Henri drove us past the HellCorp building and down a long winding road deeper into the depths of hell. Alexa chattered on amiably in the back seat, explaining each landmark and and location of interest in enthusiastic detail. Eventually, after about twenty minutes of driving, we reach a large hill, upon which sits a breathtaking castle. Alexa spots it ahead of us, and emits a high-pitched squeal of excitement.
"And here we are! This is to be your new home. It was designed specifically for you, and I think you'll find the inside to be quite extravagant." She regards me with an air of excitement and anticipation, eagerly awaiting my reaction.
My jaw literally drops, my eyes bugging out of my head. "This castle... it was built... for me? But, why? This looks like it's fit for royalty.. and I'm.. well I'm not even above average!"
"Oh don't be silly! We have been awaiting your arrival for quite some time. You were hand-selected to manage hell alongside our CEO, Luc. To all of us here, you virtually are royalty. Or at least the closest thing to it aside from the boss."
Clearly there are a lot of holes in my knowledge of this situation. The fact that anyone here expects me to run hell is laughable at best, but none of that is Alexa's fault, so for lack of a better response, I nervously laugh it off.
"Hah...royalty... Yeah, I'm a regular 'princess of darkness'."
Her eyes light up, clearly not catching the sarcasm in my tone. "Princess of darkness.. hmm, it actually has a nice ring to it!"
I can only hope the nickname doesn't stick. The last thing I need right now is another thing else tying me to this place. I'm still actively planning on getting myself out of here, and back to the land of the living. I just need to figure out how.
•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•
The castle really is gorgeous, and somehow manages to look elegant and opulent while maintaining a subtle undercurrent of hell's menacing overarching aesthetic. Towers and spires form delicate points high up in the air, while at ground level an expansive stone courtyard blocked by an intricately detailed gate welcomes us onto my new property.
As we enter the premises, I slowly take in every facet of the castle's magnificence. Seeing the awe written all over my face, my two companions chuckle and share a look of immense relief.
"So you like it? Luc will be very pleased." Alexa notes, leading me through the main entrance and walking towards a towering grand staircase.
"It's the most amazing building I've ever entered.. possibly that I've ever seen. But I don't need all this.. I mean, my parents' entire house could fit in the entrance hall alone! It was very generous of Luc to provide me with an entire castle, but I really can't accept it. This is all just too much for me to handle." Not to mention the fact that it's located in hell.
Her beautiful face falls as she frowns, puzzled by my statement. "He has invited you to dine with him at his home tonight, you may take it up with him then. I'm sure the two of you can come to an arrangement together, but for the moment, will you accompany me on a tour of the property?"
"Will we be dining alone?" My eyes surely betray the terror coursing through me at thought of dining alone with the devil. Does he even eat human food? What if he does something hideously demonic, or has disturbing ulterior motives behind the invitation? This day is just getting worse by the second..
Falsely interpreting my expression as one of nervousness, Alexa pats my shoulder reassuringly. "Yes, but don't worry! We have a whole new wardrobe that was made especially for you, and I'm going to help you get ready tonight. By the time you walk through his front door, you'll be looking like a radiant goddess! You have nothing to worry about."
Hah! Nothing to worry about? Because obviously nothing about this situation merits my concern.. yeah right!
Fighting the overwhelming urge to vomit, I nod my head softly and allow her to lead me around the castle on a detailed tour. Henri remained behind in the lobby, having little interest in doing so much walking. I can't say that I blame him-- the place is enormous.
By the time we make our way to the final wing of the castle, which holds the master bedroom, my feet are actually sore from the journey. I'd been wearing a pair of low heels, as I was dressed for a corporate job, and I'm not all that experienced with this type of footwear.
While this castle is almost comically extravagant, my new bedroom is a sight for sore eyes. A large four poster bed sits atop a raised dais at the center, covered with plush feather-soft blankets, and a heaping mountain of pillows. My feet throb a painful reminder, urging me to rest them and take refuge upon the heavenly-looking bed. Instead, I take my shoes off, allowing myself to feel the rich carpeted floor between my toes.
I scan the length of the room, knowing full well that someone like me doesn't belong somewhere like this. It wont be long term, and I still plan to return home, but I can at least soak in every ounce of the richly decorated bedroom while it lasts.
The room is perfect, a dream for any girl my age. It's definitely meant for an adult, but still manages to cater to the inner child in me that craves this masterpiece of princess-worthy treatment. Elegant translucent lace curtains sweep across large bay windows and a chaise sits along the window sill, the perfect place to curl up with a good book. A full mahogany bedroom set, complete with a full length mirror and vanity, line the walls. Fully stocked bookshelves and additional seating in the form of cushioned velvet couches complete the main section of the room.
Off to the side, I notice Alexa waiting patiently, with barely contained eagerness, at the doorway to another, smaller corridor off the master bedroom. Once she has my full attention, she swings the double doors open with a touch of showmanship and flair, revealing the main attraction: the closet.
The closet is, unbelievably, almost the exact same size as the bedroom itself. Wall to wall it is lined with clothes, shoes, accessories, and some items that I don't even quite recognize. Almost every item is elegant, if not formal, but there are even a few pairs of jeans and leggings within the mass of material. A three way mirror sits at one side, and behind it I notice a second, smaller room containing a full make-up vanity and shelves of make-up and perfume bottles.
"What.. I mean how.."
"Well you have to look the part, of course." She says, as though it's completely obvious why I need all of these things.
"Look the part?"
"I told you, you are now elevated to a status akin to royalty. That wasn't a joke. We can't have you walking around representing the elite without looking the part.. people would think we weren't taking care of you adequately!"
Stunned, I slowly walk through the rows and rows of evening gowns, blouses, shoes, and more designer items than I've seen in my lifetime. My fingers gently graze the delicate fabrics, something I had previously never dreamed of experiencing.
"Ahem" Alexa clears her throat, pulling me out of my reverie. "We have quite a bit of work to do if we're gonna get you ready in time for dinner tonight. Shall we get started?"
Although there are a million things I'd rather be doing than attending this dinner tonight, I know it's currently my best chance at negotiating a way home, and maybe even getting some of my questions answered.
"If we must."
She claps her hands together and gets to work, piling dress after dress over her arm in her search for the perfect look.
So much for resting my throbbing feet.
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The next chapter will be dinner with the devil!
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YOU ARE READING
Like Hell
Paranormal"Welcome to HellCorp, have a miserable afterlife!" Valerie Snead is unemployable. Or at least she must be, because every position she's ever applied for has completely shut her down. Until now. A mysterious job offer arrives by mail, inviting her...
