*Lucifer's POV*

I sat, alone, for a moment, in my Chamber of Solitude, and mused over my conversation with Sebastian. I liked him. He was a good kid. Had character. Kind of a weirdo, what with suddenly falling for a human at his age. I admit, I had a soft spot for oddballs.

I was a little irritated with myself, however. I had probably gone too far, offering to play Cupid for him with his holy-roller wife. The woman would absolutely shit when she found out Sebastian was an incubus. I’d done nothing but guarantee his disappointment!

Ah well. The deed was done. I had gotten carried away in the moment. I did like to keep things suitably dramatic, and I supposed that promise of a romantic reunion had fit the bill. Nothing like two parted loves, the assurance of a reunification, and blah, blah, blah.

Though, truth be told, I suspected Sebastian would have protected my newest little interest anyway. He was really into that family of his. And his grandson was fantastic!

When that boy had manifested as an angel, of course I’d known instantly. I’d watched him ejaculate into one of my succubae through a mirror, and there was nothing more delectable to my palate than blasphemy! Especially when I got off scot-free!

I was positively bubbly with all the excitement lately! Misdirecting my armies had been so exciting! Now, hopefully, Sebastian would go forth and let that special, little genetic mixing bowl know he could drop by the Underworld any time! I couldn’t wait to see if he could mate with a vampire! There remained only one loose end to dampen my party, which I still needed to take care of. I sighed.

I had legions and legions of demons just like the silly, little airhead I had yet to deal with. Loyal and trusting to a fault, I really shouldn’t destroy her for reporting to me with what she thought might be helpful information. And it would have been useful, if I had been incompetent, and I were playing by the rules, like I was supposed to. It was just that I found her simplistic kind so irritating.

Any clever demon would have, at the least, looked apprehensive, when I didn’t reward her at once for such a report. But when I told her to wait, that I had to run an errand, she’d looked at me with adoring, gullible eyes, and curtsied! Doubtless, she had some inbreeding somewhere along her line.

With a groan, I mentally prepared myself for yet another encounter with a sniveling underling. I summoned my Tome of Names.

“The succubus that laid with Sebastian’s grandson, what is her name?” Oona… I briefly scanned a bit about her. Hmmm… Not anywhere near as old as Sebastian, but probably older than the annoying one. Right, the one that loves the grandson, Andrew, took him as a mate, started all the trouble. I chuckled. Good girl. I put a little star by her name, my own note to myself so I would remember she had done something to earn my favoritism.

“The succubus that’s waiting at my palace, that brought information, what’s her name again?” Kria. So she was fixated on Oona, eh? I would fix that; I didn’t want her interfering. I hand wrote, ‘loyal airhead,’ by her name.

Frowning, I decided to go one step further. “Bring up Sebastian, the incubus.” The pages didn’t turn. Pity’s sake, there had to be more than one! Pain in my rear! “The one that I just spoke to in the Library, that’s quite old for an incubus, and-“ There, that Sebastian. I put a star by his name, and hand wrote, ‘reunite with human wife once dead.”

I nodded. There, all done. I waved my Tome away. Now I just needed to clean up the last bit of mess. I nodded myself back into my Palace.

---

I conjured only four lackeys, so the poor thing didn’t shit her skirts. Practicing a smile for a moment before I opened the door, I took a deep breath. I hated brainwashing, it gave me mild headaches.

I opened the door and spotted the young succubus sitting on a chair across the way. “Kria!” She rose to stand and bow, but I waved at her, clucking, out of impatience to get underway. I was hungry and needed to go to the bathroom. “Please, no need for formalities, my child.”

“Highness.” She bowed her head, smiling brightly.

Her skin was so shiny under the bright light, she was almost difficult to look at. Ugh. That would make this a little more challenging. “My dear, the time has come for your reward. I need you to listen very carefully.”

I smiled as congenially as I could muster, as Kria locked eyes with me, and I took the moment to put a hand on her shoulder. I felt her easily fall under my sway with a small mental ‘clink.’ Good, except for the eye-searing pain of the nauseating golden-pink.

“You are no longer so fascinated with the succubus named Oona. You no longer wish to bother yourself with Oona’s business, do you?” I didn’t have to wait very long.

Kria shook her head. “No, definitely not.”

“That’s good news, I’m so proud of you! You will forget seeing the incubal essence at Oona’s home, and that you came here to report that to me. You have never seen anything unusual in Oona’s home. You came here to be rewarded for your loyalty and trustworthiness, correct?” I smiled, pleased when she didn’t hesitate.

She nodded. “Of course.”

“Tell me, young one, what sort of reward do you desire for serving me so well? Riches, property, influence?” I was curious how she would reply. In this state she could only answer honestly.

“A hug, of course!” As she smiled at me, I was temporarily taken aback, and our connection almost lost. A hug!?! What the deuce were they teaching succubae in school these days? Clearly I should have read her file more carefully!

After taking a moment to regain composure, I managed to reply. “Then a hug you shall have. The very best hug. And you shall remember it always.”

With my free hand, I signaled frantically to one of my minions to grab a bloody camera to capture the moment for this peculiar demon to have as a memento. Seeing it was ready, I faced Kria and unconsciously gritted my teeth.

I was not a giver of hugs. I was the Lord of the Underworld. But if the up and coming generation wanted hugs instead of money for their rewards, I supposed it would be easier on the checkbook. I forced a smile. “Come here.”

And just like that, I hugged someone. It wasn’t as terrible as I had imagined. A bit warm for my taste, but not painful. Let no one say I do not care for my subjects’ needs, or I will disembowel them and shove their entrails up their anuses as they die!

Notes