about?"

Jasmina glanced at Azriel, who was staring almost suspiciously at her from his balcony. She was still standing in his room, her hair pinned up loosely, locks framing her face and cascading down her back. She didn't answer his question, instead letting the dress she was currently wearing slide down, her back towards him as she stepped out of it. His sharp inhale was clearly audible, but when she told him to turn around he did, an amused smile on her face as she took her new dress in her hands.

"Who knew the devil listened so easily?" she drawled.

"I don't," he said," but I'm very used to people I'm close to not listening to my wishes in the past. I don't want our relationship to be the same."

A voice echoed through the room then, one she knew was from his thoughts, a ghost of a man running around. He was tall, with sunkissed skin and cropped hair, a certain seriousness in his face which told her he didn't smile often. A sword was strapped to his back between his wings, a majestic white with feathers dipped in silver and gold. Though he seemed untouchable, the sharp cut on her cheek told her otherwise, ichor dripping down his jaw, the same color as the blood on the tip of his spear. With a shake of his head he angled it towards Azriel, eyes as frosty as his words.

"I told you what happened if you defied Father," he said," why can you never listen, Azriel?"

He moved to throw it, but before he could do so an onyx knife pierced him, the memory disappearing into smoke. Azriel had thrown it without even looking, shaking his head in distaste at it all.

"Michael never knows how to leave me alone," he said.

"He seems fun," Jasmina said as she pulled her dress up.

The fabric felt like warm sunlight on her skin, nothing heavy about the dress despite the multiple diamonds which made up the corset. Though there was no zipper or size, it fit perfectly, like it was made specifically for her. Another perk of magic, she supposed. In the mirror she caught a glimpse of herself and a smile started playing on her lips.

"You can turn around now."

He complied with a dramatic bow, but once he raised his head and spotted her he froze in place. His eyes slowly wandered over her, taking it all in; the silver on her bronze skin, the diamonds interlaced tightly around her, the glittering jewelry, before settling on her face. Once it did he flashed her a charming smirk, before reaching out a hand to her.

"You look mesmerizing, my queen," he smiled," even mortal you'll outshine anyone for sure."

She slowly walked towards him, taking his hand, eyes flicking upwards to the cloudy sky.

"I don't just want to outshine them," she said," I want to intimidate them." The taste of power was already sharp on her tongue, one reminiscent of peach liquor and fool's gold. "And I will."

Azriel grinned, before raising her hand to his lips, not breaking eye contact as he pressed a kiss on it.

"Off we are then," he said.

He lifted her up in a fluid movement and jumped off his balcony. They soared down, the wind tugging at her hair, and she was already about to complain when his wings unfolded. Ash glittered around them, raining from the scorched black feathers and carrying the scent of fire. Azriel's smile became less human then as he pushed himself off mid-air and they caught flight.

"Well?" he said," this must be the best transport even you've had."

"This is the first time I could really say a man swept me off my feet," she said.

Azriel's laugh tangled itself in the clouds rushing past them, the sky slowly closing it's eyes goodnight. She asked specific questions about the different gods as they continued up, saving all the knowledge carefully as she nodded. A little island of clouds became visible, one filled with ruins and rubble. Azriel landed and she took a step on the wispy white, the floor harder than she had initially anticipated.

At the end of the island she saw an ivory table, gods of any kind seated around it. She hooked her arm through Azriel's, smiling up at him.

"Are there certain dynamics or important relationships I have to know about last minute?"

"No," he smiled back," I hate everyone."

"That's not true, Azriel, and we both know it."

Though Jasmina hadn't seen someone earlier, now a guy was lying beside them in the clouds. His eyes had a mad sheen about them, one which reminded her of wine spilled over black stone, a crown of ivy in his dark hair. Two leopards were beside him, one sitting and one circling him, neither looking friendly. He kissed one of them on the cheek, cooing at them like they were small cats, before turning back to Azriel again.

"You're on time for once," he grinned.

"The Grim Reaper threatened me," Azriel said, glancing at Jasmina," besides, I have a plus one with me, so I didn't want to make him angrier than he already was."

The guy jumped to his feet upon seeing her, a bright grin flashing across his face. "Oh my, is this who I think it is?" He turned around, placing a hand beside his lips and shouting. "Loki! Kali! Get over here, Az brought his new queen."

