your words with false confidence. “Absolutely, the shower did me wonders. I’m starving though, mind if we go pick something up on the way to the city centre?”  

He beamed, rifling through the backpack for his wallet and a cap. “No problem. What are you after? Breakfast foods, brunch, street food, desserts, anything?”  

“Breakfast will do just fine. I’d like to try a little diner if there’s something casual around?”  

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he came to stand next to you, a fraction taller with a lopsided smile. “Are you going to force me to give up every single luxury on Earth? Can we not go to even one nice restaurant?”  

Bad idea, bad idea, BAD IDEA .  

“O-of course we can, uh, yes. But this is just breakfast, um, means to an end, right? Let’s focus on the sights for now.”  

He rolled his eyes, conceding. “Fine, but I'll hold you to it. I don’t care if you wear pyjamas, i just want one meal somewhere that only imports private wine from somewhere that i can’t even pronounce. You ready?”  

“As I'll ever be.”  

  

In fairness, he did seem to fall in love with the diner as he noticed the quirky little bobbleheads and multicoloured stacks of pancakes. You didn’t fret about staring as he got lost in the novelties around him, face lighting up like Christmas morning. As you stood by the counter, waiting in line to place your order, you watched him intently. He seemed distracted, fascinated by something in the glass countertop food display. Curious, you glanced down, not seeing anything particularly unusual as he immediately looked elsewhere.   

You ordered, turning to Lucifer for him to place his own. You were taken aback by the subtle pink undertone at his cheeks. Trying to be casual, you glanced around, trying to see if he’d caught anyone's attention. 

Big mistake. MULTIPLE very beautiful, very slender yet curvy, straight up HOTTIES were eyeing him up for breakfast. That included some men, too. You quietly sighed under your breath, regretting looking around.   

You both take a small metal circular table by the window, waiting for food as you stare out into the street. It was fascinating, being back on Earth without the overwhelming stresses you used to carry. Now, you had a whole NEW set of stresses to enjoy.  

Lucifer turned his head, staring out of the window too. A pang of jealousy struck as you saw people who looked like models striding by in stunning outfits, making you want to shrivel up inside the casual clothes. You rested your head on your hand, elbow on the table, staring behind him until you were confident he wasn’t going to look back at you for now. At this point, you give in, like an absolute drooling dog. Just staring right at him, analyzing the smaller freckles just under his eyes compared to the larger ones on his nose and cheeks, spotting a beauty mark on one cheek. How his nose curved smoothly, with delicate full lips that perked up in the corners into a pleased smile as he stared out the window. Whatever, or probably whoever he was staring at, you were exceptionally jealous of.   

The food came, disturbing your pathetic pining. He looked between you and the food, eyes sparkling, looking so damn happy.   

It was delicious, even if just a tad over-fried. Still, it set you up for a long day of walking.  

Lucifer had a keen interest for going to famous shops and buildings, showing you sight after sight you’d never seen before. It was fun, especially when he’d spot another interesting location and grab your hand to pull you over to see it, each and every time making your heart stutter.   

Evening came quickly, having walked around an incredible amount of the city, not particularly buying much, but taking a lot of photos posing outside of various buildings and sights. After initially doing most photos as you taking one of him then he takes one of you, you ended up getting bold enough to ask a stranger to take one of the two of you. Lucifer seemed thrilled, throwing his arm around your shoulder as you fought a blush and grinned at the camera. After that, pretty much every picture was like that, or a selfie with one of you holding the phone as the other made some sort of pose or silly face.  

You took a cab back to the hotel, promising to wear the pyjamas for your nice meal out. He laughed and agreed, swearing he had the nicest rubber-duck themed set you’d ever seen.   

In your respective rooms, you got ready. Completely and utterly crushing on him, it was hopeless to pretend you weren’t giddy as you applied eyeliner and lipstick like weapons and armour. In the suitcase, you found a series of dresses that you honestly couldn’t tell if they were meant for nightclubs, lingerie, or public settings. You settled with one of the more modest ones, a light blue silk that almost complimented his eyes. It didn’t come anywhere near close to matching those irises, but it felt and looked good enough that you felt less shabby than usual. You couldn’t find a pair of heels, though there were sandals. You figured Lucifer could probably morph them into something nice. You find a nice black blazer to rest over your shoulders, placing your Asmodeus crystal into the clutch on your wrist.   

Stealing a final glance in the mirror, you almost felt as if you were going on a proper date with Lucifer Morningstar. Only God himself would be able to hide how excited you were.  

You knock twice on his door, nervously twiddling the clutch. He opens it, mischievous smile dropping into shock. His gaze wandered down you as slow as molten lava while you held back laughter, biting your cheeks hard to stifle the giggles. He’d followed through on his promise; the dazzling King of Hell had actually dressed up in button-up pyjamas with little duckies on. Even with neatly styled hair and dress shoes, it was the funniest fucking thing you’d ever seen.  

You waited outside his door for at least a minute while he regained conscious thought. You took it as a compliment, though it was hard to read past the utter shock.  

“Hey, Lucifer, mind if i at least come in? I need your help with my shoes.”  

He blinked, seeming to just about register your words as he stumbled back, leaving space for you to pass. His eyes never left your body as you walked past, making you feel incredible.  

“I.... the pyjamas.... you... *ahem*....” You chuckled as words utterly failed him.  

“You can still wear that, it’s rather cute. Maybe have a pocket square or something though, if we’re going somewhere nice.” You winked, causing him to malfunction with a twitching eye.   

He nodded, still staring as you perched on the desk, pulling off the sandals and holding them up.  

“Cinderella needs some glass slippers please, oh fairy godmother. Or at least some black stilettos. There weren’t any in the case. Do you mind?”  

Another nod, with a vague wave of his hand as the shoes morphed into rather frighteningly tall heels. You eye them with caution, raising a brow at him. You leaned back on the desk to put the shoes on. He watches, adjusting the collar of his pyjamas, looking rather uncomfortable... in a good way? You hoped so, at least. If this was all in horror, then you were never leaving the Hazbin Hotel EVER again.  

The height difference was now in your favour, though these felt impossible to balance in. “Come on, these are for wearing around some poor sucker’s ears, not walking around the city. A little more modest, please.”  

He visibly chewed the inside of his cheek to hide his smile as he magically altered the height, not responding to your comment.   

“Better, thank you. You ready to go?”  

He looked behind you, catching sight of himself in the mirror and looking horrified. In a second, he rushed to his case and dug through, finding actual formal wear to go out in. He held up a couple of shirts, looking panicked.   

“Uhh which should i go for? Black, or wine? I mean, what if i spill wine, then it won’t be wine, and I'll look like an idiot. But the black might make me look like a waiter. Which i guess isn’t bad as long as I'm not bussing the tables during dinner. I have a white one, but it’s too casual. Oh fuck what the Hell was it... urgh, where is it...”  

Feeling insanely bold, you came up behind him and peeked over his shoulder, nearly touching your chin to him. He jumped, falling back onto the bed to avoid knocking you.   

“Why do you look so scared? It’s just dinner. Wear the damn pyjamas. I can get changed if you like?”  

"N-no! No, no need, please for the love of all that’s unholy, no. I just need a minute to get a shirt, i already have trousers on the chair next to you. Which should i-”  

“Black, just go for black. If you don’t want to look like a waiter, roll the sleeves up and have the top button open. I will not be held accountable for the amount of marriages you ruin while we’re out, though.”  

He held up the black shirt, looking confused at your comment. “Why am i.... what?”  

“Hah, forget it. Just get dressed. I’ll face the other way.”  

You turned strategically so you faced the TV, pretending to look at a pamphlet from the hotel room as you waited for him to change. He took a deep breath and waved his hand, the clothes magically inverting, shifting the pyjamas to his hand while the shirt and trousers fit to his body. Granted, you were a little disappointed you didn’t get to watch him strip in the TV’s reflection.  

He started rolling up the sleeves while speaking, “alright, is this good enough? Or do i need another shirt?”  

You turned, now feeling like it was your turn to blankly stare. You blinked and bit your tongue, eyes firmly locked on the fitted shirt and exposed forearms.   

You fought the indignity with indifference, forcing your eyes to look around the room. “You look great, definitely more high-end appropriate. Now are you ready to go?”  

“Hmmm, I'm not sure. I’m thinking i could use a little lipstick, actually.”  

You blink back at him, confused, until he took two long strides over and kissed you.   

You gasped against his lips, eyes immediately fluttering closed as the desire swept through you. His hands entrapped your waist as your blazer slipped off your shoulders, pressing his body against yours on the edge of the desk. He tasted exactly as good as you imagined, with just the slightest hint of withheld urgency as he savoured the first kiss together. Your lips moved against his, hands firmly stroking up his biceps, shoulders, neck. He shuddered against you mid-kiss, drawing in a ragged breath that set you quite literally alight.   

Behind his head, the tips of your fingers caught flame, forcing you to ball them into fists to stifle them. He didn’t seem to notice as he pressed his lips fervently into yours, parting you with a gentle flick of his tongue. The kiss turned messy as you broke into a smile, trying to continue but giggling against his grin. You didn’t move back, just inhaled necessary oxygen while you gained composure. This was fun . Yes it was romantic, hot as Hell itself, but to feel so giddy and excited while he held you to him, it felt as though you were on top of the world. You peeked your eyes open to see his lazily resting half open, the irises more of a smokey blue in this angle. You faltered, losing yourself as you stared up at him, entranced. Hunger and determination slipped into his expression as he made his mind up.   

His lips found yours, more carnal than before. You matched him, desperately clutching your hands into fists, though the odd flicker still escaped as you moaned into the kiss. His smile interrupted you again, though this time you weren’t stopping. You bit his lip, licking the soft flesh as you pulled him closer with your forearms.    

He growled under his breath, running his hands down your hips, to your thighs. Your legs press together in response, already feeling heated from the intense excitement.   

Lips shifting into tiny pecks, he trailed kisses from the corner of your mouth all the way down to the base of your neck as he lifted you by the thighs and carried you to the bed.  

You held on tight, laughing as he threw you back, smeared in your vivid lipstick. He crawled onto hands and knees over you, grinning. You didn’t dare move your hands, well aware they were still currently on fire.   

He leaned down, arching his back to kiss you into the mattress.   

Stroking a heel up his thigh, you wordlessly ask him to lower his hips with your stiletto. His leg slides under yours with a bent knee, forcing your raised leg open for him to sink his hips against you. You quietly whimpered from the sensation of his barely concealed bulge pressing into you.  

His head suddenly jerked to the side as you smelled smoke. Jumping up, he swatted at the collar on the back of his shirt, putting out the small fire while you held your hands together in front of you, fighting the flames back and losing. 

You looked at them in panic, feeling them intensify when you tried to force them back into your wrists. 

Lucifer started laughing; muffled at first, then breaking into full-blown wheezing. You gave him a death glare with a poorly concealed smile.  

“Looks -hahaHAH ahh-  oh fucking Hell, looks like our next lesson will be flame control when you’re distracted. I can’t say that’s ever happened before, HAH.”  

You cringed, still losing your fiery battle. “I was doing my best! They were actually on fire pretty much from the start, and it only just got bad enough to do that now. That’s not terrible for me.”  

He grinned down at your cringing face with flames still dancing uncontrolled and now spreading higher up your forearm.  

“Not terrible, still pretty dangerous though. Come on, let’s do some breathing exercises or something to cool these down.”  

“Can’t i just run them under water... ugh that won’t work will it. Fine. What do i do?”  

He kneeled on the floor at the edge of the bed, grabbing your ankles and pulling you to the edge in front of him, legs apart and barely covering your crotch as the dress got caught. “HEY!”  

He giggled, eyeing you hungrily. “I’m not doing anything improper, don’t worry. Sit up, there we go. Now, i know it seems counter intuitive, but i want you to focus on pushing the energy away from your forearms, guiding it to your hands, palms then fingertips.”  

You did so, watching the flame intensify as it lowered, becoming white-hot at the finger tips. He then closed his hands around them, blocking them from your view.   

“Just think about the energy. Right now, you have it under control, but it’s still escaping. Ask it to withdraw, not fighting it in, but pulling it inside, like... cupping your hands to scoop water instead of letting it flow straight over your fingers.”  

Puzzled, you start to try to move your fingers when he stops you.  

“No, the point is it’s mental. You’re willing it into obedience. You cup your hands now, you’re gonna create a ball of fire and the rest of my shirt is gone.”  

A smirk plays at your lips, “don’t tempt me, Lucifer.”  

He pretended to ignore you as he bites the inside of his lips and looks pointedly at your hands with a brow raised.  

You sigh, rolling your eyes and focusing on the command.   

Ever so slowly, the intensity does begin to withdraw, until it finally clicks in your mind. The motion of holding the energy in as if it were meant to be pooled in a container as opposed to flowing freely, it suddenly made all the sense in the world. The fire instantly stopped, yet you felt a reservoir of energy ready to go. He sensed the flame gone now and released your hands, watching you curiously as you raise one finger and effortlessly send energy from your reservoir to the tip, creating instant ignition, and instant cut off when you draw it back.  

“Nice job, think you’re finally breaking through that wall of creating fire now?”  

Shrugging, “who knows, though if i have to be either insanely angry or unfathomably horny every time, I'm in for some weird battles.”  

He rests his forehead on the bed, laughing at your bad joke before giving your knee a swat. He stands, trying to twist the collar to assess the damage. In the snap of his fingers it’s pristine again.  

You clear your throat, pointing to your lips; “you got a little... uh...”  

He smirked. “And you think you don’t?”  

“Oh i know I'm a damn mess. I just can’t stand up right now to clean my face.”  

He rolled his eyes and found a clean washcloth, dampening it with warm water and soap to bring to you. Using the reflection of the desk mirror, you wipe up the worst, deciding you’ll need to get foundation involved if you’re still going out tonight.   

He sat on the bed next to you, his own face impeccably clean. “Here, nothing wrong with a bit of sorcery, if you’ll allow me.”  

A sense of trust washes over you as he gently strokes your jaw, letting the magic softly pour over the lipstick smears and removing them completely. All the while, you’re staring into the enchanting eyes like infinity pools. They glance up to meet yours, locking there for a minute before he speaks.  

“Will you, uh, go to dinner with me?”  

“I was anyway?” 

“Yes but... like, out. To dinner. Uh, out out. you know?”  

“Say the words, you damn fool.”  

“Will you go on a date with me?”  

Your flushed cheeks warm just a little more as you look down, suddenly shy as you whisper an excited ‘yes’.  

He places a slow kiss on your now bare lips, tender and sweet. Your flames wait patiently in their reservoir, while the slick down below has no such control.  

Sensing you begin to press harder into his lips, he draws back, warning you with a smirk. “Date. Come on, or we won’t leave this room.”  

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”  

“It is when i had to work so hard to persuade you to go somewhere fancy. Now, are you very far off spontaneous combustion?”  

“Hmmmm.... it’s a little touch and go, if you’ll forgive the phrasing.”  

“Hah, well I'll have to trust it. You’ll need dinner gloves anyway, to hide the claws. I put some in the side pouch of the suitcase. We’ll grab them and head out, if you’re otherwise ready?”  

You nodded, excitement and desire in equal measure stirring in your belly.  

  

At the dinner table, Lucifer looked out of the window, a small smile hiding behind his hand holding the fork as he chewed absent mindedly.  

You watched him unabashed, knowing he was quite transfixed on whatever was going on outside. Right now in the rich velvety crimson VIP dining suite, under soft lamps, he looked ethereal in beauty.   

The Maître d' came to the table, checking on your comfort and dining experience, offering a further visit by the sommelier. Lucifer glanced up from the window, complimenting the food and service, requesting a further bottle of the same delicious champagne. As you were left alone again, you tried to hide your own smile as he sipped the last mouthful from his glass.  

“You seem to be having a good time. And yet, here i thought you preferred ‘modest’ dining.”  

You subtly flipped him off, finishing your champagne before the next bottle arrived. “I’m having an excellent time. Just because i prefer to be out exploring and sightseeing, doesn’t mean I'm unwilling to stop and enjoy the finer things.” You emphasize the final words with a glance down his unbuttoned collar, pausing mid-sip before you remember your dignity.  

“Mmm, I've noticed.”  

You detected something in his tone, amusement and knowing perhaps?  

“Was that a little targeted? I can’t quite tell.”  

He softly laughs under his breath, eating you alive with bedroom eyes. The expression makes you pretend to shift to adjust your seat, hiding the sudden jolt of heat in your groin. Judging by his grin, you did a poor job of it.  

The rest of the meal goes by with polite conversation, largely tame and neutral as a few other couples take tables a respectful distance away. Finishing the last of the champagne, he asks if you’d like to stay any longer. You gently shook your head, holding back the urge to throw him over your shoulder and drag him back to the hotel.  

In the taxi, he swings your legs over his, stroking your exposed calves. You tried to avoid looking into the rear-view mirror, embarrassed by the public spectacle of indecent affection. Lucifer rested his head back, gazing into your eyes just as he did on the flight over. That same expression, as if nothing had changed at all. It made you curious, though you held back the questions until you felt safer to ask them.  

He walked you to your hotel room, stopping in the doorway though you’d held the door for him to come in.   

“I appreciate the offer, more than you could believe. But it would be truly unworthy of me to take advantage of you like this. Whatever made you change your mind since the flight, i have no idea, but it’s not enough time for me to be certain you know what you want. Sleep on it, there’s no pressure. In the morning we’ll discuss where in the world you’d like to see next.”  

You considered his words, mulling them over as you stood. He stepped forward, cupping your cheek in one hand, quickly stealing a kiss before leaving to his own room. “That one however, I'm willing to sacrifice a little worthiness for. You look so very beautiful with that excitement in your eyes.”  

You caught him by the collar, preventing him from stepping away. ”Not so fast, Lucifer. I have questions too, you know.”  

“Then i guess we’ll both have to suffer a little patience. Goodnight,” he leaned in, breath tickling your lips as he threatened another kiss, “and think of me.”  

You gripped his collar, pulling him to your lips, holding him hostage. He allowed it for only a minute before pulling back, freeing himself and chuckling as he left for his own room.   

You closed your door, sinking onto your heels and silently praying this was really happening to you.   

 

Chapter Twenty One: Paradise  

  

Your mind was nothing if not entirely obedient to his request.   

Holding your eyes shut was a task in itself. It felt as though they had retractable eyelids that just wanted to have you staring at the ceiling in the dark room. It didn’t much matter; all you saw was Lucifer’s human disguise with half-shut eyes leaning down to kiss you anyway.  

You checked the time; three AM. Still enough time to get some decent sleep, if you drifted off right now. Or now. Hmmm, now maybe ?  

The frustration grew as you tossed and turned, entirely unable to switch off.   

Through the wall, you could sense where the small licks of Lucifer’s inner hearth flame were hovering, probably laid out sleeping peacefully. It didn’t help much, but stopped you from disturbing him.  

The last time you saw the clock was five-twelve AM.   

  

Your phone buzzed beside you, ringing from Lucifer’s caller ID. You sat up in a flash, answering it far too quickly. “Hello?”  

“Hey, I'm outside your room, are you out? Or were you still asleep?”  

“Shit! Hold on-”  

You scramble and sprint, opening the bedroom door before remembering you gave up on bedclothes somewhere near four AM.  

Garden of Eden style, you threw your hair forward and used it as modesty while he blankly stared, mouth slightly agape, still holding the phone to his ear.  

You pursed your lips, clinging to the waves of messy hair covering your front down to your upper thighs, stepping aside so he could enter. Ever so slowly, he lowered the phone and hung up. He cleared his throat, forcibly looking away as the blood rushed to his face. And... well, as he adjusted his casual jeans, elsewhere.  

“I, uhhh... can give you a few minutes...”  

You look down, cringing. Humour’s the best defense, right?   

“Oh really? You of all people have an issue with nudity?”  

The pink tint turned red as he flustered, “no! Not at all, i mean, damn, I'm Lucifer for Hell’s sake, no! I just, ah, respect your privacy, and uh, your... privacyyy.... *coughs*. I'll be back in about fifteen minutes, or twenty, however long you need. Hmm.”  

At that, he spun, still not looking at you as he darted back to his room. Shame, that could have been an unintentionally fun morning.  

You shut the door, chuckling to yourself, feeling a little more entertained than embarrassed. You took your time getting ready, dissociating while brushing your hair and plaiting it in a long dangling braid. You picked jeans and a crop top under a leather jacket, unsure what the weather was going to be like wherever you headed today.   

Lucifer didn’t knock, even after half an hour. You grabbed your things and headed over, rapping twice on his door. Almost instantly it opened, with an incredibly awkward smiling Lucifer. His eyes darted down you, initially relieved by the clothing, then a little distracted again. Enjoying the poor man’s multitudes of emotions, you pushed a hand against his shoulder to move him out of the way.   

Inside, it was a mess of clothes strewn everywhere, with random accessories on nearly every surface.  

“What the Hell happened in here? Were you attacked?”  

He cleared his throat, uncomfortable. “Ehhhh it’s just the process of picking an outfit, you know how it is, right?"  

The mess made sense, it just seemed way overboard for a day of travel, and considering the final casual outfit he picked out.  

Judging by the similar clothes laid next to each other, he must have had the same crisis of colours and styles as last night, probably all morning.  

You turn to him in amusement, asking if he’d like a hand packing.   

“Now that’s something i don’t have to worry about. HaHAH!”   

The clothes immediately flew through the air, immediately folding into place neatly as before the tornado hit.   

“Very nice. So, where are we going next?”  

“It’s your call, you have the list!”   

“I have the list, but you have the experience. Where do you think would make for a nice little adventure?”  

He summoned the notepad from thin air, flicking through the pages. “We could go somewhere in America, shortening the travel time. Canada’s a good shout, there’s Jackson Lake in Alberta, i really want to go back there at some point. Actually, there’s a few places in Canada that would be fun, plus they have insanely good comfort foods. Probably best using flights to get there, rather than driving, and then... trains, maybe?”  

You patiently waited for him to plan out the next journey, really seeing his outfit properly now. The linen shirt was seemingly almost grey, with a hint of blue, similar to the dress you wore last night. The jeans were incredibly well fitted, belted at his hips just high enough to prevent his midriff showing when he moved his arms around. They did look very good on him, especially when he paced a little to think. He paused, not turning to look at you, so you didn’t bother halting your stare, nor controlling the smirk as you gaped.  

His shoulders shook, distracting you from your delicious view. You looked up to analyze his expression, though he immediately turned to face away from you.  

“What’s so funny?”  

“Nothing. Let’s get your stuff together and make today a travel day, unless you want any more time in New York?”  

You shrugged, still confused but accepting the diverted conversation. “Travel is fine. Breakfast on the plane or nearby?”  

“I’d quite like to go to that diner again actually. Yeah we’ll do that first, pack and go second. Ready?”  

  

You take the same table as yesterday, sitting in the same spots as you wait for the meal. You tried to be a little less jealous today, despite the giggling models staring at Lucifer and whispering. It took a lot of reminding that it was you he kissed last night, not them.  

“You look annoyed. What’s bothering you?”  

You blink back in surprise, not thinking he was looking at you, but out the window instead. “Um, nothing, i didn’t sleep great. I’ll try to get some more on the flight.”  

His expression probed you further, following your gaze as one of the girls from the next table stood. She sauntered nearby, perfectly wavy brown hair falling from her shoulder as she winked at him, ignoring you completely. Lucifer’s confusion turned to shock as he darted his head away, holding his hand up to block his cringing expression from the three ladies’ view. You burst into laughter, unable to hide the relief as he gave you the stink eye. Quietly he leaned forward, still hiding his face, “what the Hell are you finding so funny? That was weird . Do you want to go somewhere else?”  

You grinned, easing from the last of your laughter. “Nah, I'm good. You know people have been staring at you everywhere you go, right? You’re... ah, what’s that phrase, serving face? A face card? I don’t know. Point being, you’re a painted whore and i love it.”  

He blinked, dropping his hand as he processed the words. “Serving... what? Painted... were any of those words meant as compliments?!”  

You stuck your tongue out, pleasantly distracted by the food arriving at your table.  

  

He guided you round the airport, seeming to find any and all excuses to show you places, specifically so he could lead you by the hand. It was adorable, if not tiring as you waited for the gates to announce. Eventually, you stopped him as he found another distraction, grabbing your hand again. Pulling him with a yank, you spun him to face you, a little harder than intended. He pivoted from the momentum, tripping into you and catching your other arm for balance, just inches away from your face. Your eyes darted to his parted lips, fantasizing for just a moment before stepping back and apologizing.   

“Uh, sorry, Lucifer, my bad. Just wanted to stop you from running off again. Mind if we chill here for a few minutes? We can grab a coffee.”  

You hadn’t let go of his hand, which he was now staring down at. You squeezed, reassuring that you weren’t letting go. He visibly relaxed, an eager smile brightening his face. “Sure. I’m having tea though, Hell knows what airport coffee is like, sinners complain about it enough.”  

You startle a little at the reference, feeling entirely dissociated from your life in Hell. Up here, with him and this little... whatever this was, it was the most human rush of feelings you could even imagine. Chewing on your lip, you felt your mood dampen a little as you remembered the limited time in your holiday.  

Lucifer’s hand gently twisted, gaining your attention. “Something wrong?”  

You waved off the worry, dismissing both him and your unwanted thoughts.  

  

Once again, you were ushered into the window seat in the economy-class flight. You hadn’t even pressured him for the cheaper flight, he just automatically booked them. As he got slightly less uncomfortable in the tiny seats and rested his head towards you, it kind of clicked. He’d be a lot further apart in business class, whereas right now you were basically shoulder-to-shoulder. The realization came with a pleasant warmth in your cheeks as you pretended to look at the in-flight magazine.  

The flight was way quicker than you’d thought, leaving you no time to really get sleepy. Lucifer still left you to rest, closing his eyes and relaxing back with his arm lazed over the armrest between you.  

Feeling brave with the limited flight time, you turned to sit with one leg tucked under you, angling your body so you could rest your head on his shoulder. He gently snorted once under his breath in amusement, relaxing as he got comfortable. After a few minutes, he moved slightly, just enough to not disturb you while resting his cheek on your head. You wondered if he could feel how violently your pulse was beating right now.   

Your journey became a heady mix of testing the waters with casual physical touch, whilst enjoying the mind-shattering beauty Canada had to offer. The lake itself was as close to heaven as you could imagine, resting on a log in the shade and watching the local animals existing in their own right under such unprecedented natural beauty.  

He took you across long drives and short flights, showing you parts of Canada he’d wandered before, telling you stories from different eras of all varieties. His tales began to flow towards his next travel ideas, sharing stories to entice you into picking the next destination.   

You sunbathed in Mexico, hired boats in the mangroves of Costa Rica, explored sacred ruins in Ecuador. The two of you took flight after flight, not even waiting before getting comfortable against his shoulder every time, even tucking your arm around his as you dozed on the longer flights.   

In Rio De Janeiro, you got a small taste of the party side of the Devil. It wasn’t Carnaval time of year, but holy Hell did the street line up with bars and clubs rife with both travellers and locals. The music carried through the street in a madrigal of songs, filling the air with the zeal of thousands of dancers.  

It was overwhelming, being surrounded by the dense crowds, many of whom were so vibrant and happy that their inner flames shone as bright as the strobe lights, dazzling you in senses you couldn’t explain.  

Having to talk a little louder over the music, Lucifer repeated himself outside the restaurant.   

“I said, is this a little bit much? You look like you’re having a hard time paying attention!”  

You shook your head, grinning as you loudly replied. “It’s perfect. This is just incredible. Everyone here is so alive, and i mean more than literally. Just look at them. It makes you wanna stay here, just like this, forever.”  

Lucifer didn’t answer as he watched you, eyes soft as silk. You hadn’t meant it that way, but now you were looking at him? You’d happily have him there in this piece of forever if you could.   

Your fingers, now seemingly perpetually locked in his, felt a warm rush of heat as you debated crossing the line again. He’d been so respectful, so patient, despite you making no moves to resist his affection. You’d struggled night after night wondering if he was holding back for your sake, or his. He was married, after all.  

His hand pulled gently, indicating for you to follow. You did so, excited to see more of the city’s vibrance. You trailed from the dining locale to the party scene, grateful you’d had your hair tightly wound in a bun as bodies bounced and jostled against you in the fast-paced rhythm.  

You laughed as he too got bumped into a few times, especially by barely dressed and stunningly tanned young ladies. He dodged them neatly every time, apologizing where entirely unnecessary before turning back to you.   

He pulled you closer, under the guise of sweeping you away from a guy who’d been nearly trying to grind against you. His disgusted face made you chuckle, though your chest constricted from being so close to him in the neon flashing lights. You placed a hand at the back of his neck, unafraid of releasing any Hellfire as the reservoir simmered patiently under your control. You ran your nails in little circles where the cropped hair met skin, prompting him to shiver. He grinned, looking deep into your waiting expression, wrapping his arms around you. Your energetic bouncing became more of a sway as he held you so close, unable to focus on the music and bodies around you. His face lowered, carefully assessing yours for cues, chuckling into your eager lips as you threw yourself into a kiss. His hands gripped your skin, mouth demanding and hungry. You forgot the entire world, everything you were, and everything he was as you pressed and gasped into the passionate embrace.  

Now barely moving beyond ragged breaths, the two of you regained composure enough to blink and look around. The party was still in full swing, but you felt an entire universe away.  

You tilted his face to the side with the back of your fingers, leaning up to speak into his ear over the music. “Can we go for a walk? I can barely think in here!”  

He nodded, silvery blue eyes catching glimmers in the lights. 

The beach front was largely crowded, with various parties dotted around in the night sands and seafront. You walked silently, hands intertwined. You passed a quieter stretch of beach, with couples mingling in the sand, barely decent enough to not get arrested. The sight made you laugh awkwardly as you passed by, Lucifer looking embarrassed too.  

He nodded his head over to a decently empty patch of beach, kicking off his shoes and stepping into the sand. You did the same with your heels, dangling them from your wrist by the straps. The sand was still warm from baking all day. Nearing the shoreline, Lucifer dropped the shoes, rolling his mid length shorts higher up his toned thighs. There was nothing decent about the way you watched him, following the hands as they revealed more of him with each roll of fabric.  

He pointedly coughed, having caught you staring. You looked out to the inky black sea, granting him at least a little respect as he fixed his clothing. He left his shoes in the sand, wordlessly gesturing to the water. 

You followed, leaving your heels next to his, taking his hand again. The two of you stepped into the shore, allowing the gentle waves to lap up beyond your knees as you stood, watching the midnight horizon. He released your hand, instead circling his arm around you. You leant against him, utterly and irrevocably falling in love. 

 

Chapter Twenty Two: Spend the Night  

  

You felt so very blissful in the darkness, embraced by Lucifer in the shallows of Rio’s beaches.   

Resting your head back against his shoulder, you released a long sigh of contentment.  

He brushed his lips against your hair, savouring the moment before speaking quietly. “You know, i never meant for this. I truly just wanted to help you with the powers. You’ll tell me if it’s all too much, right?”  

You tilted your head, meeting his concerned expression with a slow, heated kiss. The words you planned on saying for reassurance fizzled out into nothing while the kiss deepened. His arm tightened around you, the other catching your free hand and pulling you to face him. Your arms raised, looping around his neck as he pulled your waist close, running a hand up your back. A weak moan interrupted your rhythm, inciting desire in the way he devoured your lips. You swayed, feeling slightly dizzy through lack of air, having to gently tug on the back of his hair to make him let up.  

You took deep breaths, losing focus as you faced the sea, grateful he was holding you steady. His lips brushed against your cheek, planting trails of tiny kisses everywhere down your cheek, jaw and neck until you’d gained your breath back. At which point, you cupped his face, drawing it back to yours as you pressed into his front. Your tongues hesitantly brushed, exploring boundaries as his body responded uncontrollably. You pressed your groin against his tight shorts, gently moaning into his lips. He dragged in air between kisses, pinning your body to his with hands gripping your lower back.  

The aching heat between your thighs made the water feel brisk. Goosebumps travelled up your arms, shivering against Lucifer’s chest.  

He stopped, drawing back to look at you with concern. “Cold?”  

You tried to play it off, though he caught sight of the goosebumps and frowned at you. Dropping down low enough to scoop you by the thighs, he carried you back to the shore with your legs tightly wrapped around his hips.  

You nuzzled his ears, nipping gently at the skin below, whispering into them under your breath; “I was having so much fun, Lucifer. Please don’t stop now.”  

He kissed your jaw, slowing the walk as he stepped onto dry sand. “I’m yours to command, as you see fit. Somewhere warmer though, and less likely to spend the night in a Brazilian prison for getting caught, please.”  

You conceded, taking your sweet time before you lowered yourself to stand on your own two feet. The two of you picked up the abandoned shoes and headed back to the hotel, somewhat drying off in the warm night walk.  

 

The silence became less peaceful, more anticipatory as you walked through the corridors to the rooms. He hesitated too, slowing down near your room. You saw the anxiety flitter across his face; had he changed his mind ?  

“Hey, i can see the little worry lines up there. Don’t spoil my view. If you want to go to bed alone, I'll respect that. I won’t pressure you for anything. But if, you know, you did want to... carry on, I'd really like you to. Uh, as long as you would. Or if not, that’s fine. Maybe we could just spoon. Uhmmm...”  

His face relaxed into a tender beguilement, lopsided grin and all. “You’re a little flustered. It’s cute. You gonna unlock the door?”  

Your body responds in a whirlwind of excitement and anxiety, almost panicking with the many ways to potentially embarrass yourself or ruin this.   

You turned back to face him as he shut the door, knotting your fingers together, struggling to think over the pounding of your pulse.  

He approached you, assessing every movement for your reactions. You hardly blinked as you deliberately stared him down, refusing to hide your desire beneath your anxieties any further.   

His hesitation gave way to lust, just as strong as yours.   

Lucifer backed you up to the wall, raising his left hand to rest above you. His right hand stroked up your neck, cupping your jaw before tasting your tongue. Your kiss was rough, unhindered by expectations. He invaded your mouth, gasping as you pushed right back to probe his own. His hand moved from your jaw to release your hairband, freeing the tresses over your shoulders. He intertwined greedy fingers in your hair, gently pulling. The sensations prickled at your scalp and made you groan, growing brave enough to explore with your hands.  

Your claw tips scratched into the skin under his shirt, teasing over ridges and valleys of muscle as he flinched, growling. Your eyes fluttered open to see his locked on to you with a devilish smirk. “Mind those talons, beautiful. I’m trying to be gentle here.”  

“And who exactly asked for that?”  

He shook his head, admonishing your zeal.  

“Bed, now.”  

You considered being a bit playful; stroking a claw softly across the top of his jeans, barely brushing skin, using the other hand to flick the belt buckle open. He kissed below your ear, not stopping you. His hips bucked as you undid the jeans, stroking across his shaft through the boxers. The temptation was far too strong. You met his eyes, giving your best doe-eye impression as you slowly sank down the wall, not leaving his gaze as you rested onto your knees. His breathing hitched, mouth parted over you, hardly able to blink. His arm holding the wall faltered as you tugged at his waistband, lowering the jeans and boxers enough to free him. You tore your eyes away to enjoy the impressive sight, eager to make him feel the kind of need he’d put you through in the last couple weeks.  

Wrapping gentle fingers around the base of his shaft, you pressed your tongue underneath the swollen tip, using it to trace feather-soft swirls around the salty flesh. He shuddered and clenched his fists, closing his eyes and grunting. You kept him literally on his toes, grazing your teeth ever so softly between teasing licks. You kept this up until the fist in your hair shakily let go, pressing his palm against the wall with a groan.  

“You’re being very patient, your highness. I’m pleased.”  

His needy sigh responded at the same time as the twitch of his cock.  

In reward, you gripped the hand around his base, taking the tip fully into your mouth with tight suction. His knees flexed with the sensation, jittering as your game continued.  

It began with releasing pressure as you took him deeper, followed by the forceful suck to the tip, using your hand as an extension of your mouth. The residual sea salt mixed with the heat of his human form made you salivate, trying to take him to the back of your throat, even as your jaw ached and throat gagged.  

His breathing became pants, losing focus as you picked up rhythm, stroking your free hand up his inner thigh. He gave a tiny whine as you tugged at his sack, keeping him alert to your demanding rhythm.   

You pulled back, trailing saliva between you and his cock as you struggled for lost breath. He shivered, instinctively grabbing the shaft as your mouth released it. He squeezed, groaning as he lowered onto one knee. You had to press your hand to his chest to prevent him kissing you while your lungs fought for air.  

He pressed his teeth to your neck instead, nibbling and sucking your skin down to the clavicles. He rasped out air from his lungs as your hand joined his, encouraging him to stroke while lavishing your exposed skin with his vehement mouth.  

A little steadier now, you wound your fingers into his hair, gripping tight as he worshipped your skin. It was your turn to pant; heat rushing into your groin, biting your lip with restraint. He paused, rising to meet you nose-to-nose, releasing both your hands from his member. Half-smiling through the desire, he briefly shut his eyes before picking you up and carrying you to the bed.  

Your thighs pressed around his hips, refusing to unwind even as he crawled onto all fours on the bed. You chuckled, hanging on to him like a koala, breaking his expression into laughter. He flopped heavily, landing flat on you, knocking the air from your lungs as you only laughed harder. “H-Hey! Air! Lucifer!”  

Muffled into your neck, “play silly games, win silly prizes. I’m sleeping like this now.”  

Unable to move him off you, pushing feebly against his shoulders, you heave with hilarity and crushing gasps. He adjusted onto his elbows, smirking down at you.   

What should have been an opportunity to claim air, became the cessation of all rational thought. You barely drew a breath, unsteady and dizzy, entranced by the face above you. Your fingers gently touched his face, stroking the lines of his jaw and cheek.   

His face softened, sensing the shift in mood. He tilted his cheek into your palm, giving you a flutter in your heart.   

He leaned back, supporting you by the shoulders to sit you up facing him. “May i undress you?”  

You nodded, mesmerized.  

He was so gentle. You saw the glint in his eyes, like he was unwrapping a present as he carefully dragged your top over your arms. Your bra fell neatly to the bed with a swift, skilled twist of the clasps. He hummed in pleasure at your exposure, despite you feeling a pang of insecurity.  

He leaned towards your chest, dropping you back onto the mattress with a bounce. He kissed the valley between breasts, slowly trailing down to the waistband of your skirt. Hands stroked your thighs, following the motion as you unconsciously arched your back and pressed into his hips. Caressing as he rose to his knees, Lucifer hooked his fingers into the skirt, gently easing it off as you obediently lifted your hips to accommodate. He’d barely gotten the skirt to your ankles before getting distracted, memorizing every inch of your skin with adoring eyes.   

You rolled yours, growing frustrated with the delay. Less than delicately, you lifted your legs, pressing your toes to his shoulders and using them for leverage to pull your own underwear down. You threw them behind him, dropping your legs back to his hips with a smirk.   

“Impatient are we? I’m rather enjoying myself.”  

“I’m glad you are. Just remember it will be entirely your fault if i spontaneously combust. I can only hold out this teasing for so long.”   

Your hips swayed suggestively in front of his erection, making him groan from the sight and grabbing your waist. 

He adjusted forward onto his elbows beside your shoulders, asking if you were sure about this.  

“For the love of God Lucifer, please just fuck me. I’m dying here.”  

“HAH, a true romantic. How about you try to tell me what made you change your mind, from hating to wanting. I’m ever so curious.”  

“What do you mean ‘try’?”   

Your suspicion was answered with him lowering his hips, teasing his tip at your entrance, raising a brow. “I mean, try . Go ahead.”  

You blinked, aroused by the playful game, wondering how to even begin. He pressed a little harder against you, nudging you to hurry up. Your hips bucked in response, overwhelmed with need.  

“What if it’s far more complicated than just changing my mind?”  

“Then you’d better hurry up, before you combust.”  

You groan, sensing his game was far more serious than he was letting on.  

“Fine. It wasn’t immediate. I didn’t trust you. I didn’t even like you. But the wall of inferno... the way you broke through it, even at my messiest. You saw me lashing out. You didn’t hold me back or threaten me. You didn’t judge me, not really. You showed me how to embrace the pain, and walk through it, surviving it. And you were there, on the other side, like no one else has been. I didn’t know what i felt. But that was the start.”  

Lucifer kissed your cheek, waiting until you opened your eyes again before slowly pressing his cock into you. Your muscles stretched around him, relief crashing over you as you finally had the tension to grip around. You groaned, rolling your eyes back and gripping the bedsheets. Filling you, he then ground his hips into you, not pulling back. Slow, rhythmic circles of pressure and heat, all deliciously meeting every need you’d starved from.  

“And then?”  

You huffed out a breath despite your smile, biting your lip until you chose your next words.   

“And then, i got to spend more time with you, in training and the conference. The more i got to see of you, the easier you got to like. I found you funny, and stubborn, and really quite endearing. There were silly little things you did that i caught myself smiling at.”  

He sank as deep as possible into you, making you cry out until he withdrew. He began a tantalizingly slow thrusting rhythm, grazing his teeth against your neck as you whined.   

“Then?”  

“Ah, and- mmm, and then, you took me on the ri-IDE of my life on that damn qua-aAH!” You stuttered into the building pleasure, rocking your hips to meet his as you held on tightly to the mattress, trying to chase the friction despite his slow pace.  

He stilled, a smirk on his face as you pouted, hips twitching on him. “Asshole. The quad bike ride tipped the scales, but it was your human form that wrecked me. I’ve never seen a human so incredibly enchanting. You ga- mmmmhm, mmhh.” your words dissolved on your lips as he praised your honesty with thrusts, an increased pace from before. He leaned to whisper in your ear, “was that all?”  

You allowed yourself a long moan before attempting to speak again. “Ah, fucking... no, no, there’s more. You -mmMMm- made me laugh, on the plane. The hotel, even as i want- aahAAH, AH,FUCK. HEY.”   

His rewarding thrusts turned to pounding, satisfying a long-held ache inside you. Your hands flew to his back, clinging on and digging your claws in. He growled, panting gruffly beside your ear. “M-more.”  

“More WHAT, FUCK . You ah, fucking Hell, let me.... let- mmme back out if i wanted. The hotel. I felt- hmmmmnnnn, safe, in contr- oh, Lucifer , PLEASE!”  

He drove into you, demanding your pleasure with strokes of friction and unbridled lust. You broke into whines and cries, unable to speak any further. He raised his head, eyes tight and expression almost pained from the sensitivity as you clenched around him, arching your back into the bed as you barely glimpsed him through half-shut eyes. You saw the pupils narrow, irises glowing red as the pace picked up, burying so deeply into you that it hurt. His rhythm faltered, dropping his face to kiss you passionately. One of his arms left the bed, leaning on the remaining elbow for balance and grabbing your hip. He slowed, gritting his teeth in the kiss, making you scratch at his back in urgency, begging him not to stop.  

The hand at your hip stroked between you, sliding into the slick heat above his cock to stroke your clit. You jerked violently the second he touched you there, clattering your teeth and bumping his nose. Amused, Lucifer bit the tip of your nose playfully before returning to the deep kiss. His hand spread, rubbing the middle finger delicately over your clit as the other fingers cupped you. You were confused initially by the sensation, until the sorcery took hold.   

You couldn’t even tell what the fuck it was. Electricity, fire, or something in between, his magic seeped into your nerve endings, igniting every single one of them in devastating fizzles, tingling and stinging in the most amazing way. His middle finger curled against you as the sensation made you shake violently, legs losing all control and claws penetrating his back as you broke through into orgasm, screaming into his shoulder. He allowed you to bite, to claw, unrelenting with his magic as he joined in the pleasure with you, slowly grinding to compound the waves of muscle spasm clenching around him. You heard him over the sound of ringing ears, listening to his moans and sweet cries as he sped up. His hand involuntarily tightened on your cunt, increasing the sting. Your hands flew, slashing into the pillow behind you while the other scratched down the side of his ribs, trying to find purchase just to survive the lethal dose of sensation. You couldn’t even scream anymore, gasping in air as you went dizzy, the ringing in your ears growing louder. Your hands went slack, slipping from his ribs. Lucifer noticed immediately, stilling, frozen in panic. He moved his hand immediately, urgently trying to check on you, though your eyes couldn’t focus enough to reassure him. Your throat felt so incredibly dry.   

In an instant, you were being lifted and placed on the edge of the bed, Lucifer supporting you up to get your breath back as you leant forward onto his shoulder. He stroked your back, voice becoming audible as the ringing settled. He was apologizing over and over, sounding terrified.   

You moved an arm over his shoulder, wrapping the other around his waist in a very loose hug, just about managing to quietly speak. “’mmm good, don’t worry. Stop apologizing. If i die now, i die happy.”  

He sighed with relief now you were lucid again. “Not on my watch. I’m so sorry. Please, please know i wasn’t trying to hurt you, i was close, i thought you needed a little more... i got carried away, I'm so-”  

“Shut... up. I’m good. More than good. That was... like nothing I've ever felt before. Unbelievable. You can do that again.”  

He chuckled, relieved and incredulous. “Yeah, maybe when you learn to communicate when it gets too much. God, you fucking scared me. Don’t do that to me again.”  

He held you so tightly your ribs ached, squeezing you for a long pause before letting you lean over and breathe again.  

Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed red staining on the fancy white sheets. Alarm filled you, wondering who it came from. Lucifer caught your expression, also glancing at the blood. Instead of panic, he just smirked. “Don’t look so surprised. You maulled my back. ALL of that is mine, my crazy girl.”  

Your panic faltered with the sweet endearment. “S-sorry, Lucifer. Didn’t mean it, promise.”  

“Hah, well i guess we both went a bit far. Good thing we’re demons, or this could be quite fatal.” He winked, making your body clench with residual pleasure.  

A soft sigh escaped, glad to be able to laugh it off.   

Though, as your eyes wandered over his blood-smeared body, a tiny part of you curled and gnawed inside, enjoying the sight more than you wanted to admit to yourself.  

“My eyes are up here, unless you’re dumb enough to dance with death a second time.”  

“Door number two, please.”  

He grinned, brilliant blue eyes capturing yours as his hands lowered to your hips.   

“Maybe a little gentler this time, hmm?”  

You pout a little, mostly jesting. He tugs your hips forward, sliding you off the edge of the bed, pinning the middle of your back to the edge of the bed with his body. In this angle, he had full control, while you stayed upright and conscious. You bit your lip, enjoying the anticipation.  

He raised his hips, penetrating you with a quick thrust, watching your expression falter with pleasure. Licking your lower lip, he began an upwards rhythm; stimulating so much of your clit at the same time, your legs almost immediately started to shake. He held you up, kissing your breasts as you threw your head back, fighting the overstimulating angle. His kisses became pants, then muffled groans, intensifying as you whined and pleaded. He pulled your head forward to kiss you, his own legs trembling beneath you as his knees burned on the carpet. You clung to him, trying not to use claws, but using the leverage to stimulate your body to release before he did. You swore harshly into his neck as you succeeded, shaking violently as your cunt throbbed and swelled. He took this as permission, fucking you hard against the edge of the bed as he finally embraced the rupture of pleasure, pulsing deeply into you. He leaned you back against the bed, ragged breaths and sharp gasps filling your ear as he finished spilling into you. 

