"I'm sorry to do this to you right before your appointment, but it's the only time she had open." Shota held the door for Elly into a large business complex.
"It's fine." She swung herself through on the crutches, nimble enough now with enough practice. "Just as I was getting used to these damned things, too," she grumbled.
He laughed. "Your arms will thank you, though."
It was hard to believe four weeks had passed since the accident, but she had been in such a haze of pain killers and sleep aids for the first couple that it seemed almost overnight. She was looking forward to getting the cast off but first they were visiting the law firm Shota was going to represent her from.
They walked into the building and took the elevator up several floors. Shota knew where he was going so he didn't need to ask around, yet when they stepped off at their floor they were stared at and approached a few times to ask if he needed directions. He began to get irritated, smoke curling off his shoulders as he led Elly past workers in cubicles toward an intricate glass office at the end of a large room.
"Relax, Sho," she whispered behind a hand. "They're just being helpful."
The demon shook his head. "No," he told her in clipped tones. "No, they are not." He pointed at all the well-dressed people working at their computers. "They're all demons of varying grades, and they aren't playing by the rules. I outrank the bastards. They should show <i>respect</i>."
They stopped at a larger desk sat in front of the boss's office, and Shota cleared his throat to get the receptionist's attention.
The smaller male demon behind the desk whistled sharply. His leer while he stared at Elly made it perfectly clear how he viewed her. Shota hissed and stepped in front of her, speaking one word in a terrible dialect that sounded like he was chewing off a chunk of raw meat.
The other demon shrank back visibly, eyebrows rising in surprise. "Yes, well. I wasn't aware you were that accepting about your situation."
"Stop playing around and tell us where the hell Midnight is."
"Oh, so you <i>did</i> get into trouble." His gaze slid over to Elly again and she did not miss the implication. She started to frown, wondering just what these beings were seeing in her. Were humans regarded so low that they were seen as vermin?
"It's not for me." Shota adjusted the tie on his suit pointedly. "I need to talk to her about a case."
"Oooh, courts are such fun. Lucky you." He spun about and tapped quickly at his keyboard for several seconds. "She's Out at the moment," he told them, an odd emphasis on the word.
"Tell her we'll meet in her office, then," he said, walking past the secretary into the room beyond.
"But -! Ahh, forget it. She'll deal with you."
The inside of the office was austere but decorated in glass cut sculptures of anatomy that caused Elly to blush violently. She averted her eyes and hobbled over to the giant desk in front of a wall of pane glass windows. One could see almost the entire city from here and it was quite imposing.
"Why are all the demons here staring? Have I done something wrong, Shota?"
"No, mistress." He smiled at her and pulled a chair out for her to sit. "It's ...complicated. I'll tell you later."
He had just flopped into the other chair when there was a muttered curse and an entity emerged from a cloud of sleepy-smelling smoke directly in front of those windows.
"Midnight," Shota greeted the demoness who appeared.
Elly felt absolutely disgusting in the female being's presence. She was far more voluptuous with her waist impossibly tiny and her bosom just as incredibly large. Her dark, shining hair spilled down over the back of the business suit and skirt combination she was wearing.
"I hear you're called 'Shota' now," she drawled lazily. "Nice name. She pick it?"
"Yes." His tone brooked no argument, though Elly couldn't see why there might be any.
"So! What do you need me for, huh?"
Shota chuckled. "I haven't practiced in over fifty years. I need my paperwork filled out and recertification. Always used your firm for working out of, so here I am again." He grinned widely at the demoness behind the desk.
In turn, she focused her attention on the woman beside him. Her gaze was penetrating as she seemed to take in every detail about her: her simple clothing, the stitches and crutches stacked next to the chair she sat on. Elly gulped a little and moved her hand closer to his across the armrest. He took it in his and ran his thumb gently along the back of her knuckles.
"Huh." Midnight's lips parted in a slow, evil smile. "Is there anything you're neglecting to tell me, <i>Shota</i>?"
