Book 1: The Wrong Girl in the Devildom

A Witch and a Warlock

Saphonya smiled into her witch's pot, replaying the vision of the human girl running away from her Shade. She couldn't say she was particularly impressed with this human, she was very plain-looking. Why Mammon decided to give this girl so much of his attention, she had no clue. He wasn't one to waste his time with who she deemed undesirables, no matter who ordered him to, so she was genuinely confused. The girl was short and pudgy, her hair unruly, the exact opposite of her. "Curiosity will kill the cat I suppose."

Her phone rang, the sound of a cash register echoed throughout her kitchen. She smiled and leaned against the window. "Something wrong, Mammie?"

"What the fuck Saph? I spent all morning with you and Angela, and you sic your Shade on the human? Are you trying to get me killed?" 

"Lucifer isn't going to kill you, no matter what happens to her. I swear you and your damn brothers are all so overdramatic." Saphonya stood up straight and grabbed a jar of pixie tears.

"Stay away from the human. You have nothing to do with her, and she doesn't even know you." Mammon leaned on his car and glanced out the window. 

"You don't order me around, demon. You seem to forget that I don't answer to you or any of your brothers. I just wanted to see what was keeping you so preoccupied. She's not even pretty." A smirk graced Saphonya's face when she heard Mammon scoff. "Am I wrong?"

"She's a human...They aren't cute, and that's beside the point. Lucifer gave me an order, and I need to carry it out. If she gets hurt because of you-"

"I'm not going to hurt your little pet. I'll let some lower-level demon take her out, I just wanted to see who she was." 

Mammon clenched his jaw when Saphonya laughed over the phone. He's seen her at her worst, and he knew the damage she could do to a higher ranked demon, so it wouldn't take much of her energy to destroy a human. "She's safe so long as you don't let her become a problem. I can't believe you decided to waste my time with this foolishness. Since you have time to waste, we can double up your meetings." 

"I'm not doing this with you right now, and I'm not doubling up on meetings. Leave Alicia alone." Mammon hung up the phone and chucked it on his bed. Saphony stared at the black screen in her hand and before she knew anything else, it was on fire. 

Angela walked into the room and saw her sister standing over her pot with the burning phone. She quickly grabbed the mini extinguisher and sprayed Saphonya's hand. "Was that Mammon?"

"....Yes. He hung the phone up in my face." Saphonya covered her phone with both hands and it slowly repaired. "Over the human."

"What do you want to do now?"

"Now? Hmph, now we see just how far he's willing to go to protect her." Saphonya smiled and slipped her phone in her pocket. 

Later on that day, Alicia sat in her room with Solomon. She had several different items laid out in front of her on a small, wooden altar;  a scrying mirror, two candles, one white and one orange, and an incense holder. "I really appreciate you coming over Solomon, Asmodeus told me I should reach out to you."

"He told me, but I figured you would want help to protect yourself when the brothers weren't around. Why are you so interested in scrying?" Solomon gently touched the items and Alicia popped his hand. "Ow... How did you get Asmodeus to give up his mirror?"

"Barbatos told me to pick up a new hobby, and Lucifer took away my access to the human world. Since my computer acted as a one-way mirror anyway, I don't see why scrying would be much different. As for the mirror, I had to make a trade. I gotta let him do my hair once every other week, so no need to run back home." Alicia sighed and grabbed a tissue, wiping off her stuff. "Sorry, but my grandmother always said not to let others handle your equipment." She quickly got up and closed her curtains, silenced her phone, and carefully started lighting her candles and incense with her lighter.

"What a shame, you could've used that leverage to make a pact with him." Solomon rubbed his fingers and glanced over at the girl. "Your grandmother was a witch?"

"Her and my biological father apparently. I didn't know him, and she wasn't allowed to teach me anything since my mom is very religious." 

"Interesting. They must not have been very strong since it didn't show up on your records." 

"My family is extremely private." Alicia kneeled before the altar and looked at the mirror. "So, show me how to use this."

Solomon nodded and stood up. "Close your eyes and relax." He gently rested his hand on her shoulder to assist her in the matter. "Feel the relaxation spread through your whole body. Breath rhythmically, four counts in, hold it, and four counts out."

Alicia did as she was told, resting her hands on her knees. Feeling Solomon's hand on her shoulder, she could tell he was helping her. She would have to practice on her own next time so she could get the hang of doing it herself. 

"Feel yourself being wrapped in a light and let yourself go into a light trance." Solomon watched the girl closely, making sure not to look in the mirror while she worked. "Now open your eyes and look in the mirror for what you seek."

Alicia opened her eyes and peered closely into the mirror. At first, she didn't see much, just fog and shapes. She focused on family, briefly seeing her mother at home resting and her siblings doing various things to keep themselves busy. Seeing how relaxed everyone was, it didn't look like anyone missed her. She pouted at the idea, and the image started to become foggy.

"Focus, don't let your emotions cloud you, you won't be able to see."

She refocused her mind and looked around for her little sister Kia. She wasn't in the house, or anywhere nearby. She knew Kia was good for getting into trouble, it was her thing. If anyone in her house caused Alicia to age horribly, it would be her. 

Eventually, Alicia saw Kia in the park. She was surrounded by two of the neighborhood bullies, one who was twice her size. She watched them push her sister off the swing and snatch up her bag, the vision vanishing the minute Alicia let her anger get to her. 

"What happened? What's wrong?" Solomon tried to touch Alicia's shoulder again but she smacked his hand away. 

"I need to get to the human world, now. You still have permission to go, right?" 

"I do, but Alicia-"

"I'll explain later, Solomon, please. I'll owe you big time if you take me there right now." She waited for him to agree, and she threw her sneakers on. Solomon grabbed her hand, and they teleported to the destination of her choice. He watched her run off and he took off after her. He grabbed his D.D.D and hit number one on his speed dial. 

"Hey, sorry to bother you...but I think we have a situation and you need to come to the human realm, now."