The Devil's Love

Queen of Hell: Chapter 8: Sarah

We left Igor to run the shop along with the demon helpers. He agreed to carry everything on as if nothing was wrong. Tonight he would close the shop with the belief that Anton and I were somewhere tropical, celebrating our win over the council.

There was a not-so-official date for our wedding, a date that Igor and the staff were to keep free of bookings as the shop would be closed.

Anton was sitting at the dining table, a scroll on the table and another in his hand. He smiled and rolled it back up and then looked at the other one, smiling even more.

"Well?"

"Well, I do love a good technicality. Rowan is not deemed a full demon until her year is up so she will not be called to the underworld like the other demons. Because she wanted to birth full blood vampires I had to make her a partial vampire so therefore she is not called to service like a full demon would be. As for Nicolas, well technically he's not a demon."

I frowned at him rather confused.

"He's my right hand, when I made him I had to give him some of my blood to ensure that he was bound to me completely. He is what you would call an almost demon but more like a deity that lacks any kind of real power. What he is, is a demon with deity blood. But for such purposes, he is not a full demon and will not be called into service."

"So we don't have to worry about them."

Anton shook his head but there was no joy or elation.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes," I said with a sigh, zipping up the jacket.

He stood from the chair and put the scrolls into the inner pocket of his jacket, then took my hands.

"Okay, so traveling is lots of fun for us now. You aren't a demon but you've been given an upgraded set of skills to almost mirror mine. Ordinarily immortal humans don't get to disappear and reappear as they please but I insisted upon it. After all, you will be the queen of hell and what good is a queen that cannot do as her people do?"

Anton grinned cheekily as he kissed my palm. I always wonder if he had some kind of long con going on with everything or if it was just sheer luck.

"It would be rather pathetic."

He chuckled and pulled me a little closer.

"Maybe not pathetic but rather, inadequate. But it does not matter, you are fully equipped and ready to learn. So we are going to the Lancaster dynasty house. That's what you need to think unless it's a common name, then a street address would be wise. So off you go, get us there my love."

I nodded and took a deep breath, slowly exhaling as I thought about the Lancaster dynasty house. A place that I had never been to and worried what it would be like. Considering that William was a little menacing I figured his place would be the same as well.

I closed my eyes and thought of those three words, feeling Anton's grip tighten.

"Open your eyes." He said softly.

Opening them I saw Castian staring at us rather shocked.

"Good afternoon Master Delacroix, how are you feeling?"

"A lot better. Dad said you saved me again. Thanks."

"Any time Castian. What was happening to you was immensely wrong and because the spell was undoing my work, I didn't have to turn anyone into a demon as payment for saving you. Are your parents here?"

"Uh, yeah. I'll go get them."

We stood in front of a fireplace in a room that was charming, it had an old world feel to it with its large chesterfield lounges and a rather large piano at the back of the long room. The whole area was dark, the curtains drawn and hiding the afternoon sun. Muted light offered a little relief from the darkness, I couldn't help but wonder if these people knew what a light switch was.

"My lord, how come you're here?"

Nick appeared first followed by Rowan and William.

"Because of a rather annoying event in our world. It appears that in disbanding the council and taking over the earth, I've managed to annoy a certain thorn in my side who is now in the underworld. Presumably to take over or maybe to lock me and the demons into the world. I have come here for the purpose of ensuring that the two of you understand your roles within our world and what is required of you if the demons are summoned to return to the underworld. Rowan, you are not a full demon, you are a partial vampire and therefore you are not required to return to the underworld if summoned. Nicolas, you are not a full demon either. You are a demon with deity blood and my right hand. If you are summoned to the underworld you are refuse on the grounds that the two of you are not complete demons. In fact, I would suggest that you refrain from going there until I tell you that it is okay again. If Michael locks the gates with you in the underworld, your pregnancy will terminate."

Rowan gasped as she clutched the swell of her stomach.

"They are not a demons Rowan, only demons can be locked into the underworld. You are not to go in there until I tell you, do you understand?"

"Yes my lord."

Nick stepped forward with concern on his face.

"What of the crows my lord, who will send them out?"

"The caretakers will continue in your absence Nicolas, the underworld will always function no matter what."

William had been pacing back and forth by the front windows, as he moved back to the wall I looked at a rather large statue of an angel with a sword.

"Hey, that looks like Michael," I said, pointing to it.

He stopped pacing and looked at me to the statue and then back to me with a wicked smile.

"That's because it is Michael, that would be one of the few times when they waged war and it was documented by a human that saw too much," William said with a cold tone.

I walked closer to it, looking at the snake under his foot.

"Aww, is that meant to be you, baby?"

"It's typical really," Anton said rather annoyed. "Do I look like a snake and yet I am immortalized in a manner that is not true to who I am or what I look like. Personally, I think the fairy had the artist show him in a more favorable light."

He turned to William, continuing his mock indignation. "Not sure why you have that atrocity here William, I would think if you wanted to hold sway with the devil you would cast it aside with the next trash collection. I could, however, offer to take it from you. There is a certain fairy that needs to have his head whacked with it."

William laughed, his hand running over the wings of the statue.

"Would you really take something from this house that has been in this family for centuries?"

"To bludgeon him? Why yes I would."

"Well, may I suggest you select something that is not priceless then?"

Anton scoffed as he rolled his eyes.

"If you insist on spoiling my fun."

He turned and took my hand, looking at Rowan and Nick.

"Remember, do not go to the underworld. If you feel the pull of the land, ignore it. If you are requested to return at my insistence, it is a lie. Stay put, enjoy your honeymoon and look after your son. I will see you all in a couple of days."

We faded into the air, their agreement and wishes of good luck wrapped around us as we floated into the darkness of nothing and reappearing into the darkness of something.

Where we were I did not know but as soon as my feet hit the ground, I felt like I was home.