Kimberly flopped on her bed, her homework finally completed. She had tried to talk to Levi at dinner and tell him what she had gotten from Lucifer, but he had silenced her with a look, and ignored her after that.
She rolled her eyes. He needed to get over his aversion to being seen talking to her, she was already sick of it. Honestly, once he had gotten what he wanted from Mammon, he probably wouldn't speak to her again ever.
Am I going to have to make pacts with each of them, just to get them to treat me civilly? she wondered.
Dinner hadn't been quite as bad as the day before, as Asmo had regaled everyone with a tale about the lengths he had to go to, to avoid some demons that were too obsessed with him. Normally she would have been intrigued at the story, but the thought of all the work she had ahead of her was preying on her mind.
Now, however, she could finally relax, the pages of assignments completed, and she didn't even care how late it was. She couldn't believe how much work was required every day, but assumed that it wasn't as difficult for the demons as it was for her. They had most likely grown up with most of this information, and here she was, starting from scratch.
Hearing her phone sound, she pulled it from her pocket to check it. A message from Levi? she thought, and rolled her eyes again. Maybe I'll have to just show the others that he texts me, and he can see that they don't care, and the secretive behavior will be over with.
Leviathan: Did you get what we need?
Kimberly: Lucifer said he took a weakness of Mammon's and froze it, but that's all he said.
Leviathan: Are you absolutely sure that's what he said?
Kimberly: Yep, abso.
She waited a few moments, but finally got a reply.
Leviathan: Come to the kitchen. Right now.
Leviathan: Don't let anyone see you. I don't want anyone thinking I hang out with you.
She stuck her tongue out at the phone, knowing it didn't help, but it did make her feel a little better.
She took her time, changing into her pajamas, and then throwing a robe over them. It was late, and she'd get to bed as soon as this little excursion was over.
After brushing her teeth, she finally made her way down to the kitchen. It was almost midnight, so she figured she wouldn't see any of the others.
As she entered the kitchen, she could hear sounds of… was that a moan?! she thought wildly. She pushed open the door tentatively, and looked inside.
Her eyes met Beel's just as he spotted her, and he began to cough and choke on his mouthful of food.
He hacked over and over, and without thinking, she rushed over and pounded on his back. Finally he stopped, and took a huge breath… "Don't scare me like that, I almost choked to death," he said quietly.
Instead of yelling, he almost looked sad at the thought, and it surprised her. She moved out from behind him, going to the sink and getting him a glass of water. She put it in front of him on the table, and stepped back.
"Sorry, I didn't think anyone would be in here," she mumbled.
"Then why are you coming in here so late?" he asked her, staring at the glass she had put down, and frowning. Belphie and Lilith were the only ones to get me a drink when I was eating…
"Oh, I'm meeting… uh… I mean, I was hungry," she finished lamely.
"Right…" he commented, but let the obvious lie go. However she was still staring at him, and it was making him twitch. "What is it?" he asked.
"Oh!" she looked away, embarrassed. "Sorry, I just…"
When she didn't finish, he went back to his food, finishing it in a few moments. He looked again at the glass of water. He would feel bad if he didn't drink it, since she had been nice enough to get him something.
He picked it up, and drained it quickly. He could see that she was trying not to look at him, unsuccessfully, so he asked again. "What? Do you want to ask me something?" She didn't look at him, but he saw her nod. "So ask then," he replied.
He assumed she was going to ask about his physique- that was all the succubi wanted to talk about. But he wasn't expecting her to ask about their seventh brother. It made his stomach drop, worrying if she had asked anyone else… though if she had, she most likely wouldn't be asking him. He'd have to make sure she didn't ask the others too, or they'd all be in trouble.
"Now listen," he said gravely. "Don't you ever mention him in front of Lucifer, understand?"
She looked him in the eye, her curiosity finally getting the better of her anxiety. "But why?" she asked.
"Because. No one talks about him. So don't bother asking any of my brothers, and I won't tell you either, because Lucifer would yell at me if I did."
"So what, you all act like he doesn't exist?" she asked, confused.
"It's not right…" he murmured. "But we have to. We can't defy Lucifer." He hated the sick and twisted feeling that came into his chest whenever he remembered that.
"Can I at least know his name?" she asked, puzzled.
"You know what?" Beel asked, as he stood and walked around her, putting dishes in the sink, and wrappers in the trash. "This isn't any of your business… human. I'm leaving."
