Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Swirling the ruby red wine dancing within my glass, I lifted my gaze to Buer, who sat at the head of the table.

"Try it," He said, lifting his to his lips. "Unlike Belphigor, I wouldn't offer you fetus blood to feast upon."

"How considerate," I sarcastically said.

"Isn't it? Such a delicacy isn't meant to be shared."

"You know." I started. " Every time I think devils, Demons, or Fallen are normal. You guys say something so far gone. It put things into perspective."

"I am what the hells forged me into." He replied. " All it takes is a single sin, a single evil thought, and the Hells will tear you asunder. Look at you now. You were consumed by Zariels madness, and now you eat people. How are we any different? How are you any different than the scum of the earth? Sure, there are some activities you don't partake in, such as rape or pedophilia, but you torture, you kill, you cheat, and you go out of your way to break men and women. Evil is evil. There is no spectrum."

"I never said I wasn't a walking contradiction. I'm fine with it. In some ways, we all are. But there are standards by which I abide."

"A youngling is telling me about his pride. Boy, you have yet to feel the torment of life. The toll one must pay for their right to exist." Buer spat, sneering as he lowered his glass of wine. He looked me over with disdain.

Shrugging, I continued. " Perhaps your right, but till I feel it. My philosophy isn't going to change. Not for you or anyone."

"Those are the very words many Fallen speak when they first enter the Hells." He remarked and shook his head. "Well, that's enough of the sins. What can we of the Nines do to get you to agree."

I nodded. " I'm hesitant. Mephisto is usually my point of contact. Why you?"

"As I said, I'm the temporary President during the transition. I have more of an idea of Hell's bureaucracy in today's age than Mephisto, who sits high upon his throne, lost in his vision of what is to come."

It's still strange that they come to me now.

How odd. I have more trust towards a trickster who had screwed just about everyone than other Fallen. I wonder why?

"How about revenge?" he offered. "There seem to be quite a few Devils who tried to kill you quite recently. We could offer them up."

My mind spun, and my frown deepened.

"It's a good deal," Lily announced. " Not the revenge shit. Once you accept the deal, you'll have enough control to just snap, and some higher being will obey you. No. What I mean is that you gain enough power to hold the attention of many. Even if they are using it for your influence over Zariel, it's a good deal. This access could be critical in another realm. Think about how much you could protect your chibi. Think how much knowledge you would have with literal devils watching your back because devils are the ultimate masters of espionage and information gathering."

"We want you," Buer said.

"No, homo," I quickly addressed.

'You heard me." Said Buer with smiling eyes.

Goosebumps prickled my skin as I lifted my arms to my chest to cover up. "

"Are you seriously getting scared now?" Ezra suddenly chimed in. "Just give him a taste, Master. It's just yo booty."

My eyes snapped to her, blazing with a cold seriousness. "On my honor, I swear to the Abyss I'd kill myself if I'm ever raped. Not happening. I have to give it to those survivors. They are stronger than me in that regard. It's not happening. Not me. Nope. Hell no. NOOOOO! My booty is mine. It belongs—"

"Ok-Ok-Ok." Buer shouted with heavy laughter, slapping at his knee. ' I was only jesting. My god, I swear you can be an idiot at times. Your brother said the same thing during a family dinner. You two are… something else. But no, Arsene, we don't want your booty. Although, it is some of the devil's wet dreams to torment men like you. They are the funniest to break."

The chill stabbing in my chest only grew as he crackled away. ' Yeah-Yeah. Laugh it up. But aside from a few luxuries, I can attain them if I agree with you. You haven't offered anything as… incentive to join the Hells."

Buer rose, leaving his glass of wine behind, and turned towards the door-shaped window that overviewed the Captial of Avenos.

"We could offer you a Hell to rule. What do you think of Irkalla, the second layer, if you don't know?"

Masking my expression with a layer of indifference, despite my throbbing soul, I held off from making any decisions.

"Who rules it?"

"Dagon."

"Oh? And would he not find fault with me?"

"What? Are you scared? Probably. But that's the risk. But if you play your cards right, you might find a Leviathan plaything like the one in this realm." He turned, and his demonic smile deepened. " Oh? You don't know? It was Dagon who created Leviathan. You could say she was his first creation."

My heart dropped. " wasn't she a devil?"

"Indeed. But many went to now decease Lilith to… help develop a different type of devil. Now there's a flavor many of us want to try. Such a shame she died."

My heart turned cold as a bit of perspective tempered my mind. "You fucked her?"

"Her? No. She was Lucifer's property. No idea why everyone thinks that whore was his wife. She was a toy. Although, there were plenty that wanted to play house with her. Your wife is at the top of that list. Same with Aurelia, Tene, Ili–

"What the absolute fuck. Half that list is family."

People wanting to sleep with Lilith was bound to happen. Shit. She is a baddie. But family? I know Belphigor banged his mother and wife her up, but this is…."

"A mortal sigma. Keeping it in the family doesn't result in deformities. Only in humans or races weaker than them." He replied stoically.

I need to separate my children. I can't have them mating. That's a no. Big no. I need to brainwash my boy. I need to raise that little fucker right.