Disclaimer: All characters depicted in this story are eighteen years of age or older. Any sexual content involves only consenting adults. This is a work of fiction.
A Marvelous Devil.
Chapter 47: Fair Terms.
Dante Andromalius.
The walk to the office must have confused the mortals trailing me. It wasn't as intricate as some of Ajuka's magic in my castle, but I learned much from him.
It was weaker than I preferred but still functional, since it didn't alert beings attuned to domain claims. In Red's world, I'd acted without caution because I didn't fear those with such abilities.
Here? Oh, yes, I was careful. It wasn't fear per se. Very few beings truly scared me, even as weak as I currently was.
With tens of thousands able to erase existence on a planetary scale, you simply learned not to worry.
I was a demon. My true might wasn't power, even if I used to have it in spades. No, I simply knew when one needed to retreat, who could be pushed, and who shouldn't. I cursed The One Above All as I wanted, because I knew that he didn't care about what I thought of him.
Same as the Living Tribunal and all those bastards.
Would I curse Knull if I were standing next to him? Probably not. Or maybe I would, I wasn't sure. If I were that close to him at his peak, there was not much I could do but curse his existence before going off with a bang.
The point was, I knew how to act around the knowledge I had. And warding and expanding the room inside my business was nothing in the grand scheme of things.
It amused me how Pepper Potts and her security slowed, finally stopping in the hallway after two minutes of walking.
"Pepper," the man whispered, grabbing her hand. "There's something weird about this place. We should have hit the back alley by now. The building isn't that deep."
His other hand lowered towards the inner part of his suit.
A gun… how cute. Should I let him shoot? His expression would be hilarious.
I slowed and turned, grinning. "Fascinating, isn't it? Normally, I handle business in the open, but what you want is something a bit more...unconventional."
I chuckled, seeing their baffled expressions, "I would suggest you keep walking, we're almost there, Mr. Hogan. Unless you'd rather go back out there and wait for whatever decision the board of directors makes without any news about your boss."
Pepper swallowed hard, her pale complexion paling further as she realized how little she knew what she was entering.
She grabbed Happy's hand, her grip firm as her soul settled into resolve with a hint of hope, and she purposefully pulled him forward.
"Keep walking, Happy. He truly might be able to help, and we owe Tony at least that."
The oak door opened itself as I led them in.
"That's why mortals are fun," I leaned against the desk. "Always willing to do anything for those they love."
They stopped outside the door once they heard me, their faces grim as they looked confusedly inside.
They weren't adept at magic, but every being with a soul had a kind of sixth sense to understand when they were about to enter the lion's maw.
And they could absolutely feel that they were about to enter somewhere they couldn't leave that easily. My office was my sanctuary, a place so infused with my own presence that it insulated the mundane from the outside.
Leaning in, I watched the pair gather their wits, arms crossed, just waiting.
Pepper took a deep breath, visibly gathering herself, and stepped inside.
Happy entered behind her, tense, pressing his lips together into a thin line.
He stood near the door, hand never leaving his weapon. His eyes swept over the magical tomes in curiosity, fear, and disbelief. He eyed the floating tea kettle behind me filled with Tandy's product. And it wasn't until then that they realized they were completely out of their depths.
"Tea? Coffee?" I offered. "I try not to get every detail about you. It makes things rather boring, don't you agree?"
"What are you?" Pepper's voice trembled between curiosity and fear.
"Shouldn't it be obvious by now? I thought you'd researched everything. The name of my place is quite a dead givaway," I said, letting my wings spring from my back.
They both startled, with Happy drawing and aiming his gun at my chest.
Props to him, his hands didn't exactly waver that much.
"If shooting helps, go ahead, Happy," I snorted. "If there are no more surprises, let's sit and start this deal."
Pepper screamed and threw herself to the ground, but I didn't pay much attention to her because I stared in disbelief at the trail of smoke that came out of Happy's barrel.
… It wasn't that often that I found myself not knowing what to say.
