by Cindi Madsen
The other dragon whimpered, and Dad scratched its chin. Yeah, he was petting dragons, and even stranger, he seemed like he truly cared about the creatures. He glanced at me. “Would you like to pet them?”
I kind of did. While not wanting to at the same time. Dad gestured me closer. He took my hand and set it on the side of the dragon’s face. Giant spiny scales tickled my palm as I petted its neck. I slipped my hand under the dragon’s chin, where its hide was smooth and surprisingly soft, and scratched.
The dragon made a rough purring noise that vibrated against my palm.
Dad shot me a sidelong glance, his lips hinting at a smile. “You smell enough like me that they recognize you’re to be minded and protected.”
“That’s…super weird.” I moved to the other dragon, and when it turned its massive head, my reflection stared back at me from one of his big yellow eyes. “All the dragons just know who you are and listen to you?”
“The ones in the inner circle are furious and wild—don’t even think about petting them. But yes, I can control even them to a certain extent. If my powers faded—if our soul count dropped too low—I’d lose that control, and chaos would ensue. I don’t just do this job for fun.” An eerie light sparked in his dark eyes. “Although it is fun much of the time.”
Dad climbed atop the carriage and held out his hand.
Now I was questioning my decision to be easygoing about this tour thing. I usually fought Dad harder, and I’d hate for him to think we were totally cool. And while petting dragons together was bizarrely bonding, he’d had to go and add how fun it was to be ruler of Hell. It’d be easier if he were just total jerk nonstop. It was the tiny soft moments that made me question everything.
As if he could read my mind, his patience snapped. “This isn’t optional, Lily. You’ll be under my protection the whole time, and I won’t let anything hurt you.”
“Next thing you know, you’ll be saying, ‘Don’t you trust me?’ all hurt, like you haven’t given me hundreds of reasons not to.”
He simply lifted an eyebrow.
Since I didn’t have a whole lot of options, I took his hand and let him haul me up next to him. “If we’re going to do this, at least point out the celebrities while you’re at it. Mom and I were going to Hollywood this year, and I want my star tour.”
Dad grabbed the reins. “Oh, we have several of those down here. Then there are all the men who used their titles of producer and director to sexually harass women and bully them into sleeping with them. I’m sure you’ll be happy to see how miserable they are.”
With that cheery factoid we were off, riding through Dad’s kingdom.
The village of mud huts I’d seen before with Tristan, but as we passed them by, I kept that to myself. After Dad finished his quick rundown, we headed deeper.
This morning I’d thought I was actually getting used to the temperature, but even protected by Dad’s spell, the smoldering heat pressed in on me.
Dad slowed as we neared a field of lava filled with chained workers. “Recognize that one?” he asked, pointing at the figure on the end.
Red Face—whatever his real name was, I couldn’t remember—stood there, chains weighing him down as he took a pickax to the molten crust. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he’d come to collect me from the hotel.
“Part of our royal duties include taking charge when necessary and making the hard decisions,” Dad said. “For instance, now that I have firsthand experience that’s proven you and your attitude are harder to control than I originally thought, I almost feel bad for sending him here.” The seat creaked as he shifted to face me. “I’ll let you decide if Phegor has had enough, or if we should keep him here another month or so.”
Red Face glanced up at me, and my gut twisted. “He’s here because of me?”
“Because he didn’t follow my orders regarding you.”
At least now I knew I’d done the right thing protecting Grim earlier today by influencing Baal to not tell on us. As I stared at Red Face, a thread of pity stitched its way through me, but my contempt remained. He’d dragged me down here, ruined my chance at freedom, and threatened my family and friends.
The temptation to leave him here, suffering away, rose, stronger than expected. He deserves it. I hope he rots here.
My exhale came out shaky, and my hand trembled with a mix of rage and power.
If I left him here to suffer for my rebellion, was I any better than him? The words didn’t want to come out, sticking for a moment before I forced them from my mouth. “Let him go.”
