Azrael blinked a few times, keeping her eyes on Leighton as she did so. "I…I don't know about this. I'm the Angel of Death. I have no idea what you could offer me." She then made the mistake of lightly running her tongue over her bottom lip.

It was the wrong move, for sure. Leighton's eyes roamed downward to her full lips, before he slowly raised a hand to slide his thumb over her bottom lip as he balanced on his cane.

"Well, I thought we could, you know, be intimate," he said, out of the blue. "We already know everything about each other so why try and get to know other people? It's an obvious choice. You're the obvious choice."

Azrael blinked again, her jaw dropping in shock. She growled, and then raised her hand to give Leighton a good hard slap. "Just who do you think you are that you can make a request like that of me?"

Leighton scowled and rubbed his reddening cheek. "You could have just said 'No, thank you'!" he hissed. "You didn't have to hit me! Damn it, for such a small woman, you're very strong!"

"Well, all right!" Azrael took a deep breath. "No, thank you! There, I said it. Are you happy now?" She glared at him and poked him in the chest. "What did I do to deserve you treating me with such little respect?"

"Hey, just a minute!" Leighton protested. "Give me time to explain myself before you go attacking a poor, disabled man!" He gave her big, innocent eyes, and put a hand over his chest and gave her the most fake, saddest look possible.

Azrael blew a raspberry. "Don't you do that! You're anything but poor and pathetic!" She nudged him gently aside and began to pace back and forth in front of him, arms crossed over her chest. "Do you want another slap? Or maybe I could put my fist in your face and give you some real problems!"

Leighton chuckled, undeterred. "You know, you're cute when you're angry."

"Shut up!" Azrael snapped. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be, and you can go to hell!" She started to walk away, but his voice stopped her.

"Please, I'm truly sorry," he apologized. "Give me five minutes, please. If you don't want to do it for me…do it for the baby you comforted and held in your arms." His voice was hopeful.

Azrael grabbed the door handle, growling in frustration. Damn him! How could she refuse him after an ask like that?"

She turned, raising her chin as she spoke. "Don't you try that with me! You're not that cute baby anymore!"

"I may not be a baby anymore," Leighton conceded. "But I'm still cute, right?" He winked.

She rolled her eyes. "Your ego is as big as.."

"Oh, right!" Leighton nodded. About that, let me assure you right now, that even though I've got a cane and a limp, everything is in perfect working order down there." He tilted his head toward his crotch and gave her a hot look.

"I still want to hit you," she snapped. "Your pathetic attempts to seduce me aren't making that better!" She spoke with clenched teeth.

"I don't know what's cuter," he told her, as if he hadn't heard her. "You being mad or you blushing bright red."

Azrael scoffed. "I'm glad I can be a source of amusement for you."

"Are you a virgin?" He asked matter-of-factly as she glared at him, speechless, before he winced in pain and leaning against the wall. "It's just a feeling I have. I'm not trying to cause any trouble." Then he paused. "I'm not judging, because of course I am too. Though to be honest, I've watched porn, so it's not like I'm ignorant of what to do."

"I…how do you want me to respond to that?" Azrael asked. "Because I honestly I have no idea."

"You don't have to say anything!" He shook his head. "I just, I feel it. You and I are outcasts in the world. You're the Angel of Death. That could kill the mood with any man. But not me though. It actually makes me feel better." He shook his head. "I know I'm going to die soon. That doesn't give me a lot of time to figure out who my dream woman is and find her.

"How…how do you know that? You…you're very good looking and any woman would be happy to have you," she told him, trying not to be nervous.

"That explains why you're blushing," he teased as she rolled her eyes. "But I doubt it. Dating a young man with a cane is killing the mood, I suppose. That's why I thought you and I could experience a physical relationship before I die. I think it would be beneficial for both of us."

Azrael's chest rose up and down as she breathed, her breath picking up. "It's…it's a crazy idea but I can feel that you're absolutely serious about this, aren't you?"

"Oh, yes," Leighton purred. "Totally serious." His eyes twinkled.

"No, this can't happen!" Azrael shook her head over and over as if the more she did it, the more likely the feeling that she wanted it to happen would go away.

"Why not?" Leighton asked. "It's obvious that I find you attractive. And I think you find me attractive too. Why can't we? Is it me?" He was genuinely dumbfounded about how stubborn she was being.

