Before I fell from grace, my biggest dream was to become a singer. I loved singing as a kid, and back up in Heaven, I had once been part of a choir. My parents encouraged me to sing, thinking I could become part of the Grand Heaven Choir that praises God and his works in the Empyrean. But I didn't just want to do that. I wanted to sing what I wanted to sing from my heart. And I could do that, don't get me wrong, but my parents were constantly pushing me towards something I never really wanted. Of course, some of the things I sang were controversial, to say the least, but I managed to get popular regardless. So much so that Lucifer himself was really interested in me.

And...well...you know the rest of what happened.

I might have lost a lot when I fell, but I never lost my passion for singing, and I had the most beautiful voice among all the Ring Lords. Seriously, never hear Leviathan sing. You're better off hearing a howler monkey screeching in your ears. After finishing my last performance of the night, I fed off the crowd's energy and gave a few more treats with my magic before buzzing away to the VIP section. Once I give the usual high-class partiers my attention and empty promises to attend whatever boring thing they want me to do, I sit down and sigh. Sweat is pouring down my fur, and my throat is as dry as a desert in Wrath.

"Drink?" I turn to the left to see Collin smiling at me while holding a glass of my special personal brew. I swipe it and drink the whole thing in one gulp before burping in satisfaction. "Another?"

"Yeah," I smirk as he flies off to get it. It's been a month since Collin started working for me, and he's been doing a great job. Not just with the club but also adapting to Hell. Who would have thought the little guy would find himself as a popular figure here. Maybe because he was always diligent in making everyone have a good time? Or perhaps because he was such a kind ball of fluff that you can't help but get along with him. Seriously, even Loona and Tex had come to see the guy as part of the group. And they could have been more easily impressed.

Collin returns with a drink for both of us—my usual brew for me and water for him. He refuses to drink on the job, which I can respect. We clink glasses and drink before he says, "Nice song. That was a new one, right?"

"Yeah, been working on that one for a while," I answer before taking another sip. "If it wasn't for the fact that I love clubbing too much, I'd be a full-time singer."

"Yeah, I like to sing too. There's something mystical about speaking from your heart with a song," Collin says, and my head snaps to him in shock.

"Wait, you sing?" I ask in surprise. Leaning forward with interest, I smile at him. "No shit. This is the first time I've heard this."

"Oh, well," Collin blushes as he stares at his drink, "I'm not as good as you, and I have a terrible case of stage fright. But I do like to sing on my own."

"Oh, we are so doing karaoke one day," I say as if it was a done deal. There was no way I was going to miss hearing Lambchop here sing. I then play with his halo, and he blushes as I tease him, "Sweet, cute, hardworking, and can sing. You're a regular Hasbro doll, aren't you, Collin?"

"I'm not a doll," Collin huffs, rolling his eyes. I just giggle and finish my drink. "Anyway, the good news is that the private parties are all done, and we're cleaning them up right now. The bad news is that we're out of Budburner , and Bar Seven's taps are still not working.

"I thought we fixed that last night," I grumble at my repair crew's incompetence. "As an apology, I'd like to offer those at the table a discount on any other liquor."

"Already did so," Collin replies with a smile.

"You're amazing," I smirk and pinch his cheek, which makes him blush before he swats it away. So what are you going to do on your day off?"

"I don't know. I don't really have much to do," Collin shrugs. "My parents are busy, and I have no other pressing matters. I guess I'll just stay home."

A thought then comes to me. "Hey, I'm gonna hang out with Loona and Tex tomorrow. You wanna join us?"

"Really?" Collin looks surprised at the offer and rubs the back of his head. "I-I don't want to intrude..."

"Nah, it's cool. Besides, I want to show you what the rest of Hell has to offer," I tell Collin while thinking how interesting it would be to see an angel's reaction to how we live. I mean, I'm not going to show him the worst parts of our culture. Poor guy probably would die of a heart attack, and I'd be forced to pay for the funeral.

