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“Bax,” I reply.
Her throat moves, the only indication she isn’t as unaffected as she’s putting forward. When she straightens her glasses and points her gaze away from me, I know she’s just summoned some more bravery from the depths of her being, a reservoir deeper than the River Styx. “I’ll reiterate…”
I plaster on a patient smile. “Of course, dear Elara. I’m all ears.”
“The current sorting process is a nightmare. Too many bottlenecks,” Elara clears her throat and continues. “We need to streamline intake, implement better tracking, and distribute cases more evenly among clerks.”
She taps her diabolical organizational chart with a manicured nail. “See here?” She leans in. Cursed musk filling my nostrils with the scent of Aboveworld flowers. A heat that has nothing to do with hellfire blooms in my groin.
Lucifer…my, my how devious.
Time and time again, he shows us just how he’s come to earn his title as Lord of this domain. This Elara presents a new type of torment none of us hellborn would have even expected. Pure temptation wrapped in a neat little bow of righteousness, right here in the Underworld.
“We consolidate the Limbo overflow units and reassign those demons to backlog triage,” she continues. “Add a few automated torture machines to free up manpower elsewhere.”
I’m loath to compliment her, but through gritted teeth, I reply, “Your grasp of our systems is surprisingly adept for a mortal.”
Her eyes glint with righteous victory. Insufferable. “Well, I aim to please.”
“Oh, do you?” Despite myself, my gaze heats. What can I say? It’s in my nature.
The barest hint of rouge graces her pale skin before she pointedly takes a fresh set of files from the stack she brought in. “Shall we move on to phase two improvements?”
And just when I thought we were about to abandon this farce of a meeting and move on to other morepleasingtopics.
“By all means,” I force out politely. “Dazzle me.”
This mortal seems to have made it her mission to be an irritation in my existence. My gaze narrows on the small little thing some more, my jaws aching from repressing my fangs.
I try to tune her out again as she prattles on about optimization and productivity goals or whatever nonsense she’s peddling. But despite my best efforts, her proposed changes continue to infiltrate my mind. As much as I hate to admit it, many of her ideas have merit. Streamlining the soul-sorting process and implementing automated torture devices would free up more minions for important work, like groveling at my feet.
I tune back in just as Elara finishes explaining the final stage of her overhaul proposals. Her eyes gleam as she regards me. “Well, what do you think, Mr. Daemonus?”
What do I think? I think it’s time she returned Aboveworld.
I force a tight smile, fangs glinting. “Elara, angel, your proposals are as likely to be implemented as I am to sprout angel wings and sing hymns. And trust me, neither is happening.”
Her face falls.
Excellent.
ChapterFour
Elara
My face falls as Bax dismisses my proposals with a wave of his clawed hand.
“Elara, angel, your proposals are as likely to be implemented as I am to sprout angel wings and sing hymns. And trust me, neither is happening.”
His razor-sharp fangs glint as he gives me a tight smile. It’s like staring into the jaws of a predator, only this one is wrapped in a surprisingly handsome package. I can’t help but feel the tingle of danger—and something else—thread its way up my spine.
I take a deep breath and remind myself I didn’t expect reforming centuries of bureaucratic corruption to be easy. I also didn’t descend into the bowels of hell to flirt with a dangerously attractive archdemon. “Mr. Daemonus, I—”
“Bax,” he growls, and I swear the vibration skitters along my skin.
I swallow hard. “Bax, I understand change can be uncomfortable. But ignoring inefficiencies helps no one.”
He snorts, a puff of sulfur escaping his nostrils. “So eager to baptize the underworld with your ‘modern’ touch. Let me enlighten you.”
