15. Bast

I smelled her the second she entered the building. It's torture and bliss, all wrapped up into the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in any realm, and I've been alive a long ass time.

If only I could say more than a few words to her before I started to lose control.

I've never been good with people. Mortals, demons, angels, half-breeds—it doesn't matter what you qualify ‘people' as; I can't handle them. I prefer the souls I'm in charge of, books, and even ‘mortal junk,' as Kai so nicely refers to it. My brothers are the only exception to that, and even they can be a bit much at times. And not all my brothers, only Asta, Kai, and Talian. I don't give a shit how it's supposed to be. All demons are born from Lucifer…no thank you.

That can be true in terms of our existence being stemmed from him, but to say we're all related is not only strange but disgusting.

I have no more ties to the mortals here on Earth than I do half of the other demons down in hell, and I'd love to keep it that way. Lucifer might be our ‘king,' but Asta is the only person I answer to. Years of serving under him showed me the type of demon he is, and that's worthy of my loyalty.

Kai and Talian can say they stay with him because he's strong and grants them safety, but even I can see through their lies. Just like me, they stay because Asta, despite his faults, is worth following, unlike most who are only after their own gain. Demons, after all, are very self-serving; it's in our nature. We kill, torture, and make those who deserve it suffer. Hell, sometimes, we don't even care if it's deserved or not.

But demons answer to the Devils of each ring, who answer to Lucifer, and while Asta might no longer hold the title of Devil, Lucifer still treats him as if he's one of his favorites.

Probably because he is.

It really pisses off the other Devils, but it's also how we got this mission topside, something I was not looking forward to in the beginning, but now…Well, I can't say I hate it anymore.

I stay in my room, listening as she comes out of the elevator. I'm so deep in thought it takes me a moment to realize something isn't right.

"Shit."

Even with that one word, I can hear the slight slur, and I know she's been drinking. I'm no stranger to seeing that with so many mortals down at Purgatory, but for some reason, it seems strange for her. I don't know for sure what makes mortals turn to alcohol, but from what I'd seen, I thought it was tragedy. Failed relationships, losing a family member, not enough money, debt, or addiction.

The thought of any of these issues being something Aeri is dealing with has me up and out of my room before I can think about it. I don't know what I can do or say that might help her, but for some reason I can't explain; I want to try.

The second I walk out of my room, I stop dead. The sight before me is so strange I wonder if maybe I'm the one who's drunk.

If only demons could so easily run from reality the way mortals do.

"Stop fucking gawking and help me," Kai snaps. Usually, I would turn back around and go back to my room or flip him off on my way past him.

This just so happens to be one of the only times where I'd listen to his bullshit demand because, while I might have been a bit shocked for a moment, I would have offered help regardless of what he said.

I move down the hall around him, pausing in front of her door. I haven't been in her room since it became hers; as far as I know, none of us have.

"I swear to fuck, Bast. Either open the door or move so I can kick the damn thing down before I drop her," Kai growls behind me, and that's enough to get me moving. I don't exactly want to intrude on her privacy, but I also don't want him to break her door down or drop her on the floor, and I have no doubt he will do exactly that.

Shit. With a huff, I turn the knob and push her door open before quickly stepping back out into the hall to let Kai through. I'd intended to watch from the hall, see that he got her into bed, and then head back to my room.

Kai apparently has other plans, though. He reaches out, his hand fisting my shirt and pulling me dangerously close to Aeri, who until two seconds ago, I'd thought was out cold.

She's not.

"Hey, Bast," she says with a smile that's so wide and genuine, I can't help but admire how beautiful she is like this. I mean, she's always beautiful, but right now she seems so at peace; gone is her usual timidness, and the worry she often has around the apartment. "You're so pretty," she whispers before dissolving into a fit of giggles that has Kai growling.

"She's drunk, don't let anything she says affect you. She doesn't mean it," Kai growls as we move further into her room, and he drops her on the bed.

I want to argue that I didn't care what she said, but I'm honestly not sure I could get a word out right now without losing control. Something about this mortal has me on edge in a way I've never felt before.

No, better to stay quiet.

"Boo! Why are you always so mean, Kai? Who pissed in your Cheerios?" she says, rolling toward the edge of the bed to look up at him with a pout. "You know you'd be pretty too if you weren't so damn sour."

I watch Kai for any sign of a reaction but see nothing. I can't say I'm surprised, though, he's great at hiding his emotions. The only ones who can ever get a good read on him are Asta and Ruin; how the fuck he's even still friends with Ruin, I'll never understand.

Whatever, I don't need to see a reaction to know her words had an effect on him. How could they not? Kai is an asshole; he knows it; we know it.

But he's not really. If he were, then he wouldn't be the only one still friends with Ruin after all these years. No, Kai wants everyone to think he's an asshole, and he does a pretty good job playing the part, but I call bullshit.

Not that I would ever say that to his face.

"She's fucking smashed, with a little bit of sleep, I'm sure she won't even remember this." With that, Kai turns and leaves. It only takes me a second to realize he left me in here with her…alone.

"Damn it, Kai," I growl under my breath as I move to follow him. I mean, honestly, why even drag me in here if he just planned to dip out like that?

Maybe he is just an asshole for no reason.

Aeri, thankfully, is more or less almost asleep and doesn't so much as seem to realize I'm still in the room. It gives me the smallest bit of courage to stop at the door and look back at her.

I'd been to the club once since finding out Lea got Aeri the job there. Honestly, Asta should have expected something like that with her; after all their years of ‘friendship,' this is right up her alley. Unfortunately, whether she did it to mess with him or not, I think she likes her now, or at least they seemed close.

And by all the sins, Aeri had looked amazing at the club.

I know it was Lea's doing. There's no way Aeri could have gone undetected for so long if not for her help. Between Asta's aura and a little of Lea's illusions, nobody at the club is a high enough rank to see through to what Aeri really is, just an ordinary human.

It's strange really, how she can be so enticing either way.

My domain might be the ring of Lust, but I'm far from lustful myself. No, after a few millennia, it kind of loses its appeal. Everything is the same, and despite not being as strong as someone like Asta, well, it doesn't stop those who try to use you for their own gain.

But not Aeri, and for some reason I can't understand, I can't stop myself from feeling drawn to her in a way I've never felt before.

And it's not just lust.

Though speaking of. Unable to stop myself, I take a deep breath.

Smelling lust on Aeri isn't uncommon, especially with her working at Purgatory, but usually it's others left over lust.

I've smelt her lust, it's impossible to miss, but that's usually when she's here in her room or fresh out of the shower in the morning.

I know I've got no right to pry into what she does, and most of the time, I don't do it on purpose. She's an adult by mortal standards and is well beyond able to do what or who she wants. Even if the idea of that makes my fangs cut into my lip, right now, she's vulnerable. Mortals are already so easy to manipulate and control; add in a little alcohol, and well, it's even easier.

Despite all of that, the thing that really makes me stop is that I know this scent.

Dantalian.