Chapter Fifteen
“The month is up. What’s the verdict?” Azrael slipped onto the barstool and motioned for Harley to get him a drink.
“It doesn’t work that way, Az. He’s not supposed to make a decision until he has a chance to get to know all seven girls.” Harley filled a glass with the expensive whiskey Az liked and slid it toward him.
“I don’t need six more girls to know that Ronnie Falcon isn’t the one. Don’t get me wrong, she is a great girl, and we had a lot of fun together, but there’s no love connection there.” Luc finished his own drink and pushed his glass at Harley for a refill. “At least not that this point in her life.”
“I have to say, you really surprised me with this one, Lucifer,” Az said. “The way you took care of that girl and helped out those kids, it was sweet, but it worries me. I think you might be losing a bit of your edge with this whole looking for love thing.”
Luc snapped his fingers and Az started choking and gasping for air. Harley snorted, enjoying Az without his typical smirk and arrogant attitude before Luc released him. It felt good to use his powers again without hiding it from Harley.
“Not funny, Lucifer.”
“Actually, it was hilarious.” Harley poured both men another drink and pushed each in their directions.
“Pretty sure I still have my edge, Azrael. You think that because I want love in my life that I am weak, or soft, unable to be the king of the underworld? But I think that being like you, roaming aimlessly, from bed to bed, never having anything real in my life, is what will lead to all of that.” Luc took a long pull off his drink and put the glass on the bar.
“I’m not against you, brother. Father may have issues with you, but I have always been on your side. We may not agree on how some things should be handled, but I would never argue that you aren’t perfect for your place in Hell.” Az’s eyes dropped in apology.
“Yeah, well dad can be a bit of an ass sometimes.” Luc draped his arm over Azrael and gave him a squeeze. Az really was his favorite brother.
“Okay boys, if you two are done professing your love for one another, how about we get started on picking the next sin?” Harley whipped a bar towel across each of their heads, then used it to wipe up the whiskey that spilled when she’d poured their last drinks.
“I still say we introduce him to Patience,” Az said. “She is an amazing girl… and damn, what a body.”
“I’m not dating a girl named Patience. I don’t care how hot she is.”
Harley rolled her eyes. “Sin first, guys. What about lust?”
“Too predictable,” Az said. “How about gluttony? I want to see Lucifer paired up with one of those girls who participate in hot dog eating contests. Oh! Like the one in Coney Island. I love hot dogs. We could go out there for a vacation and check out the locals.”
“You’re a little too excited for this, Az. And no. I’m not interested in a chick with wiener breath.” Luc curled up his lip and imagined the kind of girls he might find at a hot dog eating contest.
“Okay, I sort of agree with Az on this one, Luc. I think gluttony is a good choice, though seriously, no hot dog girl. I’m going to have to give this one some thought.”
“Fine, gluttony it is. But you both realize that gluttony isn’t just about eating. It refers to an overindulgence in either food or drink, and can technically include any number of excesses. So a horny little alcoholic also qualifies.” Luc took a gulp off his drink and motioned for another refill.
“Then you two should get along great,” Harley said with a raised eyebrow as she poured what was probably Luc’s tenth drink of the evening.
“I’m the king of Hell. I get to break all the rules.”
“You always were a rebel.” Az snorted.
“Yes well, that’s why Dad tossed me out of Heaven.”
Az shrugged. “You aren’t missing much. Everything is all perfect and paradisical, wait, is that a word? Paradisey? Whatever.” Az finished off his drink and turned the glass over. He never could handle his booze as much as he thought he could. Though to be fair, he had probably drank his weight in alcohol in the last hour. “But, it’s just so boring. I mean, what are you supposed to do up there if you can’t be angry, lazy, prideful, greedy, gluttonous, envious, or lustful? Especially lustful… I mean, what is with that?”
Luc slapped Az on the back. “It’s okay brother. You can always come down here and get your fill. Father doesn’t need to know what you’re up to. And if you ever want to get really crazy, come visit me in Hell.”
“Like you’re ever there lately,” Harley pursed her lips and raised her brow.
“I’m there at least once a week. What do I have minions for, if I can’t delegate when I need to?”
“How about to keep the locals in their place?”
“I get it, Harley. You are worried about an uprising. But I’m not. I have things under control. You’re going to have to trust me. You know, the way you’ve asked me to trust you with this game?”
Harley sighed and nodded. “You’re right. I do trust you.”
“So, gluttony… when do we get to see the pick?” Az swayed on the barstool and stumbled to his feet. “Maybe I need to come up with some picks too. You didn’t do so great with wrath. I bet I could come up with a better girl.”
