My Inkbound Devil

"You'll find there's no better offer," Vaerion glowered at the three frightened executives who sat in front of his desk, his dark eyes filled with ire. "Emberlight Holdings is already generous, even considering your company a potential investor. If you decline, I'll ensure you never receive an offer from any other company again."

The group leader cleared his throat nervously, struggling to meet Vaerion's intense gaze. "Of course, Mr. Sinclair, we are grateful you've extended your hand to our company. We will accept the terms."

Just as Vaerion shoved the contract toward them to have them put their signatures, a faint golden shimmer enveloped him. "What-" His lips sealed themselves before he finished the sentence, realizing the urgency of his situation, and his sharp features hardened as he felt his soul being tugged through space.

Before anything could happen, he rushed out of the room. He barely escaped the other men's sight before disappearing in a swirl of infernal smoke.

—

Asuriel felt as though her flesh was melting from her bones, and her chest throbbed painfully. A bright glow emanated from her hands and, with the light, accompanied a searing pain.

"What the hell is happening? Am I dying?… am I exploding?" Asuriel gasped, tears welling in her eyes. She had no idea what was going on. "Someone help me! Please!"

As if the universe was listening to her plight, a mysterious figure appeared before her in a flash of fire and smoke. However, before she had the chance to feel relieved, she observed that the stranger looked anything but friendly.

She swallowed nervously, the man's expression scary enough to send a shiver down her spine. The only thing that stopped her from yelling in fear was his good looks, which left her momentarily stunned.

Despite his disheveled appearance, he was one of the most devilishly handsome men Asuriel had ever seen. His sleek black hair was curly and fell to his shoulders but was slicked back to give him a clean, professional look.

His suit was deep crimson and appeared custom-made… but his cuff links and shoulders were freshly singed, still emitting smoke.

"This… is not where I need to be," the man hissed, brushing ash off his shoulders as he scanned his surroundings with a sharp glare. He turned to Asuriel and spat accusingly, "You. What have you done?"

— [1 WEEK EARLIER] —

Asuriel served a pleasant smile as one of her favorite regulars entered the Velvet Lounge, her place of employment. It was a peaceful, niche cafe from 6 am to 2 pm and, in the evening, became a luxurious bar that hosted some of the wealthiest and most dangerous individuals and meetings in the entire city. Quite the juxtaposition, truly.

It was shortly after 10 in the morning, and she had just started her shift.

"Good morning, Theo," Asuriel greeted. "The usual?"

Theo seated himself at the end of the bar, his favorite spot, and nodded. "Good morning, Noir. Yeah, my usual would be great."

'Noir' was Asuriel's name while on the clock. The Velvet Lounge's employees went by aliases to preserve their privacy and safety while maintaining its mysterious aura. Upon being hired, they got to choose their alias from a list of acceptable names that fit the Lounge's brand.

Asuriel gave a curt nod and immediately got to work making Theo's drink. He was among the top 3 of Asuriel's favorite customers who frequented the Lounge due to his quiet, unimposing nature. In a world full of constant noise, some peace was always welcome.

Every morning for almost a year, he came and ordered an iced black Americano with one shot of espresso and spent an hour or two sitting at the bar writing. He was a successful author but refused to give Asuriel his pseudonym whenever she asked.

It didn't take long for her to make his drink just how he liked it. When she turned around to see that he had wasted no time pulling out his laptop and getting to work, she couldn't help but chuckle. She placed the glass before him with a satisfying 'clink.'

"One 'Theo special,' just for the talented writer," she said.

"Thanks," he said distractedly, typing away.

Asuriel gave a quiet 'mn' of acknowledgment, ready to give him the peace he preferred while working. Much to her surprise, though, he spoke up again after a few moments.

Theo looked up from his laptop, his tired green eyes inquisitive. "An edgy guy has been passing by the Lounge almost every day recently, looking in the windows. He wears, like, a hoodie and shit. It kinda gives me the creeps. Are you making sure to stay safe when you leave work?"

"Has there?" Asuriel's brows furrowed. "I didn't notice. Don't worry, though, no one would dare touch me, or anyone for that matter, when Titan's around – and he's always around."

"Hmm… you're right, Titan's always here," Theo agreed. "Come to think of it, does he ever go home…?"

Asuriel glanced at the doorway to look at the man in question. Titan, the security guard slash bouncer, was posted up vigilantly by the door. He stood about 6'7, with shoulders broad enough to require a custom-tailored suit. His head was always clean-shaven and polished, with an ethereal shine – and he never smiled.

Frankly, he was terrifying.

"Honestly, I've never seen him leave except to have lunch," Asuriel admitted. "I tried asking him about his home life once, and he dodged the question. I've decided it's probably safer not to ask…"

Theo glanced back at Titan for a moment before giving an exaggerated shudder. "You're probably right. Who knows what he's up to? He's surrounded by mystery. I ought to put a character like him in my next novel."

Asuriel smiled bemusedly. "That's not a bad idea. Enough distractions, though, Mr. Author – you need to get back to work. Didn't you say your editor expects a draft by the end of the week? It's already Friday."

"Ugh," the writer groaned and ran a hand through his mop of messy brown hair. "Don't remind me. I'm almost done… sort of…"

"Uh-huh, that's what they all say," she chuckled, leaving him to his thoughts.

As always, Theo came and left, and the day went on.

Daytime hours were never quite as busy as during the evening, but there was always enough patronage to keep Asuriel occupied. As she went about the rest of her shift, making various delicious drinks and busking tables, she couldn't help but think about what Theo said.

She glanced out the window occasionally, half-expecting to see a suspicious hooded figure standing outside – and every time, no one was there.