Did I ask for it? Yeah. I just didn't think he'd have the balls.
The black smoke rising from my shirt lingered because a second and a third shot echoed in my office.
"Are you done?" I deadpanned. "Next time, you'll be punted through the wall for your cheek, boy."
Happy made a sound from the back of his throat as Pepper looked up from the ground, staring at the Dark Force with open fascination. As well as paling even more… I didn't think that was even possible at that point.
"Sit," my voice boomed, their bodies locking as they were pulled into expensive chairs. "Drink, it'll calm you."
I didn't force them, just gestured to the cups of Tandy's tea.
Pepper stared at it doubtfully, then she looked at me, "Is this something like what Hades did with Persephone?"
I stared at her blankly. And a bit irritated, if I were to be honest.
"You may have a beautiful soul, but don't compare me to those parasites," I said, exhaling.
She winced, her body trembling.
Fucking Greeks. By the One Above All, even at my worst, I couldn't be compared to them. I didn't think I despised any of the Earth Gods more than them.
And that was saying something. Because the majority of them were assholes.
Their throats bobbed. I didn't ask again, but something in my face must've convinced them because they drained their cups.
Their blissed-out expressions brought a grin to my face.
"Is that why you stare, Mr. Andromalius?" Pepper asked quietly, blushing. "I thought my charm worked on you."
Heh. How amusing. She was totally acting.
She was good for a mortal, though, I had to admit that.
"Dante is fine, Pepper. Can I call you Pepper?" I didn't wait for her reply. "I don't notice people's looks; I focus on their importance and how interesting they are. Your soul is unusually bright for someone who isn't an Axis. Quite fascinating, if I say so myself."
She didn't really understand what I was saying.
"At least he's not exactly another Tony," Happy muttered, "just a demon that will probably steal our souls. I told you we shouldn't have come here, Pepper."
The redhead winced again and parted her lips as if to speak, but no words came out. Her fingers clenched together in her lap.
She was doing that a lot.
"You're lucky I don't care for your souls," I chuckled. "But be careful with others of my kind; we're not known for self-control."
Happy scoffed, looking doubtful.
"You may not trust me, mortals, but I assure you: I don't lie about small things. It's beneath me to cheat mortals of their souls. If I wanted something like that, I'd offer a fair price."
They didn't reply. Just looked between my face and my wings.
"If I were like the rest of my kind, I wouldn't be allowed to do my business openly," I continued through their silence, rolling my eyes. "But, to be fair, you have a choice. Leave or stay, your choice. Nothing will happen to any of you for wasting my time."
They exchanged a look. I could see defeat written on Happy's face before they spoke.
Pepper nodded to herself, taking a deep breath to get control of herself. "I'm Tony Stark's personal assistant. And as you might have heard, we don't know what happened to him after the attack on his convoy."
"Missing in Afghanistan," I nodded calmly, pretending I hadn't taken that from their souls. "You're worried, since no one is trying to find him. Not even the board."
Pepper gasped softly, her eyes wide as she shared a glance with Happy, "How do you know about the board?"
"I know many things," I grinned, sitting on the desk. "No one's helping, and those who should are silent. You feel, deep down, that those who should be looking for your boss want him gone. Am I wrong?"
She shook her head, and a tremor passed through her whole body, "No… You aren't wrong. I just… We just want to know if he's still alive."
"I can do that in less than a day, my dear," I said simply, "Finding a single mortal, especially with how popular he is, is child's play for me. But let me ask you something, Pepper. Is that all you want? A simple yes or no. Or would you pay more for something… bigger?"
Pepper's eyes narrowed. "What exactly are you offering, Dante?"
"I said what I said. I can tell you later today if he's alive. That's something simple for someone of my abilities," I chuckled, letting a fraction of my magic flow outside of my body.
The Dark Force came out of my pores, creating small portals to different parts of the world.