Gradually regaining stability, you both press into the bed for balance as you shakily stand. You loosely gesture towards the bathroom, at which he waves permission while flopping backwards onto the mattress.  

In the bathroom, you took accountability of all the mess you’d made. The shower worked miracles, turning you from freshly fucked to a Goddamn lady. You dried your hair, enjoying the stretch you felt in your muscles as you worked though the long locks.  

You took a deep breath before leaving the bathroom, expecting carnage in the hotel room as before.  

Shockingly, it looked pristine. As did Lucifer.   

He sat cross-legged by the headboard, patiently waiting for you with a beaming smile; wearing the ducky-print pyjamas, not a single scratch on him.  

“Alright, even i know you can’t heal that fast. How did you...?”  

“It’s a disguise. Harm-able, but not killable, and easily repaired.”  

“.... fair enough. I’m rather glad you’re back to being perfect again, even if it looks like i was never there.”  

A flitter of concern crossed his eyes before he answered.   

“I’m not bothered if anyone else knows. Was that what you were trying to do?”  

“No! God, no. Maybe it just feels weird to me. I’ve never slept with... uh... anyone like you, i guess.”  

“I should hope not. Now come here, it’s bedtime.”  

“You’re staying?”  

“... do you want me to go?”  

You shook your head,   quickly hopping into the bed and diving under the covers, excited to spent the night with him. He laughed at your overexcited grin, tucking into the covers beside you.   

 

Chapter Twenty Three:  Six days, Five Long Nights

  

Lucifer stirred against you, nuzzling closer to your hair and breathing you in. He felt so deliciously warm against you, almost matching your skin temperature in the humid Rio morning.  

You lazily eased your eyes open to meet the beautiful sleeping face in front of you. He lay blissfully unaware, his slow, methodical breaths disturbing the silence.  

You held yourself as long as you could before sneaking off to the bathroom, barely causing him to stir as you left the thin sheets. Though you were clean from the night before, the idea of hot water soothing your sore muscles was beyond tempting.  

In the privacy of the shower, you quietly hummed a pleasant tune, feeling as though you were glowing. Your inner warmth felt magnified, intensifying with every moment you spent with the King of Hell, especially when you felt his inner flame spark brighter and catch into a consistent small flickering hearth.  

A small knock on the door made you jump. You invited him in, laughing when you saw the bedsheets wrapped around him like a toga.   

“Is there any need for the modesty? Those poor bedsheets have seen enough.”  

He smirked at you, dropping the sheet and holding his arms up in a ‘there you go’ gesture.  

You licked your lips, peeking further out of the shower stream to enjoy the view. He came close, stroking a hand up your waist as he leaned in to kiss you. Your hand flew to his hair, the other steadying for balance on the shower wall as you pulled him into the water stream. He stumbled a little, bracing both hands behind you on the wall. Now standing over you, his smile darkened with mischief, pushing you against the cold wall with a firm kiss and invading tongue. Your cry of cold was lost in his mouth, winding your hands into his hair and pressing your hips against him. He responded without hesitation, lifting you by the thighs to grind you against the wall, lining up to take you again.  

  

Your pleasant morning turned into late brunch in a local alfresco cafe. He sipped juice, hair rustling in the warm breeze, barely trying to hide his revitalized smile. You ate quickly, both starving from the workout and eager to continue exploring the local culture.  

He took you on a hike, passing by waterfalls and exotics birds on your trek through the wildlife preservations. You took so many photos, capturing so many moments, wishing to remember every second; Animals, plants, hidden trails, streams, scenery, everything and anything that gave you that inner glow, you snapped it all. It took a long while on this hike to realize it wasn’t everything around you that was giving you the bliss; it was just being there with him. You pulled him over to the edge of a rockface, posing with him for a selfie with Christ the Redeemer ironically in the background. The sight made him burst out laughing when he realized, poking fun at you. From there, you took a lot more photos on the trail together, some of them clearly romantic. Your favourite was one where he’d gone into the waterfall, initially just to make you laugh, before pulling you down to join him in the tiny cave behind it. The phone camera flashed, capturing you kissing his neck as he beamed, the flash making his pupils glow red. You’d complimented him, saying you almost missed his demon form by now. In the shelter of the cave, he stretched his neck and shifted, becoming the pale demon with red eyes you’d not seen for over two weeks. He seemed hesitant, pausing before asking if this made a difference to anything.   

Unsure what to say, you studied the face before you, trying to assess your own feelings. Yes, you were more physically attracted to his human face, that was just a given. But this... it didn’t change anything of the sheer joy you felt in his arms. Your pensive expression broke into a pleased smile at your inner realization, embracing him with the same fervour you granted his human face. The sharp teeth and wider mouth took a minute to get used to. The tongue however was far from unwelcome as he wound it around yours and captured it multiple times over. It became seductive, between the kissing and capturing tongue, and the gripping of his hands at your hips. You mumbled about the phone getting wet, barely interrupting his demanding mouth. He delicately responded, “yeah, fuck the phone, i want you.”   

The dampness of the cave wall pressed into your back through your soaked shirt as he removed your shorts, unbuttoning his soaked slacks to free himself. You cried out as he filled you, pressing you into the jagged rocks as water splashed and trickled between you. His knee pressed under your thigh, helping to hold you up as the slippery rocks left little room for traction. He growled, sharp teeth nipping at your lips as the pace quickened, lavishing in the sound of your whimpering. You got a hold of a steady crevice and pushed back against him, deepening his angle. The pleasure made him groan, fingers digging into you as his legs shook. You panted out the final gasps of control until pleasure exploded in divine waves of muscle tension, drinking him in over and over as he chased his own release. He gasped roughly against you, stilling and shaking, short cries of sensitivity and pleasure echoing into the shallow cave. You licked and nibbled his jaw, riding the last of his orgasm out until he gently lowered you to stand. Pressing his forehead to yours, he closed his eyes and joked that this counted as shower sex, too. You swatted his arm, stumbling a little as you steadied, trying to spot your shorts and knickers. He’d flung them loosely on a low rock near the edge of the wall of water, now absolutely drenched. In fairness, you weren’t much better. After a brief pause to think, you hopped into your clothes and stepped directly under the flow of water, rinsing off the dirt from the cave wall. You felt his semen pool indecently at your underwear, making you clench your thighs and squirm as it tickled. He asked you what you were doing, to which you politely flipped him off and continued your au naturel shower. Just about free of the traces from the wall, you left the water and messily tried to climb up to the path again. He was already up, graceful as a gazelle, holding his hand out to you.   

“You might wanna... un-demon. Don’t want to freak out the locals in front of Big Jesus, you know?”  

“Oh, whatever will they do. The funny thing is, all you hear about is the next coming of Jesus. Nobody excitedly asks about the next coming of the Devil.”  

You smirked; “that’s because the devil just came for the second time today alone. If they made a tally of every time, they’d probably need a bigger Bible.”  

He doubled over laughing, catching on to your meaning with uncontrolled chortles. You had to grab his arm and pull him off the trail as you spotted humans, so you could hide the Devil from unsuspecting hikers. He just about regained composure behind the trees, hugging you close and kissing your forehead, admonishing the rude joke with a dirty grin.  

He reapplied the disguise in a flash, becoming the impeccable human beauty, absolutely stunning you under the dapples of the tree canopy. His traces of humour vanished, uncertain of your sudden change of face. He brushed his thumb over your cheek, cupping your jaw with concern as you struggled for words.  

You managed to hold back the overwhelming profession of adoration.  

Instead, you asked him if he was ready to head back, since you needed an actual shower now. He studied your face, still seeking an explanation. “No, come on. Not this time. Please tell me what’s going on in your mind. You’re so hard to read sometimes.”  

You cringed, looking down at his sodden shirt. “I don’t want to ruin this, Lucifer. I’m really, truly enjoying this, and we barely have a few days left. Please just let me be weird and unreadable and whatever in peace, and I'll put everything out there when we get back?”  

His eyebrows furrowed. “What does that mean? ‘Put everything out there’?  We’re alone, in one of the most beautiful places in the world, or at least it feels like it right now. If you want to talk about what you’ve been through, who you are, or anything else, there’s pretty much no better place to do it. If we go back, you’re probably going to be distracted, or worried, or worse. Please just tell me now, and I'll deal with whatever that means as it comes.”  

You avoided his gaze, chewing the inside of your cheek as dread churned in your gut. This was a fucking terrible idea .  

And yet, he persisted, pinching your chin to gently direct you to look him in the eye. “Please.”  

Against every voice screaming at you, louder than the chitters of mammals and squawking of birds, even over your own roaring pulse, the urge to just be honest won out.  

“I think I'm in love with you.”  

He blinked, hand freezing at your chin. The dread simmered into regret, instantly wishing you could claim the words back. Hot tears stung behind your eyes as you quickly pushed out of his hold, striding back out onto the trail. You held your arms close, barely seeing where you were going as your hasty walk traversed the uneven terrain.   

He caught up to you a few minutes later, grabbing you by the arm to stop you. You held firm, pulling against his hold, not looking back to him. In a voice that cracked with emotion, you told him to let you go and give you space.  

“I’m sorry.”  

Your eyes scrunched shut, already knowing why he was apologizing. “Don’t be. It’s my stupid fault. I need to be alone. Let me go, Lucifer.”  

Instead he swiftly caught you, pinning your arms to your sides in a bear hug, pressing his face against your cheek. Quietly, just above a whisper, he apologized further. “Don’t go, just hold on for a second. I’m not saying... I’m not saying i don’t either. I- it's complicated. More so than even i can process. I haven’t felt this... whole, for longer than i can really remember. That’s not to say i don’t, uh, well... look, i love Lilith. That’s not a question. I always will. But this is something different. It feels like fireworks and dancing every moment that I'm with you. Pretty much from the first time i saw you in the Steel Stilettos, i was entranced. And the more i got to know you, the stronger it got. I tried to hold it back, but you didn’t exactly give me the option. I mean, you did, but I'm weak, so there. I said it. I’m weak, to you. And... i don’t know what the right word is, but i want this . I want this so incredibly much. But i can’t have it, not back in Hell. I’m sorry.”  

You sniffled, grateful he couldn’t see the fresh tears flooding your face, dripping onto his already wet shirt.   

He loosened the hug, releasing you to run if needed. You stayed in his hold, turning your head to rest against his shoulder, facing away. He rocked you with gentle sways, stroking the damp tendrils of hair.   

You swallowed loudly, trying to clear your throat to answer him.  

With a defeated sigh, you lead with, “I know, really. That’s why i didn’t want to ruin this trip. I know that when we go back, it’s just going to be Lucifer Morningstar, King of Hell, and me, the freak he’s trying to stop from setting people on fire. Please do NOT get me wrong, i was probably not going to tell you the... extent of how i felt. But I'd have tried to be at least a little honest about how much i enjoyed and appreciated this time together, however short it was.”  

He released a long, slow breath. “Yeah, i guess in hindsight maybe i should have let you do that. You’re wrong, though. You’re not a freak, and i wouldn’t just be training you like you meant nothing to me. Even just as friends, I'd still have this need to be near you. I’d still burn for you, hotter than Hellfire, even if from a distance.”  

Your tears stopped; a small smile broke through the pain in your chest. “Thank you, Lucifer. That’s more than i could ever ask for. Did... is it too late to pretend i never said that?”  

He moved to kiss your cheek, dampening his nose with the traces of your tears. “I’d rather hold on to it, actually. It’s quite refreshing to feel like I'm falling in love all over again, even if it’s doomed. Besides... i already suspected. It’s why i gave you time, just in case you wanted to ignore it.”  

His words struck you, seeming impossible over the apologies he’s already given. “So, you’re willing to go through all that, to fall for me, only to be broken up the second we get back? Are you an actual masochist?”  

“Hah, perhaps the very first in all of creation, since the beginning of time. I am also a hopeless romantic. So, yes, yes i am up for it. Bring it on.”  

“Bring it- Goddamn, that’s not the kind of thing you just say ‘fuck it, alright’ to. We have six days total, five nights exactly, before we’re back in Hell.”  

“Then let’s make the most of them, shall we?”  

His eagerness underneath the traces of sorrow gave you the final push, giving in and kissing him as though he was the air you breathed.  

  

At your insistence, you both left Rio, wanting to be well away from the city that changed everything for you. You even asked for business class flights, so you could sleep properly and not ache from uncomfortable seats as you flew to your first stop in Europe. The idea was to go somewhere that you could get to multiple different experiences in multiple countries in a short time, massively slashing the length of flights like you had been taking prior. The same logic applied to sleeping arrangements; every single night, you only booked one hotel room, and only slept in the same bed, maximizing every moment you could grab of this fleeting adventure.  

He took you to the Netherlands, traversing small mountain ranges with you until you found the perfect peaks to watch the Northern lights. In the centre of Frankfurt, he took you to markets and museums, telling his reams of stories quietly to you as you studied the art. In Venice, it was long strolls down famed canals, him singing in the evening light, just to you.   

The two of you paused on a canal bridge, soaking in the view of restaurants and dim bedroom lights across the silhouetted city. He held you close to his side before reaching out, brandishing the phone for a picture. He took one of just you, and vice versa, before taking an obligatory selfie. He asked for one more, just to remember this moment. Knowing what he meant, you smiled softly at him, staring down at his lips as he beamed, capturing the sweet photo before kissing you. You wondered if he got that too; though your eyes had fallen closed by that point.  

He stepped back, eyes wandering over your face. The bliss tainted with sadness in your heart, aware of the dwindling remnants of the holiday.  

You turned, leaning over the stone handrails, watching over the scenery.  

Honestly, you just wanted to stay here. You tasted the bitter irony of wishing to be on Earth so very badly, after selling your soul in order to escape it, just because you fell for the Devil. At least your poor decision making seemed consistent.   

About a metre away, Lucifer settled into a comfortable position leaning on the handrails, looking down at the water. You watched him from the corner of your eye, trying not to be obvious. You pondered his thoughts as the usual peaceful smile drifted over his expression when he stared out at a view like this. The moment felt so pure. In his dark leather jacket, with pushed-back flaxen hair and a tender expression, he looked so immensely human. Inside, the flicker of his spirit brightened, growing with warmth as he stared down into the water.   

Now curious, you looked down at the water to see what was so pretty about it.   

Immediately, you notice his eyes dart away, suddenly very interested in looking at one of the boats while avoiding eye contact.   

The breath leaves your lungs with a whoosh as it dawned on you. He was watching you from your reflection this whole time. He’d seen you staring like an absolute obsessive creep, in nearly every place you visited.  

Your mind strung together an obscene ribbon of profanities as you held your hand over your mouth, wishing the earth could swallow you whole, WITHOUT delivering you to Hell.  

He laughed nervously, still trying to look away, realizing you’d caught on.  

In an accusatory whisper as you glared, “ Lucifer. Look at me, you flaming ball of dicks. What the fuck was that? Is that what you’ve been doing this whole fucking time? ”  

His laughter loudened, startled by your abrasive tone. “I mean, look, it’s nothing bad, right? You just... get a little distracted, and i like watching your face when you think I'm not looking. I told you, i had suspicions. I just found a way to confirm them. Consistently. Those googly eyes make me melt, my sweetheart.”  

You groan into your hands as he comes over and hugs you, still chuckling.  

He broke through your embarrassment with dozens of little kisses all over your exposed face, hands and finally lips when he managed to wrestle your arms out the way. You tried to wriggle out, still aflame with humiliation, failing completely as he locked ardent lips with yours. 

 

Chapter Twenty Four: No New Normal  

  

For the final night together, you stayed in Greece.   

Beautiful in so many ways, the country held depths of growth, devastation, mystery and myth beyond your comprehension. Lucifer was unstoppable, rushing you from statues and monuments to museums and wonders across the land. He barely took a break as he told stories and recounted tales, whether from the mythology and fiction or from his own memories of how he’d seen the events in real time. You barely spoke, mostly just asking polite prompting questions as you held his hand like a lifeline.  

The sun set quicker than you were ready for, still trailing off from another monument, a desperation tinging Lucifer’s voice and eyes as he tried to cram in as much adventure as possible.   

At the dimming of dusk, reaching dark hues of blue over the mountains, you stood with him at the peak above Olympia. Here, you finally allowed the first glimpse of tomorrow to settle in. He kept walking forward, making grand gestures and huge expressions of speech as he told a story you could no longer hear.   

You gently lowered yourself to sit on the path, watching him walk further, not realizing you’d stopped. It amused you, how hard he was fighting to keep distracted, or at least to keep the day going.  

He was mesmerizing, with arms in the air in front of a cherished archaeological wonder, illuminated by the dying light of your last day together.   

He looked back over his shoulder, surprised to not see you immediately behind him. He spotted you, trotting over with a fake smile as he held his hand out for you to stand. You shook your head, patting the ground next to you before wrapping your arms around your knees.  

In your periphery, you could see the pain and indecision. He knew. If he sat down now, it would be the beginning of the end.  

Initially, he refused, facing back towards the view next to where you sat.  

“There’s so much more to see, we can’t just stop now. There’s still light, and i can make a torch if needed. Plus, you haven’t been down to the site itself, i know a few secrets about it that you’ll love. We-”  

“Lucifer.”  

His breathing turned shaky as he refused to look down at you.  

“Don’t make me do this alone, please. Can you just sit with me? Be with me?”  

His facade slipped, revealing the pain as he eased down to sit sideways facing you. He picked up one of your arms, taking your hand and studying the fingers with the long claws.  

Over his silence, you began.  

“This was... the best time of my life. My entire... everything. When you showed up with those damn suitcases, i quite rightfully thought you were insane. But honestly, I'd spend millennia up here, listening to your stories and making new ones. I love you, Lucifer. But that’s not going to be enough. Hell is broken, and needs your attention far more than i do. Your daughter, your... wife. They all need you, while I'm just taking advantage of all the fun and excitement you’re foolish enough to share. When we go back, i don’t expect you to ever... be with me like this. It’ll be weird for a while, with training and all, but it’s necessary. All i ask is you let me keep the memories. I want the photos, i want the stories, anything i can keep secret that lets me hold on to the happiest moments I've ever had.”  

He seemed unable to move, still silently stroking your knuckles. You gave him the space to think.  

The last of dusk fell, drawing Olympia into a chill with final darkness. You sat together, unmoving, just reminiscing.  

Finally, he seemed able to form words, however agonized they were.  

“I don’t... think i can handle another night here. I can’t stand goodbyes. I don’t want to cut it off early, though. What if... maybe we go back tonight instead, and we stay in my hotel room? No, uh, noise or anything, and we can stay up there the whole time until either we pretend to return downstairs or we just show up when we’re ready. Plus, it means we can go through the photos and pick out which ones we can share with the others or not.”  

You softly snorted at his reference to the less-than-platonic multitude of photos. Honestly, it was probably at least half, and that included some very indecent ones he’d taken during your nights in Europe.  

“That sounds really nice. I wonder if we’ll have to get them printed, so they can’t be leaked or wiped by Vox.”  

His brow furrowed, concerned. “Shit, that’s a really good point. Uhhhh.... i guess let’s make that our last job. Find a printer, send all of these to it, then you can do the honours of burning the printer so the photos of the Devil and a demon don’t get added to your bigger Bible.”  

You stood up with him, no longer terrified of the night ahead, clinging to the minute fractures of hope that preceded going home with him.  

  

Lucifer first made two copies of the photos; one large set for you to keep stashed away, and one that he divided into ‘socially acceptable’ and ‘not so much’.  

The printer took a minute for the electrics to catch alight as you poured your flame into it like lava. Once it began, the harsh chemical smells and the sparks indicated its untimely passing with a messy clatter and fizzle. After this, Lucifer dropped his phone into it, allowing the digital copies of the photos to die out before he could risk connecting to the Pentagram’s wifi. You held your pack close, treasuring them as though immensely precious.  

He softly smiled, kissing your forehead as he summoned a portal back to the hotel in Greece to pack your things.  

Bags packed and utterly terrified, you nodded for Lucifer to make the portal home.  

  

The darkness startled you, along with the bitter air in Hell. Lucifer snapped his fingers, a small lamp flicking on across the room as the curtains dropped at his will. “We’ll have to keep the light and noise down if you want the privacy, otherwise we’ll have to face the inquisition a little early. I’m personally not ready for that, anyway.”  

 “No, me neither. It’s weird to be back, their air feels so different. Like breathing through smog.”  

“I mean, that’s probably not wrong. So, uh, welcome to my room, i guess?”  

You realized that’s why you didn’t recognize the surroundings, having not been in here before. It was almost child-like with cutesy toy ducks everywhere, plus an insane amount of apple decor, including the big apple-shaped bed.  

“Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you have an obsession, Lucifer. Not once.” You side eyed him with the sarcasm, making fun of his bedroom as you took steps around it. One little duck toy sat on the bedside table, the normal yellow colour, but with orange and blue around the wings and tail, with long blonde hair. You picked it up, smiling sadly. “Lilith? It’s cute, i like that you keep that close to you.”  

He suddenly looked incredibly awkward, gently taking the duck away from you and cradling it in both hands. At the press of a hidden button, it shot a small gush of flame from its beak.  

His sad smile faltered as he spoke; “It’s.... not Lilith.”  

Your eyes darted between him and the toy, suddenly realizing the orange and blue were supposed to represent your flames.  

“Lucifer... how long...?”  

He shrugged, carefully placing the duck back in its spot, rotating it perfectly into where you found it.  

“If you’ll excuse me, I'm just gonna freshen up. I won’t be long, get comfortable i guess.”  

He pivoted to the en suite with you watching his back disappear. You sighed painfully, looking back at the little duck.   

You pulled out your stash, already wishing to be back in the moments you captured, both before and after the revelations. You heard the shower turn on, pausing for a few seconds before deciding to pester him.  

He didn’t react to the door opening, slowly running his hands through his pale blond hair under the steaming shower. His skin was porcelain, with his dark forearms and long claws indicating his demon form. You noticed the tail trailing on the shower floor. He rested an arm on the back wall of the shower, rubbing his face with a sigh. You crept forward, convinced he hadn’t heard you enter.   

Moving ever so carefully, you squatted down and grabbed the tail, making him scream out with a huge jump. He slipped and nearly fell, neatly landing in your arms as you caught him. His wide eyes looked both shocked and flustered. You admired the demonic face, seeing the softer side he’d hidden, leaning down to kiss the parted lips. In your arms, he adjusted so he kneeled in front of you, capturing your face in his hands and deepening the kiss. Against your lips he muttered, “what is it about you and showers.”  

You giggled, biting his lip and straddling him.  

  

You snuggled closer into Lucifer as the morning light streaked through cracks in the curtains. You stayed like this in a half-asleep stupor, enjoying the tight hug he trapped you in.   

The door handle jiggled as someone tried to come in. You bolted upright, waking Lucifer with a shake. It jiggled again, with him realizing someone was on the other side. You both panicked; he picked you up by the arms and hid you in the en suite with a quick slam of the bathroom door, calling out that he’d be right there in a second. You stood in a daze, wondering what the fuck just happened.  

Outside the door, you can hear him greet Niffty, asking her what she’s doing. She sounded giddy, excited to have him back, cheering that she can’t wait to tell the others as they thought he was still on holiday. You heard him try to placate her, but she was long gone down the corridor. He let out a quiet profanity before releasing you from the bathroom.  

“So... it begins. Ugh, let’s get you back to your room before anyone gives us more Hell, in Hell.”  

“Portal?”  

“Mmmmhmm.”  

You grab your photo stash and suitcase, hopping from the portal to your bedroom.   

It was remarkably undisturbed, yet very clean. Maybe that was why Niff had interrupted you, to do room service.  

The portal closed behind you, leaving you alone.  

You unpacked, realizing you now had a massive amount of clothes to add to your bare wardrobe.  

Problem was, as each item unfolded, the ones you had worn weighed heavier and heavier as the memories flashed before you. By halfway through the case, they felt as though they weighed a ton, your arms sagging under the pain of acceptance. You allowed the tears, kneeling over the case and glaring at the offending clothes as though hating them would make loving Lucifer hurt any less.  

After a good half an hour, you’d sorted the rest of the clothes and accessories into their new home, having gained some vague composure before allowing anyone to see you. With a hint of makeup, mostly foundation and mascara, you steeled yourself to head out and greet the Hazbin Hotel staff and guests for breakfast.  

You left your room with a casual outfit and the Asmodeus crystal safely under your jumper, feeling incredible underdressed compared to the last three weeks. From the top of the stairs, you spotted Lucifer excitedly talking to Charlie and Vaggie by the sofas, with his top hat and cane waving enthusiastically. You took a moment to watch him, leaning over the banister and resting your head on your hands.  

A sudden shooting flame disturbed you, making you jump upright as Alastor manifested beside you.   

“Ahh, the Phoenix has returned. Niffty informed me Lucifer was already in his room this morning, but you weren’t in yours. Did you get lost, dear?”  

Absolutely shocked by his observation, you bit your lip and fumbled for any sort of excuse.   

He waited patiently while you struggled.  

You sighed, clenching your jaw, already feeling the tension you’d managed to dispell rising. “Good morning, Alastor. Pleasure to see you again. Might i offer you the opportunity to mind your own fucking business?”  

He threw his head back laughing, catching the attention of the group below. Just before you went downstairs, you glared back at him, warning him to keep quiet with your expression. He looked nothing short of thrilled to have leverage over you.  

He walked beside you down the stairs, despite you facing away with a flash of temper in your wrists. Charlie came bounding over, wrapping you in a hug while the others said their hellos. Lucifer stood awkwardly, a fake smile and tight eyes swivelling between your thinly veiled anger and Alastor’s glee.  

“Dad’s only just come down, he’s been telling us about some of the places you went to, says he has a bunch of pictures. Did you get any on your phone? He told me about losing his in the sea.”  

You faltered, looking back at Lucifer who gave you ‘shut up and blag it’ eyes. “Yup, not many though. We were gonna make a big album with the printouts for you all, but we didn’t get time to pick up a book big enough to fit them all in. Lucifer loves taking selfies, so it’s mostly just his forehead the whole time. I guess those are the only copies we have of the ones he took.”  

Charlie giggles, excitement spilling over.  

You pull out your phone, trying to think if there were any they couldn’t see. You’d specifically avoided taking spicy pictures on yours for this exact reason, though you still spotted a couple you had to quickly delete. “Uhh here you go, just stick to this folder. My other galleries have pics from when i worked in Steel Stilettos and Lust, and you really don’t wanna open those doors.”  

Angel laughed from near the dining room door, trotting over to see the holiday snaps.  

Angel's whistle made you jump. “Holy shit Lucifer, you look hot . Did you go out looking like that the whole time? How many dames did you pull?”  

Lucifer dismissively waved his hand, cringing slightly, muttering about how busy it was and how much travel you’d had to do.  

Charlie and Angel kept your phone occupied for most of breakfast while you silently prayed there were no more suspicious pictures. There was only about fifty or so on yours, but the chance wasn’t exactly zero. Lucifer sat next to Charlie, taking long sips of tea while he too looked uncomfortable at their swiping. One of the guests took the seat next to you, making polite conversation about some of your favourite places you’d been to.  

Alastor interrupted, leaning over you to grab a croissant. “So, did you find the trip useful? Feel any better at controlling that spontaneous combustion of yours?”  

That you could safely answer. “Yes, actually. I’ve gotten a lot better at activating and receding the flames. Look!”  

You drew from the semi-permanent reservoir of energy, summoning a tennis-ball sized orb of fire to hover above your palm, then absorbing it almost immediately.  

You got a few ooohs and ahhs, though noticed the distinct pleased look on Alastor’s face as he took his seat. The question definitely seemed loaded now you looked at his satisfied expression.  

Charlie was about to hand you the phone back before Husk demanded it, having a flick through with Niffty leaning over his shoulder.  

“You know, Angel’s not wrong. If i saw you on the street when i was alive, I'd have slipped by number your way. Hey kid, how many times did he abandon you to go get laid?”  

“Uuuhhhm, i don’t know, unless he did while i was in a separate room, i didn’t think he, uh, did that.”  

Lucifer confirmed enthusiastically, proudly announcing that he didn’t go out to sleep with one single human. His cocky grin and hands on his hips only welcomed the implication that he didn’t include a demon in the statement.   

You jumped in quickly, distracting to prevent anyone thinking about it too hard. “He did get a LOT of stares, though. Seriously, everywhere we went, some poor bloke was either restraining his drooling girlfriend, or being restrained by her. Lucifer, tell them about the girl in Mexico, the one who tripped!”  

He recounted the funny story, how one of the beach-goers had been so enthralled by his human disguise on the sun lounger that she’d tripped over a small child and ruined their sandcastle. You relaxed a little, feeling safer from the dangerous topic.  

In less than innocence, Angel looked at you with a smirk. “So, did you go get laid at all?”  

You coughed, embarrassed, trying to disguise a laugh. Thank God you’d put foundation on to hide that blush. “Hey, whatever dumb shit i got up to doesn’t need to be repeated here. I don’t have the ability to just portal up to Earth and be surrounded by the hottest of the hot humans any time of my choosing. You think I'm wasting that? Nah. That however is the only thing you’ll hear from me about that, so if you’d be so kind, ask me something else.”  

Your eyes darted to Alastor’s, who gave you a knowing smirk, but thankfully kept quiet. You looked back to where Husk was zooming in on a photo, trying to work out if he recognized the background. “I think that’s Rio, right? You actually took the King of Hell to go see Christ the Redeemer? PAHAHAH”  

You chuckled along, agreeing. “I’m nothing if not ironic. Besides, i was mostly there for the nightlife and the hiking.”  

“Aw man, I miss the tables in Rio just before Carnaval, that shit was intense.”  

Angel made fun of him, spinning the conversation to his time back on Earth, a welcome distraction. You picked up your dishes and headed to the kitchen, ready to wash up.  

Niffty came charging in, followed by Alastor. The hairs on the back of your neck stood as they perched next to the sink, checking no one else followed.  

Under his breath, Alastor whispered, “I do enjoy this little performance you’re putting on, dear. You’re not particularly good at deception; but distraction, i commend you. I will of course keep your secret, as will Niffty. For a price.”  

You stop washing, tilting your head back in dread. Eyes closed, you whisper back, “go on, name it.”  

His grin widened, pleased to have his suspicions confirmed. “One favour, at a time of my choosing. ‘Of the equivalent value’, as you put it.”  

You bit into your cheek, already regretting the pact as you nodded.   

“Excellent. Now, move aside so Niffty can do her job, she’s far better than you.”  

The little demon giggled maniacally as she hopped over the sink, scrubbing with joyful fury. You dried your hands, watching her with caution.  

  

In the evening, Lucifer brought down the ‘safe’ pile of photos, after he triple-checked them. He laid them carefully on the coffee table while the group milled around, picking some up, careful not to put fingerprints or grime on them. You tried to avoid looking, still sore from the emotional unpacking that morning.  

Lucifer picked one up in particular, smiling wistfully before tucking it near a pile dedicated to Venice. You clocked it, seeing the tasteful selfie you’d taken together, just before you’d caught him looking at your reflection.  

Alastor was keeping to the side, reading while Niffty was more engaged. She asked excited questions, rambling in her own excited stories when she recognized somewhere.  

Thankfully the photo organization was uneventful, and turned into a helpful crafting session as Vaggie found an old album to glue the photos into. Most of them fit, except for a small pile of selfies that had barely any actual scenery in them.  

You stayed with the group, listening to easy conversation and relaxing while others started heading off for bed. Soon it was just a strange unspoken stand-off between who would insist on going to bed first between Alastor and Lucifer; noticing the discomfort, you made the decision for them, leaving for your own room. Almost immediately the two of them announced they were retiring too. You sighed, already sensing the bullshittery ahead. 

Chapter 3: Flame of the Hearth: Part 3

Summary:

Life had not been kind to you. Reaching the end of your limit, you turn to dark magic and demons to escape. Your call is answered by Evil itself, blessing you with a curse and releasing you in Hell to begin your new life.

You deal in favours; a currency that collects as wealth in the Rings of Hell. Greater deals lead to greater risks, rendering you vulnerable to some very powerful demons. Escaping the Lust ring, you hide in Pride, only deepening the danger you're in as those close to you are getting targeted.

Then Lucifer Morningstar came and upturned everything you thought you knew about this world. Your initial hate for him ran deep, hiding the undercurrent of attraction when he came near. He breaks down those fiery defences, tests your limits, and teaches you control over your flame. His mentorship is skewed by his desire to touch you, losing his self-control and giving in to temptation. Taking you around the world, his once broken heart revives as you fall dangerously deep in love with him.

His distraction leads to far greater dangers in Hell than he previously anticipated. When conflict arises, the question is asked; who's side are you on?

Chapter Twenty Five: Anger Untempered  

  

After a week of awkward glances and lack of real conversation, Lucifer finally came to visit you in the night. He’d tried the door before quietly knocking, making you jump. You wrapped your nudity in a towel and answered, surprised as he quickly hopped in the room and shut the door. Before you could react, his lips were on yours, hungry and passionate.  

He was met with zero resistance as you gave in, gripping his hair and stifling moans as he pressed you against the wall.  

  

You faced breakfast a little more dishevelled and a lot happier that morning. There was a small flicker of hope for a potential ongoing fling, despite how incredibly stupid you knew it would be. And yet, the sight of him with that cocky grin still electrified you.  

“Hey, think you’d be up for working on energy control?” He’d say, making conversation overtly about your powers, but obviously inviting a hookup.   

“Good idea, i think I'm getting the hang of not setting things randomly on fire.” You’d say, trying to downplay his invitation.   

The portal would open, and you’d maybe put in about ten or so minutes of actual work before slipping into your escape.  

The best thing was, his illusions became grand spectacles. He conjured the most beautiful ballrooms, intricate castles, glistening meadows, dazzling skylit caves, all to please you without having to ask. It wasn’t as real or immersive as the holiday, but it helped you cling on to that joy just a little longer.  

Outside of the portals, except for the odd night over, he was entirely professional. He left for meetings, helped with the guests, got back up to date with bigger issues across the rings, just generally acting as the face of Hell. Whatever was brewing in the Pentagram hadn’t reared its ugly head yet, much to your anxiety.   

One night he came back to the hotel late, while you were in the middle of sneaking down for a snack. It meant you couldn’t look anyone in the eye who prepared food using pretty much any flat surface in the kitchen afterwards for two days.  

Alastor was suspiciously relaxed about his knowledge. He didn’t hang it over you nor make teasing remarks. You wondered what the favour would be that was so bad he didn’t want anyone to get wind of it.  

  

Lucifer came strolling in after a meeting, loudly laughing with Charlie. You cringed lower into your seat, ignoring the ache in your thighs from the night before. It was late enough that most of the guests had headed out to a bar; you’d stayed behind hoping for some privacy, which you clearly weren’t going to get.  

Sitting alone in the lounge, you pretended to focus on your book, listening to the conversation as it came to a natural end. Charlie waved her Dad off, not having seen you on the TV-facing sofa. You waited for her to trot upstairs while Lucifer stood, pretending to look at his phone with a fake grin. As soon as she was up and around the corner,  he leapt over the back of the sofa and landed heavily on your lap, quietly giggling as he scrambled into your arms.   

You noticed the darting of fire before you could push him off, giving him a firm elbow to stop him. Lucifer looked back at you, puzzled, rubbing the spot on his waist as you tried to push him to the seat next to you. He didn’t budge, looking around in confusion, whispering “ow, what the fuck was that? What are you doing?”  

You cringe up at him, giving up trying to move him from his straddle. You put your hands on his hips and spoke to the hearth of black magic currently hiding behind the TV.   

“Hello Alastor. Can i help you?”  

Lucifer’s eyes widened, head darting to try and spot him.  

He practically jumped and rolled off you as the shadow manifested on the other sofa with a huge grin and crossed legs.  

Lucifer fixed his outfit, brushing it off and pretending to be mid conversation, saying goodnight and hastily leaving. 

Alastor watched the departing figure, eyes narrowing a fraction as he disappeared to the lifts.  

“To what do i owe the pleasure?”  

His grin turned to you, loaded with menace. “Well my dear, i do believe the cost of that favour has just increased, with interest . Wouldn't you agree?”  

You threw your hands up, acquiescing. “Obviously. Mind giving me a hint at what you want?”  

“Hmmm... only a hint, since you were kind enough to not make me sit through whatever pathetic performance that was about to be first. I’d like you to focus on your magic, dear. I have use for it, since Charlie is... failing, though that is hardly a surprise. I suggest we keep this between us, of course.”  

“Yeah, our little secret, i know. Fine.”  

At that, he darts back off to his room in shadow, leaving you in a pool of regret and interrupted excitement.  

  

The price managed to increase even further once the stakes got a lot higher.  

Charlie got a phone call, rushing out of her room to tell everyone the amazing, unbelievable, wonderful news.  

Lilith was coming back to Hell.  

Of course, there were mixed emotions from the hotel; those who hadn’t met her were nervous, a little afraid even. Alastor looked straight up furious under his tense grin. Niffty looked like she’d burst an artery from excitement at meeting the Baddest Girl, and Vaggie seemed stoked to see Charlie so overwhelmingly excited. Lucifer too, had a huge genuine smile on his face as he hugged Charlie close, spinning her round.   

You swallowed the lump in your throat, biting your tongue until you could taste blood, pretending to be interested in the conversation.  

It took every single effort not to look Lucifer in the eye. Alastor either, especially since you were basically dead meat to him right now under the knowledge he had.  

You played along enough to not be suspicious when you left to go have a shower, breaking down under the shelter of hot water. Finality came crashing down as you already knew the conversation coming your way.  

Unable to face him, you ignored when Lucifer came knocking quietly that night, and the next.  

You went out of your way to time going to meals and joining activities for exactly the times given, avoiding any single moments he could corner you.  

You even moved seats so you were facing away from him further down the table, pretending to want to get to know Cherri and Lora better.  

Just as you went to go back to your room after dinner, Lucifer grabbed your arm, still well within everyone’s line of sight.   

“Heeeey, think it’s maybe time for some more training? We were due to work on your distance, if you’re free?”  

You bit back a comment, rewording it in front of the others. Especially Alastor, who had the slyest grin you’d ever seen.  

“I guess if you think it’s best. I wasn’t planning on getting into any fights any time soon.”  

His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to work out your meaning. “Yeah, but sometimes fights come to you. Ready?”  

Alastor stepped forward, circling around you with cruel excitement. “Ahh my dear, don’t you want to show off what you can do? Since you’re under so much more control now, i doubt you’ll even need to go hiding off in magical realms any more. Why don’t you have a session here? I’d be fascinated to see what you're capable of.”  

Lucifer scowled at him. “It’s not your concern, bellhop. Besides, the realm we use is a lot safer, for her and everyone else.”  

Alastor stopped circling, leaning back on his heels as he looked down at you. “Oh i certainly imagine so. No prying eyes, of course. I mean, who knows what you’re teaching her in there. The whole hotel might be in danger.”  

You throw him a warning glare this time, feeling anger flaring in your throat.  

Vaggie, from the dining room doorway, actually agreed. “You know, it’s not a bad point. Maybe if we got to see what you’ve learned, we could all rest assured you’re in control if things went down with the Overlords, especially the Vees. If you need a target, i can take a little fire!”  

“NO!” You and Lucifer shout in unison. You warn him off with a finger as you answer her.   

“No, Vaggie. You can’t. Not this kind. Whatever it is, it’s nasty; I've burned Hellborn before just by accident, and you know how hard that is.”  

Alastor gestured excitedly; “Well then, all the more reason for you to show us how under control you are. Shall we do this outside the back perhaps? I can put up a static wall to prevent spying eyes, unless you’d like them to see.”  

You sighed, rubbing your arm unconsciously. “Yeah... put up the damn wall. Lucifer, out back. Whoever the fuck else wants to be there, come on.”  

  

You had a small gathering from the hotel all sitting in the shade, well aware of the need to duck if flames went their way. You had their full attention as you lined up opposite Lucifer, feeling the prickle of resentment in your chest.  

He had the audacity to look nervous, despite knowing you couldn’t harm him. Perhaps he could tell how pissed you were.  

He gave the first command, to summon a simple orb to hover. It came easily, floating above your hand.  

“Extend your arm, guiding it away from you. See how far you can push it without feeding its growth.”  

The flame obeyed for a few feet before becoming harder to manage. You started to struggle with the mental reach and keeping control, watching it stutter and fizzle as you tried to regulate the strength while pushing it further. You gritted your teeth, aching your arms as you leaned into the control. It suddenly burst, giving a quick flash of light and heat before you tamed it back down.   

The exercise was difficult and frustrating under your anger. You needed control, peace even. That was the whole point of the holiday, to help give you memories to hold on to. But right now, even the slightest crack in your walls was going to open a floodgate, and God knows how uncontrollable the flames would be then.  

He pressured you, getting to the point of accusing you of not trying. Some of the audience looked bored by now, sitting on their phones. You stared between them and Lucifer, feeling trapped between your weakness and the dangerously strong undercurrent you swallowed back.  

“Get it together. You’ve done amazing for months now, and you want to pretend to be shit now, in front of everyone? I- I can tell you, all of you, this isn’t her. I’ve done a FAR better job of training her than this. You’re acting PATHETIC!”  

Your teeth bared as a snarl tore through, relinquishing to the anger. Your hands ignited as you took slow steps, one by one, towards Lucifer. Fire dripped from your fingers as thick as lava, smoking as it hit the dirt. 

“How fucking dare you. When i am at the pinnacle of holding my shit together, still learning how to use my powers, and frankly terrified of accidentally hurting someone. And yet, here i am, still not fucking good enough. You wanna see amazing? Enjoy.”  

You spat the words as you called upon your entire reservoir, feeding in all the pain and grief, the heartbreak and anger,  calling it into a swirl of magic ahead of you. It burst from your hands, curving up into the air and dancing at your will, shaping into a gigantic maw set in a pointed face as it shaped into the dragon you envisioned. Nearly as tall as the Hazbin Hotel, you braced your feet with the force of channelling all the energy into its form. Interestingly, your reservoirs weren’t running out. They just kept pouring, swirling, enriching the massive beast as you made it scream Hellfire into the sky, matching your own scream of anger. 

The dragon’s breath reached near the clouds, disturbing the bright maroon sky with yellows and reds of its own. Your scream died out, dropping to your knees as your arms fell. The energy continued to pour, but slower this time, gently waning in strength as you called the dragon to circle around you, massive feet leaping on the ground as it grew smaller and smaller in the air. It became just the size of a pup before you held your hand out to it, feeling your grief as a physical being. You stroked its face, whispering that you were so, so sorry. It crawled its paws into your hand and nuzzled your face, drying your tears with evaporation. You smiled sadly, whispering a sweet goodbye to it. It gave a tiny cry, before softly dissolving into golden flutters of sorcery and flowing back into your wrist.   

Lucifer stayed well away as you stood, neutralizing your face. The audience looked all shades of terrified. Good. They should be. This wasn’t just a game. And neither were your feelings. You threw one look at Alastor, something along the lines of ‘is that what you expected’, before stoically walking back to your room. You didn’t miss the absolute hunger in his eyes after seeing your powers in full swing.  

  

Charlie came to check on you that evening. You recognized a knock different to Lucifer’s, so you actually answered it.  

“Hey, can i come in?”  

You waved her through, still unimaginably numb.  

She stood anxiously for a minute, hovering by the bed.  

“Sit if you want. If you feel safe enough to.”  

She cringed, perching lightly on the bed.  

“That’s what i wanted to talk about, really. The scene at the bar didn’t even begin to capture how strong you really are, let alone how powerful the flames were. The ground is practically cemented where your... flame-being had jumped. Dad says it’s true Hellfire, just like his and mine, which makes it a lot harder to control. I get why you needed the other realm, and I'm sorry i didn’t defend you earlier.”  

You paused, processing and mulling over a few of the words. “You have it too? Just as strong as him?”  

“To a degree, yeah. He’s still pure Seraphim, one of the fallen angels of creation, even though he’s in demon form that still makes him insanely powerful. I got a little of that, mixed with Mom’s magic, too. A lot of the training you’re doing, i probably did too at some point. I might even be able to help, if you need a break. Dad said... i don’t really understand it, but he said something about you going through something rough recently, and you’re probably going to push him away, so he asked me to try with you instead. I’m not trying to pry, i promise. Just offering to help, if you’re up for it?”  

You relaxed slightly as you appreciated his cautious wording to his daughter. “Yeah, he’s not wrong. I think i need a bit of a break from training, if that’s okay. I know i really lost it today, but it was still actually under control, for the most part. I had the shape, the energy, the heat, all of it was my choice. I wanted it to do that.”  

“Even the bit at the end, where it came up to you?”  

You swallowed, realizing she was right. It had manifested itself, a real, independent, conscious being for a moment. But it was still a part of you. “Even then, I'm mostly sure. Do you know what people mean when they say, grief isn’t just a feeling, it can be a whole separate part of you? You can either fight it, or care for it, heal it. I think you saw me meet my grief. I... apologized to it, for not listening sooner.”  

Charlie’s face twisted with memories of her own grief, resonating with yours. She leaned over, enclosing you in a hug. You barely returned it with one arm, still feeling out of touch with your emotions right now.  

“Yeah, i know what you mean. We’re all a bit fucked up down here, aren’t we?” She sniffled, eyes filling with unshed tears. Despite your own issues, you felt a pang of sorrow for her.  

“Your turn, come on. Big Feelings time.”  

She laughed, wiping away the first few that escaped.  

“I’m honestly losing my mind here. I’m so, SO excited to see Mom. But something feels wrong, like... it’s too out of nowhere, too random. It doesn’t feel like a casual homecoming at all. Seven, nearly eight years without a single word plants doubts, you know?”  

The pit opened in your own stomach as the unwelcome dread sunk in. “I can’t give you advice on that one, Charlie. I'm the last person you should be asking.”  

“.... because of Dad?”  

You looked up at her, cautious, observing her knowing look as she wiped away another tear. “I kinda guessed something was up between you when you got back. I haven’t seen him this happy in so long, and he just kept smiling at you. I’m not sure i want to know, and I'm absolutely certain Mom wouldn’t, but for what it’s worth? Thanks for giving my Dad a little hope.”  

You glanced away, shaking your head. “Let’s not dig that one any deeper, thank you. Look, I'll do what i can to work myself out, i promise. And yeah, if you want to do some training with me, I'd appreciate it. If you talk to your Dad again, mind telling him I'm not mad, but i need to be left alone for a while? I really don’t want to talk to him, but he put me on the spot today in front of everyone. I can’t deal with that right now.”  

