When I was a little kid, before I grasped the concept of my sealed fate, I thought I was going to be a space politician.

But apparently, The Fates had other plans.

"I'll be watching the whole time, don't get carried away again. Please. Not here." Steven kisses me with so much fervor I want to stay with him. When he pulls away I must be making a face at him because he pinches my cheek. "Oh, honey don't look at me like that. You're gonna get railed onstage."

I know we need the money. I've been subsisting on drive by energy and mana but I can't not eat real food forever. I'm pretty sure I've lost weight, or my human body looks that way. I don't mind it at all, especially since I've basically mastered shapeshifting. Still, the transformation apparently didn't knock out hunger. "I'm just nervous. And you look so sexy in the setting sunlight."

He sets his jaw, though his gaze rakes over me. "Rest assured: I'm going to have you to myself plenty. Anytime you're free and I get an itch, you're obscuring us both so I can have you wherever."

An involuntary shiver races down my spine. "Forever?"

"Yes." His voice is aching so hard I want to have him now but my hours start in two minutes. "I love you."

I bite my lip and beam at him. "I love you too. Now be a good boy and watch me get really into my job."

I saunter in and the manger chuckles at me. "Hey there, Jezibel. You're right on time."

"Hey Scott. Think we're gonna be busy tonight?"

He shrugs and pulls out his phone. "Uh... yeah. Yeah we'll probably be busy."

As it turns out, we weren't busy at all. We were packed.

My outfit was made by Steven placing me in front of a mirror and us fucking around with lingerie. We settled on a purple and form fitting dress made of lace. This club was a bit more upper scale than the ones portrayed on tv, and it showed in its grandness.

The pricing is steep ($350 for an hour of my time at its lowest) but I certainly am not complaining.

In fact, I up charge every chance I get and this next suckers going to be paying $500 for my time. "Hey handsome."

A man the opposite of handsome turns to me and smiles. "Hello there. Look at you,"He murmurs. I can smell the liquid vulnerability on him, but the feeling of his energy is different. It's more pure than the other humans here. "You're the prettiest woman I've ever seen here."

"I couldn't help but notice you. You might be the classiest man I've ever met with that outfit. And so sexy, too." I lean a bit closer so he can get a good view of me. "Mind if I take you for a ride?"

The man licks his lips as his eyes dart around. "I typically don't take dances, but you're new and I'm a gentleman." He offers his arm and I take it.

A brush of a hand at my side that's not his makes me grin. Steven and his hands haven't strayed far from me since I started really strutting my stuff. He's insatiable and in love with me, he says. I've been fucked at least four times in the past few hours.

After my first dance with a particularly eager customer, Steven had pulled me against him by my neck as I waved goodbye. Invisible but firm hands groped and he materialized with those hungry eyes looking down right into mine and my hand raised of its own fruition to hide us.

Halfway through this dance I'm grinding my ass on this new guy in the back, and he chuckles and grabs my hips to guide me. Instantly, immediately, I can feel a shift in the presence in him. His hands hold power. Magic power.

Before now he'd been cautious and careful, most would even call him respectful. His velvet suit is a bit ugly, and yet I still kind of like it. The deep royal blue is beautiful, and despite his homely appearance he's kind.

It takes me an embarrassing amount of time to notice the smell. I thought it was just my natural smell of fire and brimstone, the kind humans cannot detect, growing as my confidence grew throughout the night. But no, it's intermingled here in the back by ourselves.

He smells like the ocean.

I look down into his eyes and try to mask my sudden fear, but I can feel my power flickering out. I was right about his energy difference. This thing is...

Off to my right, I can feel Steven sit up suddenly. Can he feel it too? My head turns off its own free will and I look towards him. I can feel my incubus looking right back at me even with not being able to see him.

I then realize I turned too sharply, and if this thing is like us, it's going to know the things we do. I try my hardest to not be obvious.

Too bad the damage has already been done.  "Tell your boyfriend to come out of hiding. The Mist only works on lesser beings."

I almost laugh and tell him I don't know what he's talking about, but Steven materializes in the empty bed next to us as casual as he would be at a bed and breakfast. You know, if you don't notice the burning pink his eyes have turned.

I'm annoyed at his jealousy but he's not looking at me so I can't mean mug him. He's got the right idea though, because before I can even process it, he's singing like this is a fucking musical or something. "It all became so lovely
Those bluest skies above me
Those funny feelings I had never felt before I met you
I thought I'd stay a while
I tried to learn to smile
So many colors I had never even known

Maybe I'll find myself sitting on that distant shore
Maybe I'm not alone

Then I see the colors fading
Gentleness of light escaping
Shadows of my fear invading
Have I seen this all before?
I know that there's something residing
A terror deep inside me
I coudn't understand how you could be so bold

Maybe I'll find myself smiling on that distant shore
Maybe I'm not alone."

My eyes well up with tears. I'm scared, my heart is pounding and I want to go home. My parents would be mortified to know we were so strapped for cash I became a stripper. I miss when Steven and I used to sit on the beach and singing together, I miss when things were easy. He seems so sure of himself mostly, but I feel weak and confused.

The man's eyes are blue, but not a normal blue. Royal blue like his suit and shimmering like water.

He slows to a stop and we stare at each other. It's pretty obvious that I am not grinding on a human, which somehow embarrasses me and grosses me out. "What are you?" I whisper, trying to not sound crazy. Why is no one else back here? Where are the rest of the girls? Earlier I felt so untouchable, my bag is filled with cash and I could leave right now if it weren't for obligation. Now I feel like I'm drowning.

"This will only take a moment," He tells me softly. "I've been sent as a scout."

We tense. "I'm not sure what you mean. A modeling scout?" The lie is unconvincing but easy.

"We've already crossed the line of human versus not. Don't be silly."

Him calling me silly strikes a specific chord in me and I'm embarrassed even worse. What was I thinking? My power officially tapers out and I look back to my old self, still slightly enhanced but different enough that I'd be kicked out if anyone saw.

"Blues Demon Hunters: a Lapis, Pride Demon and a Siren. An homage to The Fates and absolute scum of the earth." Steven glowers at him but the man turns to face him and he blanches.

"Little Steven De Mayo. We meet again."

I extricate myself from him and look between the two. How does Steven even know this gem thingy?

He glances at me and I see guilt. Guilt that lets that parasite steal more pride from me until I'm nauseous. "Are you going to introduce me?"

"Lazlo Lazuli is what they call me." He extends a hand but I don't take it. I feel silly, and not taking it makes me feel sillier.

"Where are your friends?" Steven looks around warily, but when he only shrugs he sits up abruptly.

Lazlo stretches and crosses his legs as he pushes me up. "Around. You left a very unfortunate mess behind at your last stop. Your power is too strong for you, isn't it? The Demon Lords miscalculated ~." Steven frowns and Lazlo turns to me. "Did you know his powers started off rather... gaily? He's truly lucky he even grew into any power at all."

"It's called Reversal, and it happens to every male demon," Steven snaps, but he's red as a cherry and avoiding my shocked jaw drop. "Besides, that's my wife you're getting all handsy with. And you know what happened to the last."

Lazlo takes my hands in his. "You're so naturally beautiful, it's a shame that you were born of such disgrace." He lifts a hand to brush a curl out of my face and cups my cheek. He's so elegant and yet I'm trembling. It's cold in here, it feels like I'm frozen to the spot.

No. He's literally freezing cold now and I can feel the beginning of frostbite at the tips of my fingers.

He's freezing me from the inside out.

And then Stevens hand shoves his away. The ice on my skin melts instantly, and I briefly wonder if we demons run hotter than gems before I black out.