"It's…it's because I'm not my father, or a genie…it's a wish I can't grant! I can't have someone getting attached to me and taking time away from my work. Do you know how hard I have to work, being the Angel of Death? Every second, it's…" she trailed off.

He sighed, tightening his grip on his cane before slowly making his way to her. Taking a deep breath, he gently slid his hand behind her neck, while his thumb gently slid over her jaw. Then he lowered his head so his forehead was resting against hers. "I crave you, Azrael. I crave your touch, your smell, your presence. You were the only constant , caring presence when I was a child suffering. I don't care that you're the Angel of Death. It doesn't scare me. I want to be intimate with you. I want to know everything about you. And…and to give you as much as I can before I have to go."

Azrael breathed heavily as she stared into his beautiful blue eyes while she bit into her bottom lip. Damn, what was that feeling in her core?"

"Don't…don't do that!" He warned.

"Do what?" She asked.

"When you bite into your lip like that, it gives me the urge to…to…" He then growled, grabbing her and crashing his lips on hers.

Azrael cried out, her eyes widening in shock at this sudden intimate embrace. Then her eyes closed as he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. The kiss deepened and she moaned, running her hands over his hard chest. He was so handsome! How could he believe that no woman wanted him?

He then broke the kiss, then moved his lips to her neck, biting, licking and kissing the tender skin there. "Azrael…" he whispered between kisses.

"No!" She cried out, raising a hand to wipe it all off her lips. "Didn't you hear me say that?"

"Why the hell not?" Leighton wanted to know.

"Because I said so!" She snapped. Then they heard a soft gasp. Then they both turned and found themselves staring at a shocked Malachai who was leaning against the door's archway. "I'm…I'm sorry for interrupting. I knocked and knocked but no one answered. So, I opened the door, and…"

Azrael closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try and steady herself. Then she grabbed her Chanel bag and gently nudged Malachai aside so she could leave the room. "Excuse me, Malachai." She gave a nod and then, without another word, left the room and made her way down the hall.

"So…sorry to interrupt," Malachai apologized to Leighton. "But we really needed something that was in this room."

"It's fine, don't mention it," Leighton told him as he shook his head and limped toward the door, leaving himself to make his way back to the court room.

Eleanor Morningstar (hopefully soon to be Mikaelson again) locked the door of the fire chamber on a sinful man who had been so terrible in life that he'd committed every deadly sin possible. There was literally not anything he hadn't done, from murder to gluttony. She smiled widely as she heard his loud, miserable screams as he burned. Maybe now he'd finally understand the pain he'd caused others during his wicked, wasted life! She shook he head. It was a shame she couldn't have locked Lucifer in there after he'd murdered Mrs. Johnson. It would have improved him greatly!

She began walking down the corridor that led to the portal back home. Being here in Hell was an easy way to stay clear of Lucifer at all costs. But today was different. Today she had no choice but to leave because the Council had summoned her to testify at Lucifer's hearing. She was more than happy to do so, willing to share every bad thing Lucifer had done to the assembled crowd, how wicked and truly dark he had become over the years.

It shouldn't have been surprising, seeing as how Lucifer Morningstar was the devil after all, but he had fooled her, and she'd truly believed for years that he had been wronged and was kinder and sweeter than his reputation led everyone to believe. But she'd been a fool, drawn in by his looks, his fortune, and his skill in bed. And not only that, he'd manipulated his children into competing for his affections just to build up his own ego, and they'd all suffered for it, some more than others.

Wanting a distraction, Ellie put a hand on her belly and grinned as visions of Julian Johnson filled her mind. She was happy to feel their baby move inside her, even though she knew that having happiness with him would take some time to achieve after what she'd done to him. Then, a voice distracted her and killed her good mood.

"Well, well, well! If it isn't my lovely wife, Eleanor," Lucifer remarked. "That's right, my dear. Even if you want to forget about it, I haven't."

Ellie winced, raising her eyes to meet his dark gaze, and stupid wicked grin. Shaking her head and not wanting to give him attention that he so badly wanted, she took a step or two to pass him by, but stumbled and would have fallen if Lucifer hadn't grabbed her.

"Now, now, Eleanor, be careful where you step! You wouldn't want to fall and hurt yourself so that you lose our child!" He smirked.

"Let go of me!" She spat and tried to pull away. "Never touch me again!"

Lucifer clicked his tongue several times. "It's a pity you're making things have to be this way," he told her. "I mean, as the father of this child, shouldn't I be able to feel it move like I did with all the others?"