Kim watched him go, still confused as to what was going on. There was a seventh brother, one that Diavolo and Lucifer mentioned in the beginning. Obviously he was the black sheep of the family, but did that really call for not even mentioning him? And apparently by Lucifer's order, too.
She continued to ponder over the problem until she heard a "psst!" Glancing around, she didn't see anything, and she finally looked up. "Is that you, God?" she asked sardonically.
"Seriously?!"
Hearing his voice better, she turned to see Levi hiding behind the aprons that were hanging on the wall on hooks.
"Why are you hiding there?" she asked.
"Why do you think?" he asked. "Beel was just in here! I can't have him finding me with you, now can I?!"
"Of course not," she sighed.
"You didn't say anything about meeting me did you?!" he demanded.
"No, I told him I was hungry," she replied, not wanting to try to explain her slip.
"...really?" he asked, looking confused. "You're being honest with me here, right?!"
"Yes, but seriously, what's the big deal?" she asked.
"Are you kidding?! I couldn't handle it if word got out that I was secretly meeting with some human normie in the kitchen in the middle of the night! My heart belongs to Ruri-chan, the two-dimensional love of my life! I would die if anyone spread rumors otherwise!"
"Oh…" she replied, thinking that maybe she could find some common ground with him. "I totally get it," she said with a smile. "Because a big piece of my heart belongs to a two dimensional swordsman!"
He stared at her, deadpanned, until she finally cleared her throat. Guess he doesn't care enough to ask who… she thought. "Well, anyway, what are we doing here?" she asked, trying to move past the awkwardness.
"If what you said was true, a- about Lucifer using the word f-frozen, I mean…" he stammered quickly, "then it can only mean one place." He moved over towards the large refrigerator.
"You mean, the freezer?" she asked. "Wouldn't that be too obvious?"
"For most demons maybe, but not for Mammon," he replied. "He'd never look here." After rummaging around for a few minutes, she heard him say, "Aha!" and he pulled back out of the freezer with a triumphant look and a small block of ice.
Looking closer, she could see the black card with the gold writing encased in the ice. "Lucifer wasn't lying," Levi stated with a smirk. "It is frozen."
"Okay," Kim replied. "Let's get it into the sink and run water over it," she said, reaching for the ice.
"That'll take too long," he replied, keeping it out of her reach, and eyeing her suspiciously. "I'll just put it in the microwave." He put the ice block inside, and shut the door, pressing the defrost button. "Two minutes should be good."
"So how will we get Mammon to come back?" she asked, watching the ice block spin in the microwave. She wasn't altogether certain it would work, and was waiting for something to spark in there.
"I already told him I found it," Levi said, surprising her. "I'm kind of shocked he isn't here already, though that works in my favor."
"What works in your favor?"
The pair spun around, seeing Mammon stride into the kitchen, a scowl on his face. "This had better not be a lie, Levi," he snapped angrily. "Or I'll pound you into the ground."
Kim could see the light in his eyes, almost as if he were hoping that that was the case, so he'd be able to fight.
His face changed as he gave a disgusted look at the microwave. "Why is something running out of the microwave?" he asked. "What do you have in there?"
Levi crossed his arms, and held his head high. "Just what I told you," he said with a sly grin.
"It isn't…." Mammon whispered, shocked. "You found my baby? My Goldie?" he breathed, and then his face changed to a snarl. "Get it outta there before the microwave demagnetizes it, and makes her useless!"
Levi made a "oops" noise, and spun around to open the door. The card didn't look worse for wear, but he had to use his nails to get it free from the block of ice, which he then threw into the sink.
"Levi, how could you be so stupid!" Mammon raged. "Let me see it!"
Kim watched silently as Levi held the card away from Mammon. "Are you sure you should be calling me names?" he asked sarcastically. "After all, I'm the one who found your card," he said. Kim rolled her eyes, but stayed quiet.
Mammon's spine shot straight in realization, and his anger changed immediately into a grin. "LEVI!" he practically sang. "Dear brother… please, please give me my card!"
"Hmm…" Levi hummed, pretending to think about it, and Mammon growled but dropped down to his knees in front of him.
"Seriously?" Levi cackled. "That's all it took for you to abandon your pride? How embarrassing!" Levi shook his head. "You're one of the seven rulers of the Devildom, and this is how you act?!"
