Free Succubus Takes Manhattan by Nina Harper Page B

more successful attacks on demons in the past decade than in the several hundred years before,” Marten was finishing up. “As a ceremonial magician, the numbers of demons are important to me, to all of us. The decrease is problematic, and I think there has been an actual campaign to eliminate numbers.”
    “You care because you bind demons,” I said. He shrugged. “I’d prefer to say that we make mutually beneficial agreements,” he said mildly.
    “The bottom line is that there has been a radical drop-off in demon concentration on Earth,” Mephistopheles mused. Trust Meph to pay attention to the important stuff first. “A radical drop-off that coincides with a pattern of attacks. For ten years there have been more and more attacks of the kind that you have been subject to, Lily. But most demons are not as strong as you, and most don’t have direct access to Satan. So a few were eliminated. Younger, unimportant demons. We never noticed, really. We didn’t see a pattern.”
    “Like people don’t notice if the homeless go missing and are being killed,” I mused.
    “Exactly,” Marten said. “Their one biggest mistake so far has been targeting Lily and her friends. They must not have realized that these are Satan’s Chosen.”
    “Or they’re going for bigger game now,” I added. “Or even, they no longer care whether Satan is on to them or not. But that would be an unbelievable level of pride.”
    Mephistopheles smiled thinly. Pride is the premier sin. On the right demon it sat well.
    “We need to analyze the patterns of attacks over the past ten years at least,” I declared. “There has got to be something here. The more we dig, the worse this gets. I mean, I thought this was some fringe group of nuts, and now we’re looking at a major depopulation of demons, and maybe threats to Hell itself.”
    Marten nodded. “Ceremonialists have been talking about how hard it is to even locate demons anymore. There are areas in the world where it’s very hard to find the demonic orders. Only the top ceremonialists have the strength to pull demons from farther away, which means we are less effective and that younger ceremonialists give up.”
    Mephistopheles took the disk out of the laptop. “I’ll keep this,” he said, slipping it back into its cover and onto one of the fussy side tables. “I have already contacted the research department and I expect that I’ll have some raw figures soon enough. I’ll have someone on the analysis immediately and get back to you both. This has been very useful.”
    “Wait a sec, Meph,” I said as he started the concluding tracing of sigils. “What about my idea to have Marten work for Marduk?”
    Mephistopheles nodded. “We will add an addendum to our contract, naturally.”
    “You know what my price is for this. I received your e-mail on that.” Marten waved his hand at the laptop on the coffee table. “This will be direct work, and under Marduk. And will require a fair bit of specialized knowledge.”
    “That required a fair bit of specialized software,” Meph said, nodding at the demographic display. Meph looked at the ceiling for a moment and then sighed. “You know I cannot guarantee what you want. I am willing to make concessions on your current contract, but the other matter has to be approved by Satan Herself.”
    Marten spread his hands and sighed. “That is a problem. Because it is really the only thing I want. But in the meantime, I will agree to another five hundred years with all the usuals,” he said. “Health, eternal youth, wealth, position, my choice of assignments, and access to at least two reassignments from Admin. And your solemn oath that you will pursue the other.”
    I whistled. Hard bargain indeed, and I didn’t even know what the other he wanted was. Very few concessions had to be approved by Satan Herself. Marten rose in my estimation—we appreciate good bargaining in Hell.
    “In return for working for Marduk to trace the missing