Crystle lead Kasey to two double mahogany doors and bowed as she announced Kasey's arrival. The doors swung open and Crystle instantly moved to the side, bowing to Kasey while she gestured into the room. Kasey slowly walked towards the long table that Mammon was already seated at. He smiled warmly at her and slowly stood up.
"Lovely for you to join us! The others will be arriving shortly," Mammon moved away from his spot at the head of the table and pulled out the seat that was next to him. "Please, sit."
Kasey hesitated before smiling slightly and sat in the chair with a cautious "thank you".
"I am quite happy that you did decide to join us, but I am curious why you didn't say no?" Mammon pushed in her chair before he grabbed a bottle of wine that one of his servants started to bring over to pour into her glass. He instantly shooed the servant away as he poured it himself for her.
"I didn't realize no was an option if I am being honest. Though if you want the sweet lies, I can say that it was too much of an opportunity to give up since I would love to get to know you better." Kasey replied as she stared at the glass she had no intention of drinking from.
Mammon let out a soft laugh and set the wine glass down on the table as he retook his seat, "you might want to refrain from pissing these people off since they will be the key to helping you. So please keep your silver tongue in check with them."
"Certainly, I appreciate the warning," Kasey mumbled softly as she nervously picked at her dress.
A soft voice called from the door, announcing the new arrival, "Prince Pyro of falsehood and lies has arrived."
Kasey slowly stood and faced the door as Mammon waved for the servants to open the large doors. He looked exactly as she remembered. His brown hair was slicked back and his purple eyes were as piercing as ever. They were similar to Shobeks eye color, but they were darker and were filled with anger and hate.
"We meet again, princess." Pyro mockingly bowed before he strolled farther in and sat on the other chair by Mammon.
"It's nice to see you too, old friend." Mammon smiled bitterly at Pyro's dismissal of him. "Have you brought what I had asked?"
"Of course, else I wouldn't bother showing up," Pyro answered, taking up his glass once a servant filled it. His eyes slowly scanned Kasey as she sat back down, her fingers fiddling with each other. "How have you been?"
Kasey met his harsh gaze and held it, "still alive, as you can see."
Mammon watched the two have a small stare down before he clapped, "and I am doing wonderful! So glad you asked! Any idea when our last member will be arriving?"
Pyro slowly looked at Mammon, "he'll be here soon. He noticed an intriguing character on his walk here and decided to have a chat with her."
Mammon grimaced, "I hope you told him to refrain from taking any of my staff?"
Pyro took a sip of his drink before slowly replying, "I may or may not have forgotten to mention it."
Sighing, Mammon waved a male servant over and directed them to help their last guest find his way here. After the doors closed again Mammon took a long swig from his glass and mumbled, "this is why I don't invite people over."
Kasey snorted and fiddled with her glass as she commented, "And here I thought you just didn't have any friends."
Pyro coughed on a sip of his wine as Mammon slowly gave Kasey a sharp smile, "please refrain from also insulting me in front of my guests."
She slowly put her hands back in her lap and sighed softly. Pyro held back a chuckle as he covered his mouth with a napkin. Silence fell over the three as they waited patiently for their missing member to break the silence. Finally, a servant started to announce his arrival when the doors flung open as he waltzed into the room. Kasey peered at the tall dark figure before jumping out of her chair.
"It's you!" Kasey shouted surprised by the newcomer.
Sonneillon smiled, "Charmed that you bothered to remember, doll."
Kasey instantly became wary and glanced at Mammon with confusion and anger. Mammon slowly stood and smiled at them, "I wasn't aware you two had already met."
"I didn't either. He never mentioned his name." Kasey's body instinctively moved into a more balanced stance, as if prepared to fight.
Mammon glanced between them before touching Kasey's shoulder, "Well, let me introduce him, that is Sonneillon, he's a demon of anger and hate."
Sonneillon did a lazy half-hearted bow as he walked over to sit beside Pyro. A permanent grin stretched over his face. Slowly Kasey sat back down in her seat while Mammon returned to his.
"Let's dine before we talk." Mammon snapped his finger toward a servant who instantly went to the wall and opened a secret door; carts of food instantly rolled out as the servants set up the table. "Ah, he won't need that. Nor a plate and silverware." Mammon gestured to a servant who had moved up to pour wine into Sonneillon's glass.
Kasey threw a questioning look to Mammon but remained quiet as the food was finished being set on the table.
"Do I need to provide my own food?" Sonneillon slowly asked as his smile faded slightly while looking over the cooked food before him.
"Of course not, I said dinner was on me," Mammon replied as he looked over at one of the servants who then brought over a gold pitcher. A red substance instantly poured from the pitcher into the wine glass before the servant moved back to his spot by the wall. "It's your favorite. Unless you had found something more delectable while ravaging one of my servants?"
Sonneillon grinned happily as he took the glass and took a sip, "they weren't as tasty as they smelled. A few weeks in the hospital wing and they'll recover. Maybe."
Mammon nodded slightly, "I appreciate the fact that you held back then."
Sonneillon chuckled, "I never said I held back. Just that she has a chance at recovery."
Mammon smiled sourly, "right, my mistake."
Kasey watched the exchange silently, her curiosity growing at what kind of being this demon of anger and hate was.
Mammon gestured to the food while looking at Kasey, "go ahead and put whatever you'd like onto your plate, Kas. No need to be shy."
Kasey waited for Mammon to start pulling some food onto his plate before she slowly did the same. Pyro already stacking his plate with a different assortment of food. Dining in silence, Kasey slowly watched the three demons as they made small talk. The servant with the gold pitcher stepped forward again to refill Sonneillon's drink again.
Pyro frowned slightly at Sonneillon's drink, "I don't understand why you drink that strange concoction."
Sonneillon chuckled, "you'd be surprised at how tasty a mixture of human blood and demon blood is. Though I wish the mixture was a bit more compatible with each other. If you take too long to drink it, the bitter demon blood infects the sweet iron of the human blood. It is a shame I can't keep it fresh."
Kasey's cutlery clattered together softly as she looked up at Sonneillon surprised, fear hitting her in the stomach when she realized he was staring at her. As if focusing on the blood that rushed through her veins. A sinking feeling appeared as she realized, she was his favorite type of food. And she was fresh.
Pyro shook his head, "demon blood and human blood just don't mix. It's an abomination if you ask me."
Sonneillon's smile grew wider as he watched Kasey's face pale. Slowly he took a sip of his drink before turning back to Pyro, "It's strange to you because you can't appreciate the intoxication of the mix. I find it to be lovely. I hope to try it fresh someday..."
Kasey stared down at her plate, her appetite suddenly missing. Mammon watched Kasey as she put her shaking hands on her lap before he glanced up at his demon companions, "Sonneillon, Please behave yourself."
"I've done nothing wrong," Sonneillon instantly defended as his grin widened.
"Just make sure everyone is comfortable while eating and I won't take away your drink," Mammon replied as he cut into a piece of steak.
Sonneillon's smile slowly faded as he downed his glass and glanced at the servant to refill it, his tail swishing in anger beside him. His eyes glanced over at Kasey again before returning his gaze to his drink.
"Does that warning apply to me as well?" Pyro slowly asked as he stuck a carrot in his mouth.
"It applies to everyone," Mammon replied without looking up at him.
"Even her?" Pyro pointed his fork at Kasey.
Mammon again responded without looking up, "don't be rude to her. Eat."
"Fine," Pyro mumbled as he went back to his plate.
Kasey finally started to calm down and looked over at Mammon gratefully before she slowly started to return to her food. Pushing her fear to the back burner for now.
Future me can worry about it.