When he had fallen into Hell, he'd been entirely lost, confused, and vulnerable, and he hadn't exactly anticipated what would come for him, not before it was too late. The sulfurous stench of brimstone burned his nostrils, while distant screams echoed through the jagged canyon walls. Every shadow seemed to writhe with unseen horrors, and the air itself felt thick with malice.

Can one really blame him too much though? One can only imagine how disoriented he'd been when Katie Killjoy, the head anchor of 666 News herself, found him cowering in an alley. Her red skin glowed faintly in the dim light, horns curving elegantly from her raven-black hair as she offered a perfectly manicured hand. And when she'd promised help and safety in exchange for a simple signature on an infernal contract? How could he have doubted such a prominent figure while trembling with fear?

Well, he probably should have doubted Katie then, because now? Now it was too late. The contract burned invisibly beneath his skin, binding him to her forever. He was trapped with no plausible way out. He was Katie's. Her pet, her star, her mascot – publicly a charming companion, privately a punching bag for her frustrations, never let out of her sight for long.

Today in particular had been a very eventful, and by extension, stressful day at 666 News. The broadcast had featured multiple on-air brawls, a scandalous expose that backfired spectacularly, and ratings that had dipped below Katie's exacting standards. She had worked herself fairly hard, and him to the bone. All for the views, the attention, the drama that fueled her demonic ego. Now they were home, Katie having just dragged him inside her penthouse apartment by his arm, the door slamming shut with a final, ominous thud.