Minor Demons (16 page)

“We don’t have time for this.”

Lilith stepped over them and kept going. Leech looked at Shadow, who shrugged. They both followed. Lilith led them directly to Vixen’s chambers and threw open the doors. The three of them walked in on a naked Vixen being fed grapes and relaxing on a bed. Leech’s jaw flew open. Shadow used two fingers to close Leech’s eyes. Leech nodded in gratitude.

“Thanks buddy.”

Shadow gripped the angel’s blade underneath his cloak and they continued. Vixen smiled as they entered the room.

“So you’ve come to accept my offer.”

Lilith smiled but kept her eyebrows arched down.

“Not quite, mother. I have some conditions.”

Shadow cut in.

“Condition number one. Put some goddamn clothes on.”

Vixen laughed. She snapped her fingers and several demons attached her dark pink armor and threw a dark pink cape over her shoulders.

“There you go. Now are you three here for a four-way or what?”

Lilith looked at Shadow, inviting him to speak.

“Lilith is going with us when we journey to earth tomorrow. She’ll work with us permanently. She won’t be trained by anyone in your department.”

“That’s what she wants? To follow two idiots around on Earth?”

“No actually what she wants is for you to admit that she’s your daughter.”

Vixen laughed.

“There’s no way I can do that without ruining my reputation, even if I
was
her mother. I only breed with major demons. There’s simply no way I’m her mother.”

“What if there was a way for you to save face and recruit your daughter?”

“I’m listening.”

Lilith pulled Shadow aside.

“You’re going to make her admit publicly that she’s my mother and that Panic is my father, right?”

“Those weren’t the terms of our agreement. She just has to admit that she’s your mother. I was going to suggest that she publicly announce that you’re the daughter of Vixen and Asmodeus. Everyone would buy it.”

Lilith stomped her feet several times and shrieked like a siren. Shadow plugged his ears.

“So if I can get her to do that, will you keep your word?”

Lilith looked angrily away and crossed her arms but she nodded in agreement.

“So here’s the...”

Lilith cut Shadow off before he could continue and pulled him aside again.

“Nope... changed my mind. I won’t do that publicly to my father. You just get her to admit in front of us that she’s my mother and that Panic is my father and we’ll call it good.”

Tired of being excluded from their conversations, Leech appeared next to them.

“Lily, did I ever tell you how sexy it is when you pout?”

Lilith smiled at him and ran her hand down his cheek. He completely submitted to it. She then pulled back and elbowed him hard in the face.

“OW!”

“Leech, I’m getting tired of you already. If you aren’t going to be useful, then go and guard the door. That seems like your only practical use.”

“Fuck you.”

Shadow shook his head in annoyance.

“That’s enough from both of you. Let’s go finish this and get ready for crossing the river Styx.”

Shadow turned back to Vixen.

“I was going to suggest that you publicly announce Lilith as your daughter and the daughter of Asmodeus. She doesn’t want that because she thinks both of you are assholes.”

Lilith grinned.

“So what we’re going to do... actually... tell your minions to leave the room.”

“Excuse me?”

“You don’t want them to hear my terms.”

The minor demons and minions looked at Vixen. She nodded and they all left her chambers. Vixen looked annoyed.

“You don’t get to boss me around in my own department, Shadow.”

“You’ll be glad they left. For Lilith to accept your minor demon position, you’re going to admit to the three of us that she’s your daughter...”

“Fine. She’s my daughter.”

“...and that Panic is her father.”

Vixen looked like an infuriated harpy.

“Get out.”

Lilith stepped up and continued to egg her on.

“What’s the matter, Mom? You can’t admit that the most beautiful daughter you have is the daughter of a minor demon?”

Vixen remained silent.

“Say it.”

No response.

“Say it.”

Still no response.

“Say it or I will leave with Shadow and Leech and I will never work in your department. Ever. That’s a lot of souls you’re going to lose out on...”

“Fine! Panic was an amazing lover and yes, he got me pregnant. Nine months later, you were born. If that ever leaves this room, I will personally kill all three of you.”

Lilith smiled, turned, and walked out of the room. Shadow and Leech followed.

