Living Hell

by N. L. Hoffmann

  “A couple days. When I heard chatter amongst the dead Witches about the Head Vampire being possessed, I had to check it out for myself. Last I heard, the demon was gone, but then Merlin told me the demon is strong enough to hide within the body, undetected.”

  “So Carlos wouldn’t have been able to sense him?” Ethan asked, coming into the conversation. When his scent wafted in my direction, I felt my body tingle. What was with my hormones? We were having a serious conversation, yet I wanted sex again?

  Feeling hot, I started to fan myself and took a gulp of my juice. My mother stared at me, brows furrowed. Then she grinned.

  “You’re pregnant.”

  Spitting out my juice, choking on it, I set the glass down on the island, coughing. After I was able to breathe again, I cleared my throat and looked at her. “You’re...fucking...insane!”

  “No, I can tell. I sense it.” She floated over to me, hand stretched toward my stomach.

  Freaked out, I moved away from her, pulling Ethan in front of me, as if it would prevent my mother from getting close. When I glanced at his face, he appeared to be in shock. Shit. Pregnancy was the last thing either one of us wanted to think about. At least in my case. A mini Sophie would be a huge fucking problem.

  Ethan reached around and grasped my arm, pulling me in front of him. I shrieked, knowing I was being ridiculous, but if I let her near me, it would just confirm everything she said.

  My mother rested her ghostly hand over my stomach and nodded eagerly. She was enjoying this far too much. Had she been a physical being, I would have pushed her away from me. Instead, I stood there, helpless, Ethan’s grip on my arms holding me in place.

  “Yup. Twins!”

  “How could you possibly know?” I demanded.

  “We ghosts know everything, dear.”

  “I think you’re psycho. Been indulging in the ‘ghost juice’ too much,” I hissed. Maybe I was in denial, but it could not possibly be true. It would be so like her to pull a prank on me. But this was huge! More than huge! A big fucking deal.

  “Calm down, Sophie. We’ll get through this,” Ethan said softly.

  “You should be happy! The prophecy is coming true!” I jerked away from him, pacing as I tried to calm my racing heart.

  Suddenly, something slapped me across the face. I yelped, placing a hand on my cheek. My mother stood in front of me, glaring.

  “You hit me! How the fuck did you do that?”

  “Watch your mouth! This is big news, and you should be happy. Not acting like a lunatic,” she snapped, hands on her hips.

  Dear gods, I need alcohol. I glanced over at a bottle of wine.

  Ethan saw what I was looking at, so he stepped in front of it, crossing his arms. “No, Sophie.”

  I pouted. “They say you can have a glass of wine.”

  “We’re not going there,” he replied, a determined expression on his face.

  I sighed dramatically and leaned against the wall, sliding down to the floor, my face in my hands. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I felt Ethan put a hand on my shoulder, so I looked up as he squatted in front of me. This probably wasn’t how he pictured the mother of his unborn child to react. Then my breath hitched.

  What if it isn’t his? What if it’s Drake’s?

  I STARED AT THE TREATY, relieved. Drake had approved all the changes we sent over earlier in the day. He quickly returned them, along with a note that requested I visit later that evening so we could sign them. Was that wise? Especially now that I was pregnant? Ethan and Mikey insisted they both be there. After an argument, I finally agreed. Taco, so irritated with the raised voices, set Mikey’s hair on fire, essentially ending the discussion.

  It was a traumatizing experience for him. Ethan had to take one of the pillows and smack him in the head to snuff out the flames. Now I had to explain to Maggie how one of her pillows got ruined. I felt kind of bad, but then again, I seriously was not a fan of yellow.

  When night fell, we drove to the Vampire mansion instead of just appearing there. Since I was nervous, I let Ethan drive. Would Drake be himself? What if he tried to kill one of us? Roark had confirmed his brother was in his right frame of mind...at the moment. I just hoped it remained that way the rest of the night. We really should lock him up, but that would start a war. Was it worth it, considering more lives could be lost?

