Diari didn't mind the Romulan and Klingon making out to her left. They were too busy with each other to pay her any mind which suited her just fine. But the cowboy to her right was being a drunken pain-in-the-ass.

"Oh, I just love the angel costume. It is so cool, especially the wings. They are so lifelike! Are those real feathers? And your halo, how do you get it to stay up there like that? You must have wires or something even though I can't see any." Cowboy leaned over to look; he reeked of alcohol. "And it glows! That's just awesome!"

Melqart walked up to the bar and interposed himself between Diari and cowboy.

Diari mouthed, "Hi."

"Do you two know each other? An angel and a demon! This is like uber-cool! Oh dude, I love the scarring; it is, like, so intricate, man! And how did you get your skin that color?"

"Hey Jesse James, wanna see a magic trick?" He winked at Diari.

"It better be good or I'll fill you full of lead." Cowboy pulled a toy six-gun.

Melqart blew on his right index finger until it glowed red hot, then blew a puff of brimstone in Cowboy's face. Cowboy clapped his hand over his mouth and bolted off for the bathroom. Diari and Melqart heard him puking somewhere behind them.

Diari giggled. "You're horrible."

"Well, I am a demon from the infernal regions." Melqart surveyed the crowd. "Don't you just love the irony?"

"Of what?" Diari stirred her drink.

"Here it is Halloween. Not like All Hallow's Eve back in the day, but still. This is the biggest costume party on the biggest campus in the area and here we are not in costume." Melqart ordered a shot of Jim Beam Rye Whiskey.

"Hiding in plain sight."

"Indeed. To your eternal health!"

Diari clinked her glass to his. "L'chaim."

Melqart threw down his whiskey. "Going Jewish on me?"

"Feh."

"What's eating you?"

Diari looked at him. "Would you like to?"

Melqart was taken aback.

Diari smiled.

"One, yes. Two, what the hell is going on? You're an angel for crying out loud."

"We're not so different, you and I. I'm an angel and you're a devil. I try to inspire them to do good and you try to corrupt them."

"That is the general idea, yes."

"But what's in it for us?"

"Uh, we make God and Satan happy?"

"God and Satan can look out for themselves. We've been doing this for…"

"A long time."

"Yeah, and what do we get out of it? What have we ever gotten out of it? You know, I don't know what I'm doing any more. Does anything change?"

"No."

"Nothing ever changes. Damn it, there won't be more or less goodness or badness in the world if Diari and Melqart did something for themselves for once."

"What do you want to do?"

Diari stared at him.

"You're serious."

Diari stood up and sucked on one of Melqart's horns. "Take me somewhere, Melqart, and then take me."

Melqart asked for the check.

#

Diari looked around the room. "The Four Seasons? I'm impressed."

"You'd be surprised how many people in Washington owe us favors."

Diari threw her arms around Melqart and kissed him. She kissed his mouth, his face and his neck, and his mouth again. Melqart grabbed her ass and pulled her to him; his claws ripped her gown.

"Tear it off," Diari mumbled. "Tear it off."

Melqart flexed his claws and sliced through her robe; the pieces fell to the floor. He trailed his claws over her ass before pulling her up to him.

Diari wrapped her legs around him. They toppled over backward onto the bed.

Diari lay on top of Melqart and licked his chest.

"How do I taste?"

"Mmm, like fire."

"Is it good?"

Diari ground and rocked against the bulge in his pants, moaning loudly until she came.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Diari reached under her and tugged at Melqart's pants. "Take these off; I need you."

Melqart rolled Diari onto her back and pulled off his pants. He rose over her and kissed her on the mouth, then on the chin and neck.

Diari reached for him.

Melqart ignored her and kissed her breasts, stroking the nipples with his forked tongue, before moving down her midriff to the sopping blond curls around her sex. He traced his tongue around her clit and probed inside her, savoring Diari's juices and her scent, before launching his tongue at her clit, caressing, stroking and licking.

Diari shouted. She arched her back and came again, rocking on the bed. She reached up and pulled at him. "Come, come now, I need you, please!"

Her desperate plea rang in Melqart's ears, triggering an inner voice that he had, so far, managed to ignore. Abandon her, right now, like this, it whispered. Melqart hesitated. You will leave her broken and humiliated, the voice continued; you're a devil, do it!

Diari writhed. "Melqart!"

Melqart looked down at her, all beauty and need. Leave her, the voice commanded, she will be shattered! Melqart shook his head and plunged down on her.

Diari gasped as Melqart entered her. She wrapped her legs around his, bucking her hips to match his movements. They rocked and kissed, grunting and moaning, until they cried out and came together. Afterwards, Melqart made to slide off and lay next to her but Diari held him.

"Am I crushing you?"

"No, it's nice, your weight on me. Stay here." She hugged him tightly. "Mmm."

"Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?"

"No. Tell me."

"You are so beautiful."

"And you're…

"Don't say 'a god'."

Diari laughed. "You're a devil, who tastes like fire."

Melqart kissed her.

There was a blinding flash in the room.

Melqart rolled off Diari, lay next to her and hastily pulled a blanket over them.

"Covering your nakedness, eh?"

"Where have we seen that before?"

The Archangel Michael and Lilith herself stood at the foot of the bed.

"What the hell," Michael said, "are we going to do with the two of you? No offense."

"None taken," Lilith replied.

Michael stared at Diari. "Your conduct has been a disgrace. You despaired of your sacred mission and fell prey all too easily, and willingly, to lust! You are unfit to serve as an angel."

"And you," Lilith hissed, glowering at Melqart, "You showed compassion and…" Lilith pointed at Melqart. "You care for her! Well, it will be a cold day in Hell before you set hoof there again!"

"Do you have anything to say," Michael said, raising his staff, "before we pass judgement on you?"

"Speak!" Lilith declared, raising her trident.

Diari put her arms around Melqart.

"Go ahead!" Melqart snarled, holding Diari. "Do your worst!"

– TWO WEEKS LATER –

The truck pulled up in the alley behind the diner. Melqart jumped off.

"Make it quick, kid!" the driver shouted.

Diari, who was waiting, kissed him and handed him a bag. "Chicken and onions, spuds and green beans. Bon appetite, Melvin Qart." She snickered.

Melqart tapped the name tag on his uniform. "I'm gonna roast somebody."

"The only thing you're going is roast, in an oven, is a turkey for Thanksgiving."

"That doesn't count."

The driver beeped.

"I'll see you at home."

"We live in a trailer park."

"I like the sound of that."

"'Trailer park'?"

"No, 'we'." Diari kissed him again.

Melqart smiled.