Archive of Our Own

When Lilith had first been approached by the Sinner known as Godrick, Lucifer had had his misgivings. The Sinner claimed he had been a manager of talent in his mortal life, guiding, marketing, and aiding many stars and starlets on their way to fame. He was an honorable man who only wished the best for his clients and worked diligently for them to succeed.

Given the Sinner looked like he was the crossing between a lizard and a rat, Lucifer was pretty close to calling bullshit to his claims.

He certainly was sweating a lot as he stood before the pair in the throne room, having requested a meeting with them both several months ago which was impressive that he had gotten one so soon. Free time was not something either King or Queen had in abundance as they were still busy stabilizing the political and physical structure of Hell and its Rings. Sure the groundwork had been made eons ago with the help of the Sins but that had been the easy part. Now they were dealing with the needs of its denizens, especially those who were power hungry, and different ecosystems, not to mention Heaven and its overbearing need to control everything below them.

Or at least that's what Lucifer felt it was doing. This might have been just another harsh punishment they were hurling at him for choosing Lilith and giving humans free will.

Not that Lucifer dealt with the Sinners often unless they got too uppity. The fact that they abused the gift they were given and he had paid the price form, Lucifer sometimes found their whining and gaslighting complaints grating to listen to.

There's a limit after all to how often one is willing to listen to people blaming them for their own choices.

But he had humored the Sinner because Lilith had been interested in what he had to say. At the time she entertained often when they held parties or galas with the Sinners or Ar Goetia, her voice often enchanting anyone who heard her sing. And Lucifer hadn't minded sharing his wife's talents with Hell because he was not only proud of her beauty and voice but also because it made her happy.

And Lilith's happiness was his biggest priority.

So when Godrick spoke about setting up venues and stages for her to appear on and sing, Lucifer had no problems with it. He was sure that the rest of Hell would fall more in love with their queen if she appeared before the masses more often and not just with the random rising-in-power Sinner that was spread about the Ring of Pride.

'What did they call themselves again,' He thought as he zoned out on Godrick's endless droning about something random. Which was fine since Lilith was listening and it was her choice in the end. 'Lords? Overlords? Whatever. Lilith has been mentioning that they are difficult to talk to as they are spread. Perhaps I should make a demand that they set up a peaceful meeting once a month and gather them in one spot. That should make it easier for Lilith...'

Keeping his tight smile on his lips, Lucifer discreetly looked over at his demoness, noticing how worn out she looked and tightened his grip on the armrest of his throne, claws accidentally cutting small grooves into the obsidian glass. It gave a high-pitched shriek in protest. They were both working hard as of late and not sleeping well.

He needed to fix that.

* * * * Hazbin Hotel * * * *

For the first many years that Godrick O'Mar had found himself cast into Hell, he had had a mixture of relief and disappointment. Relief because he had been expecting Hellfire and endless torture by a horned demon. And disappointment because instead, his afterlife was a lot like it had been on Earth, needing to work all sorts of odd jobs to make ends meet

It had been during one of these odd jobs as a waiter for some rich snob that he had seen and heard the Queen singing for the first time. She had been an ethereal visage on the stage, dressed in a sleek gown that revealed all and yet kept everything hidden from sinful eyes. He would have thought her an angel had it not been for the regal horns she showed proudly on her head with her crown as lavender eyes watched her audience with a seductive smile while she sang her siren song for all to hear.

Godrick was ready to worship the ground beneath her feet, to treat her as the Goddess she clearly was, right there, and then when a fellow waiter quickly snapped him out of it with a warning glare. His college had then quickly pointed out the King who was standing a bit away, apparently listening to so strange goat-like being that held some sort of importance. Godrick didn't know what that importance was as more than half of the guests at the party were high high-society and clearly only slummed it with commoners when it had to do with entertainment of the flesh.

Godrick wanted in on that life again and he was sure he could convince the Queen he would be a perfect aid for her in connecting with the masses while sharing her art with Hell. So yes, he embellished his credentials a little but one sometimes had to fake it to make it. The Queen certainly seemed interested in the prospects he was offering. The King though...

Godrick wasn't so sure.

When Godrick had first seen Lucifer the King of Hell and Lord of Pride, he had honestly thought it was some sort of poorly played joke. The man was tiny compared to the goddess on his arm and thinly built with a clown-like appearance with red cheeks and a wide smile. Godrick was certain the top hat he was wearing was simply to compensate for height, if not something else, and he was certain by the jovial manner in which he had been talking to the larger beings at the party, it would be easy to speak with him when Godrick would get an audience with him.

Godrick couldn't have been more wrong.

When Godrick had entered the throne room to greet the royal pair with a bow, he had instantly felt the weight of the scarlet eyes looking unimpressed down upon him while the Queen sat perched beside him with equal apathy. Suddenly Godrick understood why every single one of his coworkers had told him it was a bad idea to try and meet with the pair, that he was underestimating just how dangerous the King really was when his eyes were fixed on you.

Lucifer Morningstar hadn't even uttered a word and yet Godrick was convinced if he uttered one single wrong word, he'd discover just how unimaginative the scriptures had been in describing the tortures of Hell.

Still, he was here now and had decided to toss his hat in the proverbial ring.

So he spoke and preached his offer to them, weaving tales of promises he was fairly certain he could keep, praising the Queen while keeping a watchful eye on the King and his reactions. So far it didn't seem like he was interested in anything the Sinner was saying, inspecting his nails every once in a while before he'd turn his attention to his wife and give her a chanting kiss before the piercing scarlet eyes would focus harshly on him again.

Still, he pressed on.

And as he did the Queen showed more and more interest, which made Godrick more daring. He started talking about possibilities in other professions like theater or even fashion. She certainly had the stage presents for it as well as the figure. He was about to go into details about it when the King suddenly ranked his claws against the black throne he was sitting upon, the sound piercing the large hall like a dying scream.

“O-of course if it displeases you, your Majesty-” Godrick panicked as he thought he had said something that offended the King.

The smile on his face seemed far more malicious as the King leaned back on his throne, his hat rim casting a shadow slightly over his face. It didn't ease Goidrick's fear at all as the King's eyes seemed to glow yellow in the shadows, the scarlet irises fixed solely on him. Maybe this had been a bad idea. Maybe he should have just accepted his insignificant life in Hell and lived in silence. Maybe-

“My Queen does not need me to dictate what she may or may not do,” Lucifer droned with a bored expression before he turned to gaze at Lilith lovingly. “If you wish to do this my Love then by all means, share your beauty and voice with Hell.” He reached out a hand and gently crested her face, gently bringing her down to him before kissing her passionately to the point Godrick almost felt lewd watching them. He wasn't exactly from a time where public displays of affection were seen as proper by nobility and yet he stood spellbound as the pair's kiss deepened before Lucifer pulled away, casting Godrich an almost threatening glance. “So long as they all remember that she is my Queen and mine alone.”

Lilith chuckled lightly at her husband's possessiveness. To anyone who didn't know them, it sounded like he owned her, but she knew better. He was telling her if this is what she wanted to do, then she should do it and take control. He wouldn't command her or meddle as long as no one got smart and too touchy-feely with her.

After all, neither of them liked sharing each other with other people. Not unless they both invited them to spice things up which was rare.

“I'll send a message to you when I've made my decision, O'Mare” Lilith waved a dismissing hand at the Sinner, knowing full well she had mispronounced his name. She didn't want him to know how interested she was in the idea of being idolized by more than her husband and their social circle. Instead, she turned her attention on Lucifer, slowly undoing his bow tie before she tugged on it lightly like a leash, enjoying the knowledge that she was both turning on her King as well as unnerving the Sinner in the room. It was a pure power display. “Now what say you, my Angel? Shall we continue this elsewhere?”