She nodded, agreeing. “Yeah, that was a shitty move. No worries, I'll speak to him. And I'm not asking any more details. Like i said, i do NOT want to know. But when you’re ready, come to me and we can do some training.”  

“Wait, one quick question. If you’re only half Seraphim, does the Hellfire burn you?”  

“What do you mean?”  

“As in, if we did practice, would i need to be careful not to hurt you?”  

Her puzzled expression and long pause only made you more confused.  

“Our... uh, i don’t think i get it. Hellfire hurts anything that isn’t the producer. It’s the same as Angelic Fire. Look, give me your hand.”  

She took your hand, facing the palm upwards. At the tip of a finger, she lowered a bright white flickering flame towards your open hand. Initially you just felt the warmth, until the flame actually touched you. “AHH, what the shit?!” You cried, snatching your hand back.  

She killed the flame, looking curiously back at you. “Has Dad never shown you that?”  

You shook your head, recalling watching Lucifer walk through your flames unscathed.  

The intense urge to ask her about it nearly overwhelmed you. She sat patiently, sensing a lingering question.   

An idea came to you, one that made more sense than just blurting anything out. “Hey, can i try to see if you feel mine? Hang on-” you summoned the little flame at your own fingertip, holding it out in front of you, “try this. See if it even affects you?”  

“Uhhhh, sure, okay?”  

The experiment only astounded you further as she indeed received a burn, pretty quickly too. “YSHHHhhhh yeah that’s real Hellfire. Stronger than mine. Ouch. Happy now?”  

“Fuck I'm so sorry, i didn’t think it would... i’m so sorry Charlie, really. Can i get you ice?”  

You jumped up, ready to take her downstairs.   

“No, no, I'm fine. I heal quick anyway. Do you mind if i ask why that was even a question?”  

You gaze at the burn on her finger. “I guess maybe not if you don’t want to know anything that’ll make this situation with your Dad and me more awkward.”  

“Yup, ooooookaaay. Leaving now. Thanks, uh, or sorry, um... bye.”  

She exited quickly, leaving you bemused and generally stunned.   

  

Chapter Twenty Six: Falling Apart  

  

Lucifer had clearly gotten the message, keeping himself well away from you even if you were in the same room.  

The guilt panged in your chest just a little bit weaker than the relief of being allowed to process in your own time.  

Alastor seemed to revel in the growing distance between you and Lucifer. It made no sense, given how much he clearly valued the secret he kept. Yet, he spent an alarming amount of time pestering you with general questions and conversations that you otherwise never had.  

  

You'd been volunteered to help out with dinner one night while Vaggie was out, scouring through recipe books for anything relatively simple with a bit of spice.   

Charlie and Lucifer came in, hovering as you flicked through the pages. Charlie pointed out a rice dish they hadn’t had for ages, rich with chipotle extracts and lime that sounded amazing. She gave a suspiciously long look to her Dad before pretending to be called elsewhere.  

You sighed, well aware this was set up.  

“Is Vaggie even out tonight? Or is she just hiding upstairs?”  

Lucifer chuckled, opening the fridge to grab ingredients. “She’s out, but we had to bribe her.”  

“Asshole.”  

“Cranky bitch.”  

“Hah, bold of you. All i needed was space. And i get sass instead? And an ambush now?”  

“Well i figured you’d feel safer-” he stopped, grabbing a large kitchen knife and holding it by the blade, pointing the handle at you, “if you had the weaponry to hand. Might not be able to hurt me, but at least you’d enjoy having a go.”  

You took the knife, placing it beside you with a clatter. You snorted, irritated but amused. “Go on then. Get it out of the way.”  

“I miss you.”  

“And that’s my problem now?”  

His hurt expression caught your periphery as you maintained a controlled poker face.   

He swallowed, slowly moving ingredients around unnecessarily cautiously before starting to prep. “I guess not, if you’re doing better than i am.”  

You braced both hands on the counter, inhaling deeply through your nose.  

“Are you kidding me . Do you have any idea how selfish it is to be complaining to me, the unwanted fucking mistress , because your wife is about to stop you from having an affair with me? Are you that much of a.... a human male?!”   

He visibly cringed, not expecting that wording. He picked up a cutting knife from the drawer and silently set out cutting peppers and limes. You steadied your breathing, focusing back on slicing the chicken.  

In the back of your mind, you felt Alastor’s inner flame dancing with delight under the counter. He probably assumed you didn’t know he was there. Fuck it, he can stay hidden for all you cared. Maybe you’d sleep with Lucifer right there just to piss him off.   

“If it helps, i never saw you as a mistress, and i never EVER said you were unwanted. Far from it. If i wasn’t King-”  

“And she wasn’t Queen, i know, i get it. Don’t start. Look, we agreed this was temporary. We knew when... we knew it would end after the, ugh you know. Maybe that’s why she’s suddenly coming back, have you thought about that?”  

“Just about every single night since, yeah.”  

“Good, because you’re the one that’ll have to deal with her if she loses her shit at you. I’m throwing you under the bus or making a run for it. Maybe both.”  

He chopped in silence for a short time.   

Alastor hovered in shadow, still eavesdropping, likely over the moon at the pure tea he was being served.  

Lucifer softly laughed, pausing mid-slice. “Imagine if we did that.”  

“Hmm?”  

“Made a run for it. Lived up on Earth. Made a whole life, pretending to be human. Every single day could be another story, another dance. You said it yourself, you’d-”  

“Hey, leave me out of this delusion. You are NOT abandoning Hell to your absentee wife or your entirely incapable daughter. Yes, she is, don’t give me that face. She isn’t ready by ANY standards to lead Hell, or even just Pride. So no. I’m not indulging even a moment of that... idiocy.”  

“Then stay with me, here. If Lil wants to end things, i can-”  

“NO. STOP. I'm- I'm fucking done here. Sort your shit out, Lucifer. You were the one who... ugh just leave me alone. Keep pestering me and i WILL leave the hotel, no more ‘fun new redemption ideas’ from the crazy fire bitch. Explain THAT one to daughter dearest.”  

At that, you quickly washed your hands and left, chicken still half-prepped on your cutting board.  

You felt Alastor following you in shadow, zipping across the walls and under stairs as you stormed back to your room. He caught you just before you shut the door, holding it open. “May i-”  

“Shut up. Get in. You have five minutes.”  

“Hmm. Very well. I’d rather not be on the receiving end of your displeasure my dear, you have quite the sharp tongue. Did his majesty break your little heart so badly?”  

The door shut with an unintentional slam as you bristled.  

“What do you want from your Goddamn deal, Alastor?”  

A hint of static tinted in his voice as he delivered a drawn out ‘hmm’.  

“I have a few things as options, certainly. But one in particular i am most curious about. At our discretion, of course.”  

“Sure. What?”  

“Does your magic take any form other than flame? Are you able to, say, create, build, summon, repair, anything like that?”  

You crossed your arms, already well warned by Lucifer long ago that he’d try this.  

“Not that i know of, and I'm certainly not willing to attempt it without getting more control over this first. If you have any suggestions on how to figure it out, I'm all ears.”  

The corners of his lips dropped a little from the grin, eyebrows lowering into his version of a frown. “Shame. I’d have assumed your lovebird would have at least tried, though it seems you were rather otherwise occupied.”  

“Mmmhmm, I'd recommend it. It’s a lot of fun.”  

“Yes, well, it’s evidently a complete waste of time. You’re no further to being anything more useful to the hotel than a barbeque.”  

Your eyebrows raised, impressed by the audacity.   

“That’s real cute, Alastor. Mind reminding me how very useful you were in the last battle?”  

His expression hardened, the glare seething with affront. You stepped forward, daring him with a squint and a smile.  

“That’s a little bit better, right? We understand each other. Now, unless you figure out what you want from me, i suggest you go find someone else to fix your cane.”  

He snarled under his breath. “I’m hardly going to tolerate disrespect like that, dear. If you believe you can speak to ME, the Radio Demon, in any way like that,” he stepped closer, growing in height and blacking out his sclera. “you shall learn the hard way how difficult it is to summon flame when you have no arms.”  

You curled your claws, summoning a ball of Hellfire in each as you smirked.  

“Oh look, they’re still attached. Where’s your bite, little buck?”  

He screeched as he charged you, looming over you in a flash. You tried to dodge under his arm, being yanked by a tentacle instead. He dangled you in the air, using two more tentacles to hold the arms away from you as he held you over his gaping maw.  

“Hungry? I’m not even COOKED.”  

You release a wave of Hellfire over your entire skin, searing the tentacles cleanly off and forcing him to dodge out of the way. The carpet immediately caught aflame below you. “Ah, shit, shit!” You withdrew some of the fire from up to your calves, stomping out the flames before they could worsen. Still otherwise engulfed, you looked back to the Radio Demon, currently staring wide-eyed in shock. He made no move to attack, clearly seeing no way around this without getting himself severely burned.   

You stretched out your arms as you walked towards the dresser, recalling the flame in a quick gust as you pulled a robe out to wear. You slipped it on, unscathed and feeling a little better for letting off steam, literally.  

“You know, i rather enjoyed that. Entirely a waste of time, as you’d put it, but fun. Let me know if you’d like to have another to-the-death battle some time. As it is, your five minutes are up.”  

You paced to the door, politely holding it open as he shifted to his normal form, still staring warily at you as he left.  

You gave a sarcastically cheery “Bye!” as you slammed the door.  

  

The aftertaste of your spite left a burn like whiskey, soothing you just enough to ease out of the anger towards Lucifer. By no means were you ready to talk; but at least you wouldn’t throw a chair at him if you saw him in passing.  

You came down to dinner, trying to downplay a smirk as you saw Alastor cautiously dodge around you to get to his seat. Similarly, Lucifer sat way up the far end of the table, avoiding you appropriately so. At least the boys were staying in line for now.  

Charlie came out with the food, assisted by Niffty. Your guilt overcame you as you realized she’d probably had to take over your work. You hopped up, beelining to the kitchen to help serve.  

“Hey, what are you doing? Go sit down!”  

“I will, i just wanted to help. I’m really sorry i left you and your Dad to it earlier, i didn’t think about anyone else. That was... really selfish. I’m genuinely sorry.”  

She put down the little tray and pulled you close. You’re startled by the affection, giving her a light pat on the back. “You... okay there Charlie?”  

“I am, yes. I know you’re not. Please go sit down, or do whatever you need to do. I’m sorry for setting up that ambush. It was my idea.”  

You rolled your eyes HARD. “Why does that not surprise me? Do you think you can fix quite literally everyone?”  

She half-smiled, “actually, kinda, yeah. Not in a big-headed way, but more that i believe everyone can change or be better or make a difference if they believe in themselves. It’s not so much you that I'm trying to work on right now, it’s him. And i think you’re the key. I worked out what you meant about the Hellfire thing, from snippets of what Dad would tell me. It’s all a bit...”  

“Don’t you even dare to imply what i think you’re hinting at. Don’t. Go. There.”  

She took in your furious expression as you gripped the countertop. Charlie held her hands up in defeat before picking up the tray again. “Fair enough. If there’s anything i can do, just let me know.”  

“Oh i don’t doubt you’ll try anyway. But still... thanks for looking after him.”   

Your tone softened as you thanked her, looking away and picking up two serving platters for the dinner table.  

Conversation loosely bounced around the table as you absent-mindedly ate. It did bother you, having that little caveat of not hurting Lucifer with Hellfire like you could everyone else. It felt strange, like two sides of the same coin, or a yin and yang.  

On one side, you were the one person who couldn’t hurt him, that should be able to. It would mean he’d feel safer with you, while also knowing you could look after yourself.  

On the other, he was the one person who you’d never be safe from. If he turned against you for whatever reason, you’d never stand a chance. And yet, this also meant he was the one person you’d never be able to hurt when you lash out. Physically, anyway. You were doing just fine hurting him emotionally.  

Still unfocused, your eyes wandered to him, watching him from across the table as the philosophical debate swirled. For just a brief minute, you saw the lopsided grin, the mischief in his eyes, and pictured his human face. If he knew how incredibly weak you were to that, he’d weaponize it in a heartbeat.  

A foot nudged yours under the table. Across from you was Charlie, whispering to Vaggie, who’d slid down her chair within reach to give you the little wake up.  

You chewed with a little more tempo as the embarrassment took over, warming your cheeks with that familiar stupid blush.  

At least Charlie looked happy, though Vaggie just generally looked confused and unbothered.  

You and Niffty stacked plates, heading into the kitchen with a few others for the routine tidy up. You handed everything to Niffty to wash, standing by with the tea towel ready. Her enthusiasm made you laugh. Behind her, Alastor watched over you both, playing with his fingernails with an amused smile.  

As you finished up the last of the dishes, you heard a loud cheering and multiple voices coming from the lobby. Curiosity plummeted into dread as you heard Charlie screaming for her Mom in excitement.  

“Oh, now that’s going to be interesting. Do you think you’re going to go meet her?”  

You stood frozen, holding a clean mixing bowl halfway into the cupboard. You listened, unable to move as the cacophony of welcomes turned into a song. You gently placed the bowl in, feeling your chest begin to crush inwards.  

“It’s rather ridiculous isn’t it? That’s her power, though. She has great influence over others with her songs. I’ll tell you now, by the next line they’ll all be dancing. You would be too if you joined.”  

“I really... don’t think i could.”  

“Oh, but wouldn’t you like to? Just imagine how much it’ll hurt Lucifer to see his mistress looking so very happy without him?”  

“Happy? I’m barely alive right now.”  

“Then perhaps you need to learn how to wear a smile like a weapon, my dear. Here!”  

He lifted the corners of your mouth, flashing your teeth in a mirror of his own grin. You raised a brow and held the smile there, feeling your world crumbling behind it.  

“Now, no matter how much absolute gut-wrenching agony you’re in, they’ll think you’re having a nice time. See how powerful that is as a tool?”  

Your smile dropped a little, to a more manageable shape. The chorus of Lilith’s song picked up in the background.   

He leant forward, holding a hand out. “Care to dance?”  

Holding tight to his hand and far tighter to your fake smile, you followed him out, feeling instantly immersed in dance moves you never learned. You started circling and twirling, intermingling with other guests and staff, crossing close to Lilith a few times. She never batted an eye at you, looking utterly breathtaking in crushed velvet with stunning maroon horns. Your hair really was similar to hers, making this whole situation a lot stranger. Thankfully yours was in a bun.   

The song flowed into a long bridge with powerful voice projection as people danced in pairs and switching partners every few seconds. You ended up pairing with Lucifer, who looked as though he hid as much pain behind his smile as you did. A few seconds later you were with Alastor, who pulled you out of the rhythm without disturbing the music flow.   

Instead of allowing you to switch between partners the way the song well telling you to, he’d spin you as soon as the urge took, meaning you followed the next steps immediately with him. It confused you, feeling like he’d found a reset button, keeping you away from the others. You asked him what the Hell he was doing, at which point he gave you another spin and a dip, startling you into grabbing his shoulder for balance.  

You stayed there, frozen as the song ended and people broke out of their poses. He helped you up slowly, maintaining eye contact. Your fake smile felt more like a grimace at this point, which Alastor reminded you by widening his own grin. You fixed your face, letting him go and brushing yourself off.   

You didn’t dare turn around to see them, knowing the King and Queen were greeting each other. The only solace you took was from hearing how utterly false the pitch in Lucifer’s voice was.  

Alastor lowered down to speak quietly to you. “I see you’re a little trapped, dear. Would you like to leave?”  

You looked back at him, extremely wary. “Why?”  

“Consider it a favour.”  

“I can get myself out of this.”  

“Oh, then go right ahead.”  

You glared at him, still warring with your feet to just move. Shaking your head, you lifted your arm to take his. “Excellent. Your debts are growing so very high, my dear.”  

“As are my reasons to hate you, asshole. I don’t care where, but please just get me out.”  

He chuckled pulling you close to his body as darkness overcame you.  

Blinking in shock at the sudden light, you recognized your room.  

“How... what.... WHAT.”  

Alastor formed in shadow a metre away, looking pleased with himself.  

“I don’t imagine you remember any of that, but you just had the pleasure of being carted away in my shadow. Quite the handy trick, especially when there’s sorcery keeping you in place.”  

“Was that... why i couldn’t move? I thought it was anxiety.”  

“It may well have been compounded with it, however there were some residual effects from the song. I prevented the worst of it by keeping you out of the main ring of dancers. Otherwise you’d have been drawn to her highness, seeking her approval and attention.”  

“Oh fuck, is that how this works?”  

“From what i can tell, anyway. It’s why you most certainly don’t stand a chance at Lucifer leaving her for you. It’s a rather delicate balance between his pathetic insecurities, and her songs.”  

“I’m not... i don’t want that. I know how much of a mess the royal family is right now and would rather not contribute to making it worse. But just to be clear, i don’t want revenge either. I’m not planning on hurting Lucifer, he just keeps getting himself burned trying to come back.”  

“Ah, I'm quite aware. It’s highly amusing. Still, you’re about to have a very challenging time whilst she is around. I have no doubts she will be spending a fair amount of time at the Hazbin Hotel, with her own agendas. Perhaps a trip elsewhere would serve you well?”  

“A trip? Has that very thing not caused this entire issue?”  

“ Now now , not with Lucifer . With your friends, perhaps to another ring. When was the last time you got to see that little dancer of yours?”  

“A while. But why do you want me out of the way?”  

He toyed with his claws as he grinned down at you. “So mistrusting. You may well survive this, you know. I have... investments in the hotel. If you were to cause major marital issues amongst the royal couple, their unprepared daughter may have to step up, which would ultimately set everything in the Pride Ring ablaze with chaos and unrest, not to mention allowing an Overlord uprising as a side.”  

You saw the logic, a vivid mental image conjuring. A trip wasn’t an unpleasant idea, getting to escape all the drama. “I’ll consider it. I’d like to see a little more of the Queen first before i make any serious judgements. But yes, i agree with your general assessment of Hell.”  

“Excellent, quite a pleasure to have an understanding of each other, as you so put it. I shall even consider your disappearance to be part of your debt cleared, if that helps sway you.”  

“Yes, fine. I guess we’ll see how it goes. Thanks, i guess, for getting me out of whatever that was.”  

“A pleasure my dear, quite a pleasure.” The grin took on a subtle green glow as his face darkened, misting into a shadow and flying down to his room.   

You groaned internally, feeling your body react to his words like silk spoken from a face of pure evil itself. Psychopath, or emotionally stunted fallen angel. Pick your goddamn poison why don’t you .

 

Chapter Twenty Seven: Strings of Fate  

  

You made your decision that night after hearing another round of song drifting from the corridor. Packing a bag, you gave Ozzie a call, hearing loud music in the background.  

“Hey girl! Haven’t heard from you in ages! Lulu told me ALL about the trip. Sounds like he had the time of his afterlife. So, how’s it beeeen?”  

You cringed, wondering how much he knew. “Hi, Oz. I’m still in Pride, using a possibly tapped network, so I'd like to talk in person. Can i come over?”  

“Huh? Sure, course you can, I'll have one of the private booths set up, we’ll have a drink and catch up. When will you be here?”  

“Where are you now?”  

“Main dressing rooms behind the stage?”  

You activated a portal, hitching your backpack onto your shoulders and stepping through as you ended the call.  

You spotted Ozzie looking perplexed at his phone before he saw your portal, rushing over with his arms raised for a hug.  

The warm greeting and excitable flame immediately lifted your spirits. You leapt into his tall frame, barely reaching your arms across his chest as he held you up.  

“Hey, that was quick! You running from the law again?”  

“Hah, no, not this time. The Queen of Hell instead.”  

His smile faltered as he tried to work out what you meant, eventually dropping as he realized you were serious.  

“No... Oh, tell me she isn’t back now?”  

You nodded, releasing an irritable breath.   

“Right when Lu gets ANY shot at being okay again... that... urgh. I’m sorry to hear. Let’s go find that booth, and that bar . We’re gonna need it.”  

  

You sat with Ozzie, giggling from the second bottle of wine, recounting a lot of what happened after you got home from the holiday in gory, smutty detail. He lapped it up, always thirsty for the details, hyping you up the whole time. Even when you got to the part of Lilith coming back, he was still sassy and supporting you.  

You were interrupted in your final part of the story about when you spoke to Alastor. Music quietened and a croaky voice excitedly took over the microphone.  

“Ladies, gentlemen and heathens! We hope you’re enjoying our show tonight, it’s been a pretty HORNY crowd out there, good to see ya sick fucks!” He paused for the hecklers and cheers. “But best of all, we have an extra guest tonight, from the stories and legends, rising from the ashes.... The Phoenix!”  

You’re dazzled by spotlights suddenly pointed at you, shielding your eyes as you gave a nervous wave from the third floor. There were multiple excited shouts and cheers, probably from people thinking it was part of the show.  

“And, as a treat for our special guest, we have our most talented tigress, the unbelievable, indomitable and untameable, Ellie-Rose!”  

You jumped from your seat, still in a spotlight as the other beams swivelled to Ellie striding out onto the stage. You clasped a hand over your mouth, muffling your scream as you jumped and waved.  

The urge to create fire overpowered you. Your body just took over, telling you by instinct, or by involuntary thought, to take a step into the air.   

You met resistance, feeling a physical level under your feet, using it to push off from. The next foot went one step higher, then the next, until you were stood level with the railing. You trusted each footing, listening to the flame as it felt steady beneath you. The crowd went silent as you left the railing, floating dozens of feet from the ground floor, stepping on rings of golden flame.  

Your eyes met Ellie’s as she covered her own mouth in amazement. You descended, trusting your every step, approaching the stage with the gentle simmer and roar of new fire every time you placed a foot. Just above the stage, within reach of Ellie, you faltered, losing the footing and falling into Ellie’s arms. The crowd went buck wild as you hugged, losing composure as you clung to her tightly in both grief and joy.  

“I missed you so much. You’re so beautiful Ell, i can’t believe how good you look. And so... happy. I’m so pleased!”  

“Oh chick, i missed you too. How the Hell did you just do that?!”  

“Honestly? No fucking clue. Maybe my urgent desire to see you made me do it!” You stuck your tongue out, only half-joking as she laughed and stepped back, nodding to Fizzarolli.   

He raised the mic, waving to the audience. “Well, that was a dramatic entrance, hey! Now, this performance was supposed to be dedicated to the Phoenix, but what do we think? Should she take the pole?”  

You stared at him in horror as he grinned, the audience now vigorously cheering ‘take the pole! Take the pole! Take the pole!’  

Ellie gave you a nudge. “I can see the wine in your eyes. You’re tempted. You know what to do.” She cupped your face in both hands, eyes sparkling with excitement. “Improvise?”  

You finish the sentence with a genuine laugh, “and use your thighs!”  

Fizzarroli starts a clapping rhythm as the beat picks up. You’re still in a jumper and jeans, though you had an idea for how to change that.  

Ellie swings up to the pole, hanging upside down and holding her hand to you. You take it, making a few slow, sultry moves that she mirrors upside down. She was still an athlete up there, precise and balanced, taking the lead for a few small moves before spinning and catching you against the pole between her thighs. You laugh, holding her up by them, warning her to stay there.   

You drew fire to start at your ankles, burning your jeans all the way up to your thighs underneath her. She trusts you, staring into your face as she felt the heat get closer. Once the jeans were suitably shortened, you withdrew the flame and dropped to the ground, stifling the remaining embers caught on the fabric as you landed. Ellie laid back, making a move like a lapdance as you pushed her chest back further. When she was supine, you pushed up using your arms to swing your legs up to the pole, hooking  your calf around it for stability while offering your other heel for her to use to stand.  

She took it with a flourish, jumping up to the pole above you and helping it gain spinning momentum as you threw a few basic positions you remembered.   

As the chorus built higher, Ellie curled a finger for you to follow. She pushed herself up the pole upside down as you crawled up it, reaching frighteningly high for how buzzed you were.   

“Ready, bitch? We’re gonna run in the air. You know the move. Got a grip?”  

“If you help me get momentum, i will!”  

You held a pose as she swung her legs around, the rotation of the pole picking up speed. Realizing you’d need forearm grip, you ditch the jumper, now in just a bra and shorts as Ellie spun you faster.  

She gave one infectious grin before dropping down to your level, catching the pole between your hands in tandem with you. With the speed, your bodies were at a 45 degree angle to the pole, moving your legs as if running in the air. The cheers and screams egged you on. “Shall we do a drop?”  

“From this height? You got that kind of thigh muscle?”  

“I've been using them a lot lately!”   

She chuckled at your wink, pulling her heels to the pole and sliding her thighs around it, waiting for you to do the same. At which point? You both released the grip.  

Both of you plummet at least two floors in a planking position, clenching your thighs as hard as you can about a metre from the ground. She was lower, but also stronger, catching herself fine while you had a little sway from the momentum. You bent over backwards, hand-standing away from the pole and straightening. Ellie came to stand next to you, linking arms as you both gave a dramatic bow.  

You picked up your jumper on the way to the dressing room, waving at the excitable crowd before disappearing backstage.  

“That was amazing! I can’t believe how much fun that was. What have i even been doing in life without you?”  

Ellie tackled you again, eager to have you close. “Hey, from what i hear, you’ve been doing plenty . I thought there was something going on between you and the King. As if you never told me!”  

“At the time there wasn’t! And, uh, no longer is. It’s a long story and i need more wine if we’re gonna go down that route.”  

“You broke up?!”  

“Girl, we were never together. Did you get the Ozzie version? It’s probably all exaggerations.”  

“Uh, no, i got the Lucifer Morningstar chilling on Ozzie’s couch version. When did you split? Or, not-split?”  

“About a week, nearly two ago. When we found out his wife was coming home.”  

Her facial expression screamed the same kind of horror you felt at the time.   

“Yeeeeah. Like i said, long story. Wine?”  

With tiny pinprick eyes and utter horror, she agreed, “wine.”  

  

Ozzie's office welcomed you like a second home. You avoided the sofa Ellie was referring to, not wanting to sit where Lucifer had divulged all the dirty details to his fellow Sin and your best friend. Instead you took a smaller loveseat, crossing your legs while Ozzie and Ellie got comfortable too.  

“So, when did Lucifer come down and tell you guys everything? I need to know what part of the story we’re up to.”  

Ellie led, summarizing the events right up to the kitchen hook-up, which made sense with how little they knew of the split-but-not-split.  

“Right... so, uh, pretty soon after that things took a real bad turn in a couple of ways, even some that Lucifer doesn’t know about. Do you remember any stories from Pride, about the Radio Demon?”  

Ellie looked blank while Ozzie nodded, “yeah, we all kept an eye on him for a while. He was just thinning out the Overlords at one point before he just sorta stopped. He’s staying at the Hazbin Hotel, Lu’s told me. He’s a nasty piece of work, Ell. He wouldn’t survive one single hour in Lust if he came down here with that ‘psychopathic serial killer’ attitude. He’d be crawling away by his bloody fingernails with a broken pelvis.”  

You looked pointedly at Ozzie with a little perplexed disgust. “That’s a bit specific there, Oz. Had any wayward thoughts on the matter?”  

He shrugged, “i’m the Sin of Lust, what can i say. Getting back to the point, he’s given Lu grief before, but not actually been a problem. I’m guessing that’s no longer the case?”  

“Yeah... very much so. He caught us, just as we got back from the trip. Lucifer had no idea, but Alastor basically cornered me and forced me into a deal under the implied threat of telling everyone about me and Lucifer. At the time, i figured it wasn’t going to be too much of an issue. Maybe he’d ask for some sort of help sabotaging the Vees, or setting up territory, something like that. But... the price of that deal went up. By a LOT. Not only did he know we had been together, but he then caught us continuing the fling, in secret. Which leads us to the Big Fucking Issue of Mama Morningstar coming back, and why I'm running away. For now at least. I’m assuming they weren’t monogamous for all those centuries, I'm not stupid. But... i don’t know how to explain it, without going into crazy details, but i have sort of the ability to sense someone’s spirit. Before i met him, his was completely broken. Now, it’s actually a little healed, and he’s a little happier, i think. I’m not sure the Queen is going to take him falling in love like that lightly.”  

Ellie let out a groan, cringing at your story. “Fucking Hell girl, if I'd known she was coming back... hey, why didn’t YOU have any idea, Oz?”  

He looked baffled between the two of you. “Me? I don’t check up on Lu’s wife. I don’t like the bitch. She’s been manipulative and cunning pretty much since the dawn of humanity. Don’t get me wrong, I'll always support Lulu, but he came to us time after time with heartbreak and exhaustion just from dealing with her, that only got worse when she had Charlie. I swear, she thought of that poor girl as a weapon. Is she at the hotel now?”  

You nodded scowling.  

“Well, shit. I take it you got a glimpse at the musicals she’s known for?”  

“Yeah, and a hint of the sorcery that goes in them. Ironically, it was the Radio Demon that helped shield me from it. He’s definitely working his own angle, that requires me out of the picture. Oh, yeah and he tried to kill me. Eat me, more specifically. I was on fire at the time, so he couldn’t. But yes, it’s complicated as living fuck.”  

Ozzie let out a low whistle. “No kidding. Has anyone twigged to why she’s back?”  

“I didn’t stick around long enough to find out.”  

“So... Lu’s stuck there, left alone to be manipulated into whatever game she’s playing.”  

You narrowed your eyes, picking up on a hidden meaning. “Ozzie, if you’re insinuating I'm supposed to help him out , after all this...”  

“Well, maybe, maybe not. This goes a lot bigger than just the royal family. There’s massive implications for the powers of Hell if they were to split right now. Although, them being together might also be playing right into her narrative... Why can’t you just pop down for a coffee and bring a nice little anecdote? This is ridiculous, babe.”  

You chuckle, rolling your eyes. “I’ll make more of an effort to pop by on less dramatic occasions, i promise. For now, do you have any ideas?”  

He dissociated for a minute to think, before landing on a decision. “Yeah, just one, but it’ll need some cooperation. And a little charisma. You had your reputation built on favours; that requires charm and cunning, no doubt. I’m gonna need you to pull every single trick you have to make this one work. Ell, I'm happy to have you here, but this is the biggest secret you’ll ever keep. This slips out, and both you and Ash are basically dead. We clear?”  

She nodded, wide-eyed with concern. “What’s the plan, Oz?”  

“It doesn’t involve you for now, technically. All you gotta do is just help keep the House of Lust running with Fizzi while I'm gone, and feed back any issues or drama. And keep our girl sane when she gets back. She'll need it.”  

“I assume you mean me. Dare i ask where the fuck we’re going that requires this level of secrecy?”  

“You’ll see. For now, we need to get you some outfits and a burner phone. Yours has to stay here, okay?”  

You pass him yours, fretting about any missed calls you might receive, before realizing you probably shouldn’t care. Time to let that go for now.  

  

Ozzie sets you up with a small wardrobe in a guest room, filled with different styles to suit each ring with different occasions.   

You clocked on to your task by the time he was measuring you up for a clown-style suit for Greed, clearly targeted to appeal to Mammon.  

You waited until you were alone in the private chambers again to confirm your suspicions.  

“I’m not just making deals, am i? I’m the bait.”  

Ozzie pursed his lips, hesitant. “Bait is such a... cruel way to word it. I’d prefer undercover agent, or super spy.”  

“Ozzie, i can’t hide my emotions for shit. I can’t lie. How am i supposed to do this?”  

“Babe, you’re going to have to. And from where I'm sitting, you’re the only one able to make it work.”  

You shook your head, already dreading the reason. “Let me guess. My closeness to Lucifer. It’s the only way you think you can get him safely away from Lilith and her agenda.”  

“That’s a pretty close guess?”  

“Go on, then. Surprise me.”  

“You’re probably going to have to be the one to kill her.”  

You startled, jolting upright in your chair. “Excuse me?”  

He sighed, looking deeply uncomfortable. “Look, this was never going to be simple. If she’s come back out of nowhere, pretty much just after her daughter took on the Exorcists? I can assure you she’s either being used, or making a stretch for power over more than just Hell. Either way, it’s apocalyptically bad for the rest of us who are just trying to exist. That’s where you come in.”  

He stood, summoning one of the books from a top shelf. It hovered in blue sorcery down to your lap, flicking by itself to the page he wanted to show you.  

“This chapter’s about the seven rings of hell, the inferno of sins. There’s a lot of preaching and bullshit, but underneath, there’s the key message; all seven Sins are meant to work in tandem, a harmony, in order to protect the Citizens of both Heaven and Hell. If one ring falls, the rest of them do, through destabilization of the realms. It’s the biggest reason you never see wars between rings, nor any of the Sins trying to kill each other, despite how much we might want to. Lilith has always been a major threat to that, despite being there since the creation of Sin itself. I mean, if you know her origin, you’ll know she was never one for obeying orders, not like we have to.”  

The book flicked forward again, opening to a chapter titled ‘The Sin of Pride’.  

“This is Lucifer’s chapter. Don’t read too much into it, it was originally written by the Seraphims under God’s will. They weren’t kind to him in the literature. It does however highlight how paramount it is to have an ex-Seraphim as the ruler of Hell, to keep the balance of the rings in check. It’s why they let him keep his powers to the extent he still has them.”  

The book flew through another few pages, landing on one that sent your stomach to the floor. An image of a beautiful, wicked woman, enshrouded in black tendrils, with inky blood dripping from her fingernails as she held out an apple.  

“That’s Roo, short for the Root of all Evil. She was more of a concept, before she took form when humanity came into being. No one’s sure where the evil itself actually took root from; it’s either that evil was already set deep within the fruit of knowledge, ready to be spread, or the fruit was simply knowledge in the neutral concept, and it activated an evil in humanity that was already lurking.  
“Roo has a habit of popping up every few centuries and making things go her way, which is usually some form of devastation or chaos. There’s a theory among us, which Lucifer is well aware of, that Roo had something to do with Charlie’s creation. Perhaps Lilith made a pact with her to have a child, and is now doing Roo’s bidding... or perhaps it was the other way around, meaning she gained the power to do as she pleases, at the cost of having a half-Seraphim to destabilize the rings if Lucifer fell. Roo isn’t exactly one to rush; she could have played the long game on claiming whatever she wanted from Lilith, in either option.”  

The book closed itself, hovering back to the shelf as Ozzie gave the final part of his story.  

“At the centre of all this is Lucifer. He’s like the linchpin, holding it all together. He’s done a fair enough job of it, given how tortured he is by his own sin. But as Lilith disappeared, the cracks really started to show. He just about held it together with her there, helping him run things, in his eyes. Now he’s alone, or was for nearly eight years anyway, he lost a lot of the pride that kept him in check. He’ll never allow anyone to hurt her while he sees her as his last string of faith.”  

Ozzie came over, sitting on the floor in front of you, eyes downcast. “That was of course until he met you. You have been the only being who’s broken down those walls and awoken his pride, in a way we haven’t seen in many centuries. Wherever you came from, or whatever created you, there’s too much fate tied between you two to ignore. It’s not just a fling, as you keep calling it. Your abilities, your weaknesses, and even your visage was carved perfectly for him. The only thing that doesn’t seem to make sense is your personality. You’re just as fiery and defiant as Lil was, without the malice. Has getting revenge on Vox for hurting Ellie even crossed your mind?”  

You barely moved, still struggling from the multiple bombshells. You manage a tiny shake of your head as you stared back at him.  

“Or what about her father, did you ever consider violence? From what i recall, you and Ellie made the most diplomatic, peaceful ceasefire possible. We’re in Hell; pretty much anyone would go for murder. Even Ellie considered it, though she didn’t admit it. But you didn’t.”  

In the meekest voice, you asked, “why does that not make sense?”  

He smiled, taking both your hands in one of his.  

“Because that’s the exact opposite of pride. You have humility. You accept and move on. Make the best of things, even when you’re hurt. I’m not talking little day to day pettiness or not having self-esteem or anything. I just mean in the grand scheme of things; if Lucifer had you to lean on, maybe he wouldn’t be crushed under his broken pride any more, if he didn’t depend on it as much. The linchpin stays in place.”  

You hung your head, wishing he’d never told you any of this. Most of all, you wished you’d known it was Roo you’d made a deal with. This was far too tightly orchestrated to be coincidence, once Ozzie put it all together like this.  

You stayed silent, internally questioning every interaction you’d had with the King. It all felt genuine, unprovoked. There didn’t feel like any absence of free will. Yet, it made brutal, horrifying sense.  

Ozzie waited patiently until his phone rang. He released your hands, walking over to the balcony and shutting the door.  

You sat, devastated, staring into the void. 

 

Chapter Twenty Eight: A Walk in Sin  

  

Ozzie returned, quietly padding over to sit next to you on the floor, facing away this time. He heaved a sigh, cradling the phone.  

“Well, we got our first meeting. Ever met Beelzebub before? Queen Bee?”  

You shook your head.  

“She’s a close friend, very much like a sister to me and Lu. I’m kinda glad it’s her first. Your only goal is to get her on your side if things go tits-up. Try to get her support, and she’ll help you stabilize the entertainment sectors and food supplies.”  

“Why do i need to get those? Pride had Overlords for that?”  

“That’s part of the issue. They’re forming their own subsets of governance, often being ruled by the most violent and sadistic human souls. If they continue to take control over each necessity, they’ll have the power to sway the population into doing their bidding out of sheer survival. The Sins each have their own specialties, which in a way links in to that book; the rings are perfectly balanced, toppled if even one falls. Conversely, it can also be prevented from toppling by the other rings coming together. It wouldn’t be the first time we’d have had to take major action together with a rebellious or failing ring, though that’s not my story to tell.”  

“I... think I'm too afraid, or too overwhelmed to want to know anyway. So... when do we meet with Bee?”  

“On Sunday evening, can’t get to her before then. We’re going together, but for the most part you’re gonna have to do this on your own.”  

“Gee, no pressure there, then. Thanks.”  

“Think of it as a just in case, a backup plan. In all honesty, best case scenario would be Lucifer breaking free from Lilith’s grasp and stepping up to sort his own ring out, whether you were involved or not. Less than ideal would be that this is all a big coincidence and Lilith’s not actually about to set off a universe-wide cataclysm and she just misses him. He’d still be a wreck in the long run, but Hell remains relatively stable. Worst case, or at least second to worst, is Pride gets destabilized either by Lilith, the Overlords, both, or even some extra faction in Heaven we don’t know about. In which case, you’d be required to try to save Lucifer essentially from himself while stabilizing the ring using the Sins.”  

“That was second to worst. What’s the actual worst?”  

“The worst would be an actual destabilization, without repair. Hell doesn’t just fall, it implodes. I’m not a fan of that one.”  

“Funnily enough, me neither. How would Heaven allow any of this?”  

“They wouldn’t, but that doesn’t mean they could get there in time to stop it. We don’t exactly have the sway to get Heaven’s courts on our side to investigate, they’d just assume we were trying to trick them. It’s likely why they haven’t stepped in with Lilith; they don’t see the threat she is, and won’t until it’s too late.”  

“And... what if we do manage to fix everything, and say, by some batshit insane alternate reality that i do stay with or at least near Lucifer to support him... what happens when i die? Whether it’s through a mortal wound or old age?”  

“I guess that’s something we’d tackle similarly to how we are right now. Maybe build him a new support system, train Charlie up, get Heaven involved somehow, i don’t know. Right now, i just want this particular cataclysm dealt with first, if that’s alright?”  

You held your hands up, conceding. “Don’t have much of a choice, by the sounds of it. What do i need to prepare for Sunday?”  

“I guess just try to get yourself in the right headspace. Whatever gives you the spark, or brings you calm, anything that’ll help you focus on persuading her to give you a hefty amount of supplies and bodies for her specialty, as you will for all of them.”  

“If you don’t mind me asking, why exactly can’t you be the one doing the talking?”  

“Because I'm not the one who’s going to have to step up to the plate and keep things together in Pride in the second to worst scenario. I have my own ring to manage, and you already have my support. My ring brings the stability of incentive and drive; I'd be able to help you regulate the living and working conditions, the trade and commerce, as well as getting the population motivated to contribute. Lust isn’t just sex, though that is the best part of it.”  

“But that sounds more like Greed?”  

“You’d think so, but Greed would be the ring that specializes in the gathering of resources to protect themselves; Mammon would be the one cajolling sinners into rationalizing and distributing utilities and wealth, in order to survive as a community without stable governance or ruling.”  

“Which goes hand in hand with Bee’s food supplies, i take it. And i guess yours, motivating them to contribute... yeah i can kinda see how the web is spinning. What about Envy? Wrath?”  

“Envy has a very strong influence over networks, advertisement and communications. They have very powerful technology, alongside a lot of psychological skills, which can gear a population into herd mentality, in the right direction. If that guy, Vox, goes down, so does most of the Pentagram’s civilization. Levi, the Sin of Envy, would be exceptionally useful for patching up Pride with emergency measures, technology and broadcasts that would prevent mass hysteria.”  

He raised a hand, using magic to summon a glowing image of a draconic flaming demon.  

“Satan’s the one in charge of Wrath; he’d be the one who instills fair laws and punishments accordingly, especially useful in conjunction with the social cohesion the other Sins would be providing."  

You nodded, seeing the easy logic in that one.  

“The only other Sin you didn’t mention was Sloth. Belphegor, or Belphi, is an excellent regulator of drugs and pharmaceuticals. She’d provide safe traffic of recreational drugs, alongside medical expertise and medication where needed. Not only that, but she’d advocate for the fair rest of workers and the protections of disabilities, so Hellborns and Sinners are given the adequate rest they need in order to function cohesively.”  

You stared into empty space, envisioning how all the known sins actually came together to form some very crucial elements of humanity. Really, it didn’t sound too far from establishing a diplomatic international union back on Earth.  

He gave you time to process, leaning back against the chair cushions, staring into his own void.  

“Ozzie... that still doesn’t explain your original point. Why do i have to kill Lilith?”  

He sighed, not turning to look at you. “I said already, Lu won’t allow anyone to hurt her while he thinks she’s the only thing that he can truly rely on to help rule Hell. If you’re the only one he might listen to about all this, then you’re the only one he might allow to... do it.”  

“It doesn’t feel right, Oz. I don’t see why she can’t be demoted in some way. If she tries anything, Heaven HAS to listen, and that means a nice band of powerful angels who might finally see fit to remove her powers. I don’t think she’d necessarily thrive, but she’d get the choice to live on her own terms, unbound by any man. Am i misunderstanding things?”  

Ozzie’s head turned to you, face a picture of concern and... awe, maybe?  

“After all this, even knowing she could destroy all of Hell, and you’d still allow her the freedom she’s always craved? Why?”  

“I guess... because she’s human. She’s not infallible, and she’s not unforgivable. I’d like to think none of them are. Destiny doesn’t end after divine judgement, in my mind.”  

He drew a long breath before releasing it with a hearty laugh. “I’m not sure you were meant for Hell, babe. But I'm glad you’re on our side. You know, maybe if you projected some of that forgiveness towards Lu, we might stand a shot at best case scenario.”  

The idea warred with your hurt. It didn’t seem possible to get past Lilith to help him, and that’s without even trying to address how sick you felt about crawling back to him, even if it was for something so unimaginably necessary. Maybe that’s why you’re his opposite, you pondered. You’re the humility to his pride, and that’s what he’s going to need the most.   

  

On Friday you met with Ellie and went to go visit friends. Taking portals, you revisited your rehabilitation clinic, took note of how much it had grown and thrived under the unusual band of demons. After this, you visited IMP, having a drink and a catch up well into the evening before heading back to Lust. There, you sat with a tipsy Ellie watching her dancers amaze and astound the crowd, feeling the brilliant inner hearths surrounding you when you went backstage to meet them.  

On Saturday, she came with you to the Drop Off, hiding for a brief hour while shark demons dumped someone off the edge, but otherwise just sitting in peace with her. Evening came, filled with recounts of stories Lucifer had told from the holiday. It hurt at first, picturing his human face smiling as he weaved the grand tales, but gradually softened as you realized you could handle the sting. You even started smiling and laughing along with some of them. She leaned against you, asking questions and telling her own anecdotes.   

On Sunday, you slept in, ate well, pampered yourself and dressed up with the glittering party dress Ozzie had helped select. It shimmered with golds, oranges and greens, looking almost pearlescent in the lighting. Ozzie’s assistants came in clutch for styling your hair into a manageable up-do of tiny braids, loose tendrils and a high ponytail. You did the makeup yourself, wanting your face to reflect who you felt you were, rather than wearing a mask.  

The time came for the meeting, set in Beelzebub’s private chambers. Ozzie opened the portal, stepping through with you on his arm.  

Her room was exceptionally vibrant and expansive, filled with all manner of entertainment systems and comforts. No one was actually in the room, though. Ozzie dialled, letting it ring, when the door flew open to a fox-like demon with gravity-defying liquid like honey for hair.   

“Ozzie babe! I haven’t seen you in way too long, i can’t believe you’d put me on the backburner like this. Get over here!”  

She squeezed Ozzie with a huge grin, infectious in her joy. “And who’s this? Is she the reason I'm not allowed to bring anyone to this little party?”  

“Yeah Bee, this is top secret, like top TOP secret. You remember the demon Lu was talking about going to Earth with?”  

You cringed, wondering who the Hell else knew about this.  

“Yeah, oh shit! That’s you? Cute, i like your hair.”  

“Thank you, i appreciate it. You look fucking amazing. I hear all about your parties from people in Lust, you’re beyond legendary. It’s an honour to meet you.”  

She guffawed, pulling you into a tight hug that forced the breath from your lungs.  

“Alright, she’s a sweetie. So, what’s up?”  

You briefly looked to Ozzie for the cue. He gave a nod to clear you to go ahead.  

You steel yourself, straightening your shoulders and rest a hand on one hip, wanting to appear confident to match her energy.  

“Shit’s getting real down in Pride. We’re looking at a lot of Overlords who’ve gathered a few too many souls, and are gearing up for a hostile takeover. That’s bad enough in itself, but it gets worse. I’ll let you take one guess at who’s back in town, that would be the very worst person for Lucifer to have near him while the Overlords are uprising.”  

She looked you up and down, a cautious expression on her face. “I have an idea, but first i wanna know why you’re here telling me this, and not Lucifer himself.”  

“Because he’s not aware we’re doing this. If he knew, and revealed it to Lilith, she’d make her moves far too soon for us to prepare for.”  

“Shit. I was really hoping you weren’t gonna tell me it was her. Slick fucking bitch. Why didn’t you tell me, Oz?”  

“I only just found out the other day, and this needs to stay between us. Let her continue, trust me.”  

She groaned, throwing her head back and sagging her shoulders. Looking back to you, she gestured and asked you to carry on, appearing deflated.  

