reached the top of the hill, a house stood before us, made of all glass. The entire inside was visible. There were three stories I could see from our angle. The living room on the bottom, kitchen on the second floor, and it looked like bedroom up above.
“This is home.” Magnus nodded toward the house.
I admired it in silence. No need to give a voice to how exquisite I thought the place was. Keeping this strictly business was ideal.
Magnus opened the door, and the second we stepped through, darkness washed over every part of me. I shivered and froze. This sense of normalcy was an illusion. I had to remember that.
He rested his hand on my lower back and gave me a little push forward. “You have the ability to sense dark beings. That is a gift not granted to many.” He examined me, looking a little awed. “You are safe here. I have given my word.”
Trust the Lord of Hell. Yeah right!
Down the hall to the right was the living room. Furnished with modern, sleek elements, everything was fresh and light. I laughed. The devil likes bright colors. Funny.
Magnus arched a brow at me. “Something amuses you?”
I shook my head before I walked over to the window and looked out to the Underworld. His home sat perfectly atop of the hill and it gave a full view of the world before me. At this elevation, I could see there was a pattern to the houses.
It was a symbol¯a pentagram. It was intricate, but it stood out to me, forced me to swallow back fear instantly.
“Lord, can I offer the witch a beverage?” a voice said behind me.
I jumped, startled, and spun around to see a lovely little thing smiling at me. She looked no older than twenty with long, honey wavy hair, skin like peaches and cream. If it wasn’t for her black eyes, she would have been your classic girl next door. There was a darkness to her eyes, though, that clearly made her anything but.
“Demon, I take it?” I managed.
She laughed, and it sounded sweet. Her gaze moved to Magnus who nodded. “That’s right,” she answered.
“But you look so human.”
“We can take any form we choose. Magnus thought this form would comfort you. Do you like it?” She lit up, her smile looked every bit as sweet as a hot fudge sundae.
I snorted loudly. “Yeah, if I didn’t know what lies within you.”
Magnus chuckled. “Wine will do for now.”
I didn’t take my eyes off the demon as she left. Like I said, normalcy was an illusion—I had to stay on my toes. Nothing would be as it seemed here.
When she cleared the room and I found space to breathe, I asked Magnus, “Can you change forms?”
“No.” His voice had deepened. “Do you not approve of my look?”
I ran my gaze over him. He was pretty. “You look fine,” I said quickly, not wanting to give him the compliment, but not wanting to piss him off either.
He winked at me.
The demon came back in and handed me a glass of red wine. Hesitantly, I took it from her hand, being careful not touch her just in case she would possess me. The depths of her eyes made the need for alcohol quite appropriate. I desperately needed the help to relax and make it through this. I sniffed the wine—it smelled fine. My lips went around the glass and the warm liquid poured into my mouth. I almost sighed in pleasure. It was by far the best red wine I’d ever tasted. It wasn’t dry, but sweet.
“Alright.” I glanced at Magnus over the rim of my glass. “What do you want in return for Dante’s soul?”
He clucked at me, shaking his head. “So quick to start negotiations.” He waved me forward. “Please, come, sit.”
“I’m fine where I am.”
He nodded toward to the chair with a firm look. He wasn’t really giving me a choice. I grumbled something close to an obscenity in my head and went to join him.
As I sat, he said, “I was glad to hear you made your way home to the Otherworld after our last visit.”
“Visit?” I repeated.
“Encounter then. Does that suit you better?”
I nodded. Hell would freeze over before I would call meeting with Magnus ‘a visit’. To me, I’d rather lose a finger or two then be here now.
“The Patriarch came to you, did he not?” Magnus asked.
“He did,” I responded hesitantly. There was something to his tone—calculating.
“That joys me so. The Patriarch