Nicholas smiled when the angel promised that she wouldn’t escape.  Gently, he unlocked the collar and removed it from her throat, revealing the places where her delicate skin had bruised beneath its merciless embrace.  Watching her rub her neck, Nicholas felt a sharp stab of guilt.  Why was he doing this?  Even if God was a total bastard, surely that didn’t make it right to punish an innocent agent for His crimes.  But Nicholas swiftly quelled his doubts.  He owed Sebastian his loyalty.  For a long time, the demon had been the only family he possessed.<br/><br/>“This way.”  Nicholas led the angel out of the bedroom and down a short hallway.  Then they reached the main bathroom.  Here, the walls and floor were entirely covered by obsidian tiles, which seemed to absorb almost all the light cast by the simple overhead chandelier.  The bathtub itself was more like a hot tub, sunk deep into the floor and big enough for four people.  Nicholas had only been in it once, when Sebastian was in a particularly frisky mood.  But he often tended to Sebastian’s needs while the demon bathed.<br/><br/>Turning on the faucets, Nicholas adjusted the water temperature until it felt comfortable.  Then, while the tub filled, he searched for a soap or bubble bath that the angel might enjoy.  Needless to say, Sebastian didn’t have any particularly feminine scents.  But Nicholas located some sandalwood soap that possessed a warm and slightly exotic scent, like an old cabinet where spices had once been stored.  “Do you like this?” he inquired, offering it to the angel to smell.<br/><br/>“I’m Nicholas, by the way.  Do you have a name?”