Both mortals shivered in fear, Happy once more grabbing his weapon and pointing it at my chest with trembling hands.
But he didn't run away as much as they wanted to.
"But that alone wouldn't bring him home, especially with who's responsible for grabbing him. But miracles are expensive. And I charge for my fairness."
"I have money. So does Tony, an amount that makes some smaller countries jealous," she said quickly, excitedly. "Stark Industries can pay whatever—"
"I don't care about mortal money, woman," I rolled my eyes, pulling the Dark Force and my magic back inside my body.
Happy and Pepper let out a breath that sounded way too amusing to my ears.
"If you want me to make a move, you pay my price."
"And what is that, if you say you don't want our souls?"
"For the information? Two favors." I smiled widely, "One from you, Miss Potts, and one from Tony. When the time comes, I will ask for something, and you both will provide it. A debt I will enforce."
She stared at me, Pepper explicitly ignoring Happy's worried look. They were smart enough to know that making a blank check deal with something they didn't truly understand was dangerous, but she liked the merchant too much to walk away.
And I did say I loved desperate mortals.
"What about the price for bringing him home?" she asked seriously.
"It depends," I shrugged, "I'd have to make some calls to know how much I should interfere with this."
"Then why did you even offer it?" she deadpanned, her hope shattering in a million pieces.
Because I meant it, but at the same time, I was still unsure about how much I should interfere.
The chains of fate around her were too thick. If this Tony was the one who carried the fate as I expected, then that meant he was a valued nexus point. And I loved those mortals so much, but not enough to face what came after messing up too overtly with their history.
I wouldn't act only because their hot secretary asked cutely. I needed something more. Something I was unsure they could pay for.
"Call who?" Happy asked, frowning.
"Way above your pay grade, dude," I chuckled, "But while I doubt you can pay for an extraction if things are as I suppose, that doesn't mean there aren't other paths we can take."
"Like?" Happy asked gruffly.
"Contract me as his guardian angel for the event," I laughed loudly, my wings twitching behind my back.
Their deadpans were hilarious.
"Let's say that I will find out if he's alive, free of charge," I continued after a moment, "I will tell you what I find, and we will decide from there. Deal?"
She hesitated, then nodded firmly, "That's what I originally wanted. Deal."
I clapped my hands together, making them jump from their seats.
"Excellent, my dear." I grinned, and their teacups refilled under their greedy eyes, "Enjoy, and while you do so, tell me everything I should know about the event."
And they did so, for a long time, everything that Pepper knew about the weapons demonstration, who was going, who was against it, the ones who acted strangely after the event inside Tony's own enterprise.
I didn't focus on how much time passed, but after a while, the office door clicked open.
Tandy peeked her head in, her eyes curious beyond belief.
"Dante, why did you want me to slow down Dum Dum? He only told me three stories before leaving in a massive hurry," she pouted, "You better hope he still comes back; you hear me? You keep traumatizing everyone interesting."
"Hah," I laughed, "He's back to report that Pepper was visiting the unknown. Let it be; it was mostly to fuck with him. He will come back, that I can assure you."
"And who are they?" she asked after nodding, "What is the deal this time?"
"They are Pepper and Happy; they work for Tony Stark."
"Really?!" Tandy squeed and bounced her way to the desk.
How… loud.
Pepper blinked at my excited light, caught off guard by the difference between the two of us.
"Yes… Yes, we do."
"What is he like?" Tandy asked, taking a seat next to Pepper and summoning a cup of coffee for herself.
Pepper looked at her for a moment before letting out a small giggle.
Then she looked at me… teasingly. "Well, to be honest, Dante reminds me of him. They have the same kind of arrogance you can feel ten minutes before seeing them. And they also look like nothing is truly a problem that has no answer."
I raised an eyebrow, not knowing but feeling like I should be offended. Being compared to a mortal was… new.
Tandy, on her part, burst out laughing, to the point of clutching her stomach, "Oh my god, you hear that, Dante? I knew Tony Stark was a playboy, and I can see that similarity, but I didn't expect him to be a brat like you."