“I’m not planning on anything that would hurt Lucifer, or cause issues in Pride. I want to stabilize it, only if needed. With Lilith back under suspicious circumstances and immediately getting her claws into the Hazbin Hotel with her songs, it’s impossible to ignore the chance of an impending power move over Hell. From what i can piece together, she’s been in Heaven for nearly eight years, not speaking a word to her daughter until she decided to pop back down. I’m not naive enough to believe it’s a coincidence that the Overlords are gearing up like this at the same time, but i also can’t see the link. I’m not trying to pretend i know what’s happening. I’m just asking for help, for Lucifer. If his grip on Pride fails, we need emergency measures in place to prevent the destabilization of the entire ring.”  

She crossed her arms, not yet swayed. “Lu’s been holding down the fort for long enough, with or without her. What’s so different now?”  

“I think it’s Charlie. She stood up for her people, really showed some of the untapped power she has. Plus, with Adam dead, there’s going to be instability in the ranks of Heaven, especially over the Exorcists. Again, this is all a collaboration of snippets of information, however it does paint a terrifying picture. If there was ever a time for her to vie for power, it would be when Lucifer has the least control over his realm, and the least interference from Heaven.”  

She snorted, a smirk on her lips. “Alright, damn. And what am i supposed to do about it? He’s never once listened to me and Ozzie about how toxic she is.”  

“I’m not asking for that. I know it’s a lost cause under her influence. I’m asking for your expertise, and your resources if the time came to take drastic action. Specifically, you have immense capabilities to invigorate and inspire your people. They don’t just listen to you, they feed off your desire to bring them the greatest experiences possible, in many different ways. Your personal sin is one of our greatest assets to protect the Pentagram; you can bring the sinners and Hellborn together, maintaining the resources that don’t just keep them alive, but also give them spark to belong. The masses won’t need to fall into chaos if they’re fulfilled and driven to stand with one another.”  

She studied you for a moment before looking back to Ozzie, an eyebrow raised. “You believe in her?”  

He chuckled. “I’ve seen how she cares for Lu. I don’t just believe she can do this; i think she can avoid it completely. But we ain’t about to risk all of Hell falling apart without setting up a little safety net. I’m already planning out my side of things, and I've gotten the heads-up for a meeting with Levi next. If you wanna get a taste for how things will be working together, maybe you should come?”  

“Nah, i know we pitch in when we need to. I’ll only come if you need me to sway any of the others. I’m guessing Mamm’s gonna be the hardest nut to crack?”  

“Oh don’t even go there, Bee. Him we may need you for. What do you think then?”  

She took a minute to pace, a slow smile spreading. “It’s possible i could get a few things together without letting them know why. I’d need Belphie’s help, but I'll let you talk to her first. You mentioned resources, is that literally? Like, food, water, et cetera?”  

You nodded. “Potentially so. If things fall apart, they’re hardly going to be able to distribute, harvest, trade and share the way they are now. It would be somewhat of a relief effort initially, followed by teaching them how to maximize their efficiency and production to prevent starvation. Theoretically, that would prevent the chaos that comes with ‘survival of the fittest’, so we can use the rest of the Sins’ specialties to maintain everything socially, spiritually and financially.”  

“Hah, i see where you’re going with this. Fine, if push comes to shove you’ll have my support. You better be right about this Ozzie.”  

He questioned what she meant by that. She laughed and waved him off, turning to you with a more relaxed expression. “So, you’ve sold me on the emergency measures dire needy shit. Now, sell me on what you’re gonna do to avoid it.”  

You grinned, feeling a weight lifting off your shoulders. “How about instead, i tell you a tale, and you decide for yourself if he’s going to be fine or not without Lilith.”  

Bee clapped excitedly, perching onto a giant beanbag to listen. You told her all about meeting Lucifer, learning more about him, falling in love with him, and about the inner spark. Her eyes shone as she listened, looking visibly excited, especially with some of the holiday stories. Ozzie sat near you, also fondly smiling. Their smiles faded as you explained how Lilith coming back had changed things, how the songs had already begun influencing those around her, almost including you if you hadn’t been protected.  

From the beanbag, Bee leaned forward, crossing her arms. “I really want her out of the picture, girl. If she’s alive, she’s a problem, and Lucifer’s always gonna be under her heel. I guess Ozzie has already mentioned that?”  

“Yeah, and that’ll come under the less-than-favourable necessities i’d have to consider for the best case scenario to work.”  

“Not just consider, babe, you’d have to actually do it. I’m not kidding, she’s always gonna be his downfall. You think you have the power to do that?”  

You paused, speculating. “In the literal sense, I'm not sure. I haven’t worked out what her powers are specifically capable of, or even how immune she is to harm or death. If it came to that point, she’d had to have done something to unfathomably dangerous for Hell’s stability that even Heaven would need to intervene. I doubt she’d be allowed to live as she is with those powers at her throat.”  

“I get ya, i really do. But just in case they don’t, you’re gonna need to be physically capable. What magic DO you have?”  

You raised a hand, summoning a ball of Hellfire, gently pushing it through the air to hover between you. She seemed relatively unimpressed, until she leaned forward and touched it, yanking her hand back with a hiss. “What the fuck is that? Is that actual Hellfire? How the fuck....?”  

Ozzie laughed, “i know Bee, it’s insane. Lu wasn’t lying when he said he had no idea why her Hellfire didn’t hurt him. This shit’s the real deal. So yeah, she can definitely do some damage.”  

“As long as Lilith isn’t immune to me, too. In which case, yes, I'm fucked, and you’ll need to give your best shot at getting Heaven on your side against her.”  

Ozzie shook his head as he disagreed. “Nah, i don’t think it’s possible. Lucifer being immune, sure, that was a huge shock. But it makes sense with everything else about the two of you. There’s absolutely nothing about Lilith that makes me think that she was meant to survive you, in any sort of way.”  

You felt far less than reassured as the thought of potentially having to fight her played in your mind.  

With a sly grin, Bee leaned back in the beanbag and appraised you. “So, if this works and we get Lucifer away from her, he’s about to be Hell’s most eligible bachelor. Think you’d stay?”  

A flash of heat coloured your cheeks as you froze from the unexpected question. Her grin widened at your blush.   

“HAH, oh she’s a real cutie pie. Yes, you would. Regardless of how stupid he can be, or how bad things are right now, i can see it in your eyes. Good. Maybe we might just make it out of this shit in one piece. You need anything else from me?”  

Ozzie shook his head, rising to stand as you did. “Not right now, and nothing more than we already discussed. Thanks for hearing us out, Bee.”  

“Hey, it’s all good babes. Just try to keep your head down while you’re putting feelers out. Me and Oz are real close to Lu anyway, so we’re pretty much the easier ones to get on your team. I’m not gonna lie, you’ve really got your work cut out for you with Mammon and Satan. Let me know if it gets out of hand, or you need backup, okay?”  

“Will do, thank you Bee. Extremely appreciated.”  

You and Ozzie depart via the portal with determination in your hearts, one success under your belt.  

 

Chapter Twenty Nine: Greed and Regret  

  

Ozzie and Ellie helped you unwind and prepare for your next meeting. In privacy, Ozzie told you as much as possible about Levi, including her preferences, personality, goals and desires. He fleshed out your knowledge of her to the fullest possible extent, giving you as much charm as possible to work with.  

In a surprising turn of events, Levi was already aware of the brewing mutiny. She expressed distaste for Pride, how it held so little worth appreciating while Lucifer had allowed it to fester for so long. You worked your persuasion with the angle of mutual assurance, promising a growing trade of knowledge, experiences, technology and entertainment that could flow between Envy and Pride. You filled her mind with the potential untapped resources Pride had, stifled by the slow development and tight Overlord control. She started to sway, fascinated by the potential growth in a lot of her branding and popularity, alongside wanting to dominate the technological advancement field. You played into her desires, not only as a worst-case scenario, but also as a potential collaboration if Lucifer took back control over Pride, really emphasizing how highly he valued her abilities. She began to lap it up, tasting the envy in Lucifer’s previous attempts to call on her for help. She agreed, without needing the soppy love story, assuring you technologies and staff to run communications and markets if the time came.   

Before you left, she raised a long claw, asking you to return after a week. Ozzie asked why, to which she grinned and promised him a pleasant surprise to help things stay as smooth as possible from the outset. You gratefully parted, bounding around Ozzie’s office with excitement after the portal closed.  

  

Ozzie had to put in some work to get an audience with Mammon, since Belphie wasn’t available in the coming few days. You’d tried to cram in as may of the meetings in as short a time as possible, fretting how Lilith’s influence was likely growing by the day.  

His portal took you directly into Mammon’s office, surrounded by pictures of the Sin of Greed plastered on every wall. It wasn’t too dissimilar to Valentino’s self-adoration. Armed with knowledge about him from Ozzie, and absorbing the energy of the room, you got to work.  

He had exactly zero interest in anything vaguely emotional, so you didn’t bother with that route. Instead, you complained. On and on, whining like you were absolutely sick of how ridiculously wasted the Pride ring was. He groaned and scoffed, bitching about it with you like he loathed the entire ring. Wording it carefully, you started to vent about how much better you could make it if you could just get someone who knew what they were doing about running a business, maximizing the money you could make to run the economy in Pride. You turned to him, waving the chicken wing you were nibbling on.  

“Look, I'm not gonna treat you like an idiot. i know Greed’s built on every snide and cunning tactic that capitalism has to offer, and i want a piece of that. If you can lend me some of your nastiest corporate leaders, I'll be able to buy you into the biggest up-and-coming market that Pride has ever seen. You’ll have the newest entertainment, technology and gossip straight from Earth AND Pride, right at your fingertips. Talent, on a whole other scale, from some of the most desperate and money-hungry sinners you’ll ever meet. It’s profit, plain and simple.”  

He grinned at you, spreading his massive palms over the desk as his eyes glowed vivid green. Mammon gave hardly any push-back from there, instead trying to get more information about what to get out of the deal. Ozzie helped with this, hamming up all that Pride had to offer, alongside how much currency would circulate between Greed and Pride if they had a strong trade deal. Mammon agreed with vigor, raucously laughing and poking at his desk with a hungry grin while imagining the benefits. You withheld the part that this might not actually be necessary, if the best case scenario happened. You really didn’t want to start dabbling in major corporate capitalism while Pride was so vulnerable if you didn’t have to.  

  

From what you could tell, Lilith’s return wasn’t common knowledge. Ozzie said she seemed restricted to the Hotel, as there were no rumours spreading about her in Pride aside from what you knew.  

Fizzarolli came through to the office where you and Ozzie were reading up on Sloth, complaining about the incessant ringing coming from the safe. You and Ozzie looked to each other, jumping up and running to grab it.  

Ozzie didn’t answer it, but cringed as he handed you the vibrating phone, shaking his head firmly. You held it until the screen stopped flashing with Lucifer’s name.  

The notifications were insane. Hundreds of calls, almost all from Lucifer, with a few from Charlie, and some unknown numbers. “Shit, Ozzie, what if something’s wrong? Have you heard from him at all?”  

He cringed, biting his lip. “No i haven’t, he’s actually not called me once. It’s not like I'm not checking. Maybe he doesn’t know where you are?”  

“I’m pretty sure he’d assume I'm here, so why can’t he at least try to speak to you? I don’t get it.”  

The two of you pondered while the phone lit up again.   

“If i answer, it’ll be a beacon to Vox that we’re in contact, especially with how hard he’s trying to reach me. Is there any way you can try to find out whether he’s okay? Without using phones, ideally?”  

“We don’t really have any other choices, unless... unless Ellie could go? He knows her well enough to talk to her, right? She can at least let him know that you’re okay, and ask him what’s wrong. If she takes a portal straight to the hotel, we can avoid anyone seeing me involved. She’ll need that crystal back, for now.”  

“Yeah, absolutely. Good idea. Do we have time to grab her now before her next teaching session?”  

“The session can wait, I'm not sure this can.”  

Ellie readily agreed, strapping the crystal to her arm and grinning.   

“What are you so smiley about? This is meant to be a casual visit, not raising suspicion.”  

She smirked knowingly. “You don’t have to worry, i can act innocent. I’m gonna be going in pretending to want to speak to Charlie about throwing you a birthday party. I’ll play so dumb, asking to see you and everything!!”  

“.... and when I'm not there, you plan on...?”  

“Like i said, playing dumb. I’ll find a way to get Lucifer aside, or drop him a note to meet me in Ozzie’s or something. Do you wanna see him in person, or are you just wanting me to check on him?”  

You swallowed, temporarily locked in indecision as you felt a little hope swirling in your chest. The closer you got to protecting Pride, the more confident you felt in trying to talk things out with Lucifer. Even if that was just as some sort of... understanding, forgiveness even, so you could be a support system for him if Lilith was taken out of the picture. Still, even now, you felt distracted by the thought of him. It would undoubtedly hinder your ability to charm and sway the final Sins.  

“Just check on him, please. Even if he comes here, make sure I'm not around, okay? I can’t risk losing focus right now, when so much is at stake.”  

Ozzie nodded, strongly agreeing. She popped out to grab essentials from her room, returning so that Ozzie could aim the portal exactly into the Hazbin Hotel lobby.  

She aimed it away from a blank wall so no one on the other side who happened to be there would recognize Ozzie’s office, and definitely wouldn’t see you.  

The portal closed, leaving you anxious to hear what was going on. You and Ozzie put down the books temporarily, placing a drinks order to be delivered to the office while you waited.  

  

Ozzie’s phone rang, with Ellie on the screen. He answered quickly, concerned.  

“Hey Oz, mind if me and Lucifer come over for a catch up?”  

Immediately looking to you, he gestured for you to leave, stacking the glasses and throwing them into the bin so it didn’t look like he had company.  

You hung around for long enough to hear what the plan was; they’d meet privately, in the chambers, as she put it ‘just for a catch up’. Your stomach was in knots as you made a run for your room, holding back nausea as you quietly shut the door behind you.  

  

A round of polite knocks came later, while you were trying to nap away the time. You leapt up, terrified and excited that it may be Lucifer on the other side. Instead, Ellie greeted you, stepping into your room and shutting the door.  

Her voice was low and cautious as she began to explain.  

“Right, so, firstly there’s no major issues. We couldn’t get to be alone, Lilith was literally all over him, practically hanging over him as we talked about your birthday. He twigged on when i suggested he go see Ozzie to work out a surprise party if you came back to Lust at any point. That’s when i called. She stayed there, but she looked pissed about it. You’ve got a nasty bitch to compete with, girl.”  

“Don’t worry, I've been thoroughly warned. What was Lucifer like when he got here?”  

“He immediately jumped on us, demanding to know if we’d seen you. Had to lie through our teeth that you weren’t here, but that we’d seen you last week briefly, plus we mentioned about that first night you came by and took the stage. That was believable enough, it was recorded anyway, all the performances are for safety, so we actually got to show him it. I swear on my life, he nearly teared up watching you walk through the air like that. Anyway, all he wanted to know was if you were okay. He seemed really scared you’d ran off and gotten hurt or caught up in something bad. At least now he seems a lot more at ease.”  

“For now. Did he leave willingly?”  

“Well... not yet...”  

“What?! Then why are you here?”  

“He’s having a private chat with Ozzie. I think it’s about Lilith, i tried to hang around long enough to hear more but that’s it. I’m assuming Ozzie’s checking on him, probably to try and eek him out of Lilith’s clutches as best as he can.”  

“I really fucking hope so. I have no idea how I'm supposed to do that when i go back to the hotel.”  

“When do you think you will?”  

“Soon enough, Ell. Me and Ozzie are making good progress.”  

“I wish you could tell me what with. I know, i know, big secret. Anyway, do you want me to go grab some drinks so we can wait out the rest of their chat?”  

“I’m good thanks, me and Ozzie already did that while waiting for you. I honestly just want a nap. I feel like I've been ran over like three times.”  

She chuckled and hopped onto the bed and kicked her shoes off, rolling onto the left side like she used to.  

“What are you doing in MY bed, you pretty little heathen?”  

“I’m taking MY side, for a nap. You missed my chainsaws, remember?”  

“HAH, true. If this is meant to distract me, it’s working.”   

You felt your tension ease as you tucked in the covers, seeing the familiar comforting face beaming back at you before attempting to sleep. She kept you up with weird noises, making you laugh until you hit her with a pillow, flipped her over and spooned her from behind. She snuggled in, giggling, pretending to complain about being captured.   

  

The clicking of the door opening woke you with a jump, disturbing Ellie similarly. Ozzie walked in, a surprised expression shifting to a cheeky grin as he saw you both in bed.  

“Sorry ladies, didn’t realize i was interrupting. Want me to leave you to it?”  

“We were asleep, fully clothed. Keep your mind out of the gutter. Anyway, is Lucifer gone?”  

He nodded, shutting the door behind him and perching on the bottom of the bed.  

“He’s back at the hotel now. The guy’s in real bad shape. The whole time he was here, he was looking around, like he was trying to find any sign you were around. The dude looked so freaking sad when i insisted you weren’t. He’s worried about you. Misses you, though he insisted he’s not here for that, he just wanted to know you were okay. I think getting through to him might not be as hard as you think, you know. At least when he’s away from Lilith, anyway.”  

You released your breath, stressing over the confrontation looming in the near future.   

 “Okay, aside from that, which by the way isn’t helping me to focus at all , is he okay?”  

“Yeah, functionally. He’s keeping it together for now. No news about the Overlords, and nothing obvious about Lilith, except that she’s watching him and Charlie like a hawk and acting like she’d never left.”  

“Well, fuck. That’ll be a bridge to cross. Ellie honey, I'm gonna go back to studying with Ozzie. If you wanna stay here then go ahead, or I'll see you around?”  

“I’ll head back out, but you know where to find me. Later guys!” 

 

Chapter Thirty: The Trial 

  

Belphegor was much easier compared to Mammon, having seen Lucifer’s struggle with Lilith over the years. She sat fascinated by the little love story, cooing and asking all manner of questions, eager to know how deep you were feeling for him. Honestly you hadn’t expected to try to persuade her this way, you and Ozzie had assumed it’d be more about the necessity of medical care. The Sin of Sloth was far more interested in how the potential future of Pride would look if you were at his side, keeping him safe and happy. She readily agreed to the healthcare and medical training Pride would need if things did get rough, though seemed flippant about it, like she was entirely confident in your ability to win over the King of Hell.  

Then came the meeting with Satan.  

He’d been difficult enough to organize privacy with, as he demanded scribes and lawyers with insistence. Ozzie had to get Bee involved to sway him, agreeing to not make any binding deals without witnesses to testify.  

His room stretched out impressively, with a volcanic cone ceiling leading to a small crack of sunlight and bright blood orange skies at the top.  

He stood, towering over the three of you, arms crossed.  

You began with the first thing you thought he’d be interested in; undermining Lucifer.  

“Pride is nearly at its knees waiting for the Overlords to wreak havoc. As it is, Pride doesn’t particularly need him anymore, if they ever really did. Their Overlords have created their own governing structure, even collaborating when a mutual threat arises. It's palpable how imminent their uprising is, at which point they have the power and influence to upturn and devastate almost every utility, structure, resource production, communication system and living space in one fell swoop. Just picture the sheer violence this would produce following the mass hysteria. Whilst i have no doubts you don’t care for the individual little sinners or even Hellborn over in Pride, the fact is that Hell and the seven rings are co-dependent. If Lucifer fails to regulate the Overlords and prevent ring-wide devastation, the balance could shift, leaving Pride vulnerable to destabilization. You of all Sins know how unacceptable that is. The rings themselves will collapse.”  

You made a point of turning to Ozzie and Bee, “these two are already well aware of the situation; they have agreed to provide commerce and resources where needed. Similar support has risen from Levi, Mammon and Belle. As it is, you are the only one remaining that we require to uphold this entire ring together. You, being the force of law, are the only hope Hell has at trying to stabilize the failing ring of Pride. I’d ask not for your brutality, but your brilliance. We’d need new laws, new enforcement. Pride would require a punishment system that is incentive enough to deter social dissolution, thus protecting everything else the other Sins are working for. Not only that, but we would need your experience of leadership to guide a firm oversight, preventing this from being allowed to happen again.”  

Finally, you stood back to face him, appearing far more confident than you felt with your hands folded behind your back.  

“And lastly, I'd like to make this abundantly clear, i have no intention of removing Lucifer, and especially not of taking over Pride by any means. I’ve studied the literature; i know he is essential for the running of Hell with his sorcery, even if he is little more than a figurehead otherwise. Under your advisory, i can guide him to control the ring under your terms, not his. This is, of course, only in the worst case scenario that an uprising is allowed to happen. I am making moves to prevent this from happening as we speak. Yet, as you well know, there must be countermoves and punishment in place for even the possibility of such an event.”  

Smoke billowed from his nostrils as he lowered his head, dropping to one knee and eyeing you closely.  

“You’re good with words, little mouse. I believe that YOU believe it will work, and if the time came i would insist on stepping in, even if only to prevent Hell’s destruction. But i can see fire where there is smoke. If you plan on standing by Lucifer, enforcing my law, i require proof you are capable of making the final decisions if he can’t.”  

“I doubted you’d want anything less. I am at your behest, to an extent. How would you seek your answer?”  

He grinned, the gigantic maw stretching wide over glistening teeth.  

“I have a rather valuable trial upcoming. As Pride is so unstable, i have no reason to believe Lucifer will be able to attend. Should you be willing, i will assign you his place on the council. You will need to heed the jury and make the final call of judgement alongside me.”  

“Are you absolutely certain he will not be there? I don’t want to reveal our efforts before i am able to put them securely in place.”  

“It would be highly unlikely, though not impossible. Perhaps even it would be a good show of your influence, if you are able to persuade him to step down and let you take his place.”  

You gave a fake grin, giving off your best impression of confidence while your heart trapped in your throat.  

“Very well, I'll need every bit of context and forewarning you can give about the prosecution and defense you know of prior to the trial. I wish to be as informed as possible.”  

“You will only be given the knowledge that the council requires as a minimum, to prevent undue influence. For now, i can only confirm the date, time and place of the trial. The rest will be delivered in testimonies and reports during the trial itself.”  

You agreed, solidifying the final details of the trial to be held in two day’s time.  

  

Ozzie and Bee came back to the House of Lust chambers with you, both incredibly pleased with that outcome, but also nervous for the trial. As they so vividly explained, Satan was well-known for his harsh judgements and little tolerance for emotional pleas. Whoever was on trial probably wasn’t going to be walking away as powerful, or as alive, as they walked in.  

  

You followed the Sins through to the courtroom, taking the steps up to Lucifer’s throne. The little note and rubber duck seemed dusty with volcanic ash, leaving a clean spot where you lifted them. You bushed the worst from the seat before taking your place and surveying the room.  

High walls of rock broke off into shelves and bays, where the audience took their place. The tall doors at the very far end of the room were closely guarded by tall, masked demons in long black cloaks.  

The defendant was dragged in via the double doors, chains clinking as they stumbled to the end of the walkway. She had the strangest shape face, akin to a cheshire cat, with frog-like eyes, and an expression of absolute terror.  

Satan commenced the trial with a summary of crimes; deception, embezzlement, fraud, the usual sort of thing. Until he summoned evidence of her planned assassination of a major business rival, one currently under the close watch of Paimon, the Goetic King. Witnesses were called, testifying with passionate hate from being conned and ruined under her watch. Her face often faltered from terror to spite before quickly composing back to fear. You watched her reaction closely, seeing the microaggressions of stare downs with certain witnesses before they took the stand. She sure didn’t seem innocent, though whether that meant death or not, you weren’t sure.  

Satan called on the jury, asking if they needed time to deliberate. They confirmed, requesting a brief recess. You and the other five filed out of the courtroom to a private back office, taking seats around a circular table.  

They were half focused on the trial, and half interested in what you thought about fair punishment. You kept your answers cautiously guarded, deflecting back to insist this was a jury, not a dictatorship, and you were there to heed their opinions.  

They swayed heavily towards the removal of power, with Bee and Belle seeming strongly opposed to the death penalty.  

That was until it was your turn to explain, at which point you discussed the defendant's behaviour, the expressions, and the complete lack of remorse. You began to talk about the potential way she would con her way back to domineering over others when the office door slammed open, with Lucifer crashing his way in holding his hat.  

The room fell dead silent as he stumbled to a halt, eyes fixed on you.   

Your own chest constricted, forcing you to manually inhale as your soul left your body for a minute.   

Clearing your throat, you addressed him in the silence.   

“Lucifer. You’re late. The trial is nearly over.”  

He slowly lowered the cane to rest at his side, eyes tight with pain.  

“This is where you were? You’re... i don’t even know what’s going on here. Why are you in my seat?”  

“Consider it a favour that i owe to Satan. I’m not fond of being in debt. As it is, we’re nearly done here. If you’d be so inclined, I'd like to pay my dues and finish the trial in your place, so long as you respect my decision. I’m still discussing my arguments.”  

He barely nodded, slowly moving to stand by Ozzie at the other side of the table. Ozzie gave his arm a squeeze, making you smile from the sweet gesture.  

The second he saw your face relax, Lucifer’s broke. He bit his cheek, holding a fist to his mouth and blinking back tears. You tore your eyes away from him to look back down to your notes, barely able to focus. Ozzie helped you out, asking a leading question that helped you get back into the swing of your argument.  

You spoke, as clearly and confidently as you were able, fighting the anxiety curling in your belly. You looked each of them in the eye as you spoke, addressing them individually with your gaze, strategically using the points you thought they’d be most interested in. Behind Ozzie, Lucifer gained composure, straightening up and standing as if in his role of the King of Hell.   

You took full advantage of this, wanting to show the Sins the potential for him to get a hold of Pride before Hell literally broke loose.  

“Lucifer, i have the case summary and the evidence in the files here. Do you wish to read through and make your own assessment?”  

He raised his brows in surprise, but still cautiously came round to stand next to where you sat. You stood, gesturing for him to take over while you pretended to read your notes.  

He looked through them, studying the case closely. Finally, he looked around the other Sins, then settling his eyes on you.  

“I believe i agree, this demon has demonstrated far too much potential for further harm, whilst not showing any form of remorse. Though they have powerful connections, i think it would be prudent to cut the head off the snake in a case like this, and deal with the fallout afterwards. As it is, I know that from the summary you have all been discussing the potential to strip her of demonic power and place her under watch for a century before relinquishing some of her powers back. After hearing all the arguments, is that what you stand by?”  

Around the room were whispers and discussions, nods and shakes, general uncertainty. Remaining professional, you asked the room if they needed more time, as the trial was due to resume shortly. They generally settled, acquiescing to Lucifer’s assessment.   

Heading into the courtroom, Lucifer followed you closely, without touching or speaking to you. When you climbed the steps to his throne, you subtly gestured for him to sit, while you stood regally beside him. Eyes fell on the King of Hell, shocked at seeing his return. Satan looked initially shocked, then malicious as he half-smiled over at the two of you.  

He called the session to commence, leading into the jury’s vote. All of you voted ‘guilty’, with Satan’s pleased expression turning to you. He held his hand out to the side, gesturing for you to join him at the very centre of his bench.  

You rose your head, looking down at his face as though to challenge him.   

Holding your own hand up, to Lucifer this time, you silently asked him to come with you.  

The emotions visibly shifted the other Sins’ faces; Ozzie, Bee, Levi and Belle looked radiant with excitement, while Mammon just looked disgusted. Satan’s smirk dropped, though you couldn’t tell if he was angry or just disappointed.  

Lucifer took your hand, carefully interlacing the fingers and rising next to you. Taking a steady breath, you felt the ground beneath you, envisioning the step you wanted to take into the air. One by one, you summoned golden discs as you placed your feet, walking down to the bench as Lucifer flew next to you, billowing your hair with the gusts of wings.  

You landed safely, with dignity this time as opposed to the stage in Lust, feeling immensely grateful your magic had held out for the entire walk. You continued to hold his hand as you spoke, admonishing the crimes and explaining the jury’s decision. You looked to Lucifer, inviting him to take over. Pride filled him, stoking the flames of his hearth as he held your gaze for a few seconds before turning to deliver the sentence with a cold finality; execution.  

The defendant became near rabid, screeching and threatening, fighting the chains that held her as her pitch rose.   

The block appeared, alongside a reaper with his scythe, slicing down over the writhing neck with an audible chop.  

Your stomach turned at the sight, feeling the reality of the situation hitting you. Lucifer’s hand tightened around yours as he felt you start to shake.   

Satan ended the trial, releasing the audience, witnesses, staff and Sins to leave.   

You took the solid rock steps this time, holding tight to Lucifer’s hand as nausea rose. The vision of the head rolling to the floor replayed with a resounding grip of horror.

Before you left the courtroom, at the doorway, you turned to look at Satan, an eyebrow raised. He gave one nod, confirming you’d earned his allegiance to you if the time came. 

 

Chapter Thirty One: Poisonous Roots  

 

The passage leading from the courtroom felt far colder than it had been walking in. A small pool of dread and anxiety curdled within you, contrasting to the warmth you felt in the hand Lucifer didn’t let go of. 

Ahead, most of the Sins were peeling off to their own portals and vehicles, with Bee and Ozzy a respectful distance ahead as they hovered. You focused on your breathing, avoiding looking up until you were ready. 

The court passage widened into a makeshift cavernous lobby. Lucifer slowed, gently holding you back from leaving with a pained expression. 

“When... when we leave here, where are you going?” 

You hesitate, envisioning Ozzie’s, but unsure. “I’ll have to figure it out, i suppose. It’s been... busy. I heard, well, i knew you came by to check on me. For what it’s worth, thank you.” 

“It’s alright. You just up and disappeared, pretty much the second Lil arrived. The last i saw you, you were talking to Alastor, and he grabbed you out of nowhere and you were just gone. I swear, I've near enough torn the hotel apart trying to find any trace of where he took you, right up until i found some of your stuff missing from your room. You left by choice, huh?” 

Still avoiding his gaze, you gave a half-smile, standing at a slight angle to face him. “I needed to, Lucifer. I’m not safe there. Technically speaking no-one is, but me especially.” 

“I really don’t think she’s going to hurt you. She’s a bit... possessive, at times, but not harmful. Besides, i can keep her in check.” 

“No, you really can’t. That’s the whole issue. And... you know what, i don’t even think you can protect yourself against her, let alone me, and let alone Hell.” 

His expression shifts to surprise, turning to properly look at you. “That’s an awfully generalized statement. Are you basing that off your first impressions, your jealousy, or what you heard second-hand from the other Sins?” 

“Jealousy? You think... i mean, i get the thought process. Fine. From where you’re standing, yes i did run pretty much the second she arrived. But that was because of the songs. You know that’s her power, right? Manipulation and control via the music?” 

He became wary, choosing his words carefully. “You’ve definitely been spending too much time with the others. They never liked her. Never saw her the way i did. Her songs are meant to inspire, to bring people together-” 

“Like a cult? Yeah, i saw that. I felt it. That’s why Alastor helped me, to prevent me getting swept under the control. I couldn’t move. That’s not inspiration, Lucifer.” 

“It’s not like that! I swear, you have to give her a chance. Don’t just take their word for it, go make your own decisions. I know you, you’re better than just judging people blindly like this. You gave more consideration to that demon in the courtroom than you’re giving Lil!” 

You tried to withdraw your hand, though his fingers just locked yours in tighter. “You have no idea what she’s doing to you, Lucifer. I’ve dragged you out from the absolute pits of your mental health, and I'm not sticking around to watch her kick you back into it. Plus, what exactly am i supposed to do? Look at you. You can’t let me go. But you’re sure as shit going to be under her thumb the second you get back to the hotel. Where does that leave me? What am I worth to you?” 

You saw the struggle in his eyes as he scrambled for words and reason. “You’re everything right now. I can’t focus, can’t breathe without you. I know how much you saved me, for the love of all Hell i KNOW. But i can’t leave her, either. She’s been there, since the beginning of Hell, and is the mother of my child. I can’t help but feel like if i lose her, I'll be breaking everything that she’s tied to. I can’t hurt Charlie like that.” 

“I don’t think it would, if you were strong enough to support her the way she needs. That’s not a dig; i mean it, if you have the other Sins, the Hazbin Hotel, and... me... maybe you’d get through it, and so would Charlie. She’d no longer be caught between watching you suffer and seeing her Mom only there when it suits her.” 

“Come on, that’s not fair. Lil had... obligations. I can’t force her to be beside me all the time.” 

“So you allow her to degrade you to nothing more than a convenience?” 

He winced, glancing away. You saw Bee and Ozzie talking by the exit, also looking concerned. 

“I’m the King of Hell. My entire existence right now is at the convenience of Heaven, to keep everything running smoothly. I don’t get the right to-” 

“Bullshit. Absolute, uncategorical bullshit. You just believe that. Each of the Sins have their own little luxuries, the things they get to enjoy that give them fulfilment. You’re the only one who’s been dead inside for longer than i bet you can remember.” 

“You have no idea how to judge how ‘fulfilled’ i am. There’s no-” 

“Again, bullshit. For all you think you know about me, i swear you never really listen. I do have the ability to sense someone’s spiritual wellness, or whatever you wanna call it. Point being, everyone has a spark inside them, that grows when they’re thriving, depletes when they’re struggling, on a spiritual level. I can see that, and have done from the beginning. I’ve seen the vibrance of demons and humans alike who have found belonging and joy, and equally seen the burnt out remnants of souls who’re forced into meaningless, painful existences. The Vees tower is infested with them. Hundreds of exhausted, pitiful sinners who’re barely clinging to afterlife. And yet, every single one of them had more spirit than you did when i first met you. Right now? There’s hope. It’s there, simmering, flickering, a candle compared to the wildfires in the other Sins. But it’s there, and it’s real. If you stay with Lilith, that candle goes out.” 

Your words pierced through him, widening his eyes and snatching his breath. He stared, barely able to process, locked in your gaze as though imprisoned.  

Up ahead, you spot Bee nudging Ozzie, trying to be subtle about gesturing at your argument. They probably couldn’t hear from this distance, but it wasn’t hard to guess the gist. 

“Look, I need to head out. All i can ask is for you to really look at what Lilith is doing to those around her. Watch her coerce, twist their thinking, bend them to her will. If-” 

“Wait, please. Come back with me. Show me. If you really think she’s that bad, if you can prove it to me, I'll listen, i promise. Just come back.” 

“I can’t fight sorcery with logic, Lucifer. And i can’t risk getting manipulated, too. You’re already vulnerable to her magic. The only one i can see with any sort of free will over it is Alastor. You really honestly want to put me in the position where the only safety i have from your wife is with a serial killer?” 

He blinked, disgusted. “No, absolutely not. You don’t need to rely on him, he- he doesn’t even need to be in the hotel, Charlie just wants him there for some insane reason and everyone has to deal with it. I’ll look after you, you know i will!” 

You sighed, growing frustrated while looking to the exit. “You can’t and you won’t, Lucifer. Look, maybe we can stay in contact while i work a few things out, but-” 

“Work what out, specifically?” 

“Well, a survival plan would be nice. Second of all would be to find a therapist to help me deal with my abhorrent taste in emotionally unavailable men.” 

“Tchsss, harsh. I’ve been plenty emotional with you, especially on the trip. Even right now, I'm pouring my heart out asking you to come back, only to get pushed back time and time again.” 

“Yeah that’s not emotional availability, that’s desperation, but thanks anyway.” 

“That’s not... ugh. You’ve got your mind made up, i get it. Can you please at least just give getting to know Lil a try, just for a little while. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll think of something else.” 

You chewed your tongue, strongly tempted to get a first-hand experience of Lilith’s manipulation to help guide your final judgement. Still, it was too risky to be exposed like that, especially while Lucifer was so weak to her. Alastor was the only hope you had to avoid the songs, yet he wasn’t even able to use his full powers. Unless... 

Shit. The idea hit you like a bulldozer, making you physically cringe. You’d need an ultimatum to get this deal. 

“What? Why’d you make that face?” 

“Lucifer... you know i said Alastor’s the one who helped me break out of the manipulation?” 

“.... yes, why?” 

“That’s...” you inhale deeply, gaining the confidence to make your demand, “that’s my stipulation. For coming back. If you genuinely want me to go through the Hell of seeing you being controlled and twisted by your wife, whilst also avoiding being caught up by her too, then i require safety. Fix Alastor’s cane, and I'll come back.” 

“Fix... what?! Why the Hell would i want to give him MORE power when the prick’s only just been knocked down a peg? Do you have any idea how insufferable he is when he thinks he’s powerful?!” 

“It’s not particularly my issue. I have to deal with Lilith’s control, you have to deal with Alastor’s cockiness. If that’s what it takes for me to survive this, then that’s my demand.” 

“You’re actually making me do this? You seriously think he’ll save you?” 

“No, but i think he hates Lilith enough to spite her.” 

He sucked his teeth, visibly uncomfortable. “Did he ask you to make me...?” 

“No, not at all. He did have a go at trying to get me to fix the cane, hence why my room has a massive burn in the carpet. But otherwise, no.” 

“I did wonder about that, dare i ask how that happened?” 

“He tried to eat me.” 

You saw disgust war with curiosity in his face, clearly conjuring mental images. 

“Not like... i mean literally, as in chew, swallow, digest. What the fuck Lucifer?” 

“Look, he’s never expressed interest in anyone that way , but he hates me enough i bet he’d try something. I guess I'm glad you could defend yourself. Bet he was pissed, huh?” 

A laugh escaped, remembering Alastor get humbled real quick by the Hellfire. 

“It was more than a little satisfying. So, those are my terms. Do we have a deal?” 

“I hate this, more than you know. And the thing is, i can already see this backfiring.” 

“Me, too. Except in my eyes, it’s Lilith that’s the issue, and in yours, it’s him. But in both scenarios, I'm the one who’s at stake. You understand that? For you, I'd be willing to risk life or afterlife itself. And if it really came down to it, I'm not sure how much you’d risk in return. Why am i always the one giving in, to everyone else? Why can’t just one person... humble themselves enough to put me first?” 

“I... i’m not sure I'm the one to really ask that to. Putting you first would mean losing Lil, and i don’t know if i can do that. She’s a part of me.” 

“Yeah, and so are tumours, until they’re removed. Come on, let’s go join the others, they’re looking a bit antsy.” 

 

The four of you ended up back at the House of Lust, using one of the third-floor one-way windowed booths. Built especially for high-end affairs, it worked perfectly for three Sins and a couple of demons to try to avoid attention. 

“So, so Ellie, PAHAHAHH, she kicked his ass? Didn’t even need security? What a boss!” 

You doubled over with laughter imagining the fiery demon with the creep who managed to get into the under-stage passage.  

Ozzie held his hands up, still chuckling, the motion making Fizz hold on to his leg tighter with his mechanical limbs to stop falling off his lap. “Not kidding. The guy had organs in places they were never meant to be.” 

You fought off a round of giggles with a scrunched face and a sip of your wine. Next to you, Lucifer’s eyes had a particular sparkle, despite not contributing to the conversation much. 

Bee stood with a stretch, long liquid hair swirling around in splashes of gold and orange. “I’ve got a party to show up for, just a smaller one, but some of my top girls are coming. You sure none of you wanna come?” 

The room shook their heads, though Ozzie and Fizz also got up. “Nah, sorry Bee. I’m crashing for the night. I’ve got this one to try and burn up all his energy before he’ll let me sleep.” 

Fizz grinned up at him with his tongue out, gruffly growling. 

Lucifer hesitated, unsure whether to get up. “I might hang around a bit longer. Still got some wine, and uh, you know...” 

Bee, Fizz, and Ozzie laughed as they left, winking back at you. 

Your heartrate picked up with nerves, already feeling increased heat now you were alone in the private, shielded booth. 

“So...” 

“Mmmm.” 

“You still set on that deal?” 

“MMhmmm.” 

“And there’s no other way to persuade you to come back?” 

The corner of your lip picked up against your will as you heard the smoulder in his voice. 

“Absolutely certain.” 

“Fine.” 

Your eyes darted to him, blinking in surprise. “Fine?” 

“Yeah, as in, fine, you have your bloody deal. You come back to the Hazbin Hotel for as long as you can tolerate, in exchange i will return the cane to original power, no strings attached. I’m not going to make you a prisoner with the terms, i just want you around, in any sort of capacity.” 

“I... thank you, Lucifer. Genuinely. Though, when you say any capacity...?” 

He cautiously scooted closer, now only about a foot away from you on the plush cushioning. You took a quick sip of wine, fending off the anticipation rising in your chest. 

He studied you before moving; gradually, he leaned over, resting a knee on the seat so he was just inches from your face, eyes glazing over. Your heart thudded violently in your chest, swallowing air as you felt his breath tickle your lips. He noticed your reaction, the corners of his lips lifting as he closed the distance between you ever so slowly. 

Electrifying excitement crashed though you, feeling as though you were finally giving in. For all you’d tried to fight it, you missed him, and it was now resurfacing in the heady desire that rushed to your groin. 

Your body responded instantly as he pushed you, pressing you down onto your back. His long tongue captured yours, throat growling as you bit it. Wanting to touch every inch of him you’d been held back from, your hands explored and grabbed, cupped and scratched. He moaned into your lips, running one hand into your hair while the other hitched the skirt of your dress up and found you slick and wanting. You whined as his touch immediately made you clench, gripping around the two fingers he curled rhythmically inside you. Grabbing onto his shoulder, you peek from your eyelids to see the one-way windows, feeling incredibly exposed. He grinned as he saw your hesitation warring with your pleasure. 

“Thay can’t see a thing, i promise. You could look every single one in the eye while i fuck you up against that window and they wouldn’t even see a silhouette.” 

His words compounded with the fingers stretching and stroking inside you, making your hips buck against his hand.  

“P-priva-Ah, AHH, privacy, pl-ease!” 

He rolled his eyes, withdrawing his fingers as you whined, already missing the stimulation. He sucked them clean, looking you in the eye. He then snapped those fingers, making blinds suddenly appear at the tops of every window and dramatically roll down. You grin, pleased, reaching down to undo his trousers. 

 

You woke up beside your favourite demonic face, looking utterly blissful in his sleep. You savoured the moments, indulging in the sweet, impossible fantasies of calling him yours and only yours. 

You snuggled against him, tracing gentle kisses along his jaw as he stirred. His arms wrapped around you, softly whispering ‘i love you’ as he nestled into the pillows. You smiled, feeling the flicker of his inner hearth as it grew just a tiny bit brighter. 

Time passed lazily as you slept, barely waking for moments at a time to change position or deliver affection to one another. When you finally decided to commit to waking up, he was already semi-awake, gently caressing your cheek. His half-shut eyes rested on your face, a sweet smile on his lips. Distracted, you stared down at the curves at the corners of his mouth, saliva pooling at the view. He leaned across the pillow to indulge you, gently cupping your face and exploring your mouth with his tongue. 

You stroked his bare chest, tracing circles and swirls on the smooth skin, picturing the way it flushed gold along with his cheeks when he was lost in pleasure. He caught your hand, complaining that it tickled, gently interlacing your fingers with his. 

“Please come back with me. I can’t let this go. I can’t let you go. Please.” 

“I already agreed, Lucifer. We have a deal, quite literally sealed with a kiss.” 

“I know, but...” 

“We’ll work out the rest of it from there. We still don’t know how Lilith’s going to react to me. How much does she know?” 

His awkward grimace was answer enough. 

“Hold the fucking phone, you haven’t told her anything?!” 

“Well... it never really... came up.... and we don’t usually discuss who we’re sleeping with unless there’s something else major going on with them, it’s kind of an out of sight out of mind thing.” 

“Lucifer... you’re gonna be the death of me, and i mean that very literally. Fuck’s sake. Do you think you should perhaps tell her before i walk into her daughter’s hotel?” 

“No! Uh, definitely not. Like i said, this doesn’t need to be an issue to her... Let’s just take it as it comes. We always have ‘training’ if need be.” He grinned, waggling his eyebrows. You couldn’t help but laugh. 

“You’re a fucking idiot. Respectfully.” 

“Respectfully taken. Now, do you need to pack anything?” 

“Not really, I'll just tidy a few things to put in storage for the next time i have to run for my life away from your wife.” 

“You were hardly running for your life. Come on, let’s get your shit together. Do you have stuff... elsewhere?” 

“Huh?” 

“I mean, uh... are you keeping anything else in any of the other, uh, rings? Wrath, for example?” 

You appraised the sudden bashful look, taken aback. “Is that a tinge of jealousy I'm sensing there? Are you actually joking?” 

He scowled, caught in the accusation. “Hey, I'm just asking a reasonable question, do we need to pick up any more of your stuff?” 

“No, we don’t. Mind your damn business, hypocrite.” 

“Well i wasn’t asking if you were involved with any of them. You’re not exactly denying it either, though.” 

“HAH, you are jealous! Oh, to be the very Sin of Pride. You need to learn a little humility, i swear. No, I'm not sleeping with anyone else. You’re quite literally the only one since I've been in H-” 

You cut your sentence short, realizing your words. He froze too, also picking up on your slip. The pause stretched on as you bit your lip, adrenaline pounding your heart in an unsteady rhythm. 

“Before we go anywhere, I'm gonna need you to explain that little bombshell, if you’d be so fucking kind.” 

You groan quietly, kicking yourself inside. “It’s complicated... and not necessarily the best time to have this conversation. We-” 

“No, don’t you dare. Talk to me. Now.” 

You sighed, trying to find some very careful words to use. “I’m... I WAS human, Lucifer. I died, under very specific circumstances. When i was... reborn, i was in Lust, so technically not a sinner. Or not a normal one, anyway. I... made a deal. Someone out there, in whatever capacity they exist in, saved me from the life i had before and granted me this one.” 

Concern and fear etched into his expression as he absorbed the truth. “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“And admit I'm just another sinner who got themselves in a stupid deal? Because of this. I can already see you thinking less of me.” 

He shook his head, unable remove his expression, but also indignant. “That’s not what I'm thinking, at all. It’s the implication of... everything. Your Hellfire that doesn’t burn me, the way you make me feel... it’s crossed my mind that this was more than just coincidence, something wound into fate... but to know an actual physical being had planned it, made you vulnerable to me and put you in my path... where’s the free will in that? Why can’t i make any fucking decisions for myself?” 

You cringed, hearing his tone turn harsh. “Trust me, I've already had this particular breakdown, several times. Good luck with it. As far as i was concerned, i just wanted to live. To be happy, to be able to defend myself if need be. Things i never really felt as a human. And i got it, in spades, and then some. But then you came along. I didn’t choose to make you pursue me, didn’t even want you to. I fell in love with you from your actions and your presence, not by someone flicking a switch in me. From what you’ve said, it sounds like you were caught up first, not me.” 

In his expression you saw the thoughts racing, processing his own interpretation of the situation. He turned away, taking a few steps while cramming his hands in his pockets. 

You wanted to tell him it didn’t change anything, that it didn’t matter, that he was still in danger from his own wife regardless of your existence. But you couldn’t. Honestly, it seemed to make all the difference in the universe.  

