“We have to play this smart. I know you don’t care about knocking up a bunch of mortals, but I would rather not.”

“Such a conservative demon, Dax. Whatever will we do with you?”

“Hopefully, after this mission, leave me the fuck alone so I don’t have to look at your ugly face again.”

“Oh, Dax, stop pretending like we aren’t half way to braiding each other’s hair and making friendship bracelets.” Asmodeus laughs as he portals out of Hell with no word of where he’s going.

I groan and scratch my beard. Here goes nothing.

Hallowsdeep is just as I left the small sleepy coastal town. What looks like a perfect vacation destination is actually the hub for every supernatural being you can imagine. Witches, werewolves, vampires, golems, demons, angels. Whatever fucked up non-mortal thing you can think of, it lives here. It has me on edge as I ride my motorcycle through the single laned streets.

I’ve ‘rented’ a small bungalow to stay in while I’m in town. By rented, I mean demanded free room and board from the renters or else their souls would be bound to mine for eternity. Stupid fucks didn’t even realize I wasn’t a crossroads demon.

It’s a two bedroom, two blocks from the beach. I wanted two bedrooms in case Asmodeus decides to actually help in this case. I can almost guarantee that he will leave me to do all the work as he fucks around, literally, likely impregnating anything that will let him between their legs.

I conjure my human mobile device that I use rarely and decide to face this head on. Being a complete asshole, I go the route of texting.

Me: Ryan, it’s Dax. I’m in town. Would you like to meet up for dinner?

Ryan: Uh, sure. I’ll bring my girlfriend.

A girlfriend is good, a third party barrier to the uncomfortable nature of dinner will be best. I would rather he not bring Janet, his mother. Though, I still think the woman got the deal of a lifetime. I couldn’t just impregnate a mortal woman and leave her with my heir. I had to make a deal for one, and that’s exactly what I did with Janet. She knew going into our arrangement that her son might be half demon. But Janet couldn’t have children and wasn’t married. If she gave me a child, I promised her, she could raise him and would find the love of her life within a year. Which she did, from me making a secondary deal with another gentleman who was desperate for love. Still doesn’t mean I want anything to do with her, nevertheless.

It’s taken me years to realize that taking out my disappointment on a child was wrong. Dealing with this whole having a conscience thing is new, and I don’t really fucking like it. But I would like to make things right with Ryan. The way I have treated him as though he’s less than isn’t okay, even if he is a weak human. It’s also why I don’t want to be a part of creating more abandoned demon offspring. How can we continue creating creatures who are so breakable and with lifespans that last the blink of an eye. If I could go back I would have never sired a child. I won’t make the mistake again. I should probably stop calling Ryan a mistake in my head.