Reena tilted her head and stared at him, confusion in her warm brown eyes. Her ears rotated towards him, and her underbite became more pronounced.
“What are you on about?” Nick demanded, throwing his hands out to the side in exasperation.
“Just… bear with me.” Malachi tickled Reena’s chin. “See, when I got home earlier, I noticed your collar was missing. I looked all over the house for it, but it was nowhere to be found. But that’s okay. You know why?” He smiled softly at the little dog before setting her down and crouching in front of her. “Because I found it somewhere else. Under the edge of the bed at Amaryllis’ apartment. The one where she set up the opportunity to get Jaxon involved and make us think he was out to get Chuck.” Pausing, he pulled the lilac nylon loop from his pocket and shook it in front of her.
Nick was now silent, staring with bugged-out eyes at the demon and the small, unassuming brindle dog the size of a large cat.
Reena ducked her head and grumbled, pawing the ground as she muttered to herself. After another moment or two of silence, she stared up at Malachi with liquid eyes. A small whine came from her throat.
“Reena,” he sighed. “Or should I go ahead and call you Amaryllis?”
Huffing out a small sigh, Reena sat back on her haunches and studied him while Nick sputtered in the background. A swirl of black shadows swirled around her tiny body, cloaking her in wisps of darkness and night.The cloud of inky haze rose to the height of an average human female before receding, leaving a coppery-tressed, voluptuous woman who managed to appear breath-takingly exquisite and delicate despite being clad in full battle leathers that screamed lethality. A smirk curled her carmine lips and curved her high cheeks up towards her exotically slanted eyes. Eyes that were now trained on Malachi with a considering gaze.
“Ouch,” she purred in a sultry tone that seemed to resonate in the still air. The world around them had grown quiet in anticipation. “Millennia of existence and I’m tripped up by a stupid dog collar.”
“Amaryllis,” Malachi murmured as he bowed his head respectfully. “Mistress of Darkness and Pain. It was barely visible. I nearly missed it. Had I not been lamenting my failure, I surely would not have seen it. Truly, you are a master of disguise and subterfuge.”
A deep bubbling laugh poured from her lips as she threw her head back, letting her amusement ring through the night. “Stop, my dear. You damn me with your praise. Too bad I’m already damned. Oh, my darling Malachi, you have been a sheer delight to toy with these last few months, truly enjoyable.”
Nodding, Malachi spoke low and calmly, resisting the urge to laugh at the sight of Nick trying not to piss himself behind the Knight of Hell standing casually in the backyard with them. “I see, and I am, of course, pleased to have been able to provide entertainment for you. If I may be so bold, might I inquire why you are trying to kill Kelly?”
A faraway look entered her eyes as she stared at something only she could see. “Take note, infant demon. There was a time I would absolutely crush you for eventhinkingof daring to question me. But, fortunately for you, I like you, so I’m willing to overlook it. For centuries, I’ve essentially been in stasis. When Hyacinth started his little plan to amass the power to become a Knight, it almost didn’t register, but a nagging feeling prompted me topay attention, and I’m glad I did. At first, I wanted him to succeed because I needed a challenge. Butyouwere far more interesting. Consorting with angels, witches, having feelings, living like a human.” She glanced at the angel still trembling behind her.
As her gaze connected with Nick’s, he squeaked slightly and bowed. “Mistress.”
“Youespecially have been entertaining,” she offered with a graceful nod. “Your banter with this one.” She gestured at Malachi. “Well, I was half expecting you to kiss him any day. You, my dear, delicate angel, desperately need to get laid.” At the choked gurgle from his throat, she laughed again, the sound underscored with the rattle of dead leaves skittering over cold ground.
Malachi shuddered. He could almost hear the Hellhounds howling within her laughter. “Oh damned one…” he started, loathe to be under her scrutiny, but knowing he needed to resolve this before Chuck got curious. As the fathomless depths of her eerie gaze settled on him again, he checked his chills and straightened his shoulders. “I wonder if we could return to why you have decided on this path, or rather, what is your desired outcome here? Because if you plan to kill us all, I would very much like to say goodbye to Kelly one last time.”
