«What can I bring you, Master?» Iris asks one of the customers of the maid café — a charming boy with jet-black hair and magnetic blue eyes.
Around his neck he wears one of those lockets that open to show a photo — in his case, a beautiful woman in her forties with burgundy-colored hair. It is made of black metal, engraved with strange symbols.
With that maid uniform, Iris is a real magnet for customers. Many come there on purpose to be served by her, and the black-haired boy seems particularly interested.
«I would like an ice-cold beer… and to see you after your shift.»
Iris makes a slight grimace — partly because of the request for a beer so early in the morning, and especially because it is clearly an invitation to go out.
«For the beer I have to check an ID to make sure you are at least twenty years old. As for the other thing… I don't think my boyfriend would be very pleased if, instead of going back to him after work, I went on a date with a customer. Don't you think, Master?»
The boy pulls out his ID and hands it to her.
«Jace Lance… twenty-two years old… good, everything is in order — I can serve you the beer. And… out of curiosity, why would you want to see me after your shift?»
Jace shrugs.
«What's the point of saying it? You're taken, and I'm a decent guy — I would never allow myself to hit on a girl who has a boyfriend.»
«If it's hitting on me, no. But if it were just a quiet walk between friends… I'm sure my boyfriend would understand.»
Iris adds with a mischievous wink.
She leans toward him so much that the neckline of the maid uniform reveals more than it should. Her voice becomes warm and irresistibly sensual — and the same goes for her gaze.
«What do you say to going somewhere secluded… far from prying eyes? You know how people are, they talk too much, and I wouldn't want someone to misunderstand — especially my boyfriend.»
Jace smiles in satisfaction.
«That's exactly what I had in mind.»
Iris's shift ends at 2 PM, then starts again from 4 PM to 8 PM.
As soon as the morning shift ends, Jace waits for her outside the maid café.
«You're even more beautiful now that you're not wearing the uniform. And believe me, that wasn't easy,» Jace says.
«You're really a flatterer — it's just a simple white T-shirt. Hey… you're not trying to seduce me, are you?»
Yet, judging by Iris's provocative smile, she does not seem annoyed at all.
«I like simple things, that's all.»
«What a shameless liar… anyway, where were you planning to take me?»
«It's a surprise, my dear. Follow me. I chose a place far from prying eyes, just like you asked.»
Iris smiles at him and they walk side by side through the streets of downtown Ashiya.
During the walk they laugh and joke like old friends. Yet, despite what a date like that might suggest, neither of them seeks the slightest physical contact. Not even their fingers brush by accident.
Despite this, both seem eager to reach that secret place.
Forty-five minutes later they arrive at an old industrial complex abandoned for decades. Around them stretch rows of dilapidated warehouses for hundreds of meters, and there is not a soul in sight.
«A rather unusual place for a first romantic date. But one thing is certain — whatever happens here, no one will ever know,» Iris comments.
She looks around, as if searching for something in particular.
«Didn't you say it would just be a simple walk between friends? If you keep talking like that, I might get carried away. Anyway, it's the most isolated place in Ashiya — you couldn't have chosen better.»
Iris stops suddenly, while Jace keeps walking.
«A perfect place to do what we have to do…» he adds without turning around.
«Yeah, I couldn't have asked for better…»
And suddenly… WOOOSH!
Jace moves to the side avoiding a sphere of purple energy hurled at him, as if he had eyes on the back of his head.
«Didn't they teach you that it's rude to attack from behind?» Jace murmurs carelessly. There is not the slightest surprise in his voice.
When he turns around, his eyes — now scarlet — fix on Iris in her succubus form.
A violet aura swirls around her, and enormous demonic wings spread from her back.
«You've got guts coming alone against me, little girl. I'd be tempted to say "you have no idea who you're dealing with," but if we've come this far, I suppose you know very well.»
As he speaks, a wound opens in the palm of his hand and the blood transforms into a gigantic axe.
«My brother has already suffered enough because of you, and I won't let you hurt him anymore — not after everything he has done for me and my sisters!»
The energy around Iris turns into a devastating storm, so intense that it cracks the asphalt and the nearby buildings.
«You will pay for all the pain you caused my family, Jace Lance! I… I will erase you from the face of the Earth with my own hands!»