by Layna Snow
Tolk wanted to yell out that he wasn’t a child anymore. He was a powerful being that could handle himself. He stopped, however, the irony obvious. He did need help, and he wouldn’t upset his Master.
“I have a plan, my Lord. The world is changing, and no one notices. I will control it, allow true Hell to reign here as well. I have a problem, however, and have contacted you as a last resort. I need some help. I am searching for a woman who contacted me earlier. She was working with a man named Timothy Philips. He was in Cold Wood, Ontario before he died. I need to get to her before anybody else does.” He said, trying to keep from fidgeting under the weight of the boy’s stare.
One of his people had a vision. This girl would help bring about his demise. She would also attempt to kill the Dark Master. He could not allow that! He killed his clairvoyant Witch in anger, by accident.
“I have heard you were on the hunt. I hear the rumours. I’ll send out some Xérnal. It will take some time for them to report to me. It will be even longer until I report to you. You must trust me. I will give you the information you seek. The woman who worked with this Human will be revealed to you. In turn, you will do something for me.” He announced.
Kellen knew that this wasn’t a deal he was making. This was an order. “Yes, anything, Master.” He would even kill himself if that was required. He hoped it was not, however.
He had plans.
Plans for him and his Master to rule up here.
“I need you to summon a Demon into the Human Realm.” The teenager said, his blue eyes serious.
The man didn’t understand the request. That was easy. Demons were summoned from Hell all the time. It was usually Lesser Demons, those who are not very powerful, but also aren’t magically chained to Hell.
“A High Demon, no doubt.” He reflected. The Dark Lord would be able to get a Human to summon a Lesser. Those Demons could literally walk out of Hell. The more power one had, the more difficult it was to get them out. The Dark Lord himself was impossible to summon. No one had that kind of power.
“Yes. A Seltar more specifically.” Seltars were High Demons, quiet powerful. They were legendary for their fighting ability, and were often likened to snakes, based on the way they talked. There were few of them, and they were mostly female.
There was a reason for that.
Seltar Demons consumed their mates after fornication, the male bodies carrying the necessary genes and chemicals to fertilize the eggs. The female Seltar could extract that stuff from their digested mates. They could smell emotion and spit acid. The males could also change the weather at will by influencing the air currents and electromagnetic fields. Tolk suspected that it was their doing that stopped electronics from working in Hell.
“I would need to find a vessel that has Demon blood and is easily controlled.” He said, already making plans for the next few weeks. He had contacts around the world. It should be easy enough to find. Then he’d need an innocent blood sacrifice and a-
“No, you do not. I need someone with Angel blood, powerful Angel blood.”
Tolk couldn’t help but stare at his Master. Finding and capturing an Angel would be more difficult.
Someone of power needed to be used, and Angels could disappear too easily. Their power had to leak from them slowly to keep them caged. It would take time to find someone with the amount of power that his Master wanted.
He knew of none at the moment and he had hundreds of Hidden locked away in many of his testing facilities. None had strong enough blood. They would need someone who has been alive for at least a thousand years and had recently Fallen.
A Fallen of that age would be hard to find. He didn’t know of one that existed today.
“It will take time, Master. I need to wait until I find someone strong enough. Have you sensed anything recently? Has an Angel Fallen who would have blood powerful enough?” The Devil was able to sense when Angels fell, could sense their power and their age. He could tell where they Fell, and he could sense why they Fell. It was an ability that the man had never questioned.
“Yes, that is why I asked you now. A female Angel was just exiled for Wrath. She is Falling now, and as she hits Earth, she will be weak enough for the Demon to hold. You call the Demon into the world, and she will find the Angel. You must then find her so that you can be sure the Demon wins the internal battle for control. She will be difficult to take. Lure her first. The Angel does not know much about this world, but she can’t be taken down with brawn. Be subtle and use your mind. I do not want you to ever use the Demon’s name against her while she is in the Angel.”
“What will she be used for here?” Tolk asked. Would she help him in his own endeavors? That would be the best gift of all.
“She will be on her own mission, but she will also aide you in yours, in exchange for lodging and protection. Remember, you do not want to cross me.”
With that last bit of advice, the Dark Master waved his hand.
The mirror exploded from the blast of magic, severing the tie between the worlds for good. This mirror would not summon another portal, its reflection broken into tiny sharp bits of glass. Not even the back of the mirror reminded intact, the mirror shards shredding the paper.
Tolk felt the blast of power hit him in the chest. He had known that breaking the connection would throw off powerful backlash, but no one could ever be prepared. His chair slammed back, hitting the wall behind him with a resounding crack. Plaster clattered to the floor, kicking up dust.
For a moment he wasn’t sure he could breathe, but then the pressure lessened, letting him draw in a large breath.
He looked around the room, disgusted. The blast had knocked everything around, making the room look destroyed. Books littered the floor and his computer was smashed on its side. The chair on the other side of his desk had been pushed a few feet away and lay awkwardly. Even his intercom was ruined. His assistant stayed where he was, though. Still eager to please. “Call maintenance.” He ordered, but he needn’t have. His assistant would always do as he asked.
