~Alastor~

The days passed faster than Alastor could realize. More sinners in the hotel meant more work and on the same time meant less entertainment with his new favourite toy.

But his little shove had been enough for her to make progress on her own. Now, she was leaving the hotel frequently with different hotel residents, wore much better clothes and was all around less composed.

He had his foot in her door and decided that morning that it was time to take the next step in his plan to ruin this angel.

While she clearly enjoyed his presence, he now had to make sure she craved it. Only then he could take the fourth and last step. Make her fall.

He knew her morning routine probably better than Arella knew it herself. And he used that to his advantage. This morning, he got up earlier, making sure to make the coffee. Leaving her cup on the counter and making his way down into the living room she always read before the redemption exercises began.

He lounged back comfortably, started to read his book, and waited. He was pleased when Arella entered the room shortly after with her cup in her hand and a wide smile on her face.

Alastor continued these little gestures. Them coming more naturally and easy by the day. The angel had been constantly on his mind for weeks. If he did not watch her, he thought about her and what he should do next. He changed his own morning routine to be more in sync with hers and stayed longer after a group activity to seek conversation with her.

And his work paid off. One day, his little angel decided to break the number one rule her council had given her. She involved herself in the redemption process.

He was sure Arella only wanted to make one small comment. Telling Charlie that maybe she should focus on the reason why a sinner was in hell to redeem them. A simple comment that broke the barrier and made Charlie ask her for help almost every day from then on.

At first, Alastor had been exited. Now he hated it.

His conversations with her became less frequent. In the morning, Arella would meet up with Charlie instead of making coffee. Alastor had to get his control back. Sooner rather than later.

He saw his chance when he found Arella alone in the library. The short woman sat by a desk, towering over sheets of paper. When he entered, the woman did not even look up when she greeted him. This show of impoliteness would have amused him if it would not have been directed at him. He wanted her to look at him! Not some stupid papers.

"You seem quite busy these days. What is occupying your attention, darling?", he asked leaning down beside her.

"Figuring out why our new residents got into hell." She mumbled the words more than spoke them and still looked away from him.

Alastor squinted his eyes and dismissed his microphone. "I did not realize you are now working in this hotel." A lie. His voice was sweet but if she would just look up, she could see how annoyed he was.

"Just helping. If you need something, ask. But I'm a little busy, Al. I'm sorry."

A dark chuckle escaped Alastor's lips and his grin widened. "I do not think you are, darling. But I will make sure you will be after this."

"What?!", Arella shrieked, jumping up and finally looking up at him. She took him in. How he towered over her, mere inches away from her. His eyes, now black, bore into her soul, while his shadows reached out to her.

But her eyes left him again and took in her surroundings. He had teleported them into her room.

His annoyance turned into red hot fury when she took her eyes off him. She would look at him. He would make sure that she would never stop looking at him again!

Alastor grabbed her face, pushing her face back to face him. Something possessive sparked in his chest when she looked at him with her doe eyes. Not in fear, he realized. Just surprise.

"I must admit. I feel quite neglected, darling."

Her surprise turned into annoyance, and he had to admit, the look made her almost irresistible. He wanted to ravish her right then and there, but he held back.

"Neglect? I'm helping Charlie, I thought you wanted me to- oh.", she stopped when he stepped closer. Trapping her between the wall and him.

He used his fingers to push her chin up, so she would continue to hold eye contact. "You. Thought. Wrong." He leaned even more into her. He was close enough to feel her breath on his face. Her hands landed on his chest but did not push him away. Not like she could anyway. And he was actually surprised that he did not mind her touch. "You can continue to work with Charlie, but I expect you to gift me with you company as well. Understood?"

Her heavy breathing and wide eyes made her look like she feared him, but her smell betrayed her. The fact that he had such an effect on her made his grin widen.

"Yes."

He took her in. Devouring every inch of her with his eyes. They stopped at her lips and the urge to taste them made his head spin. The cold touch of his shadow cleared his head, and he made eye contact with her again.

"Lovely." There was no radio static accompanying the word. Only a growl that made Arella shudder.

When she closed her eyes, Alastor used the moment to slip into the shadows and leave her room. He appeared in his own room, grabbing the bed post of his bed as he took in a deep breath. His head was still spinning, no clear thought he could grab and focus on. Only blue eyes and a pretty smile.

He grabbed his hair, pulling the strands until the pain cleared his thoughts a bit. When he looked up again, his shadow glared at him. He ignored the clear scolding and turned towards his forest.

Alastor would see in the morning if this had worked. Now, he needed to hunt something to be able to focus on his next steps.

~Arella~

Arella was still breathing heavily when she opened her eyes again and found Alastor gone. Slowly, she sank down to the ground, her back against the wall. She needed to focus, but it was impossible. Her skin burned where he had touched her and the warm feeling in her chest made it clear, how he affected her.

He was a demon. A dangerous one at that. It was foolish to even think of him. But still, she could not change what had happened. Or how he treated her differently.

Arella banned those thoughts and shook her head. She definitely could not continue to work after this, so she decided to take a shower and go to bed early.

The next day, Arella had only one thing on her mind. And it drove her nuts. She was an angel for fucks sake. Thoughts like the ones she had right now had condemned humans to hell before. Having them felt wrong.

Arella was proud of herself that she was even able to get down into the kitchen, without running into a wall or get lost. She was completely out of herself. When she saw her usual cup filled with coffee on the counter, her heartbeat quickened.

She forced down her smile and continued her routine.

When she stepped into the room and saw Alastor, her mind blanked. She managed to sit down on the couch and mumble a greeting.

"Good morning, dear!", he cheered and continued his read.

Arella gulped and tried to read as well, but her eyes betrayed her. She sneaked glances at him, trying to figure out how to approach the topic of what the fuck happened yesterday. She thought that she had managed to be inconspicuous, but when she glanced behind Alastor, she realized his shadow was watching her intensely.

So, he knew she was not herself. Of course he knew. What did she believe?

"Alastor?"

"Hm.", he did not look up, but she still thought he could see every twitch she made.

"About what happened yesterday..." She had no clue what she even wanted to ask. She did not understand what had happened in the first place.

Alastor looked up when she did not continue. "What do you mean, darling?"

Her cheeks grew warm at the nickname, and she took a deep breath before taking a gulp. Alastor's eyes snapped to her neck, and it took everything in her not to shudder.

"Nothing. Forget it. Thanks for the coffee."

A low chuckle escaped Alastor when she hid behind her book.

~Alastor~

Amused, he watched his little angel. His plan had worked. She seemed to not be able to take her eyes off him. Not that he was any better. Just better at hiding it. He had not been able to plan his next step the night before. But the hunt had calmed him down a little.

Now, he had just to figure out what to do next.