Mama and Daddy both ask, but I hold up a hand.
“So this has to do with me?” I ask, dread fillin’ my chest at the thought of somethin’ happenin’ to my parents because of me.
“It’s starting to look that way,” Flint declares.
“I’ll look into what’s going on, but until I do, I don’t think it’s wise that you and your parents stay here. I don’t think it’s safe,” Alder says.
His words hit me like a punch you see comin’ but can’t stop. They said I could be a target, that other demons might come for me. How did I not think that my parents could easily become collateral damage? Horrified and feelin’ insanely guilty, I glance at my parents. They’re everythin’ to me, and I can’t let anythin’ happen to them.
“Where are we supposed to go?” I ask, my voice suddenly small.
Where on earth is safe from Hell?
“Our place,” Flint and Alder say at the same time.
My mouth drops open in surprise at their offer. Mama claps with glee, like she just got invited to a sleepover by the cool kids in school. Daddy just sort of glares at the demons. My vagina does a cheer of her own while the rest of me gives a resoundin’ well, crap.
It seems back to the Hellgate we go.
17
It’s been two weeks since my parents and I moved in with Alder and Flint, and the days have been flyin’ by.
Their bartender, Mickey, never did show back up, so I took them up on their offer to come work for them. I figured it would be good practice to see how the three of us work together.
Even though I’ve never tended a bar before, I find that I kind of like it. It keeps me on my toes, and I’ve heard all kinds of intriguin’ stories from the demons that pass through, and I’ve learned not to stare at the weird lookin’ ones. Well, not get caught starin’, at least.
Some of them are scarier than others, but I’ve learned that for the most part, they’re not any worse than humans when it comes to the moral scale. They’re just doin’ their jobs. Testin’ people to see what they’re made of, to see what choices they’ll go with, and workin’ to maintain a balance of good and bad.
That job can be somethin’ as simple as droppin’ a suggestion to lie to someone, or it can be bigger, scarier things that test a human’s soul. Sometimes, the demons don’t even have to do any temptin’, they’re just assigned to watch over souls who lean too much toward the dark. They track them and their deeds and pass the information along.
I’m obviously not the most impartial person at this point, but I think demons really get the short end of the religious stick. They’re made out to be villains, when really, they’re workin’ to make people stronger. To force souls to either learn from their mistakes and choose to do better or...not. Demons really should get more credit.
But the most important job of all in my biased eyes? Guardin’ the Hellgate. Since we’ve moved in, I’ve seen firsthand how serious Flint and Alder are when it comes to their duty. They constantly ensure that their portal is secure and that the Hellgate has enough juice from them to be stable. They’re always in danger of a horde of unauthorized demons tryin’ to break through and wreak havoc on the balance, but that doesn’t faze them one bit. They’re ready and willin’ to do whatever needs to be done, and I respect the hell out of them for that.
I’ve been learnin’ a lot about demons and how it all works. I’ve also realized I’m more resilient and open than I really ever knew, and that my parents’ unconditional love knows no bounds.
“Ready to go?”
I look up from where I’m wipin’ down the bar top and see Alder leanin’ against the stool. A slow, appreciative smile spreads across his full lips, and I have to work to control the blush that tries to creep into my cheeks.
The three of us have been dancin’ around each other these past couple weeks. Maybe it’s because my parents are livin’ with us and we don’t get a lot of alone time, but I can tell we’re in a pressure cooker. Somethin’ is bubblin’ up in the pot, and I’m not sure what’s gonna burst out, but I know somethin’ is gonna overflow soon.
I turn back to the task at hand, ready for