The inside of the mansion proved to be as luxurious as the outside suggested. Mary Jane took her time freshening up in one of the largest and most well-appointed bathrooms she had ever seen. She resisted the urge to take a shower. As she walked out into a guest bedroom, she noticed Belial nestled onto one of the fainting couches.
"I thought politeness was important to your kind," Mary Jane said harshly. "You were a little rude back there."
Belial chortled. "Oh please, Red. I was doing you a favor. I got you out of there before Marcus literally charmed the pants right off you. That would put an end to your mission real quick."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm guessing ole' Harry was either into drugs or high-priced hookers."
Mary Jane scowled. "He had his problems with drugs."
"Makes sense," Belial said. "But our demon friend out there isn't just the lord of mind-altering substances. He's the master of all the pleasures of the flesh. Lust being first and foremost. That guy has pheromones powerful enough to get Mother Theresa into assless chaps."
"He doesn't look like a demon," Mary Jane said. "I get the feeling Marcus isn't his real name."
"No. But, I can't tell you what it is."
"You said you'd be my guide, Belial."
"Hey, I'm keeping to my end of the bargain, Red! Nowhere in our agreement did I ever say I would endanger my life by pissing off a demon much stronger than me, just because you asked. A name is a powerful thing here."
"If you're so afraid of him, why are you trying to protect me from him?"
"Are you kidding, Carry-Ann? Every demon within a hundred miles of here saw what your Goliath buddy did to the Goblin."
"Is that why you won't use my real name?" MJ asked. "You're afraid of my friend?"
"Hell, lady, I'm afraid of you, too. Any mortal that's crazy enough to come here has got to be a certifiable candidate to replace old Bart back there."
There was a knock at the door and an ethereally beautiful woman entered. "Marcus asked me to inform you that dinner is served."
Mary Jane and Belial followed her to a well-appointed dining room where they were treated to the most lavish, five-course meal that she had ever eaten. Marcus engaged them in small talk throughout dinner. Mary Jane politely answered his questions without revealing too much information. She studiously tried not to look too long or hard at him, reminding herself that the intense attraction she felt was just his pheromones acting on her.
When the meal was over, Mary Jane searched her brain for some excuse to retire for the evening. Then Marcus said, "So, Ms. Van Dyne, you said you were an actress?"
Her head was swimming, as though she was drunk, and she wondered vaguely if her drink had been spiked. Had she told Marcus about her love for the theatre? "Yes," she said.
"I have something, then, that I know you will love."
She stood up from the table and followed the handsome creature, her legs feeling like jelly, only distantly aware of the look of protest on Belial's face. She followed him through one beautiful room after another until they entered a circular auditorium of a strangely familiar design.
"This isn't what I think it is?" she asked dreamily.
"Yes, my dear," Marcus said. "It's an exact recreation of the Globe Theatre from Shakespeare's time."
"Oh, Marcus," she said, looking around, feeling dreamy and overwhelmed. "It's amazing."
Marcus nodded and then he began reciting familiar lines. "What light from yonder window breaks? It is the sun, and Janet is the East."
Was he really doing a scene from Romeo and Juliet? It was a bit corny, to be sure, but Mary Jane had always dreamed of doing Shakespeare at the Globe. Then her eyes met his, and she noticed they were blue, a gorgeous blue, and her gaze fell to the well-muscled chest beneath his half-opened shirt. She found herself reciting the lines along with him. And, when the scene progressed, and Marcus pulled her into his strong arms, she found it difficult to resist.
As the scene ended, Marcus pulled her in for a kiss. Mary Jane started to pull away, but then she thought, It's just acting. I've done it a thousand times.
As her lips moved in toward his, abruptly a grating voice echoed on the stage.
"Red, stop!" Belial called out.
Her head snapped toward the satyr furiously. "Belial! If you don't mind, we're doing a scene."
"Oh, you're doing a scene, all right. And the next scene is going to be him deflowering you and making you his sex slave for the rest of eternity. I've seen him do it a thousand times, to a thousand different broads. As soon as his demon spunk is inside you, you're stuck here forever."