He knew that his people would put everything to rights. Everyone in the company did exactly what they were told. The punishment for failure was severe. The punishment for treachery was worse.
Kellen Tolk left the messy room and headed to his secretary’s desk. He needed to make a few calls to some people. If this Fallen was strong enough, he would find her, and he would use her. Maybe he wouldn’t need to actually capture her.
***
Lucifer smiled into the darkness. The shadows alive with souls. Tolk spoke with reverence, but the Master could see into him.
The man was hungry for chaos and power. He pretended to make alliances with all sides, but he would fail.
Humans were unpredictable and war-hungry. No one could control them. Certainly not a one such as Kellen Tolk. Lucifer understood the ramifications of trying.
The man would break a covenant created thousands of years ago in order to feed his ego.
It would be a good show, certainly. Entertaining. And Lucifer hadn’t been entertained in so long.
“You assssked to sssssee me?” Razion hissed from behind him.
Lucifer turned to look at the High Demon. She was almost lost in the darkness. Her black skin provided camouflage, but the navy stripes showed the Demon’s movements.
She was a faithful servant. She was strong, ruthless and would provide much aide. “Yes. Soon you will be summoned into a body. You will take control, you know what has to be done.”
The Demon smiled and bowed to her Lord. “Assssss you wisssshh.”
25
Sophie leaned back against Thane, her whole body relaxed as she watched Adrian work.
He sat on the other side of the couch and fiddled with… something electronic. It had been about a week since she made the promise to stay with them, and despite the turbulent first few days, it had been sort of relaxing.
They had gotten into a routine. They slept, with the guys on either side of her, and when the
y woke up, one of them fed her breakfast. They’d then go train, leaving her here to do what she wanted. They didn’t take her out again, not after that last time.
They also refused to continue her training.
It’s not like you want to work anyways.
No, she’d rather do nothing for a few days. She didn’t get that chance very often. She was always either working at the diner or taking care of her sisters.
Now, all she did was relax, it seemed.
In the evenings she’d lounge on the couch with one of the guys while the other one worked. Thane liked to clean and take care of his weapons while Adrian fixed things. She really didn’t know what he did, but he tried to explain it to her once.
In Hell, nothing electronic worked. The energy and magic was too powerful. But what about the tablet and lights? What about the fridge? Those were the questions that she had asked. And she was met with a really technical answer that she didn’t understand.
What she did understand was that Adrian was basically a genius with technology.
He put in new parts, and changed out systems. He even put in surge protection and electrical conduits to take care of some of the extra electricity in the air. And there were apparently cracks and holes that he fed pipes and wires through that went through weird little Hellgates that he messed with.
Overall, the days went past quickly. They laughed and joked, or Adrian had. The sex was great, and frequent. And she had gotten to know them a little better.
Though, she was still wary. Every once in a while she’d remember why she was there, and what they wanted from her.
She’d feel her heart breaking.
But it was those other times that were dangerous. The times when she forgot and fell more in love with them.
Sophie stretched, feeling the tension in her muscles.
She didn’t want to remember her other life. She didn’t want to think about the future. Not right now.
Maybe not ever.
Thane leaned down and kissed her hair. Even that small action made her heart clench.
Gosh, these men were unbelievable.
Adrian looked up and smiled at her. “So, Phie. Hah, get it?” At his joke, Soph rolled her eyes. He was always saying little things. Things that made her want to hit him, and laugh at the same time. “So, we know you have a twin. Tell us about the rest of your family. Do you have any other hot siblings?”
Hot siblings? Sure. Just the thought of Brooke made her feel like an elephant.
Her older sister was always the most outgoing, the prettiest. She had a lot of friends, and boys were always after her. Soph always paled in comparison. She was always overlooked.
Sophie knew that these guys would love Brooklyn. They’d find her exciting. Hell, they’d probably like her better. Everyone did.
Surely if they’d met back in the real world, they’d have chased Brooke around like puppies and probably forget about Sophie.
“Woah, what’s with the long face, sweet-cheeks? What’s going on in that noggin of yours?” Adrian asked, his head motioning to the tablet that was sitting on the table.
She sighed and picked up the device, opened a document and typed. I have another sister. Brooklyn. You’d like her. She’s older, very different from me. We didn’t spend much time together.
Adrian frowned, putting his work aside. “Don’t all siblings spend time together?” Obviously he hadn’t grown up with any.
In fact, he hadn’t grown up at all, had he? She remembered talking to Melody about being an Angel and hadn’t the Angel told her that they were created as adults?
She was jealous.
It wasn’t that her childhood was bad or anything. And her parents were fine. It was just difficult going from child to teenager to adult. It just sucked.
