Screams echoed throughout the dark, fiery cavern. Rauko loomed over her victim with a twisted smile on her face. Being a demoness and servant to the Dark Lord certainly had its perks. Once again she snapped her fingers and one of the man's fingers burst into flames. He screamed out his pain as the flame seared both flesh and bone into nothingness. Mor'aegnor her pet, a black tiger of sorts, licked the nub that was left with his acidic tongue cortorizing the wound. Rauko was enjoying this slow steady torture.

She was about to burn off yet another one of her victim's fingers when a messenger came to her. Rauko was very familiar with the small devil. He was Satan's personal messenger. The demoness gave him a hard kick. A fireball danced on her palm. "What do you want," she demanded.

The little-horned man looked up at the demoness. She was dressed in a black crop top and short black mini-skirt each with a flame across it. It was no secret what Rauko's specialty was. Her love of all things fire-based was one of the things that made her a good demoness. Her dark red hair hung down slightly covering her black eyes. A black choker encircled her neck. Red flame colored wings emerged from her back and beat at the air showing her irritation at the interuption of her playtime. Her long red tail twitched in time to the wing beats. Mor'aegnor's red eyes glared at him. "Well?"

"My master has sent me with a message. He wants to see you right away. It is a matter of great importance," the little devil stammered. Even though he was the Dark Lord's personal servant, he feared Rauko. His eyes darted nervously between her and Mor'aegnor. The demoness had threatened more than once to feed him to her pet.

Rauko sent the fireball down at the messenger's feet causing him to jump out of the way with a frightened squeak. "Tell the Master I will be there shortly. I have a job to finish first. I'm sure he can appreciate wanting to finish a task such as this." She waved back toward the man who was strapped down to one of her tables. Most of his fingers were gone and as the devil watched Rauko snapped her fingers and the man's nose burst into flames. The demoness laughed a beautiful lilting laugh that even drowned out the man's screams. "I love my job," she grinned down at the messenger and another fireball appeared in her palm. "Are you still here? Go give the Master my reply!" The bright ball of flames descended toward his feet again and the little devil jumped and ran off as fast as his hooved-feet would carry him.

The demoness returned her attention to the soul she was tormenting. "Do you know why you're here," she said and ran one long nail down his exposed chest. "I bet you do. They send all of you to me. It's my job to make you adulterers pay for your crimes. You have to endure a special kind of pain since I cannot put you through the same emotional agony you caused the one you," she paused and dug into his flesh with her sharp nail," love. No one deserves this more than you. How many times did you cheat on your poor wife, Joe? Wasn't it six? Just couldn't keep it in your pants could you? Thank you so much for giving in to temptation. Because of your weakness, I get to do my job." Soon she added her other nails and twisted them cutting a circular chunk out of his chest. "Here Mor. I know you're hungry." She tossed the meat to her pet who deftly caught it in his mouth. Rauko smiled wickedly again as she set the most recent wound aflame hearing her victim scream.

For the next few hours all that could be heard were Joe's screams as Rauko continued her torture. She broke each of his remaining fingers and then burned them off knuckle by knuckle. Finally she burned off everything up to his wrist feeding a few pieces here and there to her black tiger. Then she burned chunks of hair from his scalp. Next were his feet and then his shins. At last, she came to the part she liked best. Rauko leaned down and kissed each of his eyes. "Look at me," she instructed, and the man's eyes were forced open. Then with a flame-tipped finger, she burned out each of his eyes.

The demoness leaned close so the screams were loud in her ears. They always screamed loudest when she burned out their eyes. There was one more thing she wanted to do to this man in particular, a special treat fitting of one so unfaithful. Rauko had found that men like Joe seemed to value one thing above all others, and that one thing was what made them male. With a twisted grin her hand erupted into a soft blue flame. She wouldn't burn it all the way off at first. She'd do this part very slowly burning off each individual layer at a time. She'd let the pain subside between layers so the next would hurt more than the first. In its entirety the process would take several hours depending upon size.

Rauko had just finished when a familiar bass voice yelled her name out of the darkest part of the netherworld. Evidently the Master wasn't happy about having to wait so long. The demoness brushed her hair out of her eyes. A job well done was worth a bit of wrath from Satan. "Come along, Mor. Let's not keep the master waiting any longer."

It was only a short flight to her master's throne, and soon Rauko was kneeling on the floor before the most evil and powerful being in the realm of darkness. "You called for me, Master," she asked looking up through her dark lashes. "I'm sorry I'm late. I was... hard at work." Rauko couldn't help the grin that threatened at the corners of her mouth.