Ellie took a deep breath, supporting her belly with both hands as her daughter kicked away. "You come near her and I swear I'll find some way to kill you! Or better yet, someday she'll be the one to kick your ass so hard that it's you who will fall down on your ass and ruin one of your precious designer suits!"

Lucifer crossed his arms, throwing his head back as he laughed, once a pretty sound to her ears, but now thoroughly chilling. "I adore how you're so sure that bastard child of yours is going to be a girl, and that she'll be so powerful and the end of me. The daughter of a human and a woman so easily swayed by my charm for years that you stuck to me like glue. You think she'll be my end? It's a hilarious thought, really."

The baby is not a bastard, you jackass!" Ellie raged. "One day she'll know her amazing father, and believe me, she'll be more than willing to beat the crap out of you!"

"Yes, yes, yes," Lucifer sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," she raised her chin and kept her eyes on his. "I need to go to the Council because they want me to testify about Mrs. Johnson's murder. I promised them I would be more than happy to do it!" She then tried to leave hell but was stopped by some sort of imaginary barrier.

"What?" She cried, turning to frown at him. "What have you done? Let me out!"

"I didn't do anything," Lucifer replied. "You did all that by your beautiful self." An evil grin spread over his face, as if he'd been waiting to tell her this all day.

"I won't play your games, whatever they are," Ellie snapped, turning and stomping back to the devil. "Tell me what you've done!"

"I can't believe you've forgotten already," Lucifer chuckled as he continued to push her buttons as he grinned in an insolent manner. "Didn't you insist long ago that when any prisoner who committed every sin arrived in hell, we wouldn't be able to leave until they paid for all of them?"

Ellie went pale. "You are a conniving bastard! You brought that prisoner into hell just so I would miss the hearing and not be able to testify against you!"

"What a pity," Lucifer shook his head in mock sadness.

Just then, Ellie lifted her hand and gave Lucifer a good hard slap across the face. Then, still full of rage, she tried to do it again, but he caught her wrist. "Be careful, Eleanor. You don't want to harm that baby of yours." He pushed her at a distance. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a hearing to go to. Don't worry, I'll present your apologies for not being able to appear and give Alistair a letter that explains how you think I couldn't possibly have killed Mrs. Johnson."

"I didn't write that!" Ellie cried, outraged. "You forged it with magic! It's not gonna work!"

"It could," Lucifer told her. "No one knows the truth except you and me. Take care of yourself and don't work for too long. We want a healthy baby girl." He moved to go through the wall, but Ellie stopped him.

"Is she a replacement? Is that why you're so desperate to have Julian's daughter for your own? Has Angelica finding her own way broken you so much and made you so lonely and desperate and afraid that you'll do anything to spite her?"

"Don't…" Lucifer's eyes went red, and his voice broke a little as he spoke. "Don't…don't you speak about her."

"Since you seem to think that anyone who loves you or cares about you is weak and easily manipulated, aren't you proud that Angelica has become a strong, independent woman?" Ellie continued, a wicked glint in her eye. She knew this was a terrible idea, but after everything he'd done to her, it felt so good!

"Don't!" Lucifer slapped her, pushed her away, then went through the wall, leaving her alone and unsure whether she'd won or lost the battle between them.

Avery rushed out of the hearing room that was rapidly filling up with eager people, looking for the nearest bathroom. Better safe than sorry because she knew this hearing would probably take a while and she didn't want to miss any of it because she had to pee.

As she leaned down to close her handbag, she felt someone bump into her. Someone that had a rock-hard chest. "Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"No, no, I'm the one who didn't look where I was going, not you, the man replied and grabbed her arms to steady her. "My most sincere apologies."

Avery then raised her head, losing her smile. "Oh. It's you."

"Avery, I really didn't know it was true. Don't be so excited to see me." He winced.

"Malachai, I'm actually indifferent to you, and only surprised that of all the people in this building who could have bumped into me, it was you." She raised her chin as she stared at him

"Mmmm…" Malachai gave Avery a surly smile. "Actually, you were the one who bumped into me, but who's assigning blame?"

"Certainly not you," Avery spat, pushing dark hair out of her eyes. "You know you've caused your share of trouble," she replied, tit for tat. "Are you here for the hearing?"