"Ugh, c'mon! Whatever you want, I'll give it to ya! Just give me back my card!" Mammon snarled.
"Don't worry, I only want one little thing from you," Levi said, his eyes burning with evil glee. He pushed Kimberly forward, so she was standing in front of Mammon, who was still on his knees. "I want to you make a pact with this human."
"Right, easy, a pact!" Mammon cheered. "Whatever you…" he stopped as the words finally sunk in. He glanced from the human to his brother, finally understanding what had happened. He had been lured into this… his own brother had found that which he wanted most of all, and was using it to sell him into slavery.
"What are you saying Levi?" he said, his voice dangerously quiet, as he slowly got to his feet.
"It's simple, Mammon," Levi grinned. "You'll make a pact with this human, and you won't be able to refuse a direct order. Then she'll order you to give me my money back, and you'll have to obey. Game over, I win!"
"Is that all?" Mammon asked, watching his brother closely. "If that's what you want, I'll give you your money back, Levi. No need for this pact business."
Levi looked back derisively. "And have you change your mind once you get your card? Sorry, not happening. You have a choice. Your credit card for a pact, or no deal."
Mammon turned to Kimberly. "And you, human! What're ya thinking lettin' Levi use you like this? Are you stupid?!"
Kim was just happy to see him again, she didn't know what to say.
"Well?" he demanded. "Go on, say somethin'!"
She smiled at him, which took him aback. "Make a pact with me Mammon!" she said excitedly.
His eyes widened, and he shuffled back a few steps. "UH-UH, NO WAY, NOT INTERESTED!" he screeched. "I am the Great Mammon, Avatar of Greed, one of the seven rulers of the Devildom! You fool, did you actually think I'd let some human be the boss of me?"
"Well, you were kneeling in front of me just a moment ago…" she muttered.
"Oh Luuuucifeeer!" Levi suddenly called out. "Mammon is here unfreezing his credit caaard!"
Mammon went white as a sheet, glaring from Levi to Kimberly and back again. "Fine… FINE!" he roared. "Just SHUT UP!"
The kitchen was silent except for Mammon's panting. Kim felt pretty bad about it all, but she didn't want to risk having him run away again. She glanced over to Levi, seeing his triumphant look.
"So, you're making the pact then?" he asked his older brother.
"Yeah," Mammon answered grudgingly. "I'll make the pact." He looked over to Levi. "Get out. I may have to do this, but I don't have to let you watch."
Levi smirked at him again. "Sure," he replied. "I'll take the card with me, for safekeeping, of course. Just call me back in, when it's done. I see the mark, and you get your card."
"Whatever," Mammon replied.
They waited in silence until Levi left the kitchen, shutting the door behind him.
Mammon still didn't move, and he looked so dejected, that Kim felt bad. "Look Mammon, you don't have to do this," she offered.
"What do you know, human?!" he looked at her with anger.
"I know that you don't want to do this," she began, her own anger rising at his attitude. "It's obvious you'll be made fun of by your brothers." Her own voice began to tremble with emotion as she spoke. "I know everyone at RAD will think less of you, and praise me for something that I didn't even want to do."
He glanced up uncertainly at her words.
"But, I'm sorry, the more I've learned about pacts, the more I think it will be good for the both of us," she said, and he snorted. "I don't want to order you around, and I don't want some kind of servant," she said testily. "I want someone that will help me stay alive, and a friend, and I can't think of anyone that would be better at that, than you."
She figured a little flattery wouldn't hurt at this point. "I don't want to order you to give Levi his money, so if you just do it, then I won't have to, but that was the deal he made. I'm sorry about going around your back on this, but the last few days have been utter hell, and I don't want you to leave again."
He glanced down at her, still looking sullen, but seeming slightly appeased. "Whatever human. I need to get my baby back, and this is the only way, so here we go." He looked her up and down. "Where do you want the mark?" he asked.
"Uh… if I accidentally touch it, will something happen?" she asked, and he rolled his eyes at her. "Okay then, do I want to be able to have it show, or will that make you angry?" she asked, hunching inward at his angry glare.
"How 'bout on your back?" he offered, thinking to himself that it would be even better if she couldn't touch it… ever.
"Okay," she agreed readily. Like Solomon said, if I don't have magic, having the mark isn't worth much. She started undoing the tie on her robe.