Marcus's face suddenly changed from charming to vicious, an expression of pure vitriol directed at Belial. For a moment, Mary Jane imagined she saw literal flames in his eyes.
"Get out of here, Belial," Marcus growled.
"Don't be rude, Lord Belial," Mary Jane said. "Nothing improper is happening here."
"What Ms. Van Dyne chooses to do with me is none of your concern, foul creature," Marcus said. "Now, leave."
Mary Jane nodded her assent. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than for the Demon of Greed to leave so that they could finish that kiss. And then, maybe, after that…
"No, Red! Remember, you're here for Harry!"
Harry. Her mind flashed back to riding in Harry's car, Peter's arm around her. Peter. Her husband was counting on her. Mary Jane snapped out of her daze. She looked and this time saw Marcus's eyes literally change color. For a second, she could see the true form of the demon beneath. Marcus roared and pointed a finger at Belial. Mary Jane smelled the familiar odor of hellfire and watched in horror as a beam of it lanced out to incinerate the satyr where he stood.
"Now, Janet," Marcus said. "That the pest has been dealt with. Won't you stay here and perform every night, to a packed house? Think of it, my dear. No more sitting home alone at nights, wondering if your husband is going to come home. You will finally get the recognition you deserve for your talent. Every night, hundreds of fans, screaming your name. And then we will retire to our chambers." He grinned fiendishly, running his fingers through her hair. "And you will scream mine."
In that moment, Mary Jane saw him for what he really was. His skin turned light and sallow, his ears pointed. His tongue stretched out, long and forked, like a snake's.
Mary Jane kneed the demon as hard as she could in the crotch. Marcus doubled over and she took off running for the exit. But the doors around her slammed closed before she could get there, turning to barriers framed with black bones and twisted vines. She pounded desperately on one, but found her efforts futile as Marcus closed the gap between them.
"Don't worry, my dear," he growled. "It will all be over soon. After all, my sweet Janet, you can't rape the willing."
Mary Jane screamed as loud as she could, more out of rage than fear. She fired webbing into Marcus's face, spun several nets around him. He seemed restrained for a moment, then howled in fury, and his body erupted into flames, incinerating the webbing. Then he leaped upon her.
Mary Jane fought with all her strength, but the demon was strong, impossibly strong. He held her against the floor, one powerful hand constricting around her neck, slowing her breathing. The other hand began ripping away at her clothing.
Then, a ghost came through the wall, a red-and-green ghost who floated, lighter than air, towards them. Suddenly, the ghost became impossibly heavy, and a super dense fist smashed into her attacker's face.
Marcus hit the ground and rolled. He came back up in his pure demon form and began trading punches with the ghost, which Mary Jane recognized as the robot who had spoken to her in Pym's lab.
The Vision fought with superior finesse and technique, gliding smoothly between Marcus's blows. It was clear after a minute, though, that the android's punches were having little-to-no effect on the demon. Marcus was obviously much stronger than the robot, and it would only take one or two of his blows connecting to overwhelm the Vision.
"Mary Jane," Vision said. "A search of my databanks yields a 98.7% probable match on this demon's identity. This creature's characteristics are those of the Demon of Wine and Lust. Or, as we on Earth know him, Asmodeus."
The name seemed to strike a chord with the demon, whose eyes widened in rage as he dealt the android a blow that sent him flying.
But now Mary Jane had a name.
"Asmodeus," she said. "I order you to stand down."
The demon sputtered with rage, but did not advance on her. Clearly, the name had some sort of effect.
"Asmodeus," Mary Jane commanded. "You will relinquish your hold on the soul of Harry Osborn, if you value your life, that is."
"Foolish girl," Asmodeus said. "You think to command me in my own kingdom?"
"Suit yourself. Asmodeus." Mary Jane pronounced the word decisively, and the demon howled as though he'd been struck.
Mary Jane fired a stream of fresh webbing at him, and the creature cried out as the actress descended upon him, dealing him a series of vicious blows.