Malachai nodded. "Considering that I'm an employee and a member of the Council, you would have to be a fool to think otherwise, not to mention blind, but since you just bumped into me, you could be." He grinned. "So, let me guess, unlike everyone else, you're here to support your brother Lucifer?"

"Who? Never heard of him." Avery smirked.

"Okay," Malachai sighed. "I see what you're doing, but I don't have time for your silly little games today. So now you go your way, and I'll go mine. Good day." He turned and started to go, but Avery stopped him.

"Oh, when you say you'll go your way, it just means you'll spend time with your new bimbo Barbie girl, who's here because she's one of the stenos at the hearing. Am I wrong?" Avery asked, doing her best to look innocent.

Her name is Suzette," Malachai corrected. "And you know, Avery…" He shook his head, smiling.

"Yes, Malachai?" She raised her eyebrows and then waggled them comically.

"You're quite a vision when you're so jealous," Malachai remarked to Avery, sliding both hands in the pockets of his neatly pressed dark trousers.

Avery scoffed. "Me, jealous of the blonde? Never!" Her eyes widened as she burst into laughter, laughing until she couldn't breathe. "Oh, please! You know who I am? I have absolutely no reason to be jealous of her! She should be jealous of me!"

"And yet," Malachai returned, fingers in Avery's hair. "The thought that I just might want her in my bed is killing you, isn't it?" He chuckled.

"No," Avery shook her head after a moment's pause. "Actually, I was thinking of writing Suzette a 'Thank You' note. Something like 'Dear Suzette: From the bottom of my heart, thank you for getting Malachai out of my hair. I was this close to putting him in the garbage. Regards, Avery'."

Malachai lost his smile, growling loudly. "Your sister seems to be much less of a damn ice cube than you!" He spat. "At least she goes for what she wants!"

"I beg your pardon?" Avery scoffed. "I'm not an ice cube! It's you who can't get it up for me! Your penis must prefer blondes in order to work." She paused. "Which sister are you talking about?" She put her hands on her hips.

"My penis is in good working order, thank you very much!" He spat. "I was talking about Azrael! I found her kissing Leighton Fale quite passionately, which is something you've never done, that's for sure!"

Avery stood speechless, her jaw dropping, before she narrowed her eyes on her victim, then took a step toward him, taking his face in her hands, then crashed her lips on his, kissing him passionately.

He stood frozen, eyes wide, then put a hand on either side of her waist and pulled her to him. But as quickly as the kiss had started, she pulled away, wiping his kiss off her lips with the back of her right hand.

"There," she announced. "It's not that I can't kiss passionately, it's just that I'm done kissing you! Have a good day, Malachai Fale!" She lashed out before turning on her heel and stomping away and leaving a dumbfounded Malachai behind.

Astrid Fale strode into the hearing room, her heels clacking loudly on the floor as she looked around, noticing a few empty seats by the windows. As she made her way toward them, she accidentally bumped into someone. "I'm sorry," she apologized automatically without seeing who it was. "I wasn't watching where I was going." She reached down automatically to smooth her skirt, but because she was wearing a fitted black leather dress that did wonders for her figure, it didn't need any smoothing.

"Mom?" Came the reply. "You're here!"

Astrid raised her gaze and found herself looking into her son Leighton's blue eyes. "Hello, Leighton, my beautiful boy!" She smiled and raised her hand to gently caress his cheek.

"You came!" He smiled back, putting some of his weight against his cane. "I know it's hard, but…I hoped you would come."

"And…" she looked him over, losing her smile. "You look like you're hurting today. You don't have to be here, you know. Your father will completely understand."

"I'm fine," Leighton did his best to assure her. "This is nothing I can't handle." He tried to give her a reassuring smile but he knew it was weak. "Did you say 'Hello' to Dad too and wish him the best of luck on the hearing?"

His mother cleared her throat, lips pursed, and shrugged. "Yes, I came here to this hearing because it's…it's going to be the event of the year. As a member of the supernatural community, it's not something I feel I could miss."

"Mmmm…" Leighton murmured and gave his mother a knowing smirk. "And the fact that Dad is in charge of it and will probably be very attractive to you while doing so had absolutely nothing to do with it?"

She blushed slightly, keeping her eyes on her son. "Attractive or not, he's still going to be my ex-husband soon. Remember that he wants nothing more than to be rid of me!"

"Oh, I suppose," Leighton nodded. "I know he's said it many times. But he's watching you at the moment." Leighton then paused to give his father a wave before turning his attention back to his mother. "And from the looks of things, he really likes what you're wearing."