Lucifer's grin widened as he snapped his fingers to summon an imp to lead the Sinner out, his horns and tail manifesting at his wife's flirting. Licking his lips slightly with his forked tongue, Lucifer allowed his eyes to flash with mischief before he placed a hand on her hip, fingers teasing the slit in her dress as his claws gently teased the skin there.

“If you wish it, my Queen,” He growled low, knowing the Sinner hadn't left the room, too taken aback by seeing a King allowing a woman to domineer him. “Shall we?”

He knew how the mortals were on the Earth at the moment, believing that man was to rule his house and home without question. They believed women to be the weaker sex. Well, if he thought Lilith was weak, then Lucifer had no problem proving to the fool that his wife was the Queen of Hell for a reason.

Lilith must have sensed what he was doing, yanking him to a stand and kissing him so fiercely that his cheeks flushed a slight gold as she let go of his bow tie. With a dramatic flare of her hand, Lilith summoned a portal behind Lucifer that led above their bed. Smiling at him, she gently pushed him backward towards it as she allowed him to gently grasp her arm to pull her along.

“When then, my Angel,” She uttered just loud enough for the Sinner to hear as he was being pushed out of the room. “Come. Fall with me.”

Lucifer's smile widened even more, his sharp teeth on display for anyone to see.

“Always, my Queen.”

* * * * Hazbin Hotel * * * *

Lilith made Godrick wait a little over three months before she sent a summoning for him. Part of it had been because she didn't want him to think she was too eager. She was pretty sure the man wasn't just in the Pride Ring because he was a Sinner, his arrogance had been visible while he had spoken to them in the throne room. He obviously prided himself on being able to say he was part of the higher circles. But it was also because she and Lucifer had been busy setting up some requirements for the Overlords to make controlling them and their political turmoils easier.

Or at the very least less bloody and tedious.

At first, it hadn't been easy, change is not something mortal souls like after all and while Lilith was the Queen, many of the Overlords still saw her as a woman trying to command her betters. A tall woman, yes, but a woman nonetheless. So many had dismissed her demand for a peaceful bi-monthly meeting to be set up between them. Some had been foolish enough to flat-out laugh at her and call her a foolish harlot for even thinking she could order them around.

But that was fine with the royal couple. It made for fewer idiots to deal with and some impressive examples to set. And Lucifer made sure to let all of them know that the visceral displays of destruction and carnage were Lilith's handy work. She didn't need his help after all.

Of course, some Overlords were smart enough to accept the summons to the castle when Lilith ordered it, like a new and upcoming Overlord by the of Zest... something or other. Lucifer hadn't bothered to learn the Sinner's name as he had no interest in their dealings, but he could tell by the feel of the corrupted soul that knelt before him, that the Sinner had been in Hell for a long time before he had climbed the ranks now that there were some openings. He was certainly not frightened at Lilith's displays of violence like some of the others. Nor was he stupid enough to think Lucifer was asking them when he had set the rules of how the meetings between them were going to be from now on, ending his spiel with a rhetorical 'Do we have a deal' with an extended hand and a twisted smile that promised a fate worse than Hell should they say no.

Needless to say, the remaining Overlords got the message and the meetings were set up with a time and place, making one day a month somewhat peaceful in Hell as none of the Overlords were trying to backstab each other.

And once Lilith was certain everyone understood that breaking those rules would not be tolerated, Lilith started working with Godrick to build her musical career. At first, the man had been stressed out of his mind, suddenly worried he had bitten off more than he could chew as he had to pull on several hard-earned favors to book venues and roles for Queen to appear without throwing her name about as weight. It had been one of the stipulations he had to follow when she made a contract with him. It was so he couldn't abuse their reputation to do whatever he pleased.

Thankfully it didn't take long for Lilith to make a name for herself among the commoners. She was the whole packaged deal and oozed with charisma whenever speaking with her admirers. She was however still aloof with the men who asked for her to sign posters or personal items, making a point to always point out her husband who made regular appearances at her shows to remind the Sinners that they could look but not touch.

Never touch.

All in all, Lilith was somewhat easy to work with though Godrick did hate that she would argue with him regarding some deals he was trying to make. She had an annoying habit of demanding to read through every contract he brought her, regardless of how long or time-sensitive they were. He figured she had maybe learned to be cautious being the devil's wife. After all, he was the one who invented soul deals after all.

 
However today after working with her for nearly a decade, Godrick was tapping his foot impatiently as Lilith looked carefully through the five-inch thick contract he had brought her regarding a new kind of fashion deal.

Normally when Lilith part took in fashion pieces it was either to have her portrait painted or to wear a certain series of outfits in public for Sinners and Hellborn to see. But this time, Godrick had been approached by an old aquatic Hellborn with a most unique proposal. He said he was one of the lower Rings known as Sloth from an area called Dunwich in R'lyeh, whatever that was, and he had been working on a new way of producing instant lifelike portraits with the use of stored magic. He had already pitched it to his ruler there but the man had no interest in it, seeing it as cheap compared to having portraits painted, but Godrick didn't. The more the fish explained how his image orbs worked, the more Godrick could see a lucrative goldmine opening for him.

 
Portraits took time. A lot of it, and scheduling for them could be a pain in the ass, especially when the model was a ruling Queen and had no problems saying no if she wasn't in the mood. Then there were the artists who sometimes could be temperamental drama whores, controlled by their impulses-excuse me, 'muses', as well as moods. All in all, a portrait often took months to be properly completed and they often needed to do more than one in a series.

 
And time was money.

 
But if this orb bout produces a portrait in an instant and a lifelike one at that... Godrick could easily see how this would allow him to do several outfits with Lilith in a single day rather than months. Sure the orbs weren't cheap either, but they were certainly cheaper than some of the Well dwellers who called themselves artists. And the Hellborn, whose name he wasn't even going to try and say as it sounded like a drowning cat, claimed he could produce several orbs for them to use as a trial for a tryout.

 
All he asked for was if they liked what it could produce, then he would have first rights to sell them the orbs with a fifteen percent cut of any profits made on them. That, and they were not to reveal how the orbs worked until he was ready to show them to the public.

 
“So this... 'John'. He claims these orbs can capture an image of a moment instantly and produce a portrait in any size wished?” Lilith asked as she raised an eyebrow at the pseudonym name Godrick had given the Aquatic being.

 
She had recognized the letters the creature had signed his name with at the bottom of every page to ensure that Godrick could not change the contract in any way. When Leviathan had joined their ranks as Sin and family member, Lilith and Lucifer had made it a point that he had to teach them how to read and speak his native language. The aberration hadn't been happy about it but Lucifer made it clear given what his siblings had tried after their first meeting, it wasn't up for discussion. None of them were allowed to have a secret language between them.

 
Well, all but Lucifer but that had just as much to do with the Celestial language being utterly complicated and he had no one else to share it with. He only spoke it when he was very upset after all.

 
“So he says,” Godrick explained, dabbing a wet handkerchief on his forehead and neck to moisturize his scales and cool himself. “He's asking for a chance to prove how versatile they are, hoping that by showing how it can capture your true beauty, others will become interested. He says he's Lord wasn't willing to hear him out.”

 
“Count on Leviathan to always focus on possible profit rather than possibilities,” Lilith muttered as she read over what sort of 'portraits' John wanted her to do. She paused for a second as her eyebrow roused in surprise, wondering if Godrick had read the contract fully or just once more skimmed the bare surface of requests and demands. He tended to be a little lazy like that. “Tell me Godrick, are you aware of the sort of portraits he wishes to make?”