––––––––

A
s they headed back to Dagon’s Bar, Leech trailed behind Lilith and Shadow with his head down. Lilith slowed her pace and put her arm around him.

“Look, Leech. I’m sorry. I know it’s been just as hard for you as it has for me. I shouldn’t keep making remarks about how useless you are and I shouldn’t have elbowed you in the face.”

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Leech didn’t respond.

“Are we alright then?”

“Sure. I’d rather be left alone with my thoughts though so if you could just...”

Leech removed her arm from his shoulder and started walking faster. Lilith ran to catch up. She tapped him on the shoulder.

“I said I was sorry. Why are you being such an asshole?”

“This isn’t about you, Lilith. Not everything is about you. I’m dealing with something that literally has NOTHING to do with you. We’re good. Now if you would just leave me alone for a while, I could try to get over what I’m dealing with. Okay?”

Shadow had stopped walking and turned to face them. They were so caught up in their conversation that they almost ran into him.

“Lilith, go get us a table at Dagon’s Bar. We’ll talk when I get there. I need to speak to Leech alone for a minute. I need him to run an errand before we go to Earth.”

Lilith rolled her eyes and walked off. Leech finally looked like he was going to explode at Shadow.

“Look, man. I understand what I said back in the trials wasn’t cool. I shouldn’t have said it but that doesn’t mean you get to just boss me around and treat me like a minion and your errand boy. If you think I’m a valuable member of the team, then you need to treat me like it!”

“Leech...”

“NO! Unless it’s important, I won’t be running errands for you. I’m not off to polish your armor. I’m not going to...”

“It’s important.”

Leech sighed and then lowered his voice.

“What is it?”

Shadow grinned.

“I need you to go to Baal and accept the minor demon role.”

Leech was shocked. He looked like he was going to fall over.

“I thought my punishment for being an ass was that I...”

“That’s not what that was. I just needed to see if I can trust you to follow me even over your own ambition. If I couldn’t trust you, you would have accepted the position when I told you not to and then just left. You didn’t do that. I’ve learned what I needed to about you and you can go accept your spot now.”

Leech did the one thing Shadow wasn’t expecting. He hugged him.

“I knew you wouldn’t make me go to Earth as a demon-in-training. Thanks, Shady.”

Shadow pushed him away.

“Alright now I have a quick errand that I need to run. I’ll head back to Dagon’s when I finish. I imagine Baal has a few things he needs to teach you after you accept the position.”

“What do you mean?”

“When you become a minor demon, the department usually transfers some powers to you. I’ve had mine for a long time now but yours will become a part of you today. Go and have fun. I’m interested in learning what Baal gifts you with.”

“Okay. I’ll meet the two of you back at Dagon’s when I have my minor demon powers.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

––––––––

W
hen Shadow entered Dagon’s bar, he saw Lilith at a table surrounded by her usual male groupies. She waved at him. When Shadow reached the table, he told Lilith’s groupies to get lost before he took his seat.

“Took you guys quite a while. What’s going on?”

“Leech is on his way to accept Baal’s minor demon position.”

“Aww, Shady. You do care.”

“God! You think since Leech calls me that that it’s okay?”

Lilith smiled and patted his hand.

“Yes. I think it’s a cute nickname. I also think it’s cute when he calls me Lily but don’t ever tell him I said that. I just think it’s adorable how badly he wants to belong. He wants us all to be tight with each other.”

Shadow slid a ring across the table at her. Lilith picked it up and looked at its dark red gem before putting it on her finger.

“Does this mean I’m your bitch? Did Leech get a ring too?”

“It’s your minor demon power, you idiot.”

“Oh really? Cool. I had no idea it came in a ring. What power did mommy grant me?”

“It’s a minor ring of mind control and suggestion. It won’t work on powerful demons.”

Lilith looked at her ring and then at Shadow.

“Punch yourself in the face.”

Shadow grinned back at her.

“That’s not very nice, Lilith. I haven’t used powers on you since the death pit.”

“So
that’s
how you did it. How many minor power rings do you have?”