“Very well.” Dad snapped his fingers, and the chains fell off the demon I despised as much as Baal, perhaps a little more thanks to his threats against my mom. “Phegor, the princess has declared that your time here is done.”
Phegor threw himself on the ground in supplication. “Thank you, my gracious Princess.”
“You owe her a great debt of gratitude,” Dad said, “along with your unwavering loyalty.”
Phegor lifted his head a couple of inches but kept his eyes down. “I pledge this to you, my Princess of Darkness.”
My stomach soured, and bile rose in my throat. He was here because of me, and now he was pledging his loyalty. And yet there was a current of something else besides disgust. Equally as enticing as the desire to leave him here, the idea of having dominance over Red Face called to me, sending a euphoric jolt through my veins.
“You’ll have to work your way back into my good graces,” Dad continued. “Report to Abigor, and he will give you your new assignment.”
Phegor raised his bloody, scarred body, bowed his head again, and then limped down the trail.
“He’s going to have to walk the entire way?” It’d been a long freaking way, even with the dragons pulling us.
Dad readjusted his hold on the reins. “You want him to hop in with us?”
“I…” No, I didn’t. And that dark part of me thought he deserved it, but it was scary enough I was feeling it, so there was no way I’d voice that.
“Fear keeps people in check. You’re going to have to learn to be harsher or people will walk all over you.”
Finally I found the light side of myself, blinking in the dimness, pleading for me to hold on to it. As I glanced out at the field of demons and humans, the revulsion that’d faded earlier returned. “At the end of my year, I’m still returning to Earth, and I expect you to keep the promise you made and leave me and Mom alone.”
“We shall see,” Dad said, and then he cocked his head. “Tell me using your influence on Baal today didn’t feel good?”
I clenched my jaw, afraid of saying anything, and definitely not wanting to admit the truth.
“Now I assume you had a reason for using your powers, and I’ll let it slide.” Dad’s expression turned serious. “But you do know better than to cross me, right?”
I nodded. Honestly I’d needed the reminder that I was just another one of his minions, one he wanted to manipulate and use to further his agenda. I would stay strong, regardless of whatever vile temptations came my way, because I never, ever wanted to be anything like him.
“Excellent. Today you made the first of many decisions you’ll make as the Princess of Hell. It feels good to share the burden, and if you continue to apply yourself and learn from me, you’ll be a wonderful leader.”
A heaviness settled over me like he’d literally given me more power. Maybe he had—I was afraid to ask. But I felt burdened all right, and nothing about it felt good.
Twenty-Four
Unlike the rest of the students at Hell High, I needed to eat. Since lunch wasn’t part of the day, I had permission to be late for Seven Deadly Sins. Ironic today, since we were supposed to be reporting on how to use gluttony to our advantage.
But gluttony wasn’t my problem right now. I couldn’t get more than one bite of my sandwich down. I tossed it in a nearby trash can and swiped my hands together. Ever since my tour of Hell, my appetite was gone. As was my ability to sleep well�
��thanks to not only the scratches on my side, but also the nightmares involving the scenes of torture I’d witnessed, along with rats morphing into men.
Of course that led to thinking about Ratman and wondering who had it out for me. Because he’d said, Stronger than we thought.
On top of everything, I kept worrying that I was slowly turning into the person Dad wanted me to be. That I was doomed to do so, no matter how hard I fought it.
I stepped into the main hallway and spotted Tristan coming my way. I expected him to hurry past me, but instead he slowed and remained by my side. “It looked like you were having quite the weekend, playing hide-and-seek from that spider dude.”
The memory of Baal, in spider form, coming after me in the woods sent a shiver down my spine. “Worst game of hide-and-seek ever.”
Tristan moved closer, a sad smile on his face. He ran a knuckle down my arm, and I thought my heart might shatter right there on the spot.
“You’ve got goose bumps,” he whispered, and more broke out.
A door opened, and he put some space between us, his gaze going to the floor.
As soon as the coast was clear again, he shot me a sidelong glance and frowned. “Why are you holding your side?”
