“Oh, Zunabir! I’ve missed you!!” Belezbia cheered as she wrapped me in up in her arms.

Belezbia was tall, even for a Demon Lord and strong. The embrace felt as if she could very well crush my bones if she chose. I tried not to stare too long into her crimson irises that reminded me of red velvet. Her wide mouth and full lips seemed to beckon me to press my own to hers. Though I tried to keep my mind straight, the intoxicating power and beauty that a Demon Lord such as Belezibia held made me dizzy and my cheeks ache with blush. I wanted to surrender everything to her in that moment, but duty pulled me together.

“Hhi. Hi, Belezbia.” I replied.

“Hi?!?” She released me and glared into my face—or rather Zunabir’s face, and me the substitute wearing it. “You’re only going to say hi to me?”

Panicked, I felt my cheeks burn and my heart begin to sprint. Somehow, she didn’t seem to realize that the blush belonged more to guilt than affection. “Oh-oh! I-I’m sorry.” I smiled into my sore cheeks. “Without Ziel, I’ve been so busy running my kingdom. I really take that imp for granted sometimes.”

“Oh?” Belezbia held me slightly apart from her and tilted her head.

It puzzled me how she could entrance with her form and manner as much as she was said to be formidable in battle. I marveled at the perfect shape of her jawline, her cheekbones—the scar that marred one of her cheeks, but instead of destroying the loveliness of her face it somehow made it more perfect.

“Zunabir?” Belezbia called, looking directly into my eyes.

“Wh-what?” I asked while I came back to myself. Steady Ziel!

“I asked you want happened to Ziel.”

“Oh! I gave her a vacation.” I replied nonchalantly.

Belezbia broke the embrace and shook her head. “That’s very strange.” Then she looked back up at me with a narrowed gaze.

“It was Ziel’s idea. And you know I can hardly function without her. I mean, I nearly forgot I had a tea scheduled with you today.”

Belezbia peered quizzically at me for a moment then her lips turned up into a smile before she laughed and threw an arm over my shoulders. “You know, that’s believable. But you don’t even have a replacement to help you get by until she gets back.”

I waved it off. This was my opportunity to help myself and insure that I would get plenty of Vizhabel’s company. “I only permitted it this morning after I met your new handmaid Vizhabel.” I explained. “She needs training and said you wanted Ziel to train her. I trained Ziel in the first place, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to try it out. Ziel suggested it might be a good way to get more mileage out of my other demons if I give them a little carrot every once in awhile.”

“You are very odd, but I think I like that about you, Zuna. You’re not like some of these stinky ogres that run most of the other kingdoms of hell.”

“Ha, yeah! Stinky ogres. Yuck.” I shook my head. I let myself chuckle a little and started to relax. Maybe if we could keep to business this wouldn’t be so hard.

Belezbia laughed again as she pulled me over to a table in one of her reception rooms and we sat to take tea. She locked eyes with me and I started to feel tense again as I fought not to flinch or shiver. So much power resided in that glowing bloody gaze that under its pressure I let slip a soft simper and barely managed to cover it by clearing my throat.

“Why are you so nervous all of a sudden?” Belezbia asked in a low sultry voice as she leaned closer toward me. “Do I intimidate you, sweet?” She slowly stood so that she stood bent over me, looking down into my face. “Do I hold… power. Over.  You?” A corner of her mouth took on a predatory angle and lips parted to bare her teeth.

What do I do? Whatdoido? I panicked.

Belezbia leaned closer. “I love seeing you squirm.” She whispered and leaned in close to press our lips together.

And I panicked! I pushed Belezbia away and rose to my feet.

“What? What did I do wrong? I thought you wanted to court me. I thought you wanted to form an alliance.”

“I do,” I replied.

“Then why are you pushing me away?” She demanded. “Last time we met you were bothered because we didn’t do anything sensual or romantic, and now you act like I’m made of holy water or something. What’s going on with you? Why are you acting so weird?”

“I’m just stressed out.” I admitted, sighing. “I haven’t had to do this much in such a long time. Maybe the vacation was a bad idea.”

Belezbia approached me and tentatively pulled me into her arms. “Was it a contract?”

“Yes,” I lied. “Two year vacation. No way to bring her back unless she chooses to come back sooner.”

“Wow,” Belezbia replied. “Two years. How did you expect to be able to function without her?”

“I really don’t know.”

“I’m starting to think that maybe all this time the brilliant Demon Lord that I was going to let court me wasn’t so brilliant.” She teased. “Maybe I should go find Ziel and ask her to be my Queen.”

I stopped breathing. Just completely stopped for a good long while.

“Zuna?” Belezbia waved her hand in front of my face.

“Yes? I! That’s!...” I struggled to put together something cohesive.

“Relax, I’m just kidding. The Great Contract forbids us from marrying so far beneath our station. I have to wait until she starts a coup and takes you out.”

My eyes widened. “What are you—”

“You really are wound tight. Why don’t you take Vizhabel full time until you have a better handle on things for yourself?”

“But she’s yours, contracted to you.”

“And she’ll serve you if I tell her to. Anyway, I’ve been running my kingdom pretty well without a handmaid for awhile—just promise me to be more yourself when you come back for tea again. I want my Zunnie back.”

I paused for a moment and nodded. “Okay.”

“Good girl.”