Chapter 2
“And why do you think you deserve all this wealth and fame, Leon?” I ask the man with a pasty complexion. His hard blue eyes are chips of glacial ice, his hair so pale that it”s almost silver.
“I’m tired of living like a dirtbag, man. People treat me like I’m stupid all the time, but I know how to make money. They just won’t listen to me.” Leon shakes his silvery head, his mouth a hateful red slash. “That’s why I came to you. Word on the street is that you trade stuff to make dreams come true.”
I smile, tapping my long, black talons against my equally black beard as I lean forward on my throne. “Right. Stuff. You do understand what that stuff is, right?”
“Yeah, something I don’t need, man. I am who I am. What am I gonna do with a soul if it keeps me tied down in poverty and obscurity? I got sick beats, man, tracks people need to hear, and ideas that could make millions if I can get someone to listen.” Leon licks his lips in a way that makes my mouth curl in disgust. But this is my endless duty—to trade and collect souls for Lucifer. In return, the newly soulless will have all of their dreams fulfilled. Even if that means killing, stealing, and anything else along the way to get what they desire.
“Fine, fine, whatever you want.” I wave my hand, and a pre-filled parchment, a silvery sharp scalpel, and a quill appear from thin air. “Fill this in, sign it, and all your dreams will come true.”
Leon doesn”t even blink as he takes the items to a table. He cuts a slit in his palm, uses his blood to write his name, and signs the document with the quill.
I sigh as I take the document. With a flick of my wrist, I send Leon back to The Above to live out his dream. Little does he know the nightmare that awaits him when he returns here in twenty-two years, dead from an overdose. Seeing the future of those who pledge their souls is one of the dubious ”perks” of this job.
Another eager soul steps forward from the darkness, rubbing his hands together and licking his lips in a similar way to Leon.
I cringe inwardly, wondering why young men think this is the thing to do. They all look as though they”re in dire need of lip balm and some water to wash their hands.
Like Leon, the young man starts talking about his sick beats and plans to conquer the world through his music. I tune the kid out. I”d rather stick a fork up my ass than listen to his drivel.
Greedy.
These humans are so fucking greedy.
And as I”m the demon of greed, it”s my role to satisfy their avarice and facilitate the trade of their eternal souls for the devil. I”m not greedy myself. I”m more weary than anything. Restless. Bored with this job, bored with my task of torturing souls for eons, and just bored in general. Maybe I”ll spend my next break in The Above with the humans and monsters. Maybe find a lover.
The guy continues as I stare on, not listening. After a few moments, I summon the same materials I gave to Leon before calling for the next in line.
Instead, a familiar form appears in front of me, stopping what little semblance of time there is down here.
As a creature of Hell myself, Lucifer shouldn’t frighten or shake me in any way. But when he pops up like this, I always brace for bad news. His presence is a reminder that he’s my eternal boss and can do awful things to me if he chooses, despite my power.
He stands before me with a grin like a chasm on his licorice-black face. Razor-sharp teeth peek out along with a tongue as red as the fiery pits of hell. His muscles gleam darker than night, a shade that doesn”t even exist in The Above.
At least he hasn”t appeared as a hellhound. He’s done that before. Bastard thought it was amusing to curl one down next to my throne. Took two days to get rid of the stench.
“Mammon, my favorite demon,” Lucifer greets.
My right eye twitches. I’m only his favorite because greed is the easiest way to get him the souls he needs. Lust is a close second but is confined to a certain percentage of the population.
For me, it’s a job. But for him, this is what he needs. More souls. Always more souls.
“You seem bored,” he snaps before I can say anything.
“You know I relish all this power you afford me,” I tell him, forcing myself to look into his fiery eyes, a red-orange blazing back at me. I don’t know why I’m so bothered today. I haven’t been frightened of him in at least a century. But my skin crawls at his presence today. “But I have to say it’s become monotonous lately. They all want the same thing. It”s too…easy.”
Maybe that dose of honesty will garner a reaction or at least encourage him to leave me the fuck alone.
“I thought you found the easy life desirable, Mammon. Don’t you love your little trips to The Above?” The sarcasm in his voice is followed by a chuckle that shakes the foundations of The Below, and my throne quivers beneath me.
“Only because it lacks the usual routine.” I pretend to admire my black talons, which shine like Lucifer’s skin. He’s always been sensitive about my draw to The Above. There are so many diversions on the surface, whether it be attacks from my enemies, humans making constant mistakes, or all the clubs, casinos, and shopping at my disposal. “I don’t always hate my job, Lucifer, but the humans you’ve been sending me are not interesting or challenging.”
Lucifer leans on the arm of my throne, looking thoughtful. “I”m not too arrogant that I cannot take that into account.” He pauses, smiling evilly. ”Who am I kidding? Of course, I”m too arrogant. I”m the King of Hell.” He taps a sharp claw against his chin. ”Still, you are my most successful demon. It’s why I let you have your little diversions without interruption and ensure you are protected from the enemies you’ve made while in my dominion.”
The King of the Underworld towers over me as he straightens to his full height and begins to pace. “I have someone who wants to make a deal of a different kind. He and the next few souls will be more to your liking. Keep up those numbers, Mammon. You know I like a steady influx of souls, or I get… grumpy.” His forked tongue slithers out to lick his lips. ”Fresh souls are so delicious.”
