[Location: Gloutvile - Pride Ring - Seventh Circle of Hell]
Valentina sighed as she sat in her office, going over the endless pile of paperwork that never seemed to diminish, even during her break after the Hell Tour. Running a company and maintaining her brand was no easy feat.
Today, she had decided to hold auditions for potential new talent, but so far, it had been a disaster.
The last audition had been so terrible that an unprepared staff member who walked in had almost attempted to throw himself out the window, only to be stopped by security.
"Mon Dieu, c'est insupportable," Valentina muttered under her breath, rubbing her temples in frustration.
Her agent, Tom, an Incubus demon, nervously chuckled beside her. "Don't worry, Miss Valentina, I'm sure the next one will be better."
Valentina shot him a look that could freeze Hell over. "It better be. Inform everyone else to come back tomorrow after these last three."
Tom swallowed hard, praying for Tucker's quick return. Valentina was always more pleasant when he was around.
Valentina sat back in her chair, ignoring the next auditions entirely. They weren't bad, but they weren't anything special either.
She glanced at her phone, texting Tucker a cute video of a cat playing the piano, a small smile playing on her lips.
After the last two, finally the last audition came on stage. The Stunning Demoness on stage began to speak as the people in the room gulped with heart eyes.
'W-Who was she...she looks like an Angel??' Was the thought of every demon in the room.
And the moment she started to sing everyone in the room stopped and gasped.
Her voice was mesmerizing. The staff members, music producers, and even Tom were captivated by her performance. She had an aura that commanded attention, yet her expressions were warm and inviting.
Valentina paused her texting, her eyes still on her phone but listening intently. The song soon ended, and a massive applause erupted.
The demon on stage smiled and thanked them, but everyone fell silent when Valentina lifted her hand.
"..."
She stared at the singer for a few seconds before asking, "What brought you here?"
The singer, a bit nervous but hopeful, replied, "I'm a fan and have always admired you, Miss Valentina. My mother always told me I would make a wonderful singer, so I wanted to pursue this to make her and myself proud."
Valentina narrowed her eyes, considering her words. She then turned to Tom. "Cancel the auditions for tomorrow. This spot has been officially taken."
Tom nodded vigorously, quickly making a note. Valentina looked back at the singer. "What is your name?"
The demoness smiled, then spoke"My name is—"
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The scene shifted to an hour later, as Tucker walked into Valentina Tower, greeting everyone with a friendly smile. He made his way to the top floor, only to be tackled by a blur of red and black.
"Mon cher Tucker!" Valentina exclaimed, hugging him tightly.
Tucker laughed, returning the hug. "Hey, Valentina. Miss me?"
"Every second," she said, her French accent more pronounced in her excitement. "Come, sit. Tell me everything."
They sat down, and Tucker recounted his trip, sharing every detail. Valentina listened intently, her expressions shifting from concern to amusement and back again. When he mentioned Verosika's last-minute stunt, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.
"That little succubus," Valentina muttered, her eyes narrowing. "Looks like I will need to increase her training regime when she officially starts."
"Isn't that a bit petty?" Tucker teased, raising an eyebrow.
"Absolutely," Valentina replied with a smirk.
They continued talking, Valentina filling him in on her life while he was gone. "I've been shopping, sleeping, and watching a new show. Oh, and there's a new ice cream flavour I'm producing. It's to die for...Literally, just yesterday a demon died after tasting it."
"..." Are you sure that isn't poison then, note to self, before leaving make sure to check out Valentina's ice cream recipe.
"Sounds like you've been busy,"
"Oh, you have no idea," Valentina sighed dramatically. "But that's not all. I actually scouted another protégé while you were away. She will be training alongside Verosika."
"Really?" Tucker's interest was piqued. "Who is she?"
"She has an incredible voice," Valentina said, her eyes lighting up. "I think she might give Verosika a run for her money."
"Sounds interesting," Tucker mused. "I can't wait to meet her."
"You will," Valentina assured him. "Soon enough."
"So, did you miss me?" Valentina asked playfully, her tone teasing.
"Of course," Tucker replied, matching her tone. "Who else would keep you in line?"
Valentina laughed, a sound like musical bells. "You do have a way with me, don't you, Tucker?"
"Just doing my job," he said with a wink.
....
Tucker returned to his room and began unpacking a few things. He glanced around the familiar space, feeling a sense of comfort.
After a long trip, it was nice to be back. He looked out the window, the cityscape of Gloutvile sprawling beneath him.
Now that he had completed this small task for Valentina, he decided to stay seven more days before making his way to Pentagram City.
He had saved up enough money to live comfortably for years, and he felt it was time to take the next step.
As he was contemplating his future, his phone buzzed. It was a text from Verosika.
He had texted her earlier to see if she got home safe, forgetting that she had destroyed her phone. Apparently, she had gotten a new one.
"Hey, got your message. Thanks for checking in on me. I'm pretty tired, so I'll text you more tomorrow XoXo." read Verosika's first text.
Tucker nodded, taking a sip of his drink. Before he could reply, another text came through.
"I know it'll be hard to sleep without me next to you, foxy, so this will have to do," it said, followed by a photo of her in a sexy black Lacey lingerie, followed by a devilish emoji, and a kissing emoji.
Tucker choked on his drink, coughing violently. He couldn't help but laugh at her straightforwardness.
She certainly wasn't afraid to flaunt what she had. He texted back, "Goodnight, Verosika," and set his phone down.
He took a quick shower, brushed his teeth, and grabbed the souvenirs he had bought for Valentina.
He made his way to the living room where dinner was ready. The new season of "The Hellashians" was airing in ten minutes, so it was shaping up to be a good night.
Valentina was already on the sofa, wearing a tight-fitting nightgown. Her eyes lit up as Tucker approached. "Ah, mon cher, you brought gifts?"
Tucker grinned. "Just a few things I thought you might like."
He handed her the souvenirs, and she examined them with delight. "You always know how to spoil me."
Tucker chuckled, settling down next to her. Valentina handed him a folder, then promptly laid her head on his lap, using him as a pillow to watch TV.
This wasn't the first time she'd done this, and Tucker didn't mind. He opened the folder and began looking over the contents.
"That's the information about the new protégé," Valentina informed him.
Tucker scanned the documents, his curiosity piqued. He flipped through the pages until he reached the final one, which had a photo of the new protégé and her name.
"Lusia..."He read aloud.
"..."
For some reason, the name and the photo struck a chord with him, though he couldn't quite place why. "She very beautiful." (Pic)
"Indeed," Valentina agreed, snuggling closer. "I have high hopes for her."
As they spent the night together, watching TV and enjoying each other's company, Tucker couldn't shake the feeling that there was something familiar about Lusia. Maybe it was just his imagination, he thought.
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Meanwhile, the very woman they were talking about was currently walking down the empty streets of Gloutvile, humming an unknown song with a serene smile on her face.
She held a black lace umbrella over her head, despite the absence of rain.
As she walked, a strange phenomenon occurred—every window or reflective surface she passed seemed to fracture slightly.
The effect was minute but visible to those who paid close attention.
And if anyone had looked even closer, they would have noticed that Lusia...cast no shadow.
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Introducing a new OC, she's my second favourite OC I've created for this fanfiction and I think you'll either really love or hate this character.