Reborn as a Succubus: Time To Live My Best Life!

The bar's usual noise felt distant, like someone had stuffed cotton in Melisa's ears. Or maybe that was just the sound of her conscience screaming.

Vira kept shooting her concerned looks from behind the counter, probably wondering why her usually chatty fuck-buddy looked like she'd seen a ghost. Or made a few ghosts, in this case.

[Stop it,] Melisa thought, watching the liquor in her glass swirl. [It's done. All that matters is that you're going to be accepted now. That's it.]

"Another round!" Koros bellowed, slamming his empty glass down hard enough to make Melisa jump. "For our newest star!"

The other nim cheered, their faces flushed with alcohol and victory. Crooked-nose had his arm around one of the others, both of them swaying as they tried to recreate the explosion with increasingly elaborate hand gestures.

"Did you see the way it lit up?" One of them asked for probably the fifteenth time.

"The humans sure did!" They cackled.

Melisa swallowed whatever was left in that glass.

Koros wouldn't shut up about the explosion. About the colors, the fire, the screams. He kept going on and on while Melisa tried not to throw up all over his boots.

"Never seen anything like it," he said, clapping her on the back hard enough to spill her drink. "You've got a real talent for this, Melanie."

[Yay. Just what every girl wants to hear. 'You're a natural at terrorism!']

"The way those workers ran?" Another goon chimed in, practically bouncing in his seat. "Fucking beautiful!"

Beautiful wasn't the word Melisa would have used. Neither was any other word in the string of congratulations they kept throwing her way. Every compliment felt like another weight added to her shoulders.

"Four days," Koros said suddenly, his eyes gleaming with an excitement that made Melisa's skin crawl. "That's when we hit the kitsune house. After tonight's show? You're definitely coming with us."

[Yay me. Employee of the month at Murder Incorporated.]

"Can't wait," she managed, hoping her smile didn't look as strained as it felt.

Melisa stared into her drink, debating whether she could just slip away without anyone noticing. The terrorists were drunk enough now that she could probably dance out naked and they'd just keep celebrating.

[Though knowing this crowd, the naked part might actually get their attention.]

"Hey there, hot stuff."

Vira's voice cut through her thoughts, low and familiar.

She'd somehow materialized on the other side of the counter, right in front of Melisa, without making a sound.

Melisa stiffened a little, looking up into those red eyes that matched her own.

"You've been awfully quiet," Vira said, leaning forward. Her cleavage threatened to spill right out of her top, which was most likely intentional. "Figured you'd be throwing back drinks with the other fools here. While dancing, I mean, not brooding."

[Well, your bother just got me to commit actual terrorism, so brooding's the best I got.]

"Just tired," Melisa managed, trying not to stare too obviously at Vira's tits. Even with guilt eating at her insides, some habits died hard.

"Mhm." Vira's knowing smirk said she'd caught Melisa looking anyway. "Tired of being a freedom fighter already?"

"I..." Melisa started, but Vira wasn't done.

"You know what I think?" She leaned even closer, close enough that Melisa could smell her perfume. "I think someone's having second thoughts about tonight's firework show."

[Yeah, no shit.]

"What? No!" Melisa waved her hands frantically, probably overdoing it a bit. "Those humans had it coming! They were... uh... very bad! Down with humans! Revolution forever!"

Vira's eyebrow could have won awards for skepticism.

"Uh-huh," she drawled, her smirk widening. "Very convincing. Really felt that revolutionary spirit."

But before Melisa could dig herself any deeper, Vira's hand found hers under the counter.

"Come on," she said softly, tugging gently. "I want to show you something."

[... This is probably a trap,] Melisa thought, even as she let herself be pulled to her feet. [But then again, dying might be less awkward than whatever revolutionary slogans I was about to come up with.]

Besides, trap or not, Vira's ass looked amazing as she led Melisa away from the bar.

The night air hit Melisa's face like a slap from an angry darian. Up here on the roof, Syux spread out before them like some master artist's canvas - all twinkling Spirit Crystal lights and shadowy spires reaching toward those hidden moons.

A few massive buildings blocked chunks of the view, but still.

[Damn,] she thought, walking to the edge. [No wonder Vira comes up here.]

"Beautiful, right?" Vira settled next to her, their shoulders almost touching. "Sometimes I just come up here to think. Watch the city living its life while I try to figure out my own shit."

Something in her voice made Melisa turn to look at her. The usual playful spark in those red eyes had dimmed, replaced by something more... tired.

"I'm probably not a very good nim," Vira said quietly, staring out at the city. "But all this killing? This violence? I feel like it's going to come back on us. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but..." She sighed. "I just hope Koros realizes that before it's too late."

[Oh, the fucking irony.]

Melisa's chest felt tight. Here she was, literally planning how to take these terrorists down, and Vira was worried about her brother getting hurt.

[Which he absolutely will be. By me. Specifically.]

"What about..." Melisa hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "What about those kitsune? The ones Koros wants to hit?"

Vira groaned, running a hand through her hair.

"You mean Melisa Blackflame's friends?" She shook her head. "I keep telling him. I doubt they're just weak merchants."

"They're not," Melisa replied. "I... I read up on some stuff they did in the papers. Looks like they're almost as strong as she is."

"Thank you, I am now even more worried," she rolled her eyes.

Melisa pressed.

"Have you tried to get him to stop?" Melisa asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Not just the kitsune thing, but... all of it?"

The laugh that escaped Vira was bitter enough to make wine jealous.

"Every fucking day," she said. "But you've seen how he gets. Once he's got an idea in his head..." She trailed off, gesturing vaguely at the city below.

Melisa took a deep breath, feeling the weight of what she was about to say.

"... I really think you should try harder."

[For yourself, to be honest,] she added silently.

"Just try harder, is that it? Why didn't I think of that?"

"N-No, I just mean..." Melisa chuckled awkwardly. "This is... a big deal, you know? Tackling those kitsune. It's worth a shot. I mean, telling him NOT to fight them, I mean, not fighting them."

Vira turned to look at her fully then, clearly amused.

But...

"Sure," she said finally, though her tone suggested she had about as much faith in that plan as Melisa did in her own ability to keep her hands off Isabella's ass. "I guess I can try."

Melisa exhaled softly.

[Well,] she thought, looking back out at the city she'd sworn to protect, [I guess that settles it.]

... Melisa liked Vira.

She liked Vira a lot. She was fun, clearly a bit clever, not a bad girl to spend time with. But, Koros had literally tried to kill Melisa's family, knowingly. This was the best she could do.

If Vira could convince Koros to stop... Melisa could maybe let this go. Pretend none of this had ever happened, never show up to this bar again, and leave Koros in the past. After all, no one did get hurt in the end.

But if she couldn't...

[Then I'm turning him to ashes.]