In the Arms of the Beast (Kings of Hell MC 5)

While slowly eating a quiche with goat’s cheese and pear, he looked through the pages, trying to find a pattern. What did Baal truly want? What was it that gave the creatures their power?

He had a sip of the nice liquorice tea Tierra had made for him before going home, and started a list on a clean page.

Orgies

Jewels

Parties

Excessive alcohol

Knight fighting

People suffering in the asylum

What was the connection? Was it the indulgence? The lack of control? In his years with Mr. Barnave, he’d learned all about systems of organizing things, and knew that sometimes the key wasn’t obvious. One person wanted their books systematized by date of publishing, another by topic, when someone else chose to have them sorted by color of book cover—which Laurent disapproved of, but that was another matter.

“What are you working on?” asked a smooth male voice. Laurent already knew who it was, so he wasn’t surprised when his other co-worker, who replaced Tierra for the rest of the day, sat at the same table, choosing the chair next to Laurent instead of taking the place across from him like a civilized man would have done.

Then again, Laurent had already formed an opinion of Michael. He was lazy and… well, mostly lazy. He had a funny horseshoe-shaped moustache, so maybe the reason for his employment was Mr. Linde’s appreciation of facial hair.

Laurent closed his notebook to avoid prying eyes. “It’s a sort of puzzle I’m trying to crack.”

“Do show. I’m really good at Sudoku,” Michael said. He wore a peppery cologne that was so intense Laurent wondered how he could breathe having that scent clinging to him all day.

Laurent hesitated, but then again, what did he have to lose? An outsider’s eye could always bring new light to an issue.

“Orgies, acquiring wealth, fights, feasts, worshipping the devil, and murder. What do they all have in common?”

Michael smiled and leaned back in his chair. “Whoa! That’s some hardcore puzzle. Okay. Hm. They’re not all crimes, but they’re all considered bad. Except feasts I suppose, unless you’re stuffing yourself to excess. And depending on how you ‘acquire wealth’. They’re all vices I suppose.”

Laurent pondered that surprisingly insightful comment. He’d known himself that the demon wouldn’t have asked for wholesome entertainment, but the debauchery didn’t all carry the same weight. An orgy was immoral, but not evil the same way murder was. What was it that gave Baal his power?

Michael, poked Laurent’s elbow. “I know what they have in common! Your ex.” He winked, startling Laurent.

“How rude!” Laurent exclaimed, his mind blank from the offence.

Michael raised his hands defensively, but he didn’t back away. “Okay, I know it must be a touchy subject, but I’ve heard what happened earlier. When I was young and stupid, I’d go to those parties with my friends. Must be fun and games until you’re actually a partner to one of those guys.”

Laurent frowned. “What is your meaning?”

Michael rested his elbows on the table, closer to Laurent. “You don’t look like the kind of guy who gets involved in what they do over there.”

“If you mean the lewdness, then indeed, I do not participate. It’s distasteful.”

“Is that why you two split up? Or was it because he’s controlling and scary?” Michael asked as if he had any idea what he was talking about. “I once saw him knock a guy out with one punch. Wouldn’t want to be on the other side of his fist.”

Laurent looked into Michael’s eyes with a frown. “This is my husband you’re talking about. I’m sure he had good reason for whatever he did.”

“Just like you had a reason to leave him, I’m sure. I don’t mind tatts, but I think it tells you a lot about a person when they put them on their face and hands, effectively making themselves unemployable. You don’t have to defend him anymore.”

Laurent couldn’t believe the rudeness he was facing. Maybe with his employer, he would have bitten his tongue, but this man was his equal, even if he had more experience. He had no right to interfere into Laurent’s issues this way. “You don’t know him, so… shut up,” he said, finding it hard to choose politer words in the face of such ugliness. “I only said he was my ex in anger. He might not look it, but he’s a good-hearted man.” Even if he didn’t always live on the right side of the law, and Laurent needed to make his peace with that. “It’s so presumptuous of you to come to me and say such vile things about the man I love.”

Michael leaned back in the chair. “I heard you were saved from a cult, but it looks like you just joined another one.”

Laurent got up, wishing for lightning to strike Michael and relieve Laurent of his buzzing fury. “I find it strange that a man like you would judge others on their looks.”