  It stressed me out to think about. Here we were, about to make history, but for what? To ignore what was happening right outside our door? I chewed on my bottom lip, debating. Should the Witches get involved in Vampire business? We never did before...unless it had to do with Witches. Vampires took care of their own. But what if the leader was the one causing all the trouble? What happened then?

  A guard waved us through the gate. I glanced over at Ethan, whose face was a mask of concentration. He was all business. Not only were we in Vampire territory, but he now had to worry about the babies.

  Gods. Giving me children is wrong on so many levels.

  My mother mentioned the Ancestors blessed me. That, by the word of the Lady of the Lake, they deemed it had to happen. So, basically, I had no choice in the matter. I should have walked away from both Ethan and Drake when I had the chance. Instead, I fell right into the trap.

  I frowned, gripping my hands together. What would Drake say when he found out? He was so hard to predict, I couldn’t even begin to think of his reaction. Now that it seemed the demon had returned, what did that mean for me? Would I have to raise the children alone?

  My hands sweating, I wiped them down my skirt. Ethan patted my thigh and gave me a small smile, trying to offer me the encouragement I needed. I didn’t understand how he could be so calm when he might not even be the father. Was he freaking out inside that head of his? What happened if they were Drake’s? Would he leave?

  Panicking, I opened the car door as soon as it stopped and scrambled out. I placed a hand on the roof of the car for support as I took several deep breaths. Mikey looked at me with concern.

  You okay? he mouthed.

  I nodded, but inside I was screaming, Hell no!

  The doors of the mansion opened and Drake stood there, staring down at us with a dark expression on his face. He was so handsome, it took my breath away every time. Why did he have to be so perfect? Why did he have to be possessed by a demon? Maybe we could have worked things out before, but it was too late now. If the demon took over and the Ancestors ordered it, he would have to die by Ethan’s hands. Would I be able to cope with that?

  Ethan walked around the car and lightly grabbed my arm. “Are you okay? We can reschedule this,” he said, examining my face.

  Shaking my head, I turned toward the doors. “No. I have to do this for my people. If we put it off now, who knows what might happen.”

  All three of us started up the steps. Drake had his hands shoved into his pockets, waiting. When we finally made it to the top step, he smiled. “Welcome back, Sophie.” He sounded normal. That was a good sign.

  Taco appeared next to me, his wings flapping furiously as he circled around. He had been so quiet in the car, I had forgotten he came with us. The little monster was starting to behave. I hoped.

  When Drake caught sight of him, his eyes darkened and a frown appeared on his face. He saw me staring at him, so he forced a smile. “Pet dragon?”

  I nodded. “He’s a pain in the ass.”

  Taco blew fire in my direction, then dodged Ethan’s attempts to swat at him. He finally landed on my shoulder, huffing smoke through his nose.

  Drake led us through the house and to the ballroom, a table in the middle. There were a couple other people standing around, watching us approach. I assumed they were there to witness the signing. Originally, I wanted the media to be there and the Council to witnesses, but Drake was adamant about it being done right away, so we had no time to plan a large event. For now, I would have Mikey film it so we could show it to our people. We had an Intranet that was specifically for Witches. If anyone wanted up-to-date information on
what was happening with the Council, all they had to do was sign on.

  One of Drake’s men, the short guy who greeted me at the door before...I thought his name was Felix...set two sets of papers down. We spent a good hour and a half signing and discussing. It was shocking how many different spots there were to sign. I reviewed the document previously, but until you actually sat down to sign, you didn’t really think about it.

  As I signed the last page, Drake looked over, his gaze scanning me. “You’re glowing tonight, Sophie.”

  I took a deep breath. He knows. “Uh, thanks.”

  “Pregnancy suits you.”

  Laughing nervously, I pushed back my chair. “Well, since we’re done, we should probably go. Mikey wants to upload this video for everyone to watch.” I put my hand out to Drake. “It was good doing business.”