 
“Yes, some sort of penny dreadful romances,” Godrick said dismissively. “But think about it, Lilith. Instead of having to plan out fifteen different possible dates to sit around stiff as a board with some temperamental artist ordering one pose after another and adding his artistic flare, you could finish the whole matter in a day. Wouldn't that be a joy?”

 
Lilith paused as she mulled it over in her head. The idea of cutting down her need to pose for an artist was appealing, many of them were such cantankerous moody souls at times, not that she didn't appreciate their skills... most of the time. However, these novellas that John wanted her to pose for... Lilith was pretty sure she knew who the author was and 'romance' might not be the right term for what kinds of stories they wrote.

 
“It does have its appeal...” She finished reading the contract finding it fairly agreeable, which was surprising for a denizen of Envy. “I need to speak with His Majesty first before I agree though. Give me a day and you'll have your answer.”

 
Godrick could barely hide his disappointment, but then again, it wasn't a no.

* * * * Hazbin Hotel * * * *

Lucifer knew the moment Lilith slowly waltzed into his office she was up to something. There was too much sway in her hips, her steps too aliened to allow her long shapely legs to slowly slide out of her gown for her to have any good intentions as she neared him. Still, he managed to hide his grin as he focused on his work, or rather pretended to. This wasn't the first time they had played this sort of game and it usually ended in one of two ways; Lilith over his desk or her riding him in his seat.

 
Either way, the neatly stacked paperwork was destined to end up forgotten and tossed on the floor.

 
“I was reading that, my Queen,” He lightly scolded as Lilith gently plucked the piece of parchment from his hands, giving it a disinterested glance before tossing it to the floor. “Do I disturb you when you work?”

 
“Often,” She purred, eyes flashing with humor and gently pushed him back from the desk so she could sit on his lap. “Or did you forget last week with your idle hands?”

 
Lucifer growled low as his smile grew. He had not forgotten getting frisky with his wife just before one of her little get-togethers with the Overlords. They had both been pretty sure the Sinners knew what the pair had been up to before they arrived. At least the uncomfortable looks seemed to say so.

 
“Touché, now then what is my beautiful Goddess require of her King?” Lucifer smiled as he wrapped his hands around her waist, eyes hooded with lust and love.

 
“I just had a meeting with Godrick,” Lilith told him, placing a chanting kiss on his forehead before she led his hand away from her waist, knowing it was bound to wander lower. “He had a rather interesting proposal for some portraits.”

 
She watched as Lucifer frowned a little. He didn't like it when Lilith had to do portraits for her work. With him was fine, there were several beautiful ones of both of them or one of them decorating the hallways and rooms of the castle after all. But the ones involving her work with Godrick were often long, laborious, and worst of all tedious. They could drag on for weeks on end and sometimes Lucifer was positive that the artists were being slow in their work so that they could leer at his wife longer under the guise of 'capturing the moment'.

 
“Wonderful...” Lucifer muttered, pondering how many nights he could expect to eat alone this time or go to sleep in an empty bed.

 
“OH, no pouting, my sweet angel. You haven't heard the truly interesting bit of this contract,” She smiled and gently eased his chin up so she could look him in the eyes. “Apparently it's a collaboration between a rather famous author and a young inventor from the Envy Ring.”

 
Lucifer blinked as he looked surprised at her. It was rare for Leviathan to allow any of his inventors to venture beyond his realm.

 
“I thought that might pique your interest,” Lilith grinned as she tapped his nose softly. “Apparently this young inventory has created something he calls an image orb. Supposedly it can capture an image of a single moment instantly and produce it on any size you wish it.”

 
Lucifer scuffed a little, thinking that this sounded like some sort of bastardized magic which explained why Leviathan had dismissed it. The man might be amazing in his skills of eldritch mystics but he could be as stubborn as Father when his ideals or knowledge was questioned or threatened with change.

 
“And he's sure these orbs work and are safe?” Lucifer asked. Lilith snapped her fingers and he nearly jumped as the heavy contract thudded against his desk. “This is the contract. Well, some of it is a contract. The rest is actually his research as well as a few examples of images examples of Envy.”

 
Lucifer looked intrigued as she gave him a 'go on' look. Resting out, he flipped bout the stack of papers until he found the photos and looked them over. Instantly he understood why Lilith was interested, the pictures were amazing. This 'John' as he was called, clearly had an eye for capturing beauty, having taken pictures of wild leviathans swimming in the dark or of the luminescence gardens of R'lyeh. And he knew they were real because both he and Lilith had seen them many times when visiting Envy as Leviathan loved to brag about them.

 
'If it's faked then John has gone to extraordinary lengths to do so. Sinners had no idea what Envy looks like nor any way to prove otherwise,' He thought as he looked over the images. He wasn't even sure the mortal realm could produce anything like this yet if ever. “And he says they only took a moment to make? But how safe is this, Lili? I don't want you risking yourself for some charlatan's attempt to make a name for himself.”

 
“According to his statement yes,” Lilith smiled. “Think about it, love. Instead of my time being used standing in front of a painter, far... far... far away from your reach, I could be finished within a day.”

 
Well, that certainly appealed to Lucifer. And it would probably lessen the workload Lilith had to deal with beyond her royal duties. But new magic could also be dangerous. Lucifer knew this from experience from when he and his siblings filled the night sky with stars. That's how the comets had happened.

 
And the black holes, but that wasn't his fault. Camael had gotten mad when Gabriel had messed with one of her constellations.

 
“Alright, on one condition,” Lucifer finally said as he wrapped his arms around her waist once more holding her close. “I want to be present for this... trial. Just in case anything happens.”

 
Lilith looked surprised at him before she noticed the worry in his eyes and his grip on her tightening ever so slightly. And then she understood completely. As much as Lucifer never wanted to control her or dictate what she could and couldn't do, he was afraid. He was afraid of losing her, of her getting hurt by others, or her heart stolen from him. She was his everything, the last remnants he had of a world that had been torn away from him unjustly.

 
Even with their found family of the sins, he could not imagine losing her.

 
It would drive him insane if he did.

 
“I'll tell Godrick to tell John that you're to be there or the contract burns,” Lilith assured him. “Will that calm your fears?”

 
There was a moment of silence as Lucifer hugged her close, his head pressed against her bosom as he listened to her heartbeat for comfort, pleased that she understood his intentions.

 
“Yes,” He uttered softly. “Yes, it does.”

 
Kissing him softly on the crown, Lilith slowly pulled away and picked up the contract. She had a few demands of her own she wanted to make as well, namely copies of the books to read beforehand so she'd know exactly what they were about. After all, if this was the author she was thinking of, maybe this shoot would have a few more surprises than her husband thought.

* * * * Hazbin Hotel * * * *

It took about three weeks before the trial of the image orbs could happen. To start with it was a matter of schedules on Lucifer and Lilith's part. There were several meetings and gatherings they were required to go to, namely in the other Rings. Then there were their royal duties as well as a few problems with Au Goetia that needed some help solving.

The most ridiculous bit they had to deal with was Satan's infatuation with his newly acquired second in command, a young and hot-headed jackal jotunn by the name of Brynhildr. Apparently, after she had knocked out two of his teeth and he had broken her wrist, the Sin had fallen head over heels for her and wished to woe her. So logically he had turned to the only two beings he knew that had any understanding in the matters of the heart. Needless to say, neither could help him out on how to court the woman as jotunn weren't known for their 'romantic' nature.

That and Lucifer was certain that sending her sappy love poems would only anger the female. In the end, they could only tell him to follow his heart and do what he believed he needed to do to pursue her. Thankfully Ozzie was more blatant and told him to 'quit pussyfooting around just just tell her you want her'. Honestly, he should have asked Ozzie to begin with.

