The Devil's Love

Queen of Hell: Chapter 2: Sarah

I had no real plans for the morning, aside from ensuring that all was well with the restaurant. Maybe I could convince Anton to stay in bed with me for the rest of the day, celebrating our win over the council. But all plans were gone in a puff of smoke when I turned around from pulling the curtain open. A man sat at the dining table, I didn't even know he was in the room. Who he was, I had no clue but by the way he and Anton looked at each other, I could see that they knew each other.

His eyes washed over me, an odd coloring of purple that was incredibly beautiful. Then again, everything about the man was beautiful. It was like he had been carved by angels with strong and angular lines of cheeks and jaw. He was in a suit but I figured there would be an amazing body beneath.

"Good morning Anton."

"Michael."

The man, Michael stood from the chair with an air of supremacy. His hands clasped behind his back as he wandered to the window that I was standing at. I began to shrink away, sliding along the wall until I hit the end of the bed.

"And Sarah, what an honor to finally meet you."

His hand went out and even though I feared the unknown man, I couldn't help but reach out to him. Warmth spread through me, bubbling happiness within as he took my hand and kissed it chastely.

"Anton has been a bad boy Sarah, did you know that?"

Michael would not let go of my hand, clutching it firmly but not in a brutal way. My eyes darted to Anton, I could see the fear in his eyes.

"I played by the rules, Michael."

"Oh, I know that Anton but you did it to suit yourself and your own selfish gain."

"As if I would do it any differently. Who am I, Michael?"

Michael chuckled, still holding my hand. I tried to tug it back but he refused to let me free.

"The poor man is delusional Sarah, he doesn't know who he is. Tell me, Sarah, why didn't you follow the dove? Do you not like being a good girl?"

My eyes widened at him, with a yank of my hand he drew me closer.

"Did he steal your tongue Sarah, is that why you haven't responded to me?"

"I uh, I followed what I felt was right."

"So she can speak, how wonderful. And look at the pretty trinket he gave you, ahh, finally a queen for the abyss. How long have we waited for you darling, too long, am I right Anton?"

He seemed more sinister than Anton, though I knew I hadn't seen the darkest Anton had to offer. I knew that the show yesterday was just a glimpse of his true evil.

"State your business Michael, why are you here?"

"Come now Anton, you know why I am here."

"They did not need to send you, an angel would have been sufficient."

I stared at the man that refused to let go of me, watching as his head turned to me. The purple of his eyes shone brightly as a picture perfect smile beckoned me to him.

"A mere angel to deal with the devil, are you mad? Oh, I forget, you are mad. Taking over the earth, what were you thinking?"

"Having a bit of fun Michael and there is nothing to say that I could not inherit this earth if I so choose."

Michael pulled me in front of him, both of his hands heavy on my shoulders.

"Really Anton? Do you dare wage war against us?"

Anton looked like he was going to burst in a fit of anger as Michael pulled my hair off my shoulder and ran his fingers over my neck.

"So beautiful, it is not surprising that the devil has fallen for you. But would he risk it all to take something that is not his? Would he risk losing his beloved Sarah, just to possess the earth?"

"Of course I wouldn't." Anton snapped. "If you bothered to ask Michael, I would have willingly handed it back. All that I wanted was to break the council..."

"To suit your own needs. Yes, we know. Lucky for you, you had proof of their misbehavior and made the right decisions with their lives and damnation. Borderline, of course."

The smooth words grated against me, I could feel that for all he was good and pure he also had a darkness about him that was not to be messed with.

"I am all about my own needs, we are going around in circles. You want earth back then take it."

"Oh I intend to but there is still the matter of the deed itself. It is rather disconcerting how you managed to take over with such little effort. We fortified and rallied for thousands of years with the expectation that you would march upon us with the damned and the demons yet all you did was stroll into a deities meeting and threw the grand councilor into the pit. Rather ingenious really."

"It's not my fault you placed too much power in her hands."

Michael's hands gripped my shoulders firmly.

"Indeed." he whispered dangerously.

Anton took a tentative step forward, Michael pulled me back a step.

"Tut, tut behave yourself and all will be well. Sign away Anton."

A woman appeared, a long flowing gold robe draped around her feet. She opened a scroll and held it out to Anton. He snatched it away angrily, reading over the document.

"Punishment?" he snapped and passed it back. "I did nothing wrong. As the devil I have the right to take over the earth should I desire."

"Yes, and we have the right to punish should you fail."

"But I did not fail Michael, I was successful. If you want the earth back then I would suggest that you offer a document that does not punish me for doing something that I am entitled to do."

Michaels grip on my shoulders tightened, I winced with the pain of it.

"Do you wish to play this game, Anton? You do see what is at stake, don't you?"

"Since when did you fight dirty? I am prepared to hand it back, can you not accept it without punishment?"

The woman looked in our direction, nodding once and offering another Anton another scroll. Anton took it and read it over, shaking his head with a slight roll of his eyes.

"Do you ever do anything in a simple manner, Michael?"

I watched as his finger moved over the parchment, gold lines and marks showing through the document.

"You cannot alter the document, Anton."

"I can when you try and sneak nasty clauses in," Anton muttered without raising his eyes. "Now, take your precious document and earth and do not come back."

Michael pushed me forward, moving to Anton and taking the document from him. He huffed as he read it.

"Typical." He muttered and passed it to the woman.

I stood between the two men, looking up at Anton with a lot of fear.

"You will not win Anton, no matter how many clauses you put into it, you cannot outwit me."

"Take your earth Michael, be happy that it isn't mine anymore and go away."

The woman disappeared into the air, taking the document with her.

"You won it back without a fight, no war, no death. Accept it and walk away."

"Accept that the king of lies would willingly part with the grandest of prizes? I don't think so. This is not over Anton."

The firm grip on my shoulders left, I turned and saw nothing behind me except my apartment. I jumped when Anton engulfed me into his arms, whispering his apologies for everything.