Seduction 101: how to make an angel fall for you

LIAM

I knelt inside the confession room, hands clasped together in a prayer-like gesture, eyes shut and dignity long gone. Here I was, a whole demon prince kneeling inside a confession booth and throwing away all my pride for one person who couldn't even give a damn about me. From the moment I walked into this place, I could sense the cold, unwelcoming atmosphere, though there was no turning back now.Well, here goes nothing, I thought to myself as I finally spoke up."Um…"God, how do I even start? How I ended up in this place, I have no idea. You're probably wondering how a whole demon prince like myself found himself kneeling at a confession booth in a cathedral. Well, let's start from the beginning, shall we?

1st January, Wednesday, 2025

I was seated on a sofa in the VIP lounge of my high-end club, pleased with my recent successful escape from my own coronation as demon prince over the Forgotten Wasteland. And what better way to begin the new year and celebrate my newfound freedom than to spend it at one of my own high-end clubs, drinking the night away?The music was booming throughout the building, with the dim, constantly changing neon lights lighting up the place. I took a sip of my tequila, watching all the happenings on the platform below.

"Now this is the life," I stated, satisfied as the bitter taste of the tequila lingered on my tongue.

My mind drifted back to the day I decided to leave Hell. The throne room was packed with royals from all over the region, all dressed in formal attire. Delicacies were served as the guests awaited the main ceremony—the coronation. Soon the demon emperor called for the ceremony to begin. Everything was going smoothly. I knelt before the Chancellor as he held up the crown.As the crown instinctively descended toward my head, it suddenly stopped midway as I stood up and twirled it around my index finger. The guests all let out loud gasps as they began to murmur.

"Apologies, Father, but this bird simply can't be caged in a mere wasteland. Being tied down just isn't for me," I stated in a casual tone, as though I hadn't just caused a ruckus throughout Hell.I smirked as I gazed up at my father, the demon emperor, seated on his throne, with my older brother Axel, the crown prince, standing beside him, arms crossed, just shaking his head in defeat.As if on cue, the guards surrounded me, already anticipating my next move of escape. As expected, but I wasn't going down without a fight. As the guards charged forward, I fluently and gracefully dodged all their advances—without breaking a sweat."And for the finishing touch," I said, dropping the crown on the ground, making its curse take effect. All the surrounding guards instantly turned to ice, stunning the entire hall. I casually picked up the crown and, as a playful gesture, placed it on top of the head of one of the guards. Reinforcements were called in and surrounded the vicinity, but none dared take action.

"It was nice knowing you, Father, but this raven's gotta fly," I gave one final teasing salute before vanishing into dark smoke.

No father to lecture me on my responsibilities, no logical Axel with his witty comebacks, and best of all, no responsibility. Exactly how a demon prince should live.I got up and made my way towards the railing to get a better view of things.

"You could say that," I said, taking a sip of tequila as my eyes finally landed on an unfamiliar figure by the bar section.

"Who's that?" Nathan followed my gaze to a blonde-haired male at the bar who was now chatting away with someone else.

"Seems you've already got some competition, L. Tough luck," he teased, leaning his back onto the railing.I scoffed.

"Me? Competition? Pft. I'll show you what real competition looks like."

With one final sip of my drink, I made my way down the stairs and out of the VIP lounge.

*. *. *.

The redhead, Nathan, just watched on with newly found interest, curious as to what the raven head had in store.

"So… would you mind if we take this night somewhere else, handsome?" inquired the man who had been chatting with the now fully drunk blonde.The blonde, face flushed, was about to reply when a voice suddenly cut in.

"Sorry for being late, babe. Traffic was just pretty killer today," the raven head stated as he now stood between the two.

"But I can see you've already had quite a lot to drink." He smirked, completely ignoring the male behind him.The blonde barely said a word, looking through his gold-rimmed glasses, confused. On looking at the blonde closely, the male was a little startled.Blonde hair, amber eyes…

'Why do I feel like I've seen that face somewhere?'

He shook his head. Focus, Liam, you've got a conquest to win.Liam turned to face the strange male, now acknowledging his presence.

"Thanks for taking care of my man, but I think I'll take it from here."

This finally made the male depart from the two. The raven head then sat by the blonde and ran a hand through his messy black hair, his red eyes now focused on the bartender.

"A martini, and make it snappy."

"Excuse me, but I think you have me confused with someone else," the blonde finally spoke up, retracting the male's attention.

"Look at yourself now, love. Those drinks really did take their toll on you. How can I confuse what's rightfully mine? But if you insist, I'll play along with this little charade of yours. It's nice to meet you too, stranger," Liam teased as he decided to go along with the roleplay.

The buzz of the drinks loosened their tongues, and the flirtation quickly turned electric—playful smirks, lingering glances, and a charged atmosphere that neither could resist. One drink bled into two, fingers brushed, and the world around them blurred into the pounding beat of the club's bass.Before Liam knew it, they were slipping out the door, the night swallowing them whole.

The night blurred into heat and stolen kisses. What happened behind that closed door needed no explanation—only the lingering ache and the memory neither of them could erase. By the time dawn threatened to break, their bodies tangled beneath the sheets, breathless and bruised from a night that neither would forget. The rest, as they call it, was history.

2nd January, Thursday

"So you're telling me he just left?" Nathan asked mid-laugh. The two were inside Liam's office at the club. Liam was seated in his office chair as Nathan made himself comfortable on the table."The mighty demon prince got stood up in the morning by a human of all people. While an incubus like myself has never experienced such—" the redhead laughed.

"Shut. It."

The raven head had been in a foul mood all morning. His mind flashed to a scene of him with the blonde on top of him in a king-sized bed, engaged in a full make-out session. After such a passionate night, he had expected a better morning but instead found himself in an empty bed. No note, text, nothing. As though he had vanished into thin air.

"Anyway, sorry dude. But I'm sure a little walk will give you time to clear your mind."

Liam wanted to argue but knew the incubus was right, no matter how annoying he was. His gaze drifted to the window as he wondered if he would ever meet the charming stranger once more.

Meanwhile in Hell, the demon empress was pacing around her chambers as Axel leaned on the wall, watching the frenzy.

"Remind me again why you're acting so concerned when just a few days ago you couldn't wait to get rid of him, Mother?" Axel questioned, gaze filled with doubt.

The empress stopped mid-pace as she turned to face the blank-faced male.

"Of course I care. Your father has decided to keep things under wrap but people are already talking, questioning his rule as emperor."

"Yeah right."

Axel knew his mother far too well to believe her words. The fact that Liam was born from an affair with a succubus yet still got the title of second demon prince never really sat right with her.The two were suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door. The demon empress looked at her son one last time before telling the person outside to enter.The door opened, and in entered the demon general himself, General Ivan, fully clad in his armor, sword sheathed, his long white hair running down his back, and cold black eyes facing the floor as he knelt before the empress.

Over the years, the man had earned the title of the most barbaric and brutal demon in Hell, and no one, not even the emperor himself, had dared challenge him.

"General Ivan, perfect timing. I hope you put my offer into consideration," the empress stated.

"Yes, my empress. I shall bring back the errant prince by all means necessary," came the cold reply.

The platinum-haired prince could only look on and hope for the best for his brother.