Stolas was woken up to his wife barging into the room.
She wasn't happy.
After screaming at each other—mostly at Stolas—Stella tore out of their bedroom in a flurry of white feathers and expensive fabric that had been ruined by cake. Stolas stood there, his satin robe (thrown on haphazardly in order to maintain some sense of modesty in light of the coming argument) clinging loosely to his thin frame. He gripped at the lapels, fighting the urge to break something. He couldn't be mad at Stella for being upset—he'd technically cheated on her, after all—but they had never truly loved each other, and he knew she, too, had various affairs behind the scenes.
Stolas sighed and turned around, heading toward the balcony to let some light in. He pulled the curtains open, preparing to clean up, when he stopped.
His eyes turned to the Grimoire—
It was gone.
Stolas stared at the spot the book had been, remembering very clearly that he'd set it on the lectern prior to the party. There was only one reason it was gone, and he knew the culprit had been the one who'd just fucked him silly a half hour ago.
So that little imp stole my Grimoire? Stolas mused. He should be angry. He should track that lout down and kill him for taking his property.
But Stolas wasn't mad; he wasn't even surprised. He'd known asking Blitzo to stay—when he'd just caught him trying to rob him—hadn't been a good idea. But for some reason, he'd wanted the imp to stay; he'd wanted another warm body in the bed.
He wasn't even sure why he wasn't mad.
Was it because he was too tired to be mad? Too overwhelmed because of his wife's anger? Or was it simply because the dick he'd gotten had been all he'd ever wanted, and he didn't want to kill the imp who'd given him such a good time?
No, it wasn't just the sex. There'd genuinely been something about Blitzo that had intrigued him. That was the whole reason Stolas had taken him to bed instead of punishing him.
Blitzo was gutsy. Stealing from the powerful demon he'd just tried to trick, gotten a rather generous deal from, and slept with? It took courage (a twisted variation) to do foolhardy things such as that.
Stolas hated to admit it, but his sole interaction with the imp left him yearning for more. He wasn't used to anyone treating or talking to him like that—he was royalty, after all. And yet, Stolas had let that foul mouthed little demon get away with an attempted burglary and then talk to him like that? And he'd been into it.
Stolas wasn't sure what to make of his feelings. All he knew was Blitzo was interesting and he wanted to see him again, to feel the same way he had during their first encounter.
Stolas would ignore the Grimoire being taken for now. It wasn't as powerful in another demon's hands anyway, only certain rituals being available to anyone that wasn't him. So, the prince instead began fulfilling his end of the bargain.
"'Expansion,' Sir? What do you mean by that?"
Blitzo turned back around to face his employees. He was barely containing his excitement at his new plans for the business, and he'd called a meeting first thing in the morning the next day.
"I mean we're no longer gonna be plain old assassins anymore! And I'll tell ya why," Blitzo began answering Moxxie's question, a finger in the air. He pulled the book out from its hiding spot and dropped it onto the table, startling the two other imps with the hefty THUD as it landed. Loona barely glanced up from her phone.
"Uh . . . a book?" Moxxie asked. Millie blinked wide eyes at it.
"Not just any book. This bad boy gives us access to the living world!"
"W-what? You're serious?"
"Yes, I am, Moxxie! Which is why we're gonna be the next big thing; we are going to carry out assassinations in the living world, and I've got just the marketing strategy!" Blitzo puffed out his chest proudly. He'd been up all night thinking of ways to make this work. "Demons are shitty people, right? A lot of them want revenge, and before, they had to settle for angrily jacking off or slamming shot after shot as they think about their pathetic fucking lives! But now, they can hire us to go and kill whatever mortal piece of shit that made them mad!"
Millie and Moxxie shared a look.
"So, starting today, we're rebranding this shit show!"
"Sir, if I may ask: where did you get this book?" Moxxie raised an eyebrow at his boss. "This seems like powerful magic, and it doesn't really feel like something you'd just happen across. You didn't make a deal—"
"Shut up, Moxxie, I didn't sell my fucking soul for this bitch!" Blitzo shouted, slapping the cover of the book. "How I get my shit is my business!"
"I'm not trying to be rude, Sir, I'm just—"
"Moxxie, we gotta trust Blitzo to make the right decisions," Millie interjected, setting a hand on her husband's shoulder.
"R-right, I know, but I'm only expressing my worry that he may have gotten himself into a bad situation."
Blitzo crossed his arms. "I appreciate the concern—I guess—but it's fine! Everything is 100% fine."
Moxxie's face fell, but he refrained from questioning it again. Instead, he skeptically eyed the book from his seat.
"I have some fliers I made to advertise the new idea, so we're gonna go hang these up next," Blitzo continued, waving a copy of said flier in a hand. "With that said, meeting adjourned." He flicked his tail in a cut off gesture and made his way to the door. Moxxie, Millie, and Loona followed him, the former two engaging in a quiet discussion between themselves. They all entered the 'waiting room,' expecting to go back to business as normal, but they stopped in surprise when they saw there was a short imp nervously standing near the front desk.
"Uh, hey there?" Blitzo said with the raise of an eyebrow. The strange imp noticed the group returning from their discussion and dipped his head in greeting.
"Hello, I'm looking for a Blitzo?" the imp began.
"I'm Blitzo. What about it?" Said imp put his hands on his hips, tail swinging behind him.
The other imp held up a large white envelope, which was clearly full if the way it was swollen was any indication.
"I was instructed by my Master, Prince Stolas, to give this to you." The imp approached warily and held out the envelope.
"O-oh," was all Blitzo managed to stutter out. He took the thick parcel and immediately noted how weighty it was.
Holy fuck is this what I think it is?
