Erianthe slipped behind a sign as Philip turned the corner.  It was against the rules for her to be seen.  As he wove around other pedestrians, she skipped a few times to keep him in her sights.  She kept her eyes on him, but also scanned the street, looking for an opportunity.  There had to be an opportunity. 

Ah, this could be it.  Philip’s head turned, his eyes following a pretty girl for a moment.  Erianthe lunged forward, bumping Philip’s right side.  He stumbled back and to the left, into the girl, knocking her to the ground.  The contents of her purse spilled across the sidewalk, and her skirt flipped up, revealing her black lace panties to the circle of surprised onlookers. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Philip exclaimed.  He squatted next to her, averting his eyes as he tried to shovel her belongings back into her purse.  “I am so sorry!” 

Erianthe joined the growing circle clogging the sidewalk, waiting for the lady’s cutting words and Philip’s abashed response.  Her eyes glowed red in anticipation of the woman’s anger and Philip’s public embarrassment.  The woman turned her head toward Philip.  “Watch where you’re going, you idiot…”  She stopped and took in Philip’s concerned gaze.  “…I was just thinking to myself,” she finished awkwardly.  “I’m always so distracted.  I never seem to pay attention to where I’m going.”  She smiled tentatively and extended her hand to him.  “Could you help me up?” 

“Sure.  Can I buy you a coffee and help you organize yourself again?”

“Yes, of course,” she responded with a flirtatious smile, as she rose, feigned a limp, and leaned into Philip. 

The red faded from Erianthe’s eyes.  “Damn.  How does this keep happening?  Now I’ve given him a beautiful girl.  Yesterday, it was the promotion at work when that report should have gotten him fired.  And last week, the damn car accident. When does an insurance company actually act in a human’s favor?  Everything I do backfires.”  Erianthe sighed.  Through the window of the coffee house, she saw the woman smile admiringly at Philip.  “Maybe…I’m going about this all wrong.  Maybe I should stop trying to curse Philip.  Maybe I need to try to help him instead.” She tapped her lip with her index finger as she thought, the red shading her eyes again.  “Oh, this is clever!  It’ll make up for all these screw-ups.  I could slip him a winning lottery ticket, and then the money will ruin his life, and…”  Her eyes glowed a fiery shade of red.

“Ooff.”   Erianthe felt the stranger bump into her.  She stumbled and lost her balance, falling to the ground awkwardly, her skirt flipping up, revealing her panties to the circle of surprised onlookers.  As she looked up, dazed and mortified, she caught a glimpse of a young woman watching carefully, the angelic blue light in her eyes fading as she looked down on the frustrated demon.   The angel winked toward Philip, and, smiling, nodded gently toward Erianthe’s skirt.