Page 5 of Demon Lord's Proposal

Our conversation is interrupted by a crash from the other end of the bar. I look up to see Gremory, a pint-sized demon with an oversized attitude, standing on the bar top, his wings flapping erratically.

"I demand another drink!" he screeches, his high-pitched voice carrying across the room. "And make it a double!"

I sigh, making my way over. "Gremory, we've talked about this. No standing on the bar."

The tiny demon puffs up his chest. "I am a Duke of Hell! I'll stand wherever I please!"

"Duke or not, you're about to be a patron of the sidewalk if you don't behave," I growl, my eyes flashing crimson.

Gremory deflates, plopping down on the bar. "Fine, fine. But I still want that drink."

"One Hellfire Highball, coming up," I say, mixing the drink with practiced ease. As I slide it towards Gremory, I notice a shimmer in the air next to him.

"Evening, Whisper," I say, addressing the seemingly empty space. "The usual?"

The air ripples, and a translucent figure materializes on the barstool. Whisper, a spirit so shy she spends most of her time invisible, nods silently.

I prepare her favorite, the Spirit Spritzer, a concoction that sparkles and fizzes in the glass. As I set it down, Whisper's soft voice reaches my ears. "There's something strange in the air tonight, Deus. Can you feel it?"

I nod, my eyes drifting back to the newcomers. "I feel it. Change is coming."

As I turn back to the bar, I nearly collide with Mammon, who appears silently at my elbow. "Boss," he says, his golden eyes glinting. "We've got a situation in the back room. The Fates are arguing over the last slice of infinity pizza."

I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache coming on. "Can't they just split it three ways? They're supposed to be all-knowing, for hell's sake."

Mammon shrugs. "You know how they get. Clotho's threatening to unravel Lachesis's thread if she doesn't back off."

"Fine, I'll handle it," I grumble. But before I can move, a commotion at the entrance catches my attention.

Azrael's shadowy form looms larger than usual as he blocks the path of a group of glowing figures trying to push their way in.

Angels.

Perfect.

I make my way to the door, placing a hand on Azrael's shoulder. "I'll handle this," I tell him. Turning to the angels, I put on my most diplomatic smile. "Gentlemen, ladies, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

A tall angel with golden wings steps forward, his face a mask of disdain. "Deus," he says, his voice dripping with barely concealed contempt. "We have reason to believe you're harboring souls that don't belong here."

I raise an eyebrow. "That's a rather vague accusation. Care to be more specific?"

Another angel, this one with silver wings, chimes in. "There's been a disturbance in the cosmic balance. Souls that were meant for judgment have gone missing. Our intelligence suggests they ended up here."

I make a show of looking around the bar. "As you can see, we have many patrons here. Souls from all walks of life... and death. If you're looking for someone specific, I'm afraid you'll have to be more precise."

The golden-winged angel's eyes narrow. "Don't play games with us, Deus. You know as well as we do that this place exists in a loophole. But even you can't harbor souls indefinitely. They must face judgment eventually."

I feel my temper flare, the flames in my hair flickering to life. "And they will, when they're ready. But while they're here, they're under my protection. Neutral ground, remember? Or does the heavenly host no longer respect the ancient accords?"

The angels exchange uneasy glances. Finally, the silver-winged one speaks. "We'll be watching, Deus. This isn't over."

"It never is," I reply coolly. "Now, unless you'd like to come in for a drink, I suggest you leave. You're making my patrons nervous."

With a final glare, the angels depart in a flash of holy light. I turn back to the bar, my mind racing. If the angels are involved, the situation with the new arrivals might be more complicated than I thought.

I have a feeling things are about to get very interesting indeed.

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