Hell of a Love Story

Chapter 1 Adultery

The house was clearly abandoned. It was large, once a mansion, but now nothing but a refuge for squatters, who prayed every night that it wouldn't cave in on them. Stepping into a dark corner, just in case, I changed my glamour to that of an old homeless woman. I shambled forward, leaving a trail of flies in my wake as I headed for the cellar door.

A few bums sat slumped outside, one nursing a bottle off liquor, the other already succumbed to its lullaby. The conscious one nodded at me clearly, and I nodded back. Carefully, I opened the door and began to descend down the steps. As I did, I crossed the barrier, shedding the glamour as I did.

What had been a dark, damp and filthy cellar filled with rats and a few hobos was, on the other side of the barrier, the boisterous main room of a popular tavern bursting with customers.

Dwarves and harpies drank together, singing loudly and off key. A fairy danced in a table, while a couple of trolls played Russian Roulette; at least until a barmaid confiscated the gun. A vampire and a djinn gambled in a corner while a tengu  loudly told anyone who would listen (which were few) about how will his stocks were doing. It was interesting, the way the scene had some medieval elements, yet was undoubtedly 21St Century.

I sashayed over to the bar, my black jeans riding low on my purple hips as I did so, and my friend Jennika, a gorgon and bartender, greeted me. I returned her simple "Hey, Sin" by grabbing her around the waist and pulling her in close for a kiss, to the whistles and cheers of nearby men. I even managed to get some tongue action in before she pushed me away, laughing.

"Stop that, Sin! Neither of us swing that way. She smiled at me, returning to the counter and serving her patrons.

"I'd swing that way for you," I teased, settling in a stool, my long spaded trail curling cheerfully. She smiled, reaching under the counter to retrieve a glowing blue bottle. When she opened it, a steady smoke and heavy scent poured out the top.

"In that case, my love, I'll sell you a shot of Witches Brew for only full price!" She filled the thick glass with the liquid and slid it over to me. I caught the glass with my clawed hands and brought the liquid to my lips.

"So kind," I said sarcastically before knocking back. The powerful drink surged down my throat, pure wild magic mixed with fermented unicorn milk and blueberry juice. The drink could drive some insane. I drank some everyday after lunch.

"So, what's the news on the street," I asked when she bent over the counter to speak to me. Her long brown dreadlocks, actually living snakes, brushed the countertop and curled about her heart-shaped 'coffee with a bit of cream' colored skin, and brought out the vibrancy of her bright, green eyes.

"Hondo over there has come into some money recently."

"The tengu?"

"Yes. He says that his company stocks are doing well but..." she leaned in closer, "He's not an executive, and from I know of him, he's lying about the stocks."

I nodded. She wasn't just a barkeeper or my close friend, she was also a spy for the organization that we worked for. I got up after finishing my drink and walked toward the Asian bird man.

But before I could get to him, a demon stood in my way. He was short, but rather handsome, with a thin, Arabian face, arched eyebrows, and a perfectly symmetrical face. He could have been a celebrity, except that his skin was a bright red, his ears pointed, his legs unguligrade  and his tail, though not as long as mine, and shaped more like a pointing arrow, was clearly demonic in origin, with the two arms of the arrow somewhat longer than the point.

"Sin, my darling," he said cheerfully, opening his arms. He was wearing a leather jacket and black jeans. "I knew you'd come back to me!"

"Back?" I laughed. "There was nothing there to start with."