“What was your news, Blair?”
I clear my throat. “Just was wondering if you heard about the town’s Halloween party.”
“Yeah, it looks like fun. It’s an entire month away, though.”
“Sure, just wanted to see if you were planning on going.”
“Probably, would be a great time to hand out business cards and see who wants to list their house.” I nod my head and the waitress brings our sandwiches and drinks.
“Do you need anything else?” she asks, only looking at Ryan. She touches his shoulder before she turns around, and I can’t help myself when I whisperiter.
The waitress trips over thin air, and I gasp in mock surprise. Her tray of waters clang to the ground with her.
“Are you okay?” Ryan asks her, being far too fucking nice.
She dusts herself off and looks at the ground, wondering what she tripped over. Her brows furrow, and she walks away, leaving the ice waters on the floor.
“Poor thing,” Ryan says, and I hold back my eye roll. He looks down at his watch and groans. “Honey, I need to keep this short. I’ve got a closing I need to get to.” I hate when he calls me honey. I’m not sweet. But I haven’t really shown him that side of me, have I? He places two twenties on the table and kisses the side of my head as he takes his food to go. “I’ll call you tonight with the details for dinner with my dad.”
“Sounds good,” I say as he walks away. I take a sip of my coffee as the waitress comes back out and starts cleaning up her mess from earlier.
“I’m so sorry about this,” she says, and I roll my eyes.
“Sorry for touching my boyfriend or sorry for making a mess of yourself?” I ask, and she gapes at me with wide eyes. I place another twenty on the table, because you should always tip your server no matter what. “Be careful next time.” I tell her as I put my black sunglasses on and walk to my car.
As I’m walking down the cobblestone path, a rumbling of an engine distracts me. I watch as a large figure rides a motorcycle down the willow lined streets. It must be hints of Ryan’s signature clinging to me from just being around him, but I swear it’s like I just got splashed in the face with cold water with the magical notes I’m picking up. I shake my head and continue my walk to my car.
Chapter 2
ThisisHell…literally.Meetings in Hell are monotonous and tend to drag on for what feels like eternity. You would think we were at a Hilton conference room and not the fiery depths of despair. The walls are off white, there’s a long obsidian table in the middle of the room with multiple leather wingback chairs for guests to sit. Lilith sits in the corner, her blonde hair in a high pony as she takes notes. Does Lucifer really need meeting notes? Milcom is also in attendance, his enforcer of sorts. I wonder why he’s here and not on Earth searching for the demon.
Lucifer sits at the head of the table. He nods his head in greeting to both of us and starts the meeting. You would probably think of Satan as a big red evil being, but you would be wrong. He’s actually quite handsome and charming. As far as bosses go, you could do worse. Life in Hell isn’t terrible, but living freely among the mortals is so much more fun. But demons need rules, or else there would be complete chaos. My job is to make sure that these rules are followed.
I look across the table at Asmodeus. He’s such a pompous prick. He’s in his human form, as am I. We were both blessed by Satan himself to have corporeal, unaging mortal forms. It’s nice not needing to possess some poor fucker when we’re land side. While he looks like a college douchebag frat bro, my meat suit is one that demands respect. I’m so caught up in my thoughts about having a partner for this mission, I didn’t even hear the question Lucifer just asked.
“Yes, my lord, I have been out there spreading my seed far and wide, I plan to give you many magically inclined demons,” Asmodeus coos at the Devil.Kiss ass.And totally full of shit. I’m not sure where Lucifer got it in his mind that we needed to try and create halfling demons. But as far as I know, it’s never been done successfully. They’re all sadly human with no magic to sustain them.
“And you, Daxaddon?” I hate my full name, but when Satan calls you by it, you answer.
“My progeny hasn’t proven to have any abilities,” I say.
“That’s a shame. Either way, as your offspring, I’m sure he will join us in Hell one way or another. Do you plan on attempting again, or are your missions keeping you too busy?”
“Whatever you command, my lord,” I reply and bow my head like the obedient little demon I am.
“Very well. With the increased demon population on Earth, it’s important that we maintain a level of decorum. The last thing I need is more problems with the angels or witches again,” Lucifer grumbles. His status as a fallen angel has always been a sore spot for him. “What are we doing about the asinine amount of possessions?” Lucifer asks.
“We’re working on capturing the demons who are destroying the mortals’ minds during their possessions.”
“Yes, we will return them to you, my Lord,” Asmodeus says, with an overabundance of confidence. We still haven’t been able to find the demon that is body hopping and melting the brains of each mortal they possess.
“We need the precedent set that possessions are sanctioned, but only in the proper manner. Possess, use, erase,” Lucifer says. Milcom chiming a grunt of agreement is the only noise he makes the entire meeting. Why is he here?
“Yes, my Lord,” Asmodeus and I say in sync.
“We have intelligence that the demon we are looking for might be in Hallowsdeep,” Asmodeus says.
I glare at him because he didn’t share this information with me prior to the meeting. He knows what’s in Hallowsdeep, what I haven’t been able to face. My guilty conscience, something I didn’t even know that I had, has been weighing on me lately.