Now, after a lot of back and forth, Lucifer and Lilith found themselves seated in a carriage pulled by some of the finest Nightmares imported from Wrath and heading to the sight where the 'photoshoot' was to take place. Lucifer looked nervously at his cane as he thought of all the spells and incantations he knew of that he might need to send Lilith away if needed. Lilith just rested her hand reassuringly on his lap, wanting him to know she was calm and trusted him.

The place where Godrick had set up for the shoot was an old manor that had been abandoned a few years ago. John had insisted that despite its somewhat dilapidated state, the manor was the perfect setting for the photo shoot just as long as they only used a few certain rooms for the scenes the author wanted for the penny covers. John had been a little nervous when he was told the King would be joining them but the Queen had agreed to do the scenes and she had read the material he had sent upon request so he should be in the clear.

If anything he would just have to lure the King away when certain scenes were to be made.

It also helped that he was working with another Sinner would was trying to make a name for herself in the fashion industry, a like-minded soul who wanted to produce something more simple and comfortable to wear compared to the uncomfortable garments on Earth. Hell's more 'libertine' clothing had inspired her to create some most alluring outfits, to say the least, and he had made a deal with her that any images that the author didn't want would be hers to publish in some sort of paper she would publish to show the rest of Hell her designs.

Whether it would be something that would catch any interest was unknown, but John definitely wanted to keep a toe in the door should it be another possibility.

Not that he had a lot of time to worry about it as soon the doors opened and the King and Queen entered the room with an air of confidence and power that made everyone present nervous. John had never had the pleasure of meeting the pair before, his social standings in Envy being barely middle class. It had taken a lot of favors and bribing to get an audience with Lord Von Eldritch only to be dismissed without so much as a second glance. It had nearly ruined him so everything was riding on the Royal couple being impressed by his photos.

And he was sure they would be.

Lucifer barely acknowledged half of the Sinners present in the room except Godrick who rushed over to greet them and sent Lilith off to change into the outfits for the photoshoot. According to him, they were going to take some thirty pictures in five different scenes with three different male models. Lucifer immediately looked up to see who these men were and felt a pin of irritation to see not only were they all rather muscular and handsome-looking men, but the sons of bitches also had to be taller than himself.

'It's just not fair,' Lucifer thought as he recalled how his siblings all had claimed he would grow taller with age. Shows what they knew. 'Guess Gabriel was right about being 'fun-sized'.'

Pleased to find a seat prepared for him, Lucifer immediately sat down and waited in silence, only slightly aware of the foreboding pressure his presence was giving everyone present. Godrick and John had made it a point to warn everyone that the King would be present so if they had any inappropriate comments regarding Queen Lilith it would be best to keep their mouth shut or risk losing their tongue to an angry angel.

“Greetings your Majesty. I'm -” An aquatic-like demon suddenly greeted him, uttering its name in its native tongue which made several nearby Sinners flinch in discomfort. “But most call me John. I'd like to personally thank you for agreeing to allow me to demonstrate the amazing abilities of my invention.”

Lucifer schooled his face to keep on the fake plastered smile of indifference. Abysmal was never a pleasant language to hear spoken, as it often felt like knives in the ears. It was difficult to learn unless one didn't have normal vocal cords, which was common for the native denizens of Envy, and even then it was a dying language due to its exclusivity. Judging by the man's appearance reminding Lucifer of a cookie-cutter shark, he probably came from a traditional family.

“Yes, well I must admit I'm very curious as to how these orbs of yours work,” Lucifer fixed the demon a cold smile as he added. “And how safe they are.”

John visibly swallowed, his rough skin breaking out in a light sweat. It amused Lucifer a bit as he didn't know that was possible. Still, he remained calm as he pointed towards one of the men who was dressed in an opened-chested pirate's shirt and ungodly tight leather pants. It left nothing to the imagination and Lucifer had to wonder how the Hell the man had managed to pull them off. Oil maybe? It was likely.

“Mr. O'Mar did mention your Majesty had some concerns about the orbs so that's why we are having Darren over that take a few setting shots first. It's to find the best angle and light for the models before we take any official photos. It'll show you as well how quickly the pictures can be made and safe as well. Believe me, I've worked all of the kinks regarding the spel-”

Lucifer barely had a chance to react as he saw some inattentive worker pick up a box of white glowing orbs when one fell out. For whatever reason, the fool thought it best to try and kick the thing to save it, setting the spell off with a blast of painfully bright light, blinding anyone unfortunate enough to be looking that way at the time. Lucifer felt himself stiffen in shock as his vision disappeared for a minute, leaving him blind until color and shapes returned in small spots strewed about before spreading enough for him to see again. He was greeted with a world of stumbling staff who were struggling to see as well, some more than others as they had been close by the fool who was now howling as his foot appeared badly burnt.

“Okay... most of the kinks,” John said nervously. “But that's just because he's a fucking idiot for kicking it. And her Highness isn't going to be holding the orbs anyways so she's perfectly safe should something happen.”

The shark gave a nervous laugh as Lucifer looked unimpressed while he mentally rechecked if he could remember the right banishing spells he could use to have at the ready.

* * * * Hazbin Hotel * * * *

Despite the incident before, John hadn't been lying about the orbs being safe to use and quick. They needed a tap to be activated and while the flash it produced was bright, it was worth it to get the image it captured. Best of all, the model didn't have to hold an awkward pose for hours on end as John instructed them how to stand. The only reason the other Sinner had gotten burned was because he kicked it. After the male actors had finished their solo shots, each dressed in different themed clothes, those being a pirate, a knight's knave, and finally a modern-day gentleman merchant, it was Lilith's turn.

 
Her first outfit was fine by Lucifer's standard if not unusually overdressed for her. The dress was something Lucifer was certain would make Sinners think of the tales of King Arthur, her long hair braided into an intricate style with a crown. She gave him a little wave as she joined the knave on set, the pair being told what they were to do for the scene.

 
It started innocently enough, at least by Hell's standards. The Sinner did his best to wrap his arms around Lilith as if they were secret lovers sneaking a sweet embrace. It lasted a little longer than Lucifer would have perfected, the Sinner's hand a little too close to his wife's breast but once John was pleased with the pose, he taped the orb and then told them to change poses.

 
Lilith hadn't been wrong. This was certainly much faster than painting. In less than thirty minutes, John had taken seven pictures in different semi-erotic poses before Lilith left to change her outfit once more and the next sinner got ready. While she was gone, Lucifer got up and took a peak over the shark's shoulder to see the images, impressed by how detailed they were only to be surprised when he discarded two of them.

 
“What was wrong with those?” Lucifer asked, curious as to what it was this new-age artist saw that he couldn't.

 
Seemingly pleased that someone was showing interest, John took one of them and made it produce a small-sized portrait on thin parchment and pointed at Lilith's face. Looking closer, Lucifer noticed that the shadowing on her neck seemed off somehow.

 
“The lighting wasn't good. It's make her look like-” John started and stopped himself unsure if it was wise to tell the King that the Queen looked to have a beard because of a badly cast shadow. “It's... not flattering to the Queen. And the other one she was mid-blink, so she looks more drugged than wooed. That can work for some novels but this ain't that kind of penny.”

 
Lucifer nodded his head at this, appreciating that the demon seemed to be aware of portraying his models correctly while also being critical of his art. Good. Too many faulty products were mass-produced in Hell already due to idiots peddling snake oil and half-baked dreams. He should know. Mammon was the cause of possibly half of them.

 
The shoot continued this way with the rest of the models, all of them posing with Lilith In different alluring manners to tell some love story of forbidden wild romance. A few of the poses had Lucifer glaring from his seat, making the men nervous or Lilith giggle at his possessiveness.

 
If he thought this was being intimate, she couldn't wait to rail him up for the next half once they all had a short break.