"Oi! Human!" he squeaked, stepping back. "Whaddya think you're doin?"
She shucked the robe from her shoulders, giving him a confused look. "Don't you need to see my back to put the mark on?" she asked, wondering if she was just assuming things.
"R-right," he said, relieved that she had clothes on, though they were hardly leaving anything to his imagination.
"What did you think I was doing, throwing myself at you?" she asked, laughing.
"N-no!" he grumbled, pushing her shoulder to make her turn around.
"Don't worry Mammon," she said quietly as she pulled the back of her shirt up so that her back was exposed to him. She hated to think of what others had done in the past, to give him that impression. "I'm married remember? You don't have to worry about any of that from me."
"Just shut up so I can concentrate."
"Right."
It didn't take long, a few words in another language, which after she asked, he translated gruffly for her. Then she felt his finger circle a spot several times, just below her left shoulder blade. She wondered if anything was happening, when she felt the tingle of his touch turn to heat. It was at the point that she was ready to scream that it finally ebbed, and he removed his hand, and called for Levi.
The kitchen door opened, and he pulled her shoulder to show Levi the mark. He threw her her robe and stalked towards the door, pulling some bills from his pocket and shoving it at Levi, and grabbing his card- which he held preciously- on his way out.
Levi crowed, following him out and mercilessly teasing him about his new owner on the way. Kim slowly put her robe on, wondering how she thought that this would suddenly fix everything. She moved silently to her room, exhausted.
Being right wasn't always what it was cracked up to be.
At breakfast the next morning, instead of greeting their brother, and admitting that they missed him, the other demons teased him about being tricked into making a pact. He put on a good front, but she could tell that it bothered him.
And then, they turned to her, heaping praise- albeit surprised praise- on her. Asmodeus asked her which brother she would want to make a pact with next, and she said Beel's name without much thought. She figured that if she had a pact, and he tried to eat her, she could order him to stop… and it did a lot to help her nerves around him.
Beel frowned at her however, and told her it wouldn't happen. She simply gave a shrug, having known it wouldn't be that easy anyway.
But then Asmo got upset, offended that she would think that any of the rest of them would be as pitiful as Mammon, and make a pact with her.
It became much easier to ignore them all once they started talking about "the human tricking Mammon" again.
"Hey human! We have to get going!"
Kim looked up at Mammon, frowning at him. If he kept this up, I'm going to end up yelling at him to use my name. But I said I didn't want to order him around…
She got to her feet, but he kept talking at her. "Head in the clouds like always, but I gotta prod her along or she'll never go to class!"
She let it go, knowing he was simply upset with Lucifer's words of praise to her, for outsmarting the dimwit demon. He hadn't liked that one bit.
She knew she had it right, as once they were in the hallway, he starting muttering about Lucifer under his breath- and she started to feel bad for him.
But then he blew it, by turning on her. "Ever since you came here, human, it's been nothin' but one bad thing after another for me. So I wanna make sure you got this straight in your head. Everything I did, I did for one reason. To get my credit card- my baby, Goldie!"
He gave her a sneer. "So if you get yourself eaten by some demon here, I couldn't care less."
He pointed a finger at her face as he continued. "You got that?! So don't go thinkin' you're all high and mighty just 'cause you managed to make a stupid pact, human!"
Kim told herself not to take it personally, and took a deep breath before replying. "Would you please- call me by my name? I'm tired of everyone calling me human."
"Oho, the human has manners, does she?" he smiled tightly at her, which made her look at him suspiciously. "Well, I guess I can't really refuse, since you asked all nice and everything."
She was pleasantly surprised, until he laughed. "Pfft! Did you actually think that would work? Idiot. The Great Mammon, call you, a lowly human by your name?! Ha! Grovel for a few years, and then come ask me, and maybe then I'll consider it!"
He leaned in, and growled. "You'd better learn your place, and fast. Otherwise, it won't be some random demon that eats ya, understand?"
She turned away from him, trying to calm her temper, but he mistook it for fear.
"Eh? What's wrong?" he asked sarcastically. "Did I frighten you?" He chuckled, as he moved around her to face her again. "If you stop talkin' back, and just do what you're told, things won't be too bad for-"
"Stop!"
