Daughter of the Demon

Jarel’s hand rested on the door to his apartment.

Something was off.

He could hear cooking from inside.

That alone was enough to make him pause. Quinn only cooked during her lessons at Sayang’s place. And even then, she was supervised.

More concerning, Sayang hadn’t come out to greet him.

She always did.

Without fail.

He exhaled slowly, then pushed the door open.

One problem at a time.

The apartment looked normal.

Empty.

Too empty.

He stepped into the kitchen-

And there was Quinn.

Cooking.

Alone.

He blinked.

“Quinn?”

She whirled at his voice, nearly tipping the frypan in the process. Whatever was inside sizzled dangerously before settling again. Her eyes lit up.

“Oh, Jarel! Welcome home!”

He rubbed his eyes.

“Am I seeing things?”

She giggled.

“Nope!”

He stepped closer, peering into the pan.

Chicken.

“What’re you making?”

She shrugged.

“Sayang had something to do, so she kicked me out. But I felt like cooking something, so I’m experimenting!”

He almost launched into a lecture about wasting food, and then remembered that money wasn’t exactly an issue.

Instead, he glanced around.

Half-made salad on the island. Bottles and jars scattered near the hob. Rice bubbling away in a pot.

He had no idea what she was making.

But one thing was undeniable.

The smell.

“That scent is amazing.”

She beamed.

“Isn’t it? I just picked out things that smelt nice together and put them in with the chicken.”

He didn’t question it.

Just nodded.

“Well, I look forward to trying it.”

She nodded eagerly.

“It’ll be done soon! You can relax in the meantime.”

He smiled.

“Thank you.”

He barely made it two steps.

“Actually, can you finish the salad?”

He chuckled.

“Sure.”

And so he did.

It didn’t take long. Neither did the chicken.

By the time Jarel was washing the knives, Quinn was transferring the contents of the pan into a bowl. She tossed her hair back, letting it fall over her shoulders as she let out a satisfied breath.

“Well, let’s eat!”

The transition from kitchen to table was quick, and soon they were both digging in.

Jarel stared down at the chicken, incredulous.

It was… good.

Better than good.

Quinn giggled.

“Surprised?”

He nodded slowly.

“You were trying to use a plate as a pan a few days ago.”

She laughed.

“You tease.”

He narrowed his eyes.

“Did Sayang cast a spell on you or something?”

She shook her head.

“Nope. I have no idea what I’m doing. I just changed things until it smelt right.”

He frowned, thinking.

Only one explanation came to mind.

“Is that because you’re part wolf?”

She shrugged.

“Maybe.”

He sighed.

“Quinn, most people don’t go from trying to use a plate as a frying pan to inventing meals out of thin air.”

She considered that.

Then shrugged again.

“I dunno.”

He gave up.

“If only you could work with cheese, since you love it so much.”

Her ears drooped slightly.

“I made a mistake.”

He shook his head.

“On the other hand… maybe that mistake is the reason you can cook like this.”

She smiled softly.

“Maybe so.”

Then-

A bang.

It wasn’t loud.

But it was sudden enough to snap the moment in half.

Jarel flinched.

Across the table, Quinn froze. Her eyes went wide, color draining from her face.

That alone was enough to set something cold in his chest.

Slowly, Jarel turned.

And found himself staring at something that should not have been standing in his apartment.

A demon.

Watching him with open contempt.

The demon was tall.

Much taller than Quinn, and even taller than Jinxia.

Her skin was a deep, vivid red, her eyes glowing with the same hue. Bat-like wings folded neatly behind her back. Her frame was lean, but every line of her body suggested immense, effortless strength. Her hair - black as night - was cut as short as Jarel’s.

She wore a black cut-out bodysuit that revealed far more than it concealed, yet somehow still left things to the imagination.

A succubus.

That was the only word that came to mind.

Her gaze bored into Jarel, as if she were weighing his very existence - and finding it lacking.

She sniffed.

“This is the man?”

Jarel couldn’t move.