* * * * Hazbin Hotel * * * *

John was very nervous.

 
So far everything had gone well and he was playing his cards right. It helped that Lilith was very pleasing to work with, if not a little demanding, but at least she could deliver. Not like some of the females back in Envy who tended to stand stiff as a board and with overly wide smiles. They rarely looked sexual unless you caught them unaware, their predatorial nature always messing with the moment or their natural lighting fucking up the image. The Queen knew how to hold herself, to ooze the sophisticated sort of sexual allure that came with a refined lady who knew what power she held over men without treading into harlot territory. Which was important for the product the author wanted.

 
After all, they were novellas about romantic trysts between men and women in power. It seemed that the author had a kink for dominating women.

 
And the King had been calm for the most part during the first couple of shoots though the chair had groaned from his claws and John and Godrick had been sweating bullets when he started growling. It made them nervous for the next half. After all, these were supposed to be the secret photos that were placed inside the novellas as a treat for those who bought them. Those were not going to be easy.

 
And now Godrick was springing this shit on him.

 
“Ex-fucking-cuse me?” John muttered as he stared at the lizard, his blood suddenly running colder than normal. “You wanna say that again?”

 
“Look it's what the client wants for her fashion pager thing,” Godrick muttered as he showed the small shark. “Listen fish brains, it's not my fault you didn't read the contract with the cloth designer. So it ain't my fault if his royal shortness lose it. You have to deliver it or pay for breaking the contract.”

 
John mentally swore, his tiny teeth itching to take a bite out of the stupid lizard. He knew he could get away with it easily too. People always underestimated how deadly his bite could be because he didn't have impressive teeth like a great white or tiger shark, but that didn't mean he was harmless. If Godrick kept pissing him off, he'd happily show the Sinner what his teeth could do.

 
All thirty-plus rows of them.

 
But for now, he needed to figure out how to get the photo he needed to complete the contract without losing his head to a jealous king. Maybe he could chat with Lilith alone for a minute? Was it possible to do that? If the King refused to let her out of his sight, who was he to say no?

 
Thinking hard and fast as he didn't have a lot of time, he decided it would be best if they did it during her changing outfits. That way he'd at least have the shot.

* * * * Hazbin Hotel * * * *

“So... what do you think?” Lilith asked as she fed her husband a strawberry while they relaxed a little.

Neither of them were big eaters so they were sitting outside in the abandoned garden, away from the staff, and enjoying each other's company while feeding each other delicately. Currently, Lucifer was lying with his head in her lap, his top hat off to the side as she occasionally ran a hand threw his hair while petting him. It reminded the Fallen angel how they would relax in Eden and just enjoy each other's company in the warmth of the sun. Sometimes even Adam would-

Nope, Lilith squashed the thought as soon as the memory came to her. Even if it had been centuries since they all were cast from Eden, she hadn't forgiven Adam for what he did to Lucifer and how he had betrayed them. Even if he hadn't meant to, he had never said sorry.

None of them had.

“Hm?” Lucifer purred as he snuggled into her warmth, his mind fuzzy as he enjoyed her petting.

“About the image orbs, my silly little angel,” Lilith laughed as she gently pinched the apple-red cheeks in reprimand. It was just hard enough so that she could wiggle his face a little without it being painful. “Aren't they just lovely? Much faster than a painter.”

“They certainly are my love,” Lucifer answered with a nod, admitting he could see the merit in helping fund the inventor in mass-producing the orbs. Sure it might take a bit of time before others would be able to see the appeal of them but I doubt it will take long.” Lilith hummed her agreement as Lucifer chuckled back. “How pissed do you think Leviathan will be when he realizes what he let slip through his fingers?”

“You'll be hearing about it for millennia, Love,” Lilith laughed as she kissed him when she heard someone calling her name. “Duty calls Love. Do you want to rest here for a bit? You didn't sleep very much last night.”

She wasn't wrong. Because he was so nervous about this new magic, Lucifer had spent most of the night either tossing and turning in bed, or ransacking their libraries to memorize any spells he needed.

“No, I'll be in in a bit,” Lucifer assured her though he seemed to stay curled up on the blanket they had laid out, enjoying the warmth that lingered there. “Just give me a few minutes.”

“You take your time,” Lilith smiled as she got up and slowly headed back. “I need to change for the next shots love so it will take a bit of time.”

If Lucifer heard her, he didn't say so. That was fine with her too. He had been tense all night and day so far and even with his angelic strength, even he had limitations. Walking off quietly to allow him a few more minutes of rest, Lilith decided she would send someone to fetch him before the next series of photos were to be taken. After all, even if the outfits weren't exactly complicated, she still needed to have her makeup reset and a little time to figure out what scene of the novella they were going to depict.

And there was no way she was going to let Lucifer miss seeing those outfits .

However, when she returned to the dressing room, she found John waiting anxiously for her. The demon instantly noticed that Lucifer wasn't with her and looked somewhat relieved, but that didn't stop him from gnashing his teeth so hard, that he tore out three of them which he quickly swallowed for the calcium.

“Is something the matter?” Lilith asked him, wondering what could possibly have him so nervous. Everything had been going smoothly so far after all.

“Well, you see, your Highness...” John tried to think of the best way to explain to her the little dilemma that Godrick had put him in. “It's about the fashion designer for the next set of costumes. She... Godrick just informed me that she wants a specific photo taken.”

“And?” Lilith looked curious. She didn't see what the problem was.

“Well... the thing is...” The shark's face turned an interesting shade of blue and it took Lilith a minute to realize this was the man's way of blushing as he held out a piece of paper he had clearly torn out of the contract. “Here. I apologize. I honestly didn't see it myself.”

Lilith glanced at the paper, reading over the requirements before her eyebrows roused in surprise. It was no wonder the poor thing was blushing, though it wasn't a problem for Lilith to appear in the photo the way the designer wanted. The question was, would Lucifer be alright with it? Pondering if she should ask him, Lilith remembered that Lucifer had said that anything regarding this was completely up to her. So if she decided to do the photo, then it should be fine.

“Okay,” Lilith just shrugged her shoulder, seeing no problems in the demand in the least. “So shall we do this before the others or after?”

John blinked, surprised and pleased that the Queen didn't even bat an eye and just questioned when they should take the photo. It was refreshing to work with someone so understanding because he honestly wasn't sure how he'd pay the breaking fee if she refused. It wasn't like he could just sneak in a look-alike and replace her after all. Lilith Morningstar wasn't some unknown model or songstress trying to make a name after all. She was the Queen of Hell and one only needed to look at any coin or bill in Hell to see one of their faces.

“If possible, now would be best,” John urged, quickly guiding the Queen off to where he wanted the picture taken. “About His Majesty...”

“It's fine if we let him rest a little,” Lilith assured. “Given how this picture is to be posed, I think it's best to do it without him glaring at everyone. My little angel can become quite jealous sometimes.”

John felt himself swallow nervously as he nodded. Given the glares they all had seen before, he didn't doubt it.

* * * * Hazbin Hotel * * * *

When Lucifer opened his eyes again, he noticed two things. One, that Lilith was gone and two, he had slept far longer than he had intended to. Jerking slightly, Lucifer looked groggily about as he tried to recall why he had fallen asleep outside when he remembered Lilith was supposed to continue her picture shoot and he needed to be there to ensure she was safe.

If anything happened to her, even Camael's fury would pale in comparison to his.

Getting up quickly, Lucifer snapped his fingers to dismiss the picnic blanket and leftover food from their lunch and hurried back, pausing only for a second to appear calm and collected like the confident king he was supposed to be, and not the slowly panicked REM deprived mess he was. If anyone noticed, no one said anything. Instead, he calmly returned to the seat he had been provided and summoned a glass of wine into his hand. Lucifer had only taken a sip of it when Godrick spotted him and hurried to his side.

