VD - Hi

“Hi,” you say awkwardly.

She breezes past you and into the kitchen, where a window has a view of the construction site.

“You’ve made a mess,” she says, and you wince. She’s not pulling her punches.

“I know,” you say. “Demi said you might be able to help.”

“Maybe.” She looks back at you with a frown, taking in your messy bed hair and robe. “There are techniques for situations like this. Demons who go into debt and owe more sexual energy than they can easily give. Cas!”

Cas appears as though by magic.

“I need a drink,” Tari says, her eyes still on you.

“Yes, Mistress.” So they treat her like their boss? You better just go with it.

“Riley, you have plenty of energy. Your aura is huge and your lust is deep,” she says, leaning on the counter and gazing at you. “That’s why my daughter targeted you.”

“I think she likes me,” you say defensively.

“She does. You aren’t the only human with a lot of lust, but you were the only one she wanted to marry. That’s beside the point. Your problem isn’t that you don’t have enough juice to satisfy everyone, because you do. Your problem is that you don’t control how you’re giving it out. You get all worked up and just…” She waves her hand. “Pump it all out at once.”

“This is maybe a little uncomfortable,” you say, shifting uneasily.

“I know how babies are made, Riley. I have ten daughters.”

“Right,” you say, swallowing.

Cas brings Tari her drink, and she takes a long swallow. “I can teach you things that will make it easier. The problem is that you’re human. Humans are rare here.”

“Why?” you interrupt. “If bringing us here makes you rich, and we’re horny idiots and you’re all hot, why doesn’t everyone do it?”

She looks annoyed that you cut her off. “It’s risky,” she says.

“Risky how?”

“I’m not here to get into that. I’m here to help my stupid daughter-in-law learn to get her finances in order,” Tari snaps. “You want my help or not?”

“Yes,” you squeak.

“OK. So listen. Sexual energy can’t be cheated. We can’t just magic it out of thin air; if we could, our economy wouldn’t work. I can’t give you more, only teach you to use what you have. But if you learn this correctly, it’ll be like you really do have more because you’ll stop blowing it all at once.”

“Am I gonna have smaller loads?” you ask worriedly. “Because Demi likes it when there’s a lot.”

Tari puts her face in her hand. “No. You will not have smaller loads. And don’t tell me things like that about my daughter.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“If you’re going to share embarrassing details, at least have the decency to show me,” she adds.

Right… demons. They’re weird.

“OK. What do I do?” you ask.