Mammon froze in his tracks, and his mouth opened in surprise. She moved away from him quickly, seeing the look of shock on his face. "I-I can't move!" he muttered. "Wh-what'd you do to me?!" he asked in horror. "I thought you didn't have magic, you hu… hum.." He tried to say something a few times, and then finally gave up, and she heard him murmur, "…Kimberly…"
His eyes burned into hers as he realized what was going on. "Dammit! This is all 'cause of that stupid pact?!" He heaved a few times, trying to move, but unable to. "You listen up! You may have control over my body, but not me, got it?!"
"I'm my own boss, and I always will be, huma…" he tripped over the word again. "Hu… Kimberly… Kimberly, my boss!" He stopped, aghast, and she simply stared at him with wide eyes.
"Uh… let's uh, just get going, okay?" she asked, and she hurried past him towards her room to get her things for school.
He didn't speak to her at all, but it still felt as if everything was back to normal, for which she was grateful. RAD was the same as ever, though the rumors about her pact were circling like wildfire.
She was tired of all the speculative and incredulous looks she was receiving, and she overheard several of the demons wondering why Mammon would forge a pact with such an ordinary human.
She knew Mammon would never tell the actual reason, and she didn't want to either.
The only one that didn't ask was Solomon, but by the smirk he wore when he gave his congratulations, she thought he may already know what happened.
At the end of the day, Solomon escorted her to the council room, and she stopped at the door on hearing Barbatos speaking to Diavolo about the uproar it was causing all throughout the school.
"Come now, don't worry Barbatos," Diavolo responded. "I'd say that this is a good thing."
"What do you mean, young master?" Barbatos asked.
"Well, with everyone watching the human, it will be hard for any demon to go after her soul, won't it?" he replied with a smile. "It may end up being a respite for Lucifer."
"I wouldn't go that far, Diavolo," Lucifer said as he walked over to join them. "But it will be helpful since Mammon isn't doing a very good job as guardian." Lucifer's eyes narrowed. "I told him that he was to look after Kimberly, but more often than not I find her alone or with Solomon. Though I assumed that this would happen, I'll have to do something about him."
"But I'm still safe, so it shouldn't matter!" Kim said as she broke out from the doorway, and moved to them. "He makes sure that I don't get eaten, and really, isn't that what you asked him to do?"
The group of men turned towards her, and she noted that there were more people than she had thought at first. And while Lucifer looked displeased, Diavolo turned to her with a smile.
"I must say, I'm quite impressed that you managed to forge a pact with Mammon, Kimberly," Diavolo said charmingly. "That is no small feat after all, and you did it in such a short amount of time!"
"I suppose it is proof that you chose the right human to bring here, Lord Diavolo," Barbatos praised. He turned to her and gave a nod of his head. "Nice to see you again, Kimberly."
"Thank you," she replied with a nod of her own. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, are you part of the council too, Barbatos?" she asked.
They all chuckled humorously. "No, I have the honor of serving as steward to Lord Diavolo only," Barbatos responded with a small smile.
"You are much more than that, Barbatos," Diavolo chided him.
"Barbatos here is smart, and a demon of many talents," Lucifer spoke up. "So much so, that I wish I could trade a certain idiot brother of mine for him instead."
Kim frowned, but Barbatos spoke up before she could. "In the human world, it is said that a truly wise man does not flaunt his talents, but keeps them secret," he teased Lucifer.
"True," Lucifer conceded, "but then again, an incompetent fool has no talents to begin with."
Kim huffed at the continued insults to Mammon, as Diavolo joined in. "Well, I've heard that the most thick-headed child is always the cutest."
"Stop it Diavolo," Lucifer grimaced. "Even the thought of him as my brother sickens me, but my child? No."
"Ah, but I notice that you didn't deny the part about him being cute, did you?"
Kim turned curiously to the two people that had yet to be introduced to her, grateful that one had spoken. He was tall and sinewy, with dark hair, and piercing blue eyes that edged towards green, while his companion was blond and small, and looked practically child-like.
They were just as beautiful as the demons she had seen everywhere, but she could tell they were different.
The most obvious clue, was that they were both wearing white, which she hadn't seen on anyone in the Devildom thus far.
And the second, was the absolute goodness that the two of them radiated.
"If I might offer my own opinion," the stranger continued, "out of the seven of you, you are without a doubt the most troublesome, Lucifer."
Lucifer glared, unimpressed. "Is that meant as a compliment Simeon?"