I hadn’t even realized I was. I dropped my arm, unsure how to answer the question or if I should. “I… It’s…”
He glanced around and then leaned in conspiratorially. “Meet me after school. Same place, back in the trees.” He quickened his pace and entered the classroom before I’d even had a chance to agree.
But come hell or high water, I was so there.
Climbing the fence aggravated my wounds, which were still gaping wider than I thought they should be at this point. Not to mention the way they occasionally bled if I moved the wrong way. But I gritted my teeth and focused on the fact that I was about to be alone in the woods with Tristan.
Don’t get your hopes up. It doesn’t mean he won’t go back to ignoring you. He probably just wants to talk.
Still, I felt lighter than I had in days.
Tristan stepped out from behind a tree, his expression deadly enough that I froze in place, wondering if this had been a trap. “Who hurt you now?”
“It’s not a big deal,” I automatically said.
The muscles in his jaw tightened as he walked closer. “Who?”
I reached up and fiddled with the dangly earrings I’d worn today, because I refused to lose my sense of style. The theory was, the more of me I maintained, the more I’d preserve. “This gross rat squeezed in through a hole in the door, and I even thought of you, because of your guitar strings. But then he transformed into this huge, half-rat, half-man creature and attacked me. I know it sounds impossible.” I finally dared to meet his gaze, worried I’d find him staring at me like I was a crazy person.
Instead I got concern. “Let me see,” Tristan said.
I lifted my shirt and peeled back the bandages. “It’s just sore, and I hit my back pretty hard during our scuffle, but I’m okay. I injured him, too—slashed him with a dagger—but I would’ve felt much better if I’d been able to kill him. If that’s even possible. And if I had, does that mean I’m guaranteed to just end up back here?”
Now Tristan was looking at me like I was crazy. “He’s still out there? Does your dad have men searching for him?”
I bit my lip. “I, um… See, if I tell my dad, he’ll freak out and never let me go anywhere without a guard again.”
“Lily, you need to tell him.”
I crossed my arms. “No. I won’t be more of a prisoner than I already am. Plus, I’ll be ready next time, and trust me, I’m more dangerous than I look.”
“I’m sure you are.” Tristan’s fingers drifted across my cheekbone, completely unraveling me in spite of my determination not to turn into a puddle of a girl during our interactions anymore. “Still, you should let me walk you home, just to be on the safe side.”
“That’s nice and all, but you don’t have to feel responsible for my safety.”
“And yet I do. Not just that…” He grabbed my hand, pulling it out of my cross-armed position. He brushed his thumb across my knuckles, and I forgot how to breathe. “I know we’re in Hell and all, but I’m just so damn miserable. I spend half the time wishing I’d never talked to you so I wouldn’t know what I was missing out on, and the other half wanting to give in and forget about the consequences.”
I closed the tiny bit of distance between us. “So just give in.”
“It’s not that simple. It’s not that I don’t think you’re a good person…”
My heart sank. “But I’m Satan’s daughter. Half evil, no matter what, right?” To my dismay, my voice cracked. “I’m trying, Tristan. Trying not to be like him, trying to stifle my influence. I won’t use it at all. I’m done, I swear.”
“It’s not just that. It’d be dangerous for both of us. On top of your father, there’s Abigor to worry about, and…” He made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat and shook his head. “It’ll just never work.”
“But it’ll be fun while it lasts.” Time slowed, and the air around us shifted, heavy and light all at the same time. I tipped onto my toes, leaning into him, and pressed my lips to his.
At first I was doing all the work.
Then his arms wrapped around my waist, crushing me to him. His mouth moved against mine, the kiss turning hungry and urgent. A groan slipped free as his large hands splayed on my back, the scruff on his face pleasantly abrasive, and he sucked my bottom lip into his mouth, sending the world spinning off its axis.
My knees went wobbly, and I clung tighter to him, afraid I’d melt right to the ground, a puddle of a girl who’d swooned too hard over a boy.