“You need to just worry about walking right now, Az. Why don’t you go lay down in back.” Luc put a hand on Az’s shoulder to steady him before he ended up face first on his clean floor.
Az eyed the redhead from a couple weeks ago across the bar and smiled. “I think I’ll do just that.” He stumbled over to the girl and whispered something in her ear to make her laugh.
Probably that he was an angel, or a sex god, or something like that.
After a few moments, she got up and followed him in back, no secret what she had on her mind.
“How does he do that?” Harley shook her head and turned back to Luc.
“Get girls to agree to sleep with him in less than five minutes?”
“No, get them to act like it was all their idea to begin with.”
“It’s an archangel thing.” Luc smiled. “So, gluttony, huh? Should I be worried about this?”
“I’m not going to pick a competitive eater,” Harley deadpanned.
“That’s not what I meant. I mean, thank you for that, but still.”
“If you don’t trust me, we can amend the game to include a second girl, one of Azrael’s choosing. I think it’s a mistake, but if that’s what you want?”
“No one knows me better than you, Harley. And Ronnie was a great girl, she really was. Maybe she wasn’t right for me, but not because I couldn’t fall for someone like her. I think I could, but it just wasn’t the right timing for her and me.”
“Well that’s why you get seven chances.” Harley smiled. “We’ll find the right one for you.”
“Or Cupid gets called in.” Luc rolled his eyes. “I can’t stand that ball sac. He’s such an egotistical piece of shit. I think I might rather be alone forever.”
“We won’t have to call in Cupid. Though I did forget to tell you, he even called me a couple days ago. He said he just wanted to check in, see how everyone was, but I wasn’t buying it. I don’t trust that little prick.”
“Neither do I.”
Though Cupid wasn’t little, in any sense of the word. Lucifer was the one who spread around the rumors that Cupid was a diaper-clad baby, flying around shooting arrows into people’s asses to force them into love. None of that was true, but Luc didn’t like him.
Cupid was from a time when higher humans, or lower angels as they preferred to be called, liked to refer to themselves as Gods. Father put up with them for a time, allowing them to rule over the lesser humans, basically, the humans around today, until they caused too much havoc. After that, they were banished from Earth and normal human existence. Though some were allowed to keep their jobs and remain attached to the Earthly realm. Cupid was one that was allowed to stay.
He shouldn’t have been.
Cupid was a trouble maker. It didn’t matter that Luc’s own rumor, one that should have brought mockery, turned out to be good for the bastard. Somehow, he spun it into him being a sweet cherub, a god of desire, who brings together two fated souls for true love. They even made a damn holiday around the idiot. If anyone deserved a holiday, it was Luc, not Cupid.
Luc was pretty sure Cupid was responsible for the rumors that he looked like some sort of human-goat hybrid, with horns, tail, and hoofed feet. He probably didn’t intend that it would up Luc’s street cred by making the humans fearful of him. Even if he found the hideous depiction distasteful, Luc allowed the rumors to grow. At least it kept a few of them from choosing the wrong path and ending up on his chopping block for punishment.
Despite the hype, Lucifer wasn’t all bad.
The last few weeks had proved that.
“You still with me?” Harley waved a hand in front of Luc’s face and whistled. “Hello?”
“Yeah. I’m here.” Luc downed the last of his whiskey and let the glass slam down on the bar a little harder than necessary. “If Cupid calls back, give him my private cell. The slimy bastard can deal with me directly, rather than trying to pump you for information.” Cupid had stopped calling him after the whole alley video thing, but Luc wouldn’t ignore his next call.
“Whatever you say, boss.” Harley rolled her eyes, but didn't comment. Luc knew she wasn't as convinced about Cupid.
“Now, go get started on Miss Gluttony. I’m ready for a new month to begin.”
“Just let me clarify first, Coney Island is out, right?”
“Not funny, Harley. If this chick has even a hint of hot dog breath, I’m calling the game.”
“Fine. No hot dogs. How do you feel about birthday cake? I hear Palm Beach has a competition there that—”
“No competitive eaters, at all.” Luc pressed his lips together and wondered what he’d gotten himself into with this game. Patience was looking better all the time.
“Fine.” Harley dragged the word out dramatically and huffed. “No competitive eaters. To be serious for a moment though, I know this is a game, and we are doing it for fun, but I do hope you will find someone you can truly care about. I’m getting sick of seeing you moping around.”
It was as close as Harley could get to saying she cared about Luc and wanted to see him happy. He would take it.
“I love you too, Harley Saxon.” Luc smiled and turned to look over his bar. It was late, so the place was nearly empty. The quiet time, just before closing, was when Luc liked it best. The day was over, and anything that was going to happen, probably had. It was the time where the only things that lay ahead were possibilities.
And his next possibility?
True love.