  Drake reached out to take my hand, but as soon as he grasped it, he pulled, spinning me into him, my back to his front. Ethan and Mikey moved to defend me, but Drake already had his arms wrapped around my body, showing his fangs in warning as he hissed. He lowered his mouth close to my ear, his hot breath sending shivers through me. It was hard to deny our connection, but a part of me still feared him. I felt Drake’s hard length at my back.

  “You need to let me go, Drake,” I said, staring straight ahead, my voice slightly wavering.

  His hands moved to my stomach, resting there softly. Then he whispered, “One is the Vampire’s. One is the Mage’s.”

  Stiffening, I jerked away, stumbling into Ethan’s arms. When I looked back at Drake, he appeared confused, his brows furrowed.

  “What’s the matter? I thought you were leaving?” he asked. He put a hand to his head, staring down at the floor, disoriented. Roark walked through the door behind us and grasped Drake’s arm.

  “Let’s get you something to eat. I think you’ve gone too long, brother.”

  “Yes, I’m sure that’s it,” Drake responded in a low voice, allowing his brother to lead him away.

  Roark glanced back at me, fear in his eyes. Drake had started sliding downhill fast. If we didn’t do something soon, the demon would take over completely. I didn’t like the fact the demon knew about the babies. And how could one be Drake’s and one Ethan’s? Was that even possible?

  Chapter Ten

  CLAPPING AND CHEERING startled me when I entered the library to meet with the Council. I smiled, not sure what was going on, taking my seat at the head of the table like I usually did.

  “What’s all this for?” I asked, laughing.

  Mikey came to stand behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders. “For the first time in Witch history, we now have a treaty with the Vampires. Congratulations, Sophie.” He pointed at me. “Your High Mistress!”

  Everyone jumped to their feet, cheering and clapping again. I waved for them to sit down, shaking my head with a smile on my face. This was a shock. I didn’t think anyone would be this happy. Just as those thoughts passed through my mind, the library door opened and around a dozen people entered, gift baskets full of food in their hands.

  Ethan smiled, walking in after them. “From your supporters.”

  Shocked, I watched as they set everything in the center of the table. I motioned for everyone to dig in. They gladly did, humming in appreciation when they found something they liked. It wasn’t like I could eat it all by myself. Though that could change with being pregnant. I didn’t even want to think about it.

  When a woman screamed, I jumped up, heart hammering. Then I saw Taco inside one of the gift baskets, pulling out a package of sausage. He tore through the packaging, then ate it as if his life depended on it. Shaking my head, I motioned to Ethan. He picked up the dragon, who still held the package, and set him on a table on the right side of the room.

  They had told me the Council wanted to meet to discuss some topics, but it looked like it was just to congratulate me for getting the agreement signed. Relieved I didn’t have to work, I sat back in my chair, briefly closing my eyes. I was exhausted from not sleeping very well last night. I kept dreaming about the babies, one being evil and trying to eat people. Having Ethan’s warmth in bed helped make me feel better, but that didn’t stop the thoughts about having two different fathers of my children.

  Ethan brushed a finger down my cheek. I opened my eyes and looked at him, thinking about the feeling of his hands on me. When he saw the heat in my eyes, his own flared in response.

  Servers walked into the library carrying trays of food and drinks. My stomach rumbled as they set everything on the table.

  Just as I was about to eat some cheese and crackers, the leader of our Nightshade Army, Brian, strode through the library doors, a determined expression on his face, right as I started to shove a cracker into my mouth. Swearing, I forced the rest of it in, despite it being a tad too big. I held up my hand when he stopped in front of me. He waited patiently for me to chew, then take a drink of water.

  Brian was tall and every bit a warrior. His dark hair was swept back, as if he had just stepped out of a shower. He had started growing a goatee, so he had some stubble on his handsome face. The man looked fierce and every bit as dangerous as he was. He had been in charge of the army for nearly a hundred years. I didn’t know how he could stand leading people for that long. After just a short while as High Mistress, I already wanted to punch someone in the face.

  “What’s up, Brian?” I asked, playing with a piece of cheese. I wanted another cracker, but I was afraid of embarrassing myself further.

