Len looked at the Lich, who did not look like a Lich at all. Rosy cheeks, high cheekbones, bright blue eyes, which did not give out a cursed light, but were simply… downcast.
Oh, Len had not been born a demon. Most were, but not he. He had been a mortal, once.
One with hopes and dreams.
And…. a writing addiction…
His Muse had killed him, as was the lot of most Muses. It had been an accident. If one could call Len's sudden desire to go hiking coupled with the rabies infected goat which catapulted him down a cliff an accident.
He had looked up at the animal, as he was waiting for the administration to finish signing his papers.
Frodo the Goat had always been a free spirit. Running from his farm, and, according to the records on hand, hunting writers to push to an early grave. A Muse, once, Frodo had given up his pride for sweet, and bloody, revenge.
Len could not help but admire the spirit of someone willing to risk getting butchered for meat, just to bring justice to the world.
But that was neither here nor there. He looked at the Lich, who was leaning on the vampire, as his lord Orion was glaring at lord Seraphin, and cleared his throat.
Now for the hard part.
"We must do as Death says. He is, well, Death," Len had exhausted his arguments by this point. If the Lich still refused to come down to Hell, which he could understand, of course, then Len was going to summon Death again, and let him bring his son to heel.
It was not like he cared, or anything of the sort.
"I am not going to Hell," the Lich countered, just like he had done so many times before. "You can't make me!"
"What are you, a toddler?" Orion hissed by his side, tried to place his hand on the Lich's knee once more, only to have a fire bolt pierce through his flesh. "Motherfucker…!"
"I am not, but if we are speaking about your mother, then I will become one gladly," Seraphin countered, not helping things any.
"My mother looks like a troll!" Orion yelled back; his hand being encased in ice seconds later. Wait, did he not tell Len that he never knew his mother? Len sighed. Oh, for crying out loud…
"Oh, so you take after her, I see, eh, old chap?" The vampire snarked, pulling the Lich closer to himself.
Oh, Len could already see the potential for hate sex. Which, while sometimes good, was going to bring Orion just a string of headaches along the way.
"For…" Orion stopped himself mid-sentence, his eyes locked on the Lich's. The man scooted even closer to the vampire, practically climbing on the man's lap. "Look, Edwin, things can't go on like this. This is Death we are speaking about. Besides, don't you want to see your mother?"
Len blinked. Wait, had Orion just stopped himself from cussing? He looked out the window. The absence of flying pigs told him that he was A: high, or B: witnessing a miracle.
"My mother is dead," Edwin countered, actually took out his wallet, and then took out a picture of a lovely woman with graying hair. "And no… didn't you say that Gorgon is a dragon?"
Len blinked when he was met with the crystal-clear blue eyes of the Lich. He nodded, not trusting his voice to speak. The Lich looked like a mix between a man and a woman, and Len knew, that should his voice sound like he was considering falling down on one knee, a box with a ring in his hand, Orion was going to strangle him with his own entrails.
But, oh, what lovely eyes…
"Let me see that, please," Seraphin cut in, a smile on his lips. Oh, Len knew that the man was trying to show himself as an angel, at least in comparison to Orion, but it was still a nice try.
The picture exchanged hands and was soon glowing.
"Reveal," Seraphin whispered. Len could see the magic gathering around the man like a blanket. Man, Orion must have caught the fire demon unawares, for he was like an entire mana reactor…
The woman from the picture was shown as a hologram in front of them. Her skin slowly ended up becoming gray, filled with scales, her bulk grew.
"Oh," the Lich said, as he watched as the woman, he must have thought he knew, turned into a dragon. "Mama is not dead?"
"So, are we going?" Orion snapped, as he looked between Edwin and Gorgon's picture. "And… he is not going to turn into some lizard, is he?"
Len sighed. Oh, why did his lord have to insist on putting his foot in his mouth all the time?
"She died for me," the Lich whispered, as he stared at the hologram with wide eyes. "There was this car crash, back when I was finishing high school. She managed to lift the car, got so burned up, that…"
The Lich buried his face in his hands. Len could hear how he was battling to just keep on breathing.
"Edwin…" Orion looked at the Lich for a long moment. Len hoped beyond hope that the man would finally start to read the situation.
