That was, of course, when Tyz’vel showed up. He stepped out from behind a building clapping. “Putting a collar on a werewolf. Smart allies you have, Lokisdottir.”

I tugged out the holy water. “Come closer, why don’t you?”

He blinked, but it did give him pause. “What, you think I’m a kitty cat?”

“I think you’re a tom who won’t stop catting around,” I quipped. Thruor was putting herself between Tyz’vel and Mike.

“Can you blame me from going after somebody as beautiful as you?”

“Don’t you have a harem of succubi to play with?”

“Succubi are boring after a while. They’re only capable of doing exactly what you want in bed.”

I considered that, and realized it was true. “And you’re only capable of being evil?”

He shrugged, lifted his hands. “Blame my ex boss. He turned me into this because I wanted something more interesting than playing music that never changes and saving pious souls.” He glanced at Thruor. “At least you get to collect interesting people.”

“You’re saying you got bored with being an angel?” I could see that. “Then why not be something else?”

The universe interacting with itself. I hadn’t understood what Thruor had been saying with my brain, but I’d got it at some level.

“Why not stop being a baby goddess?”

I shook my head. “I know. It’s not easy for us to change. But is it impossible?”

“It is when…”

“Think about it. And think about finding a candidate for consort who’s actually into you. You’d get bored pretty quickly with me, given I find you about as attractive as a dead tree stump. And don’t say you could fix that.” Appearance was important, but it wasn’t the only thing. “You still smell of brimstone.”

“Then maybe I’ll…”

“No matter what form you take, you still smell of brimstone,” I repeated. “Give it up. Maybe there’s a nymph somewhere who’ll take you up on it.”

“There aren’t any other daughters of chaos gods available.”

“And that’s exactly why you’ll never win me. Because you don’t see me. You see a daughter of a chaos god. Go find somebody who actually thinks you’re hot and likes the idea of being queen of hell, or whatever.”

“You wanted me to stop being evil? Maybe if I was in charge of hell, things could be different.”

Of course. He was a demon. Of course he’d twist my words against me. Instead of answering, I took the stopper off the spray of holy water.

He backed away…and Mike spritzed him in the back of the head. Howling, he ran.

“Good aim.”

“I was getting bored with him. Let’s go home.”