Venus snuggled deeper into the soft sheets. Beams of sunlight flickered through the room, and the music of songbirds filled her ears. Stretching languidly in her bed, Venus opened her eyes and sighed in contentment. Charlie and Vaggie had been kind enough to give her her own room, which was more than she expected. As her eyes fell on the art deco-style elephant lamp next to her bed, she felt the tendrils of sleep pulling her back in. It couldn't hurt to sleep in a little longer, right?

As her eyes closed, she thought of how nice it was to be here. A stark difference from the coldness of the Vee's Tower. And it was better than living on the streets, where the creepy eyes in the walls watched her every move…shivering, she burrowed deeper into the sheets. Soft against her skin, she never wanted to leave. But soon, the thoughts returned again. The overwhelming feeling of not knowing who she was, why she was here, and what her purpose was. Your purpose is for Vox, a little voice in her brain reminded her.

Groaning, she buried her head beneath the blankets. All she could recall from her time before arriving in Hell was falling. She had been falling from a dark abyss, an endless night that seemed to swallow her whole, devouring her soul. And then, she had landed, quite unceremoniously, onto a hard surface, a blinding white light before her. She had squinted her eyes against it, trying to find the source but failing miserably. And then, a silhouette stood above her, judging her, before it spat out the name "Venus." That was all she remembered. That was all she was. She didn't even know her real personality. Her family. Her friends. But there was no use crying over it now. Hopefully, her memories would return in time…right? What had she done so terrible as to land in Hell?

She was roused from her thoughts as the phone Vox had given her buzzed on the bedside table, startling her. Groaning, she grabbed it and saw that it was indeed a message from the TV demon.

Hey, come on down to my office, dollface. I want the deets. Be here at 10.

Venus huffed as she sat up. This was definitely Hell. One day in, she was already a spy with a corporate job. Whatever she had done in life, she didn't think it came with the punishment of eternal capitalist labor. But then again, how accurate was Dantes' Inferno really?

Yawing, Venus sat up and blinked as she saw that Charlie had laid out clothes for her and left her with a treasure trove of toiletries. The first pang of guilt went through her at the thought of disparaging Charlie's hospitality. Though Vox had said that the Princess was kind to a fault and that she was deluded in her thinking, Venus was beginning to feel a soft spot for her. For everyone in the hotel, in fact. Well…maybe not Lucifer. The way he looked at her scared her. Like he knew something she didn't and was waiting for her to fuck up.

Padding across the plush carpet to the vanity, she sat down and took in her new appearance. Big brown eyes looked back at her through a cascade of long, wavy red hair. Full lips encircled perfect teeth, and she looked closer at the new fangs that she was sure weren't there on her time on earth. Feeling them with her tongue, she realized just how sharp the points were as she drew blood on the tip of her tongue. Cursing her luck, she bit her lip and tried to ignore the copper taste in her mouth.

Brushing out the knots in her hair, she cringed at how poofy it became. But Charlie, the angel she was, had even given her products meant for taming wavy hair. Tears sprang to her eyes at the girl's kindness, and she tried to put those thoughts behind her. Vox was the one helping her out here. She was here on a mission, not to get into heaven to become redeemed. She needed to remember that. Remember who her true friends were on this side of Hell. She had a job to do.

With eyes bigger than her stomach, Venus sat in awe at the feast before her. The mahogany table was covered in mountains of delicious food. Charlie, Vaggie, and Lucifer had been in the kitchen all morning preparing breakfast for her first real meal in Hell. Sure, Vox had taken her to dinner to schmooze and tell her what he expected from her, but it had been nothing compared to this.

She was the first to arrive at the table, though she wasn't sure how since she had laid in bed half the morning and spent the other half taking in her new appearance. She knew she hadn't looked quite like this in life, but she still couldn't remember. Maybe she never would. The fact that her new body came with a demon tail and massive tits was something she was sure she hadn't been born on God's green earth with.

"Venus!" Charlie all but yelled as she saw her sitting at the table.

Setting down the plate of food she had been carrying, Charlie sped across the room and hugged her. Cheeks smushed, Venus laughed at the girl's glee.

"Hi, Charlie," she said, finding it hard to breathe.

Charlie let go of her and began to bounce up and down. "We're all so excited that you're here. We wanted to make you the best breakfast you've ever had. Everything here is in honor of you!" Charlie said with jazz hands. "And we want to make sure you know just how grateful we are that you've decided to stay with us, especially considering the recent news…."

Venus nodded, having heard about the battle between the hotel and the exorcists of heaven. Vox had made it seem like Charlie's hotel and family would be in shambles, especially considering they had lost one of their own. At the head of the table was a large portrait of Sir Pentious, a dapper-looking snake demon at the head of his ship. Venus watched as Charlie looked at the portrait, her sunny mood momentarily sullen.

"Of course, I wanted to stay here. This place is amazing! Thank you for making me feel so welcome. Your generosity means the world to me. I don't know what I would have done without you," Venus said, beginning to feel the familiar prickle of guilt down her spine, especially when Charlie turned to her and let out a sob before hugging her again.