“Your majesty. I hadn't realized you were still here,” Godrick seemed a little nervous as he greeted Lucifer once more. “I err... assumed you had left after the first demonstration.”

“Did you now?” Lucifer drawled with a grin, knowing it looked more like a malicious sneer to the nervous Sinner. “But how could I possibly leave so soon when my wife insists I oversee all of these... portraits? Besides, I'm curious to see what new costumes my Queen shall be wearing for these other covers.”

Godrick blinked, utterly confused by the King's words.

“Covers, my Liege?” Godrick asked before thinking. “Did the Queen not explain these portraits are erotics?”

“ They're what now? ”

Godrick felt his stomach drop like a three-ton stone as Lucifer's head snapped almost violently to face him, the grin morphing far too wide that it was painful to even look at. He might look like he was fine, but Godrick suspected that Lucifer, King of Hell was far from it.

No sooner had Lucifer demanded an answer when Lilith came walking calmly out of the dressing room clad in something Lucifer had never seen before and certainly intended to see again in the confines of their bedroom. Lilith was dressed in a blood-red lacy corset top that stopped just short of her ribs before extending down to her mid-thighs in matching sheer fabric. The front piece had two long slits designed in the, allowing anyone looking at her to see the milky white skin of her inner thigh with the exception of a slight bite mark Lucifer had given her a few days ago and the pair of red thin panties that alluded to something more.

* * * * Hazbin Hotel * * * *

Lilith was certain that before the day had ended, she was going to make Godrick spit out the name of the fashion designer one way or another and pre-order at least thirty more of these undergarments she had designed. Not only were they far more comfortable compared to a corset, but the brassier still managed to press her breasts up to look far fuller than she thought possible while she could still breathe. Not to mention it was stupidly easy to put on, requiring no handmaids or servants to stand behind one, lacing the contraption so tight that she could barely breathe. With this, it not only flattered her figure, but she could move freely and breathe unobstructed.

 
'Maybe I should make it a good hundred pairs if Luci's face is anything to go by,' Lilith smirked as she watched Lucifer lean back in his seat, eyes fixed on her in a leer. 'If he holds that wine glass any harder, it's going to snap.'

 
Feeling a little flirty and mean, Lilith blew her husband a two-fingered kiss, winking at him with a look that promised him he would get to explore the outfit later. But for the moment, she needed to work. Taking a seat on a bench for a scene that was to look like it was on a ship, the male model who had been a pirate before returned once more dressed only in his boots and trousers. The Sinner clearly thought he was going to take the lead in the scene, but before he could take a domineering stance around Lilith, the Queen-turned model swiped her foot out, tripping him down to a kneel before she leaned back with an empowered smile. Calmly but with an air of power and confidence, Lilith extended her right leg out towards the Sinner in a silent order to pretend to lick her high-heeled foot.

 
“You should know, I bow for no man.” Her eyes flashed a bright violent at her display of power, a silent declaration that she wasn't going to play submissive for these scenes as she had for the covers.

Not to mention the sound of a wine glass snapping in half told her that someone else was enjoying himself too.

* * * * Hazbin Hotel * * * *

Lucifer felt his blood pressure rise to dangerous levels as Lilith stepped onto the scene and at the same time felt his heart stop beating for a second. He had seen Lilith model before in undergarments, Hell she had even played roles in plays where she would walk about scantily dressed, allowing Sinners and Hellborn to gawk at her naked ankles and calves.

But this...

Whatever this outfit was called, Lucifer was certain it was sin itself. Lilith's legs were bear and free for anyone to look at and the brassier which held her bosom high and plump on her chest looked by far more comfortable than a corset, but at the same time the outfit showed off far more skin than Lucifer had been ready for. In fact, if it wasn't for the rectangle piece of cloth between her legs, Lucifer was certain all of Hell would be seeing a side of Lilith that was his lone.

She looked gorgeous in it, there was no mistake about that, but that didn't mean he liked that some nobody Sinner was getting to paw at his wife's bare skin. And if the Sinner's expression was anything to go by, it looked like he was excited at the idea of holding his arms around the Queen of Hell's waist as if she was his ill-gotten prize.

It made Lucifer's claws dig deep grooves into his chair as he forced a rather uncomfortable smile onto his face. Next to him, Godrick quickly looked the the side to avoid seeing or acknowledging the malice he could feel pooling off the king in waves. Had the King not been told? He was sure he had informed Her Majesty to tell him about how these exclusive photos were going to be produced. Had he forgotten? Or had he not been listening when she explained the nature of the photoshoot and more importantly, was he going to stop it now that he knew?

John worked fast, somehow feeling time was of the essence. Her Majesty was a natural for his orbs, striking a pose and using every bit of her succubus nature to make the portraits ooze with sexual desire and tension. She wasn't asking her make-believe lover for devotion, she was demanding! Claiming it as it was right and accepting nothing short of absolute servitude from the Sinner at her feet. The poses she struck spoke of silent promises of sexual pleasures far beyond the known realm and yet she wanted him to beg her for it like a trained pet.

All too soon, but not soon enough for Lucifer, the first set of photos finished and Lilith left to dawn her next outfit. Godrick kept his eyes fixed forward and acted busy so that he wouldn't have to face the wrath of a slowly angering king behind him. Even then, he could feel the rage rolling off the King behind him.

The next outfit did not help in calming Lucifer in the least, though whether it was lust or rage, he wasn't sure. Black had always been a lovely color on Lilith, accentuating her pale skin even more than her usual violet did, but if he thought the little red number she wore before was scandalous, the black one clearly outdid it. The body suit was mainly of lacy that covered her breasts about as much as the red outfit but then descended into a sharp 'V', barely covering her most private areas below. With it, she wore a floor-long skirt made of the most see-through fabric Lucifer had seen in his life. It was like looking through early morning mist, showing her long legs and thin waist with ease.

'Why the fuck even wear the damn thing if it hides nothing!?!' Lucifer thought with a snarl as he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. 'Lilith, you absolute torturous tease!'

If she was noticing his discomfort, the Queen wasn't letting it show. This time she willfully ignored his gaze, but Godrick did notice her horns seemed to have extended a little more than normal.

Once more, her male model partner tried to appear as the one in control only for the Queen to prove him wrong. Having seen her sweep the feet out from his coworker, he had assumed she would repeat the move with him. Instead, Lilith did a sweet 'come hither' curl of her finger before grasping the arrogant fool by the neck and slamming him to the ground, pinning him beneath her. Everyone in the room jumped in surprise, both from the sound of the man hitting the ground as well as worry about the King's reaction.

“Know your place, Sinner,” Lilith let out her own growl, emanating enough succubus energy that there wasn't a soul in the room who wasn't turned on by her domineering power. Even John who was doing his best to be professional looked like he struggled as his pants became uncomfortably tight. “I serve no man. You serve me.”

Crawling on top of pinned Sinner, Lilith effortlessly swung her legs over his shoulders while staying seated on his chest, giving him a view of a treasure he would never get to touch. John quickly snapped an image of the moment and readied another orb, sensing that there was a high chance the session was going to end early. Out of habit, the Sinner beneath her moved his hands out her slim legs, groping a feel and hoping to touch what only one being had managed to touch when a set of black twisted claws cut into his hands in warning.

“Try that again, and you'll wish that you didn't survive the last Extermination Day.” Came the warning snarl as the Sinner came face to face with an enraged and very aroused King.