I snapped my fingers, and Tandy squealed as her bum was smacked under the table.
"I'll show you the brat," I warned, earning a heated glance from my light.
Pepper laughed in disbelief. Happy snorted to himself.
"Have fun, babe. Be sure to keep them company while I'm gone."
"Where are you going?" Pepper asked.
"To find how much I can get away with interfering in this, and then learn where he is. Feel free to check any of the books while I'm gone. I believe Tandy can make sure none of you get eaten by one of them. I'm sure there are some things that might grab your attention."
Tandy rolled her eyes, but I didn't wait for their answer as the Dark Force consumed my body.
Minutes later.
Dante Andromalius.
Stepping past the portal once more into my office, I sighed, knowing the disappointment from the two mortals I was about to face.
I didn't care, obviously, but I was a bit upset about not being able to wring more out of them.
I was fair, and that wouldn't change until my complete death.
Also, ensuring a nexus that wasn't my enemy was allowed to grow was the best thing that had happened to me in a while. Especially when he could grow enough to help me with my own desires.
Protecting him from some simple mortal terrorists was a no-brainer, but saving him outright? That brought problems that not even Hell Lords wanted on their front door.
Even the most powerful beings didn't go against the great directive of the world. And those that did? Usually, they were so absurdly powerful that they thought they could withstand the backlash. And it almost always ended with their deaths, or a humbling so funny that being reborn as a mortal seemed tame in comparison.
So no, I wouldn't interfere openly. But his safety? Heh.
Even more so when I wouldn't have to do much. Yao was pretty clear that this Tony was more important than what I currently realized, which only made my curiosity grow. She assured me that he was one mortal to keep an eye on.
She was also amused and tired that I planned to rip him off when his survival was all but assured by fate.
Which meant that I would only win. Not as much as I hoped, but enough to make the effort worthwhile.
The scene inside my office was something… else.
I didn't know whether to call it childish or genius, but Tandy was doing tricks with her demonic power and the Light Force to entertain Happy and Pepper.
Which… was actually helping settle their nerves. They had been looking quite tense throughout the meeting. But with Tandy and her excitement? Both mortals even clapped as she made two humanoid figures made of light end their mock spar.
"Really, love?" I sighed, sitting back in my chair. "At least I can see you're having fun with your power. What did Wong say about your mannequins?"
She had been trying hard to make copies of herself with the Light Force, but she hadn't advanced as much as she'd liked. The level she showed the mortals was quite advanced compared to what I had seen before, so it was possible Wong had helped her progress.
"Oh! I totally forgot to tell you!" Tandy laughed excitedly. "I beat him today! Managed to get him with a light spear that he failed to block with his shield."
Then she blushed, and I stared at her with a neutral face.
"He failed to block it?" I looked directly into her eyes, my lips twitching. "And pray tell, my light, where did it hit him?"
She got even redder, if that was possible.
"On his chest… just below the heart," she murmured, her ears burning red.
Then she frantically waved her hands in alarm, seeing both Happy and Pepper look gobsmacked. "I healed him right after! He even praised me!"
That was the part of her training I loved to see. The absolute cruelty she used when she was in a fight. She still had a gentle heart, as much as I tried to scrub her clean of such pesky things, but in combat? She could be downright vicious. Especially considering that anything short of death was quite easy to fix for someone with her abilities.
I grinned, patting her head. "That's my girl. I'm proud of you."
Tandy pushed her head back against my hand and smiled adorably. "Thank you."
She then frowned. "If only that idiot didn't scream at me about safety after the spar. I had it handled, and Wong didn't care, so why did he?"
I frowned at that. "Who?"
"Master Ward," Tandy scowled. "You have no idea what kind of tirade he threw."
I bit down a scowl. Again, probably Mordo playing his games. The cunt.
I couldn't wait for the moment Yao decided to let him go. I was still unsure why she kept protecting such a sanctimonious asshole from me.
