The Devil's Love

Queen of Hell: Chapter 15: Anton

Sarah wanted to go to the restaurant, fearing that Allison would make a scene there. After ensuring that she made it there safe, I returned to the apartment to ready for leaving for the underworld. There was something odd that I could not pick, something strange. I could not feel my kind around, so I didn't fear a return of the pest. Sarah agreed to stay at the shop until I returned to ensure that she was safe from Michael. I didn't think he would continue now that Sarah and I were married but I wasn't prepared to take the risk.

Venturing into the underworld, I found everything as it should be. Crows still flying, leaf litter vibrant and the trees were looking well. All signs that said the hell was still healthy. What many didn't realize was that I was tied to the underworld. If I were removed from this world, it would die, and if there was no underworld or hell, then there was no life or death.

I suspected that Michael knew that, after all, it was essential knowledge about the land and its underworld. He didn't want this land; he just wanted to make life difficult for me. Michael wanted to separate me from Sarah and had failed. It had failed because he had come to hell and not New York. Had he stayed and hung around, it might have proved more troublesome.

As I walked through the main doors, I felt the refreshing air conditioning hit me, reminding me of how warm it was out on the land and how I loved the warmth.

"Hello, Nolia."

"Good afternoon my Lord. All is well again."

"Did he do anything while he was here?"

She shook her head and gestured to the row of seats.

"He sat there and played with his phone for the entire time."

"Did you check it?"

"His phone, my lord?"

I shook my head and picked up each of the chairs and turned them over. When I found the device, Nolia's eyes widened. My attention was drawn out to the land, to witches who were seemingly making their way out of the underworld now that it was the end of the day here.

At least, that is how it appeared.

Creating a wall of silence around the device and my hand that held an air horn, I pressed it and watched them jump and clutch at their ears. Ridding myself of the wall and the air horn I removed the device from the chair and put it on the counter.

Nolia jumped when I smashed it with a hammer, the witches out in the underworld jumped again. With the device now in pieces, Nolia picked up her bin and wiped them off the counter and into the trash.

"Have someone search over the place, ensure that when they find anything, they use similar methods to catch the culprits."

The room filled with heat and I looked down to my beloved furry friend.

"Cerberus, search and destroy!"

He barked and bounded to the window, passing through it and erupting into a ball of flames before he hit the ground. The ground shook with the heavy thud, the witches turned back and realized they were at an end. Running was never going to help them, Cerberus was relentless when he tracked a foe. He would never give up until he knew they were dead and like me, he relished a painful death for them.

Nolia leaned on a hand that rested on her desk, entranced by Cerberus.

"He does like it, doesn't he my lord?"

"Yes. I'm surprised he's not dry humping their legs."

She chuckled and set out the many things that I had to go through before I could escape back to my beloved wife. What a curious thing it was, after such a short time together Sarah was now my wife. Some might say it was too soon, but I wanted forever with her. When it came to Sarah, there was no such thing as too soon.

"I've extended Nicolas and Rowan's leave until it is safe for them to return, have their replacements continue until I advise differently. If anything untoward happens, you know what to do. Do not leave it until I ring you. I will be back, likely tomorrow. Things are a little up and down at the moment."

"Of course my Lord, all will be well."

I left the underworld, reappearing in the apartment and still felt the same unease as before. Knowing that Michael had been in here, I searched the apartment and found no devices.

"Placing wards over the place would be wise," I muttered to myself. "But which one would be ideal?"

A knock at the door roused me from my thoughts, I quickly set a monitoring ward and walked to the door. I would like to say that I was surprised that Allison was at the door considering that she had not buzzed in, I knew that it was likely that one of the other residents had not shut the door properly.

"Sarah's not available."

Or here.

"Oh, I know that." She said as she pushed the door open and walked in.

Just let yourself inside. No need to wait for an invitation.

Allison leaned on the kitchen bench; her bag dumped onto the dining chair.

"I came to find out how much she's paying you for this whole scam."

"Are you inferring that I am an escort?"

"Don't be so upset; it's not a bad job. Just tell me. You can't expect me to believe that this is all Sarah's doing? None of this is possible."

I pushed the door open further, gesturing to it.

"Leave, now."

"But why?" She asked with a salacious grin. "Don't you want to earn a little more money? I'm sure that what she's paid can be easily matched."

Allison sauntered over, trying to ooze carnality to a man that wasn't interested in her in the slightest. Repulsed was an accurate assessment. 

"Come on, tell me."

The words purred out over her cherry red lips. Her hands pressed against my jacket, sliding up my chest. With a yank of my tie, she had me closer, a breath's distance from her.

"I will make it worth your while." She whispered.