The Ledger's Due: Debts From the Underworld

by V.M. Andrews

At a Perth fundraising gala, a demon targets an alpha werewolf until a succubus invokes Clause Nine and tithes him instead. This is an occult-noir of mirrors, salt, and the Black Thread’s ruthless ledger.

Damien is a Collector, a demon who takes what the Ledger is owed. Today’s mark is Theo Anathos, an alpha werewolf holding court at a glittering Perth fundraiser where the air smells of money and chilled intent.

The rules should be enter, poison, depart. But the Pact of Thresholds is watching, and so is an Auditor. When a woman in a black dress arrives with the scent of iron-lily on her skin, and her reflection arrives without delay, the hunt changes shape. Clause Nine is invoked. Consent, marks, and boundaries become law, and the predator finds himself outsmarted by the very system he serves.

Mirror-lag, salt itch, the moonstone ring that swallows light, and jacaranda petals falling onto still water that knows when to each detail is evidence as the Black Thread routes orders and tallies costs, and the Auditor tightens the grammar of the place until it admits only what is true.


What’s inside:
A demon hitman whose reflection is always a breath late
An alpha werewolf with a moonstone ring and public charm
A succubus enforcer whose presence the room accepts at once
Infernal bureaucracy—The Black Thread, the Auditor, and the Pact of Thresholds
Clause Nine in action—Marks, consent, and the law of doors
Motifs that bind the scene—Salt, iron-lily perfume, jacaranda shade, still water showing fealty
A sleek, unsentimental tone softened with connective cadence

Perfect for readers who:
Enjoy urban fantasy that treats magic like contract law
Want supernatural politics with tight, elegant prose
Like assassins, enforcers, and rule-bound duels of jurisdiction
Prefer atmosphere and ritual over explosions
Appreciate stories set outside the usual US or UK hubs
Love tales of infernal bureaucracy, elegant monsters, or morally precise bargains
Set in a sun-struck city where charity galas feel like tribunals, The Ledger’s Due is an occult-noir short story about jurisdiction, appetite, and the price of crossing a line you thought you owned.

61 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 6, 2025

About the author

V.M. Andrews is a visionary science fiction author known for creating immersive and thought-provoking worlds. With a keen interest in the intersection of technology and nature, Andrews crafts stories that challenge readers to consider the complexities of identity, control, and freedom. Her writing process is way slower than warp speed, but her narratives are fast-paced and imaginative with surprising plot twists and character epiphanies. She lives among the gigantic trees in Surrey in the south east region of England where the colour green is abundant.