Couldn’t speak.

His body had simply… stopped.

But Quinn - barely - managed.

“Y-yes.”

The demon leaned down, invading his space, inspecting him like an object. She sniffed again, then straightened.

“You’re a failure, daughter.”

Jarel’s mind latched onto the word.

Daughter.

Quinn found her voice, though it trembled.

“I’m doing my best!”

The demon snorted.

“A likely story. All the same… it doesn’t matter.”

She reached out, placing a single red finger under Jarel’s chin, tilting his head up.

“You have interesting taste.”

Quinn exhaled shakily.

“You’d know more if you got off your butt sometimes.”

The demon’s brow lifted slightly.

“Watch your tongue, Quanlin. You forget your standing.”

Quinn immediately shrank.

“…Sorry.”

The demon’s attention returned to Jarel.

A pause.

“On the other hand…”

Jarel watched, frozen, as she began to change.

Her body shrank, compressing inward until she stood at Quinn’s height. The sharp definition of muscle softened, replaced by gentle curves. Her chest filled out, her thighs thickened, her waist narrowed. Her hair lengthened, spilling down in familiar strands.

By the time it was over, she looked like Quinn.

Not identical.

But close enough to feel wrong.

A mirror, distorted by color, by absence - no ears, no tail, no softness in the eyes.

When she spoke again, her voice had shifted too.

Softer. Higher.

Mocking.

“He is kinda cute, I’ll give you that.”

Behind him, Quinn broke.

“Just… get it over with.”

The words trembled on the edge of collapse.

The demon’s eyes narrowed.

Then she stepped back.

And the air changed.

“Quanlin.”

Her voice snapped back to command.

“In all my time, I have never had someone as unreliable as you.”

A pause.

“But you are not the first.”

She clicked her tongue.

“I know Envy will have my ass for this… but I cannot be bothered.”

Quinn’s head lifted, eyes wide.

“What?”

The demon sniffed.

“You really have changed.”

A beat.

“That was a test.”

Her gaze sharpened.

“Your answer should have been acceptance. Instead, you questioned me.”

Another pause.

“You are no longer a daughter of the Demon of Sloth.”

The words landed like a verdict.

Jarel’s thoughts finally caught up.

The Demon of Sloth. The real one.

In his apartment.

Quinn shook her head, barely holding together.

“I-I don’t understand…”

The demon sighed, almost bored.

“Then don’t.”

A flick of her hand.

“You are meant to be lazy. That is your nature.”

Another pause.

“But you are not. Not anymore.”

She turned slightly, already disinterested.

“It doesn’t matter. Your mission has changed.”

Her eyes flashed - red, bright, absolute.

“Do not make me come here again.”

A beat.

“Understood?”

Quinn nodded rapidly.

“Yes.”

The demon gave a small, satisfied nod.

“Good.”

She glanced at Quinn one last time.

“I’ve corrected the mistakes in your body.”

And then she waved her hand, fingers wiggling.

“Toodleloo.”

She vanished.

No flash. No sound.

Just… gone.

Silence flooded the apartment.

Jarel turned slowly.

“Are you alri-”

He never finished.

Quinn collided with him.

He hit the ground hard, pain flaring through his back - but it didn’t matter.

She was on top of him, clutching him, shaking-

Sobbing.

Not from fear.

From relief. From joy.

Pure, overwhelming release.

She lifted her head, tears streaking down her cheeks, eyes shining.

He blinked-

And noticed.

Her wolf ears were gone.

Then-

They snapped back into place. As if they’d never left.

Her voice broke as she forced the words out.

“We… we can get married!”

And then she collapsed back onto his chest, crying all over again.

Gently, carefully, he wrapped his arms around her, stroking her hair as she let everything out.

He hadn’t realized.

Hadn’t known how much she’d been carrying.

The fear.

The uncertainty.

The possibility of being taken away.

But now that weight was gone.

For both of them.

And in its place, there was nothing but relief. Hope. A future.

And then the front door burst open.