Had his lord Orion been born a demon? That could explain it all, and yet, for someone to have lived for eons and to have never learned a thing about compassion was just…
"Edwin, may I… you know what, I will do it," Len watched with mounting horror as his lord Orion leaned in, an ice barrier between him and lord Seraphin. Soon, the Lich was enveloped in an embrace, and Orion was pressing his lips to soft brown locks.
Oh, for fuck's sake!
"Don't touch me!" The Lich screamed, as he started to trash in the embrace. "Don't! Take your hands off me, you wretch!"
Len knew that it was the wrong thing to say. His lord was not the considerate sort.
And he hated, more than he hated doing his job, even, being denied.
The Lich was pushed flat against the vampire, Orion's lips found a nest on the man's shoulder, his teeth sinking in.
Having to watch on, as your lord, the man you believed would one day take over Hell, run around, because his hair was on fire, was a strange experience.
Len felt that the Lich had done him a favor. Favors should be returned, should they not?
"Lord Edwin?" Len started, as Orion started rolling on the ground, the Lich's blood still on his lips, eating away at the demon's flesh. "Please, this is a mission from Death himself. You don't have to come down to Hell for the entire trip. Lord Orion and I could go back, and when we finally reach your lady mother, we can call on you. Do we have your permission to do that?"
The Lich eyed Len so, as if he were considering setting Len's brown hair on fire as well. Whatever the Lich had done to come back to life, it had made him stronger, Len decided. For Orion was practically immune to fire.
Len glanced at Orion, who had encased himself in black ice. The strongest ice spell he was capable of. The top of his ice box was still smoking.
Hot damn, Len thought as he looked back at the Lich, hoping that his own hair won't end up burning as well.
For he was sure that if the Lich set him on fire, he would end up as a charred meat chunk in seconds.
"Is there a way to force Orion to behave?" Edwin asked, as he glared into Len's red eyes.
"Well… you can sign a contract with him. But, lord Edwin, he would need to sell his soul to you. Just like… oh, you probably don't know."
Len heard a growl from the ice box but ignored it. His life was on the line. A little goodwill now could go a long way later.
"Lord Orion stole your soul upon your first death. Now, I don't know many Liches, but… don't you want to get even?"
Len heard a string of muted curses, but he did not care. Orion could do the black ice trick only once per day.
The Lich was already gathering mana for a second attack. The same as the one used against Orion, if Len had to guess.
"Get even?" The Lich finally glanced at his handiwork, his lips turning up, his pearly whites showing slightly.
Len's heart was stolen, as the Lich snapped his fingers, and melted the ice box around Orion. The demon's hair started to smoke again.
Orion's response was to glare in defiance.
"You will never take me alive," Orion growled through clenched teeth.
"Good," the Lich said, as he snapped his fingers again. A chain with an open collar appeared at Orion's feet. "I was tired of having to look at your ugly mug anyway."
Len watched as Orion was set aflame. He watched as the prideful demon refused to put on the chain.
The Lich watched the ice demon, a soft smile on his lips, the glint of the seed of madness planted in his blue eyes.
Orion did not scream; he did not beg. He stood there; his gray eyes locked into blue ones. He wanted to find something in those familiar orbs.
The friendliness of before, when the man had still been alive and had offered him a meal. The shyness when he had bailed him out of prison.
The slight hopefulness he had seen and gotten drunk on, as the man was considering giving him a chance.
Just before Edwin saw the blasted camera feed and tried to cut him out of his life.
With sure steps, Orion picked up the chain. He did not want to make it easy for his sweet lady. No, if the man wanted him, then he had to take him.
"If I am to end up in chains," Orion said, as he reached out, placing the collar under Edwin's nose. "Then you have to come to terms with the fact that you want me by your side, my lady."
Len watched as the Lich bit his bottom lip, took in a deep breath, and took the collar. He watched, mesmerized by long pianist fingers, as the Lich placed the collar around Orion, binding him for an eternity.
Hot damn, Len thought again.
Now he needed a cold shower.
What were the chances of him being let into this… could he call it a harem, or should he be more considerate and call it a family?
Nah, harem fit it better.
After all, people in families loved one another. The only thing binding this harem together was the Lich. The man did not love his three lovers, if the thoughts going through his mind were any indication.