"Ignore him then," I rolled my eyes and took a breath, turning my attention back to Pepper.
"I found out what I can do, my dear. And while it might disappoint you, I have to say you know how to pick men." I chuckled in amusement, laughing when Pepper blushed brightly.
Hoh?! Was that jealousy I smelled? Happy didn't say anything. Hell, his expression didn't even change, but I could see right through him and his desire for Pepper.
How amusing. More so because of the assurance he carried that Tony and Pepper wouldn't work together. He respected Tony from the bottom of his heart, but he didn't want Pepper with him because he truly cared for her.
Quite curious.
"He's alive?" Pepper asked, getting her embarrassment under control and sighing in profound relief. "Then, going by your words, I suspect you won't bring him home."
I nodded simply. "It's simply not worth the mess that would come later, my dear. As I said, he seems to carry quite an interesting fate, and this is merely the start of his story."
I smiled indulgently in her direction. "I know this can be quite confusing, Pepper. You barely knew the world was bigger than simple heroes and villains. Fate is quite real, and some people are more important than others. It turns out this Tony is in the second category."
"Yeah… of course he is. That sounds exactly like Tony," Happy chuckled dryly.
But his true feelings said otherwise. Much to my surprise, there wasn't any jealousy. A bit of frustration, sure, but what consumed everything else was concern.
"What does that mean, though?" Pepper asked, visibly worried.
I just shrugged. "Beats me. I don't care enough to find out what he will do. Knowing the future only messes things up because it's always changing. Life is more interesting if you don't know what's coming."
I clapped my hands. "So, let's talk business, then."
Everyone took their seats, with Tandy hopping onto my lap as she giggled at Pepper with a wink.
Shaking my head, I ignored the antics.
"What do you want in order to ensure his safety? How sure can you be that nothing will happen to him?" Pepper asked seriously.
Tandy giggled, and I joined her with a chuckle.
"A hundred percent. Mortal weaponry has no chance against me, and I can weave a spell to protect him from errant rounds. Though I might just bless him with absurd luck for a while, that way, my interference is minimal. He might get shot at, but he will not lose his life over it. I will ensure his escape from the shadows."
Pepper didn't look convinced.
Sighing, I snapped my fingers. The demonic crest of the Andromalius formed below Happy, shining a bright blue for a second.
Faster than they could process, I teleported next to him, snatched his gun from his holster, and shot him three times.
The first bullet struck the metal watch on Happy's wrist at the exact angle needed to ricochet upward. The sharp, metallic crack startled the two mortals into movement and Pepper yelped as she threw herself to the ground.
The second shot should have gone straight through his throat. Instead, the falling chandelier, somehow hit by the first bullet, crashed between us at an unnatural speed. The bullet embedded itself uselessly into the brass frame, sending a shower of sparks exploding across the room.
Happy stumbled backward with a shout, slipping on the broken glass raining down around him.
I fired the third round directly at his forehead.
Happy's heel caught the edge of the carpet, sending the large man crashing backward onto his ass just as the bullet passed cleanly through the space his head had occupied a millisecond prior. The round sailed past and shattered a liquor bottle on the shelf behind him instead.
I frowned deeply… I liked that drink. Fucking luck magic. It was probably punishing me.
The silence in the room was out of this world.
Happy lay sprawled on the floor, breathing hard, staring at me as if I had personally crawled out of Hell.
Which, admittedly, was quite apt.
Slowly, I lowered the gun.
"You see?" I said calmly. "Absurd luck."
Pepper looked one second away from fainting.
Happy, meanwhile, glanced at the destruction, then finally back at me.
"…You are a psychopath."
"I'm a literal demon, man. That shit doesn't mean anything to us," I snorted, and the mess instantly disappeared. The bullet holes filled with matter, the chandelier floated toward the ceiling and reattached itself flawlessly, and the spilled liquid flowed back into the perfectly restored bottle.
