Page 22 of Demon Lord's Proposal

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DEUS

The incessant pounding on the door grates on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. I growl, my fingers curling into fists as I stride towards the entrance. The air crackles with tension, and I can sense the otherworldly presence on the other side. "Open up, Deus," a melodious voice calls out, its sweetness belying the threat beneath. "We need to talk, or matters will escalate."

My jaw clenches. The angels. Again. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the confrontation. With a sharp twist of my wrist, I yank the door open.

"What?" I snarl, glaring at the three luminous figures before me.

The lead angel, Azrael, steps forward. His wings shimmer with an ethereal light that makes my eyes hurt. "We've come to discuss your... growing influence, Deus."

I cross my arms, leaning against the doorframe. "My influence in my domain is none of your concern."

Azrael's eyes narrow. "It becomes our concern when it threatens the balance."

"Balance?" I scoff. "You mean your control."

“The girl was slated to go to us, and we’re losing more and more of ours.”

"Good," I retort. "Souls should have a say in the matter. And as such, this is my territory, and I'll do as I damn well please. If you have any issues with that, I can talk to my man downstairs and see what he thinks about it; do what you will is the whole of the law, afterall, the power of choice is kind of our thing, is it not?"

As the argument heats up, my gaze drifts past the angels to where Sage is working behind the bar. A surge of protectiveness washes over me, catching me off guard with its intensity. I've never felt this way about anyone before.

Azrael's wings ruffle, a clear sign of agitation. "Be careful, Deus. This path you're on... it has consequences."

"Is that a threat?" I ask, my voice dangerously low.

"A warning," Raphael says softly. "For your own good."

I've had enough. With a roar of frustration, I slam the door in their faces, the wood splintering under the force. I stand there for a moment, my chest heaving, caught between defiance and a gnawing concern for what might come next.

Turning back to the bar, I watch Sage work. She moves with a grace that seems almost out of place in this gritty underworld dive. Her long, auburn hair catches the light, shimmering with that otherworldly purple that never fails to captivate me. As I observe her deft hands mixing a complex alchemical concoction, I see her in a new light. My feelings for her are... complicated.

Suddenly, a patron at the bar reaches out, grabbing Sage's wrist. Before I even realize I'm moving, I'm there, my hand clamped down on the offender's arm.

"Remove your hand," I growl. "Or lose it."

The patron, a lower-level demon, pales and quickly releases Sage. I turn to her, my voice softer but still urgent. "A word, please. In my office."

Sage nods, following me to the back room. As soon as the door closes behind us, she speaks. "What's going on, Deus? Who were those... beings at the door?"

I run a hand through my hair, the flames dancing between my fingers. "Trouble," I mutter. "Angels. They're... concerned about some recent developments."

Sage's bright green eyes, flecked with gold, search my face. "What kind of developments?"

I sigh, leaning against my desk. "Changes in the power structure. My expanding influence. Your... increasing abilities."

Her eyes widen. "Me? But why would they care about me?"

"Because you're different, Sage," I say, my voice gruff. "You're not like other demons. You're... more. And you're attracting more, to our lifestyle and our path."

She takes a step closer, and I can smell the faint scent of herbs and alchemy that always clings to her. "What does that mean, Deus? What aren't you telling me?"

I clench my jaw, torn between my desire to protect her and my need to keep her at arm's length. "It means you need to be careful. There are forces at play here that you don't understand."

Frustration flashes across her face. "Then help me understand! I'm not some fragile mortal anymore, Deus. I can handle it."

For a moment, I'm tempted to tell her everything. But the memory of the angels' threats holds me back. "Just... watch your back," I say finally. "And if anything strange happens, anything at all, you come to me immediately. Understood?"

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