The conference room hummed with barely controlled panic. Senior associates filled every chair while junior employees lined the walls three deep. The air itself felt thicker, charged with collective anxiety.
And at the head of the table, arranged like a tribunal from another century: the five senior partners.
Grimm, with his iron beard and winter eyes. Malphas, fingers too long, joints bending wrong. Beleth, swaying to music only he could hear. Azrael, green eyes that made you think of closed caskets. And Lilith: crimson dress, perfect smile, eyes that found Ava the moment she entered and didn’t let go.
Victor stood near the windows, his reflection wavering in the glass. When Ava crossed the threshold, his gaze found hers immediately. A muscle twitched in his jaw, the only tell that he was as tense as everyone else.
She took a position along the wall with the other associates, wedged between Derek and a paralegal who kept checking his phone like he was composing a will.
Whispers rippled through the room: “…heard it’s about…” “…someone’s getting fired…” “…or worse…”
Grimm rose.
The room fell silent so fast Ava heard someone’s coffee cup rattle against its saucer.
“The partners have an announcement.”
Malphas’s too-long fingers drummed the volcanic glass table, each tap echoing like a countdown. “Our annual corporate retreat begins this Friday.”
Whispers exploded. Then…
“Silence.” Lilith’s voice cut through like a blade. “The retreat is mandatory. Overnight accommodations required. Attendance is non-negotiable for all senior staff and their…” She paused, savoring the moment, eyes finding Ava with laser precision. “Significant others.”
“Significant others?” someone asked from the back. Brave or stupid.
Beleth swayed, humming something that made Ava’s teeth ache. “Those in recognized claims must attend together. Procedure, you understand.”
“And to ensure,” Lilith added, her smile sharpening, “that all claims are legitimate. After recent… developments, we must verify new arrangements. For the firm’s protection, of course.”
The mark above Ava’s heart flared hot. Across the room, Victor’s expression darkened to something dangerous.
“The Avalon Resort in the Hamptons,” Grimm continued. “Three days, two nights. Team building exercises. Saturday evening gala.”
“Room assignments are already made.” Lilith’s smile widened, showing teeth that seemed slightly too sharp. “Claimed couples will share accommodations. I do hope that’s not a problem for anyone?”
Derek’s hand shot up despite Ava grabbing for his arm.
“What about those of us who aren’t claimed?”
“Standard double occupancy,” Malphas replied, sounding bored. “The firm isn’t made of money.”
“Any other questions?” Grimm’s tone suggested there better not be.
Silence. Someone’s phone vibrated against the table and everyone jumped.
“Excellent. Dismissed.”
The room emptied with the speed usually reserved for fire drills. The partners rose in unison, perfectly synchronized, inhuman, and vanished one by one in flashes of hellfire, leaving clouds of acrid smoke that dissipated before they could trigger the sprinklers.
Only Lilith remained.
She circled them slowly, heels clicking against the floor in a rhythm that matched Ava’s heartbeat. Click. Click. Click.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?”
“Notice what?” Victor’s voice was flat as a blade.
Lilith moved to the window, examining her reflection. “You know what I love about long-term investments? Watching them mature.” She touched a perfect curl. “I’ve been nurturing certain arrangements for fifteen years now. Can you imagine? Fifteen years of careful planning. Waiting for all the pieces to fall into place.”