His words are a clear threat, though they don”t bother me unduly. It’s part of the deal here, and I’ve never had trouble keeping Lucifer sated when it comes to souls.
I open my mouth to acknowledge what he’s said, but he”s already fucked off in a puff of glitter. Fucking glitter. That stuff gets everywhere. Asshole.
The next human steps forward—an infertile woman who wants children more than anything. Children for manipulation and revenge, oddly enough. How…nurturing.
These people have no idea that they”re setting themselves up for painful, horrifying payments later on down the line, but the greedy never think about tomorrow. They think about what they want in the here and now. It”s all that matters to them.
The next few souls are a little more interesting, but none are ”different” in the way Lucifer promised. Where is the man Lucifer referred to?
Time passes like the slow trickle of molasses as it always does in The Below, never moving in a straight line. I sigh heavily as I grab the arrowhead-shaped tip of my writhing tail and study the next man. He”s not young, but his greed rolls off him in waves. He also seems to be from a different time than the others. It”s not always easy to tell. Time jumps around in my universe. This is the man with a ”deal of a different kind” that Lucifer promised. I”m… intrigued.
I straighten in my throne and give him my best demonic smile, wondering what treat is in store for me. I can tell this man isn”t simply greedy; he”s mean and manipulative. A monster hiding beneath human skin.
“And what can I do for you?” I purr.
The dark-haired man with eyes of flint steps forward. “It’s not what you can do for me but what I can do for you,” he replies, the corner of his mouth twisting into a sinister smile. Something cruel in that half-smile is a little exciting. Something new, then.
“And what is that?” I ask, my gray skin glowing in the shimmer of the torch behind me.
“A pure soul. Unblemished and unfettered. And all yours if you wish. I offer that soul in exchange for the kind of wealth and power to rival that of the gods,” the man says, his smile growing crueler. “Do you accept my proposal?”
My lips twist, and my nostrils flare as I look at the man in disgust. “You can’t trade someone else”s soul; it has to be your own.”
“But I’m not trading a soul. I’m trading a life. A pure life that will be yours and yours alone.”
I glare as the man takes another step closer. “That’s far enough,” I growl, holding up a hand in warning. “Another step, and I will take your life and your soul, whether you wish it or not.”
“Of course. My apologies.” The man retreats a few steps, bowing his head. At least he has some common sense despite his desire to push my buttons and his luck at the same time.
You don”t become one of Lucifer’s favorite demons without making enemies, and this sounds like a setup to me. Who would trade the life of an innocent for their own gain?
I study the man, looking past his flesh and bones to see into his mind, his psyche. I read his thoughts, learning his true desires and cruelty in an instant. Oh, yes. I see that this man will do whatever it takes to achieve his objective. He will sire a daughter, and her soul will, indeed, be pure. Everything else about his future is blurry. Unusual.
One thing is crystal clear, though—in all my centuries of delivering souls to Lucifer, this man”s is the blackest. And that”s saying something in my world.
Yet I can”t deny the temptation of his offer. A pure soul. One that belongs only to me. I”ve never had someone who”s mine alone. It could be…interesting.
“All right,” I say, deciding that perhaps I can use a human companion when I visit The Above, someone to take care of me, look after me. “We have an agreement.”
The man nods eagerly, waiting expectantly. I hope he comes to Hell because I”ll ensure he”s at the mercy of the most sadistic torture demon I can find. He has traded the life of an innocent for his own gain. Such a shameful thing to do. I smile because I am a demon, after all.
“What more do you need?” I ask impatiently when the man doesn”t leave.
“Don”t I need to sign my name in blood or something?” he asks, spreading his hands in front of him, clearly confused.
“Oh, no. We’ve made the agreement. It”s etched on your soul. You cannot escape it now.” I pause, wondering at the wisdom of my next words. ”But you still have the chance to alter your destiny if you change your ways now. If not, I”ll be seeing you when your soul is ready to be claimed.” I shoo the man away, my boredom quickly returning. A plaything would be pleasant, but pure souls can be as boring as… well… Hell. Not that it”s ”boring” down here for the soulless, but it can be for me.
“I’m done for the day, Lucifer. I’m taking a break for a couple of days. Do you need anything?” I call into the darkness, waiting for a response.
His response comes as a disembodied chuckle, a shiver of sound that would send tremors of fear down a human spine but only makes me frown slightly. “No, Mammon. Have a good time. Don’t forget to write. You know I love a naughty postcard.”
I shake my head at the playful note in Lucifer’s voice. As if he’d ever read any postcards sent to him. And he certainly doesn”t give a shit if I have a good time.
Snapping my thumb and middle finger, I transport myself to the Riviera, the playground of the rich and entirely soulless. I blend into the crowds of humans and monsters and find a room for the night.
For now, my job is done, but soon, I”ll be back at work. Too bad, I think as I settle into a sun lounger with a cold drink in one hand and a cigar in the other. I like it in The Above. Things are so…relaxed. No crying, no screams, no young men with their weird, greedy gestures that remind me of rats, and nobody willing to trade a soul for me to deal with. I can enjoy some peace for a change.
Putting in my earbuds and using a long black talon to pull up my music app on my phone, I revel in a moment of tranquility, forgetting all about the date I have in the future.