"I never...never planned this," Oraxael admitted uncomfortably.  It was a hard thing to do - as talented as he was at lust, he was also brilliant at pride, and it stung his pride to admit that he had been forced into this situation.  He wiped away the tears, ashamed of them, then continued.<br/><br/>"I suppose I owe you the truth...our friendship...what it was anyway, deserves that much," he started, then paused briefly, gathering his thoughts.<br/><br/>"The truth is...you were not initially my assignment.  The target I was first supposed to tempt...was your mortal, John.  When I realized who he was, and who was watching him...I...I refused.  I lied...I told Asmodeus that John was too easy a target, that he was beneath my skills, that he was not worthy of my efforts because he would be too easy to sway."<br/><br/>Oraxael paused again.  Hearing himself speak the words made him realize how ludicrous he must sound.  A demon, refusing to tempt a mortal?  Ridiculous.  Even he didn't understand why exactly he had done so, save for the one small fact that John had Azriel as a partner.  Azriel, who was, perhaps, Oraxael's only friend.<br/><br/>"Asmodeus smiled at me then.  To be truthful, I think he knew what would happen and set me up for it.  He said that normally, he would compel a lesser demon to his will; he could do that, and I would be helpless to resist.  I would have been forced to use all my guile to seduce John.  But instead, Asmodeus said he agreed with me, that my talents had grown beyond mortal temptations.  And then...then he compelled me with a different target..." Oraxael gulped back his emotions as best he could, before continuing, " And that target was you.  As for why I am crying?  By the light of the Morning Star, I wish I could answer that.  I haven't cried real tears since...faith, since the fall, I think."