Besides, I'm curious to see how Collin lives outside of work. I admit I usually don't take such an interest in my employees' lives like this, but for some reason, I am intrigued by Collin. Plus, he's such a nice guy that you can't help but be friendly with him.

"Oh, well, I guess it would be okay if it's not too much trouble," Collin answers nervously.

"Relax, it's not like we're asking you to join in our threesomes," I tease, which makes him blush.

"You have threesomes?!" Collin shouts while looking ready to faint.

"Only every so often. Sometimes with chains," I hint with a saucy tone as I lean forward to the shaking angel. "If you want? We can make it a foursome at the end."

This proves to be too much for him, and his eyes roll in the back of his head. He faints. Ah, well. It was his break time soon, anyway.

***

Being the Queen Bee allowed you the means to go where you wanted to go, when you wanted to go, and how you wanted to go. Especially in the ring that you owned and ruled. Riding in my limo, I look at those with me. Loona was already drinking from the mini-bar while Tex had one arm around his girl while texting. Meanwhile, Collin was obviously nervous that I didn't even need to sense it. He kept fidgeting with his hooves and looking around as if expecting something to crawl out and grab him. Sighing, I slide over to his side of the limo and wrap my right arms around him, making him blush.

"Will you relax?" I chuckle, poking his nose. "Seriously, you look two steps away from a heart attack."

"S-S-Sorry, this is just my first real hang out with people in a while and in Hell of all places," Collin admits with a timid sigh.

"Hey, nothing is going to harm you. You're under my protection," I say with a reassuring smile. That means everything here, so don't worry."

"Yeah, spaz," Loona tells him as she looks up with a teasing grin. "Besides, lamb stew isn't a popular dish here. So no worries about ending up on a menu."

"Gee, thanks. That's reassuring," Collin mutters as he rolls his eyes.

The limo soon parks at our first stop, one of my favorite designer clothing stores: Sinblazers. It was not just any store but the top store for the brand, with five-floor levels worth of clothing that only the best could afford. I also happen to be a big sponsor of it, so I get a discount, not that it matters since I am rich as fuck. Once we enter inside, we're instantly greeted by Siza Caramel, a pink fox/lighting bug crossbreed demon with a glowing red rear end and buzzing wings. She's got a light blue vest with a "V" neck style down the line to show off the top of her puffy breast area while the silver lines sparkle like diamonds. Her long golden sash belt held her black legging pants while it was all topped off with a long dark blue coat that was so thin you could swear it was like mist.

"Bee! Girl! It's been forever!" Siza greets me as we exchange kisses on the cheek. "So what can Sinblazers do for its favorite customers?"

"Me and my gang here are just gonna go through your clothes and have some fun," I answer, grinning as I nod towards the three behind me. Tex gives a calm salute while Loona waves her hand. Collin is trying his best to avoid being stared at, but that isn't working at all, considering his looks and the fact that he is levitating in the air.

"No way! Is that the angel you got working for you?" Siza asks as she rushes over and starts looking around Collin. Her tail wags and her wings buzz in delight as she carefully observes the gulping cherub. "Hmm, interesting. I think I can work with this. Mind if I borrow him for a bit, Bee?"

Despite Collin shaking his head, I just nod, and Siza ruffs in glee before dragging Collin away. He'll be fine. Siza is always like this when she gets a unique customer. Turning to the others, I say, "Well, gang. Let's shop."

***

I had already gotten an entirely new clothing wardrobe the first hour in. I am probably going to have to throw out some old shit I have lying around. Most likely some of Velvet's designs. Ugh, I don't know how that bitch is famous in Pride. She's okay at best, but most of her clothing is just rehashed bullshit that she redoes every few years. Loona took Tex to the next floor to see more gothic clothing. While I can respect an excellent dark outfit here and there, I prefer the more colorful types.

