A Pair of Queens—Lois Wins

Human and demon laid their cards on the table.

Lois: A♣ A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♦

Blaze: Q♥ Q♣ 4♣ 3♣ 8♦

"I win," Lois said, drawing the chips in towards her. She held up one with a red question mark on it. "I'll cash this one in now. Where are the missing women?"

The chip burst into black sparks, leaving Lois holding thin air. Blaze collected the cards and began to shuffle.

"Two of them are on their knees in the bathroom, staring at gloryholes, waiting for the crowd to come in when the music takes a break," the red fingers played over the cards in a complicated cut.

"One is sharing a cigarette with a young nun, outside her cloister, with designs for later in the evening. The fourth..." Blaze steepled her fingers, making the cards arc. "...is in the mailroom of the Daily Planet, her tongue deep inside Jimmy Olsen's ass."

Lois' nostrils flared, her face blushed. "You're lying."

The demon slowly shook her head. She drew forth four chips—golden, shiny, slightly incandescent—and on their circular faces were small moving images, like tiny video screens, showing the missing women. While Lois couldn't be sure the fourth one was tonguing Jimmy's prostate, she could clearly see the young woman had her tongue up someone's pale, skinny ass.

"How...how do I free them from you?" Lois asked.

Blaze put the deck down, waiting for the reporter to cut.

"We can keep playing," she smiled, white-on-white eyes glowing bright. "Or...we can trade."

Lois surveyed the chips she'd bet and won. She didn't think the demon was likely to trade souls for her bra and panties.

"What kind of stakes are we talking about?" The reporter asked. "What kinds of things would I be...trading?"

"Immaterial things," Blaze stared steadily at Lois. "Each soul is balanced, seven virtues with seven sins. Chastity with Lust, Temperance with Gluttony, Charity with Greed, Diligence with Sloth, Patience with Wrath, Kindness with Envy, Humility with Pride. What virtues would you sacrifice...for their souls?"

The question hung in the air. Lois wondered how much of this she should believe. Blaze was a demon after all—there was no reason to believe in her words.

"Anyway. If we play—perhaps you'll win without losing anything at all—or perhaps you'll lose it all, without winning anything!" Blaze smiled. "On the other hand, I wouldn't be opposed to a...straight trade. One virtue for one soul. What do you say?"