“3…2…1… Happy new year!” The group of humans outside the library had been counting down and cheering as the fireworks began at midnight. People shared toasts, even strangers wished each other a good start into the new year.
The demons observed the humans and their joy as well as the fireworks. Despite standing a bit away from the gathering of locals, one of them turned to the librarians and pointed at them.
“Hey! Happy new year!”
Apollyon pointed back at him. “To you as well! Happy new year!”
“Thanks mate! You guys are proper tight, have a good one!” He went back to his buddies and back to watching the fireworks.
“Kate?”
“Yes?”
“We are ‘proper tight’? What does that mean?”
“I have no idea, I can only tell you that he meant it in a positive way.”
“Must be some form of local dialect.”
“Seems that way.”
The fireworks eventually ended, the humans slowly dispersed and went back into the city to a warmer place. As did the librarians, retreating back into the restaurant.
Everyone except Eisheth and Evelyn took their seats. The young human took a deep breath.
“It’s time then.”
“If you are ready.” Eisheth nodded.
Evelyn looked at Mochi at her side. “I don’t think I will get any more ready. Let’s do this.”
“Here or do you want a little bit more privacy?”
“I’m the only person in this room who hasn’t slept with everyone else here, I can offer at least this little bit of me. Let them see me change.”
“Alright. Just as we did with Kate and Lizzy, I want to do draw your blood one last time.”
“Of course. Oh, Kate, I brought a little box with some hair and my baby teeth for Yaldebaoth to take a look at. It’s in my bag.”
Kate nodded silently.
Eisheth took the split dagger from its own wooden box. “Just hold out your hand.”
Evelyn did just that and let the succubus draw blood from her wrist.
Eisheth put the dagger back into the silk lined box and closed the lid. “One last chance to change your mind.”
“Do it. Make me a demon.”
“This might be disorienting and strange. Try to relax and if you feel the need to let yourself fall, try to fall towards me.”
“Okay. I’m ready.”
The succubus gently cupped her friend’s cheek in her hand. The change in Evelyn’s soul was felt by every demon in the room. Even Adelina, who hadn’t developed her sense for souls yet, felt something change. After a moment or two of silence, there was another change in the air. An aura of sorts. Evelyn was a devil now and her presence was one of serenity. Mochi carefully approached her best friend and rubbed against her leg slightly.
Evelyn took a second to let everything sink in before picking up Mochi.
“It’s done. That was weird but I’m a demon…”
“A devil to be precise. We all felt the change. You radiate serenity, which also means you will make those you dislike anxious.”
“Good thing I like all of you.” She gave Mochi a little scratch on the chin which prompted a gentle purr. “I should go see my father soon, before he goes to bed, but I want to take a moment to just let this all be real. Still feels strange and unusual.”
Kate nodded. “Just tell me when you want to teleport over and where we are going. And that strange feeling will stay a while, at least until your body has caught up to your soul.”
“Then I will cherish the coming days in all their weirdness.”
Kate, Evelyn and Mochi stood in front of Evelyn’s father’s front door. It took the newly turned demon a few minutes to ring the doorbell.
Albert Dubois answered quickly by opening the door. “Eve?”
“Hey dad.”
“I thought you were celebrating with your friends? Also, hello Kate and cat.”
Mochi rubbed against Albert’s legs.
Kate returned a small wave. “Hello mister Dubois.”
“Come in you three. I’m sure there is a reason you are out here this late at night and not in the cozy warmth of your library.”
The group of Hell-dwellers followed into the living room where Albert gestured for them to get comfortable.
Evelyn took a deep breath. “Yea, there is a reason. We also were at the library earlier and celebrated. So, don’t worry about us being stuck on the train on the way here for hours.”
“This is about the new-year-new-me thing you told me about, right? The thing you wanted to tell me more about later. Now is later, I take it?”
“Yes, now is later. I would have told you everything with just the two of us over dinner but there is something I want you to see that I can’t show you yet but Kate can. You see, the librarians are different. They are not from here…ugh, I don’t know how to put this without just being blunt to the point of almost being rude.”
“Why not show me then? I mean you already asked Kate to come all the way out here.”
Evelyn nodded. “Alright, but promise to not… I don’t know… question reality before we explain things? And don’t make assumptions, please.”
“You know I always tried to be open to whatever you wanted to share with me.”
“I know, dad, it’s just that this is a lot to take in. Alright, Kate?”
Kate got up from the armchair and shifted into her natural demonic form, wings and all. “Mister Dubois, we librarians are demons.”
Albert blinked a few times while staring at Kate. “And Eve… you haven’t harmed her, right?”
“No, we have, in truth, been quite protective of her. We offered her shelter after the attempted break-in a year ago. We don’t harm our friends or their family. I was a human too until a few years ago.”
“So that new-me thing is you, Eve, becoming a demon? Is this even real?”
Evelyn nodded. “Very real and yes, it’s about me becoming a demon. I was turned into one a few minutes ago. We used magic to teleport here within seconds. I wanted to tell you all this before my body changes.”
“Oh dear… This is a lot.”
Kate retracted her wings and sat down again. “You are reacting quite well to all this. My mum nearly fell out of her chair. Speaking of my mum, if you want to talk to someone else whose daughter became a demon, I can give you her number.”
For some reason that was something that made Albert laugh. “A demon parent support group. Deary me… that’s not even a bad idea. I have so many questions.”
“And we will both answer them as best we can.”
Evelyn nodded. “Yes, that’s why we’re here. And, before we get to the questions, to show you another surprise.”
“Another?” Albert sounded playfully incredulous.
“The cat we brought is someone you know. You see, all cats come from or go to Hell. Cats are natives there, just as the demons are. That means Mochi, when she died, also went there. And, well, turns out our little Mochi is a super ancient magical cat who, like many other cats, one day decided to get a lifetime of new memories by being born as the Mochi we knew and love. Once I walked through Hell regularly, she found me again. This cat is Mochi. The Mochi we adopted all those years ago. The Mochi who was my best friend and is again.”
Mochi jumped onto the couch and rubbed against Albert.
“But how is that possible? How do you know?”
“Kate here can read minds and she figured it out. As I said, all cats are native to Hell and Mochi here is no exception. Now, in her proper Hell cat form she can travel and teleport as we do. She might hang around my new home there a lot but with your permission I am sure she would love to visit you as well.”
“Okay, I am willing to believe all this. I mean, I just saw you change before my very eyes, Kate. But I need one more thing before I just accept everything you tell me.”
Kate nodded. “I will try to make many things happen, just tell me what you need.”
“Show me one more thing. One more irrefutable thing about this entire demon librarians and Hell thing.”
“Okay.”
“I’m the only person in this room who hasn’t slept with everyone else here, I can offer at least this little bit of me. Let them see me change.”