"Of course not!" the smaller one sneered, though Kim thought it cute, like a child trying to scare off an adult. "It was an insult!"
Lucifer looked down at the younger one, his eyes lighting, but his face severe. "Ah, I see you've brought your guard dog along with you. Don't you know chihuahuas aren't ferocious?"
The blond child stood agape, then looked furious. "I am NOT a chihuahua! How many times must I tell you, demon?!"
Kimberly tried not to giggle, as the other demons disguised their own laughter behind coughs, except for Lucifer who laughed out loud.
"What do you expect? I am a demon, after all. Now then, stop yipping at me… who's a good boy?"
"Quit it!" the boy growled, and the laughter had to be contained yet again. "Don't you make fun of me! And I am NOT A DOG!"
"Perhaps we should give introductions for Kimberly?" Diavolo stepped in, and Lucifer smirked as he stepped aside. "This is Simeon," he gestured, and Kim stepped forward to shake hands, though Simeon simply held hers instead of shaking it. "He is one of our exchange students from the Celestial Realm. Which is to say, he's an angel."
"Well, it is so nice to finally meet you, Kimberly!" Simeon said as he gave her a beaming smile. "I have heard a lot of rumors!"
"Please don't believe them…" she murmured, embarrassed.
Diavolo turned to the smaller boy. "And this is Luke. He's a … what was it? A chihuahua? Or perhaps an angel?"
The boy blushed, and gaped at the demon lord. "Not you too Diavolo! I'm not a chihuahua!" He looked at the human, who was giggling, and his face turned hard. "Listen up!" he demanded. "I may be a low ranking angel, BUT I'll have you know that I report directly to Michael the Archangel as-"
"Luke," Simeon interrupted him. "Calm down. You needn't make a fuss about everything."
The boy turned to look up at his fellow angel. "But Simeon…!"
"He's right," Lucifer added. "And that is why everyone calls you a chihuahua, so you know."
"You're the one that calls me that!"
"Perhaps we should get along to our meeting?" Barbatos interrupted.
"Yes," Simeon said, squeezing her hand slightly to gain her attention, and Kim looked up at him. "I apologize for any trouble that we've caused, Kimberly. I hope that we will get to spend some time getting to know each other. I've heard such good things from Solomon about you after all."
She returned his smile, her cheeks pink with pleasure. "I'd like that," she said.
He released her hand, and turned to guide Luke, who was still sputtering, out. "I look forward to seeing what else you accomplish," he said as he left.
"Indeed," Lucifer said, gesturing to the door letting her know that she was dismissed. "Don't go home alone," he murmured to her as he walked her out.
"I'm sure Mammon is waiting for me," she replied.
He gave her a look, like he was trying to figure her out. "Do watch over him for me, won't you?" he asked.
"Of course I will," she replied, moved that she was able to see a crack in his veneer. She stood there a moment at the doorway, hearing Barbatos question him about Mammon being the one to watch over her, not the other way around.
And then came Lucifer's reply, "And? What's your point?" which made her beam.
Things were changing… and in ways she hadn't expected. Perhaps she could do this, after all.
Looking down the hallway, she could see Mammon at the far end, waiting impatiently for her. She started moving, only to have Luke step in front of her, stopping her in her tracks.
He stared up at her, his fisted hands raised in frustration, and she wondered what he was doing. It was obvious he wasn't going to attack her or anything, and he mumbled something.
"Sorry?" she asked, crouching down in front of him. "I didn't catch that."
"Hey!" he pouted. "Don't come down to my level like an adult to a child! I'm not a kid!"
She stood back up hastily. "I didn't mean to insult you," she murmured, looking up to see Mammon glaring in their direction.
"Never trust a demon."
She looked back down to Luke, her eyebrow raised.
"Especially, when that demon is Lucifer."
"Right," she replied, shaking her head at Mammon, but he started walking in their direction anyway. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Listen to me," Luke stressed. "He's a monster, and a brute, uncivilized, and immoral!"
"Yes, and a sadist," she replied, rolling her eyes. "That's obvious."
"The most sadistic of sadists!" he hissed. "What are they thinking, bringing helpless humans to the Devildom as exchange students…" He looked up at her, his eyes boring into hers. "You've been warned."
With that, he pushed past her, and marched off further into the school.
"What was that?" Mammon asked as he came up to her, staring after the angel. "That angel have a problem?!"