"Does he now?" She turned her head quickly but discreetly in Alistair's direction to see if her son was telling the truth. It appeared that he was, openly gazing, his eyes going down the length of her body, and full of appreciation. She grabbed her clutch bag to pull out a small liquor bottle, waving it right where he could see it. That made the look of appreciation disappear as Alistair rolled his eyes and went back to the papers he was looking through.

"Mom!" Leighton scolded, pulling the bottle from her hand, then his eyes widened when he realized it didn't have anything in it. "It's empty!" he cried as he gave it a shake.

"Of course it is," Astrid nodded. "I wouldn't have gotten past security with a full one."

"But why did you bring an empty bottle?"

Astrid shrugged. "Just to rile up your father. Since he stole my job, I don't have much to do with myself and decided that would make a good hobby." She grinned. "If he wants to get rid of me, the least I can do is enjoy the end of it all. Better that then be shattered and miserable because such a big part of me is ending." She sighed. "He'll never think I'm good again, so why try?"

"You're mistaken!" Leighton cried and gave his mother a smile. "A man who looks at a woman the way Dad just looked at you still desires her very much. Dad is far from ready to divorce you, especially if you just got your act together, stopped drinking, and got comfortable with your demon side. He would probably carry you back to his bed in no time!" Then he gave a wink. "He wouldn't want to miss out on the fact that demon women are excellent between the sheets, or so I've heard."

"Leighton Viktor Fale," Astrid scolded as she turned bright red.

"What?" he shrugged unapologetically. "I know I'm not wrong."

"It's…It's nothing," Astrid brushed off her leather dress once more and gave him a smile, kissing his cheek. "Take care of yourself. I'm going to find a seat."

As she made her way to her chair, Leighton turned back to his father, catching his eye, then pointing to his mother. 'Go talk to her', he mouthed.

'No!' his father returned angrily before going back to his papers, which made Leighton roll his eyes. His parents really were two of the most stubborn people alive!

Meanwhile, two blonde women entered the court room and looked around at the assembled group.

"Do you think We'll have time to talk to her?" Gabrielle asked her friend, Sybil.

"I hope we do," Sybil nodded. "It's our mission after all." She pulled nervously on the sleeves of her white silk blazer. "The parking lot is practically full already, which means it will take Mikael at least fifteen minutes to find what he believes is a 'good' spot. That'll give us just the amount of time we need." She rolled her eyes. "Why he can't park just anywhere, I don't understand. His cars are as precious to him as his penis!"

"Oh, like that doesn't matter to you either," Gabrielle called her friend out almost immediately. "His penis, I mean. Not his cars."

"Really?" Sybil winced. "Gabrielle, now is not the time to bring that up!"

Gabrielle just smirked and shrugged. She knew she was right.

"So…" Sybil asked as she circled Gabrielle. "Where's Arthur Gray today, hmmm?"

"How should I know where that fool man is?" Gabrielle asked but didn't hide her deep red blush. "I don't even like the man!"

"Right, sure," Sybil nodded. "Just like how I didn't like Mikael once, uh-huh." She cleared her throat. "You're very lucky there's no time to pester you more about that. I just saw Selina and Amy sitting with Kol and Elijah. Let's make our way toward them and stop staring. They probably think we're crazy."

"Good idea," Gabrielle agreed with a nod, following her friend to seats placed by the windows.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…pardon me," Sybil presented her apologies as they passed people until they reached Astrid and stopped. "Are the seats next to you taken?" She asked.

Astrid looked up at both women, sighing loudly. "It's a free room, you can sit wherever you want, Sybil Mikaelson. It's not like I have the authority to stop you. I don't have any authority anymore."

"It…it really is a pleasure to see you," Sybil returned to change the subject, forcing a bright smile on her face. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Considering that we were never close, I don't see why it would matter," Astrid responded indifferently.

"Did you ever meet my friend Gabrielle?" Sybil continued to try as she took a seat and gestured for Gabrielle to also.

"Is she one of your demon friends?" Astrid asked, a wicked grin curving her red lips.

"Nice to meet you," Gabrielle told her, sitting down and offering a hand to Astrid, who pointedly ignored it.

"Well, yes," Sybil blushed. "She's a demon."

"I thought so," Astrid nodded, her voice full of irritation. "Can we just cut to the chase ad stop this charade? It's boring me to death!"

