Max took Angel and Loona to one of the fanciest restaurant-bars in Pentagram City. Unfortunately, it was owned by the Vees.
Normally, he would have avoided the place entirely, but tonight had a purpose.
Angel needed to see that Valentino and the Vees didn't control every corner of her life anymore.
The glowing neon tower loomed over the street as the three walked inside. Loud music pulsed through the building while giant screens flashed advertisements for VoxTek products and Velvet fashion brands. The atmosphere was expensive, flashy, and just a little fake.
Loona immediately looked annoyed.
"I already hate this place," she muttered, ears twitching beneath her hood.
"Same," Angel sighed. "Way too much Vox branding. Makes my skin crawl."
Max smirked faintly. "Good. Then we're all on the same page."
Even getting to their booth was a pain. Several demons recognized Angel immediately, whispering and staring as they passed. A few drunken idiots got handsy or tried flirting way too aggressively.
One sinner leaned in close to Angel with a sleazy grin. "Hey, Angel Dust. Heard you got some new features—"
Before he could finish, shadows wrapped around his ankle and silently dragged him into a dark hallway.
Another demon tried grabbing Loona's tail.
He mysteriously vanished moments later.
Neither Angel nor Loona saw exactly what happened, but Max's glowing red eyes probably explained enough.
Eventually, the three finally slid into a private booth near the back of the restaurant.
Angel rubbed her arm nervously. "Sorry, guys. Didn't expect this many creeps tonight."
"Hey." Max leaned back casually. "It's fine. I picked this place for a reason." His eyes flicked toward the security cameras watching them. "I wanted to show you the Vees don't own you anymore. Not while I'm around."
Angel looked down for a moment before smiling softly.
"No, I wanna stay." She leaned against him slightly. "As long as you're here."
Loona rolled her eyes but crossed her arms protectively. "Yeah, and you got me too. What they did to you was seriously messed up."
Angel blinked in surprise before laughing quietly. "Thanks, Loony."
The waitress eventually arrived, and the table became absolutely overloaded with food. Huge burgers, loaded fries, steaks, seafood platters, milkshakes, cocktails, onion rings, pizza slices, and enough appetizers to feed a small army.
Loona immediately stole fries off Max's plate.
Angel stole onion rings from Loona.
Peace restored.
As they ate, Angel leaned back comfortably.
"I gotta say," she admitted, "with Poppi helping me figure things out… being a girl feels way better than my old body ever did." She looked oddly vulnerable for a moment. "I actually feel comfortable now. Like I'm finally myself."
Max smiled softly. "Good. That's what matters."
Loona nodded in agreement while chewing a fry. "Honestly, you seem happier."
"I am happier." Angel grinned. "Still hot too."
"That ego survived the transformation," Max muttered.
"Damn right it did."
Loona smirked before looking toward Max teasingly.
"So… heard you're getting bold now." Her tail flicked behind her. "Grabbing handfuls of Angel's boobs and stuff."
Angel nearly choked laughing.
Max immediately looked offended. "Hey! I'm trying something new, alright? Apparently I act too much like a nice friend instead of an actual boyfriend."
Angel grinned wickedly. "Awww, poor baby learning how to flirt."
"I hate both of you."
"No you don't," they said together.
The night actually became genuinely fun after that. The three relaxed more as food and drinks kept coming. Angel got increasingly dramatic with every cocktail while Loona became clingier the more she drank.
By the end of the night, both girls were absolutely wasted.
Angel was halfway draped across Max in the booth while Loona leaned heavily against his shoulder.
"Heyyyy, big boy~" Angel purred drunkenly, getting way too close. "Why don'tcha let me test out my new body when we get home? I'll show ya why I'm Hell's top pornstar~"
She pressed herself against him, practically trapping one of his arms between her chest.
Immediately, Loona shoved herself onto his other side possessively.
"Hell no!" she barked drunkenly. "He's mine tonight. I knew him longer!"
"You don't even know how to flirt!"
"I know how to bite people!"
"Girls," Max sighed, face red. "That's enough drinking."
"Awwww."
Max stood up and helped both of them out of the booth. Loona clung to his arm while Angel wrapped herself around his back dramatically.
"You two are sleeping in my bed tonight," Max warned as they walked outside. "But clothes stay on."
"Boooo," Angel whined.
Outside, the streets of Pentagram City glowed with neon signs and hellfire. The air smelled like smoke, alcohol, and rain.
Unfortunately, the walk home didn't stay peaceful for long.
A group of demons stepped into their path near an alleyway. Judging by the tattoos and weapons, they were probably low-level gangsters trying to impress someone.
One of them looked Angel up and down hungrily.
"Well damn," he laughed. "That's a pretty pair you got there. Mind lettin' us have a taste? Especially Angel Dust."
Another licked his lips toward Loona.
Max's expression instantly went cold.
"I really don't have time for this." His voice lost every ounce of warmth. "Walk away."
The demons laughed.
Big mistake.
Black flames suddenly erupted across their bodies without warning.
Their screams echoed down the street as hellfire consumed them. The fire didn't spread anywhere else. It burned only them.
Loona blinked drunkenly. "Cool…"
Angel stared for a second before leaning happily onto Max again.
"That's so hot."
Max sighed tiredly and kept walking, carrying both girls home through the glowing streets of Hell while the gang burned behind them.