He grimaced. "Stop it. You're acting like our bonding was a foolish move."
"No one <i>does</i> it that way anymore. No one!" She continued to size Elly up, frowning just a little. "It's all contractual. Keeps it business-like and it's much easier on us, really. You've sold out, and quite frankly, I don't understand why." She tapped her long, blood-red nails on the polished wood and sighed. "Was it a mistake? Were you tricked? I could help..."
"Drop it," he growled ominously. "All you need to know is that I <i>wanted</i> this."
"Jesus. All right, have it your way." She typed on her keyboard for a few minutes. "The shit's almost ready, legal, notarized and what-have-you. It'll be sent to the address you provided."
"Thank you." He stood and nodded to her. "I'll be sure to represent your firm the same way I always do."
"Yeah, yeah." She waved a hand at him, her body already dissolving back into smoke. "You be careful, idiot. I'm still not convinced you're okay."
He smiled thinly at her and helped Elly out of her seat so they could leave.
"Wh - what was that all about? She acted like I was hurting you!"
His smile was tightly frozen on his face as they made their way back across the enormous room to the elevator. "I told you the name you gave me bonded us. That wasn't a lie."
"But..?"
"It's my part in it that made it controversial." He rubbed at the back of his neck, the bridge of his nose flaming up and spreading to his cheeks. "A demon's love - a concept that's been highly contested as to whether it's real or not -- needs to be included with the naming for it to establish a bond. I accepted the name, which means I willingly gave up some of my power to you in exchange for it."
"Love." Elly stopped, stuck a crutch under her arm and pulled him aside by his suit's lapels. "You'd literally just met me when I named you. That's not possible!"
"Succubi and incubi are easily influenced by love spells. Midnight thinks you used one on me to get me to commit to a more one-sided deal."
"I -!" Her mouth dropped open and her fists balled up in rage. "I didn't even summon you!"
"I know," Shota murmured quickly. "Shh, mistress, please."
"But she just!"
"My kind is also susceptible to something even more disputed." He lowered his voice, his eyes darting around nervously. "I, ah, fell in love with you at first sight."
She stammered to a stop, her eyes wide. "You wh... l - love?"
"Yes, well." He coughed and started walking again. "A lot of demons don't believe in it, either. Myself included ...until we met."
Her gaze softened considerably. "Then you didn't trick me as much as I thought. You actually got the worse end of the deal? How are the others faring any better?"
"Other incubi can go outside of their humans for meals and activities, for one. You control my actions, and I always have to tell you the truth. I'm sorry I forced my hand back then - I shouldn't have, but I panicked." His mouth drew into an even thinner line, his blush deepening.
Elly watched him, fascinated. Demons lied all the time, and while this could be some elaborate new falsehood she was almost convinced it was true. If he had to tell the truth he could still use wordplay to get around some of it, but he was actually uncomfortable. He really didn't want to talk about it, his stance was stiff, and the other demons were scathing in their judgement of him. Word had spread from Midnight quickly, and even more of the staff were coming out into the hallway to gawk at the bonded pair like they were rare animals at the zoo.
Shota ignored them - mostly -- until one hulking male demon crossed a line.
"Hey, did you really forgo a mutual contract for <i>that</i>?!"
He stopped walking and gently ushered her aside. "Don't look, mistress," he told her quietly. Elly closed her eyes but still jumped at the hideous roar that erupted from the side followed by grisly, wet tearing sounds. She shivered as she heard Shota bellowing in the demonic language he'd spoken before, listening as he gave a small, snarling speech.
Then it was over. He placed a gentle hand on her waist, apologizing that she had been forced to hear that. "I don't think anyone will bother us now, though."
"Can I open my eyes?"
"Oh, yes."
She did so only to find him smiling at her, handsome as ever with not a single hair out of place. "This is all so confusing."
"I know, and I'm sorry. You can expect the doctor visit will be much more straightforward, though."
"Oh, yeah."
"C'mon, mistress. Let's get that boot off your foot."
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