My parents were really religious, strict. They didn’t allow us to play with kids that they didn’t know. I live in a small town though, so everyone knows everyone. And that had been annoying. You couldn’t do anything without everyone knowing about it. People still talked about that time that she got pantsed in school. My parents worked a lot though, they also volunteered at the church and in the community. I didn’t see them much. My grandma practically raised me and my twin. She moved in after we were born and stayed until she died. Sophie mom’s mother was the most influential person in her life. She raised Sophie to be a good girl, someone who could look in the mirror and be proud of herself.
Her Abuela always said that their parents could have done a better job with Brooke. Actually, she said something stronger, but Soph couldn’t repeat mean things about her sister. No matter what Brooklyn did, they were still family.
Even if they weren’t close.
Sophie hadn’t been close to anyone since the night Annie was hurt.
But with her awake, I’ll have her again.
My Abuela moved to Canada after she had my mom. She was a single mother and my mom wasn’t too happy about that. She is big on family values now. Both my parents are. They moved to Barrie to be closer to my sister after the accident. They still kept their home in Cold Wood, and Soph lived there and took care of it. Brooke moved out as soon as possible.
But now, they’d probably be coming back. She’d have to find a new place to live. There was no way that she could live under her parents’ thumb again. She couldn’t be constantly measured to see if she was good enough. Holy enough.
And if they ever learned what had happened here, she was sure that they’d have an exorcism performed on her before refusing to talk to her ever again.
What she was doing here wasn’t right, wasn’t natural. Not only was she engaging in premarital sex, but with two guys, in Hell.
Not that Sophie felt that there was anything wrong with having sex with men that you loved.
Love?
Oh, Mary mother of God!
She had been fighting it for the whole week. She had tried to shut herself down, listing all the horrible things that Adrian has said to her.
But it hadn’t worked.
Every time Thane held her, she had been pulled farther under his spell. Every time Adrian teased her, she’d fallen. Their soft looks and gentle hands. Their groans as they gave her the most pleasure that she had ever known. It had all led to this moment. And she had no idea what to do with the thought.
“Won’t they worry about you?” Adrian asked, unaware of the thoughts going through her head.
It wasn’t like she could just tell them that she loved them!
They’d scoff at her, they’d be alarmed. They’d probably be horrified. The men let her stay here for sex, and wild kinkiness, not for her to grow attached to them.
They didn’t want a clingy woman. Heck, her naiveté was the problem. And it was her problem, not theirs.
No wonder they usually dealt with experienced women. Experienced women wouldn’t let themselves fall for men who only wanted casual.
But she loved them!
And now she needed to talk to them like everything was perfectly fine? As if her heart wasn’t full and empty at the same time. As if she didn’t love two men who could never love her back.
It was way too much.
“Hot-dude to Phie? Are you with us? You look a little panicked. What’s up, buttercup? Are you nervous that you’ve been gone so long?”
Long?
Sophie struggled to shake off her own emotional distress, trying to push it back and think about something else, but it overshadowed everything. How could a word do this?
But this seemed important. There was something in her brain that was pushing her to pay attention. Something that seemed off.
“Are you nervous that you’ve been gone so long?”
Why did they think she’d been gone a while? She’d been here for a few days. Surely her parents wouldn’t even notice. Especially not with Annie waking up.
They only contact me ever few weeks to see how I am. One week is nothing. They might want to tell me about Annie, though. In fact, she should be up there
to see if her sister was alright.
She needed to be there for Annie.
She shouldn’t have stayed here with these guys. As much as she enjoyed her time. As much as she dreaded leaving them behind. She knew that she needed to be there for the long road to full recovery.
Especially since they will never return your feelings.
Thane didn’t even have feelings. Not that he told her why.
She felt herself torn by her decision. She wanted to be both places. She’d put off her responsibilities for one wonderful week.
And look at the trouble you got into. Falling in love with two people! How is that possible? But it was.
She loved different things about them. It happened separately but it happened. And now she had to choose to either stay with men who were bound to break her heart over and over again, or go and help her sister recover.
“A week? No, hot-stuff. It might have only been a week for us, but it’s been months up there. Time is weird that way. Hell does not work the same as Earth. It’s all messed up.”
Months?
Months? Oh shoot!
If she’d been gone so long, her family would definitely be worried. If that was true then Annie would be up walking.
Annie would think that her own twin abandoned her!
Oh gosh! Had she known that, she wouldn’t have stayed!
She would have left as soon as she talked to the Devil.
But she hadn’t! She let herself get sucked in by them. She let them take over everything. She thought a few days were nothing, but a few months was a long time!
It was time to leave! It didn’t matter that her heart hurt, or that she yearned to be with them longer. It didn’t matter that she couldn’t see herself living one day of her life without them, and she couldn’t see a good future with them either.
If they loved her, it’d be different.
Would it? Are they more important than Annie?
No, she wouldn’t stay, but she’d ask them to come. She’d beg them to come.
It wouldn’t matter if her parents never spoke to her again, or if people thought she was nuts. Love trumped everything. Except my sister.