Eying him with intense consideration, the elder demon nodded slowly. “I suppose there’s no harm in telling you now that the charade is over.” Sighing, she pointed at the ground and motioned with her finger as if summoning someone.
A burbling, squelching noise followed by the scent of decayed flowers filled the air as Hyacinth began to rise through the yard. As his head cleared the grass, he frowned and glared malevolently at Malachi. “You,” he hissed, pointing a grubby finger at the lower demon. “You dare summon me? Who do you think you are? Where did you even get the power to do that?Pissant excuse for a demon, I’d give you final death if it wasn’t for that angel cloak you have. As soon as I make my way to the top, I’ll strip you of that protection and have you writhing on the ground, begging me to kill you.”
Grinning in undisguised glee, Malachi held up his hands in innocence. “I didn’t summon you,” he insisted and pointed over Hyacinth’s shoulder.
Spinning on his gnarled feet, the bulbous demon stared at the waistline of the Knight of Hell who was watching him quietly with a bemused smile, hands propped on her hips. Her fingers twitched over the hilt of the sword belted at her side, and her fangs glinted as her lips parted with amusement when Hyacinth let out a strangled cough.
“Your Darkness!” he grunted, bowing down and groveling before her. “My deepest apologies for not immediately acknowledging your great presence. I was not aware you were here, but now I have only the most immense desire to serve you in any way I can.”
“Is that so?” Amaryllis purred, her tone one of warning that had both Malachi and Nick taking a large step back. Then another. “And what if my desire was for you to demote yourself to a first-level demon and promote Malachi to your position instead. Would you do that for me, my precious little petal?” She dragged a sharp, talon-like nail over his shoulder, flicking the dirt on her finger in his face, making him flinch.
Swallowing heavily, Hyacinth clenched his teeth in disgust but finally nodded with reluctance. “If my Mistress commanded it,” he choked out.
Slowly striding around the bent form of the demon, Amaryllis crouched by his side and leaned forward. “Then rise and tell me why it is that you felt a puny, shriveled root such as yourself was ready to challenge me to become a Knight?”
A Standing Invitation to Hell
Hyacinth jerked straight back toward Malachi as Amaryllis’ question slammed into him like a wrecking ball. He shook his head vehemently side to side in denial of her accusation. “Never would I think to challenge you, oh Dark Mistress. Queen of my family line. I haven’t nearly the strength to evendreamsuch a thing.” Hyacinth’s beady yellow eyes flitted to the side and glared at Malachi, who had moved away when the filthy plant-shaped demon jumped. “Him.” He pointed accusingly at Malachi now. “It was his plot, and I punished him by sending him here to foil his ill-imagined attempts.”
Blowing air through his lips in a rude noise, Malachi shook his head in amusement. There was no point in defending himself. He knew Hyacinth wasn’t aware that Amaryllis had been masquerading as Reena, and thus had witnessed their conversations. Crossing his arms over his chest, he simply stared at Hyacinth with interest, eager to see how this would play out.
His former commander was staring back at him now in concern, not understanding why Malachi wasn’t protesting his lie.
“Hi!” Nick called cheerfully, leaning out from behind Amaryllis, his halo now beaming bright gold and wings spreading with a subtle glow. “Remember me? I’m Nick. I put the guardian spell on Malachi because I uncovered your plot to kill my niece, Kelly. You remember, the one you undertook so you could get the power to do the thing you’re saying you didn’t want to do? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you’re lying. I mean, you are a demon. But seriously? Do you even—”
“Be at ease, Heavenly one,” Amaryllis murmured with a feline smile, stopping Nick’s rant with a small wave. He immediately stepped back and bowed his head. “Your defense of one of my kind is appreciated and noted. I’m impressed, Nick, that you would speak on Malachi’s behalf. Especially with as many times as he got your name wrong.”
Malachi chuckled low in his throat, then mimed zipping his lips as everyone turned to stare at him—Nick with irritation, Amaryllis with amusement, and Hyacinth with bewilderment.