“I... need to process this. You’ve had time, i haven’t. I can’t carry this on while i think. I’m sorry to be harsh, but i don’t know if i can trust you right now. Just... come back to the hotel, let me think, and we can talk when I'm ready. Not a moment before. Understood?” 

You nod your head, meekly asking, “are you still gonna-” 

“Fix the fucking cane? Yes. That’s part of the deal, I'll honour it. It doesn’t help your case, though. If it weren’t for the fact i know he couldn’t pull off this level of power, I'd be real fucking suspicious right now.” 

You swallowed, silently agreeing with the perspective. 

He turned to leave the room, suddenly stopping mid-stride. “Do the others know?” 

“No, no-one does, barring whoever did this to me.” 

“And you have no idea who that is?” 

You closed your eyes, feeling sick.  

“Answer me, now.” 

“I only have a guess, because i saw a picture in a book that kinda looked like them. Please, don’t make me talk about this. I’m not ready, at all.” 

“You don’t have a choice. I need to know what I'm up against. If someone made you into the perfect little pawn to get to me, i want to know who’s pulling your strings.” 

“No one’s controlling me, Lucifer. Like i said, i didn’t choose to fall for you, didn’t make you-” 

“WHO. IS. IT.” 

Feeling a slight dizziness wash over you and your ears ring, you whisper, “Roo.” 

He stepped back, horror twisting his face. Your stomach knotted, fingers tightly squeezing  around the fabric of your clothes as you waited for his response. It didn’t come for a solid two minutes.  

In a choking voice, just above a whisper, he asked “what did she want from you? For the deal?” 

“A favour. At a time of her choosing.” 

His hand balled into a fist over his mouth, agony in his eyes. “Please, please tell me this is all a crazy, stupid joke. Please.” 

“The only joke here is that despite all of this, I'm still the one who’s made you feel more alive than Lilith has in centuries. If i was made for you, so be it. You weren’t made for me, and yet you’re all i can think about. Please don’t hate me for that. I hid the truth, i tried to pretend it wasn’t real, for the love of God i even tried to get over you and give you space. But you keep coming back, and you keep... your hearth, Lucifer; the flame inside, it just keeps getting brighter.” 

He looked up to the ceiling, blinking rapidly. “I’ll meet you at the hotel, you can use the crystal. I need space. If anything happens, and ESPECIALLY if Roo comes back, i need you to tell me. Swear on it.” 

“On my afterlife, i swear, if she appears i will tell you as soon as i am able to.” 

He turned and sped from the room, leaving you in yet another spell of heartbreak. 

 

Chapter Thirty Two: The Back-up Plan 

 

You slowly approached Ozzie’s office, unsure if Lucifer would be in there. 

Thankfully he wasn’t, though you heard Ozzie and Fizz talking in concerned tones in the next room. 

You knocked, hesitating until they opened up. Ozzie visibly sighed with relief, scooping you up. 

“Hey! We were wondering if you’d run off before saying goodbye. Lu told us you’re coming back to the hotel, and asked us to keep contact to a minimum while you settle in. He’s not... trying to control you, is he?” 

“No, Oz, but it’s complicated. Mind if i grab my phone?” 

“Yeah, sure. You remember you need to pick up that stuff Levi promised soon, either today or tomorrow?” 

“Oh shit yeah, I’ll go before i get back to the hotel. Thanks Ozzie, for everything. I'll be back when i can. Mind saying bye to Ellie for me? I need to head out now, ideally.” 

“You sure? You don’t look like you WANT to go back right now.” 

“Probably not. But you know as well as i do with everything that’s going on, it’s time to start working on getting Lucifer safe.” 

“I know. Good luck babe, and if it gets too much, just call, or show up. You’re always welcome here.” 

 

You stopped by Levi’s with a portal, picking up a neat package filled with rattling stones. You looked at them, perplexed. 

Levi grinned on one face and scowled on the other. “They’re conduits, of sorts. The primitive technology in Pride can be easily overridden, as long as enough of these are planted. Space them out no further than a mile apart, covering as much of the pentagram as you physically can. Once they’re in place, they’ll chameleon into their setting, making them near invisible. We’ll take control from Envy when the need arises. Make sure it’s only in the most dire circumstance, as this sort of move cannot be undone.” 

“Will do, thank you Levi. I hope we never have to use it. I’m sure Lucifer will still be open to trade and-” 

“Do not fret, we already have our terms. You may leave.” 

 

The portal opened to your bedroom, landing you into the charred patch of carpet. You studied the room with distant eyes, feeling less at home here than ever before. 

In your wardrobe, you rifled through until you found an outfit that would remind Lucifer of a better time, one of the summer dresses you’d gone to dinner wearing in Ecuador. He’d complimented the lacy cream fabric on your skin, while looking straight down the plummeting neckline. You smiled, partially in a treasured memory, and partially in the tease you were at least going to try to put him through if he thought he’d be able to drag you back and make you fall in line so easily. 

Your bedroom door opened while you were changing into it, making you scramble to cover yourself. Lucifer stood, holding a box of your things with his fingers on the door handle, staring across at you. He carefully placed the box on your bedside cabinet, hardly looking away, clearly torn. You watched him cautiously, holding your hands together in front of you. He glanced over his shoulder to the corridor before shutting the door quietly.  

Walking over to you, every step made you feel less sure of your little petty play. His eyes seemed dark with stress, hands tense at his sides. He stopped just in front of you, unreadable in the myriad of emotions.  

“Is this what you’re going to put me through?” He raised a hand, curling the fingers and gently stroking them across your cheek. Your heart stuttered as you turned to kiss the fingers. 

He allowed your affection before cupping your jaw, directing you to meet his eyes. 

“You don’t know what you’re up against right now. I’m trying to keep her calm, but... Lil’s really pissed i didn’t come back last night. She’s never been this possessive before. It does make me wonder...” 

You kept silent, letting him work out his thoughts. 

“Just be careful, okay? And if you need help, please just say so. No matter what Lil’s doing, even if she’s mid-song, if you need help then just ask. I’ll be here.” 

You smile and release a tense breath, grateful for the reassurance. 

He pressed his lips to yours for a few seconds before spinning and leaving the room. You stood, a little stunned by the interaction, feeling utter emotional whiplash. 

You finished getting ready with a little makeup and your hair tightly wrapped in a bun, not wanting to draw too much attention as you put a thin jacket over the dress.  

Steeling yourself, you opened your bedroom door and headed towards Alastor’s room, where you felt the black magic so vividly aflame you wondered how it wasn’t lighting up the corridor. 

You knocked twice, sensing the flame grow closer. He opened the door with the widest, most feral grin you’d ever seen.  

“Ahhhh finally. Do come in. I have much to discuss with you,” he began, shutting the door behind you as you entered, “starting with my sincerest gratitude. Consider this our debt paid. Why, I'd even confidently say the cane is even more powerful this way, rather intoxicatingly so. I’d certainly enjoy demonstrating at some point, should you desire so.”  

His wicked grin startled you as he licked his teeth.  

“Dare i ask what that’s supposed to mean?” 

He laughed, throwing his head back. 

“Ahhh I'm sure that will be a topic for another day. Perhaps for now you could begin with explaining why you decided it was more prudent for me to have my cane than for you to simply admit your transgressions to the Queen of Hell?” 

“Is that not obvious? I’d like to continue breathing?” 

“Hmmm, maybe. Though from what his highness was saying, it sounds as though he was really quite furious at your demand, highly displeased at your insistence for me to be the one freeing you from Lilith’s clutches. Have you given him reason to be so very sensitive on the matter?” 

“This feels very evasive, Alastor. Can you just ask me a direct question?” 

His eyes narrowed over the broad grin as he took a few steps closer. You took a step back involuntarily, feeling your stomach drop. He only seemed more pleased with your fear. 

“I hardly see the fun in that. Still, i see intent in your eyes. Go on, whatever you came to ask of me, I'd be fascinated to know.” 

You drew in a shaky breath, already wondering how insane you’d have to be to trust this sociopath. “I need your help, and your absolute silence.” 

He cocked his head, enjoying the anticipation as he waited. 

“I want to get... a safety net, per se, for the Pentagram in case the Vees try anything. The problem is, not only does this need to be entirely undetected, but it also needs to be precise. So ideally, I'd need to travel with your shadow to get from place to place, make my moves, and leave again without a trace. Even this conversation is out of bounds for discussion away from this room. If anyone, and i mean ANYONE hears about this, the plan could fail and the Pentagram gets fucked over.” 

His expression turned to surprise. “Well that’s not where i thought this was going at all. I’m a touch disappointed. Though, i am curious about this little scheme. Is this something that will be useful to prevent or recover from the Vees pulling their stunts?” 

“I don’t even want to know what you thought. Anyway, this is unfortunately a recovery-only mechanism. I’m not the one controlling it. Are you up for it or not?” 

“Hmmm. It's vague, deceptive and entirely at your cost, since you’d be owing me yet another favour. I’d say you have a deal, my dear.” 

“Fine, excellent. Shall we go over some maps of the Pentagram tonight and work out the target spots? They need to be dotted closer than a mile apart, so we need exit and entry strategies in as much ground as possible.” 

“Tonight, certainly, though I'd always say there’s no better time than the present. Are you very busy?” 

“I guess not. Do you have the maps?” 

 

You and Alastor worked through the late morning to early evening, where you were disturbed by a knock on the door. Alastor shot up, answering it before you could process the fact no-one knew you were in his room right now. 

You turned a couple of pages over, trying to hide the maps as Charlie greeted him; “hey, dinner’s nearly ready, aren’t you coming down? There’s...” 

Her eyes locked on you, currently laid on your front on the floor next to a bunch of papers. You smiled awkwardly, giving a little wave. 

“Uh..... hi... I’ll... leave you to it, i guess...” 

“HAHah oh, don’t fret, we’re just catching up on a little of Hell’s history, she has quite a few questions since your mother is making her presence so apparent. Now, do please be a dear and save us space at the table, we won’t be long.” 

She nodded, blinking and turning to leave. 

Alastor shut the door quickly, shoulders shaking with quiet laughter. 

“What’s so damn funny?” 

“Ahh so many things. Let’s get this mess tidied up,” he snapped his fingers, making a small green fissure in the air with a long, thick tentacle darting out of it to grab all the papers from the floor, “and get you looking presentable. Here.” He held out his hand, helping you up with a polite smile. You took it, feeling off about the interaction with Charlie. 

You had to pull your hand back as you walked to the door, brushing the carpet fibres from your dress.  

Downstairs, you heard the ruckus of dinner serving with the usual animated conversations. It felt comfortingly familiar, despite the recent turmoil. 

You’d nearly forgotten who’d be there by the time you turned the corner to the dining room. 

At the far end of the table sat Charlie, Lucifer and Lilith, all excitedly talking about a sudden offer Levi had made for a small advertising deal with the hotel. Alastor gently pressed a hand on your lower back to keep you walking forward. Your whole body felt on high alert, ready to react if things went awry. 

Lucifer glanced up from his conversation as you and Alastor took seats at the table. You avoided his gaze, though noticed him eyeing up Alastor in your peripheral vision. 

Alastor politely rested his hands on his thighs while he waited, having seen Cherri and Angel already helping Vaggie serve the meal. 

You heard a small cough, making you look up; directly into the violet eyes of Lilith Morningstar. She looked you up and down, making her disdain known with barely a single millimetre of a raised brow. You held her gaze, not backing down from the appraisal. 

The food came out, smelling amazing, temporarily distracting you.  

The table seemed energetic, though you and Alastor remained fairly quiet unless spoken to.  

Charlie began talking to you about your most recent absence, asking if you’d gone anywhere interesting. You picked your words carefully, trying to look nonchalant.  

“I have a few friends out in the other rings, mostly Lust. I help run a rehab clinic there. It’s doing well.” 

She excitedly asked questions as you explained how it was set up and the demons you picked to run it, briefly talking about some of their backgrounds.  

Lilith gave a gentle laugh, looking down her nose at you. “Is that all? I’d heard you’d taken up pole dancing while you were away. Not particularly well, of course, but entertaining nonetheless.” 

You startled, confused by the sudden affront. “My best friend is a dancer. If you’re talking about the one single time i joined her for a dance, then yes, i absolutely admit I'm not great on the pole. It was for fun.” 

Lucifer looked confused too, taken aback by the casual hostility. Charlie gently tried to override the sudden tension across the table by asking how Ellie-Rose was.  

You answered politely, gently stirring your food around with lost appetite. 

Lucifer awkwardly smiled, telling Lilith how close you and Ell were, how you’d basically saved her from her dad’s inheritance fiasco. She looked entirely unbothered, turning back to you with another thinly veiled insult. “I imagine it must be challenging knowing who to consider a friend if you gained them all by being useful. Has she ever called you when she didn’t particularly need anything?” 

Lucifer put a hand on her arm, expression filled with confusion and a little hurt on your behalf. 

You contained yourself with steady breaths, reminding yourself that acting prideful was the exact opposite of what you needed here. 

“That’s an excellent question. I suppose it’s hard to tell, since a lot of our time together was in person, rather than over the phone, and when we’re apart we’re usually busy.” 

“Ah yes, we all know the excuses, don’t worry. My husband tells me you recently partook in one of the court trials as a juror? Quite impressive, i certainly imagine you had to sleep with the right person to get so very high up in those chambers.” 

Don’t be prideful, don’t be prideful, for the love of Hell do NOT be prideful.  

The room was near deathly quiet now, with multiple awkward glances across the table. 

“I appreciate you considering me attractive enough to sleep my way up to that ranking, though i assure you, i was invited due to what i could contribute to the... overall picture.” 

Her tinkling laugh unsettled you like nails on a chalkboard. “I doubt it so. Tell me, besides my husband, have you slept with any of the other deadly Sins?” 

You choked, coughing into your napkin as the bombshell dropped. Charlie looked as horrified as Lucifer did, despite Lilith’s casual inquisitive expression. 

Angel threw his hands on the table, yelling out “WHAT, are you fucking KIDDING me? You DID sleep toge- fucking Hell, pay up. NOW.” 

Across the table, Vaggie pulled a large bill from her pocket, handing it to a grinning Angel. You heard Husk giving a pointed cough before Alastor pulled some bills out of his jacket too, handing it to him. You glared at Alastor, who grinned back at you in amusement.  

Lucifer’s face was nearly glowing with embarrassment, gold staining his cheeks as he held a palm over his mouth. Muffled, he asked Lilith what the fuck she was doing. 

You withheld the biting remarks, reminding yourself this was her game. 

“Uhhhh nope, none of the other Sins. No one else, actually, before you even ask. I’d say i have standards but I'm regretting those right now.” Your glare was met by Lucifer’s apologetic eyes. 

“Oh please don’t feel obliged to regret anything, i know what my husband is like. He does get awfully bored sometimes when I'm not around.” 

You gritted your teeth, hands balling into fists under the table. Alastor nudged a hand towards your thigh, offering you to grip it. You took it, holding so tight his nails pierced into your palm. The relief was instant, like turning off a tap of uncontrolled emotions. Your face relaxed, finding humour in her comment. Using your free hand to shield your mouth from their lip reading, you leaned over to Alastor and whispered, “my, my. He must have been so very, terribly bored for four hours last night then.” 

Alastor burst into laughter, eyes crossing and slapping his knee as he tried to control the chortles. He steadied with a dramatic ‘phew’ and squeezed your now bloody hand. 

Lucifer regarded Alastor with suspicion, while Charlie stared concerned at her mother.  

Silence stretched on as you didn’t answer, though you did feel just a little comfort at having Alastor to hold on to, knowing he’d help if things got worse. 

Dinner finished with hardly any further chatter, the guests and staff awkwardly taking their plates through and cleaning up. You were about to stand when you realised your hand was still dripping in his. You looked to Alastor with a cringe; he offered you a handkerchief from thin air, not batting an eyelid as it caught a few curious glances. You took it, squeezing it against the wounds to try and stem the bleeding. To your horror, he sat for a little longer, resting his elbow on the table and sucking the blood from his hand less than subtly. You quickly stood, grabbing your plate and leaving as quickly as possible. 

Lucifer watched you leave the dining room, eyes following your bloodied hand before watching Alastor with equivalent horror. In the kitchen, you tried to keep your head down, wrapping a fresh tea towel around your hand as you tried to help stack plates. 

Lucifer caught up to you, holding his hand out. You looked behind him, where Charlie and Lilith were whispering, looking as though in the middle of a quiet argument. Lucifer’s hand twitched forward, demanding yours. You sighed and raised it, letting him see the puncture wounds from Alastor’s claws. His eyes twitched, a deep frown crossing his features. He waved his hand over your palm, creating a soft golden glow, instantly healing you. You chewed your lip, wondering how much worse this was going to get. He held your hand for a few more seconds before letting go, looking ashamed as he turned back to pull Lilith aside.  

You left them to it, taking the cleaning supplies to wipe down the dinner table just to avoid them. 

Alastor joined you, summoning shadow creatures to do the cleaning while smirking down at you. Under your breath, you asked what the fuck he was trying to do. 

Equally quiet, he responded; “that is for me to know, and you to enjoy, my dear. I believe this is going to be quite fun.” 

 

Chapter Thirty Three: Viscosity  

 

Alastor’s attention became unwavering, especially when Lucifer was around. You clocked on pretty quickly he was simply trying to wind up the king, not actually causing harm beyond being a bit of a prick. He was right though; it was a little fun to see the sting of jealousy when Alastor got a little too close on the sofa or leaned over you when grabbing something behind you in the kitchen. 

Without a doubt, getting Alastor’s cane working had been the best decision you’d made. He was so much faster tracing through shadows and was able to blind any nearby security feeds, meaning your challenge to plant the stones was made almost trivial, if not fun. He’d shadow you from place to place, dodging demons and dropping you in sudden new locations as you remembered none of the flight. It was incredibly disorienting. 

He began making a fun game of picking you up for the next shadow. Sometimes it would be pretending to grab you, jump on you or slash from behind before you’d be misted in shadow; other times it was more playfully suggestive, such as stepping alarmingly close while smiling down at you, or wrapping an arm around your waist before the shadow came. The more stones you placed, the sillier it got, until you were practically dancing every time you’d get ready to disappear. You had to stifle laughter, trying to remain unheard while getting through the mass of gems. 

You’d gotten about three quarters of the way through the Pentagram when you started to run low. You travelled to see Ozzie, asking him to get in contact with Levi and tell her you needed maybe thirty more stones if possible. He agreed and sent you on your way with a concerned smile as he saw the increasing number of golden-healed scars barely visible on your skin. 

Nearly every interaction with Lilith was veiled with nasty implications or cruel glares when she felt no-one else was looking. You avoided her songs at every opportunity, and sat with Alastor if you couldn’t, using his claws to dig into your arm, leg, back, anywhere not easily seen over the table or from where you stood. It worked wonders, keeping you focused on the pain, not the powers floating into your mind. 

Lucifer was of course concerningly swept up in her songs. Though he threw apologetic glances and healed you time and time again, he never stopped or stood up to her. If it wasn’t for Alastor supporting you, you’d have been devastated to be thrown to the wolves like this.  

Charlie became more of an advocate for you than Lucifer was, challenging her Mom when the comments got sharper. 

Lilith never apologized of course, though she didn’t try to physically hurt you either.  

 

Your next package of stones was ready soon, at which point you collected and hid them back in your room ready for placing that night. 

Alastor wasn’t in his room as usual, so you listened out for his inner flame, sensing him downstairs with Lucifer. Out of curiosity, you tried to hug the wall as close as possible near the bannisters, barely overhearing their conversation in the dimly lit lobby. 

“-not going to let you keep hurting her. There’s got to be a better way!” 

“If i had one, I'd use it. As it is, it was one of the only ways that i myself learned how to cope with your wife’s poisonous lyrics. Until she learns how to resist, this is working plenty well enough.” 

“Can you at least not... the licking thing, it’s gross. That can’t be necessary.” 

“HaHAH, i can assure you it’s not necessary at all, i simply enjoy the taste. She has rather a smoky undercurrent to her blood, don’t you think?” 

“No! I don’t! What the fuck is wrong with you?!” 

Alastor chuckled, his inner flame vibrant with the spite. In contrast, Lucifer’s only seemed to be gradually reducing as the days and weeks passed. 

You heard a door opening, making you jump up as someone left their room down the far corridor. You played it off, walking down the stairs to greet the guys as if you hadn’t been eavesdropping. 

They looked startled to see you, though Alastor quickly beamed into a sly grin. “Ahh my dear, are you feeling like going for a walk? It’s a lovely evening.” 

Lucifer glared at him, crossing his arms. 

You rolled your eyes at Lucifer before turning to Alastor. “No thank you. Mind if i ask what you two are up to?” 

Lucifer scowled up at him, “i’m trying to get you a little less torn up every time you’re in a room with Lil. This is getting ridiculous.” 

“I thought so too. It’s almost funny; you can see how badly it’s affecting me to try and stay out of her influence, yet you still insist she’s not manipulative.” 

“She’s... she just feels threatened. I think she found the pho-... uh, it’s just a territorial thing. She’ll get over it, I'm sure.” 

“Of course she will. Hopefully I'll be alive to see the day. Alastor, stop winding him up, go to bed.” 

He chuckled, walking by you just a little too close as he left for the stairs. 

You ignored Lucifer’s glare, waiting for Alastor to be out of earshot before speaking. 

“You promised you’d step in. That I'd be safe. You haven’t stood up for me once. Even Charlie has. Are you that spineless? Where the Hell is the mighty King of Pride and who put you in charge?” 

He cringed, looking away. “I’m... sorry. I know i promised, and i really meant to. I just feel trapped, like I'm so afraid of letting her down or hurting her. I don’t think that’s manipulation, i just really care about her, and i know she’s-” 

“She, she, she. I get it. And while you’re falling into your depression again, neglecting Pride, the rest of us are going to have to suffer and pick up the pieces until she fucks off again. I’m not going to stick around for that, Lucifer. I deserve better.” 

He nodded with pain in his expression, raising a hand before dropping it back to his side. 

You turned and left, heading straight for Alastor’s room to start the night of placing stones. 

He answered the door with a pleased grin at your grumpy expression, letting you in with a small bow. “Such a pitiful waste isn’t he? It’s so very fortunate his daughter has some spine, otherwise all of Hell would truly be doomed.” 

“Like you have no idea.” 

His eyes narrowed at your statement, yet didn’t press you further. “Shall we?” 

You saw the glint in his eye, challenging you. You smirked back, throwing your arms up and folding into a handstand for him to catch and shadow you to the first location. 

 

Lilith and Lucifer were late to dinner the following evening, making a few of you debate if they’d gone out instead. They turned up halfway through the meal, taking plates with stony silence.  

Sensing tension, the table conversations turned hushed.  

Lilith, looking more frustrated than her usual perfect composure, took a long sip of wine before turning to look at you from across the table. 

“We have been discussing the future of the Hazbin Hotel and the current flaws in the system. There’s a definite lack of core structure-” 

“LILITH. Stop. For the love of fucking- please do not start this right now.” Lucifer snapped, teeth baring as he glared. You were taken aback, shocked by the outburst.  

She slowly turned back to him, eyes narrow and warning. For once, he didn’t immediately back down. 

You heard the gentle tinkling of piano, with a hum of flute. Another fucking song. Christ almighty. 

This one was aimed at you, though. In a low tone, she sang in direct accusation of you using the hotel for your gain and giving nothing back. The song seemed disjointed and harsh compared to normal, with a much stronger undercurrent of power, a few singular lines arguing with her from the staff. It made your head swim as you fought to ignore it, closing your eyes and taking Alastor’s claws to your thigh. It wasn’t working, not enough. You dug your own claws in your forearm, biting into your cheek. Your chest was burning with lyrics you wanted to pelt, all of which were so frighteningly boastful and proud, yearning to challenge her. She got louder, raising the pitch as she stood, resting her hands on the table. Your eyelids trembled from the effort as blood started to fill your mouth. Breathing became so difficult that you just stopped, forcing your lungs to obey as the words churned in your throat.  

Under the pressure of her song, your blood thickened, almost congealing in your mouth. Your veins felt cold, hands going almost numb where they clawed.  

The restraint slowly dissipated into acceptance, no longer holding you back from taking a lungful of air. The lyrics of her song felt as though they led you to a final chorus that you had no choice but to sing.  

Your eyes cooled as gel-like tears gathered, too thick to fall. Feeling the last glimpse of your control starting to fade, you caught a breath and spoke, only just audible under the music; “Help me.” 

You heard no response, not even from Alastor’s claws. You tried again, voice cracking, “please, help me.” 

This time, you felt the air shift around you, silencing the song. 

 

Alastor’s POV: Viscosity  

 

Lilith’s song electrified his skin with the powerful undercurrent of influence, making his fur stand on edge. 

He gritted his teeth, remembering his mantras and his distractions, blocking his ears with static as much as possible. 

Beside him, she wasn’t holding it together quite as well as he hoped, despite digging deep enough to the thigh that he was well into the muscle. He felt an extra trickle of blood on top of his hand; she was clawing into her forearms under the table too, pinning her eyes shut and breathing shakily. He admired the efforts, despite the growing pit of dread at her waning resolve. 

The song grew louder with a vicious force of sorcery as Lilith stood, projecting her voice. Lucifer tried to pull at her arm, arguing with her in the lyrics. Alastor choked back the lines he was almost forced into singing, feeling sutures tighten around his mouth as he fought. 

“Help me.” 

Alastor jumped, barely hearing the plea, but feeling every facet of the desperation behind it. He looked over to Lucifer, who was trying to get Lilith to look back at him, tugging at her arm and shoulder.  

Alastor’s stomach twisted as he saw no assistance coming from the King. His fists felt as though the skin was going to tear at the knuckles as he gripped his fists, staring at Lilith. 

In a pitiful tone lashed with pain, the voice cracked through once more; “please, help me.” 

The plea was too final, too broken. She was about to lose control.  

In the moment, Lilith’s eyes flashed to his as the air shimmered around him. Her lyrics faltered as he snatched the girl in shadow, flying her from the room, nearly reaching the stairs before the chokehold came. He materialized, his neck in vivid purple chains as he was dragged back to the dining room by the throat, desperately clawing the carpet for leverage as she landed heavily on her side, not moving. He snarled and slashed, gripping the doorframe as Lilith yanked him closer. 

“LILITH, STOP!” 

The shout preceded a massive shatter, followed by instant relief as the manacle cracked and fell. Alastor heaved in a lungful of air, spinning to look at the disappearing fragments of his soul deal. Lucifer stood between him and Lilith in higher demon form, Hellfire hovering between his horns and claws raised ready to fight. Lilith looked the personification of fury, eyes now a shocking red as she clenched her fists and bared her teeth. 

Feeling his freedom, Alastor tried to shadow, realizing he no longer had that ability. He scrambled, stumbling as he ran out the dining room to check on the girl. 

She was breathing, though only weakly, eyes barely twitching as she clung to her senses. Her eyelashes were clumped with thick black liquid, trailing down the side of her face like tears of crude oil. The same substance rimmed her nostrils and dripped from her lips as she rasped. He dipped a finger in a tear, tasting a vile mix of rotting fruit and bitter smoke. 

He heard the shouting from the dining room and heard various scuffles, feeling the pressure to escape. He could run, but nowhere near far enough from Lilith to avoid her wrath in time. Plus, the strange female he was sacrificing his deal to protect was currently fighting for her life; he couldn’t leave her unless there was physically no other option. She was the key to restoring his power in Hell, he just knew it. 

Shaking, he pulled one of her arms over his shoulder and stood, scooping her by the legs to carry her upstairs. This was far harder without a fucking shadow . 

He heard the argument grow louder and sorcery begin to crackle and flash. He pushed on, climbing the stairs as fast as he could, struggling for balance. He rounded the corner of the upstairs corridor, using his running momentum to kick through his door, smashing the lock. He stumbled and tripped, landing hard on his knee as he prevented her fall. The door creaked behind him with splinters of wood falling. 

Snatching a breath despite his screaming knee, he pushed to a stand and placed her on the bed, reaching underneath the bedframe for his axe. He perched against the bed, stood shakily in front of her facing the door, ready to go down fighting if Lilith came after him. 

Loud bangs and roars of flame echoed from down the corridor, unsettling Alastor. He heard Charlie and Vaggie screaming unison before a sharp crackle came, followed by a startling silence. He heard footsteps at a run, growing closer to his room. His teeth bared, holding the axe closer with tense biceps. In the doorway, Charlie’s higher demon form screeched into view, pausing when she saw the axe. Alastor glanced behind her, seeing Vaggie with her wings and spear drawn. He assessed their behaviour as he clung to the axe, only allowing himself to slowly lower it when they raised their hands and asked if she was okay. 

Over his shoulder, he glanced back at the shaking figure, now hunched over in a ball on the sheets. 

Charlie slowly approached, hands still cautiously held up. Alastor gently placed the axe on the floor with a small thud, letting it rest against the bed frame as he drew in a needed lungful of air. “Lilith?” 

Charlie shook her head. “She’s gone for now. Dad’s chasing her out. He actually said she was banished, but i don’t know how much she’s going to listen to that. I think they went to another realm to duke it out. That was incredibly brave of you, Alastor. Thank you.” 

He refused to dignify the compliment with a response. This was hardly altruism, after all. 

Vaggie walked around the side of the bed, recoiling as she saw the black liquid. 

“Hey Charlie, come look at this. What the fuck is it?” 

Alastor sat back on the bed, still feeling adrenaline at his near-demise. No doubt Lilith would not let him live if she had anything to do with it now. Behind him, the girls fretted, rubbing the gel between their fingers. 

“Hey Al, have you seen this? What is it?” 

He shook his head, staring blankly at the floor. “I have no clue, dear. I can only assume your father might know. Has your mother ever made anyone else suffer like this?” 

“No. I’ve never... but i guess I've not seen her like this, either. I can’t believe she... oh my God, that was a soul deal wasn’t it? Did Mom own you, Al?” 

He snarled under his breath. 

“Fuck, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. It looked broken, though. If... if Dad won’t make you one, i can try, but it might not be as powerful. I can’t believe any of this.” 

“Please don’t think too hard my dear, it’s only making you fret. I expect there will be a need to take action immediately to deal with the consequences; i shall try to help her regain consciousness and control, though i may need assistance in case of Lilith’s return. My powers are, as you rightfully assumed, gone. Whilst recovering her is a priority, for all our sakes, i am frightfully concerned it will not be enough. You may need to summon some reinforcements, of a higher power.” 

“What do you mean? Who the Hell can i ask?” 

“That’s the issue dear. I think you may need to resort to Heaven. Whatever your mother has been planning these couple of months, i fear she is about to trigger the fallout.” 

“I... we don’t know...” 

“Don’t be naive, dear. You’re not blind to what’s in front of you, nor how insufferably spiteful she has been to our guest. I imagine she will have revenge to exact, alongside the powerplay she has been planning.” 

“But how do you know it’ll be something that BIG that we need Heaven involved?” 

He met her eyes with a sneer. “Because i know her, have served her for quite some time. She has manipulated the forces of Hell for many centuries, and quite excellently shaped the Overlord societies to her whim, using me as a vessel of destruction. As of right now, I'd say she considered Pride to be in checkmate, until our guest moved her greatest pawn, Lucifer, out of place.” 

She shuddered, sensing the truth of his words.  

Vaggie placed a hand on her arm. “We can deal with this, i promise. We won’t try to hurt her, just stop her, make her back down. If we get Heaven involved, she’ll have no choice but to give in. If me and you go, we can give it our best shot; but i think he’s right, we’ll need to go right now.” 

“But Al...” 

“I’ll be fine, dear. I shall have assistance soon, I'm very certain of it.” 

She hesitated, arms tucked to her abdomen as she debated. His eyes rolled as she leapt to him for a hug, thanking him again before running downstairs with Vaggie. 

Alastor walked around the bed to study the girl’s condition, unsure of the next course of action. Thankfully, she was breathing easier, with no further gel trickling than before. 

“Come along little Phoenix, it’s safe now. Are you conscious?” 

Her breathing jittered like she was trying to speak. He saw the claw wounds on her arm and tried waking her by gouging some of them deeper.  

Her eyes scrunched, a half-cry leaving her lips. Her hands curled and shook, as though trying to grab something. Curiously, he placed a wrist next to the hand, watching as the fingers slowly extended and wrapped around, clinging on tight. He cocked his head, fascinated by the desperation.  

He waited patiently, watching her gradually slip into sleep, recovering from the assault.  

The room grew darker as the light from the windows faded. He had to pull his arm free to get up and manually turn a lamp on. The lack of powers disturbed and disgusted him. 

Come nightfall, he heard voices downstairs again, followed by running footsteps. Alastor tensed from his perch on the mattress, ready to leap for the axe if need be. This time it was Lucifer who rounded the doorway, stumbling as he halted the sprint. Behind him was Husk, looking back down the corridor with his hand up in a ‘hold on’ gesture. 

Lucifer looked every bit the mortified and suffering failure he was as he saw her, curled into a ball and pale as porcelain. His eyes were painfully tight, pure regret on his expression. He hardly regarded Alastor, walking carefully round to stand beside him to check on her. 

“What... this fluid, what is it?” 

“I was rather hoping you could enlighten us. After all, it is your wife who caused such affliction.” 

Lucifer shuddered, eyes now locked on the hand gripping tightly to Alastor’s wrist in her sleep. For a moment, Alastor enjoyed the pain that flashed in his eyes. 

“I’ve never seen anything like this before. I don’t know what Lil even really did. I’ve not seen her use her songs to hurt someone like this.” 

“I have, though I'm certain you’d hardly even notice given how oblivious you are. Whatever this is, she’s suffering, extremely so. I suggest you find a way to heal her, and quickly.” 

Lucifer paused, wiping part of the heavily smeared fluid from her face. He rubbed it in his fingers, tasted it, trying to work out what it was. He raised his hands over her, summoning gold shimmering sorcery to heal what he could. The wounds on her arms and thigh glowed and closed, healing over with a slight glitter on the fresh scar. They both noticed the thick black liquid congealed in the wounds beneath the dried red blood, as though her blood itself was now this oily substance. 

“I can’t get rid of this. Whatever it is, it’s part of her right now. I have no fucking idea what Lil’s done.” 

Lucifer kneeled by the bed, stroking her hair. Alastor grimaced under his fake grin, glaring down at him from the mattress. 

“No, and I'm certain you have no idea what’s coming, either. Please speak to Charlie, i do not wish to rehash the issue at hand. I will require a new deal, whether from yourself or dear Charlotte, for the equivalent power i have just lost. I’m more than certain we are going to need it.” 

“We can, uh... yeah, fine. Where is she?” 

“By now, hopefully in Heaven’s courts, fighting her case.” 

“Heaven?! What?” 

“Yes, attempting to obtain some reinforcements. Your problematic wife is due to become a far greater threat than you have any means of comprehending.” 

“I don’t get it, why is all this happening?” 

“Because, with the deepest disrespect, you’re a useless fucking fool who’s neglected your kingdom and allowed corruption to grow rife. Now please, i would appreciate my powers back so i can help fend off the consequences of your inaction.” 

Panic rose in Lucifer’s face as he heard a horrific wheeze and a splutter of thick black fluid come from her throat. “F-fine, yes, deal, set the terms, what do you want?” 

 

Chapter Thirty Four: Unforgiving 

 

Alastor stayed with the girl, watching over her with his revitalized powers. Her recovery was slow but palpable, breathing easier throughout the night and even blinking her eyes open a few times before falling back to sleep. 

Lucifer dragged himself away after their deal to set up protections for the Hazbin Hotel. He knew as well as Alastor that no matter what Lilith was planning, the girl was the biggest target, and incredibly vulnerable right now. 

She stirred in her sleep in the morning, a faint groan slipping through her teeth. Alastor puzzled over the expression until he saw her gagging, summoning a bowl for her to vomit thick black sludge into.  

He gave her a napkin, assisting her to clean herself up as she barely leaned up on her elbow, eyes mostly shut. “Al-” 

She burst into a coughing fit, choking on the fluid. He cringed, seeing the flecks of bright red mixing in this time, unsure if that was a good thing. 

“Shhh dear, don’t speak. You’re under close guardianship in the hotel. We’re establishing defenses now. You must focus on regaining control. When you’re ready, we shall begin.” 

She softly groaned, swallowing and cringing. He wiped a spot of blood from the side of her mouth, curious when she relaxed a little. 

He removed the offending bowl of fluid and sat back on the mattress behind her, blocking her from anyone who would come in via the doorway. 

Lucifer came to check on her again, concerned when he saw the black vomit. He received a call and rushed off, throwing a regretful glance her way as he left the room. 

An hour or so later, he felt her tense and try to move beside him. He watch as she slowly rolled, facing the doorway now, determination on her face. The motion exhausted her, but was successful, and had no further coughing. She peeked her eyes open at the light of the corridor, just about meeting his eyes.  

The sclera were jet black, with startlingly white irises. Even Alastor was disturbed, recoiling slightly.  

“H-hey.” 

Unsure if to respond, he watched her cautiously. 

“Did you get me out?” 

He nodded. 

“Thanks.” 

Her expression relaxed, looking utterly exhausted again as her mouth fell slack. 

After a minute, he whispered back, “you’re welcome, my dear.” 

 

She woke properly at midday, rolling onto her back and stretching slowly. The oil had smeared on her face and pillow, making her look quite the amusing mess as she groggily scowled at the light. 

“Good morning, dear. Are you truly awake, now?” 

She blinked, processing. Her eyes were still black and white, absently gazing around the room. “Awake, but at what cost. Why do i feel so fucking shit?” 

He snorted, “you’ve come down with some form of affliction after Lilith’s song. Here, I'll show you if you sit up.” 

He leaned over to offer an arm to brace on, which she gratefully took. She shuffled to the headboard, struggling to lift higher up. Alastor leaned over, tucking an arm behind her back and lifting her the final distance to sitting upright, resting her carefully against the headboard. She sighed, still a little shaky, bending one knee under her for support. Alastor stood upright, curiously assessing the improvements. 

When she seemed steadier, he summoned a mirror to hover in front of her face. “Who... oh fuck.” Her initial confusion led to recognition as she noticed her own face behind the discolouration. Her panic warred with the exhaustion in her features. She touched some of the now near-dry oil, rubbing some of it away. Alastor offered a damp towel, studying her as she cleaned up the worst of it. 

She just about finished wiping her face when she lost focus, cringing and holding the towel over her mouth. She breathed shakily, overcome with nausea, only lowering the towel when she had composure. 

He disappeared the mirror, seating himself delicately on the mattress.  

She blinked, re-focusing on the room. “Why am i here?” 

“You needed guarding, and i needed weapons of self-defense. This was the only option for both.” 

“Weapons... i’m confused, why did you need...” 

He grinned at the barely processing thoughts in her head. “Please relax, dear. There’s no need to fret. You’re safe here now. Recover, and we shall discuss next steps.” 

“... Fine, just let me deal with that when I'm more alive, please.” 

He chuckled, pleased with the humour creeping into her voice. 

His ears flickered as he heard tentative footsteps down the corridor, two sets. In the doorway, Charlie and Lucifer appeared, both looking extremely anxious. 

“Ahh the Morningstars have returned. Did you have any success in your endeavours?” 

Beside him, a low snarl made him jump. He looked to the angry face glaring up at Lucifer. 

He too seemed shocked. 

“Get the fuck out of my sight, Lucifer. Now.” 

Alastor’s eyes widened, a little concerned and thrilled by the harsh demand. 

Lucifer recoiled, looking pained. “I just wanted to-” 

Her body jolted with the effort of yelling, “GET OUT!” 

Lucifer hesitated, staring at the black sclera, afraid.  

Charlie held her Dad’s arm in support, staring at the angry face. “What’s wrong with her eyes, Al?” 

Alastor began to answer when the low growl became accompanied by the hiss of white-hot flame, simmering in a ball in her right hand. Lucifer backed up, holding Charlie behind him. “I’m going, we’re going, don’t worry. We just wanted to check on you. I’m- fuck, I'm so sorry.” 

The ball grew brighter and even hotter as she raised it, glaring at him. Charlie pulled him back, guiding him forcefully until he accepted defeat and left. 

With him gone, the ball of flame immediately receded, weakness overcoming her face as she lost focus. Alastor steadied her arm as she swayed, resting her back against the headboard again. She flopped her hand on his arm as her head lolled, giving a brief squeeze before letting go. 

“I take it you’re displeased with his highness?” 

“Don’t fucking go there. You know he failed me.” 

“Well yes, clearly. I’m just pleased you can actually see it. Charlotte has been quite blind to his inadequacies this entire time.” 

She sighed, looking frustrated. “It’s not that i don’t see it. I just have far too much faith in people. I genuinely believed it would be him that would save me. What a fucking joke.” 

Alastor’s grin spread with malice. “Quite a hilarious one, too. Still, he had his uses. You are far better at controlling those flames now. How do you feel?” 

She shook her head, rolling her eyes back and ignoring him. 

 

She slowly improved throughout the day, managing to get up and bathe, sip water and make snide comments. Her eyes were still pitch black with white dots, and skin alarmingly pale in the light.  

Charlie came upstairs with food and tea for the two of them, despite having not been asked to do so. She checked over the girl, staring into the sclera with permission and feeling the temperature of her skin. 

“We can’t figure out what’s going on. There’s no sign of Mom since their fight, and Dad said he’s got nothing but resistance from the other Sins when he asked them for help. He’s never been this isolated before. I just don’t understand why they all turned on him.” 

“Charlie, your Dad’s got a lot of issues. And i mean that very, very offensively. I can’t stress enough how absolutely fucked he is right now. He just allowed Lilith to walk all over him, again, only stepping in when Alastor broke through the song to get me out. Maybe the other Sins are just giving up on him too, just waiting for him to go crawling back to her?” 

She cringed, avoiding the girl’s gaze. “I’m sorry he let you down. And... i’m sorry i didn’t see the manipulation sooner. Whatever Mom did to you, I'll try and fix it, whatever it takes.” 

“Just stop her, or kick your Dad’s ass to get him to do it, i don’t care. Alastor told me you went to Heaven. Any luck?” 

“Not much. Emily, one of the Seraphims, she’s on our side, but her hands are tied by the courts. She said she’ll try to swing some exorcists or have some of the council try to locate Mom, but it’s pretty much a dead end for now. I don’t know if we’re overreacting, maybe going overboard when she might not be planning anything. But... i can’t get past how badly she wanted you out of the hotel. It just seemed so much more than just jealousy, which Mom has never really been known for anyway. It’s like you were in her way.” 

“Yeah, that’s the energy I'm getting. I guess thanks for sticking by me.” 

“You’re welcome. Dad’s still trying to help too, by the way. He’s out looking for signs of her, trying to hunt her down so she doesn’t come after you. That really shook him.” 

“Good. He needs the wake-up call.” 

Charlie nodded, exploring the jet black sclera once more. “Is there anything i can do to help you?” 

She shrugged, “i have no idea. I'm too tired to really fight right now, but I'm slowly getting there. Just bear with me, and keep your Dad the fuck away from me.” 

Charlie swallowed, concern etched into the lines on her face.  

Alastor watched the conversation in amusement, though his own eyelids were starting to weigh on him from lack of sleep. 

Charlie addressed him, thanking him for keeping watch. He waved her off, thanking her for the food before she turned and left. 

He nudged the plate, offering nutrition as the black eyes drifted closed for a second. She blinked, refocusing, reaching for the plate. She managed a few bites before looking nauseous again, though held it together. Alastor ate in silence, vaguely staring at the splintered doorframe. 

“Hey, do you want me to go back to my room so you can rest? Sorry i took up pretty much the whole bed, and all your time.” 

He chuckled, looking back to her as she half-smiled.  

“It would be far from clever to leave you alone and vulnerable right now, dear. Unless you have a better option or a sudden miraculous recovery, i suggest you get comfortable.” 

“Well, i am pretty comfy. But still, you need sleep.” 

“I hardly sleep anyway, it’s not much of an issue.” 

His argument fell flat as he stifled a yawn. She laughed, carefully shuffling to the right to make more space for him. 

“Go on, have a nap. I’ll keep watch.” 

“Hah, you’re hardly able to stay awake yourself. It is no matter; if i decide i need it, i shall take up the chair.” 

She shook her head, giving up the battle. “Stubborn jackass. Still, thanks.” 

“It’s a pleasure, dear. Water?” 

 

He’d tried to fight sleep for a while, eventually heading over to the armchair and tucking his legs under him for a rest. He summoned a group of shadow henchmen to guard the windows and doors while he let his eyes close. On the bed, the girl slipped under the covers and resumed her own slumber. 

 

Alastor startled awake as a finger tapped his shoulder, eyes darting and landing on Lucifer stood leaning over him. He held a finger to his lips and motioned for him to follow. They quietly stepped out into the Bayou, far enough away to not be heard in quiet tones, yet still in earshot if trouble came. 

“I trust there is a good reason for the interruption?” 

“Good, in a bad way. Charlie got word from Heaven. The diviners found Lilith briefly, in the financial district. No idea why, and she slipped out of view from there. So she’s still in Pride, and has connections i don’t know about. You were right, she’s definitely been planning something.” 

“Well, I'm surprised you took so long to work that one out. And far too late, given the broken little doll in my bed currently. Have you any idea how furious she is with you?” 

Lucifer flinched at the wording, looking back at the room. He sunk onto a fallen tree, staring at the blueish green grass. “Yeah, yeah. I can’t take any of it back now. I’ll work on it. I’m glad she’s safe.” 

Alastor sneered, laughing harshly. “She’s far from safe, your highness . Whatever ails her is incredibly strong, even resisting your powers. I suggest you get back to working out your wife’s plot before the poor girl wakes up and wastes energy chasing you out.” 

Lucifer shook his head, swallowing back his response. He stalked off, watching the sleeping figure until he was out of the bedroom. 

Alastor wandered over to her, the taste of spite at the back of his throat. Lucifer was very fond of her, certainly to the point of emotional distress. Perhaps breaking him down was what he needed to stop this pathetic moping. 

With new intentions, Alastor crept to the door, pressing the broken door to wedge against its frame with a small creak.  

Returning to the bed, he perched on the mattress, debating options. He’d certainly considered the possibility of stealing her previously, when she came back from Lust, just as a way to piss of Lucifer. It seemed so much more valuable to do so now, and far more beneficial to his cause.  

Mind made up, Alastor tucked under the covers, resuming his nap in the space she’d previously offered him, the first step to convincing her to trust him. 

 

He woke up to rustling beside him, a sleepy face scrunching as she rolled over. He pretended to be asleep, trying to keep his malicious smile as minute as possible. He heard the pillow rustle as she tucked a hand under it. The other rested in front of her in the small space between them. When he heard the breathing slow again, he peeked through the crack of an eyelid, assessing her. She seemed relaxed, tucked into a comfortable position, unafraid to face him. It was certainly a start. He pretended to adjust, rolling onto his front and resting his arm on top of her hand. She stirred, making a small groan before taking his arm to hold in her sleep. 