Such as this rocking steampunk outfit I have on me right now. I stand in front of the mirror in the VIP dressing room. It's a whimsical design of a black jacket adorned with intricate golden embellishments. Beneath the coat, a white ruffled shirt peeks out, adding an air of sophistication. Around my neck is a black bow tie with a purple gem that completes the ensemble. Not to mention a black set of silk pants to make my rear look good. I even gave it a few swifts here and there as a tease. Hey, I'm not ashamed to make sure I look hot, especially with my ass.

"Um, Bee?" I pause in my shaking to hear Collin outside of the dressing room. "I was told you were in here?"

I open the door, and when I see Collin, my eyes widen at what he is wearing. "Holy shit, Collin. You look good."

He wore a purple and gold jacket with intricate designs that screamed elegance and opulence. Golden embellishments along the edges and the shoulders included indigo roses with green leaves of all things that blended well with his fur. There were square golden buttons, but the coat was not buttoned up. Instead, it gave me a good look at the fuzzy chest of Collin, which was...was...holy shit...

It's. So. Fluffy. Seriously, it's a crime that such a fluffy chest exists. I want to just nuzzle my face into it and-

"Um, Bee? You're staring," Collin points out, which makes me snap out of it. "W-W-What do you think?"

"...I think I need to tell Siza's superiors she needs a raise," I answer with a grin as I poke him in the chest. "Because this? This I like?"

"T-T-Thanks; I like it too," Collin blushes. "Um, how much?"

"Relax, Collin. It's all on me," I reply with a wave of her hand."

"Oh, thanks," Collin says, giving me a warm smile that makes me smile back. I just wish I could pay you back."

"Hmm, well you do remember that foursome-"

"Anything but that."

"I'm kidding," I wink at him. "How about a bottle of spirits from Heaven? I'm not too picky, just something good."

"Sure, I know the perfect one. I'll bring it on a special day," Collin answers, and I nod.

"Good, now come here! I want to see what else looks good on you!" I state as I grab him by surprise and drag him out to play dress up with my newest "doll."

Spoilers. He's adorable in a dress despite his arguments to the contrary.

***

When I asked what everyone wanted for lunch, Collin quickly asked for Japanese. Apparently, it was his favorite, and nobody complained, so we made for Sumo Roll, one of the best Japanese restaurants in Gluttony. The place was happy to provide a private room for the four of us as we ordered one of those big sushi boats crammed with the stuff. I was happily eating a white tuna roll while Tex and Loona were feeding each other sashimi like the cute couple they were.

I sometimes wonder how different our friendship circle would be if I went after Tex as a partner all those years ago when he started working as a part-time bouncer at my club. He was cute, and I liked him, but I felt we mightn't work out, so we became friends instead. It worked out for him since he met Loona during his other part-time job as a bodyguard for Verosika Mayday, and the two hit it off well. The two were dating two months later, thanks to little old me, who was happy to nudge things along.

"This is delicious sushi," Collin compliments as he finishes a spider roll. "Reminds me of the one I always go to in Heaven. This is close to as good as it gets there."

"Heh, it might not be the perfect taste, but it's still good," I said as I tossed a salmon sushi and caught it in my mouth.

"So, Collin. What's Heaven really like?" Tex asks as he relaxes in his seat. "You hear all kinds of things, but give us the real stuff."

"Well, I don't know how to describe the place you've known as your home your whole life," Collin answers, looking deep in thought. "It's...a place where you feel whole. Complete. Like there is no fear or danger or anything. You can be who you want to be, and nothing is rushed. You feel happy, and everyone is there for you. We have restaurants, shopping centers, hospitals, churches, and stores for things to buy or have fun at. But it's a community where you feel the grace and loving embrace of a creator with infinite power and care for those he creates."

"Yeah, I kind of remember it sometimes," I whisper with a nostalgic smirk. "The big Crystal Heart Tower shining the light of Helios."

"Sephiroth Park with its silver water pond where you can hear the twinkling sound of creation," Collin continues.

"Sandalphon Road, where you can see the best view of the stars."

"And Mr. Rodes's sandwich shop on Fifteenth Street," Collin chuckled.