"Now that I have fulfilled my task, I bid you all good day," the delivery imp said, and with a small bow, he scurried out of the room.
Blitzo's face grew hot as he stood there awkwardly, the envelope clutched in his hands. He could feel the eyes of his employees on him—examining him.
"What was that all about?" Moxxie finally broke the silence.
"Who's Prince Stolas?" Millie asked with a flutter of eyelashes.
"What'd you get?" Loona barely seemed interested, but she still moved to peek over Blitzo's shoulders. The lanky imp was quick to stuff the envelope into his jacket.
"N-nothing!" Blitzo shouted in a panic. He tried to keep his back to his workers as they shuffled around him.
"Sir, please tell me this isn't what it looks like," Moxxie pleaded, sounding worried.
Blitzo growled and remained hunched in on himself. "It ain't shit, Moxxie! Don't stick your nose into my affairs!"
"Sir!"
"Can't anyone in this damn place just leave me alone?! Hang up those fucking fliers around town, now!"
The two other imps blinked, stunned, at Blitzo's furious outburst. Loona merely snorted, rolling her eyes, muttering something about a 'fucking drama queen.' She retreated to her desk, obviously leaving Millie and Moxxie to go hang up fliers.
"R-right away, Sir," Moxxie murmured. Millie put an arm around his shoulders to escort him toward the door, snagging the fliers from Loona's outstretched hand. The female imp glanced back at Blitzo before they left, her eyes searching.
Blitzo didn't look at them as they left, nor did he say anything to Loona as he retreated to his office. He was agitated; what he did in his personal life was his business. Occasionally, he invaded Millie and Moxxie's personal space, but at least he didn't judge them for it!
Blitzo sat down at his desk and pulled out the envelope. It was stuffed completely full and closed with a purple seal. He slid a claw underneath the wax and the envelope burst open, exposing the stacks of clean, crisp bills inside. Blitzo's mouth watered at the sight, but he was also wary.
Stolas had followed through on their deal. That must mean he hadn't noticed Blitzo's theft. Admittedly, it made him nervous; what happened when Stolas did find out? Would that be his death?
Blitzo tried to push down the feelings of unease simmering in his stomach and instead focused on counting the money. Each bill was $100, and there were a lot. Blitzo flicked through them with practiced ease and was boggled at how much he'd gotten.
$50,000. He could have jumped for joy if not for the fact he'd basically just whored himself out for cash.
And stolen a valuable item on his way out.
It was enough money to pay off his debts and make sure he stayed in business. Not to mention enough to advertise his new ideas. If Stolas could throw this much money at a pathetic imp he'd fucked, just how much was the prince worth?
Blitzo shook his head; it didn't matter. What mattered was he had the money, and Stolas didn't know he had the book—for now. He could get to work making the most of it.
Blitzo was about to stash the money when he noticed another piece of paper in the envelope.
Huh, what's this? Blitzo asked himself. He must've missed it. He pulled out the piece of paper; it was folded in half, and from the feel of it, it was a fine stationary paper. He unfolded the note and read what was printed on it in neat, sweeping calligraphy:
Dear Blitzo,
I had so much fun last night. I very much think we should do it again; don't you think?
As promised, the money I said I'd give you. Use it for whatever your little heart desires.
~Stolas
Blitzo nearly gagged reading it, especially when he got to the little heart after Stolas' name. Did he really think Blitzo would do that again?! It had been a desperate action the first time in order to escape with his life. It wasn't a fucking outing that he was looking forward to again. The sex may have been surprisingly good, with the way Stolas responded so well, so . . . begging and—
Blitzo's face burned red. He shook his head roughly to dispel the unwanted(?) thoughts and folded the note back up. He tucked it into his desk, telling himself he wasn't saving it, and stood, preparing to go make payments on his debts.
The first call was a week later.
Blitzo was sitting at his desk, planning their next mission (business had started picking up only two days after the change had gone through, he was happy to announce), when Loona shouted his name from the other room.
"Blitzo! Some dude is on the phone! Says he wants to talk to you!"
Blitzo jerked upright. Typically, anyone who needed to talk to him just called his hellphone directly.
"Got it!" Blitzo yelled back, trying to not sound as nervous as he really was. He picked up his phone's extension and put it to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Blitzo! How is everything?" came Stolas' voice purring over the receiver.
"G-Great, perfect!" Blitzo forced.
"Oh, splendid! I assume the money was enough?"
"Yup! Totally, thanks!" Blitzo was trying his hardest to make this conversation as short as possible. Never mind he was actually sweating bullets.
Don't say anything about the book don't say anything about the book don't say anything about the book
"Of course, Blitzy, we had a deal, after all."
"Cool, great, well, it's not really a good time, so—"
"Your personal number, may I have it?"
Blitzo froze. Stolas wanted his hellphone number. Fuck, he didn't want the owl demon to have it.
"You know, we're not really close enough to—"
"Close enough? Oh, but Blitzy, just last week you devoured me in my own bed; you wouldn't call that close~?" Stolas' voice took on a deeper purr.
God fucking dammit.
"You wouldn't give your number to a prostitute," Blitzo deadpanned. Stolas laughed, obviously taking it as a joke.
"You're funny, Blitzy! Come on, I enjoyed our evening of passion despite the start. Give me your number, pleeeeease?"
"Fucking—fine!" Blitzo recited his number for the prince on the other side of the line and died a little more in the inside.
"And Blitzy, one more thing?" Stolas continued.
"What?" Blitzo grumped.
"Do be careful with that book, it is quite important to me!"
Blitzo choked on his own spit and coughed, doubling over in his chair. Stolas laughed.
"Bye-bye for now, my little imp."
And with that, Stolas hung up the phone, leaving the flustered imp to catch his breath.