Anael had always been curious about the Underworld, especially as it was so different from Head Office where he spent most of his time when he wasn’t on earth. He’d only been there once before, when he thought he was helping Botis and Raziel. During that visit, he’d only caught a glimpse of the fascinating shapes and sizes of various demons before Lucifer insisted they stay in his office. This time was no better. With Zagan and Lucifer flanking him, they arrived in the foyer of the main administration building which was Lucifer’s main base of operations. Anael barely had time to smile at Carmine before he was whisked into the familiar room.

Given his position, it was no surprise Lucifer’s office walls were black. Same with the floor and the ceiling. The only light came from an office lamp, and the red glow from the fireplace, and a matching one in the window that looked out over the fire pits. Despite the dark color, Anael would swear the walls themselves were breathing, responding to their master’s return. Anael longed to reach out and touch them, but Zagan led him to a couch, and sat like a Doberman guarding his side as they waited for the potential bride to turn up. She didn’t seem to have a problem keeping people waiting and when the door finally opened, the reason for her delay was obvious. It would have taken her half an hour to get into that dress.

“My Lord Lucifer,” Lady Zoltus purred as she swept into a stunning curtsy amid mountains of black lace flounces and flashes of skin. “You honor me, presiding over my wedding yourself.” Her long auburn hair cascaded around her head in a mass of elaborate curls. Her flawless skin was lightly made up, although Anael found the red slash of her hard mouth disconcerting. However, it wasn’t as though she wanted to marry him, so he wasn’t sure why he was bothered by her appearance.

“Your wedding, yes.” Lucifer shifted some papers around on his desk before pulling up an official looking form. “Hmmm,” he added as he quickly scanned the document. “I see indeed the date listed for the wedding is today, yet Carmine hasn’t listed the ceremony on my appointment calendar.”

Lady Zoltus’s laugh was akin to breaking glass. “It’s so hard to get good help these days, even for you, our exalted leader. But the groom is here, I’ve spent hours getting myself ready. Can’t you simply perform the ceremony now?”

Anael noticed she didn’t look at her groom at all. Zagan’s fury was wafting off him like waves and Anael guessed the only reason he was silent was because this was Lucifer’s show. But Anael’s quick eyes noticed something else; a curious something given the lady’s finery and desire to marry quickly. She was already connected to someone else, not in the room. He quickly tuned into Lucifer again, staying silent for now.

“I could conduct the service I suppose.” Lucifer’s voice was too casual. “There’s only one problem. The form’s not complete.”

“Indeed, it is.” Lady Zoltus glided forward, tugging the paper from Lucifer’s hand. “See, I filled in all the sections myself.”

“You did,” Lucifer agreed, snatching the document back. “But it’s missing King Zagan’s signature. As one of the ranking demons in our world, I can hardly order him to marry you, now can I?” Anael wanted to grin at that, because all his information about the plucky leader of the underworld said he could and would do that if he wanted to.

“A technicality that’s easily fixed,” Lady Zoltus said smoothly. “I am, after all, simply trying to make you happy, my Prince. Your pleasure over Botis’s mating with that scruffy angel has all the lords and ladies in your realm working out how to please you with matings of our own. Consider this a small gift for you.”

“How positively wonderful of you.” Lucifer’s tone suggested it was anything but. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his feet on the desk. “Tell me, King Zagan, what do you think of the Lady’s plan?”

“Do you want the short or the long version, boss?”

“Short will do.” Lucifer waved his hands. “I hardly need to hear all the details.”

“I won’t marry her.”

“Fine. Problem solved. Thank you for your time, Lady Zoltus, but there will be no wedding today.” Lucifer screwed up the application form he was holding and with a well-aimed shot, threw it into the fire.

“You can’t do that!” Lady Zoltus showed her status as a fire demon, plucking the form from the flames and smoothing the wrinkled and charred edges. The flames rippling along her curls were another clue. “This form is legal. I filled in all the details required. According to our laws, only one party need sign a form for it to be binding. I demand my wedding.”

“Remind me to tell Carmine that law needs to be changed,” Lucifer turned, including Anael and Zagan for the first time. “Honestly, back in the day when slaves were common the law worked, and I thought I’d revamped all of our traditions before now. But with so much to do I guess that one slipped through the cracks.”

“Something Zoltus took advantage of, boss,” Zagan noted.

“Yes, I did,” Lady Zoltus seized on that triumphantly. “And in accordance with our traditions it is within my rights to secure a reward for besting you and your laws. I demand you marry me to Zagan.”

“Isn’t that hard to do when you’re already married?” Anael felt the situation needed a timely intervention. “Or is bigamy acceptable in Hell? Of course, if it’s a polygamous relationship you’re after, then where is the other party? Surely he or she should have a say too? Has Zagan even met this other person?”

“Who are you to speak in the great Lucifer’s presence?” Lady Zoltus’s scornful face would whither a lesser man. “Aren’t you just here as our Lord’s floor lamp? Those wings of yours make my head ache. My Prince, please stash him back in the cupboard where you got him from. I fear it’s hard to think when his annoying light fills the office.”

