Saleos heard grumbles, muffled murmurs and unhappy conversations behind the closed doors. He planted a heel-kick and they swung open. His five brothers sat around the pentagonal table and dropped silent mid-sentence when Saleos walked into the room and gave them a friendly smile. Like Saleos, they all wore black suits. Like Saleos they all had goat horns growing from their hair. A candle dripped idly between them, half melted into a pile of wax that drooped on an angle. They had plates of spiced meat and a glass of wine before them. It all went untouched. It looked cold and forgotten. They looked scared. All the more reason to smile tonight, so he showed them his teeth.

  ‘Brothers!’ Saleos said. ‘I am so sorry to be late tonight. Unfortunately, my invitation never arrived.’

  A low cloud of smoke, grey against the black walls, hovered above the table, slowly drifting towards the high ceiling. The room reeked of tobacco. Clearly Saleos was not the only one to take fondly to that invention by the humans.

  Asmodeus, the oldest of the group with frayed white hair and a heavy-set face sighed. ‘How did he gain entry to your castle Abbadon?’

  ‘I’m not sure,’ Abbadon said, raising her pitch black, rotting hand to rest against her cheek, as pale as snow, dead as a sailor. ‘However, when I find the guard responsible they will join my farm as one of the cattle.’

  Saleos laughed. ‘That won't be possible. They no longer exist.’

  Abbadon dropped her black, frostbitten hand to the table and gave Saleos a fierce glare with hard set lips.

  Asmodeus spat. ‘To use soul erasure…’ His voice was deep and he shook his downcast head. ‘To so casually commit such a grave-’

  ‘Grave what?’ Saleos cut off. ‘Sin? I swear brother, it is like sometimes you still think you are an angel.’

  Mammon slammed her hands down and rose from the table, her wide body jiggling as her chair screeched out from under her. Saleos was surprised to find her plate was also untouched. ‘I am not going to sit and bear this mockery,’ she said. ‘What is it you want?’

  ‘To chat with you all of course,’ Saleos said, ‘but most of all I would like a little conversation with you, brother.’ Saleos looked at Bael who sat still, emotionless, silent. He was ever the watcher, the waiter. Belphegor with her long golden hair and red lips sat by his side and she too was playing the silent game.

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  ‘Of which matter would you like to discuss?’ Bael asked in a diplomatic tone. He crossed his fingers together and met Saleos’ eyes. His irises were obsidian, flecked with purple, just like Saleos’.

  ‘It may be a matter best kept between twins.’ Saleos said.

  Belphegor reached out and put her own slender hand over his entwined fingers. He did not react in the slightest. The other three also seemed to be pretending not to notice.

  Talk about sin.

  ‘We are all siblings here,’ Bael said. ‘I would understand if the lower six were present, but in this room we can share our secrets. Can we not?’

  Saleos laughed. ‘You are right, how silly of me.’ He cleared his throat. ‘My request is really quite simple, you have something I want. I believe it's being kept in your little city. What was the name again… Kerioth! That is what I believe the humans are calling it these days.’

  ‘What is inside my city is not for sale.’

  Asmodeus stood up and cracked his neck. ‘It is time for you to leave, Saleos.’

  Saleos laughed. ‘What? And you will remove me how? By force?’

  ‘If I must.’

  Saleos pointed at the grey haired demon and laughed louder. ‘You of all people, remove me?’

  ‘We will remove you, brother,’ Abbadon said. ‘I am not fond of intruders and interlopers.’

  ‘Aye,’ Mammon said.

  Bael said nothing, he only watched. Belphegor by his side did the same, except her eyes were on him, not the interloper.

  ‘There is no need,’ Saleos said. ‘I will leave peacefully, but before I go I have a deal to offer you all.’

  ‘We would never accept anything you have to offer,’ Asmodeus said. He was now inches from Saleos, but his stormy presence was diminished by his short stature. ‘Your tongue is forked and your gifts are sweetly poisoned.’

  To Asmodeus’ credit, his voice stayed strong as he spoke and his gaze never wavered. The same could not be said for the others. Mammon’s mouth hung and she had to wipe away a trickle of drool. Similarly, Abbadon licked her pale lips. So clearly they understood at least to a degree what Saleos came to offer. Clearly they weren’t complete fools. As my brother said, my gifts may be poisoned, but they are oh so sweet. Bael showed no sign of hunger in his face, he was in total control of himself, but Saleos knew his brother and Saleos saw the ravenous lust in his obsidian purple eyes.

  Reopening the gate between Purgatory and Hell required a key and a sacrifice. Saleos held the golden key, but Bael held the lamb. He held it for now.