Warning - May contain triggers for unwanted sexual attention.

“I can do my job, Mistress.”

She didn’t argue and stretched to break up the conversation.

“Take a break, Captain. Later we’ll go for a walk and I’ll show you the places to be investigated. Right now,” she sighed, “I need to find my maidservant and then see Aridon.”

“You don’t need to tell me everything you do, Mistress.”

“I know.” She turned her back on him and walked out the door, talking over her shoulder. “But this way, you know how to find me.”

***

Lita couldn’t find Diana Veran. When she learned the demoness had left the Palace soon after Lita had, she’d shrugged and went to find something to do.

The kitchen was a busy and tempers were on edge. Especially as supplies were carted through.

“Looks like a war in here,” Lita commented as she pulled on an apron.

The maid she was talking to gave her a harried look. “You’ve no idea. They changed the menu three times already and cook is beside himself with rage about it.” The girl lowered her voice to mimic the cook’s. “How am I supposed to get all of it done last breath if you keep changing it on me?!”

Lita grimaced in sympathy.

“He didn’t say that did he?”

“Duh.” The girl rolled her eyes and picked up a broom. “On top of that, their meals were canceled. So we’ve been getting requests at random times all day for food to be delivered all over the Palace.”

“Ugh. How can I help?”

“Well, there’s dishes.” She pointed. “We need that junk put away, and-”

“These plates are ready!” someone shouted at the other end of the kitchen. “Who doesn’t have an assignment?”

Lita raised her hand before noticing how everyone was trying not to look at the caller. Uh oh.

“Good. Take this tray to the third study.”

The man turned pointed and turned away. Already getting back to work.

“Good luck,” muttered the maid before hurrying away.

So, who is it?, thought Lita as she grabbed the tray and left the kitchen. There are a few masters no one wanted to serve personally. And all of them are horrible if they’re in a bad mood.

She studied the tray.

There’s three plates here. So three demon. Maybe all of them are in a bad mood?

How pleasant.

The third study was on the main floor, where a hallway of studies and offices were located leading off the Entrance Hall.

Balancing the tray on a hip, she knocked on the door.

“What?”

You don’t have to be rude, she thought, gritting her teeth.

“I have your food, masters. May I come in?”

“I know that voice,” drawled someone she hadn’t heard in a couple of months. A chill ran down her spine. “Let her in.”

Lord of the Void, no, she thought. Fear immediately made it hard to breathe as the door opened and a demon motioned her inside.

The door was immediately shut behind her, and she flinched.

“Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise?”

Clophas, she thought. Trying not to tremble.

The demon pushed aside a stack of parchments he and the other two had been working on, clearing a space on the edge of the table. He motioned for her to put the tray down. Smiling in a way that made her want to smack him.

Thanks for the warning, she thought with venom toward the kitchen staff below. Reluctantly, she approached and put the tray down.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be-”

Clophas grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward him, wrapping an arm around her waist. With a squawk, she tried to put distance between them by putting up her free hand and pressing it into his chest.

“It’s been a while, little Lita,” he crooned. “Did you miss me?”

“I have to get back to work, Master Clophas,” she growled through gritted teeth. “Let me go.”

“Smell that?” asked the female of the trio. She took a deep sniff. “I can’t tell what she’s feeling more of. Fear or anger? What did you do, Clophas, to make her so wary of you?”

“I don’t know. I thought my offer was appealing enough.” Clophas let go of her wrist so he could run his fingers down her back.

She had to force herself not to stomp on his foot when he touched her backside.

“It still stands, pretty Lita.” His lips brushed her ear, and she tried to yank away.

“No, thank you.”

“No, thank you?”

“No, thank you, Master Clophas. I have work to do, so please-”

He tightened his hold, and his companions smirked.

“I have a Contract, Master Clophas!” Anger was giving way to fear and she tried with both hands now to free herself. “Let me go!”

“Dear, sweet, Lita,” he purred. Actually purred, his face morphing a little into his demon form, which resembled a cat. A cat with fangs. He brought those sharp tools close enough to her neck to brush the skin. “All I have to do is wait for you to do something stupid and break Contract. Then I don’t have to compensate you.”

Her hand trembled against the demon’s chest.

Voids!

If there’s a Lord of the Void, she thought desperately, help me find a way out of this!

The only thing that came to mind was to play dead. Voids it! She did not want to just wait him out.

Demons could afford to wait a long, long time.

A part of her jumped to thoughts of being locked up somewhere and starved into submission. Would she take the voided demon’s offer in that case? Or would she just let herself die of starvation?

She didn’t want to find out.

The door opened and they all turned. Clophas immediately blanched but didn’t let Lita go.

“Afternoon, Diana,” he greeted calmly. The other two demon took a wary step back behind the table. “What can I do for you?”

“You’re supposed to be working on reports for the meeting,” said Diana Veran coldly. “What are you doing?”

“Taking a little break.”

“Then eat for your break,” said Diana flatly. “I need my maidservant.”

“You can replace maidservants, Diana.”

Diana grinned nastily, fangs growing rapidly until they curved down longer than her chin. Thin fangs that dripped poison as soon as they were full grown.

“Alright! Alright!”

Clophas abruptly pushed Lita forward, making her stumble to her knees.

“Sometimes, Diana, I think you’re too fond of the beasts. What does Aridon say about your weakness for pets?”

“Veran,” she corrected him coldly. “You call me Veran. Get back to your reports. And you,” she glared down at Lita, “get up.”

Lita got to her feet and winced when the demoness grabbed her arm, pulling her into the hallway. Diana kicked the door closed behind them with a bang.

“What were you doing?” Diana hadn’t put her fangs away and Lita shivered under that hiss.

“I was told you were out-”

“Your job is to serve me. Even if that means waiting in my room for three days until I return. Is that clear?”

Lita clenched her jaw. You’ve never objected to me helping elsewhere before, she silently fumed.

Diana stopped walking and shook Lita’s arm.

“Is. That. Clear?”

“Yes! Yes, it’s clear.”

“Mistress.”

“Yes, it’s clear, Mistress. Please, you’re hurting me.”