  “We should probably talk in private, High Mistress.”

  That was never a good sign. I grabbed the plate in front of me and led Brian to my office, Ethan following. He had kind of turned into my right-hand man, which I was glad for. Even though Mikey and Jenna always had my back before, he gave me a bigger sense of security that I hadn’t realized I’d been lacking.

  Brian closed the door behind us, then took a seat in one of my chairs. He looked out of place, his black clothing clashing with the yellow. He looked around and shifted uncomfortably. When Taco landed on his knee and stared at him, Brian flinched.

  Eyes wide, he glanced at me. “Is... Is he okay?”

  “He’s creepy. Just try to ignore him,” I said, taking a bite of a cracker.

  Nodding, Brain tore his gaze away from Taco and looked at me, all business once again. “Demons have reached the city. Our patrols have come across several situations where people have been attacked. Some of them have been left alive in order to explain their encounter to the human police. Things are getting bad out there, High Mistress.”

  “How do you know they’re demons?” I asked, dropping my half-eaten cracker back onto my plate. I suddenly wasn’t very hungry anymore. I wished I could have wine, but since Ethan was around me twenty-four/seven, I couldn’t even sneak so much as a sip.

  Brian brushed Taco off his leg and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Maggie suggested a certain necklace that would detect demons. It glows red when there is a demon nearby, then forces the demon’s eyes to glow red in response. Only the wearers of the necklace can see it. Some of my men have made their own, so they definitely know they’re demons. I had hoped you could make sure everyone has one.”

  I smiled. “That is a great idea! I want one.” I motioned Ethan to open the door. “Maggie!”

  The men flinched at my raised voice, Taco huffing out smoke, but I didn’t care. She had come up with an awesome idea and should be recognized for it. When the younger woman appeared in the doorway, she seemed nervous, wringing her hands. Maybe she thought she was in trouble.

  She sat down next to Brian and looked around anxiously. “Did I do something wrong?” she asked, her voice wavering.

  “No! You did something great. Your idea about the demon-sensing necklace is fantastic. I want you to get a bunch of the Council members together to start spelling these necklaces. Try to get as many done as possible. We want the Nightshades and Magicteers to be prepared when they go out to hunt.” I shoved some che
ese into my mouth, mumbling as I chewed. “Fantastic idea. Smart woman.”

  Ethan started chuckling. I knew it was a disgusting habit, but I was excited about the necklace idea. We now had a way to detect them. It would make our lives so much easier. Now to have Carlos train them in the proper way to handle a demon.

  “We need Carlos,” I told Ethan. He nodded once, then sent off a text.

  It wasn’t too long before Carlos walked in. Apparently, he was already in the building because he had heard about the treaty being signed. He looked around, his eyes narrowing on Taco, who sat on the desk, staring at him.

  Seemingly not impressed with the demon hunter, Taco flew over to me and snagged a piece of cheese. He sat on the edge of the desk again, chewing, staring at Brian. What the heck was his problem? Maybe he was trying to piss one of them off.

  Shaking my head, I looked at Maggie. “Tell the Council we need volunteers to do those necklaces. We need as many people as we can working on them.”

  Nodding, she smiled and walked out. I turned to Ethan and gestured with my head at Carlos, letting him know he needed to discuss training. The demon hunter may not even like the idea. He was only supposed to get the demon, not train people to get a demon.

  Ethan cleared his throat. “Carlos, we were wondering if you could train the Nightshades and Magicteers on how to eliminate a demon. I would do it, but I don’t have as much knowledge as you.”

  Carlos sighed. “I knew this conversation was coming. I was hoping to leave before it happened.”

  I frowned. “No pressure. I mean, we could figure it out. We just value your input. We’ll take any help you can give us, but we aren’t demanding you do it.”

  He waved me off, then ran a hand through his dark hair. “No, I’ll do it. I heard the demons are coming here, so your people will need all the training they can get. If something happens to me, you’ll have no other source of information. Well, none who would be willing to help Ethan anyway, since he’s pissed off so many of them.” He smirked at his friend.