Let's make a deal

Plan

I whimper as I try to swallow.

"I'm telling you, just drink the smoothie."Ace says.

"He didn't have to do it so hard."I say quietly.

"He said he wanted it to be convincing."Ace says.

"..he called me pathetic."I say, looking down at my pregnant belly.

"Alice, I can tell that you're excited about the baby. And I also know that you're falling in love with Belial."Ace says, causing me to look at him.

"I-i-"I stammer before he cuts me off, shaking his head.

"It's okay. I know what it's like."Ace shrugs, taking off his glasses.

"You do?"I ask, making him nod.

"I wasn't accidentally bitten by a snake. I let it bite me, because Belial asked me to."he says.

"Before I was Ace, I was Alec. I was just your regular morman. Just had a strange fascination with animals. Reptiles specifically. But no one knew that."he chuckles.

"That's why I was so scared when Belial found me."

"Found you?"I question.

"When he was younger he liked to come up here and plant seeds of sin into children. Like me."he shrugs.

"He had been watching me because of my interest in snakes. That's how he determines what powers to give us as demons. The day he approached me, he asked if I ever wanted a pet snake."Ace chuckles.

"I said I'd love one, but my parents would never allow it. And he simply responded with, "lie to them" and it scared me. Because lying is a sin of course. But I just got this rush of adrenaline when he suggested it. So I lied to my parents about the snake. And one lie turned into another lie. And another. Then stealing. Then tattoos, then killing. And one day I was just sitting in my room, looking at my beautiful pet snake that I loved so much. Mainland tiger snake."he says.

"And in my head I hear this voice. "Why don't you let it bite you?" And that same rush of adrenaline. So I let it. And when I woke up, I was laying at his feet."

"Adrenaline?"I question.

I begin to think of the night I had summoned Belial. The adrenaline I felt when talking back to my father.

When I opened the box. When I read the Bible.

"It was all Belial."I say quietly.

"You at least have a chance with this kid, Alice. Hades needs us to do this, and we actually can."Ace says quietly.

My lips quiver.

"B-but I do love him."I whimper, making him huff.

"He made you love him Alice. Think of all he's done and say you love him again."Ace says before standing.

I couldn't look down to cry due to the soreness of my neck, but the shame on my face was real.

Ace huffs as he walks away.

I release a shakey breath as I place my fork back down on the table.