"Shut up," I said in awe as I leaned forward. "That old goat is still making sandwiches after all this time?!"

"Yeah! I get them all the time for breakfast! His double egg and sausage with buttermilk toast is divine!" Collin answers cheerfully.

"Oh, I would kill all of Gluttony just to have one of his sandwiches again," I moan.

"I can bring some for work next time if you want?" Collin says before yelping as I bring him over for a big hug against my chest.

"Collin, you do that, and I'll gladly give you free drinks for a millennia!" I giggled while hugging him so tight he was turning even more purple. Or red because of how close to my boobs his face was pressed against.

"Bee, I think you need to let the little guy go before he gets a second halo from dying in bliss," Loona jokes, which makes me let him go. Collin took a few deep breaths before returning to his seat after I apologized. "That was kind of freaky, by the way. You two talking about Heaven like that."

"Oh, right. You lived there before your...um..." Collin hesitates to continue, so I do it instead.

"My falling after Lucifer's failed rebellion? Yeah, it sucked," I sigh and drink the sake bottle I asked for. "I'm over it."

"Really?"

...No.

"Yeah, really," I say firmly, and the conversation ends there.

Because I was not going to talk about it.

Period.

***

I dropped Loona and Tex off at Tex's place to let them have whatever "late afternoon fun" the two had planned while dropping Collin near my place. His portal back to Heaven was scheduled to appear here, so why not check out how the place was doing? We talked a bit more on the way, mostly about how he was doing with his family and people's reactions to him working in Hell. Many thought he was crazy, and even crazier when he said he liked working at my club.

Heh, an angel likes working for me. I love it.

We stop at my club, only for the two of us to stare at something that's...a first for me. See, I'm one of the most loved and famous Ring Lords in the Seven Rings. I'm one of the biggest stars in Hell for crying out loud. So, despite some of my more questionable actions in the past, I rarely get negative attention or even backlash. But this is the first time my establishment has ever been graffiti attacked.

"ANGEL GO HOME!"

"HELLSPAWN ONLY!"

"FUCK YOUR GOD!"

"BEE SOLD OUT!"

"NED WAS HERE!"

Okay, that last one wasn't like the others, but still, I am surprised to see it. Either these demons had balls or no brains. My janitors are already working on trying to remove it while security is scanning the area.

"The fuck happened to my baby?!" I demand from one of my guards.

"Sorry, Bee," One of them, a Hellhound, lowers their head and whimpers. "The person watching the cameras fell asleep, and by the time he woke up, this was already done. We got the footage, so we know who did this, and we're all working to get this mess off."

"Tell that idiot he's fired and never come back!" I growl. "I want to know the faces of these fuckers! If we ever see them again, we're making their insides our next cocktail special!"

He salutes, then heads off. I sigh and rub my forehead. Fuck, this was a good day until now.

"... I'm sorry," I turn around and see Collin looking down in shame. "This is all my fault. This happened because of me. If you want me to resign, I-"

"Hey, don't say that," I walk up to him and cusp his cheek.

"Look, this bullshit? It's really nothing. And I knew I was going to get crap because I hired you. But listen? I don't regret hiring you and won't let you leave my club. I said it before, but nobody messes with my employees, especially my friends."

Collin's eyes widen as he looks up at me and blinks. "We're...friends?"

"Yeah, I mean...if you want to be," I said, rubbing my arm.

"...Y-Yeah!" Collin instantly smiles so brightly that I swear he's like a star. "I'd love to be friends!"

I smile just as brightly back and nod. A few seconds later, a portal to Heaven opens up, and we stare at it. "Looks like that's your ride. See you on your next work day?"

"Y-Yeah," Collin said as he took his stuff from our fun day and prepared to fly into the portal. "Thanks for the fun day, Bee."

"See ya, Collin," I tell him as he flies into the portal, which closes behind him.

Friends.

I didn't even realize I said that until he did.

I haven't had an angelic friend in...so long.

It's nice.