“The proteges,” Quinn said slowly. “Is that really safer? Ria didn’t seem to like me much.”
Miss Senguine waved her hand dismissively. “She saw you for what you are, which made her grow wary. I assure you, dealing with my proteges will be far simpler and less risky than trained assassins.”
Quinn thought on that for a moment. “Assuming we can trust you…”
Miss Senguine snorted. “If you couldn’t, you would both be long dead.”
“But we don’t know what you want.” Quinn tapped her cheek. “You could be trying to manipulate us.”
Miss Senguine shrugged. “I suppose that’s true. It will simply be a taxing process for us both if you choose not to believe me.”
“Couldn’t you just tell us what you want?”
Miss Senguine eyed her. “No, I don’t think I will. You’re smart enough — you’ll figure it out.”
Quinn sighed. “Can you at least tell me what kind of demon I am?”
“Not for free.” She leaned forward. “How’s this: You agree and choose a new vassal, and I will answer your questions. If you do so for two, I will tell you what I know regarding your identity. Am I clear?”
Jared opened his mouth, but Quinn interrupted. “We’ll think about it. Thank you.”
Satisfied, Miss Senguine leaned back. “Anything else you’d like to know about?”
Quinn hesitated. “What are our odds of stopping the apocalypse? Ferronaughts are powerful, right?”
Miss Senguine snorted. “Very powerful. But you underestimate your objective. Let me make it very clear to you: the Apocalypse WILL come. Among the Summit are the most powerful demons currently alive, including Mr. Bertreck’s father, a fully realized, experienced, and powerful ferronaught. He is decidedly in favor of the apocalypse. He has a harem of hundreds if not THOUSANDS of women, making him that much more proportionally powerful. And he is just one member of an equal council.”
“Even if you could manage to take him down, or even the entire Summit, over the course of the next year, it wouldn’t stop the apocalypse — you would mitigate the damage. There is no master plan for nuclear war or World War 3. It is a revolution, a planned event across the planet. Demons are in many places of influence and fragile connections. All performing maximum chaos at the same time? It will shatter the very society that the humans use as a defensive mechanism.”
Quinn paled as Miss Senguine explained. “Now you understand what we are dealing with.”
Quinn grew quiet, and Senguine pressed her advantage. “You see? We are talking about personal survival, not changing the world. Leave that for the bigger players.”
Jared cleared his throat. “What if I became a big player? Could I do anything then?”
Miss Senguine paused. “I suppose after the apocalypse, anything is possible. Optimistically, you could obtain your own empire, run it how you wish. If that means restoring this corrupt society, so be it.” She scowled. “That is, of course, if you can tolerate having a harem.”
That shut him up. Senguine eyed the two of them. “I suppose you have enough to think about. I will give you some time.” She snapped again, opening the blinds to reveal the rooms beauty once more. “Talk about it. Until I have Mr. Bertreck’s absolute submission, I am limited in how much I can help.” She stood and walked out the door. “You may speak to my proteges if you want additional witnesses.”
The door clicked behind her, leaving Quinn and Jared to think about what she had said. “You’re not actually considering this, are you?” Jared asked hopefully.
When she didn’t respond, Jared’s shoulders fell. “I guess you really don’t love me, huh?”
Quinn snapped to look at him. “I never said any such thing.”
“It sure seems implied by the fact that you don’t seem to care!”
Quinn scowled. “I DO care!” She softened. “It’s just… Look.” She sighed. “You remember Ashley? From school?”
“The cheerleader?” He scoffed. “Yeah. She was a rea b-… bad lady.”
Quinn nodded. “Imagining you in bed with her makes me feel like throwing up.”
“Me too,” he muttered. Looks could only buy so much.
“But it’s not that way all around.” She brightened. “I just realized something.”
“Hm?”
She grinned. “Maybe the reason I’m so confused… Do you think it’s because I’m a demon? And it’s throwing my feelings off?”
That caught him off guard. “I guess that makes sense. Why are you bringing this up now?”
Quinn shrugged. “I just realized it. I guess what I’m saying is that I wouldn’t mind you sleeping with CERTAIN other women.”
Jared shook his head. “Nope. Not happening.”
Quinn grabbed his arm and looked into his eyes. “Look, she’s right and you know it. If you don’t man up and do this for me, we could die.” She looked away. “I could die. Isn’t that worse?”
Suddenly, the question he had during their wedding vows came to his mind. Would you give up your own soul? Yes, he had answered.
He bowed his head. “Couldn’t we find some other way…?”
Quinn sighed and pulled his head against her chest. “We both know that’s not likely. Unless this really is just some elaborate prank, and we both know it isn’t.” She stroked his hair. “You know, we’re kind of messed up.”
“How so?”
“Shouldn’t you be consoling me over the fact that you have to sleep with other women?”