Of Light And Shadows

Chapter Thirty...

"He got banged up again?" Beelzebub was looking between Mammon and Belphegor with disbelief. They nodded. "What did he do this time?"

"Lucifer took me to see my Vampire friend and he attacked me." Jia held up the arm that was in the brace. Asmodeus saw it and came floating over, taking her hand gently in both of his.

"Oh my darling, what happened to you? How could anybody hurt anything so delicate and beautiful?" He looked at her from beneath his long eyelashes with a smouldering smile.

"Knock it off, asshat," Mammon warned as she blinked dizzily. "Just because Lucifer isn't here doesn't mean you can do whatever you want with Jia." Asmodeus rolled his eyes and Jia felt the release in her mind as his charm let her go free.

"You never let me have any fun," he pouted.

"You can have fun with somebody else," Bell warned. Asmodeus held his hands up to show he meant no harm.

"Don't worry Jia. I won't let Asmo seduce you," Bee grinned, dropping a large hand onto her shoulder. "If he tries I'll eat him."

"And we'll let you," Mammon agreed.

"How unpleasant," Asmodeus replied, wrinkling his perfect nose. "You boys just love spoiling my good mood don't you?"

"No, we like protecting our family from your creepy advances," Mammon muttered. "Beat it Asmo. Running this place without Luce is hard enough. We don't need you making more problems." Asmodeus rolled his eyes again and sauntered off, winking at Jia as he left. Bee shook his head sadly.

"He never learns."

"He's the Demon of lust," she shrugged. "It's in his nature."

"That doesn't mean he has to get all creepy," Mammon muttered. "He could just be nice and get to know you."

"Do you really think Lucifer would ever let him get to know her?" Belphegor asked, arching an eyebrow. Jia blushed.

"Good point." Mammon shot her a smug grin. "When are you and him finally gonna admit that you like each other?" he asked. Her eyes widened as her cheeks grew hotter.

"Shut up," Bell muttered, elbowing him. "You're embarrassing her."

"I'm not embarrassing you am I, shortstack?"

"Yes," she mumbled.

"See? Stop being an ass," Bell scolded. Beelzebub chuckled and took a bite of the chocolate bar in his hand, watching the pair bicker for a moment

"You know," he said when he finished his mouthful. "You could choose to stay here now that we know you're half Demon. Technically Lucifer can marry whoever he wants until Satan orders him into an arrangement. If he takes you as a bride his father can't punish him for it."

"You're talking about getting married?" she asked, almost choking.

"What's so bad about it? You get to stay here and he doesn't have to marry the harpy his father likes. Everybody wins." Bee shrugged like it was the most normal thing in the world. She envied his simplistic view of life even as the thought made her throat close up.

"What if I don't want to get married?"

"I'm not saying you have to. I'm just saying it wouldn't be so bad." He smiled and followed after Asmodeus, leaving her staring as Mammon and Bell continued to argue. She'd only come down to get Lucifer something to eat while he was on bed rest. She hadn't expected to be bombarded by the Demons. She shook her head in disbelief and carried on with her task.

She grabbed a cup of Louie's favourite tea and some sandwiches, waving to Bell and Mammon before heading back upstairs. They broke off from their argument to smile at her before going right back to it. She frowned as she ascended the stairs to the second floor, thinking of how Bee had so innocently and sincerely discussed something so major. Sure, she'd love to get married at some point, but she'd always thought of it like a far off pipe dream.