He couldn’t help the smirk that came, already tasting the displeasure Lucifer would feel if he interrupted right now. 

 

She woke with a start, bolting upright, making Alastor shoot up and look around groggily.  

“Shit, what the -when did you- what the fuck happened?” 

Alastor looked around, trying to work out what she was talking about. “What is it dear?” 

She blinked at him, looking confused. “You were in the chair, why are you in the bed?” 

He laughed, relieved. “I felt more comfortable in my own bed, i assumed you’d be fine with it after your insistence earlier.” 

“Well... yeah, it’s your bed, I'm just... ah, sorry for waking you.” 

“No problem dear, I'm certain i can sleep again soon. Are you feeling up to an attempt to clear this affliction?” 

She nodded eagerly, slipping out of the covers with improved energy and a flash of determination. Alastor rolled onto his front, kicking his legs lazily behind him as he watched her get her bearings.  

She stretched, leg shaking at the peak of her extension. With a relieved sigh, she straightened up and focused her eyes. One of the henchmen nearby back up, sensing the air shift as her energy gathered. 

She walked forward, taking the centre of the room to try out some flame control. 

He watched the modest display of flames being spiralled, expanded, focused and receded in carefully controlled motions. She experimented with different patterns of flames, allowing them to rise up her bare arms. She shuddered, immediately receding the flames and wrapping her hands around herself. 

“Why did you stop, dear? Your control was impeccable.” 

She turned to face him, hesitation in her movements and her lower lip caught in her teeth. Her eyes, for just a moment, flashed back to normal before the blackness stole them again. 

 

Chapter Thirty Five: Playing with Fire  

 

She looked nervous, standing with her fingers knotting together as she chewed her lip. Alastor materialized directly in front of her, tilting his head. “My dear, i believe it is working. Your eyes returned, just for a moment. Perhaps channel your flame until you feel the same as you did just then?” 

Her expression only turned more concerned at his words. “Do you mind just, uh, watching my face i guess, to see if the eyes or anything change? I’ll try again.” 

She drew a deep breath and took a step back, casting a small ball of flame to wind in patterns around her. Every so often she looked up at him, seeming to check his expression. He watched patiently, seeing no change. The flames gathered into an orb again before sinking to her hand, engulfing it. The corner of her mouth flickered as the fire slowly rose to her wrist, forearm, elbow. Alastor inhaled sharply, seeing the white sclera appear. She looked up to him, her eyes the normal colour, with a flush of pink staining her cheeks as the colour returned to her face. 

She began to work on the other arm, igniting the fingers and travelling the flame towards her wrist, only stopping when the door quietly knocked.  

Alastor waved the door to be opened by a shadow creature, who stepped aside for Lucifer to step through. Alastor immediately looked back at her face, curious to see if the anger would return, along with the blackness. If anything, the colour made an even more vivid appearance, spreading down her neck in a delicate blush. Alastor’s lip curled with irritation as she held back a smile looking at the king. 

“Hey, you’re looking so much better! I just wanted to see how you were doing.”  

He took a few tentative steps over, stopping about a metre short of her. “Your eyes, they’re back. I can’t believe it. How did you...?” 

She shrugged, looking down. “I’m just playing with fire, literally.” She held her still-flaming forearm up, controlling the fire back to just her palm as she showed it off.  

Lucifer beamed, radiant with excitement. “This is amazing. Keep it up, we’re gonna need your help. There’s not much support coming from the other rings, or Heaven by the sounds of it. If you have such good fire control despite being this tired, you’ll be incredible when you’re back on your A-game!” 

Her face hardened slightly, sclera flitting between the white and black until the darkness won. 

“What... did i say something? What happened?” 

She looked confused, eyes darting to Alastor. 

“They’re back to black, dear. I’m afraid you don’t quite have full control yet. Perhaps something about what his highness has said is affecting you?” 

“But i didn’t say anything bad, did i? I mean, I'm proud of you, incredibly so. You’re doing amazing. Hell needs you, I need you . You gotta keep trying, please.”  

The worry in his face made Alastor’s grin spread wider with pleasure, especially as the colour quickly drained back to porcelain on her face. 

She swallowed, looking away with irritation. 

“I’m not here to be relied on, Lucifer. You had the chance to protect me, and you failed. Not even protect, but just stand up for me, or at least get me out of here when i needed it most. I don’t want your pride. But most of all, i don’t want you to believe in any shape or form that i will fight for you.” 

He stood, taken aback, unsure how to respond. After a long pause, he quietly spoke again. “I’m sorry. More than anything, truly, I’m so sorry .” 

“Sorry doesn’t turn back the clock and save me, Lucifer. Alastor had to do that. I need space, and you need to decide if you’re going to step up and fight for your kingdom, even if no-one else is beside you. Either that, or you need to learn so much humility that you beg, and i mean beg for help. Right now, you don’t look ready to do either. Please give me space, and if you have any updates on Pride, Hell, or Lilith, please let Alastor know and he’ll tell me.” 

The hurt on Lucifer’s face twisted his mouth, eyebrows knotting with worry. He hesitated, stepping forward before immediately halting under her glare.  

“Fine... I’ll leave you to it, then. I hope you get better, and I'm always here if you... i’m here for you now, anyway. Sorry.” 

The king turned, shame written over his entire body as he left. 

They waited for Lucifer to be well down the corridor before turning back to each other. 

“How very curious my dear. You almost immediately locked down the moment he praised you. I’d wholeheartedly insist that your emotions are linked in to this condition, though i have no clue how. What was going through your mind when Lucifer first walked in? That’s when most of your colour returned.” 

Her face tinted a slight pink, reaffirming Alastor’s assessment. She seemed unable to find the words, looking away and toying with a small flame in one hand.  

Curiously, Alastor caught the outside of her hand, holding the flame up to see. She immediately responded, the black disappearing in an instant. 

He tilted his head and raised a brow, trying to work out the connection. 

“I don’t quite know how to word it, but it’s like... i don’t want to be needed, and i want to be seen. Not taken advantage of or expected to do or achieve anything. As soon as he went on about my flame, it felt like i was under the pressure of bending to his will, yet again. I’m tired of it. But i don’t know if it’s my own pride, or my humiliation that’s breaking through. I feel warmer when there’s guilt and shame, like my blood is heating back up to temperature.” 

She focused on the flame, brightening it to a solid white with blue flickers.  

“What is there to feel guilty and ashamed of? He’s the one who let you down, and it’s hardly your fault that the Queen of Hell is more powerful than you.” 

Her lip caught in her teeth again, clearly torn with her response. The flame eased into a yellow and orange orb, dancing beautifully in her normal black pupils. 

“I need to think. And to talk to Ozzie. Mind sticking around while i do that?” 

He slightly bowed his head, following her to where she scooted to sit against the headboard, knees near her chest. His eyes wandered down the length of her exposed leg as he delicately perched beside her, studying the soft flush of colour returning to the surface. His eyes wandered over her body, following the path the colour took, fascinated as it seemed to visibly reshape the texture of the skin to her usual softness. 

Realizing she hadn’t moved beyond getting her phone and holding it in her hand, he glanced up at her face, immediately trapped in her amused expression. 

“You having a good time there, Alastor?” She asked, quiet and heavy with implication. 

He studied her expression, smirking down at her. He adjusted to sit back against the headboard with his face peeking over her shoulder, angled to see the phone, but close enough to be inappropriate for her personal space. 

She pursed her lips, fighting a smile as she looked down, unlocking the phone and finding the contact for Ozzie. She pressed ‘call’, pressing speakerphone as it rang. 

A deep voice answered with a relieved tone. “Hey, thank the seven rings you’re alive. Lu’s been insanely worried about you. What the fuck happened with Lilith?!” 

She paused before responding; “I assume he’s already told you, Oz. Charlie said you guys weren’t supporting him in finding her?” 

This time the Sin held a moment of hesitation. “Well, yeah, i guess we all simultaneously figured he needed to sort this shit out on his own unless things got real bad. He’s panicking, girl. Is there no way for you to knock some sense into him? Help him figure out what to do?” 

“I can’t, Oz. The whole point is he’s too dependent. If i step up now, he’ll never learn from his failures. I’m in the same boat as you i think; if shit gets bad, we’ll be ready, but otherwise he’s on his own.” 

She rested her head back as she awaited the response, toying with the hem of her dress.  

“I don’t blame you, chick. Does that mean you have a back-up plan?” 

She looked to Alastor, holding his gaze as she responded, “I have a few ideas, i guess.” 

The measured expression startled Alastor, reigniting the curiosities he held over how much fun it would be to take her from Lucifer. He directed his eyes to her lips, hovering his gaze there as if distracted and not entirely intentional, flicking them back up to her eyes when he noticed the blush. This was going to be far easier than anticipated. 

“Good, because he’s really losing it now. Probably second-to-worst case scenario kinda level.” 

“I tried, i swear. I really did. Lilith just had him in a chokehold, and i can’t risk allowing him to change his mind and try to save her right at the very end.” 

“I’m with ya, chick. Did you need anything specific? Or just touching base?” 

“Something like that, yeah. Had a rough time getting over one of her songs. Mind keeping an ear to the ground for any news and letting me know?” 

“I would have done anyway, don’t worry. Get better soon, girl. Later!” 

“Later, Oz. Thanks.” 

She hung up, dangling the phone in her hand as she stifled a smile again, staring into the  distance. 

Testing the boundaries, Alastor carefully touched the claw of his forefinger under her chin, catching the skin and turning her face towards him. She looked flustered, immediately unsure of where to look as the smile became harder to hide. Sensing no actual resistance, he stroked the back of the claw up to her cheek, watching the eyelids flutter as she sighed under her breath. He spread his hand to gently drag the claws round the back of her neck, digging slightly into her scalp. Her breathing hitched, legs jittering and pressing together. Taking full advantage, Alastor leaned in and kissed her, testing her response with every movement.  

She didn’t just give in; she leaned into it, parting her lips as he flicked his tongue. His hand released her hair and hooked under the furthest knee, yanking her body to straddle him. She gasped, hips bucking before immediately capturing him in a rough kiss, back arching as he scratched up her spine. 

Her lip quivered as the scratch took over her senses, making her seem dazed as she shivered. Tiny whines of pleasure took over her breathing as he used both hands to scratch and massage the flesh of her back. He grinned, enjoying the tortured expression as he dragged both hands from shoulder to lower back, gently digging the claws enough to mark her, but not pierce skin. The lower he got with the long, slow movement, the more her legs shook. He rested his hands at her lower back, pressing her closer to him as he found her lips once more.  

She couldn’t keep her hips still, jerking and grinding as his tongue forced into her mouth.  

He started to feel a flicker of his own desire, the kind that he rarely found stirring in the length of his cock, rising in anticipation of her heat. The thought of fucking Lucifer’s girl only made him harder, angling his hips to feel her underwear brush against him through the trousers. The temptation to take her then and there was incredibly strong, seemingly reciprocated in the panting temptress on top of him. Yet, he wanted Lucifer to know . More than any pleasure he could get from simply taking her, he wanted the king to suffer in it. 

Alastor pulled back, ending the kiss prematurely, lavishing in the needy expression above him.  

In a breathy tone, quiet and carnal, he whispered “sweet darling, how very delicious you taste. I can feel the heat coursing through your veins, as vital as fire itself. Tell me, is it guilt and shame, or desire that’s protecting you from the effects of Lilith’s song?” 

A subtle smirk formed on her saliva-smeared lips. “You tell me, Alastor. What colour are my eyes?” 

He gazed into them, practically seeing his own desire in the mirror of her blown-out pupils. 

“The colour of a demon who belongs only to herself, my darling.” 

The smirk grew, accompanied by a bashful chuckle. 

“Damn, you’ve got quite the suave side there, Radio Demon. It’s both, if you must know. You asked me before what i was thinking when i first got a hold of myself; it’s this. I was thinking of betraying Lucifer, of being so unfathomably disloyal to him that he’d never want to rely on me again. I’d be able to look him in the eyes and know how vile and cold i am, even if he never found out.” 

His shoulders rocked with laughter, still holding on to her hips. This was doing exactly nothing to ease the erection still seeking her cunt.  

She parted her knees further, pressing down on him, well aware of his body’s excitement. He calmed some of the laughter, still releasing the odd chuckle as he angled his face up to nip her lower lip between his teeth. 

Her eyelids fluttered closed, pressing her mouth against his in a needy kiss. This time he brought a hand to her chest and delicately pushed her back, a wicked smirk on his lips. 

“I’m extremely flattered you would choose me for such an endeavour. I’m certainly up to the task. Yet, i do have strong reservations about being caught. If you are willing, i shall indulge your fantasies, though i have a few stipulations.” 

She rolled her eyes, brushing against him as she adjusted her hips to sit back. “Go on?” 

“I require privacy, in absolute solitude from others. My studio has excellent sound-proofing, a magical barrier to prevent noise exposure from both inside and out of it. That way, there would be no reason for us to be interrupted, regardless of how loud we are.” 

His hand stroked down her front, the claws dragging against skin all the way to her thigh, where he squeezed the flesh as he made the next demand. 

“Which leads me to my second requirement; i need you to scream. As though your entire body is alight, which in your case i distinctly hope it will not literally be. My pleasure is driven by breaking limits and pushing someone to the very edge of sanity, at which point i want you to express your feelings in a manner most unhinged and feral. Even if stood outside the door, no one will be able to overhear your cries through that barrier. You will submit to me, wholly and entirely as i yield the pleasure from every inch of your body, multiple times over. Do those terms seem fair?” 

She was trembling so hard, it practically felt like vibrations of heat directly onto his cock. Her eyelids were half-closed, hands gripping the headboard as though they were holding her to reality itself. Through unsteady breaths, she gave a quick nod. 

“Excellent. Though, i doubt you’ll manage to wait until we are assured no one will come by to disturb us. You’re so very lustful my darling, perhaps not far off finishing right now. Would you like to come, dear?” 

She leaned forward, kissing his neck and whining a soft ‘yes’ as she grinded on him.  

He interrupted her seduction with a quick shadow out of place, appearing behind her as she dropped onto her heels without him to sit on. 

“Stay there, and keep your hands where they are, sweet girl. Raise your hips.”  

She did so immediately, clearing small amount of space. He pulled her back by the hips, making her body arch forward to hold the headboard while her knees were so parted. “Higher.” 

With a little effort this time, she made herself rise, trembling as she did so.  

“Is this dress sentimental?” 

“Not this- hmmmn, ah, fuck, not this one, can rip." 

He chuckled at her pathetic attempt to talk. 

“Oh i wasn’t thinking of tearing it. Without setting my bed ablaze, could you burn it off for me?” 

She peeked back at him over her shoulder with intense hungry eyes and a smirk. The fire started just above her knees, catching the hem of her dress without affecting the sheets. It rose higher, light smoke filling the air as the fabric quickly ignited and took on its own flame. Her underwear caught alight too, much quicker than the dress. He assumed that was on purpose. The fire coursed up the remaining dress fabric right up to her neck, leaving only traces of ash and smoke on her arched back before him.  

He admired the traces of pink lines where he’d scratched earlier. How delicious she would look with a full set of his claw marks all the way down, glistening bright red.  

She waited, growing more impatient as her shoulders tensed. He rewarded her patience, shifting to shadow and reappearing laid on his back, mouth meeting her slick cunt with a sudden growl. Her hips bucked, striking his nose as his tongue fought to penetrate her against the trembling thighs. He grabbed her firmly by the hips, pinning her in place and nipping the skin as punishment. She cried once before he lifted her just slightly off his face, warning her to keep quiet or he’d stop. She immediately silenced, a shiver giving away her urgency. Pleased, Alastor lowered her back down, devouring and penetrating her until the muscle began to clench and spasm, pressing onto his face as she lost control. He was careful not to overstimulate her, not wishing to alert anyone to the fun surprise he had planned for later on. Instead, he slowly stroked the inner walls with his tongue, allowing her to ride out the waves of pleasure with a gradual descent back to reality. When he finally felt her calm, he misted to reform next to her, laying casually with his head propped up on an elbow. 

She looked absolutely radiant; nearly glowing, every inch of her looked hypersensitized, with a slight shake as she carefully sat back on her heels again. Her arms relaxed a little, resting her head on an arm as she panted. 

She took her time recovering, not once faltering to black sclera, appearing spent with relief as she slowly moved to stand. 

“Where do you think you’re going, dear?” 

“I... shower. ‘Nd clothes.” 

“Ah, yes, that is of course an issue. Are there any outfits you’d prefer? Or shall i pick one?” 

She seemed to hesitate, pondering the options. “Can we, uh, shadow to the room so i can pick something?” 

“Certainly. Before or after a shower?” 

“After, please.” 

She gestured to the bathroom, excusing herself to shower while he laid back on the bed, licking some of the slick from around his mouth. 

She emerged some twenty minutes later, wrapped in a towel. He enjoyed the sight of her long, dripping blonde hair and flushed skin waiting for him. He took his time approaching before unhooking the towel, letting it drop to the floor and picking her up by the  thighs. She wrapped her legs around him, gasping and quietly laughing. They drifted into shadow, reappearing in her room moments later. 

Perhaps he should have checked it was empty first.  

Manifesting in front of the wardrobe, he pressed her naked body against the cupboard doors, making a muffled clacking noise as the double doors shifted under their movement. He was just about to kiss her when he heard Angel’s shocked voice. 

“Oh. My. Fucking. God. Really Al? Really?” 

Alastor’s eyes shot into pinpricks as his head rotated backwards, horrified by the sight of Niffty, Husk and Angel laying on the bed, surrounded by hundreds of photo prints.  

He was pushed away from the wardrobe as she hopped down, swinging a door open and grabbing a dress to throw on behind him. He gave the audience a threatening glare, though none of them seemed intimidated. 

She stepped out from behind him, flustered and cringing. 

“Alright fuckos, why are we in my room? Are those the... oh FUCK no, put those away. Niffty, i swear to God...” 

Niff was up in a flash, collecting all the photos in a neat stack and tidying them into the large package. 

Husk stifled a smirk as he looked between the now-dressed blonde and Alastor. “Well, we WERE perving on her and Lucifer, but i guess this’ll do too. Does uh, he know that you two are...” 

In strong static and a radio screech, Alastor manifested his Radio Demon form and delivered a threat warning the three into silence until he grants them permission otherwise. This time, they looked shaken, except Niffty of course, though she agreed to keep quiet out of loyalty. They vacated the room, leaving the photo box on the bed as they escaped. 

She walked over to it, gently picking it up and carrying it to one of the lower drawers of the dresser. She stood, hesitating near it before slowly turning to face Alastor as he reformed, pure shame written on her face. 

“My dear, do not fret so. They will respect your privacy, for fear of the consequences. Besides, judging by some of those photos, they have seen far more intimate exposures of you than just our little display.” 

His words, meant to humour the situation, barely affected her at all.  

“I feel awful, Alastor. I know it’s working, i can feel my body nearly completely clear of the oil, for lack of a better word. But this is... i feel like the worst Hell has to offer.” 

“That’s hardly an insult down in Hell, if anything many of us would consider that a brag. Try to remember that Hell is far better off with you able to defend yourself and protect others using your flames, rather than at the mercy of that vile illness that took you so strongly. Yes it may be difficult to consider betraying someone when you’re not used to it; though i assure you, the consequences of not suffering the shame and humility are far greater right now. For all your torture, you’re thriving my darling.” 

She accepted his advice, picking up a few things from her room to take back to his. They walked this time, in uncomfortable silence.  

“I’d suggest you stay out of the line of fire my dear, to prevent any such temptation from the others to inform Lucifer, whether out of good intentions or a simple slip of the tongue. Pun intended. I shall gather a small meal for us to enjoy up here; you shall need your energy for tonight.” 

Even with all the guilt written on her face, a small smile appeared at his tempting promise. She looked up at him with uncertainty, backing up against the wall as he approached with a low growl and a smirk. 

 

Alastor walked downstairs, wanting to make his presence known. He gave Angel and Husk a passing glare, pleased when they immediately scowled and looked away. He didn’t approach the bar where they sat, despite his intense desire to torture them with the knowledge they weren’t permitted to share. Alastor headed straight to the kitchen, collecting ingredients and setting up utensils. 

Charlie came bounding in, excitement in her little hops as she ran over to him. “Hey! I'm guessing she’s doing better if you’re out here? How does she look?” 

“Ah yes, we are seeing quite remarkable improvements now Lucifer is giving her space. She’s almost entirely back to normal, if not just a little traumatized by his utter failure. Tell me, have you heard anything of your mother since?” 

“No, I'm sorry, i haven’t. Do you mind backing off a little from Dad? He’s taking all of this pretty hard, and there’s a lot of stress with whatever Mom’s up to-” 

“Charlie dear, that’s hardly a reasonable request given that this is entirely his fault. How preventable this could have been, many times over. Perhaps the Sin of Pride could stand to learn a little accountability, face the consequences of his actions, perhaps?” 

“I’m already doing that, asshole. Cut me a fucking break.” 

Alastor barely leered at him over his shoulder, continuing to prepare the food. The laugh escaped Alastor’s throat at the foul expression, feeling a wave of excitement flooding his body as he imagined utterly destroying his plaything. 

“Hey Dad, how did it go?” 

“No luck, it’s like she was never there. I’m guessing she has deals with at least some of the financial district, though it seems crazy that nobody is even willing to admit they ever saw her near the mansion. The diviners said she was right there, clear as day. I don’t get it.” 

Charlie tried to reassure him, insisting they probably couldn’t tell even if they wanted to if she had deals. He nodded, still looking delightfully downcast as Alastor flitted around the kitchen. 

Charlie made her own food, handing some of the extras off to her Dad as Alastor finished serving and tidying up, stacking the dishes on a tray. 

He watched Charlie take her food to the dining room, leaving Lucifer snacking blankly at the counter. Alastor held the tray in one hand, stopping by the king as he walked past. In a hushed voice, he whispered, “I imagine you’re struggling with the current situation. Perhaps you should take a night to unwind. Relax, have a bath. Put the radio on. I’m sure you’ll find something interesting to listen to.” 

Alastor’s malicious grin accompanied the suggestion, setting dread deep into Lucifer’s expression. He laughed as he turned, carrying the little tray like a good hotelier, and not the unrighteous bastard he was about to be. 

 

Chapter Thirty Six: My Darling’s Screams 

 

Your POV: Guilt, Shame and Desire  

 

Obediently, you followed his silent footsteps to the radio tower. Anxiety swirled deep in your belly, a chill running down the back of your neck.    

He turned the handle with a subtle click, stepping aside to invite you through first.   

You’d never been up here before. An expansive desk with masses of dials and buttons loomed in the centre of the curved tower, angled perfectly to overlook the Pentagram with its red-tinted windows. You’re taken aback by the creature comforts; a well-worn sheet, necklaces and beads of Hoodoo, miniature carvings and statuettes all depicting figures of black magic. Surrounded by Alastor’s totems and technology, a sensation of being caged with no key overcame you as he locked the door. A shiver passed through your spine; though your breathing was ragged with fear, it also drew air with urgency sheathed in anticipation.   

You felt his presence before he touched you from behind; the faint warmth of breath at your ear, gently coursing down your neck as he leaned close to you, followed lazily by the caress of his hand gliding across the front of your hip, gradually lowering to the skirt of your dress. Ever so gently, he lifted the hem, brushing the backs of his fingers up your thigh, electrifying you with feather-light touch. His other hand accompanied the slow tease with a long, drawn-out stroke up your torso, spreading his fingers to cup your breast. Your breathing faltered as his hands became firm in their resolve to draw out your desire, massaging and pinching your breast while tracing sharp circles and lines at the valley of your underwear. By the fourth letter, you realized he was spelling his name on your body. Swept up in lust, your skin became hypersensitized as you anticipated each letter, grinding where you knew his fingers would press.    

A slow, pleased chuckle breathed against your ear as he whispered for you to stay still. Your body shivered in response, pressing your hips forward to meet his cruel fingers, aching and needy. He released your breast to hold your waist firm against his body, pinning you in place. Your arms gripped tight, one on his right forearm and the other on his left bicep, clinging on through the torture. He spelled his name out one more time, now he had your full attention.   

Your own body betrayed you with the prickle of heat deep inside, a gentle searing that intensified with the faint lines drawn by merciless claws. He grew gentler with each letter, sighing in satisfaction when your body shook uncontrollably and a whine escaped your lips. Your hands squeezed and gripped, begging wordlessly for him to give you more. His denial was evident, barely brushing the soaked material of your underwear as the final ‘R’ was drawn. Your back tried to arch against him, seeking any form of pressure for relief. His stance adjusted, forcing one foot between yours. You whined at the intrusion, urgently pressing your thighs together. One foot planted, he used the other to force your legs agape, removing what little self-control you had over the heat in your groin.    

“I’m going to push your very limits, my darling. Do not bother begging. I will know when you’re broken.”   

You bit the inside of your lip, deliciously afraid of his threats.   

“Close your eyes.”   

You hadn’t even realized you were staring blankly out into the room, devoid of focus. You forced them shut, awakening your mind to every aching, tensed muscle in your body. Silken cloth wrapped over your eyes, tickling your cheeks as he tied the blindfold tightly. The thick material let no light in, trapping you at the mercy of your other senses.   

The cold, muscled limb of tentacles replaced Alastor’s shoes as he held you open by the ankles, freeing himself to move as he wished. He slowly maneuvered your hands from his arms to grasp them in front of you, pinning them together in the clutch of one strong hand. Soon, another tentacle wound its way over your wrists, replacing his hold. The cold felt like ice against your fiery skin, sending goosebumps across your body with a shiver.   

He stepped back, forcing you to stand without the aid of his body pressed to yours. You moaned, until a swift slap met the inside of your thigh. Your sharp cry broke through the moan, gasping for air as the sting resonated with fresh warmth. His hand stroked up the opposite thigh, circling the exact spot where he’d stung the other. You felt the warning, already expecting the palm that would mirror the last spank.    

It never came. He withdrew his hand, leaving your thighs trembling with anticipation. You made a noise of indignation, trying to stamp the foot of the unspanked thigh. His tentacles held you firm, preventing any such behaviour.    

Just above the inside of your knee, he gave a tiny nip, seemingly out of nowhere. Then, a pinch of fingers, catching the skin at the very apex of your right inner thigh.    

Just as you figured out his game, he changed it.   

The neckline of your dress shifted under his grasp, brushing against your chest until a loud ripping noise and cool breeze hit you. Your hips pressed back, eager to try to find him. He moved easily out of the way; only his inner flame guided you to his location, and even then, it didn’t tell you where his arms and legs were going. Your right thigh began to shake violently as you bent forward.    

Your arms were yanked above your head, forcing you tensely upright. You couldn’t even arch your back properly in this stretch.    

His silence was punishment enough, combined with the painfully long minute he waited before touching you again.    

His tongue traced a line of saliva from clavicle to naval before disappearing.    

Sharp teeth grazed at one nipple while the other felt the pinch of claws, shattering your composure with the sudden intensity. Your legs wobbled, dangling you by your wrists as your hips violently bucked. His hand caught your lower back, pressing your groin against the thick bulge in his trousers. The relief was short-lived as he stepped back, leaving you exposed and wanting.    

He delivered tiny inflictions of his teeth in each erogenous zone, working his way maddeningly methodically. You were panting by the end of it, triceps burning from supporting your weak legs.    

He stood, the inner flame rising to level behind you. You wished so badly for the tease to be over, praying he was near the end of his patience. You couldn’t tell, startled by the graze of claws at each shoulder, gently easing the fabric of your torn dress across your shoulders as the tentacles holding you up began to lower. You sighed in gratitude, rolling your shoulders as the sleeves fell down your arms. He guided you from the top half of your dress, allowing the skirt to remain upheld by the curve of your hips.    

“Stay still.”   

You locked your body in place, obedient with hunger. You heard the bristle and sweep of his clothing, making you tense your thighs and clench your fists.    

His soft chuckle was at your ear again as he stood just a breath away, suddenly in front of you.   

“You may touch, above the belt only.”   

Near giddy with excitement, you immediately rush your hands to his chest, interlacing your fingers in the thick fur, You explored, picturing the body beneath your fingers as you traced every scar, stroked every lean muscle. He allowed the steady rhythm and curious fingers. Even as you traced them in tandem up the side of his neck, dragging your nails into his skin as you came back down. His breathing faltered with a stifled grunt, enjoying your claws. You tried to use this leverage to bring him closer to no avail. Feeling slick pooling further, it hit you; this was part of the torture. Touching him only heightened your need, with no end in sight to the foreplay. Your jaw clenched and fists balled behind his neck as he chuckled, aware you had caught on.    

He gently lowered your hands down between the two of you, achingly close to both of your bodies. Your head swayed and hips rolled, losing composure. Each released breath began with a hitch, like the start of a whine you couldn’t allow to escape.    

“Hmmm, i may need my chair for this.”   

The sudden comment surprised and baffled you. What?   

A loud scraping in the silent room preceded his new tactic. With both your wrists still locked in his, you sensed him lowering onto the chair before you felt the tickling brush of hair between your thighs. His deer ears fluttered, threatening how close his mouth was to your soaked underwear. One finger curled at the material on your right hip. A third tentacle clasped at the left. You involuntarily cried out in surprise as the cloth barrier was ripped away, exposing you beneath the skirt. He gave you no time to process before tasting the heat of your slick in a single, long lick.    

Your knees nearly gave way. Only by sheer force of will did you hold yourself up, afraid of the consequences if you accidentally dropped on him like this.   

He seemed incredibly determined to make you do so. Every nip, lick and graze in turn was a different strength. There was no rhythm, no pattern, no relief. He sensed where you were angling to beg, whether it was inside you or your clit, and he dodged neatly every time until you weren’t expecting or begging any more.    

Your legs shook violently, the silk over your eyes growing damp as overstimulated tears pooled. Your ragged breathing broke into groans and pleas, losing strength to hold yourself up. He persisted further, planting sharp nips and licks lower down your thighs, occasionally brushing a claw against your clit to keep you violently shaking.    

The chair scuffled across the floor as he adjusted, a pleased hum praising your resilience.    

“I think we could certainly do more, though i think you’re really quite close to breaking on your own. You’re so very enslaved to your body, my darling. I can hear the suffering in your every breath. Such a good girl.”   

Fucking Hell, Alastor. You trying to kill me here?    

You didn’t have the strength to speak, barely able to survive the burn from your shaking thighs as your torso leaned forward, shuddering with pain.   

Your ankles were released, making you lose your balance as their supports disappeared. He caught you as you dropped, the fur on his naked chest roughly brushing against your sore nipples. Even at this angle, he kept his hips well away from yours, preventing any sort of friction.    

“Hmm, perhaps a little more undone than i had predicted. You’re quite the mess, my dear. Will you still be able to scream for me?”   

Your response was halfway between a whine and a gasp as another shiver ran down your spine. He took your hand and guided you carefully forward, step by painful step to his desk. There, he moved aside, allowing you to rest your forearms on the surface. You did so, gratefully. The angle took some of the pressure off the burn in your thighs and gave your freedom to sway your hips. Every movement was instinctual, chasing any relief you could find.   

Gentle fingers caressed the hair from your face, revealing your panting mouth. You heard scraping and small thuds as objects were moved around the desk. A welcome distraction. Wonderful, though only brief. You heard light tapping for a few seconds and a click. Alastor moved from beside to behind you, tantalizingly close to your hips. He reached up and dragged the claws of both hands down your back, piercing and slow. He allowed your high-pitched whine with broken cries as they drew harsh lines of pain like fire down your back, ending at the hips where your dress lay. The fabric tore open as he slashed the offending skirt away. Your knees nearly gave out from the clench of your thighs, anticipating being oh so close to your reward.    

Hands entrapped your hips, pushing you further against the desk until you had to step forward, bracing your forearms against the slanted wall of buttons. You hooked a hand over the top, desperately laying claim to any support you could find. The other clasped onto the edge of the desk underneath.    

Pleased you had a steady hold, he leaned forward, brushing his chest against your back as he pressed a soft kiss to the back of your neck. The only noise was your rough panting. A tiny plea escaped as his hand left your right hip, thinking he was going to tease you further.    

The plea turned into gravelly cries as he pressed his swollen tip into you, forcing through the tense muscle with unyielding demand. You shuddered and fluttered against him, hands grasping with all their strength as he inserted his entire length agonizingly deep inside you, stilling as his base pressed against your slit. Your voice pitched into whimpers of desperation as you held on, both afraid and immeasurably intoxicated with lust. He used his hips to press you into the desk further, your entire torso bent over it, just so he could wrap his free hand tightly under your jaw. He gave you space to breathe; the intention was to hold you in place, pointing you exactly where he wanted you to face.  

You knew it was going to be rough, but fucking Hell . He slammed you so hard into the desk with his thrusts, the wooden edge bruised into your hips. Claws digging into the flesh of your neck, he held your face to the side, using the other hand to anchor your hips in place as he fucked the life from your overwhelmed body. Your teeth sank into your lips as you tried to hold in your cries. Deep inside you, he leaned forward and licked the blood trickling from your mouth and kissed you roughly, thrusting you obscenely into the desk.    

“Sing for me, ma chérie.”   

The claw of his thumb forced your lower lip from under your teeth before clamping back at your jaw. The choking gasps quickened as his forceful thrusts drove you to insane heights of sensitivity, your body threatening to shatter under him. Your legs were shaking wildly, eyes rolling back under your blindfold. His hand suddenly dropped your hip and grabbed your left thigh, hitching it up onto the desk. The angle sent you straight to Nirvana as a scream tore from the tortured chains of your pleasure. He buried deep within you, slowing the rhythm but stretching you beyond all known limits in this new position, dragging an even higher pitch from your scream. His nose brushed your neck as he slowed to a grind, pinning your jaw in place as he bit the soft flesh. Through lack of air alone, the scream died out into fractured sobs and gasps.    

Waves of your orgasm tore through you as the fur at his groin pricked against your clit, bittersweet pain in contrast to the sting of his full length grinding inside you. You swallowed drool messily, choking as he released your face to adjust his angle.    

His left leg pressed behind yours as he joined you half on the desk, leaning over to pin his forearm over yours on the back of the desk’s slanted surface. You moaned in pleasure as his bodyweight held you down, relieved by the brief respite.    

His left hand spread over yours, anchoring your arm in place. The other caressed your right hip, making you shiver against him. He growled under his breath as you clenched from the sensations. Your heart skipped as both his hands gripped tight. Barely a second of warning came before he withdrew and slammed into you, rough and loud with the slapping of skin on skin. You whimpered, pulling your chin close to your chest so it wasn’t scraping the dials on the desk; only to be punished with a harsh slap at your rear. You cried out sharply, fighting to return your face to its original position but struggling with the violent thrusts. He grabbed your hair, turning you to look sideways by force. The second his hand let go of your hair, his teeth were clamped at the back of your neck, tongue swirling and lapping at the fresh wound. He snarled in appreciation as your whine broke into a shriek. He removed his teeth as he felt your walls clenching around him, building rapidly towards a second release. He pounded you mercilessly, ruthless and carnal, snarling and growling in his own loss of control. Just as your body began to violently shake, nearing the precipice, he stopped. Teeth grazing against your shoulder, he gave a shallow nip to answer your demanding pleas. Sweet carnal filth whispered directly into your ear; “say my name. Like it’s the only thing that’ll save you, my darling.”   

You choked out a sob over your panting, stuttering before crying out, “A-Alastor! Pl-please, PLEASE. ALASTOR!”   

Still barely audible, he requested, “louder. Like you want all of Hell to hear you.”   

“ALASTO-aaaAHHHH!”   

The scream tore through you as he fucked you, each thrust an orchestration of senses destroying you over and over, bruising your hips and scraping your chest against rigid dials. The scream became almost silent from pitch as you fell into earth-shattering release, spiralling in dizzying heights of euphoria. He halted in the middle of your pleasure, dragging the tips of his claws over your exposed clitoral nerve endings. Unlike any pain you’d ever felt, this was the very definition of agony. Your body lurched and bucked, unhinged screaming piercing your ear drums as he drew the claws deeper, stabbing into the sore bundle of nerves. His laughter echoed in the studio walls as your voice broke, releasing your clit and pinning you back down to fuck the last fragile grasp of sanity from your body. It was a kindness; the savagery he ruined you with allowed your body to quiver through the last spasms of your interrupted orgasm. It was his reward for such a powerful song.  

Your body trembled underneath him as he slowed, tracing his claws gently down the slashes he’d painted across your back.    

He gave a satisfied hum as he leaned in to kiss your throat. “Exquisite. Truly remarkable.”  

You nearly slipped from the desk as he stepped back, barely managing to cling on with shaky arms. He didn’t help you; instead, just stood patiently behind you until you managed to catch your breath. As soon as you did, he flipped you round to face him, picking you up by the hips to sit on the desk. Your torso fell back, laying against the slant, feeling the dials and buttons against you and knocking your elbow as he adjusted you exactly how he wanted you. His hands caressed down your naked front, humming a tune as your thighs jerked and arms outstretched to grab the back of the desk. The exploring fingers traced lower, crossing your pelvis to underneath your thighs, spreading until they had strong purchase of the flesh. He pinned them forward to your chest, exposing your slit to him as he continued to hum aloud the song in his head.    

He let go of one thigh, letting it hook around his waist. You felt his tip brush against you as he leaned over, adjusting something in his hand near your head. All you could think of was whether you should beg for mercy or beg for more.   

You perhaps should have chosen mercy.    

Instead, you moaned with renewed desire into his lips as he kissed you.   

He lined himself up, teasing and slow, your body aching with want even over the residual soreness.    

Your leg tightened around his waist, pleading. He gave in to your pleas with a slow, controlled penetration, stretching you to the very base of his length. A flutter of regret teased in your chest as the soreness stung like a fresh burn.    

He held you prisoner under his lips as he began to move. The angle was clumsy, preventing you from gaining the friction you craved. He fixed that swiftly by hitching his left leg back up on the desk and balancing himself by clutching your throat.   

He tightened his grip enough to make you dizzy. The thrusting became all you could feel beyond your swimming mind. As he let go of the grip, you felt a rush of blood to your head, regaining all the senses that were now unhinged at his mercy. The sudden rush was exhilarating and vital. You heard his breathing falter, groans and snarls escaping as he neared his own height of release. His body drove into yours as though it was made for him and only him, using you as you were meant to be used. Your moans spiralled into untamed snarls and cries. You heard his voice break into sharp gasps into your ear, even a quiet outcry of release as he shuddered and spilled deep into your shaking body. You whined, pathetic and needy, so painfully close to coming that he just couldn’t stop now. The vibration of your thighs against him echoed your pleas.   

“I’ll- ah, I'll allow you one m-more my darling. But only if you promise me one more beautiful scream. The best one yet. For all to hear.”   

You nodded your head, blindfold now soaked through with tears, lips trickling with blood as you bit harder. His dangerous chuckle made you clench. Overcoming the sensitivity, he shuddered and forced himself to grind, picking up pace as he found the rhythm. Once he started, you couldn’t stop. You’d been so fucking close. He chased your pleasure with brutal slams deep inside you, skin slapping loudly, teeth clamping just above your collarbone and sucking the skin hard. Panic overwhelmed you as the intensity threatened a cataclysm. You couldn’t form words. Your throat closed, head thrown back. The heat inside you exploded, shattering into a tsunami of sensation. You forced every fractal of your being into your scream, both in unyielding tremors of pleasure, and as a reward for Alastor. His lips snarled against your skin, pleased. As your voice finally gave out and lungs cried for oxygen, he lifted his head from your shoulder and laughed maniacally. He pulled the blindfold from your damp eyes, though you were still so dizzy you could barely focus.    

His bloodstained face grinned with evil fervour over yours; something frighteningly akin to victory in his expression. The sight made you feel just a hint of fear underneath the rolling waves of pleasure still tearing through you. He licked his lips, clearing his throat before speaking.   

“And that, dear listeners, is the end of tonight’s broadcast. I do hope you enjoyed it, almost as much as i did .”    

Your eyes widened in horror as you noticed the radio cane laid on the back of the desk, right next to your face. Still inside you, he gave one final painful thrust before slipping out of you. He broke into psychotic laughter, throwing his head back and escaping into shadow, leaving you alone and clinging to the desk in a sodden heap.  

 

Chapter Thirty Seven : The King, The Equal, and the Coward  

 

Your mind spun with the profanities you didn’t even recognize, seething with hatred.  

Shaking, soaked through with sweat and dripping from Alastor’s pleasure, you were far from able to dignify chasing after him.  

His laughter echoed in your mind, haunting you. He’d well and truly beaten you, humiliating you beyond repair.   

It made you whole.   

Unbound by pride, you no longer felt any trace of Lilith’s song like frost under your skin that draws the evil to the surface.  

You rested your head back briefly, fending off the nausea and catching your breath. Without a shadow of a doubt, you knew exactly where he’d be now.  

In the back of your mind you heard a voice that plucked strings in the air, a chorus of echoes and resonance forming the words through melody alone.  

“I knew you were a worthwhile investment, young one.”  

Your head shot up, meeting the fixed gaze of coal black irises in cherry-red sclera.  

“Hello, Roo.”  

The terrifying visage of unhinged femininity softly smirked back at you, her dark tendrils of hair defying gravity in an unholy halo. Her face remained unmoving as the voice spoke.  

“It’s time to make a decision. Have you opted for the wrath of pride, or the grace of humility?”  

You don’t even need to look down to know how thoroughly violated you look. There was no lower degradation you could imagine feeling than right now. And yet, it fulfilled you, gave you strength and clarity. You saw two visions of Lilith in front of you, surrounded by your brilliant flame, at your mercy. The only difference between them was whether Lucifer was there or not.  

“How will i know which fate is bound to him?”  

The vision shifted to a scene in the heavily apple and gold adorned bedroom, Lucifer broken and yelling at Alastor. It shimmered, becoming the choice between allowing him to fight beside you, or forcing him beg before you. It wasn’t your pride or humility you were deciding. It was his .  

“Which fate prevents the destabilization of Hell?”  

Her tinkling laugh harmonized in your ears despite the unmoving lips.   

“Neither fate shall achieve that, child. It is as sure as life itself. That doesn’t mean it is imminent. You have many centuries yet to come on Hell’s throne, regardless of which path you take, or how long the journey towards it lies. What you choose will only determine the reign or fall of Lucifer Morningstar.”  

You thought over the many lessons you have learned about the fallen angel; consistently, he has been loyal, effortful, kind and immensely capable, yet always held the poisonous undercurrent of his pride, tainting everything he did, bathing in the shame until it destroyed him from the inside-out. There was no possibility in your mind that he would survive much longer under his broken pride without learning to accept his humility.    

“Roo, is this the favour i owe you?”  

“In a way, you have already repaid your debt. At your behest, Lilith’s fate has been sealed in a death warrant, whether at your own hands or not. That was my one request. How it is to be done will be determined by your choices.”  

You slowly ease forward, feeling violent aches and soreness across your whole body.   

Drawing in a slow breath, you support yourself using the desk, rising onto unsteady legs. The fire courses through you, untapped in a powerful reservoir, existing ready for your will. Your skin ignites in a bodysuit of miniature golden flames, washing off the traces of blood and sweat in pure Hellfire. Feeling renewed, you reform the flames until they dance in a living, breathing sheet, wrapping into the shape of a long shimmering dress.   

Roo’s lips upturn in a pleased smile, the door behind her opening at her will.  

The two of you walk together, seeming in perfect tandem down the corridor, all the way to Lucifer’s bedroom. You reach a hand out, willing it to open; it creaks and slowly swings as you approach, opening to the scene from the vision.   

Lucifer, on his chair, puffy from tears and enraged from the broadcast. Alastor, pristine and clean, smiling over him victoriously. The two swivell their heads to look at you, followed one step behind by Roo and her floating tendrils. Both men freeze in shock, pupils as narrow as pinpricks.  

You speak, feeling a melody of resonance accompanying your words.  

“Now Alastor, you’ve done quite enough. Behave and keep quiet, will you?”  

You raise a hand, surrounding him with thousands of tiny flames that hover around him like a cage. He wouldn’t be able to shadow out of those.  

Lucifer stared petrified between you and Roo.  

“The war for Pride is coming, Lucifer. I gave you two choices. Now i am offering you three. Either rise to lead alone, fall and beg for help, or step aside and leave humanity to its own fate. In all three paths, Hell survives and Lilith dies. You will know when it is time to choose.”  

A violent shiver passed through him, arms clutching his abdomen in heartbreak.  

You and Roo detach voices, leaving you feeling strangely lighter as your debt is paid. You look to each other, as beings who never quite meant to belong. She gives a final smirk to you, dissipating in wisps of fine black smoke.  

You’re left standing, aflame with your gifts, broken by your curse. You release Alastor, not even looking at him as he fled in shadow.   

Your gaze rests on Lucifer, picturing the beautiful human face who smiled out the windows, watching you fall in love with him in reflections. Now, he was truly seeing you, not a mirror image or distortion. You wondered what that looked like to him.  

Your voice is returned to your demonic pitch, tinged with sorrow; “I’m sorry, truly. I didn’t know he would do that to you. I was using him, to ruin me, so i could access my powers. I think it worked.”  

You held up your hand, watching the skin glisten with thousands of tiny flames as they dance as one and as many.  

“I hope you’ll know where to find me, when the war comes. For whichever option you decide, i hope it is the one you can live with.”  

His silence followed you, disturbed only by the soft roar of flames as you departed.   

 

You closed the door behind you by hand, no longer feeling Roo’s magic as an extension of your own. Your bedroom, encased in so much hope and fond memories, welcomed you to a finality. You dressed yourself and packed, savouring memories as you collected clothes and souvenirs, the photos and the little toy duck. These would be safe in Lust, waiting for you to bring them home to Pride when the time came. The large suitcase decorated with shiny coffee beans made you smile as you crammed it shut, closing the zip with force.   

You strapped the Asmodeus crystal in place, taking one last look around your little home from home before the war began.  

 

The portal flashed and disappeared behind you, locking you in the guest room at Ozzie’s. You tucked the suitcase in the gaudy wardrobe, pulling on one of the handbags you kept here, with only your phone and guest room key inside.  

The bustling of staff felt a universe away as you strode towards the grand office. You knocked, waited, poked your head inside. No response, no sign of occupants.  

You debated making a call; though, the less you used your phone, the harder you’d be to track by Vox. Turning with purpose, you headed down the long hallway to the elevators, reaching the ground floor with a pitchy ‘ding’.  

Music thumped and reverberated from the main bar, showcasing the energy and thrill Lust had to offer. It was frivolous, and yet so very vital, all at the same time.   