"Do I smell love in the air?" another guy said, popping up out of nowhere besides them.

He had curls the color of gold and eyes as pink as sugar hearts, his handsome face softer than that of the other guy. On his back a quiver with arrows was strapped, the pastel colors warm. She assumed the first to be Dionysus, but this one didn't match with the descriptions she had gotten of Loki and Kali at all. No, he seemed too friendly to belong in the chaotic friend group Azriel had told her he was a part of.

"Eros?" she guessed.

"The god of love himself," he grinned with a wide bow. "And you must be Jasmina Nawar."

"Leave us alone, Eros," Azriel said as he tried to shoo him away," I'm not interested in your overpriced love blessings."

"You can't put a price on love, Azriel," Eros frowned.

"You can put a price on anything," Jasmina said.

Dionysus' lips parted. "And she speaks!"

"You're being annoying to the poor girl."

"We strive to be annoying, Kali, that's the main thing we still live for."

"It's getting too busy," Eros said as he pressed a business card in her hand," but don't hesitate to call me anytime you have love related questions. I'm available all the time, new queen of hell."

Eros disappeared in smoke before Azriel could burn him, the fire already licking on his fingers. With a shake of his head Azriel watched the god of love appear next to a goddess with the exact same hair color, who giggled as he leaned in to tell her something.

"It's a scam," he said," don't do it."

"You don't trust the god of love?" she said sweetly, holding the business card up to her lips," but what if I want to know how infatuated with me you are?"

"Then you can ask," he said, before adding," and I don't trust any Greek god in general."

"Hey!" Dionysus exclaimed.

"You don't even trust yourself, Dion, don't try me."

Jasmina noticed the two new people beside Dionysus, who had arrived as she had been talking to Eros. Though everyone here was beautiful, she could only describe their friend group as destructive. Kali was a tall, dark-haired woman, her eyes an all-consuming black, the purple lightning flashing in them the only color that caught in them. She didn't have anything formal on like most of them, instead clad in violet and raven battle-gear, her smile an eery thing. The necklace of skulls she carried around her neck didn't help with that either nor did the blue sheen her brown skin had.

Beside her stood Loki, with ebony hair and sharp features, a certain twinkle in his eyes which told her he never was up too much good. He too was wearing armor and for a second she wondered if they were all going to fight. His was a emerald green though, almost as poisonous as his smile. The staff he had been holding snapped itself into a silver jewel which he placed in his necklace. He probably was doing it to seem less threatening, but she doubted he really needed it if he wanted to inflict damage anyway.

"Meet my friends, Jasmina," Azriel said with a wave towards them.

"Sit down, all of you," a low voice resounded throughout the island then," you're causing a ruckus."

"The Grim Reaper's never any fun," Loki sulked," just when I was about to get to know you too, Jasmina Nawar."

"I am not worried," she said," we have centuries left to get to know each other, Loki."

"No exclaiming how beautiful we all are?" Loki said amusedly," how divine and all mighty? I was looking forward to being praised in the heavens by a mortal."

"Do you need the validation?" she smiled.

He blinked, before a loud laugh tumbled down his lips.

"We have centuries of fun ahead of us, Jasmina," he grinned," I can see that already."

"Sit."

Everyone somehow listened to the low voice and when Jasmina came closer she could see why. The aura of power was thick around the man sitting at the head of the table, whispers of ghosts interlacing with it. He seemed made of shadows, the scythe beside him the only thing that gave off light, though Jasmina was fairly certain those were souls gleaming on the edge.

"I have a plus one," Azriel grinned at him as he neared an open seat between Michael and a happy looking man.

"And you couldn't inform me?" the Grim Reaper sighed, before gesturing at the empty place. "Whatever, it's too early in the meeting for you to annoy me. She sits between you and Michael."

"I think it's better if she sits between me and the God of Reincarnation," Azriel disagreed, a frown having made it's way on his face.

"Don't talk back to me, Azriel," the Grim Reaper said.

When she blinked a chair had appeared between Azriel's and the other man, one with her name engraved on top. She placed a reassuring hand on Azriel's wrist and took her place, an innocent-looking smile on her face as she looked around. The Grim Reaper gave her a brief glance, but decided not to say anything more, instead letting his low voice echo throughout the island.

"Vox Dei starts now."