"I…I truly don't know what you mean," Sybil said, clearing her throat, then giving Gabrielle a wide-eyed look as Gabrielle shrugged back.

"My dear Sybil, Selina and Amy haven't stopped looking at us since you appeared out of nowhere to come sit by my side. So…what I think is that they have asked you to come talk to me and welcome me into the demon club, am I right?" Astrid asked. "I bet I am! And now that you've done your duty and said 'Hello', you can go sit your demon asses elsewhere. Just because I'm a female demon now doesn't mean I have any desire to be your friend!"

Sybil and Gabrielle both froze, shocked, turning to stare at Amy and Selina, who were equally speechless, having also heard the exchange. This would be much harder than they thought it would be.

"I can hold your books if you want me to," the young man offered to Laurelle as they passed the entrance of the Inferno night club. Even in its slow hours, it was a good place to get a coffee and some food while listening to good music.

"I don't need you to hold my books," Laurelle told him and hugged them closer to her body. "I can hold my own books! They aren't heavy!" She paused. "But thank you for helping me with Algebra, Jeremy. Some of those formulas were hard for me to understand."

"Of course," the young man nodded, glancing down her v-neck top to try and get a look at her boobs. He had made a bet with his friends that he could be the one to get close to the ice cube Laurelle Mikaelson, and he had every intention of winning it. "I heard Lucifer Morningstar's hearing at the Council start's today and that's why we get the afternoon off," Jeremy told her. "I heard he killed some old human lady." He paused and looked up at the building with INFERNO blazing in big letters. "Isn't this his son's club?"

Laurelle rolled her eyes, not wanting to hear any more about the stupid hearing. The only people who should care about it were the prosecutors!

"I heard that hearing starts today too, but anything else is nothing but gossip and I don't care about it," she replied dryly as she took a few steps closer to the door of the club. "All right, thank you for escorting me. Now that I'm here, you can go and enjoy the rest of your afternoon."

"Why are you running off so fast?" Jeremy wanted to know, stepping forward to stare in her eyes. "I thought we could spend the afternoon together."

"Doing what?" She shrugged. "I've made other plans. My aunt bar-tends and manages here and I'm going to spend time with her. I'm not interested in anything else."

"Well, we could…" He gently cupped her face as her eyes widened, gently pressing his forehead against hers. "We could…get close?" He added before kissing her.

Laurelle kept her eyes open, but didn't pull away, just to see if it would make her feel anything. But it didn't take long for her to realize she was disgusted by the whole thing. "Okay, that's enough!" She pulled away.

"What?" He shrugged, dumbfounded. "I'm super popular at school. I'm a good kisser and all the girls want to go to bed with me. You should consider yourself lucky I'm paying you attention, Laurelle!"

"Why? Let's talk about what I just felt," she bit her lip thoughtfully. "I felt nothing when you kissed me just now. Zip, nada. So just…just go away!"

Jeremy's gaze darkened. "You know why you felt nothing?" he lashed out. "Because you're a damn, fucking ice cube! You have ice in your bloodstream. And you're not even pretty! Both your sisters are prettier than you!"

Even though she didn't give a damn about him or what he thought, tears began to fill her eyes, a sob escaping her throat.

"Hey, hey, hey!" they both jumped at the warning, and as Laurelle turned, Baltazar stepped out of the club, barefoot and wearing a white t-shirt with torn jeans. "Watch your mouth, young man! That's no way to talk to a young lady!"

"A lady? Where?" Jeremy asked as he pretended to look around.

"Leave now," Baltazar warned, pushing him out of the way.

"Okay, I get it," Jeremy smirked. "You like old men better." He laughed. "Well, it will be my pleasure to inform everyone at school that you have a sugar daddy! I hope you don't charge too much. He probably wouldn't get his money's worth!" He shot Baltazar one last smirk and turned to leave.

Once he was gone, Baltazar shook his head. "What a punk!" Then he turned back to Laurelle, but she had disappeared. Probably she'd headed inside and gotten herself a soda or something.

"Here you are!" He exclaimed when he found her pacing back and forth. "I wondered where you'd disappeared to!"

Laurelle bit her nail. "I thought Aunt Roxie would be here."

"She was," Baltazar shrugged. "But she and your uncle left to get some more vodka and gin. Don't worry about that punk. If I were a woman, the only way I would go anywhere near him was if there was a wall between us. And he's lucky I was thinking more of you, or he would have gotten my fist in his face!"