You turned the corner, meeting no resistance from the doormen who knew your face well by now. Looking around, you spot Ozzie’s blue flame two floors up, drink in hand as he cheered on one of the students you recognized from that fateful day at Steel Stilettos. He was mid clap when he spotted you, face instantly falling as he saw the seriousness of your expression.  

He made excuses to the demons in the booth with him, making headway towards the stairs to come find you.   

Leaning with your back against the wall next to the bar’s entryway, you felt the vibrant flame of Asmodeus before you saw him approach.  

He shuddered to a halt, concern etched on his expression as he silently appraised you and the myriad of fresh wounds.   

“Evening, Oz. We need to talk, privately.”  

He nodded, taking stride with you towards the office.  

 

“I don’t know how you’re gonna pull this off babe. If he’s really not stepping up, someone who has those kinds of powers is gonna have to. We can help for as long as we can, but ideally it needs to be a Seraphim-”  

“Ozzie, you’re missing the point. I’m not trying to have him removed from power. Just temporarily excused, if and only IF he doesn’t step up. He can’t just be allowed to mingle in the background facing no consequences or accountability. He’s skated by for too long like that now. By the time the war is long since passed and things are under control again, we should have an answer; either Lucifer is ready, or his daughter is.”  

He leaned back in the office chair, grimacing. “It’s risky. Problem is, we don’t know how much time we have before the Overlords or Lilith or whoever is going to set all this off. There’s no point holding a big prosecution hearing if it’s not going to be relevant for the next fifty to a hundred years. In that time, he might actually have gone to therapy.”  

You laughed humourlessly. “Yes, because he’s done that many times in the last... how many centuries, Oz? Besides, that’s my next point. I think we’re going to light the match. We have the resources, the demons, the plan. If they’re not ready, so be it.”  

Ozie shook his head, the flames fluttering around his faces. “Woah, woah, woah babe, no. NO. You are NOT setting off a war where there doesn’t need to be one. Are you insane?!”  

“Would you rather it fester and get worse? You and Lucifer have told me versions of your meeting with the Vees. They have you by the short and curlies there, and it’s only getting worse. There will be a point, whether it is through technology or deals or higher power, where the sinners will surpass Pride’s ability to control them. If it’s simple as getting the Overlords under contract and controlling them, then I'll happily do so with Charlie, once i convince her. Peace is honestly my first port of call, in any situation. You know me.”  

“I do... but something’s just different, you know? You look... i don’t know... like someone who has nothing to lose. I’m not sure how dangerous or how vulnerable that makes you.”  

You half-smiled, mind flitting back to Lucifer’s heartbroken expression before you left.  

“Or, it makes me invincible to manipulation. Lilith won’t be able to sway me with her songs. Like you said, I'm going to have to be the one to kill her. From what Roo said, it’s already been signed and sealed.”  

“I still can’t believe you made a fucking deal with her. But, yes, now we know what she wanted from you, i get why she did it. Look, as long as you at least TRY to be diplomatic, really swing those Overlords in any way you can, you’ll have my support for a jury. But that’s my condition. You try peace first. Agreed?”  

You nodded, already considering the potential avenues to take.  

“When you went to challenge the Vees, they took you to the top floor, correct?”  

“Yeah?”  

“What did it look like?”  

“... a lounge, i guess? Lots of plants, lights, sofas, nothing interesting. Why?”  

“So, not somewhere you’d spend all your time if you were expecting to wait out a war?”  

“Uhhh, no, not really. You think they have somewhere else?”  

“I’m certain. I just need to find it.”  

 

The next day your portal opened up into Alastor’s room, shocking the deer from his chair. He stood, braced and ready to flee as he stared at you. You stepped in, waving the portal away and crossed your arms.  

“Hello, Alastor. I believe i have an offer you’d be interested in. Please, take a seat, i won’t be long.”  

He refused by way of his stony silence.  

“Or don’t, whatever. I need to know more about the Vees, specifically Vox. You never killed him, despite your rivalry and his rise to power. Why?”  

He growled, low and menacing.  

You rolled your eyes. “You do understand there are many lives at stake here? Including your own, thanks to your little spat with Lilith?”  

“To save you, yes.”  

“No, to save yourself. I’m not an idiot. I was using you just as much as you used me. Now, let’s be a little more honest with each other. Starting with Vox, i want every single minute thing you know about him and the inner workings of the Vees.”  

His expression shifted to a spiteful grin as he perched lazily in his chair. “And what shall i get in return for such information, dear?”  

“A place on my court, with free reign to cross the boundaries between rings. You’d have limitations, of course, but otherwise you’d be really quite powerful. Far more so than just lording over the drabs down here.”  

“Your court? Have you already decided Lucifer’s fate for him?”  

“He’s still currently making his mind up. Regardless of his stance, my place is promised. Do we have a deal?”  

His eyes narrowed, speculating. “You’re quite beautiful with my teeth marks carved into your skin, darling. We could ce-”  

“Don’t push your luck. My terms are set. I need to know now, before the night ends.”  

“Do you have a deadline?”  

“Of a sort. My final offer Alastor, are-”  

“Yes, yes, I'll take it. Of course i was going to, you know me so well . I ended up under Lilith’s chains for quite a similar reason. Though i must say, it seems a frighteningly one-sided exchange, for me to obtain that much freedom and power, simply for a little knowledge.”  

You smiled, letting him process it a little further. His eyes twitched as the thoughts began to spiral. “Unless... what you stand to gain from it is far more valuable. Now that’s interesting. Does something about the Vees unlock a particular door for you?”  

“I suppose we’ll find out.” Walking over to his bed, you smirk down at the innocently clean sheets as though they weren’t part of your ruining so very recently. You hop onto the mattress, crossing your legs and looking back at Alastor, who rather looks like he’s thinking the same thing. “So, from the top.”  

 

 

Chapter 4: Flame of the Hearth: Part 4

Summary:

Life had not been kind to you. Reaching the end of your limit, you turn to dark magic and demons to escape. Your call is answered by Evil itself, blessing you with a curse and releasing you in Hell to begin your new life.

You deal in favours; a currency that collects as wealth in the Rings of Hell. Greater deals lead to greater risks, rendering you vulnerable to some very powerful demons. Escaping the Lust ring, you hide in Pride, only deepening the danger you're in as those close to you are getting targeted.

Then Lucifer Morningstar came and upturned everything you thought you knew about this world. Your initial hate for him ran deep, hiding the undercurrent of attraction when he came near. He breaks down those fiery defences, tests your limits, and teaches you control over your flame. His mentorship is skewed by his desire to touch you, losing his self-control and giving in to temptation. Taking you around the world, his once broken heart revives as you fall dangerously deep in love with him.

His distraction leads to far greater dangers in Hell than he previously anticipated. When conflict arises, the question is asked; who's side are you on?

Chapter Thirty Eight: Blind Spots 

 

The evening passed quickly as you took notes, made sketches and plotted on maps based on Alastor’s information. He’d moved to sit next to you, poring over the connections you were finding between known soul deals and distinctly untouched areas in the Pentagram. There seemed to be a pattern emerging from where the Overlords in particular didn’t claim territory; one of which being the prominent west side of the Financial District, exactly where Lilith had been spotted by the Diviners. The empty map plots lined up in such a way that if they were suddenly filled with the same entity, they’d navigate the major territories easily, not disturbing any serious competition whilst also having influence over the entire Pentagram. Alastor trilled over the potential to hunt down Lilith, though you tempered his eagerness with reminders that she was dead anyway, regardless of if she was caught sooner or not.  

“These markers here cross far too close to the entertainment district’s central power. They’d make the perfect ambush sight, or a stronghold to defend it. Plus, that over there, down by Carmilla’s weapons storage plant? Again, it’s too neatly tucked away, just within sight but not obviously nearby. If Lilith is working with the Overlords to gather the supplies and energy, she’d have every single one of the sinners at her feet, easily able to turn them against Lucifer, probably even against Heaven. God knows her songs are strong enough to make them obey. She wouldn’t even need to try so hard if she’s working with the major Overlords and has their soul deals working for her by proxy. I just can’t quite figure out if this is a generalized thing, or if it’s only select Overlords. There’s not exactly any clear patterns of locations in the other districts...” 

Alastor hummed beside you, tracing a finger across the map to follow the patterns. “Perhaps it stands to reason that there are resources we may not know about. The energy supply and weapons are obvious enough. I may have a trinket of information that i can offer you for gratis. Rosie’s Emporium is situated far from this blank segment here, yes? Well, follow the line between her and the devoid space, and you’ll find a stretch of Cannibal Town that was dedicated to sinners who identified with the Appalachian Wendigo, skulking in an underground mine formation and going suitably insane. I hardly even doubt they have rational thought anymore, completely driven by instinct. The houses above them are for decoration only. Not only does Rosie feed them, but she keeps them in check if they start to try to expand territory. If, say, Lilith were to have influence over these depraved little beasts, i have no doubt they’d make effective bloodthirsty soldiers.” 

The information made your stomach turn, considering the potential havoc that could have caused if you’d not known. You looked to him, impressed, snorting at the cocky expression on his face. 

“Well, that’s terrifying. I’m glad to know, though. How certain are you that Rosie isn’t under Lilith too?” 

His ear twitched, suddenly hesitant. “I’m sure she would have her own... way of managing things. Rosie is quite the entrepreneur, and always excellent at navigating people. She’s far more of a sociopath than i am, dear. She’s just better at pretending otherwise.” 

You rolled your eyes. “Somehow, that told me exactly nothing. Does Lilith own her or not?” 

“I doubt she’d tell me, regardless of our friendship. Though, i will concede i wouldn’t put it past her to have been made similar offers of power as i was to get her where she is now. As i said, she’s better at hiding her intentions than i.” 

“Fine, so it’s a strong maybe. What about any of the other Overlords, up here?” 

He followed your finger to where it landed between two particularly smaller empty territories. “Those were only minor players, to the best of my knowledge. No one worth utilizing.” 

“But is that because there’s more of them? Do they collaborate?” 

“Hardly. The only interesting marker i could see nearby would be the Elevators across to the other rings. If i draw where they are...” 

“Shit, they’re right there?!” 

“Yes... i suppose if there was a form of outpost placed in one or both of those spaces, the Elevators would be quite powerfully guarded.” 

“Well that answers that one. Fuck.” 

“Eloquently put, my darling. I concur.” 

You side-eyed him, irritated by the endearment. He smirks back at you, carnal suggestion in the crimson eyes. 

Looking back to the map, you try to see the bigger picture. 

“I just can’t work out where this other base is. Surely it’s got to be somewhere secure, locked the fuck down, defensible, and ideally hidden. I doubt they’re with the Wendigos, but that’s the closest i can imagine to being a hideout.” 

“Theoretically, it’d be a place that they could get enough supplies to in order to wait out the carnage, yes? So you’d see traffic going in and out, reliably so.” 

You wondered where he was going with this. “...yes?” 

“The issue is, there have been no particular shifts in the profit margins or supply and demand of any one district. Perhaps the resources aren’t coming from the Pentagram. Which would leave the-” 

“The Embassy.” 

The air seemed to leave the room as it clicked into place. Obviously they’d be able to wait out an apocalyptic breakdown of society in the heavily armoured building. It was designed with withstand the worst of Hell for this reason. It just meant there was someone up in Heaven who was allowing Lilith or the Overlords to use it. 

“We need to get the Embassy under our watch. Maybe we could get someone on the inside, literally opening the doors for us if the Overlords and or Lilith take shelter there. Does Charlie have any friends up there?” 

“’Friends’ is a strong word, but yes, she has contacts. How, pray tell, should i put this information to her without revealing your presence?” 

You grimaced, sensing the minefield that could be. Honesty just seemed like the best policy at this point.  

“I need to get a few things in line first. When I'm ready, we’ll talk to Charlie together, unless you manage to find some convoluted side-way round it. Either way, i ask that you let me know. Do you even have a phone? Or a carrier pigeon?” 

He snorted, raising a brow. “I am capable, yet simply unwilling to use those technologies. Besides, i hear so very often about the Vees network being unsafe, surely you would avoid such means?” 

“It’s called being subtle. Text asking for a takeaway or a hook-up, and no one bats an eye. Text asking for crucial evidence about the Vees’ hideout? Yeah, that’s bad.” 

He chuckled, summoning a small phone from a void. “Well then, i suppose i need your number, dear.” 

“You actually had one?!” 

He waved his hand, looking disgusted. “It’s for Rosie’s sake more than anything.” 

You input the numbers, chuckling under your breath at his distaste. 

“Just to be clear, if you text me about a hook-up, I'm expecting information. If you’re actually naked, I'll burn you alive. Or dead. Second-dead. Understood?” 

“Now that’s a lot less fun.” 

“Alastor.” 

 

The information came at a very worthwhile cost, since you’d be able to keep close tabs on Alastor if he was under your employment anyway. You just had to find a way to keep him happy enough that he’d not go backstabbing you the way he has Lilith. 

You left on fairly respectful terms, carrying your stash of scribbles and maps back to Ozzie’s through your portal.  

The Sin pored over them, fascinated by the inner workings of the Pentagram and how tightly the utilities seemed to be held by Overlords alone, no regal influence whatsoever by now. 

“If what you’re implying is right, this has been a war long in the making. Practically ready to blow any minute. What’s the plan for confirming all this?” 

“Spies, if i can get a hold of them. I’m not sure where from. Part of me is tempted to ask Mammon, since so many of his performers excel at blending in crowds before taking the limelight. Plus, they wouldn’t have any stake in the game, so they’d be less likely to be paid off.” 

Ozzie grinned, pulling out his phone. “Now THAT i can help with. Let me get Fizzi here.” 

 

Lucifer’s POV: Picking up the Pieces 

 

Every glance out of the window, every reflection he saw, felt entirely devoid of half himself. 

It echoed in him, as though a cavern had opened up. No matter how much he tried to process the grief, it spanned farther than his mind could reach.  

Lucifer had destroyed the little apple radio, crushing it in his bare hands and burning the pieces. It didn’t take back what she did, but it at least stopped snatching his breath every time he saw it. 

He rubbed his temples, overwhelmed by the pit inside. How long had he managed to survive with this feeling? It must have been there since before Charlie was born; she mended it for a time, until the distance Lilith gradually put between their family made it grow deep again. The depression ached in his bones, clouding every thought like an impenetrable fog. 

He just about managed to get through a few days of the desolation before the autopilot kicked in, forcing him to pivot back to his duties, both to Charlie and Hell. There didn’t seem to be any imminent signs of war, and Lilith was keeping her head down, so he felt he had time to get things back in hand before trying to find his errant wife. 

He ambled downstairs, unsure how long it had been since he spoke to anyone. Probably not since the broadcast, to be fair. 

He sighed, already hearing low chatter from the dining room as he passed by towards the kitchen. Putting together a bowl of cereal and a coffee, voices carried through the open doorway, loosely catching his attention. He groaned internally as he recognized both Charlie and Alastor speaking. 

“I’ve already asked her, Al. I can’t just keep popping up there. If something’s going on and THEY have someone on the inside, we’ll be tipping them off.” 

“That’s why you need to be concise about it. One visit, with some clever excuse I'm certain you’ll make, to grant one favour for a friend. You know it was part of our deal, dear.” 

Lucifer’s heart stuttered as he processed those words. A deal?  

Shakily setting the bowl down, Lucifer crossed to the doorway, staring daggers at the grinning Radio Demon. “Tell me, just fucking- did you just say, ‘our deal’?” 

Charlie looked caught in headlights, eyes darting between looking at Lucifer and Alastor. “Dad, I- it's... we had a- oh, euuuurgh. Always with the timing, Al. Yes, i made a deal, and I'm apparently having to pay it off. Maybe you can help me find a way to do it that won’t set off an angelic war?” 

Fury rolled through Lucifer as he felt everything he loved being poisoned or controlled by Alastor. His breathing became shallow as his fists clenched.  

Charlie ran over to him, forcing him to look at her. “Dad! Stop, please. I know you’re having a rough time, and i know it’s not great news, but this is actually gonna help. Alastor and Ash have worked out potential hidi-” 

His snarl tore through his throat at yet another betrayal laid bare. Flame billowing from between his teeth, Lucifer felt his horns grow and eyes shift red with wrath.  

Alastor only grinned, thrilled by the spectacle. Charlie put herself in the firing line to defend him again, grabbing on to Lucifer’s arms and shouting. “DAD! Listen to me, we’re preparing for a war here. Not just a battle, an actual war. There’s too much going on in the Pentagram that’s starting to line up. Please, let me show you. Look, hang on. Al? Can you get the maps?” 

The Radio demon licked his teeth as he summoned the paperwork from the void, splaying sheets over the table. 

“These are only copies from memory. Our mutual companion has the rest. From these particular plot points,” he gestured, dragging a claw across a series of red lines on a map of the Pentagram, “there seems to be a perfect ambush layout over the major supplies and utilities in the city. None of them seem particularly strong enough to be considered a safe base to wait out a war, which is where i personally believe it would be the Embassy. So Charlotte here will need to repay our little favour and have someone from Heaven in the Embassy ready to open the doors to let us in. It’ll make picking off the Vees trivial.” 

Though the words made sense, anger still churned in his belly, overriding any logic he heard. “You’ve been meeting with her?” 

The grin stretched. “Most nights; we do a lot of... reading.” 

Lucifer tipped his head back, knowing Alastor was only trying to get a rise out of him. Even if they were sleeping together, it was kind of a double standard for him to be jealous. He swallowed back his pride, breathing through the anger and simmering down to a reasonable level. Back to his normal form, he turned back to face Alastor, forcing himself to put aside the jealousy.  

“I’m not in the headspace for being wound up, bellhop. Though, i guess i may have an idea. I can go, by proxy, paying off Charlie’s debt. I mean that; I’m not welcome up there, and I’m going to have to near enough beg to be let in. But once I'm in, i can get a message to your friend Emily easily enough. The debt will be wiped, gone, finito. Remember i still have your chains, and i can break them easily enough.” 

Charlie’s hands softened their grip, wrapping her arms around him in a grateful hug. “That’s... mature of you, Dad. I know how much you don’t want to go up there. Thank you. Al?” 

“I will concede, having the King of Hell be humbled in front of his brethren AND still achieving the favour i ask is quite the reasonable proxy. Deal.” 

Lucifer sighed, feeling the pit churn and darken within. 

“Great. Any more bombshells before i go back to my cereal?” 

Charlie shrugged, looking to Alastor; the face of which promised far more than he was clearly going to say. Lucifer shook his head and headed back to the kitchen. 

 

Chapter Thirty Nine: The courts of Heaven and Hell 

 

Lucifer planted his face on the dining table, recounting the pitiful visit to Charlie and Vaggie. His voice muffled a little on the table, but they seemed to understand. 

“And then, after all that, they claim the exorcists have been disbanded. I can tell you right fucking now how much bullshit that is. No doubt that crazy bitch Loop or Loot or something will be in charge, and that’s gonna be a whole bigger issue down the way.” 

Charlie hugged his shoulders from behind, nudging the glass of water closer. 

“I know Dad, i know. We’ll take it as it comes. You did great, though. Emily’s been so much help with scouting now we know what we’re looking for. Do you want to join the next call?” 

“MMph.” 

“I’ll take that as a yes. Vaggie, mind staying with Dad while i...” 

“Yeah, sure. Come on pops, let’s get you to Angel. You need a back massage and a tequila, stat.” 

He sighed, knowing she was heading off to check on Alastor’s progress with the investigation. New knowledge seemed to arise every day, much to Lucifer’s grief. 

 

Staring at the ceiling seemed a worthy pastime if it stopped him from brutally murdering Alastor. Yet, with his hands rested neatly on his stomach, laying supine on his offensively large, empty bed, he just couldn’t quite stop himself imagining doing it. 

He scrunched his eyes, rolling over to plant his face into the pillow.  

 

The lobby doors swung open, not unusual for this time in the afternoon. Though from where Lucifer sat, blankly staring at the coffee table, he heard far more excitement from Charlie than normal. He just about moved his gaze to spot the guest; the purple tiger-stripe skin and delicate horns of Ellie-Rose startled him right back to reality.  

He jumped up, feeling the course of adrenaline as he instinctively looked to see if Ash would follow. As the doors firmly shut, he felt a knife twist in his chest as he accepted she wasn’t there. 

At least he’d try to get updates from Ellie if he could, since none of the other Sins, even Ozzie, were replying or taking his calls this last week. 

Ellie untangled herself from Charlie’s hug, smiling eagerly at the excitable princess. Her gaze fell on Lucifer, startling a little before offering a tentative smile. 

“H-hi, your majesty. Are you, uh... okay?” 

“Just assume I'm doing as shit as i look. Nice to see you Ell, how’s it going?” 

She gave a sad half-smile, holding his gaze for a few seconds before replying. “Oh, it’s definitely going. Just not sure what direction. I’m actually here to give you something.” 

He felt a spark of hope as she handed him the envelope, until he recognized the paper used for the letter. The court? 

He opened it carefully, peeling the paper open to read the declaration of prosecution. 

His breath caught in his throat, stuck behind a lump of terror as he read the contents.  

Charlie watched his face, asking what it was. 

“It’s... it’s a trial... No witnesses, no audience, no bail. The last time this happened to me was when i was banished from Heaven. I think they’re... no. Please, no.” 

Pain washed over him as he choked back a sob, clutching a hand over his mouth. Charlie snatched the paper from him, eyes wide. 

“This... this can’t be legal. There’s no way this is allowed. Heaven can’t... is this Heaven? Why is it in the Wrath Sovereign Court?” 

Through agonized breaths he choked out “because it’s not Heaven, it’s the Sins. They’re casting me out.” 

“Can they do that, Dad? You’re the King of Hell, the only Seraphim down here. That was one of the demands, wasn’t it? That Angelic blood had to rule all of Hell?” 

“I’m... not the only one with Angelic blood, Char. You are, too.” 

Her face grew even paler, eyes narrowing to pinpricks. “I... I can’t... there’s no way...” 

Lucifer shook his head, blinking away the hot tears and clearing his throat. “It’s okay Char. I promise. Whatever happens, it’ll be okay. Maybe it’s a good thing. I haven’t been... I’ve failed everyone, including all of Hell. I gave up long ago. But you, you’re my greatest achievement, the most wonderful person in my existence. If there was anyone I'd ever want to take my place, it would be you.” 

“Dad, no...” 

“It’s okay, i promise. Maybe they’ll hear me out, i could tell them about going to Heaven and preparing for the war and everything we’ve done, and maybe they’ll listen. But if not, if it comes down to it... would you do it, for me, Char Char?” 

Her lip quivered, face breaking into her own cries as the reality sank in. She shook her head, clutching her arms. Lucifer gently took the letter back, pocketing it and holding his daughter tight. 

Stroking her hair as she sobbed into his shoulder, Lucifer looked over to Ellie, who was also pretty misty-eyed. “When?” 

“Tonight. It’s an emergency hearing. Seven PM. They told me to... i know you don’t need the warnings and the threats. I believe you’ll be there. I’m so sorry this is happening, your highness.” 

“Come on Ell, it’s just Lucifer. Thank you, for delivering this in person. Is... is Ash doing okay?” 

Her face pinched, eyes darting away. “She’s preparing for a war, pretty much on her own. Aside from a few people feeding her information, she’s not letting anyone in. Not even me. I don’t know what’ll happen to her if... if she loses you.” 

Lucifer blinked, feeling a new, bitter pain stir in the void in his chest. “What do you mean?” 

Her hesitance dragged into a long pause, choosing words carefully. Even Charlie felt the length of her deliberation, sniffling and straightening up to look at the lilac demon. 

“It’s not really, ah, anything obvious, you know? But i know her, and I've seen who she is when she’s with you. The person she is now... she’s a weapon, your-, uh, Lucifer. And I'm worried that without you, that’s all she’s going to be.” 

He winced at the image of her strictly measured expression she gave when leaving him, the smirk of Roo over her shoulder. He had no idea how much of her control was down to Roo, or the pain of being betrayed over and over. 

Filling the silence, Charlie turned to him, steely eyed. “Dad, you need to beat this trial. Whatever happens, whatever bullshit they throw at you, you have to win. I can’t take over; if i do, they’ll just shape me into whatever they think Hell should be. I know you’re at rock bottom right now. But that’s just it; there’s nowhere to go down from here. Even retirement is better than this suffering. So just decide what you want, and climb for it. As hard as you physically can. I know you can do it, Dad.” 

He gave a shaky smile to his daughter, feeling the hope she clung to fill just a little of the void. He wanted to see Ash, just once, before this all went down.  

“I’m gonna... go get ready. I’ll hopefully see you on the way out, Char. Are you sticking around, Ell?” 

“I’m sorry, i can’t. There’s too much going on for me to get caught up in public-” 

“It’s okay, don’t worry. Thanks again, Ell. See you round?” 

Her eyes misted as she nodded, waving sadly as she left. 

Charlie too looked torn, wanting to stay by him, but respecting his space. Lucifer kissed her forehead, giving her a tight hug before heading upstairs. At the landing, he turned left instead of going to the lifts, heading straight to Alastor’s room. 

He knocked, wondering why he was doing this to himself. 

The door opened just wide enough for Alastor to stand directly in front of, blocking any view into the room. Instantly suspicious, Lucifer’s humility turned to a glare. 

“Yes? Is there any reason for the interruption? I’m enjoying my evening.” 

“Depends on what I'm interrupting.” 

Lucifer looked him up and down, not seeing a single hair or stitch of clothing out of place. 

Alastor chuckled, relishing in the suspicion. 

A sudden jolt of his head made Lucifer jump, spotting a pencil case thump to the floor as Alastor snarled at someone in the room. He heard the musical chuckle, heart stopping in response. 

“Let him in, Al. I’d love to know why he’s come knocking on your door at this time of night.” 

Alastor glared behind him, black sclera and bared teeth behind a vicious grin. He heard a sudden roar of fire; Alastor squinted and scowled in response, still glaring as he moved out of Lucifer’s way. 

Laid on the floor, surrounded by a mass of papers, pens and origami shapes, there she was, ball of flame dissipating as he entered the room. The cold stare felt inquisitive, but guarded. “So?” 

He managed to stutter out, “You’re here.” 

“Yes, and i know you know I've been here. Is that why you came?” 

He blinked, trying to remember the real reason, realizing it was that exactly. “I was going to ask Alastor to invite you over... you’re actually just planning for the war? What is all that?” 

She propped her head on a hand, regarding him cautiously. “It’s something of a back-up plan. Alastor knows Hell and its Overlords incredibly well, and i have some powerful resources in the Pentagram right now. I usually come over to collect the night’s reports and update the maps. Why? What did you.... Alastor, tell me you weren’t winding him up.” 

“My darling, i would never pass up such an entertaining opportunity. As it is, i never said anything untoward of the sort. He just has a tendency to overthink.” 

“Alastor, don’t think i won’t fucking barbecue you.” 

“Interesting threat to make to a cannibal, dear. Be sure to keep your promises.” 

Lucifer looked between them, equal measures disgusted by the banter and immensely relieved by the fact they weren’t sleeping together. Not every night, anyway. Or... ugh, don’t go down that route, damnit.  

She smirked at Alastor before controlling her face again and asking what Lucifer wanted. 

“I just wanted to see you.” 

Alastor dramatically yawned, stepping over her and stretching as he crossed to his chair. 

“Is... are you gonna be here the whole time, bellhop?” 

“Lucifer, it’s his fucking room. Come on, what do you really want?” 

He glanced down at the maps, wondering if that was the only way he’d get to spend a good length of time with her. “Can you show me? I get information second hand from Charlie, and she gets whatever junk this asshole tells her, so I'd be interested to see your version.” 

Her lips flickered into a small smile, gesturing him to sit on the floor across from her. He plopped down, pretending to study the materials while his heart raced. 

She talked him through some alarmingly logical points. Since it wasn’t triple filtered back to him, they made so much more sense as the bigger picture. Even he could now see where the ambushes would likely start from, in which logical order. Lucifer began making strategic points, gesturing and marking out where he knew certain territories had weaknesses that would probably have been exploited by now, or where he knew of old abandoned structures both above and below ground that may be relevant.  

He got excited while showing her a connection between two utility points, explaining how the power increased where it crossed the Pentagram’s star lines, making it a valuable asset to protect and take over if the Vees tried to pull the plug on the power. He glanced up, doing a double take at the genuine smile she held for him. She quickly looked back down, trying to stifle the expression, but it was far too late. The void shifted, feeling unsteady around the edges, or maybe a little softer. Warmer, too.  

She agreed with him, still looking down at the map with the corners of her lips twitching up. She bit her lip, fighting a laugh. 

“What’s so funny?” 

She looked up, caught. “I guess it’s just strange. We’ve spent over a week trying to figure out the enemy’s tactics from every angle, plotting it out so we can predict their every move. Not once have we actually sat and plotted where we can make our own moves. It’s nice to have the added perspective, Lucifer. Thank you.” 

An embarrassed smile fell over his expression, feeling a glimmer of hope. “Well if you’d came to me sooner, you know...” 

Alastor snorted. “You’re hardly welcome enough as it is, and i assure you, we’re doing plenty well enough here without you.” 

“Ignore him, Lucifer. He’s just pissy i keep turning him down.” 

“HAH! As if that were the case. I still have that wonderful recording of you quite profoundly begging my name. Shall i put it on?” 

“Fuck you. Play it after the rest of us adults go to bed.” 

Lucifer couldn’t help but chuckle despite the grim topic. “I’ve heard enough of this conversation, thanks. I’m running out of time anyway, i need to go get ready. Can i tell you about it?” 

She looked puzzled. “About... getting ready?” 

He grinned, shaking his head. “No, i have a prior arrangement tonight. I want to tell you... away from prying eyes.” 

Her laughter warmed him, despite Alastor’s disgusted snort. 

“Fine, one sec. Let me just grab...” She quickly gathered the papers, tucking them into a handbag before hopping up. 

They left the room, the door slamming harshly behind their departure. 

“Damn, is he actually that childish?” 

“I’m not sure he ever really grew out of adolescence. I think he died in his early thirties? Mid thirties? Either way, that’s still a teenager for human men.” 

Lucifer chuckled, not disagreeing. “He hardly counts as human, though. For a sinner, he really is all kinds of fucked up.” 

“You’re telling me. I’ve been on the sharp end of that stick.” 

“Ew.” 

“HAH, not fun is it? After how many times i had to hear about you and bloody Lilith, you can swallow some karma.” 

“I feel like i was served an entire slice of that humble pie when i had to listen to him literally eating you alive. Was ANY of that pleasure? You just sounded pained .” 

“Eh, the difference between the two was less of a hard line and more of a Venn diagram. Can’t say i didn’t enjoy it, but also can’t say I'd EVER do that again.” 

“That’s a relief, i suppose. It feels so, so wrong to leave you at his sick fucking mercy.” 

She held back her response for a minute, softening her tone as they neared Lucifer’s room. “And yet, you did. For months.” 

Lucifer faltered, realizing the truth of it. She’d been covered in healed scars as a result of surviving Lilith’s songs, just because he was too weak to protect her. His chest ached, gnawing with guilt. 

They entered the room, feeling strangely dissociated from the last time they were here together. In fairness, at the time she was covered in blood, fire and bite marks, with the Root of All Evil mirroring her. This was thankfully a lot more peaceful. 

He cleared his throat, looking down as he began.  

“I’m being taken to trial. It’s a closed court, well above the standard law. No witnesses or any external audience, and only the Sins are on the jury. In almost every case like this, it’s some form of execution or banishment. Given how I'm not able to be sentenced to either, it’ll probably be a retirement of some sort. But... i want to fight it. I want to stay the King of Hell, and i want... you.” 

She remained silent, chewing her lip, waiting. 

“The choices you gave me, um, the standing up, begging or leaving humanity be. I...” 

“Lucifer, now is not the time for this. I’m sorry. You have your trial. If you’ve made up your mind, then use whatever your decision is as your grounds to defend yourself tonight. Please just think of what’s best for you, not everyone else, okay?” 

The insistence touched him, feeling the compassion despite every way he’d failed her. His stomach twisted as he stepped closer, stopping the second she held her hand up. 

Her hand then moved to her arm, activating the crystal to generate a portal. Lucifer recognized the guest bedroom at Ozzie’s. A bittersweet sadness held his gaze on her as she left, not looking back. 

 

Chapter Forty: The Juror 

 

Lucifer stood in front of his bedroom mirror, studying the fallen angel before him. He hardly recognized himself; the mask he usually wore, with a broad grin and puffed out chest, had been cast aside for the honest reflection. His eyes looked heavy, with circles of exhaustion and dark lids, yet a spark of something vaguely hopeful lit up the irises. He slid off the hat and jacket, feeling them unnecessary while he prepared to lay his soul bare. He breathed a little easier under the sight, allowing himself to show the imperfections that lay so devastatingly close to the surface. 

At Six forty-five PM, he pulled up to the courthouse, glancing nervously at the grand volcano through the windshield. He swallowed the lump of terror in his throat as he exited the car, gently closing the door behind him. He allowed a glance back at the car, almost seeing the ghost of memories; the drive to the airport, with her sleepy eyes mistrustful and afraid, that became alight with laughter and exhilaration. He smiled fondly, turning to walk towards the courts. 

In the main entrance, he was struck by how bare the lobby lay. Only two reapers awaited him, all other staff dismissed. The nerves pooled deeper in his stomach, churning with adrenaline as he followed the reapers into the narrow corridor. 

They didn’t lead him to the pre-trial chamber as he expected; instead, they hovered ominously towards the main double-doors of the prosecution ramp itself. Lucifer swallowed, feeling his heart pounding, unprepared for the reality beyond those doors.  

A reaper came closer, pressing a cold hand to the back of his shoulder to guide him towards the doors. He trembled, slowly reaching a hand up to push the door open. 

He could barely see the main courtroom for the lack of fire; even the slow undercurrent of lava had dimmed.  

In the distance, beyond the silhouette of the cliff, he could make out glowing figures in the jury. Distinctly Bee’s hair, Belle’s candle and Ozzie’s flames stood out, alongside similar ripples of colour between the other Sins. The relief of seeing Oz and Bee died out when Satan’s skin took on a vibrant glow through the cracks and veins, igniting his powerful stance in the judge’s throne. 

Lucifer took a hesitant step, followed by another, cautious and apprehensive until he reached his place on the cliff to face trial. The figures were discernable now by their glows, including their accusing narrow eyes. 

A ball of flame ignited beside Satan, on the arm rest. Lucifer blinked in shock as the outline of his lover caught the light, holding up a white-hot orb as she glared down at him. She lifted the flame, throwing her hand open to release the energy into shooting stars. Across the court, the lamps caught her fire, illuminating the court in brilliant throes of flame.  

His breath caught in his throat, staring in horror at her stern face. 

Satan stood, his usual ridiculous imposing stance now genuinely filling Lucifer with fear. 

“The court will now hear the case of Lucifer Morningstar. The charges are of severe political neglect, absence of professional duty, and indirect causation of citizen uprising. There will be no additional witnesses, nor interruptions. This case is held as an arbitration with a summary judgement, and will remain private until a conclusion has been made.” 

Lucifer shifted nervously, feeling incredibly exposed without his top hat and coat as armour. The faces seemed set as stone, judging and cold. 

Satan continued; “The Sin of Sloth is presiding over the Prosecution and will present with the court’s evidence for Lucifer’s abdication. No Sins may speak impartially for the defendant; thus, the defendant will take the stand and speak in their own defense. The only outcomes the court will consider are abdication or due assessment of fitness to remain residing as King of Hell.” 

Lucifer stood in abject horror at the shimmering image that appeared on the left shelf wall; a projection of prior failures, rolling one by one to showcase his inability to perform duties as King.  

Everything from the wars, the exterminations, the rise of Overlords, down to the moments of weakness at Lilith’s whim, all of his weaknesses laid bare. The void in him grew, seeping into every crack of insecurities like tar, choking his every breath. He watched the ones he loved be hurt, used, broken. The ring he’d sworn to rule, neglected and twisted under the will of Hell’s worst sinners. Clips of his pride, standing tall and bragging, despite the carnage around him – it pierced his very essence, realizing how pathetic he’d acted, pretending he had it well under control as everyone around him suffered. 

He’d gotten the message, loud and clear; they no longer saw him as a leader. No longer trusted him with any power over Pride, let alone Hell. In fractured clarity, he understood... and agreed. Lucifer turned his head, agony tearing through his chest as he looked over the stony faces of his fellow Sins. The demons he’d seen as siblings, as family. Memories recalled of his time with each and every one of them, whether in laughter or in petty arguments. Until his eyes settled on the one he’d hurt the most, now sat with one leg over the other and claws digging into the armrest she perched on, eyes seething with brutal accusation. To his surprise, it didn’t make anything worse to see her like this. He knew how far he’d gone, how badly he’d fucked up. There was no way to negate or avoid it. They were wholly and entirely right. 

At rock bottom, Lucifer felt the overwhelming urge to climb. 

The clips continued to play, hushed by the voice inside screaming at him to fight back. Lucifer steeled himself, scrunching his face through the fresh welts of pain lashing through the void. Stand or beg. Backing down wasn’t an option . 

“The evidence has now been witnessed by the defendant and prosecution. I now grant you the floor, Lucifer Morningstar.” 

Eyes still closed, he shuddered, crushing under the weight of his inadequacies. He couldn’t do this alone, not after how many countless failures he’d proven himself consistent to make. For once, he wanted help.  

“I...” the words dissolved, catching in his throat. He tried again, calling on the void to guide his resolve. “I can’t pretend to be okay anymore. I can’t lie to you, time and time again, making this all about me, and how much i can keep it together. I’m not strong. I’m not super powerful, or brave, or clever. I’m just some fucking idiot who tried to be, and i let you all down. Let Hell down. You’re right, every single one of you. And you know what? I’m SORRY. With everything i have left in me, I. AM. SORRY. And... hah, I'm not even asking for forgiveness. I don’t need it. I don’t want it. My apologies aren’t going to fix this shit. Nor will my promises, or grand gestures. But you know the fuck what?” 

Lucifer raised his arms to the side, inviting them to see his vulnerability for what it was. 

“I’m not alone. I never was, and all of you know it. We ruled Hell together as a team. We carved the rings into compliance and cohesion through our own bonds. I didn’t rule Hell, i just watched over it while we all pitched in, every single one of us as necessary as the other. I trusted you, listened to you and supported you, even throughout my insanely long list of stupid ass decisions, i always believed in you. You’re my family, more than my actual siblings in Heaven. Even when we didn’t get along, or when we hardly spoke. I love and trust each and every one of you with my life, and my realm.” 

Fierce, hot tears stung in his eyes and burned down his cheeks. 

“Let me try again, just one more time. But not alone. Please, don’t give up on me. I can fight, i can rise, i can be better... if you help me. I’ll listen, I'll follow, for the love of Hell I'll obey if that’s what it takes. Just please let me stay a part of this family, a part of your home. Please.” 

He stumbled forward, closer to the edge of the cliff, watching smoke gust from Satan’s nostrils as he judged him.  

He honestly had no idea where to go next, simply relying on panic and raw honesty to guide the words. 

“I- I’ve gone back to Heaven, despite how much they hate me, to find a way to protect Pride. I’m working with demons and sinners I'll never forgive, overcoming my worthless pride to find ways to shield the population of the Pentagram from the worst of the war. I’m even willing to teach Charlie to take my place, when the time is right. But that isn’t right now . I’m not ready, and neither is she. If you give me a chance to fight this with you all, allow me to pour all of our combined strengths into a single unit of force, we can resist the uprising and prevent most of the damage to the Pride ring. We can hold it down, override the Overlords, reclaim the control and cite law. Just us, no influence of Heaven, no exterminations, and... no Lilith. By my hand, i swear she will never tear down or manipulate anyone else in Hell, as long as i have any say over it.” 

His words echoed in the courtroom, accompanied by the subtle roar of flames and crackling of lava. Blinking back the tears, he looked up, analyzing the faces. He wasn’t winning them over, any of them. Not even Ash. He saw the flickers of anger cross Levi and Ozzie’s faces, not unfairly so. They’d been Lil’s strongest enemies for centuries. 

His heart tugged and wrenched, losing the fragile glimmers of hope he felt before arriving. Choking through a sob, he clenched his fists and shouted up at the jury. 

“You always supported and listened to me before, when it mattered. Now I'm here, when it matters more than anything in the universe, and I'm begging you, pleading for you to stand by me. I know i fucked up. I know every stupid fucking thing i did. I’m SORRY. Please, just listen to me... i can do this! I can stand beside you, i can fight, as part of you all! A team! I’m not your King, not a figurehead, I'm your brother . Please, please don’t give up on me!” 

Satan stood, crossing his arms with purposeful poise. 

“The jury will be given time to discuss. Your pleas have been heard. For the duration of the recess, you will remain in the courtroom, under watch of the reapers. Attempts to flee the room will be held against you as contempt of court.” 

“Wait! I- I have more to say, you haven’t heard everything else, just- STOP! Please, Ozzie, Bee, everyone, ANYONE, please don’t walk away! STOP! Ple-” 

His choking begs broke into a coughing fit, clutching his abdomen and doubling over in agony. He barely managed a step forward before dropping heavily to his knees, his shattered expression flooded with hot tears as he watched them slowly leave the courtroom.  

He hyperventilated, scrunching his face with yet another failure, feeling engulfed by wreaths of devastation dragging him into his personal void.  

Through the cracks in his eyes, the room became darker, barely visible through the tears and dying light of lamps that no longer held flames. He dropped his head, giving in to the pain. 

His ears suddenly rung with deafening crackles, blinded by glowing light. Behind him, a portal opened, briefly illuminating the court before disappearing. As darkness took over, he looked up, trying to listen for whoever had arrived. 

He could barely see, only detecting the soft crunch of volcanic ash and rubble as soft footsteps circled to stand in front of him. He recognized the heels, his heart jolting in shock as she knelt down in front of him, hands softly cupping his face. All he could see was her silhouette, and the gentle reflection of the dying embers around them like stars in her eyes. 

He sniffled, hardly breathing as he looked up at his love, feeling shattered and broken beyond comprehension. The trace of a smile ghosted her lips, rendering him unbound from the very last of any pride he ever had. 

In a hoarse whisper, he begged one final time. “Please, please stay with me. Wherever we go, I'll follow you. I’ll be with you, in every corner of Hell, on every step of Earth, and everywhere in between. Just don’t go. Please.” 

Her thumbs brushed the tears from his cheeks, hands cradling his face with a warmth that felt safe.  

“Of course.” 

Lucifer blinked, startled. A tear caught on his lashes, wiped away by a gentle touch of her lips. He stared, lost in the embers in her eyes, locked in fear of misunderstanding. “W-what?” 

She answered him with the gentle press of her lips to his, sighing softly as he kissed her back. Relief shook through him in violent trembles, disturbing the rubble beneath. He reached out shakily, rising off his heels to hold her tight to him. She let go of his face, wrapping her arms around him as she broke off the kiss into a loving embrace. 

His tears fell once more, though this time, with utter spent relief. Her neck felt so very soft and warm against his cheek as he nuzzled in closer.  

She gave him time to recover. Gradually his heart settled, breathing becoming easier as he felt the relief softening the edges of the void, flooding and stifling the agony within. He sighed, content with knowing she was beside him, regardless of the outcome of the trial. 

Against her neck, he asked, “will you forgive me? Not necessarily for everything... but maybe just for breaking your heart?” 

She softly laughed once, lips brushing above his ear. “I’m only human, Lucifer. I’ll always forgive you. Besides, you did a pretty damn good job of apologizing back there. There’s hope for you yet, my beautiful little dumbass.” 

He half-smiled, clutching her tighter. “I know it wasn’t enough, I'm not blind. But as long as you’re with me, i can deal with the consequences. Why aren’t you up there? Aren’t you part of the council?” 

She drew back from the hold, despite his resistance, to look him in the eyes. His hands clutched into her waist, unwilling to let her go any further than necessary. Confusion washed over him as she smirked in amusement. 

“As far as you’re concerned, Lucifer... i AM the council. They were there to witness, not to judge. I was the only one you had to convince.” 

He recoiled slightly, not understanding. “But... this trial... the evidence...” 

“I had to show them i was taking everything into consideration, and that you’d taken accountability for your mistakes. It was a nice bonus that you really fought to appeal to them as family; that was a sweet touch. But overall, i just needed to know you’d humbled down enough to ask for help and to listen when it was required. Now, i know.” 

“But... i don’t understand, they’re the Sins. Why would they depend on you? No, uh... no offence.” 

She laughed quietly, eyes sparkling in the dim light. “I’ve already made my appeals to them, individually and together. The court case you interrupted before was my final move to get Satan on my side. Now, i have the support of every Sin. If Pride were to fall to the Overlords, we can claim it back, with or without you. Since you made your choice, I'd quite like to establish you back as the authority over Pride, with the stipulation that you’re not doing this alone, and not under anyone’s thumb. That does of course mean Lilith needs to be out of the picture. She’s caused too much harm for far too long.” 

He nodded, his expression cringing with tight eyes. “I know. I’m not risking allowing her to hurt anyone, especially not you, ever again. I didn’t want to... kill her, but i can’t see any way that she’d tolerate being any less than Queen. If anything, she became the Sin of Pride almost as much as i was. I know that if she’s part of the war, and she puts up a fight now, it’ll be... to the death.” 

“Good, I'm glad you recognize that. Problem is, from the maps and information we have so far, it’s almost guaranteed that she’s part of it, most likely leading it, with support from at least some of the angels. When we trigger off this war, she’ll come for you, Lucifer. And if she can’t sway you, she’ll kill you.” 

He winced. “Yeah, it makes sense. I don’t know if i can really do it though. She’s still...” 

“I know, and that’s why I'm here. You’re not doing this alone.” 

His breath came out shaky as he processed the finality of her words. “Thank you.” 

She smiled, leaning forward to gently kiss him, holding him close again. He held her tightly pressed against him, feeling the other half of his heart settle back in its place. 

 

Chapter Forty One: The Strength of Seven Sins 

 

Anxious anticipation gnawed in his chest as he held tightly to her hand, walking quietly through the long corridor to the jury’s offices. When they reached the door, she looked at him expectantly. Giving her a half-smile, he drew in a deep breath and turned the handle. 

Inside, the other six Sins sat dotted around the room, lounging as though they’d just been hanging out. Bee and Ozz hopped up, excitement lighting up their expressions as they welcomed Lucifer in. Bemused, he hugged them back, blinking at the room around him. “What is all this? You’re not deliberating anything?”  

Satan let out a light chuckle. “Hell no, no need. Your little dame sorted all that out for you weeks ago. We’re just here to confirm you’re really ready to step up, if that’s what you decided. Besides, Mammon brought snacks.” 

“I brought snacks for me dickhead, you just keep taking them!” 

“Exactly.” 

Lucifer burst out laughing, relief swimming in his head.  

