The next morning she looked like a mess; she barely got into the kitchen, knees shaking, hair like from the wind, wrapped in a bathrobe she sat on the kitchen sink, eating cornflakes and not caring about shit.
That was when she heard a unfamiliar, soft voice;
,,Is that the breakfast of a queen?"
She turned, mouth full, so see someone standing to the side, arms crossed – she guessed a demon, but not particularly noble. He was of shorter height, slightly tanned, with a bit dull golden hair in waves down to his shoulders and honey-colored eyes. He had a mild and calm aura, sort of seemed a bit sweet. He reminded her of honey. His voice was low, gentle and smooth, nice to listen to. And she's never seen him before.
,,Um, do we know each other?" she asked after gulping.
,,Ah, excuse me. Asmodeus," he outstretched a hand. ,,ruler of the seventh circle of Hell."
She nearly dropped down from the sink between placing her bowl down, smoothing hair and getting off as soon and as decently as possible.
,,Ohgod, I apologize, I didn't know, I- uh, Angela," she shook his hand briefly (as much as she could, being in the human sphere). It was warm and dry, but not hot. The kind you didn't mind on your skin.
,,So- so what brings you here?"
,,Well, I came in the question of the next Lust. You see, we so far have only two adepts."
,,Oh," she sat down. ,,so, who is it?"
He crossed fingers, sitting opposite her calmly.
,,One is a certain Criss Angel."
,,No. Who else?" Andro hated him to the depth of bones. ,,Well, the second is one of Lilith's sons, namely Argos, but I don't know much of his motives yet…"
,,Argos… which is it?"
,,Uh… one of the older ones, warrior, he has a red line tattoo."
,,Oh!" She vaguely remembered him as the one which once dragged Cassius to her. At that time she admired… him. Him as Lust! Wouldn't that be the happy day for all succubes!
She grinned widely.
,,So, you need more candidates?"
,,Well, yes, or it's down to those two."
,,Wait. From the whole seventh circle, you have two?"
He made a uneasy grin. ,,Whole Hell. That's why I came, otherwise I wouldn't ask your help in this matter. Do you know anyone who'd be fit?"
She thought Rich, but he probably wouldn't handle the pressure. Then marco, but he wouldn't WANT that.
The others didn't come into question. Maybe from the old werewolf pack…
,,Nope, not yet… but have you asked my cousin, Nathalie Hawk? She has quite a few shops, goes around for business, knows a lot of people… she might know a few."
,,Oh." He seemed surprised by that, but not unpleasantly. ,,Could you ask her?"
,,Sure! When she comes by. How soon do you need it?"
,,Oh, the new one has to be chosen by the end of the year."
,,That's fine," she waved it off.
,,But move it, girl, we ain't got the whole time for it."
That was another, mewly, sharp and clean voice behind; turning, she only had to scan the newcomer for a second this time to know, who he was.
She's seen him before, but only once. He was pissed then, so she quickly withdrew. But the orange aura, spiky flame-toned brown hair, eyes the same as Wrath (more catlike, perhaps) and almost unseen stripes on his cheeks could be no other than Mephistopheles, the ruler of the fourth circle. The lion of Hell.
His eyes were half-closed and he was leaning against the doorframe.
,,We still need to solve that copyrights," he barked out. ,,ya ain't using my name without permission."
,,Uuh…" she started laughing nervously. ,,could we solve it later?"
,,Sure, but soon. Enough that it was used for Faust! Some lowly demon and they say it was me," he growled quietly. Well, there goes. She'd have to look over her shoulder every time she wrote ,Mephis' now. He could really hurt her if he wanted… he wasn't in the shape Wrath was, he was far leaner and sneakier, but no less capable. More, if anything. Like any big, deadly cat…
,,Mephisto, later," Asmodeus rolled eyes.
,,That's personal only," he flashed a grin (non-friendly) at the female. She gulped.
,,Mephis, is was nothing personal, I just needed the nam-" she covered mouth immediately and paled, realizing she used a pet name for him.
He looked shocked for a second, then – for her surprise – he bursted into laughter, looking pleased.
,,Now that's some courage! Not many call me Mephis without shaking. Not that I allow many to do so. You've got a nice daughter here," he adressed the ground.
I know, the voice of Lucifer sounded in their heads proudly.
,,I swear, were you not mated I'd take you myself," he stated casually, at what Kate grinned, sensing he's not angry anymore.