Laurelle sat down. "Oh, I'm not worried." She leaned over the counter, grabbed a bottle of juice, and left a few dollars under the cash register. "And you're right, he's a total ass. It's my fault though. He helped me with algebra and then I let him walk me here."

"When it comes to guys like that, nothing is ever your fault, but it's nice to see you opening yourself up to new things." Baltazar encouraged.

"No, it's not!" Laurelle shook her head. "I felt nothing when he kissed me! Nothing! I feel more when I kiss a mirror!"

"You kissed a mirror?" Baltazar asked, trying not to chuckle.

"Sometimes," she sighed. "Just for practice. I don't only kiss mirrors, though. I've kissed more than one boy this month, just so you know And I felt nothing. No-thing! Not a chill, not a goosebump, none of that stuff you're supposed to feel. What if he's right and I am an ice cube?"

"Laurelle, you're anything but." Baltazar hastened to assure her as he crossed his arms in front of his bulging chest.

"Where have you been lately?" She asked. "I've been here lots of times lately and I haven't seen you."

"I had things to do and places to be," he shrugged. "Besides," he chuckled. "I wouldn't want your aunt to start thinking that she can charge me rent." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Give yourself time to find the right person. It'll happen."

"That's the thing, I don't think it will. I think I'm asexual or something. I truly believe I am." She seemed very sure of herself. "I wish I could scream it at the top of my lungs so the world would know and people would stop taking bets on who can get me into bed. I just need to be certain."

"I don't think you ever can be," Baltazar told her. "I mean, not that I don't believe you, but…"

"I need to sleep with a man," she continued, ignoring him. "I'll sleep with a man, I'll be certain, and so will the world." She seemed relieved by this well-thought-out plan.

"Wow, wow, wow! You don't sleep with a man just to prove to yourself that you're asexual!" Balthazar exclaimed, holding an open palm out in front of him. "You just don't, Laurelle! This is wrong!" He did his best to make his feelings very clear. "I know you're feeling a bit lost and concerned, but surely you can talk to your mother, or father, or even your aunt. And…"

"No!" Laurelle stomped her foot. "It has to be you!" She stood in front of him, hands on hips

"What the actual fuck? Have you…have you lost your mind?"

"No, it makes perfect sense! I get it, I mean I know I'm not as pretty as my sisters, but…"

"No, you are as pretty as them," he did his best to encourage her while trying to discourage anything else.

"So…so you do find me a little bit attractive? I'm not…not an ugly monster from the forest?"

"Of course, I find you attr—never mind," Balthazar shook his head. "I need a drink. You want one?"

She shook her head. "I don't see why this is so hard. You taught me how to dance!" She stomped her foot on the floor. "Why can't you sleep with me once to prove I won't feel anything?"

"Because," he told her. "There's a different between dancing with someone and fucking them."

"See? See?" She said happily. "You called it fucking so it's just a thing we'll do that won't mean anything to either of us!"

"Oh, dear Steve," he pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "Why are you doing this to me?" He walked to the bar and grabbed some rum, gulping it straight from the bottle, then left Roxie a note saying what he owed.

"I don't know what the problem is," Laurelle told him. "It wouldn't even take up a lot of your time! Ten minutes max, I swear!"

"Well, thank you very much for your confidence in my bedroom talents!" He winced and took another drink. "You do realize that your father would kill me if we did it and he found out, right? Him or your grandmother Gabrielle. I don't know which would be worse."

"But they wouldn't know!" She tried to assure him. "It would stay between us forever. And I…I would finally be ready to tell the world I'm an asexual person." She came toward him, tears filling her eyes as a sob escaped her.

"Sweetheart," he sighed and looked her over. She was quite a vision, even as she sniffled. "That's not how this works."

"Please," she begged, putting both hands on his chest, then standing on her tiptoes to kiss him lightly.

He started, then closed his eyes and gently returned the kiss.

"You don't have to give me an answer now, but please…think about it." She mouthed her demand on his parted lips, then took a step back, grabbed her backpack, and made her way out of the club.

It was only when she was alone outside that she raised a finger to her lips. That was strange. She had felt a kind of tingle when her lips had touched his. She shook her head. It was probably nothing.

Meanwhile, Baltazar was watching the door she'd gone out of, sighing loudly. What a mess! And how was he going to get out of it?