"No," she sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. She was exhausted again, and couldn't wait to get home. "Just warning me about how uncivilized and monstrous demons are, especially Lucifer, the sadist."
"Well," Mammon started walking, but glanced back again. "I mean, he ain't wrong."
"Yeah, but for right now, I'm safest with you monsters," she teased. "Besides, everyone at school has been much nicer to me today."
He didn't smile back, and she could see him gritting his teeth. "What are ya? Some kind of idiot?" he burst out, and she frowned at him.
"What?" she asked.
"It's downright stupid to trust the demons here! I thought you had some sense, but obviously I was wrong!"
He stopped walking, and turned to her, putting a finger right in her face. "As soon as any one of 'em get the chance, it'll be nom nom, yummy human snack!"
She pursed her lips, a tell-tale sign of her stubbornness. "They would not! Caim even told me, that no one would go against Diavolo's wishes!"
"Who the hell is Caim?!" he sneered, grabbing her arms and giving her a shake. "Demons are liars you moron! They'll tell you anything to get you to trust 'em!"
"You're a demon," she said, meeting his fire with ice. "So I shouldn't trust you, should I?"
She pulled free of his hold, and strode off towards the House of Lamentation. Her head was aching, and she just wanted to sleep. Neither of them spoke another word, as they made it home, and she went directly to her room, shutting the door behind her.
Mammon glanced around the table, noting that Kimberly wasn't there with the others. He always came late, so she should have been there already.
He took his seat, also noting that they continued to place her at the end opposite end of the table from Lucifer, in order to not have to sit next to her. He really should feel the same way… but for some reason, now it bothered him.
He grumbled to himself as he loaded his plate. He didn't care about some lousy human's feelings, he was THE Great Mammon! He obviously had been affected by the stupid pact a little, but he wouldn't let it affect him any longer.
I mean, I gotta keep the dimwit safe, or Lucifer will kill me instead! So I gotta worry a little, since she's too dumb to know better than to trust demons! he told himself.
"So where's the human?" Asmo asked suddenly, and Mammon jumped slightly thinking he had been caught.
"I wasn't thinkin' about her!" he denied quickly.
"That isn't what he asked, but still so interesting…" Satan commented dryly. "She was asleep when I checked earlier," he told Asmo.
"Why were you checkin' on her?" Mammon asked with a glare.
"I was researching something, and couldn't find a book I needed. She was the most likely culprit, and it turns out I was right," Satan replied. "Not that it's any of your business."
"Wait, you went in her room?!" Mammon demanded.
"Afraid I might have taken a bite out of her?" Satan asked, showing a toothy smile.
"I wouldn't mind sampling," Asmo spoke up. "I have a feeling she'll be very… succulent."
"Pfft," Satan dismissed his brother. "She hardly ever gets angry, so she's not worth much to me."
"Oh no?" Lucifer asked mildly. "She has quite the stubborn streak, I've noticed."
The others turned to him, more unsure how to take his smirk, but Satan fumed. The bastard dares to gloat to me?! He'll pay for that.
"I need to get her to spend more time with Beel," Asmo said, and Beel looked up in confusion.
"Why me?" he asked.
"I think it has to do with your muscles," Asmo suggested, his eyebrows wiggling.
Beel returned to his food, grabbing another plate even as he brought the remainder of his food to his mouth. The human is just like everyone else, only interested in what they see.
"Beel, you're eating the plate!" Levi pointed out, but the plate was already gone, so he shrugged and returned to his own dinner.
"I'm calling dibs," Levi said suddenly to the room. "When she gets eaten, I want her video games."
"Hey, what does that mean?!" Mammon burst out. "I'm not gonna fail, so she won't get eaten!"
"Why are you getting so bent out of shape?" Levi asked, puzzled. "It's not like you really care what happens to the human, right?"
"O-of course not!" Mammon declared, looking away. "B-but it'll make me look bad if she gets eaten!"
"And besides," he continued, looking down at his plate. "Somethin' is going on, and some of the students are acting weird."
He could see that they weren't listening to him, so Mammon stood up and yelled, to get their attention. "I mean it! The demons are suddenly trying to gain Kimberly's trust, and I don't like it!"
"Kimberly, is it?" Asmo asked with a sneer. "It seems our brother is liking his pact with the human after all!"