,,Ain't you forgetting something?"
,,Like?"
,,Asking the female for consent?"
,,Consent? And that's needed since when?" Mephistopheles stroked his chin thoughtfully, grin barely hidden.
Asmodeus was shaking in a fit of laughter, forehead in palm, at Kate's expression.
,,He's joking," he choked out.
,,I- oh." The lion seemed to enjoy her anger. Well, she still needed to get into these heads properly.
…..
Two days later a catastrophe from London arrived, and that Veronica and the kids who would be staying for a whole month.
She didn't take long to boast with the news.
It wasn't her achievement, she admitted (she got to it like a blind chicken to grain), but now that she was talking about it she realized she was proud. Truly proud of him. He got to it by himself, what with taking care of his own harem and her and his own needs.
Being on that post was being lawful evil, and that was something she respected and admired. And of course, the power it brought…
Getting over the first shock and fear came excitement. Well, now he climbed to the TOP in darkness – and though dragging her along without her knowledge, she now was – she took a deep breath – a queen. Or empress. Whatever you choose to call it, she was the alpha female in Hell.
(Now she COULD go interrogating hunters.)
When she said it, a smile crept up into her face. It practically meant she could do whatever the fuck she wanted to whoever wasn't in her position – and that was five others… well, of course, also the 21 (or at least 14) other rulers of Hell and Heaven (she wasn't sure about Neutrals), but she had millions to compensate for it.
I guess that murder of a top-class prostitute won't be solved anytime soon, she smirked at that thought. Who'd accuse her? Pissing off the queen of Hell was asking for trouble.
Then she mentally scolded herself. She didn't need anyone fearing her. Not at least for having a reputation of being ruthless and unpredictable (well, maybe aside those days of the month…). Punishment, yes. Killing for nothing, NO. Not publicly and not her own…
She'd have to work on it. Some demons pissed her off,but basically she was the most patriotic being ever. She loved them all, the race. Every single dark being, even if it hated her.
But disobedience… they'd know their place. They were lawful evil, afterall.
…..
,,Who is the next ruler of Light?"
,,Nice conversation over cooking dinner," Savio sounded from behind newspaper. She rolled eyes at the cooker, mixing spaghetti.
,,Come on, most high demon's mates can't even make tea, the less cook. Be glad I can. And do tell."
,,Because it's not exactly a traditional skill… and there's no one yet. The Light's adepts has been mysteriously dissappearing. Four already."
Her eyes widened. ,,What?! How do you know that?!"
He stayed quiet, looking from over the newspaper.
,,It's in here."
,,Oh. Anything else?"
,,No. The current leader just says nothing, no comment, no comment, I'm not giving any information, blah, blah, blah." He sounded irritated.
,,He won't tell anything," he hissed.
,,Well, let him solve it by himself. It's not my or yours business."
,,Of course it's your business as well!" he frowned, raising voice and throwing the papers on the table. ,,Yours and HIS as well! You have no opposites now, nothing to balance you out, you have to help them!"
She looked over at him in puzzlement and slight irritation as well now. Why was he so nervous?
,,He won't even TELL anything, how should I help? And anyway, I'm no private detective, so even if, I'm not gonna do the dirty work myself! They got into shit. Besides, if adepts for a leader dissappear, there's probably a good reason. Why do you actually care as much? Are YOU one of the leaders or something?" she snapped.
His ears layed flat back, he blinked, then looked away as a small flicker of panic got out before he closed mind completely.
She knew him well enough to know, what did it mean for him to panic.
,,Savio. You are one of the leaders, aren't you?"
,,I… ah… yes. I'm one of the Neutral pair," he admitted, defeated.
A moment after she was grinning and shaking his hand.
,,Why congratulations, kitty! You could've told me, heh! I'm proud of you too!"
,,Yeah… thanks." He seemed a bit embarrassed, but shook her hand nevertheless.
,,What did your mate say?"
,,Happy," he murmured, not seeming to want to talk of it much, but his eyes stood up again.
,,Cheer up. You're gonna be the best of us," she smiled. He grinned at that.
,,Oh come on, you're too humble, Kate. You're pretty good too."
,,Well, it more depends all on him," she lowered eyes, jumping to the cooker again.
,,Oh-hoh. Don't act like a housewife, hun. I know there's a advisor behind that façade!"
She flashed him a sharp-toothed grin.
,,So is behind your snarker one."
