Hell of a Love Story

Chapter 3 Compassion

We arrived at the Tavern to find it almost the same as when I left it. As always, I went first to Jennika, who was  working the bar. "Hello, my one and only," I purred seductively.

"It's good to see you, love," she answered, blowing me a kiss with her brown hands. "That customer that you were trying to get is here. I've been promoting your services."

"Who's your one and only?" A deep male voice cut in before I could thank her. I turned to smile at Tony, a mountain troll who had walked in from the kitchens. He was tall, as trolls tend to be, with a muscular body, grayish skin, short black hair and a kind face marked by a pair of blue eyes.

"Tony," I said in mock sternness. "I enjoy our fun nights with you and Jennika, but I only do it because I'm trying to convert her." I held out my hand in his direction. "If she sees how happy I make you, she'll have to try to find how happy I'd make her!"

He laughed, his voice reverberating through the wooden floor. "She's my baby! You won't have her. But...." He leaned closer. "I suppose we can have a contest to see who I enjoy better, you or her."

I laughed. "I don't want you!" I turned away. The customer at the bar were mostly regulars, and were used to the somewhat lewd banter that went on between Jennika, Tony and I. I weaved through the crowd, looking for my target. There was a crowd despite the time of day because many of the creatures that came here were nocturnal. For them, it was as if it was late at night.

"What was that?" Sean asked. I looked back at him questioningly before comprehending.

"Oh, they're a couple I have sex with," I explained helpfully.

"...right. Is that a common thing?"

"Only with my friends," I replied. With Dien's words from before still echoing in my head, I did not want to talk about what I did with my friends.

Hondo was sitting in the edge of a table, an American beer in his hands, struggling not to spill it on his suit, as he spouted drunk Wall Street nonsense at his even more drunk compatriot. He could have been human, though his nose was noticeably long, if not for his taloned feet and the brown wings sprouting from his back. he was a sparrow tengu, clearly low rank, even in his human job.

"Hondo?" I asked, approaching him casually.

He looked at me bleary eyed, but then jumped up, suddenly. I tensed, prepared to chase after him if he ran, but his face broke into a wide smile. "Hey, yeah, you're that succubus masseuse that Barkeep Lady mentioned! Mm, yes, I can see what she meant. Do you do... extra services as well?"

That well known pause was for the expected emphasis in the common question. I smiled slyly and turned my head, giving him a coy look from the side. "Well... I'm not supposed to... But it is my duty to provide you with the best... service... possible...."

Of course, he was caught, hook, line and sinker.

"Well, I'm sold! Can you do me now,  or do we need to set up an appointment?"

"Oh, I'll do you now. Erm, that is, I have an open slot," I corrected, pretending the previous response was an eager slip. Hondo stood, if you could call it that, and made to follow me. His companion looked forlorn.

"My intern," I said, waving lazily at Sean, not even giving him a look. No one paid an apprentice or intern any attention, not even the ones that they were studying under. Except for the interns that were nothing but sex toys, but I had the feeling, now that I knew more about this world, that that didn't happen often outside of dreams and porn.

My flat was near the bar, as I liked it, and freelance massage equipment was scattered anywhere. Beyond that, it looked like a young woman's flat should, as I had human customers from time to time. A little on the messy side, as I had never had to clean up in Hell and was therefore unaccustomed, but still manageable.