"Well, we have a full day of activities planned, just so that you can learn how things are done around here…" Charlie said as she pulled back, tucking a hair behind her ear.

Lucifer slid between the two of them and placed a plate of waffles in front of her. Venus looked up in shock as the scent of apples, spice, and whisky permeated her senses. Swallowing as the King made eye contact, she felt Charlie's voice drone out in the background. Like electricity in the air, a tingle of something crackled as his ruby-colored eyes met her own. A strange look passed over his features, and he curled his lip at her, exposing razor-sharp teeth. Blinking back at him, a mixture of fear, curiosity, and lust filled her, and just as soon as the sensations came, Lucifer was gone, back to the kitchen in a huff.

Venus blinked as Charlie's voice returned to her eardrums: "...So by noon or so, I was thinking we could all go down to Rosie's Emporium. In Cannibal Town, of course. Oh! Right! You don't know where that is…but anyways…"

Charlie's voice droned out again as Venus sat there, confusion swirling through her. Why had the King of Hell taken such a dislike to her? Surely, he must know what I've done to deserve to be here. But then again, isn't this a place of redemption? Shouldn't he believe in his daughter's vision? And what was that feeling when he was near me? I feel like I know him…

Almost shaking her head to clear it, Venus tried to tune back into what Charlie was saying, watching her mouth moving but not hearing the words. The scent of apples washed over her again, and Venus saw Lucifer sitting at the head of the table with a plate of pancakes in hand. It was like his scent was meant to draw her in, to intoxicate her. The rest of the inhabitants began to filter into the room, one by one, sitting in their designated spots, eyes bleary from sleep.

"Soooo, what do you think?" Charlie asked, her big eyes expectant.

Venus blinked and smiled at Charlie, hoping it looked convincing. "About what exactly?"

Charlie's face fell, "About the plans I have for your first week here. Do they sound good to you? I want you to feel we care about you as a person and as a soul. And maybe it'll help you get some of your memories back, too."

"Charlie," she reached out and touched her hand, "It all sounds wonderful," she swallowed, ashamed for not listening. She hoped it wouldn't come back to bite her in the ass later.

Charlie gave her a thumbs up and went to sit down next to her girlfriend. Letting out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, she could feel anxiety brewing in her gut. Looking down at the beautiful breakfast before her, her stomach growled. The waffles were crisp and perfect, with a pat of butter on the side, fresh-cut berries, whipped cream, and a drizzle of syrup and powdered sugar. Her stomach growled again, but she was just so confused. Vox had told her that Charlie's hotel was nothing but a scamーa place for losers. And here she had been sent undercover, but now she wasn't sure she could go through with it. They all seemed like nice people, as far as she knew. A buzz went down her leg, and she peaked at her phone, careful not to show the screen to anyone else.

Don't forget you're not hanging around that shitty hotel all day. We've got work to do.

Heart pounding in her throat, she closed the screen on her phone without looking. It was like Vox knew she was having doubts. Looking up from her lap, she was startled as she made eye contact with Lucifer again. His stare was icy and mistrustful. His red eyes seemed to look through her, assessing her, holding her there with some unearthly power.

Venus couldn't help but notice how his sleep-tousled hair fell across his forehead, curling at the ends, giving him a look of boyish innocence. His sly mouth was pouty, his lips a perfect specimen of angelic beauty. But she knew they held deadly fangs within. And she was sure he wouldn't hesitate to sink them into her. A blush of heat went up her at the thought. Lucifer's red eyes blinked as he looked away from her, releasing the spell he had over her, and she exhaled, her head swirling.

A chair pulled out next to her, and Venus was thankful to be distracted from her thoughts. Anything was better than where her mind was spiraling. A long, lanky body flung itself into the seat next to her and groaned.

"Oh, this shit again, come on! When are we gonna have something real for breakfast? In fact… I'm on the menu, handsome," Angel Dust said to Husk, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Venus snickered as she mustered up the courage to eat, almost moaning at how heavenly the food was.

"Keep your dirty talk to yourself this early in the morning. Some of us wanna have an appetite," Husk grumbled in response, the corners of his mouth turning upwards in a smile, betraying his true feelings.

Venus lifted her feet as Nifty ran underneath the table, killing bugs with her giant needle. The sounds of her meniacal laughter were stifled under the wood. The table settled into a comfortable silence as everyone began to wake up.

But the silence was deafening to her as her thoughts began to run wild again. How am I going to sneak out of here without anyone noticing? Does Lucifer know what I'm doing? Oh, they're all so nice. Am I working for a monster? This has got to be wrong….

A throat clearing snapped her from her reverie.

"My dear, I believe the Princess of Hell just summoned us all to the living room," Alastor said, appearing from nowhere, his yellow smile somewhat perturbed.

Venus blinked and noticed that most of the dining room had cleared. She was sitting there with a half-eaten plate. Guilt went through her, and she thought of how Charlie had said it was a special breakfast made just for her.

"I'll be right there, Alastor. I'm just gonna finish this quickly."

"Don't keep us waiting, darling. Not all of us are so patient," Alastor said, eye twitching, leaving her again with her swirling guilt.

