Like A Dark Paradise (A Hazbin Hotel story)

Forbidden Secrets

A/N: This chapter may get a little heavy and may have interpreted Stolas in a lot darker way than I have intended. Also, I know no one knows if Stolas is a hell-born demon or a sinner, I'm just going by my own guesses.

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A few minutes has passed since Alastor went to look for his servant. Aura couldn't believe that he hadn't picked up on her disappearance around ten minutes ago. The moment she brought it to his attention, Alastor was already in hot pursuit for his missing handmaiden. Or rather, his special little toy. His bizarre attachment to her was becoming more and more of a raising issue. It would seem that despite his denial of it, his actions would surely give it away. She has warned him before about becoming attached to that girl. Yet, he refuses to listen. Pretty soon, demons will try to challenge him by using his own servant as a bargaining chip. Of course, knowing him, he's too smart to go along with their directions. At least not entirely until he has been given an opening to strike back.

By now, twenty minutes has passed and she starts to wonder if Alastor has managed to find his servant. Perhaps he did and he's using the time he has alone to spend with his little plaything. Strange. Before, he rarely showed any interest in displaying affection towards any individual whatsoever. Sure, he has a way with the ladies but beyond the idle chatter, there was no spark in his eyes. As if he was completely unamused by them. Did something else happen that night between her and Alastor that caused him to be this way towards her specifically? Who knows. Only he would know the answer to that.

If he would tell her instead of hiding it from her.

The witch doctor stood a few inches away from the buffet table, sipping her fourth glass of champagne. She could feel bits of the intoxication kicking in as she waited for the Radio Demon to return. Hopefully, he hadn't decided to leave with his handmaid in favor of leaving her stranded in this party with a bunch of overlords.

"Well, isn't this a nice surprise?" a voice chirped.

Ugh. She recognized that voice. The voice of the very last demon she wants to see. At all.

"An absolute pleasure to see you again, Madame Aura. Or should I say, 'Annabella'?"

Aura distinctively tensed up from hearing her real name spill from his mouth. She wanted nothing more to do with him after what he did to her. The owl demon politely approached her with his charming smile. Aura didn't bother to look in his direction, quietly scoffing at his presence.

"It's been nearly four hundred years, Stolas," she replied. "I don't go by that name anymore. It holds too many painful memories from when I was alive."

"Oh come now, Anna. The Inquisition would have found you out one way or another. And to be fair, everything was black and white back then."

"Hmph. The fact that you know too much of my past makes me sick to the stomach. Why are you even here? Couldn't find anything better to do in your castle?"

"Hey now. Don't get snippy with me," Stolas responded, feigning his hurt. "You're the one that told me about it! Besides, I only came because Valentino invited me."

"Spare me your theatrics, Stolas. If you've only come here to mock me, then you might as well leave. I hold no tolerance towards demons that belittles my presence," she warned with a slight hint of irritation in her voice.

Aura was in no mood to talk to him at all. She was fine attending the party to keep an eye on Alastor. If she had known that the Goetic prince would be attending the party as well, she wouldn't have stayed for very long.

"My goodness, you haven't changed at all since you left," Stolas remarked as he grabbed her hand with care. "Come with me, my dear Anna. It's best to discuss this matter without having the other sinners around. And try not to make a scene, will you? We don't want to have any suspicions placed upon us."