Chapter 10
"Shit shit shit!"
Andrea ran frantically around her chambers looking for something to cover the wound in her hand. She'd bandaged it the night previously but Miranda would notice a bandage right away. She could will her wings and horns into another place, and she could mold her own body to seem more human, but the angelic wound would prove impossible to disguise with her own power. She frowned at the blade sitting so innocently on her table. She'd expected it to feel more alien, more foreign in her hand but it had seemed as comfortable there as her own weapon.
"This is all your fault."
The blade remained unmoved, unaffected by her put out glare. Sighing Andy willed herself to Runway, specifically the closet. Schrie Fra had recently done some bejeweled half gloves which Miranda had yet to decide were fresh or tacky. They were sitting ready for the run through later that day, but Andy was in a desperate state. Pulling the least busy of the trio on Andy breathed a sigh of relief this time that it covered the slim bandage she'd dressed the wound with this morning.
"What's this? Miss Six going for a bold new look today? I thought you pronounced those gloves ridiculous."
"Nigel! No, I still think they look silly, I just burnt my hand and I didn't want to have the gross bandage showing."
The bald man considered the taller woman for a moment before shrugging off whatever thought he'd been considering.
"You need to be more careful Six. First jogging down a badly groomed trail and now a burn? Blood doesn't wash out of couture easily you know."
Andrea had applied make up to her neck, but the teeth marks still showed a little. Whenever she turned her head the spot ached and a blush found its way to her cheeks. Emily narrowed her eyes but only sniffed disapprovingly when she caught sight of the covered mark. She'd just made it to her desk, Miranda's coffee in place, when the sharp rhythmic snapping of Miranda's heels made itself known throughout the office.
"Change that appointment I asked for yesterday to tomorrow and get lunch from that place I liked last week."
Covering a sigh Andy nodded quickly as she scribbled down these instructions. She'd found over her time working for Miranda that the more preoccupied she was the more vague her instructions became. Andy knew she should have expected it today after last night's fiasco, but it didn't make her job any easier as she scanned the half dozen restaurants Miranda had eaten at last week.
The day wore on for Andy, but it seemed to ramp up for the rest of the staff as they prepared for the upcoming run through. The demon groaned internally as Nigel padded footed his way over to her desk to lean in conspiratorially and whisper;
"I need that glove back now Six."
Andy glanced over at Miranda and hoped she wasn't listening to their hushed conversation.
"Nigel, it's fine, she ultimately won't like the gloves anyways, too Michael Jackson."
At this however Miranda raised her head and narrowed her eyes at her assistant. Andy for her part gulped and tried to look busy; Nigel had abandoned her and scampered off the kitchenette to hide.
"What's this Andrea? You've grown qualified to make these decisions for Runway now? Perhaps I can finally retire…"
Emily hid her smirk behind some papers as Miranda trailed disdainful eyes down to glove in question.
"Perhaps not… Take it off. How dare you interrupt the run through just to satisfy your still failing fashion sense."
Emily and Nigel had their eyes locked on Andy unable to look away similar to bystanders to a horrific car wreck in progress. The softly hissed commands had Andy frozen like a bird in the eyes of a snake, and with trembling fingers she undid the clasp on the glove, letting it fall in front of Miranda onto her desk. Those laser intense eyes however focused on the bandage and unlike the mortals around them only Andy was privy to the reaction which thundered through the angel. Eyes lit up with power flickered to Andrea's own darkened eyes which looked on defiantly. Miranda's nostrils flared and her lips pinched into a thin line. She looked livid, and it took all of Andy's will power not to cower and beg to explain to the angel.
She didn't beg though. She stared right back at Miranda with all the power that was hers as a Lord of Hell. Finally the other woman turned away and flicked her hand dismissively at Andrea. The rest of the day Andy was ignored but garnered little sympathy from her colleagues.
"You knew better than to take something for the run through."
Was Nigel's idea of a pep talk, and later from Emily;
"I didn't think you were stupid enough to actually think you know how Miranda makes decisions."
Their words went unnoticed though. The rest of the day Andy sat with a pounding heart, trying to figure out how to fix this. She was surprised she hadn't been fired on the spot, or at least killed. She couldn't bring herself to imagine destroying Miranda though and once she realised that, the path seemed clear. The beautiful angel had stolen her heart, and try as she might, Andrea knew she'd descend into true darkness if she stopped Miranda's own heart from beating. Was this how the other Demon Lords had fallen so woefully into their vices? Andrea tried and failed to picture Beelzebub or Mammon loving another creature. She was weak, weak enough to love an angel.
But strong enough to die for her…
"Emily, you will bring the Book tonight."
For the first time all day Miranda glanced meaningfully at Andrea, who nodded softly. She knew what this meant, and she mentally prepared herself to die by Miranda's hand. If she couldn't save the innocents sent to Hell, she could damn well save Miranda's own daughters and in turn, Miranda herself.