Zagan growled and leapt to his feet. Anael hung onto his arm, unwilling to see anyone hurt even though he knew the Lady was asking for it. But a simple wave of Lucifer’s hand stopped the impending carnage.

“King Zagan, sit down. Lady Zoltus, sit there.” A chair appeared behind the lady and she fell into it, the puff of her skirts almost hiding her face. “Anael, I must apologize for her rudeness. Your wings are positively beautiful. I was aware you see connections between lovers. You can see one for the Lady and it’s not with Zagan or me?”

“The person she’s connected to is not in the room. The colors of her bonds indicate she’s already married. Wasn’t it on the form?”

“I am a widow, these past two hundred years.” Lady Zoltus laid a hand over her eyes, careful not to muss her makeup.

“Your spouse is alive and well,” Anael replied. “The colors don’t lie.”

“Who are you going to believe?” Any pretense at grief forgotten, Lady Zoltus was on her feet again. Hand on hips, she raged at Lucifer. “Are you going to listen to a two-bit light source from Head Office, or one of your own? You know those upstairs are always trying to screw with us. I don’t even know why you’ve got him down here except for your own personal amusement. They manipulate us, telling us that humans have a right to their own lives and free will. That’s just shit, and you know it.”

“We shouldn’t have to live under any rules.” Wow, Lady Zoltus was on a roll now. “We’re proud demons. Chaos and mayhem follow in our wake. We were born to rule over those weaklings who toddle around earth as though they own it. With that Archangel Gabriel out of the way, there is no one to stop us. By this afternoon, with Zagan’s armies under my control, we will take Seattle, but that’s just the start.” Lady Zoltus stared at Lucifer, the light of fanaticism shining in her eyes. “From there, we can take Washington state. In a year’s time the whole of the United States will be under our rule. In five years’ time we’ll have covered the world and you my Prince will rule it all. That is my gift to you. My vision for our future. All I need is control of Zagan’s armies.”

“You see what I have to put up with,” Lucifer said to Anael, ignoring the fuming lady completely. “This sort of crap happens at least once a month. Someone gets tired of having everything they could ever want in hell and decides they want to own everything on earth as well. None of them understand the laws between the realms are there for a reason. None of them get the idea of balance and how important it is.”

“It can’t be easy being you. You’re doing an excellent job,” Anael smiled. He had to. Lucifer looked so disappointed in the behavior of his demons. In the meantime, Lady Zoltus was working up a right head of steam. Zagan rumbled a warning beside him and Anael patted his thick thigh to let him know he wasn’t forgotten.

Lucifer sighed. “You’ve just ruined my entire afternoon, Zoltus. Tell me, Anael, if I remove her from existence, will the one she’s connected to suffer?”

“It’s hard to know without knowing who she’s married to,” Anael considered the question carefully. As much as he didn’t want to see the demise of anyone if he could help it, he understood the threat Zoltus was to Lucifer and his mating. For a moment, he wished he was as strong as Raziel or Uriel and able to protect his mate from Zoltus’s evil plans. But he couldn’t, and he wasn’t silly enough to even try. If something happened to him, he didn’t want to think what would happen to Zagan or the mating plan so necessary to all realms survival.

“For some species,” he continued slowly, “the tearing of a bond can cause instant death. For others, death comes more slowly as they pine away. A human would probably be shattered and take their own life. If she’s married another demon, I imagine he or she will survive but they won’t be happy about it, which could lead to more threats on you and Zagan.”

“I can take care of myself.” Zagan didn’t sound happy and Anael was starting to feel overwhelmed. All the pleasure he felt at being in Zagan’s arms the night before was now tarnished by the auburn-haired harpy and Lucifer’s disappointment.

“It’s your decision, Lucifer,” Anael said, suddenly longing to be anywhere but where he was. “I can trace the person using their connection, but ultimately their fate is up to you.”

“Are you all right?” Anael’s face was gently turned in Zagan’s direction.

“All this talk of death and destruction is difficult for me. Other angels seem to handle it well enough, but I’m a lot younger and it’s wearing on my powers to be in a room filled with so much hate. I’m sorry.”

“You can see those connections, too? The hate ones?”

“Oh yeah,” Anael shook his head as it started to swim. “That one,” he pointed at Zoltus who was watching the scene in disbelief. “She hates everyone except the one she is married to, including Lucifer and you. Her marriage link is the only one with any light in it at all.”

Zagan stood and Anael had a head rush as he was plucked off the couch and swept up into his mate’s arms. “My angel needs rest,” Zagan said to Lucifer firmly. “He can trace that bitch’s spouse when he’s feeling better.”

“Good idea.” Lucifer’s face was a mask, but Anael could feel the sadness emanating from him. “I’ll keep her under lock and key until you contact me again.”

Anael wanted to say he would do it now; anything so that he didn’t have to face a being with so much hate in her soul again. But after pining for Zagan for over a week, the few hours they spent in each other’s arms wasn’t enough to boost his powers to full capacity. He snuggled against Zagan’s chest as the man strode out of the office.