"Whatever the excuse, Rauko, you should have come when I sent my messenger. I'm sure whatever you were doing could have waited," the bass voice from the shadows replied sternly. Rauko's master was never in the light though her eyes could make out his form in the darkness. "After all, I did say it was a matter of importance."

"I'm sorry, master, but you know how I am when it comes to my work. Besides, a job worth doing is worth doing right, and I assure you, master, this was a job worth doing." Rauko bowed again trying to curry her master's favor. "I shall not be late again."

"Indeed you shall not. You're going to the surface, Rauko. I've heard word from some of my agents on the upperworld that there is a place where you can bond with a dragon. I want one of those dragons, Rauko. Imagine what we could do with one. I think you are the best possible candidate for one. Besides, even if you do not get a dragon, I'm sure you can do some good work for me up there persuading some poor souls," he clasped his hands together dramatically, "to our way of thinking. Tempt them and then punish them. That is the name of the game, demoness. I know how much you enjoy the latter. I want to see how good you are at the former. The place I'm sending you to does not believe in my existence at all. We shall have to correct that oversight."

Rauko laughed and smiled at Satan. "It will be my pleasure, Master. I can't promise not to cause more than my fair share of trouble or to bring back a dragon, but I will try. Where is it I'm supposed to go?"

"The place is called Sanrix Azon. The dragons from this current clutch are specifically for beings like you. I want one of these dragons, Rauko. I trust you to do what is necessary to procure one for me. He will be essential to much larger plans. A dragon could turn certain tides in our favor. Leave at once!"

The demoness' wings fluttered excitedly, and she bowed again. "As you wish, Master. Come along, Mor'aegnor. We're taking a little trip." With that she and her pet left Satan's presence.

It had been a long time since Rauko had last been to the surface world. She preferred to stay where she was for she truly loved her job. However, she could definitely have fun with the humans as well. That was what she used to do before she'd been given her present assignment. People like Joe had fallen one by one to her temptations and more than one person had been lured astray to set a fire here or there. There was nothing she loved more than to watch something burn to ashes.

The demoness didn't bother packing as she owned nothing but Mor'aegnor. Then again she didn't really own him. He stayed with her more out of personal loyalty than ownership. He was as much his own being as she was. With in a matter of moments, Rauko and the black beast had passed through the gate to the surface world.

The sunlight was a shock to her eyes and they watered instantly. Her pale skin began to burn and she darted into the shadows. Luckily, she knew where Sanrix Azon was. It was easy to decide what to do. She'd wait until nightfall to head there. With Mor at her side, she began the journey travelling only at night to spare her eyes and pale skin.

It took her several days, but she finally reached her destination. The Sanrix was teeming with life. Dragons were everywhere. The demoness acquired a few stares, but not many. Evidently there were more than a few creatures here like her. It wasn't difficult to find where she wanted to go.

Rauko found herself in a cavern filled with eggs. There were dragons of all sorts present watching over them. Some of them had more than one head. Her black eyes widened in fascination. Her master was right. A creature such as these would be invaluable.

"Can I help you," a voice asked from behind her. The demoness whirled around to face the owner of the voice. There was one thing Rauko didn't like, and that was surprises. Mor'aegnor growled at the woman.

The voice belonged to Kat, the Sanrixess of Azon. She ran her hand through her sandy blonde hair. "Paianith saw you arrive. Judging by the looks of you, I'd say you're here for our latest clutch of eggs. It's very special you know. My name is Kat and I'm the Sanrixess here."

"You are correct. I am here for the eggs. My name is Rauko. My master has sent me here. I wish to bond one of the dragons." The demoness stroked the tiger's velvet pelt.

"You're in luck, Rauko. We have a few remaining spots, and the clutch will hatch any day now. Come with me and I'll get you all situated. It's really just a matter of time now."

Rauko scoffed. How could this possibly be so easy? All she had to do was show up and she could be considered for the dragons. There had to be more to it, but she was willing to follow along for now, and meanwhile, she could tempt some of these mortals. Starting with Kat, perhaps. She smiled wickedly. Oh how she loved her job.

Rauko has Impressed Azonese Black, Red Fire-marked, Queen Veridiain!!!!!!!!! A more perfect match has never existed.

Picture of the messenger drawn by me. Feel free to use him if you wish. Just credit him to Weyrwoman Rhiannon. Picture of Satan is Tim Curry as him in Legend from my own personal homepage.