Walking toward the shelf, I whistled under their shocked eyes, grabbed the bottle, and tossed it into Happy's lap.
"Here, a souvenir," I chuckled. "Anyways, let's talk price, shall we?"
I took back my seat. Tandy just shook her head on top of me.
"Four favors. I can speak for myself, but I hesitate to get Tony involved in a deal when he isn't present," Pepper said firmly, her voice shaking only slightly.
"Not enough," I shook my head. "You're bright. Your fate is important too, but not as much as Tony's. And most importantly, this deal is not for your advantage, but for someone else's."
"I am the personal assistant to one of the most powerful men on the planet. I have an in with him. Once he learns that I did this for him, he'll help me pay it back." She sighed. "After pouting for a couple of months."
"That does sound like Dante," Tandy murmured.
I pinched her behind.
"And still, not enough," I frowned.
"Eight favors," I lifted my hand before she could agree. "If you can convince Tony, he'll owe me two after signing the contract I will give you, and you'll only owe six. If he doesn't, you'll owe me all eight. You will have everything in writing, every single technicality, so none of us is ever cheated. I pride myself on being fair, Miss Potts, but I swear to whatever God you believe in, I do come for my dues one day."
"I want to read the contract before agreeing." She still had her doubts.
"So be it," I nodded, and opened my mouth.
Hellfire spilled out from my lips, quickly taking the shape of the physical contracts I used back when I was Seere. These were much more serious than what I had been using lately. Every clause written on the parchment was designed to ensure my deals were ironclad, crafted after eons of making wagers with lesser species.
There was absolutely no way they could ever cheat me, nor could I go against the terms.
"Read this, and the sooner you agree, Miss Potts, the better."
I motioned toward the door.
"Just remember, the clock is ticking. And the terrorists will not forget about Tony escaping."
I casually waved my hand under the desk. Instantly, Pepper's eyes glazed over.
She stood up mechanically, while Happy remained locked in his chair, held down by an unseen force.
"Terrorists that won't leave Tony alone unless someone does something," I said, looking directly at the bodyguard.
He was smart enough to know what I was offering.
"What do you want?" He asked dubiously, his eyes darting to Pepper's charmed form.
I repeated my action with the Hellfire, and soon a second, smaller contract lay between us.
"Read it carefully, Mr. Hogan. I don't know if Pepper would agree to doing this, so I think it's better if it stays between us, no?"
"A single favor?" he asked after a moment of skimming through the parchment.
"Do you think I have any trouble getting rid of a single cell of mortal terrorists?" My lip quirked upward.
He frowned thoughtfully before nodding. He folded the parchment, hid it inside his suit jacket, and grabbed Pepper's arm, walking outside without looking back. As soon as they crossed the threshold, the spell broke, and Pepper blinked, continuing her stride seamlessly.
The door closed. I slumped back into the seat, hugging Tandy against my chest as she started to giggle.
"Ripping off humans is quite fun, eh?" she laughed loudly.
I swatted her hair and rolled my eyes. "What ripping off? I'm the fairest demon there is."
"How long do you think they'll take?" she asked after rolling her eyes in disbelief.
"Three days." I rested my chin on her shoulder.
"I give it five." She giggled. "If I win, I'll take the reins next time you're with Rias."
I sighed. Me and my horny gremlin.
"Want to go see a billionaire who is supposedly about to become a superhero while trapped inside a cave with a bunch of scraps?" I asked in amusement.
Tandy vibrated in place, practically jumping from my lap.
"I was waiting for you to offer!" She cackled. "A superhero's origin story? I can't ignore that!"
Shaking my head, I stood up, wondering why Yao had decided to explain the situation with that specific sentence alone.
And almost cackling while doing so.
I was surrounded by nerds.
I also couldn't wait to see Pepper's expression once I used my first favor from her to get her to convince Tony to sign the contract because he owed her.
Did I say how much I loved desperate mortals?
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