Tristan broke the kiss but kept his arms around me. He lowered his forehead to mine. “You do make a very convincing argument.”
I reached back and toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck. “Well, what good is all that Temptress Training if I never put it to use?”
He chuckled, but his expression turned serious once again as his eyes locked on to mine. “We’re going to have to be really careful.”
Hope and an overwhelming amount of joy filled me, and I beamed at him. “But we’ll give it a shot?”
A sexy smile curved full lips that I couldn’t wait to get on mine again. “I’m afraid I’m just not strong enough to stay away.”
This time he initiated the kiss.
Twenty-Five
Ignoring someone was harder than it sounded. Especially when said someone’s voice makes your heart quicken and your skin hum.
Suppressing a smile, I worked to keep my attention on the book in my hands as Tristan, Constance, Jerry, and Gabriel, the other two guys he was usually with, neared. Apparently it took more than being named after an angel to get to Heaven. Doubt Gabriel would like me to point that out, though, so I’d kept that thought to myself.
Ever since Ms. Bing showed up bruised and semibroken, Constance was too scared to say much, but she had the sneer and glare thing down pat.
Tristan kept his gaze forward, and even though we’d agreed that we would have to keep us a secret, I still had this panicky moment wondering if he’d changed his mind.
Their group entered the gym, and I waited a couple of seconds before heading inside. I lined up just behind and to the right of Tristan. No harm surreptitiously checking out how good he looked from the back, right?
Abigor called everyone’s attention to the front, and once he had his captive audience, demonstrated the next move we’d be learning and practicing.
Tristan shifted his weight to his right foot. His arm swung back, his hand seeking out mine. I slid my fingers between his and then stepped closer, making sure our linked hands were hidden between us. Electricity danced across my skin, while on the inside I was screaming, He didn’t change his mind.
“Time to split up,” Abigor announced, and Tristan gave my hand a squeeze before letting go and moving to work with Jerry.
&nbs
p; The sea of pairs parted, leaving me the only student without a partner. Because I wasn’t allowed—not that anyone would’ve worked with me anyway.
Bracing myself, I strode toward Abigor. He slid his arm around my waist, hooking his hand on my hip as he pivoted us to face Ms. Bing. “Naamah, can you take the class for a few minutes? I need to talk to Lilith.”
Ms. Bing glanced at me for all of half a second. Her bruises had faded, but a jagged scar still marred her pretty face, and I didn’t think it’d ever fully heal. I thought she’d hate me more after what my father had done to her, and she undoubtedly did, but she refrained from speaking to me. And every time she looked at me, terror filled her eyes before she turned away.
Something else flickered as she addressed Abigor—sorrow and longing. “Of course. Take as much time as you need.”
Abigor pulled me aside instead of out the door, which was a relief and a cause of distress. I didn’t want to be alone with him, but I also didn’t want my classmates to witness…whatever this was about.
Abigor lifted my hand to his lips, and I repressed a shudder. “I’ve given you a month and have been as patient as I can be, but it’s time we take that next step. I want to take you out.”
I didn’t agree, but my mind snagged on that last part. “Take me out? Like on a date?”
“Isn’t that what they do where you’re from?”
I scrunched up my eyebrows. “What would we do for a date here? Take a gondola ride on the Lake of Fire?”
Confusion creased Abigor’s forehead. “The boat would burn up before it got halfway across.”
Guess my humor flew over his head. “I didn’t really mean…” Enough of this. Better to deliver the bad news and move on with my day. “It’s a lovely thought, but I’m still not quite ready for that.”
His nostrils flared, and he clenched his fists, one of which was still holding my hand.
Desperate to keep him from losing his temper, I flashed him a flirtatious smile, put my free, unmangled hand on his arm, and added some eye batting for good measure. “But soon, okay? Until then, why don’t you teach me how to do that flip thing?” His grip loosened enough for me to free my hand. “That way, if I ever run into my ex again, I can make him pay for keeping me from trusting myself with a handsome warrior.”