The crown of flames burned brightly above his head, his horns on clear display for all to see as his tail wrapped possessively around his wife's wrists. While the Sinners around him quivered in terror, Lilith looked like she was in euphoric bliss, her eyes fixed on Lucifer a. Noticing her reaction to his sudden aggressiveness, Lucifer's grin widened to an impossible length, his razor-sharp teeth on full display before he yanked her into his arms, his hand grasping her most intimate parts possessiveness, making it clear to anyone in the room that he was the only one, come Heaven or Hell, that would ever touch Lilith there. Lilith let out a soft moan of pleasure, her demonic side purring loudly as it succeeded in its goal of riling up her husband to the point of madness. Her purr turned into an audible moan as Lucifer squeezed her tightly, his wings extending in one final display of power, subconsciously stating his claim as he glared down at every single being in the room, male and female alike, as his own voice reverberated against the wall hard enough for them to crack.

“ MINE. ”

Silence filled the room as everyone struggled to give some form of sign that they understood. They felt like they were choking under the weight of his power and rage. It felt as if a single wrong move, a too quick or slow breath would lead to the whole site becoming a mural of blood and viscera splattered about as a visual message for all the see and understand. That it was fine to look at the Queen, to imagine what her touch was like, but that was it. It would never be more. The next thing Godrick knew, there was a loud crash in the room and a hole in the ceiling.

The King and Queen were nowhere to be seen.

Looking over at a still shell-shocked John, Godrick practically ripped his neckerchief off so that he could breathe again.

“We'll be paying those penalty fees if that's alright with you.”

John mutely nodded his head. The designer would have to make do with what he had. He would not push his luck with the King again any time soon.

* * * * Hazbin Hotel * * * *

Three months.

That was hold long it took before Lucifer had somewhat calmed down enough to allow Lilith to 'escape' his hold. She knew he had his jealous strikes every once in a while but this time she had really brought out the devil in him. Not that she minded it as she gave him just as many love marks as he had her.

Everyone wisely left the royal couple alone during that period, be it the servants, the sins, or her shit-for-brains manager. If Lilith was to guess, she would say it was Asmodeus who had warned everyone to keep away. Without a doubt with the amount of lovemaking they are doing, the Lust Ring must have turned into a full-on Sin Fest.

But like all things good, eventually, Lucifer's need to prove himself the better man cooled and life returned to normal. Which was good as well because any longer and Lilith was sure she'd need magic to free herself from the bed. Not that she minded it at all though they did need to redecorate the bedroom and commission a new more sturdy bed since on day nine the frame game out before they did.

The morning had started perfectly normal if one ignored how every single servant in the manor seemed unable to look their monarchs in the eyes or even speak to them without a massive blush breaking out across their face like an allergic rash. Not that Lucifer or Lilith minded it. It was always a good thing if their love life was the local gossip of the ring. It helped remind Hellborn and Sinners alike that neither the King nor Queen were eager to share and that the couple enjoyed each other's company.

Judging by how Lucifer was humming one of his favorite Heavenly hymns as he joined her at the table in his scarlet red morning robe, a wide smile on his face.

“Good morning, my beautiful Queen,” He greeted her with a kiss that he wasn't ashamed to admit he tried to deepen. “Did you sleep well last night?”

“Morning, my angel,” Lilith answered sweetly before giving him a reprimanding tap on the nose, stopping him from starting anything certain to make them late for the day. “And you know good and well I didn't.”

Lucifer's grin only widened as he took note of all the bite marks and blemishes that decorated his wife's skin, peeking under her nightgown and robe. He was especially proud of the 'necklace' he had given her which she displayed proudly for all to see. Stealing one final kiss from Lilith, Lucifer gaily made his way down to his usual seat, a little pep in his step as his tail swayed lazily behind him like a cat. He was pleased to see that the day's mail and paper were waiting for him as well as his favorite breakfast had been prepared for him, a massive stack of pancakes drowned in syrup, fruits, and enough powdered sugar to make a doctor question whether or not the cook was suffering clown lung just from reading the recipe indigence list.

To anyone else, the breakfast was bordering on illegally sweet, but Lilith knew better. Lucifer needed the sugar for energy not to mention it was habit.

Stabbing the first pancake on the stake with a happy hum, Lucifer calmly looked through the stack of papers the butler had brought him for the day. Most of it was unimportant, junk mail as it would be called many years from now. There were a few invitations to get-togethers like Satan wishes to discuss something private with them or Mammon requesting a meeting. Leviathan had sent probably two dousing invitations and requests for meetings during his three-month hiatus. He could easily guess what Mammon wanted to discuss as well as Leviathan, those two were always easy reads. Satan, however... Lucifer wasn't exactly sure.

It wasn't a formal request, so whatever it was, it was something the Lord of Wrath wanted to be kept between them and them alone. The Sin was fairly older than himself and had Wrath's Ring under control so Lucifer was pretty certain it wasn't about advice on how to rule or deal with a rogue beast. And he certainly wasn't one for just 'hanging out' or having a 'gentlemen's night' from what Lucifer recalled.

“Satan is asking if we can visit Wrath's Ring someday soon,” He told Lilith as he forcefully swallowed a mouth full of pancakes and passed Lilith the letter with a snap of his fingers. Lilith was sipping her morning tea as she looked the letter over, an amused smile adorning her face. “Any idea what it could be about?”

“Oh? I might have a few,” Lilith smiled knowingly. The last time they had visited the warrior buck, he had asked them for advice on winning over the feisty she-jackal in his army. With luck, he had probably some exciting news to share with them regarding her. 'Perhaps he's finally made his move.' “It has been a long time since we last visited Wrath. I'm sure I can find a day off where we can go next week or so.”

Lucifer looked curiously at Lilith, having no idea what she could be thinking of. Since his eyes were only on her, so when they had visited Satan the last time Lucifer had been utterly oblivious to the looks Satan and Brynhildr had been giving each other.

Returning to his breakfast, Lucifer lazily went through his mail, tossing anything irrelevant to the floor to be tossed out later by the maids. It helped cut down the clutter that seemed to love to gather on his office desk like an added punishment from his Father. He was about to turn his attention to the newspaper to see what was currently going on in all of Hell when he noticed a parcel wrapped neatly beneath it with a note attached to it. Picking it up curiously, Lucifer looked at the note and recognized Godrick's awful handwriting instantly. It was hard not to because the man could focus his eyes correctly half of the time, the letters were all over the place as if he was either drunk or high. Or both.

Hell for all Lucifer knew, it was possible the man was.

The note was simple and short and yet it took more brainpower than Lucifer wanted to admit to read the damn thing. All it said was: FIRST COPY FOR YOU. ENJOY. G-. It wasn't much to go on, but it certainly had Lucifer's attention now. Normally Godrick only sent things to Lilith as her agent, so for him to send him, the King of Hell, a package then clearly there was something he wanted the fallen angel to see.

Unwrapping it, Lucifer felt his eyebrows raise in curiosity and surprise to see it was a paper book with an elegantly drawn woman on the cover with the words “Tempest” printed elegantly above. There was a tagline as well saying 'Fashion unlike seen before', begging the reader to examine what they possibly could mean. Curious, Lucifer flipped the cover open and was immediately confronted with the image of Lilith dressed in an elegant gown and gleaming black horns. In her hands, she was holding a bejeweled crystal bottle decorated with faux gold enamel and a most likely blue glass 'sapphire' on its front. Lucifer recognized it instantly as the oil Lilith loved using herself for shows to make her horns shine. She preferred it over polish as the oil didn't make her hair feel matted for days after. The caption around the ad read: ROYAL BLUE, NOW YOU CAN SHINE LIKE QUEEN YOU ARE. He chuckled at the caption, understanding that they were trying to appeal to the lower masses as the product wasn't well known but also not overly expensive.

