Tapping a curled talon on his middle horn, the demon stared down at the ball of stress that was Eva Freeman. This just wouldn’t do. She was in no position to communicate.

“And I promised the High Master that I wouldn’t use any magic to do this… oh, well.” The hulking purple creature, using his index nail like a machete, carved a symbol onto his left arm. Black smoke cracked from his pores and snaked upwards to the ceiling.

“Calmness!” he bellowed. The woman was already looking better, climbing to her feet and moaning with her hand across her brow. “See? Easy as—” BEEPBEEPBEEP !

Claws reached up to snatch the smoke alarm (with a good portion of plaster) off the wall. After a short, awkward silence, the demon offered “Don’t worry about that. We’ll fix it.”

“Proof,” Eva finally uttered, coughing up brimstone.
“Hmm?”
“Where’s your proof that I have to give up my apartment?”
“Oh, you don’t have to give it up, just let us… use it. You can stay here if you like, though there will be… changes made.”