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AIDA
The doorswung shut behind me, darkening the atmosphere once more. The sticky sourness of beer hung in the air, complimented by pungent sweat. Only scum occupied places like this, which was exactly why I was here. I thrived on scum; they were my bread and butter.
But days like today were the best kind of days. I loved collection days.
My eyes scanned the darkened room as I found who I was looking for, a cruel smile spreading across my face. My heels clicked across the old linoleum as I walked to the bar. It was sticky, too. I could tell without even touching it. Everything about this place had the slight sheen of a layer that could never be wiped away despite even the most top-of-the-line products.
He didn’t turn as I reached him, and I gave the stool next to me a dreary look before waving my hand, turning it into a cushioned, low-back stool. It stuck out like a sore thumb in a place like this, but frankly, so did I. So, did it matter?
Next, I waved my hand over the bar top, turning the old, worn, and dirty wood back to pristine condition before setting my purse on top. The bartender looked at me before looking at the bar top in surprise. However, the man I was here for wasn’t as distracted as he turned to look at me.
“Hey,” he said, offering me a smile he likely thought was charming. He reached out a hand to wave the bartender over. “Can I buy you a drink, beautiful?”
Reaching out, I set my hand on his wrist, pulling his hand back. “Oh no, Kenneth, we don’t have time for a drink.”
He yanked his hand out from under my palm like I was made of lava, his eyes widening as he took me in properly.
“That’s … It’s not …”
“Possible?” I laughed. “Was anything we indulged in truly possible? Or is this the only thing you have difficulty wrapping your small mind around?”
He scowled at me, turning completely. “Of course not, it’s just … well, you’ve gotten older.”
My eyes scanned him. Receding hairline, baggy suit, pockmarks, and he definitely hadn’t showered in some time. “And you’ve become a loser.” I offered a smile before changing my mind about the drink. If we were going to converse before the inevitable, I needed a drink for this.
I couldn’t be bothered to wave for the bartender, so I waved, and a glass of wine appeared beside my bag. A vintage from an old family collection, definitely not something a place like this would have.
Lifting the glass to my lips, I sipped slowly and savored the sample before swallowing. Kenneth watched everything I was doing, a leery expression on his face. Not that I could blame him. He knew what I was—what I did.
Last time I came to him, I had been younger. When my father’s entity was freed from that silly gun, he brought us back from Hell and set my brothers and sisters into the bodies of the De Luca family. There weren’t enough children to fit us all, so, being the youngest, I’d been forced into a child’s body.
Despite being a demon, we weren’t depraved enough to prey on children, so I had my work cut out for me, looking like a five-year-old. After a couple hard-fought deals, Kenneth’s being one, I aged up in my body. No wonder he hadn’t taken me seriously. Poor bastard didn’t realize the true extent of what he was getting into by taking a deal with a child-demon.
Our eyes held one another as I sipped the wine, waiting for him to say whatever was on his mind. They usually begged or pleaded, so I expected an offer. Not that he’d get it. His soul was signed, sealed, and about to be delivered. There was nothing else he could offerme.
“What are you doing here?”
“Do you not realize what day it is?”
He looked around, and his eyes flicked back to mine as he shrugged. “Honestly, I haven’t checked my phone in a while. I cracked the screen yesterday.” His face twisted into a frown as he fell into deep thought.
I was getting bored. This wasn’t nearly as fun as I’d hoped it would be. I drained the drink dry and slipped off my stool as he spoke again.
“I’ve been having a string of bad luck lately.”
“I’m not surprised,” I said, failing to keep the boredom out of my voice as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the date. He repeated it to himself a couple times like he was processing it. Finally, he turned to look at me, our eyes locking again, and I lifted an eyebrow.
“So that’s why I’ve been having bad luck lately.”
I reached out, taking his drink and draining that as well before I smiled. “I came by to let you know my hounds will be coming for you tonight. So, if there’s any last-minute business you need to attend, I suggest you unpeel yourself from this bar and settle it. The clock is ticking.”
I tapped my smart watch and collected my purse before making my way back to the door. It took his slow brain time to figure out what was happening, but by the time I reached for the door, he’d managed to scramble to his feet and rushed toward me as I pushed the door open and stepped onto the street.
“Please, let’s make another deal. I can … I can …” He floundered, looking for something to give me, but we both knew he would come up short. There was only one thing I was interested in, and he couldn’t offer that to me a second time.
In the distance, a wolf howled, but we were in the middle of downtown Chicago. We both knew what it truly was.
A cold smile spread across my face as I turned to look at Kenneth.