"If you were a proper demon, you would know that that is the first step to luring a human right where you want them," Satan said with a roll of his eyes. "Of course they are trying that."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Mammon sneered.
"He means, that now that everyone is watching her, any demon that wants to eat her, needs to get her out of sight, duh," Levi responded. "And to do that, she needs to trust them, at least a little. It's demon 101, so even you should know that, lol."
Lucifer let the conversation drift past him, but he continued to study his brother. If he was concerned, then there was at least a little merit to the idea.
Her eyes popped open, and though she could tell that her body was still lethargic, she was wide awake, her mind racing.
She turned, picking up her D.D.D. and looking at the time. Four a.m.?! Wonderful. She thought in disgust. She lay back down and shut her eyes, trying to will herself back to sleep.
What felt like hours later, she opened her eyes, knowing it was no use. Perhaps I should do my homework, since I'm up… I'll get behind if I don't.
However, Kim didn't move, she just let her mind wander. First Luke, and then Mammon, warning her about demons. True, she had let herself relax a little, as the school had begun to feel as though - well, not that she was welcome, but more like she was now tolerated.
As if the demons knew that they couldn't do anything about her presence, so they merely accepted it, even if they didn't like it. She had begun to hope that she no longer needed to worry about being eaten.
Like that was a worry I even had to worry about before coming here… she mused, giving a sigh.
"...elp…"
Thinking she heard someone speak, Kim stilled and focused on listening.
"...help… someone… help me…."
The voice was faint, and sounded weak, but Kim found herself sitting up rapidly, and looking around the room.
No… it didn't come from here… it came from somewhere in the house though… she thought. Her head was swimming still, but she wanted to investigate. She stood up, and got her robe. She moved slowly to remain quiet, since the rest of the house would be sleeping.
She opened the door, and started moving towards the stairs, listening every few steps to ensure that she could still hear the voice.
It was odd that it seemed to get louder, and yet nothing else stirred. She found herself tiptoeing past the brother's rooms, and into a part of the house that she had never been. At the end of hallway, past the library, was a large circular staircase that went up to another story.
But… there isn't another floor… she thought, as she stopped.
"...over here!"
The voice beckoned her on, and she came to the foot of the stairs, and looked up. It must be the attic then, she thought, seeing that it led to a single door, not a hallway like the main staircase.
"Kimberly."
Surprised to hear her name, she looked up again, thinking that whoever had been calling her, knew her. She spotted movement from the corner of her eye, and stepped back, just as Lucifer moved in front of her.
She breathed a sigh of relief, laughing to herself for her imagination. Now she could just ask Lucifer about what was up there, instead of following some ghostly voice from a dream- as she was certain now that's all it was.
"Lucifer," she said, and he could hear the relief in her voice, which puzzled him. "What's up there?" she asked.
He couldn't blame her curiosity, it was a trait of all humans that he had gotten used to over the centuries, though it still irked him. "That is the attic, and it is not a place for humans. It is dangerous." He spoke nothing but the truth, but it still was upsetting to him to relive the memories it brought to the surface. "Go back to your room," he ordered harshly.
She looked up at him, wondering what he was hiding, when Luke's words ran through her mind. Never trust a demon… especially Lucifer…
And she spoke without thinking. "No."
Lucifer simply stared, uncertain if he had heard her correctly. She wouldn't dare… she was a pitiful human, timid and frightened. Surely she hadn't tried to defy him. Just the thought made him want to…
He laughed. It was simply so amusing, he couldn't help it. "Interesting," he commented, enjoying the stubborn tilt of her jaw, and the frown she wore because of his laughter. And the rush of power wasn't bad either. "I think I am starting to understand why fate brought you here."
"Fate?" she asked, confused, and he spoke over her, ignoring the question.
"But, you can't say no. Because I am not giving you a choice." He crossed his arms and stood smirking at her, while she glared up at him.
"Now then, back to your room. You have your first test in a couple of days, and you need your sleep."
She turned slightly, looking upward once again, as if she were going to defy him a second time. He looked down his nose at her, and glared. His voice was low and menacing. "If you value your life at all, you will do as I say," he told her, no longer amused.
Satisfied that she finally seemed to understand just how frightening he could be, she turned tail, and quickly went back the way she had come.
Lucifer stood there, watching and then gazed up to the ceiling above him. He decided he had better keep an eye on the stairs as he doubted her fear of him would overcome her curiosity for long.