Levi spoke up from across the room. “Don’t get too comfortable, Lu. There’s a lot to work out. We’ve been keeping tabs on Pride, and it’s a lot worse than you seem to think.” 

Belle agreed, her sweet cotton voice ringing over the energy in the room, “she’s right, dearest. Come take a seat. We need to show you how deep the roots go. We tried to seek diplomacy, until the true intentions came to light.” 

Lucifer nodded, his fingers tightly interlaced with his lover’s as they sat around the table together. Ozzie and Bee pulled out chairs as everyone else adjusted to sit straighter, becoming a professional conference of Sin.  

Levi projected an image into the centre of the table from a hologram point, focusing on a map that was now all too familiar to Lucifer. 

“I’ve seen this, many times over. I know I've been absent, but I've been trying to catch up as much as possible. The weak points, they’re probably strongholds for Lilith or the Vees to capture and control the utilities and weapons, so the sinners are left without reliable sources of food, water and electricity, let alone any sort of safety. Apparently you guys are working out a way to negate this?” 

Bee nodded, pleased. “Yeah, we are. Good to have you back, Lulu.” She winked, excitement in her eyes. “Thing is, we’ve had spies-” 

“I’VE had spies, bitch. MY clowns have been running the fuckin’ mission while you dickheads have been taking notes. Give a little respect, right?” 

Bee grimaced, side-eyeing Mammon. “Yes, HE has had spies in Pride, collecting information. There’s definitely been a rush for certain buildings and amenities to be decked out with defenses and new equipment, clearly ones that are either useful in a battle, or worth protecting for after one. We’re not sure when it’s going to blow, but Ash has an idea for how to trigger it, so we’re calling the shots.” 

Lucifer blinked at the excited face beside him. Ash tried to control her eagerness as she spoke; “you being here has actually given us the best advantage we have. We know for a fact now that Vox is watching the networks; we set up a few traps by using buzzwords in some texts, and they were followed through every single time. So, if we send one little text between you and Charlie, the whole war starts, probably pretty immediately. We can have everything ready to go, exactly as we want it.” 

He raised a brow, confused. “What do you mean between me and Charlie? What does she have to do with this?” 

Satan snorted, a small puff of smoke rolling across the table. “She’s the key here. In as much as she’s also the greatest vulnerability Pride has. Don’t get me wrong, she has potential. But right now, on her own, she’s incredibly vulnerable. She has far less influence over Pride than you, and a shaky reputation at best for being a cuddly little squishy toy currently trying and failing to rehabilitate sinners. Yes, she led the battle with the exorcists; but everyone saw you have to jump in and save her. If she’s posted as the current Sin of Pride, the Queen of Hell, not one single sinner will take her seriously, probably not even her friends. It would only make sense for the Overlords to take advantage of this gaping hole in structure.” 

Lucifer growled, scowling at the harsh reflection of his daughter. “One day, she’ll kick every one of your asses. Just because that day isn’t now, don’t think you can say whatever the fuck you want. She’s still my daughter.” 

Satan smirked. “i know, i know. Keep your halo on, fallen angel. Point stands; she’s a weakness we can utilize. We make her Queen, and the war almost immediately begins.” 

Lucifer clenched his jaw, reluctant to accept the concept. He mulled over it for a minute as Levi flicked through a few images to find the next relevant map sketch. In truth, the more he thought, the more sense it made.  

“Let’s say we do this, and we trigger off the war. None of you can directly be there. You know the rules as well as i do. What’s going to happen then? You flood the streets with Hellborn and slaughter most of Pride?” 

Ash nudged his arm, a warning look in her eye. “Enough, Lucifer. We’re not trying to actually fight a war here. We’re trying to minimize it to only those in charge of it. Charlie’s done the most critical part, thanks to you reaching Heaven. Emily’s agreed to unlock the front doors if the Vees or anyone bunker down in the Embassy. All Charlie needs to do is make a show of trying to rally a few allies together, making it obvious she’s expecting a fight.” 

“But you don’t want a fight... this isn’t making sense.” 

“Pretend you’re Vox right now. Imagine the King of Hell has fallen, leaving his daughter in charge, who in all honesty isn’t ready to ascend the throne. She’s been left to it, and is scrambling for help, trying to get sinners on her side. She’s not well known for being involved with the other rings, nor has any visible links to Heaven, and her mother is very much not on her side. Essentially, she’d be the very easiest leader to overpower, especially due to her compassion. She’d do anything to prevent mass slaughter of her people, even if that means abdicating to the Overlords. Wouldn’t you take advantage of that, if ruling the Pentagram was all you wanted?” 

Lucifer paused with a slow nod in agreement.  

She continued; “Then it stands to reason; we can expect the war to start, or at least a hostile takeover of sorts, as soon as she’s given her title. It doesn’t need to be a fanfare; all we have to do is send one little text, which gets tracked by Vox, and it starts.” 

“But... how are we supposed to let Charlie know she’ll be okay, that we’re coming? The network’s tracked, and we can’t show up at the hotel in case they have any remaining hidden cameras.” 

His stomach plummeted as she pursed her lips, holding back her response. With a shaky voice, he asked, “you’re... you’re not planning on telling her, are you? You honestly want her to think I've abandoned her?” 

A hint of pain crossed her eyes as she watched him wrestle with his own guilt. “I’m sorry, Lucifer. But yes. She needs to make as much of a ruckus trying to gather allies as possible. The harder she fights to prepare, the more they’ll believe it’s genuine and not an ambush.” 

Bee agreed, resting a hand on his arm. “It’s alright, Lu. She’ll be fine, and we’ll keep her safe. We have this whole thing planned out. We’ll-” 

Lucifer interrupted firmly, “you had this all planned out WITHOUT me, for my own realm. Forgive me if I'm having a hard time getting over that, especially with you using my daughter as bait.” 

Satan growled, warning him with a glare. Mammon muttered under his breath about him hardly being in his realm anymore anyway. Lucifer’s anger rose as he felt the disrespect in the room. 

Bee, recovering from the interruption, spoke with less compassion this time. “We HAD to, Lu. I’m sorry, but you’ve been a wreck, and well under Lilith’s heel for ages now. At least now we have hope you won’t just give in and whimper after her. And if you do, we’re dealing with her anyway. Your daughter however is under our watch and our protection. We have measures in place to lock down the Hazbin Hotel with her inside and a lot of firepower at her disposal while we take over.” 

“I don’t think she’ll let you, Bee. She’s stubborn. I know, for a FACT, she’ll break out and get involved with the fighting.” 

Bee shrugged, “then let her. She’s tough, and has wicked powers. Let her use them. We’ll still help her out, but maybe it’d be good to have her on the battlefield.” 

“At what point are we supposed to jump in? Do we wait til things get so bad that we know they’ve played all their cards? How many sinners die before we know that?” 

Ash shook her head. “Nope, no need. From what we can gather, it’ll be a throttle maneuver; they’ll cut the flow of electricity, food production, and water pipes. It’ll be quick and simultaneous. They’ve got a few projectors lined up on rooftops, pinpointed in the same location in the sky, likely to deliver their big dramatic villain speech. We wait it out while they get a response from Charlie; if she fights back, which I'm certain she will, they’ll start playing their cards, showing their hand, and we’ll know what kinds of forces they have. THAT’S when we jump in.” 

“And if she doesn’t? If she gives in?” 

“Then we step in immediately, taking over the utilities and providing Pride with the necessities they’ve been cut off from. It’ll be an almost instant dependency on the monarchy, not the Overlords. The Vees will be left scrambling, fighting in retaliation, and much easier to pick off.” 

Bee grinned, slapping the table. “You see Lulu? We had this well under control. You get to just sit back and watch us shine .” 

A smile played at his lips, seeing the determination surrounding him. Every single one of the Sins seemed invested in this cause. “You’re not kidding, huh? This is why you weren’t replying to me?” 

Ozzie nodded enthusiastically, “yup! Had to be sure we could get everything sorted whether you agreed or not. Thing is, even if you had stepped down, we’d still be using your phone to send that text. You’re not going back to the Hazbin Hotel until this is over.” 

Lucifer’s stomach knotted. “Not... at all?” 

The room turned solemn as the reality hit him. Ozzie quietly shook his head. “Sorry Lu, but no. Right now, she knows you’re in court, Ellie said so herself. She’s expecting whatever happens today to be the final decision. It won’t make sense if you go back and THEN leave. You gotta commit.” 

“I can’t... aw fuck, she’s going to be a goddamn mess. You know she’s basically losing her mother and her father in nearly the same breath?” 

Bee squeezed his arm in silent support. 

Lucifer held his hand over his mouth, wincing at the pain he knew Charlie was going to suffer. “What am i even supposed to say? On the text.” 

Levi clicked the hologram to a series of draft messages for him to choose from or alter to his preference. He looked through, cringing as he debated. The other Sins discussed the options with him, helping him draft out the hardest text message of his life. 

• Hey Char Char. I have some bad news. The court didn’t go well. I’m abdicating. There’s no choice about it. It was a unanimous vote. I’m not going to be coming back to Pride for a while. I need you to be incredibly strong for me, okay? Hell needs a Queen, and i don’t trust Lilith enough to allow her succession. You’re going to be taking over the throne, and i need you to put aside the hotel while you do it. Put Pride first, okay? You’ll be amazing. I’m so, so proud of you. Whatever happens, just know i love you, and I'll miss you. Keep being yourself, my wonderful baby girl, and you’ll be the best Queen Hell has ever dreamed of. Love, Dad. 

The message glowed in his drafts folder, wrenching harder in his heart every single time he re-read it. This was going to destroy her, and he couldn’t even be there to soften the blow. Tears prickled behind his eyes as he slid the phone to Bee to press ‘send’. 

 

Chapter Forty Two: Calm Before the Storm 

 

Your POV: Pulling the Trigger 

 

Lucifer curled up next to you on Ozzie’s sofa, barely holding in the sobs as text after text poured into the phone. You flicked through the notifications, seeing the text banners, ignoring the calls. Charlie was indeed losing her shit, vying between anger, begging and confusion. Lucifer stopped looking at the phone an hour ago, too upset to read any more. You kept a close eye on it, only to check she wasn’t doing anything drastic or sending any texts that could ruin the mission. As it was, her desperation was feeding perfectly into the narrative that this was really truly happening. If Vox was watching, which by now seemed likely, then he’d have all the confirmation he needed. You stroked the back of Lucifer’s head as he shook, fighting off a wave of anxiety in your own belly.  

Ozzie came out of the bedroom, rubbing his neck. He frowned at Lucifer’s hunched-over form, pity in his eyes, unsure what to do. You made a subtle gesture for a drink, to which he immediately summoned six bottles of liquor. You squinted, slowly shaking your head until he understood and summoned a tray of water bottled instead. Unscrewing one, he passed it to your free hand and sat down on the floor next to you. Lucifer barely made effort to drink, still a shaking mess.  

“You know, you’re probably more of a wreck than she is. You know she’s probably even gathering her resources as we speak, even while texting you. She’s resilient.” 

Lucifer didn’t respond, lips quivering with agonized emotion. 

Ozzie agreed, trying to soothe the sobbing king. It took hours, but he eventually fell asleep, still tucked into your arm with a puffy face and deep frown lines. 

 

The next morning, two portals opened into Ozzie’s office around the same time, welcoming in Levi and Bee. Mammon followed shortly after, vaguely bitching about missing a show to be here. 

“Hey Mammon, any updates? I take it nothing has kicked off yet?” 

“Nah, not a flick of a fuckin’ bean. Levi’s kept an eye on the networks, but they ain’t done anything big enough to make ya think it’s starting. My clowns have picked up on major district changes, but I'm not sure what it means. Levi, babe, mind bringing up the map? Yeah.... you see that patch down there? That’s fuckin’ flooded with dull-ass sinners from the Vees tower. Bartenders and janitors, that sorta thing, huddled there like they’re waiting for something.” 

You noticed the plot points nearby where he gestured. “That’s... alarmingly close to the wendigos, isn’t it? Are they supposed to be freeing them, or fodder?” 

Lucifer shuddered next to you, tired eyes glazing over as he listened. Bee leaned on the desk, pointing to the Emporium. “That’s where the other Overlord is, right? The cannibal? She’s pretty far away from the sinners that just moved in, so i don’t think she’s necessarily connected. Do we need to worry about her getting ambushed by her own people?” 

Ozzie spoke, “I don’t know, Bee. From what we know, the Overlord has that whole section under control. Even the wendigos. If anything, I'm betting they’re actually aimed the opposite way, nearer the Doomsday District. If enough of them get involved, they could have enough weapons to wreak some real havoc over the Pentagram.” 

You shook your head, not really seeing the logic, interrupted by another portal. Satan stepped inside, lowering his head and perching on the floor. “Did i miss anything? Has it started?” 

 

After Belle joined, the office was crammed with Sins all vaguely pitching in with their observations. The situation seemed alarmingly stable. Charlie was being watched closely by some of Mammon’s clowns; she’d been seen immediately setting off to Rosie’s Emporium, trying to get favour with the cannibals, with little success. They’d apparently not really believed her, or at least pretended not to, even when she showed them the message. Rosie had apparently brought Alastor over immediately after Charlie left, and was seen to be making plans with him of her own. You rolled your eyes at that, knowing damn well Alastor would be manipulating Charlie to the best of his abilities in light of this new vulnerability. Still, it fed into the narrative, so you hushed Lucifer when he fretted about Alastor’s involvement. 

Strangely, the group of Vees workers had dispersed, wandering to the empty plot points and stationing themselves there. It was Levi who pointed out first that they’d probably collected something to take with them and spread out around the Pentagram. The clowns hadn’t been able to make out what it was, and were having a hard time keeping under cover, so were increasing distance between them and their targets. 

The Embassy had been seemingly untouched, though spies had caught glimpses of light shifting from the higher windows. They confirmed activity was going on inside, without the Vees directly entering the front doors. 

Lilith was nowhere to be seen, despite the wide spread of eyes on the whole city.  

Once Alastor was back at the Hazbin Hotel, he immediately herded the whole team in the lobby, as seen with Levi’s own hidden camera. He seemed to be hyping Charlie up, gesturing to her and bowing with fake respect as she talked. They had no audio to listen, but could just about work out that she was stepping up to deliver an announcement to Pride, based on the outfits and props Angel was bringing down to her. Lucifer laughed as she passed up on each ridiculous suggestion, eventually sending the spider demon away with his frivolous box of costumes. 

Once the activity reduced and you all awaited the next round of spy reports, you asked the Sins for the items they had promised. Lucifer perked up, having not known about this part.  

Bee smiled at him, holding up a glittering orange gemstone between her fingers. “We had to make a few little trinkets to help you get through the battle, since we couldn’t be there ourselves. Mine’s a bunch of light auras, designed to act like little disco balls of tiny suns, giving enough light across the Pentagram that they can’t hide in the shadows and ambush everyone. They’ll only go away if the crystal is broken, and that’ll take a LOT of damage, so you should be fine as long as most of the fighting is outdoors.” 

She cast it to you with a gentle throw, landing neatly in your palm as you caught it. 

Mammon rolled a ball to you, looking like an unholy green lovechild between a Fabergé egg and a hand grenade. “That one’s gonna be the best fuckin’ part. It’s the SHOW. You throw that shit in the air, fireworks will light up the fuckin’ sky, and I'll give ’em the welcoming they won’t forget!” 

Lucifer picked it up carefully, examining the shell. “How do you activate it?” 

“It’s a bomb dickhead, you pull the pin.” 

“Is... is the little nub on the top the pin? It’s not obvious.” 

You turned it slightly, showing the loop underneath as he let out a surprised ‘oh!’. 

Amused, you smiled and kissed his cheek, enjoying the bashful lopsided grin he gave back. 

Belle strode gracefully over to you, holding up her palm with a delicate silver chain in her pastel pink magic cloud. “I made this to encapsulate the sun gem. It’s imbued with healing magic, amplifying the effects of rest on the body in a matter of seconds. It will only heal what your body can heal, but it’ll be far faster than you are currently capable of. It’s a powerful charm, and easily addictive. I strongly suggest you only wear it when you feel absolutely necessary.” 

You catch the silver chain in the air, working the gem into the tiny frame pendant. Lucifer gently takes it from you, using tiny flickers of Hellfire to rework the prongs to tightly hold the gem. Ozzie passes you a little velvet pouch to store it in for now. 

Lucifer looks curiously around the room as the others get comfortable making conversation. In your ear he quietly asks if that’s all the trinkets. 

You laugh, confirming that was it for now. “It’s generous enough as it is, plus there’s other things aside from trinkets coming our way. Satan has a portal set to release reapers and ghouls into the fray, acting as guards to the innocent. They’re mostly there to corral sinners into safe spaces, warding off anyone going feral or killing with reckless abandon.” 

He made a surprised face, impressed. “Makes sense for him, i guess. What about Levi?” 

You grinned, sticking your tongue out before you answered. “Levi’s already given me her gift. Or, gifts. You actually have Alastor to thank for that. He’s taken me in shadow across nearly the entire Pentagram to set up a series of hacking gems that’ll override any and all electrical technology within a mile radius. Which, as of right now, is quite literally all of Pride that has any civilization.” 

His disgusted expression made you chuckle, as you knew it would. “Oh, come on, don’t act so sour. He has his uses.” 

“Barely. How many times did you... shadow?” 

“HAH. Enough that we started making up dance routines and handshakes every time we were about to go somewhere else because just hugging became boring.” 

“Eurgh. Were we together at the time?” 

“Pretty much just after Lilith came back, so no.” 

He bit his tongue, instant regret on his face. You grimaced at him in displeasure, letting him know he was quite right to shut the fuck up. 

You released a sigh, unhappy with the sour edge to the conversation, wanting it to turn back to being productive. “Anyway, that’s pretty much it for the battle. Afterwards, everyone has their own ‘specialties’ to contribute in order to restore social cohesion and functionality in Pride. It’s only temporary, but you wouldn’t believe how amazing it all comes together. Plus it becomes sustainable with the Sinners taking over in due course, no Overlords needed.” 

He smiled, visibly relaxing as he looked over at his fellow Sins. “Damn. They never actually abandoned Pride at all.” 

“Nope. You just needed to humble yourself enough to ask for a little help.” 

He chuckled, nuzzling into your neck, whispering in your ear “you knew i wasn’t going to do that, love. Hence why you had to break me first, right?” 

You kissed his forehead in the awkward angle, giving a quiet ‘mmmhmm’ in response. 

 

Lucifer’s phone grew suspiciously quiet throughout the day. From the next round of reports, Charlie had been growing desperate with reaching out to various groups and powers in the Pentagram, even starting to try to appeal to the Goetia and upper-class demons. Obviously very few were interested, though made visible effort to lock down their own homes and ramp up the security. Tensions were picking up in the Pentagram as rumour finally spread about the new Queen of Hell, despite the Vees making no move to publicize it. The first news delivery came from Katie Killjoy and was exactly as scathing as you could have predicted. 

Levi projected it from her hologram device, surrounded by the Sins who were cautiously waiting for Pride to detonate. Halfway through a harsh speech about Charlie’s known failings with the hotel, the broadcast flickered, stuttered and shifted. Blue light overcame the screen, picturing a blank studio with Vox’s face in the centre.  

Your heart skipped a beat as you watched Vox declare war. 

“Hello, dear valued citizens of Hell. We, the Vees, care deeply about each and every one of you. It has come to our attention that Lucifer Morningstar has been dethroned, and his youthful daughter plucked from her dreams to take his place. Now, we are not unreasonable. It has been apparent for quite some time that the King of Hell has not had any real involvement in Hell or the inner workings of our great city. When was the last time any of us has seen him among us? Protecting our citizens, contributing to our society? Even the sweet Princess Morningstar has shown us repeatedly that she is more interested in redeeming sinners than protecting them.” 

Lucifer sprung up, throwing a portal open into the Pentagram, unfurling his wings ready to fly in. You patted your pockets, checking you had the necklace, and grabbed Mammon’s bomb from the sofa. You jumped onto Lucifer’s hip as he flew you through, entering the skies of Pride to watch the broadcast first-hand. 

 

Chapter Forty Three: My Final Goodbye To You  

 

The portal closed, leaving you hovering in the air, arms wrapped around his neck while he held your legs around his hips. The chill in the air only amplified when you focused your eyes on the massive projection in the sky, an exact replica of the broadcast you’d seen in the hologram. 

“-together. We will not tolerate being forgotten or abandoned any further. We, the sinners, deserve to have our own rights, and to be respected in our decisions. Until the new Queen of Hell abdicates or forfeits her rights to rule Pride, we will be ceasing all functions that are under our control. Either the Queen shows us she can be a true leader, or she faces the wrath of citizens who will no longer be stifled by a dying monarchy.” 

Beneath you, the lights began flickering, district by district shutting down into a pitch of darkness.  

“Fucking Hell, he’s not even trying to negotiate peacefully... that was quick.” 

Lucifer released an angry breath, horns emerging with Hellfire between them. “They never wanted this to be diplomatic. You were right; it’s a chokehold. Still, let’s see what they do.” 

He flew you to the skies nearer the Hazbin Hotel, watching over it to see if it got attacked. Now in darkness, you could just about distinguish a few figures running out the lobby doors. Charlie made a ball of Hellfire to guide them as they sprinted to the city centre. Lucifer silently followed in the sky, ensuring she was safe. 

The streets were filled with screams, smashing glass and trash fires. Charlie and a few others made their way, looking like they were beelining for the Embassy. 

You spoke, growing more anxious, “You think she’ll make it in time? I think i can see some of the Vees staff nearing the centre. Their inner flames are barely visible from up here, it’s how i can tell them apart. It’s not an ambush, but they’re definitely tracking where she’s going.” 

“I’m not sure. Where does Satan’s portal open up?” 

“Nearer the Doomsday District. They won’t be able to help. If it gets a little dicey down there, we might have to do the honours.” 

“Maybe... though i think we can buy her some time. Let’s put on a show, distract the Vees and their little cronies while Char reaches the Embassy.” 

You pull out the bomb as Lucifer gets higher, rising right up to the clouds near the far edge of the Pentagram. You pull the pin and lob it, almost immediately blinded by the massive wall of fireworks. The lights dazzled you until Lucifer distracted you, blocking the light with a wing. “You need to focus. We’re part of this presentation, remember?” 

You nodded, tentatively stretching a leg out to stand on a golden flame. Once sturdy, you summon another, now silhouetted in the sky next to Lucifer Morningstar and his six Seraphim wings. Behind you, the dazzling fireworks stopped screeching and became a sparkling projection of Mammon. 

“Howdy fuckers! Oh, you thought you’d be causing some fuckin’ uprising, in LUCIFER FUCKIN’ MORNINGSTAR’S ring? NAH. Double-fuckin' nah. Welcome to the fuckin’ show bitches. Ain’t no one who knows how to throw a party like the Seven Sins of Hell. Choke on this, ya scabby cunts!” 

You laughed at the brutal presentation, noticing the swarms of sinners now staring up at the fireworks, and by proxy, you two. In your pocket, you pull the necklace out, putting it on delicately with the tiny clasp. It shone in the light of the fireworks, throwing dazzling sparkles. You gently stroked the gem like an Asmodeus crystal until dots of light spawned all the way across the Pentagram, growing fiercer even as you let the gem fall to your chest. Bee’s tiny suns lit up nearly every main street, bringing the sinners and Hellborn into focus. The screams almost instantly stopped as they could see what was happening around them. You smiled, feeling the first step to victory. 

On the opposite side of the sky, a broadcast emerged, bright and blue, filled with Vox’s angry face. 

“The fallen King of Hell wants to try to show up as the big hero after being removed from the throne? HAH! You have no fucking idea what’s coming. Let’s see how you cope with the blood under your fingernails, Morningstar.” 

From the Embassy you noticed a subtle white light from the windows, followed by the front doors opening. You were about to ask if Lucifer had seen Charlie reach the Embassy yet when the flood of exorcists took to the streets.  

“SHIT, Charlie!”  

“Lucifer, GO, go find her! I’ll keep an eye. I can get down, it’s fine. Just go!” 

He looked to you, panicking until you summoned golden discs and made a run for it towards the cannibal town buildings, already seeing the rampage of wendigos barrelling through the streets. Lucifer flew at breakneck speeds towards the Embassy, while you abandoned the discs and dived into a freefall. Nearing the ground, you threw blasts of Hellfire towards the horde, skidding on golden flames like ice skating as you swerved to avoid a hard landing. You met the ground with too much momentum, crashing into a few cannibals as you stumbled. You caught a bite, snarling and blasting them with Hellfire, accidentally throwing a beam so strong it decimated the cannibal’s head and penetrated a nearby building. You cringed as you dropped back, crouching and snarling in warning at the surrounding cannibals. The small group in front of you didn’t advance; however, you could see others breaking off to the nearby streets to continue their hunts. You looked into the eyes of the wendigos in front of you, trying to sense any vague humanity left. Only animalistic hatred stared back at you.  

Vicious screams and roars suddenly pierced the air nearby; grey bodies soaked in blood began to fly back into the street, dismembered and pierced through by thick black tentacles. 

The Radio Demon rounded the corner in his massive building-sized form, being chomped by various cannibals at his ankles. He flung some, ate others and stabbed at wendigos with utter glee.  

A sharp voice filled with menace and joy came from behind the remaining horde. “That’s my hero! Oh Alastor sweetie, I'm so proud. Come now, let’s teach these foolish Overlords a lesson.” 

Rosie, in all her lady-like glory, extended her arms beside her, casting ribbons of black magic into hundreds of tiny leashes. Every dead body they touched became reanimated, blankly staring and hunched over, entirely at her command. You felt sick at the sight, but also kind of impressed.  

The cannibal Overlord waved at you as Alastor picked her up and popped her on his shoulder, still carving his way through the mindless attackers. 

You laughed, feeling safe to leave them to it.  

With a strong step up, you caught a golden disc and propelled yourself into a run, mid-air. Sprinting towards the top of the Embassy, you saw the flash of spears and beams of light, both Hellfire and angelic. To your horror, Charlie was laid on the floor, being defended by Vaggie and Lucifer as Angel, Husk and Cherri fended off reams of exorcists. There were no angels on their side, unlike Charlie had hoped there would be if things got bad. This counted as really quite fucking bad. 

You skidded down to the ground, throwing the necklace around Charlie’s neck as Lucifer blasted an exorcist away from you. The stab wound under her rib glowed pale pink as the necklace accelerated the healing process.  

You abandoned Charlie as another angel took a swipe, dodging the attack and blasting a stream of Hellfire their way. 

Vaggie rolled to avoid the flame, taking a stance at your back while Charlie coughed and pushed herself onto her knees, catching deep breaths. Lucifer stood directly over her, casting beams of white-hot flame at anything that came near his daughter.  

Bombs started going off in the distance, alerting you to yet another fucking problem.  

You snarled at an exorcist who attempted to stab her spear through your Hellfire, deflecting it at the last moment and kicking her square in the ribs. Vaggie thrust her spear into the angel’s abdomen, slicing through the armour easily. You let the angel drop, catching the angelic spear it held, kicking her away from your feet.  

Next to you, Charlie braced herself on her Dad’s legs, pushing to a stand as she recovered. He looked incredibly relieved, reaching back to squeeze her hand while the other rained Hellfire on the remaining exorcists. 

You heard the strange shrieking before you saw them. 

Just as crazed and animalistic as the wendigos, a flock of creatures with six horrifyingly long limbs and jaws wider than their faces came crawling impossibly fast towards you. You prepared to fight, until you saw them pulling sinners into buildings, throwing orbs of black magic at any exorcists who came by. The magic clung to them, sticking like tar, forcing them to peel it off before they could move their arms or see in front of them. You shouted over to Lucifer, “Satan’s ghouls?” 

“Yup. Pretty fucking cool huh?” 

“They’re abominations. I want one!” 

He laughed, swiping at a blind exorcist with a spear. “You can have as many as you want if we survive this!” 

Charlie was now far steadier on her feet, grabbing a spear and growling, shifting into her higher demon form. Red cracks broke through black skin at her arms and hands, glowing with violent bursts of energy. With the necklace at her disposal, you felt safe enough to leave her and check over the rest of the Pentagram. 

You made your way to the sky, taking deep breaths as you ran. It was much harder to sprint without the necklace instantly making your body recover from the exercise.  

You noticed the explosions weren’t coming from anywhere in particular, they were just everywhere. Small darts of blue light would appear, followed by another blast. You got close enough to see one of Vox’s drones before it turned to you and shot.  

You dodged the blast, losing control over your discs and falling through the air. You tried to summon some sort of net or slide, too panicked to control the magic. A portal appeared where you fell, catching you and shifting your momentum sideways as you landed squarely in Lucifer’s arms. You dragged in a rough breath, clutching on to him as he hugged you tightly, repeating over and over that you were okay. You got your bearings, demanding a portal into the office where the Sins were. He agreed, with caution, creating the portal as asked.  

“LEVI! ACTIVATE THE CONTROL, NOW! STOP THE DRONES!” 

She nodded, summoning her version of a portable computer and typing furiously as you gestured for Lucifer to close the portal. Across the street, you saw a glimmer as a stone activated, shimmering in greys and whites until they formed a large box in a thick casing. 

The lights of the drones flickered before they rained from the sky, fizzing and smoking with destroyed wiring. 

Lucifer high-fived you, Charlie cheering and hugging Vaggie behind him. She turned to you, pulling off the necklace and throwing it; you caught it, asking if she was really healed enough to not need it. 

“I’m fine, you need it more than i do! Thanks for letting me use it!” 

“Just stay near by okay? I’m assuming the Vees are still in there, and i doubt they’re unarmed!” 

“I know. We’re on it. Go with Dad, see if there’s any other tricks up their sleeve while we go after the Vees. I knew you’d never leave us!” 

She launched into Lucifer, hugging him tight with the sweetest smile of gratitude. He hugged her back with his own look of adoration.  

A flash of bright orange and purple disturbed the moment, glittering from the rooftop across from the Embassy. In the light of the portal, you could make out the beautiful silhouette of Lilith, holding a flaming sword.  

Under his breath, Lucifer swore, “oh fucking SHIT. She should NOT have that sword. SHIT.” 

“Tell me that’s not the actual flaming sword? The one that guarded-” 

“The tree of life, Garden of Eden, yada yada. Yes it is, and it’s probably one of the few things that could kill me.” 

“Lucifer, let me fight her. She’s not immune to my Hellfire, i can block her off with walls of flame, we-” 

A ray of energy shot directly at you, narrowly missing as Lucifer threw you aside. He growled, extending his wings to challenge her. She raised her hand, curling two fingers as a ‘come hither’ demand. Lucifer shot into the sky, ignoring as you screamed ‘NO!’ and chased after him. 

Lucifer dodged blasts and shot Hellfire down at Lilith, who had an incredible ability to dodge just out of reach. She’d be in one spot for a second, then turn completely gold and reappear a few feet further away. You spotted the glimmer of light on her wrist as her bracelet illuminated prior to every shift. You darted down to the rooftop, dodging blasts and trying to get closer as Lucifer screamed at you to get away. 

Lilith, distracted and furious at your interruption, tried blasting a ray at you. You dodged, though felt the ray leave distinct traces in the air, fizzing like untapped energy. You reached a hand out, feeling it simmer gently against your skin, electrifying the nerves. This time, as she threw the next beam your way, you threw your hands around the beam as you dodged. You drew the energy in, drinking it into your veins, overflowing the reservoirs with angelic sorcery.  

The divinity overwhelmed you, intoxicated you. Every vein felt white-hot and immense with powerful magic. Your skin took on a pearlescent shimmer as magic leaked from you in tiny flames of white.  

Lilith froze, caught in a defensive position as she watched you become one with the angelic energy.  

You shivered, not wanting to let the power go.  

But you needed to, now more than ever.  

Lucifer hit Lilith with a flash of Hellfire, which she deflected at the last second by an angelic shield from the bracelet. You saw a flash of panic on Lucifer’s face as he realized she had enough angelic magic on her side to win. 

Your palms extended outwards, fingers violently shaking as you drew the gushing reservoirs of pure energy to your fingertips. In a single moment, the air around you flashed brilliant white as the flames burst free, blazing into a massive wall of inferno. You blew out a forceful breath as you curled your fingers, willing the wall to spiral around you like a hurricane, trapping her inside. Lilith’s head darted around, fear widening her eyes and narrowing her pupils. 

Lucifer remained with his gaze fixed on her, palm up ready to blast Hellfire the second he noticed the shield go down. 

You braced yourself, pouring energy fuelled by unfettered emotion and angelic magic into the tornado, mesmerized by the speed at which it took off. Lilith’s shield flickered as she lost concentration, preceding a quick burst of fire from Lucifer that she had to deflect by holding up the sword. It shot back at him, scorching part of his hair as he ducked. 

She took advantage of his distraction, leaping forward with the bracelet’s teleport turning gold. He braced to blast, shocked when she disappeared. 

Now behind him, Lilith raised the sword. You screamed his name, making him spin just in time to grab the blade and redirect it from his chest as she stabbed it forward.  

You saw the rainbows the sword gave off as it burned from angelic blood, poking out from Lucifer’s lower back. 

You choked back agony as you saw him drop to his knees, coughing up golden fluid as he held on to the remaining length of the sword. 

Lilith looked victorious, sneering down at him. 

In between rasping breaths, he looked up at her. His hands shook as a golden tear fell, sparkling in the light of your inferno. Your heart shattered further as he reached up, stroking her face and weaving his hand into her hair, bringing her down to kiss him deeply. His other hand reached to her waist, pulling her closer, impaling himself deeper on the sword.  

As you shook violently, your own tears streaming, you noticed his grip suddenly tighten, holding her to him. He held her face to him as she struggled, using his shaky legs to push her towards your fire. You gasped in realization, using your trembling hands to gain control of the inferno as Lilith started screaming in bloody fury. Your tornado burned hotter, tinging with blue and speeding up as you shrunk the diameter, closing in on the struggle.  

Lilith’s head jerked up as the flames reached her, eyes locked on yours as she silently screamed. Her face contorted as the wall engulfed her, burning her alive and scorching her to ash in seconds. Lucifer fell onto his side as she burned, unaffected by your flame, but now fully run-through with the flaming sword. 

You dispelled the tornado, ignoring it as it burst and shattered around you, sprinting over to Lucifer. He was barely breathing, gold pouring from his mouth. You jumped over him, wrenching the sword from his abdomen and slinging the necklace around his neck, begging for him to stay awake. He shuddered, eyes losing focus as the necklace tried to fight off the mortal wound. His bloodstained hand reached out for yours, clinging on as he choked and spluttered. The fear and agony tore through you, bursting into a breathtaking scream. 

All around you, thick clouds of golden smoke seeped across the crumbled rooftop from your body, swirling and hovering in a fog. You could taste it, like bitter medicine. Praying in unholy screams, you ignited the fog, engulfing both you and Lucifer in raw sorcery. You leaned forward in the flames, clutching Lucifer to your chest, willing him to heal. With every single lick of fire that touched him, you prayed and begged, touching your hand to the necklace to pour magic into it. Your breath caught as you felt his skin temperature rise, absorbing the flames. He choked out golden blood, dragging in an urgent breath and grabbing onto your shoulder. His eyes met yours, focusing intently, breathing in quick gasps as the necklace grew even brighter under your will.  

His eyes closed restfully as he touched a hand to his abdomen, feeling the wound begin to close. The flesh resisted, slowly overcoming the divine magic of the flaming sword, taking time to heal despite the intense waves of magic coursing through Lucifer’s body.  

Your magic started to wane as you saw him improve, feeling the cracks of exhaustion and depleted sorcery begin to show. When he was steady enough, no longer coughing up blood, you allowed your shoulders to drop, letting go of the blaze around you. It immediately dissipated, leaving you and Lucifer surrounded by charred and melted rubble of the building, the offending flaming sword, and the chill of being utterly naked. 

The scene felt so obscure, you couldn’t help but laugh. He caught on, realizing that this was exactly how accidentally-undressed you two ended up after the first time he saw your inferno in the secret realm. His initial giggles broke out into near-insane laughter, doubled over and heaving with relieved tears. He pulled you into his lap, embracing you tight as your hysterical joy filled the air. 

The laughter died down, both of you catching your breath as you swayed together, rocking gently in mutual comfort. Your throat felt raw as you asked him for a little decency before your nudity got broadcasted to the whole Pentagram. He giggled as he summoned you both some clothing. 

Resting his forehead against yours, he cupped the side of your neck, gently stroking your jaw. “Think we should go find Charlie, check she’s okay?” 

“Definitely.” 

Despite best intentions, you both stayed there an extra minute, vaguely listening out for any signs of fighting as you swayed. There seemed to be no untoward noises coming from anywhere; just a few shouts and even some laughing in the distance. 

You picked your head up, focusing your eyes on your surroundings. The rooftop you’d been fighting on had collapsed during the fight, leaving you on ground-level. In the distance, a few sinners stared, but kept well away. You could see a few ghouls slowly passing by, guarding the citizens as they prowled for enemies. 

Lucifer braced a hand on the floor and hugged your waist, standing up shakily using your body. You helped him as best as you could, despite your own exhaustion. 

You stopped him before you left, picking up the flaming sword and handing it to him. In practiced elegance, he deactivated the divine flames and summoned a hilt to rest it in. 

You both walked clumsily together, still breathless and healing, heading towards the Embassy. 

Inside the broken double doors, you saw Charlie and Vaggie sitting against broken pews, surrounded by dead ghouls, a few bloodied exorcists, and a LOT of dead Vees staff. 

You cringed at the sight, helping guide Lucifer over bodies to reach his daughter, lowering him to sit next to her. She threw her arms around him, breaking into sobs. 

She’d seen the fight from a distance, knowing that this wasn’t a fight both her parents would walk away from. She sobbed into his shoulder, grief overwhelming her. Vaggie rubbed her back, unable to speak, choking back her own tears as she looked at you to confirm Lilith’s death. You nodded silently. Vaggie’s face crumpled in pain as she realized the agony Charlie would be going through. She leant into the hug, embracing Charlie from behind and encircling Lucifer’s shoulders as they held each other. 

A passing reaper caught your attention, hovering ominously by the door before leaving. You shook your head, feeling utterly overwhelmed and exhausted. A door scraped open at the back of the Embassy, resisted by the blockage of multiple corpses. Alastor and Rosie emerged, covered almost entirely in splashes of red and gold, appearing exhausted but also thrilled. You raised a brow, gesturing for them to come join you. 

Alastor flopped down next to you, resting his head on your shoulder. Lucifer glared at him, despite knowing Alastor couldn’t see him from this angle. Too tired to care, you patted Alastor’s head, giving a little scratch behind the ear as your hand moved instinctively, near enough forgetting the fluffy ears belonged to a human as you blankly stared at the corpses. 

Rosie delicately perched on a broken pew. “Well, i imagine that’s the last of it. We tidied away the last of the Vees. They won’t cause you trouble any more, darlings.” 

You nodded shakily, relief making your shoulders sag. Alastor grunted as you stopped scratching his ear. You smacked the back of his head, making him growl at you. “Behave. Are they dead? All three?” 

Alastor smirked with closed eyes. “Entirely so. I must say, none of them tasted particularly nice.” 

Rosie agreed, commenting on the bitter notes of Vox’s blood and the stringy flesh on Valentino. 

Your stomach churned as Alastor agreed, commenting that Velvette was the only one vaguely edible if she’d been cooked and seasoned properly. 

“Thaaaaat’s enough for me. Fucking Hell, we have a lot of tidying up to do.” 

Lucifer coughed, claiming your attention. “I think that’s already started. Look.” 

You blinked, noticing the sinners outside. Every single one of them had something in their hands; debris, a broom, a wheelbarrow, a corpse, everything and anything as they set about restoring Pride. “I guess it’s really over. Do you think Heaven’s going to retaliate for losing all the exorcists?” 

Lucifer shook his head, slowly stroking Charlie’s hair as her sobs settled into sniffles. “No, not any time soon anyway. Someone up there was against us, though, someone powerful enough to have the Embassy at their command, plus has enough pull to keep the exorcists a secret from the rest of Heaven until they were useful. That’ll be fun to deal with when that rears its ugly head. Do you mind putting down the heathen and help me stand Charlie up?” 

“Sorry, i can’t. He’s my emotional support freak. Get Vaggie to help. Hey, where’s the rest of you? Angel, Husk, Cherri?” 

Alastor lifted his head, looking around. “They were here when we went deeper in the Embassy, and i don’t think they followed us...” 

A few pews over, the rough voice of Cherri answered. “I’m here fuckos, don’t you worry. Take your sweet time giving a shit, why don’t ya. Angel and Husk are fine, they’re off fuckin’ in one of the meeting rooms.” 

Lucifer burst into laughter. “Wait, really?” 

Cherri shouted back, “yup, post-battle bang they called it. If i hadn’t busted my leg I'd have fuckin’ joined.” 

You scrambled up, supporting Alastor as you stood, looking to find Cherri. 

Her leg was in fact pretty brutally gouged by a spear. “Damn, that’ll leave a mark. Al, you take one arm, I'll take the other, we’ll get her over to Lucifer.” 

“And why would that be of any use?” 

“Shut up and help me.” 

The two of you carry Cherri over, Alastor’s eyes growing fascinated as you take the necklace from Lucifer and slip it on her. Her leg immediately began the healing process, flesh knotting together and skin repairing incredibly quickly compared to Lucifer’s wound. As it closed and scarred over fully, you took the necklace back, checking if Lucifer needed it. He checked his stomach briefly, cringing a little where the golden puckered scar lay.  

“Probably best if i have it on a bit longer. That sword’s a bitch.” 

Alastor nearly asked about it before catching your glare, respectfully shutting up for once.  

The lights in the embassy flickered and solidified as the power was restored to them, filling the room with relaxed ambient light. 

You smiled, sensing Pride healing. “I think the Sins are putting in the post-battle work. If we can get you guys somewhere more central, some of Belle’s doctors can take a look at you.” 

Lucifer shook his head, stroking Charlie’s arm. “No need. They’ll send healers here soon enough, they knew we’d end up here. They’ve probably watched the whole thing.” 

You watched Charlie as her eyelids relaxed. “Hey, is she okay? She looks... asleep?” 

Lucifer glanced down, angling to see her face. Her eyes fluttered, a tear escaping. He felt her pulse, reassured she was well, physically anyway. “Yeah, she’ll be alright. I think it’s just grief. I’ll get her to see Belle when she’s ready to work through it.” 

You nodded, gratitude and relief flooding you as the lilac and powder-blue clothed healers came rushing into the Embassy. 

 

Epilogue  

 

Hell took on new meaning as the Seven rings came together to prevent the cataclysm.  

In solidarity, each of the rings provided their own form of support, regaining the safety and society in Pride in steady increments. Sinners observed how the swarms of Hellborn rebuilt structures and replenished supplies, each growing yet more trusting of a potential future devoid of ruling Overlords. 

Lucifer stood by you, walking with you and Charlie through the streets of Pride, checking on sinners and Hellborn alike as you passed. Their hesitance and fear slowly turned to honesty and cautious acceptance as the three of you made your rounds. You’d give suggestions and make changes where appropriate, following Lucifer’s lead as he gave kind orders to restore balance in the Pentagram.  

The two of you took up residence at the Hazbin Hotel, using it as a base to stay in while you convened between the citizens and the Sins.  

Lilith’s death loomed over Charlie like a fog, draining her of the spark she usually carried. Her inner hearth had dimmed dramatically, clouded over with grief. You didn’t have the right words to say, but insisted she spend time with Vaggie in Sloth to see Belle. She resisted at first, until you near enough commanded it. She’d sighed, giving in, following the portal Lucifer made as he took her to get help. 

Lucifer’s own flame roared with new spirit, freed from his wife’s control. Pride strengthened underneath his passionate leadership, repairing itself at an incredible pace despite the mass of devastation.  

The first few months of being with Lucifer felt strange, as though you were both pretending that everything was alright, when it just felt a little off.  

Despite the best intentions, you felt a distance growing, your relationship marred by the responsibilities of fixing Hell. 

His concerned eyes set upon you one night, hand stroking your face as you looked away. 

“What’s wrong?” 

You swallowed, feeling wrong for even being so selfish at to consider what you were about to say. 

“I just want to get out of here, Lucifer. I’m exhausted, emotionally and physically. There’s no time to just exist and be happy. No wonder you were so burnt out.” 

He smiled, propping up onto his elbows. “It’s not exactly easy being Queen, is it? Though, you’re doing a damn fine job compared... well, in your own right, you’re doing amazing. I had been planning something though. It was going to be a surprise, but it sounds like you’d be better off looking forward to it.” 

Your eyebrows furrowed as you assessed his face. He sat up, the sheets slipping down his bare torso, showing the faint golden scar from the sword. He snapped his fingers, making two suitcases appear at the bottom of the large bed; one with a little duck on a lake, one covered in shiny coffee beans. He opened them with a wave of his hand, revealing a whole new set of clothes and travel accessories. 

“I figured we could take time to cross Asia, really get a taste of the different cultures and wonders on that part of the globe. There’s some of the most beautiful cities you’ve ever dreamed of, and incredibly tranquil gardens that’ll reset your whole spirit and mind. It won’t be forever, but we can go for as long as we like, as long as we check in with Pride every so often.” 

You laughed softly, propping up onto your knees to look at some of the clothing. “These are beautiful Lucifer... what kind of occasions are these even for?” 

“Some of them are for formal events, like operas and receptions, whereas others are more for nights out and fine dinners. You’re in the ‘going out’ section of clothes. If you move your hand up and to the left, all of that is casual and street-appropriate depending on the culture.” 

He shuffled closer, wrapping his arm around your waist and kissing your shoulder with incredibly soft lips. You turned to thank him, stilling as your eyes met infinity pools of silvery blue. The human disguise gave a lopsided grin, a slight pink tint to his cheeks. In a soft voice, he asked if you’d missed this face.  

You forced yourself to breathe, heart stuttering and cheeks warming at the sight. “More than you know. I love who you are, and am more than happy with my demon King, but goddamn did i miss being a whole universe away from my problems with you, Lucifer. You got me. God, i can’t wait for this holiday. When do we go?” 

“Hmmm, i figured it’d have to be after Levi’s technology control got passed over to Pride’s new networking systems, so at least things were running smoothly enough that we could remotely manage things and keep an eye. I don’t think it’ll take more than a couple of weeks, if you can hold off that long?” 

An excited smile took over your face, throwing your arms around his neck. “Yeah, i can wait. I’m keeping this face for now though,” you kissed his cheeks, nose, forehead, lips, everywhere you could reach until he was giggling and fending you off, “tonight, in the very least.” 

The smoky eyes met yours, alight with adoration. “You may have it. As long as i have you.” 

“Oh, and I still want one of those ghoul things. Man that would be so cool as a mascot.” 

Lucifer chuckled, pulling you down to the pillows and shutting you up with a deep, needy kiss.