Lilith grabbed Shadow’s right hand and attempted to pull the metal gauntlet off. Shadow stopped her.

“That’s a mystery you’re not meant to know yet. I do have a minor ring that counters powers of other minor rings when I touch them to it. Why do you think I was so eager to visit Vixen myself to get your ring? I’m now immune to your powers. It’s good to know that you’ll use them to be a complete asshole though.”

Lilith giggled.

“Oh come on. You needed a good punch in the face. I wasn’t being a
complete
asshole.”

Leech walked up and sat next to them and placed three beers on the table and a plate with the soul of some corrupted human. Lilith and Shadow both looked at him and saw that he was smiling wider than he ever had before.

“Baal gave me a little money to celebrate. He also gave me this.”

Leech took a ring out of his pocket. It had a dark green gem. He put it on his finger and touched Shadow’s face. Shadow could feel a searing pain and a small amount of his life force being drained before Leech removed his hand.

“Parasitic touch. I guess Baal wanted to match your power with your name. Can I see the ring?”

Leech handed the ring to Shadow. Shadow turned his back to both of them, removed his metal gauntlet, and touched the dark green gem to one of his own rings. He then placed his gauntlet back on his hand and handed the ring back to Leech.

“And... now it doesn’t work on me anymore.”

“Bullshit.”

Leech touched Shadow’s face again. Nothing happened.

“Well that’s pretty annoying. What power did little Lily get?”

Lilith looked directly in Leech’s eyes.

“Put your ring back on and kiss my hand.”

Leech did as he was told. A small jolt of pain shot up Lilith’s wrist.

“Ow! Is it weird that I like your parasitic touch? It’s kind of kinky.”

“Yes, Lily. You are all sorts of fucked up in the head. Shadow and I still like you though.”

“Leech, how many minor rings of power does Shadow have?”

Shadow smiled.

“He doesn’t know.”

“That’s not entirely true, Shady. I know you have at least three now.”

Shadow looked impressed.

“What three do you think I have?”

“One makes you immune to other minor rings of power. You just used that one so that our powers don’t work on you.”

“And the other two?”

“I’m guessing your ability to see through fog and smoke as if you were a part of it is due to a minor ring of power... and... that crazy shadowy, rage creature that you can become?”

“Not bad, Leech. I’m impressed with what you’ve figured out so far.”

Shadow removed his right gauntlet and revealed three rings. One had a black gem, one had a dark blue gem, and one had a grey gem. Lilith drained her beer and slammed it down on the table.

“How? How did you get three minor rings of power?”

“I received one from my uncle when I became a minor demon. This one.”

Shadow pointed at the black ring.

“And the other two?”

“I took them from the hands of two minor demons that I killed a long time ago.”

A
s Shadow, Lilith, and Leech made their way to Charon’s boat to cross the river Styx, Leech and Lilith continued to nag Shadow about the two minor demons he had killed. Lilith wrapped her arms around his left arm and did her best to look cute.

“Please?”

“No.”

Leech put his arm around his shoulder and tried a different approach.

“Come on bro. I’ve never seen you hold back when you have a cool fight to tell everyone about. Why are you trying to keep this such a secret?”

Shadow sighed.

“I hope the two of you realize what annoying assholes you are. I’ll tell you when we’re on the boat. Sit towards the back of the boat; I don’t want to be broadcasting this to everyone. Especially Charon. He reports directly to the Dragon.”

Lilith beamed at him.

“I love a good story with bloodshed.”

Leech looked at her like she was the strangest creature he had ever seen.

“Lily, you frighten me on so many levels.”

“Touch my arm.”

Leech obeyed and a small jolt of pain shot up Lilith’s arm. She jumped and then purred like a kitten.

“It’s also creepy that you keep doing that. Stop using your powers on me.”

“Every time I do it, you use your powers on me.”

“Because you
make
me. You’re enjoying it too much. It’s creepy.”

Shadow grinned at the two of them.

“You two need to get a room. I can lend you my cloak so you can make out when we’re on the boat. No one will see you and I won’t tell anyone.”

“You’re just saying that so we won’t keep bugging you about the minor demons that you...”