The Devil's Love

Tempt the Devil: Chapter 9: Anton

Sarah groaned with the first bite, her eyes rolling with a huge grin.

"Damn."

Damn was right. Life became a little more awkward at that moment and I was grateful for the ability to hide beneath the cover of a table as I continued to watch her enjoy the sandwich.

"You make an amazing sandwich. Maybe I should hire you for the new lunch menu."

"Crazily enough, I have a job. You know reaper of souls, killer of dreams."

Sarah laughed, taking the glass of juice and sipping it. All the while her amused gaze was pinned to me.

"Are you not put off by it? The fact that I am what I am."

"Not really sure."

She shrugged one shoulder as her voice quietened.

"I am a demon Sarah but that does not make me a bad person. This person before you, this is who I am. Even if you were to come to me and ask for a deal then I would still be this person. I was carved from the image of man so that I could empathize with him."

"So if I said that I wanted to do a deal with the devil, what does that entail?"

I sat back in the chair and thought about how to tell her. I'd never had to explain it before. Those that came to me knew how the system worked and didn't need instruction.

"Well for starters you would want something. It would have to be something that you didn't think was possible to gain by your own means. You would approach me and tell me what you want, the powers that rule over my world decide the terms of the agreement and make an offer. If you like it, you sign it. If you don't then you reject it and make a choice to wait for another offer or nothing at all. What you ask for will dictate what you pay. Generally, it is servitude to me. Break the agreement and you end up in the pit. Burning agony, writhing pain. Punishment is cruel Sarah, you shouldn't ask for a deal from me and if there was ever a time that you do ask then read the contract."

Sarah stopped eating again, staring blankly at me. I tapped her plate, she blinked and looked a little confused.

"Eat."

"So what did this Nick guy want?"

She bit into her sandwich, looking at me with her big blue eyes. There was so much curiosity and such little fear.

"He wanted to buy his son's life. Castian had died and Nicolas gave his own life as a trade. The contract for his deal was different Sarah. Sacrifice means so much to those in my world. To give your life so that another can live is a grand and noble gesture. It earned him a fine position as my right hand and though he does not know it, there is little wrong he could do."

"And Rowan?"

"Ahh, now she earned a gifting contract. She knew the rules because Nicolas had warned her not to trust an agreement. Rowan came in and was straight down the line with what she wanted and what she was prepared to offer. Determination coupled with gifting her humanity so that she and Nicolas could have a child. No hidden clauses, nothing nasty. Exactly as she wanted with no variances."

Sarah frowned as she chewed, her eyes darting up to me as she swallowed the food.

"How come they couldn't have kids?"

"Nicolas was a demon by that stage. It is a trait of all demons to ensure there is no breeding."

Casually her finger flicked out to me, an eyebrow raised. "Does that include you?"