Looking down at her phone, she nearly choked on her food as she noted the time. Shoveling down the rest of the waffles and a few pieces of bacon, Venus peaked around the ornate dining room doors out into the living room. Everyone's back was turned toward her, even Alastor. Though she swore, she could see his ears swiveling around in her direction. Blinking, she internally cursed as she checked the time on her phone again: 9:45, and made her way out the front door, carefully closing it as quietly as a mouse. Underneath the movie matinee lights of the hotel, she looked at the horizon. Her phone buzzed again, and she didn't bother looking. She knew it was from Vox. Spotting the Vee's tower in the distance, she tried to make up for lost time. She would make it up to Charlie later.

After arriving at Vee's Tower, Venus was escorted by one of VoxTech's many employees. Her eyes were big as she took in the brightly colored walls and followed the lackey before her. Decals of hearts, swirls, and deer hooves decorated the golden walls. Each door was meticulous and shiny, showing off VoxTech's squeaky-clean image.

Led up a velvet-lined staircase, the lackey took her down another set of halls. Purple curtains lined the walls as she heard screams and moans of pleasure reach her ears.

"Um…is this the right place?" Venus asked, her heart in her throat. She did not want another run-in with the creepy moth demon.

"No, not today. Follow me, please," the nasally demon said, leading her toward an elevator.

Shoulders tense, she walked past the red and gold doors leading to what she could only imagine was Valentino's porn studio and followed the slimy demon onto the elevator.

Once inside, the colors were muted, and she wrinkled her nose against the smell of the fish demon filling the small space. Trying not to be rude, she held her breath and watched as the floor numbers ticked by in slow succession. The neon blue light of the elevator did nothing for her nerves. The ding of the elevator was her salvation as they were finally let off on the top floor.

Swallowing down her fear, she saw how different this place was from the night before. This was a new part of the building, even more intimidating than she imagined. The carpets were black and gray, not a speck of dirt or drop of blood to be seen. Large windows looked out onto Pentagram City, flanking her on both sides as she walked. The red sky was still unnerving to her, unnatural, and she tried not to think again that she was in Hell.

Large metallic doors stood at the end of the hallway, and the lackey bowed to her before skittering away. Looking down at her phone, she cringed, 10:02. Well, she was not making a good impression on him. Wait, isn't he my friend? Oh, this is all so confusing…

Venus' clawed hand hesitated before the door, hovering in the air.

"Come in, my dear," came a voice from inside.

Shit, he knew I was here.

Venus gulped as she looked up at the camera, which pointed straight at her on the door's edge. Pulling open the door, she almost gasped at the size of the room. Large tanks flanked the walls, mechanical sharks and fish lazily swimming across the space. A pristine glass desk sat in the middle, and beautiful tropical plants hung from the ceiling, giving the room a relaxed feel. If that's even possible, she thought, as the room was considerably colder than the rest of the tower.

Shivering a bit, she did not see Vox in sight, so she sat in one of the dark blue velvet chairs, relishing its softness—a harsh contrast to the technological setting around her.

Light blue claws settled on her shoulders, massaging lightly. Nearly jumping from her skin, Venus took in a sharp breath.

"Mr. Vox! I didn't see you when I came in…"

Vox chuckled, his voice rumbling from behind her.

"You know enough to call me Vox, dollface," his claws dug into her soft skin, "But I called you here to see what information you've gotten for me. After all…you are my new best girl in Hell."

Venus blushed as she watched the sharks swim in the blue abyss. She could see the light blue haze of his screen in the reflection of the glass. His red eyes were staring back into hers, watching her every move. His hands continued their ministrations on her tense shoulders. When she didn't speak, he began again.

"Venus…" Vox cooed as he spun her chair around and leaned over her. His face was inches from hers, his red eyes staring intently into hers. The light blue of his pupils grew more prominent as he looked at her, his smile charming. "You aren't getting cold feet, are you now? You know what happened to the last spy I sent there, don't you?" Vox's finger lightly grazed her chin.

Venus swallowed, "Yes, but…you said that wasn't related." She tried to look anywhere but at him, but he was inches away.

Vox's screen flickered as his smile stayed plastered on, as always, a gracious TV host. "That doesn't matter. I found you. I saved you on your very first day in Hell. I think I deserve a little bit of loyalty for that, don't you? If you can't even do this small little task for me, I can find you some other work," Vox's right eye began to spin as his smile grew even more prominent.

"What…what do you mean? Like…"

Vox laughed, the sound forced. "I did say that you were mine, but if Val found he needed a new actress…well…"

Venus blanched at the thought, her skin growing itchy. "No…Mr.VーVox…No, I can do what you ask. Anything…"

Vox laughed, and the sound of cheering that emitted from him was eerie in the dark office.

"Great choice, dollface! That's why you're my good girl," Vox said, grabbing her chin. "Don't forget who you belong to; we signed a contract. Anything that I ask…you say…?"

"Yes, Vox," Venus said, a singular tear running down her face. She had sold her soul to a demon, and there was no going back.