Flipping through the pages, Lucifer was pleased to see the book didn't consist of only photos of Lilith. There were articles and ads about all sorts of things. From articles about the image orbs to the latest gossip of the Pride Ring, to ads about makeup and advice columns on relationships and what to be aware of when entering soul contracts. The book was mostly for women with fashion tips and ads marketed towards the fairer sex, but it was pleasant to look through regardless.

“What are you looking at dear?” Lilith asked after a bit, noticing how Lucifer was cooing over a book before him. Getting up, she walked over to him to look over her shoulder only to coo herself. “Aww, aren't they adorable? Where did you get this?”

“Your agent sent it to me,” Lucifer answered as they both looked over a photograph of several Hellhound pups dressed sweetly up in doll-like clothes. It was a little amusing because except for one little female pup, none of the five dogs looked exactly happy about the outfits they were wearing. Two of them were actively in the photo trying to yank off the cupcake dresses they were wearing and one boy was in the middle of trying to claw off the bow tie around his neck while the last boy was forcing a painful smile. Despite the visual chaos, they were all very adorable in their rights. “I've never seen anything like this before. It's rather interesting.”

“Oh, it's probably that new thing Godrick was talking about. A magazine I believe,” Lilith was a little surprised. She would have thought he would have sent her the first copy rather than Luci. After all, she was the one of them in it. “It was a collab done with John to show off his image orbs. They are quite beautiful, aren't they? He said it would probably be a great success so it would be foolish not to do it.”

“I'll say,” Lucifer leered as he turned the page and found another gorgeous photo of his wife, showing off so lipstick shade called 'Eden's Poison'. It was a rich deep green shade that made the coy smile on her luscious lips pop all the more. “John's little invention really is amazing. Certain certainly captures every-”

Lucifer froze as he turned the page to the centerfold, his thoughts coming to a screeching halt. He wasn't surprised that Lilith was in the center of the book with two full pages dedicated to her image. She deserved it after all with all her hard work, not to mention she was drop-dead gorgeous.

What Lucifer wasn't ready for however was to see his wife, his bride and Queen of Darkness and Hell itself, the love of his immortal life, plastered across the two pages nude as the day she was created in Eden with three equally barely dressed men fawning over her like trained mongrels. Well, nude was not entirely correct. She was tastefully wrapped in a silky pink sheet that she wore like their bedroom sheets, but the fabric was so sheer, so translucent that she might as well have been without it. The photo was absolutely the definition of erotic as she lay on a bed, arch arched high with a most sinfully teasing smile on her lips, as her one hand had reached up to her dark purple lips in a teasing 'shh, it's a secret' gesture. Meanwhile, the three worshiping Sinners, as Lucifer suddenly recognized them from the photo shoot a few months back, were pawing at her, their hands masterfully placed to hide her most intimate details from sight, be it over her breasts or nethers.

She looked every bit the goddess that they both knew she was.

“...thing...” Lucifer somehow managed to breathe out as sat shell-shocked by the photo.

“Well now,” Lilith sounded pleased as she looked at the photo, taking in the artistic lighting and posing John had decided on. “He really did make that come out nicely, didn't he? That Hellborn has a talent for working his invention, no?”

Completely unaware of Lucifer's reaction, Lilith looked closer at the photo, admiring how defined her figure was in the sheet with different pieces of lingerie that lay discarded around her like dismissed gifts from her admirers. That or that she had just finished wearing each piece for them. Glancing at the tagline combined with the photograph, Lilith could hardly help but giggle aloud.

“The Hidden Paradise Collection?” She read aloud, trying to control her laughter. Of all the names the designer could have chosen and she picked that? “What will you surprise him with? Who came up with that line?”

'Who indeed.' Lucifer thought as his grip tightened a faction more on the magazine, his tail swiping slowly and yet stiffly back and through.

It was only then Lilith noticed that Lucifer's horns were protruding again, his smile looking more and more strained. Curious, she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, making the small fallen angel jump slightly as he snapped out of whatever thoughts he was having. It did surprise her though that he seemingly refused to look at her, his top hat hiding his expression in shadows except for his ever-growing wide smile.

“Love?... Lucifer?” Lilith gently asked him, trying to gauge what his mood was. At the moment he felt off somehow. “Are you alright? You're awfully quiet, dear.”

For a moment Lucifer just sat in silence, his mind trying to piece together everything at once. Lilith had done a photo shoot. Godrick had assured him he would be present for all shoots to approve of them. He had not known about this photo and it was clearly taken that day. Which could only mean one thing...

The son of a bitch sinner had lied to him. Him! The King of fucking Hell...

“I'm fine, Lili.... just... perfectly fine,” Lilith didn't look convinced as her husband turned to face her with a turn of his head so fast, she was impressed he didn't break his neck. He gave her a bright wide smile but Lilith couldn't help but notice that his eyes were closed and the smile seemed more forced than genuine. “Oh, belovet? Queen of my heart and love of my immortal life? May I... ask you something?”

“Perhaps...” Why did she have the feeling that she was going to regret answering him? “It... depends on what it is.”

“I'm just curious, dear. Do you by chance... know the names of these three gentlemen?” Lucifer asked sweetly, his finger tapping lightly on the centerfold. “As well as, oh I don't know, their possible addresses?”

“Can't say that I do,” Lilith thought for a moment. She rarely bothered to learn any of her co-models' names unless she had multiple gigs with them and they were more than props. The three Sinners had been very attractive, true, but they didn't hold a candle to her sweet fallen angel. “I think Godrick would probably know that. He tended to keep information like that in his office-”

Lilith paused for a minute before giving him a hard suspicious look.

“Why?”

“Oh, no reason, my dear,” Lucifer all but shot out of his chair, ignoring the fact that his chair fell clattering to the floor as his wings extended once more. With a snap of his fingers, gone were his morning robes and pajamas, and he was instantly dressed in his favorite white and red suit. As he reached up a gentle hand, Lucifer lightly cupped Lilith's cheek as he finally looked her in the eyes, allowing her to see them turned blood red with murderous rage. “I just need to kill four pieces of filth that dared to touch what is mine .”

Lilith mentally cursed as Lucifer deceptively calmly swiped his clawed hand out into the air, slicing a tear into the fabric of Hell and opening a doorway into Godrick's apartment. She was honestly surprised that Lucifer even knew where the man lived since he was so disinterested in having anything to do with the Sinner, but low and behold her husband had apparently memorized the address well enough to know the exact layout of his home as she was looking at the man unmade bed. The Sinner was thankfully nowhere in sight though she could hear the water running from the only visible door in the mess which was Godrick's home. No sooner had Lilith deduced it led to Godrick's washroom when the door opened to greet them with a cloud of mist and a very confused Godrick standing in a towel and nothing more.

“Excuse me for a minute, Love,” Lucifer said cheerfully before he turned to give Godrick a sinister smile that promised nothing but pain. “Business calls and all that-!”

“Oh no you don't,” Lilith quickly wrapped her arms around Lucifer's waist, firmly lifting him off the ground before giving a terrified Godrick an apologetic wave goodbye. “Don't mind my husband Godrick. I'll be extending my leave a little longer. I'll send you a summoning.”

Not even waiting to hear an answer, Lilith used her magic to stitch the rift shut once more and started to head off to their bedroom once more. She hadn't expected the photo to reignite Lucifer's jealousy. It would have been flattering if it wasn't for the fact that it was forcing them both to neglect their royal duties and causing even more of their work to get backlogged.

Still, she couldn't let him just go out and kill her agent and coworkers. It was annoying finding new ones.

“Come along, my angel,” She mused as she ignored his demands to be put down as he flailed about in her arms. “Let your Queen prove to her King that he's the only one to rule her.”

Needless to say, it took another four months before Satan received an answer from the couple and even longer before Godrick dared to meet up with Lilith again.