Touched by Hell

by Emma Shade

  “Yeah, you could say I’ve had a few,” I said with a shrug.

  One of Everly’s eyebrows rose. “How many is a few?”

  “Did Coren not say anything about my occupation?”

  “You’re surrounded by so much darkness that I wouldn’t touch your hand, so I can only imagine what you do for a paycheck. However, that’s none of my business. I was hired to protect your apartment, nothing more.” She placed a black shiny stone on the table next to the glass sliding doors. “Negativity and darkness are not welcome here.”

  I opened my mouth to say something rude back but the sword rattling against the coffee table caught my attention. Oh shit. That wasn’t good.

  Everly placed a rose-colored crystal on my bookshelf. “Negativity and darkness are not welcome here.”

  Another clatter of the sword had me snatching it off the table before she noticed. The handle vibrated against my hand and I prepared to attack whatever entered my apartment.

  “Uh, Everly?”

  She placed another dark rock on my coffee table and repeated her mantra. My fingers were going numb from the vibration of the blade. Fear fluttered through me. I had to get Everly out of my apartment because I refused to put the innocent woman in danger.

  Grabbing her arm with my free hand, I pulled Everly in the direction of the front door.

  She sputtered and yanked her arm free. “Don’t touch me.”

  “Look, you have to go. You know how hard it was to shake my hand because of my supposed darkness? Well, if you don’t leave now, you’ll meet something far worse than me.”

  The telltale aroma of Hell hit me first, but I noticed the instant she smelled it. Her body stiffened and she clutched the remaining crystals to her chest. She reached into her purse and pulled out a bundle of roots and a lighter. She lit the weeds and muttered something to herself as she waved it over her body. The horrid smell of burned pepper and lemon rinds almost covered the scent of sulfur. That packet of herbs wouldn’t do anything against a demon.

  The sound of sharp claws on my kitchen floor had us both turning slowly in that direction. She began chanting louder with one hand holding the black stones and the other waving the burning crap.

  A four-foot-tall canine growled at us, its mouth full of pointed, crystal-like teeth. The canines hung over the dog’s lips and red, foamy drool fell to the floor. The glacial blue eyes focused on us with rapt attention as it took a step forward. I had the distinct impression the beast was waiting for his prey to move before it attacked.

  “Everly,” I said as I tightened my grip on the sword, “this thing will attack us as soon as I make a move. I want you to run as fast as you can. Understand?”

  “I think I can help,” she insisted.

  “No, you need to get the fuck out of here. This thing will slaughter you in an instant. You’ll be collateral damage to the beast, but I don’t want to protect you and fight for my life at the same time.”

  The dog growled so low it vibrated the floors. I repressed a shudder. I hadn’t known if I’d survive this or not, but I’d be damned if I wouldn’t go down fighting.

  “Tell me to run and I will. But when you can, I want you to grab the onyx from the coffee table and toss it in the hellhound’s mouth. The stone won’t kill it, but it’ll slow it down enough for you to do the job,” she said.

  I glanced at the small, black rock on my table and then at the creature in front of us. “On the count of three, okay? One.”

  Another drop of red drool dripped out of the hellhound’s mouth and it clashed its teeth at us.

  “Two.”

  Everly’s crystals clattered behind me and she took a deep breath.

  “Three.”

  Everything happened simultaneously. I snatched the onyx from the coffee table as I darted forward, the beast leaped up as Everly ran out the apartment door, and I swung out of the way when teeth snapped near my torso.

  Now that I was alone with the monster of a canine, I twirled my sword in one hand and clenched the stone in the other. The hound dove for me again and I rolled easily over the couch, my sword swinging upward as I moved. The blade connected with its cheek and it whined. With a shake of its head, those glacial eyes fixated on my face again. The thing snarled and its muscles bundled as it bounded over the back of the couch.

  Claws raked against my thigh, but I had moved at the last second to keep them from sinking into my flesh. A loud cry rattled the picture frames as I jabbed my sword into its eye and yanked the weapon back. Only one eye looked at me now, and claws swiped to protect its blind side. Twisting to avoid another blow, I vaulted back over my sofa. Only the hound was too quick and knocked my feet out from under me. I landed with an oomph, barely rolling away to avoid a bite from those wicked-looking teeth.

  The sour smell of sulfur wafting off the hellhound was so strong I could taste it. All demons had that horrible scent, but this ugly fucker stunk as if it had bathed in it. The creature opened its maw to snip at any of my body parts within reaching distance. I tossed the onyx inside the large mouth and I knew the instant the mutt swallowed it. Crimson foamed inside his or her mouth and it coughed. The dog pawed at its mouth.

  I took that moment to give a hard upswing of my sword. I expected blood or gore, but as soon as the head went rolling, black smoke swallowed the thing’s fur. Within ten seconds, the only sign anything occurred inside my apartment was the hellhound’s red drool and claw marks.

  Letting out a sigh, I ran my free hand over my face. I’d never get my deposit back if I ever moved.

  “Is it gone?”

  I swung around and gaped at Everly standing inside the door. “What are you doing? I thought I told you to run.”

  She smirked. “You didn’t tell me how far.”

  Raven popped in and Everly jumped in surprise. She gave the witch a once-over and said, “Where’s the body?”

  “There isn’t one. The ugly fucker went poof as soon as I killed it.” I lifted a shoulder in a shrug.

  “What do you mean it went poof? Demons don’t just disappear without my help, and you know that.”

  “That’s because it wasn’t a demon, it was a hellhound,” Everly stated. “After it ate my blessed stone, I guarantee it won’t be back anytime soon.”

  “Wait.” Raven held up a hand. “You had a hellhound in your apartment and you lived to tell the tale?”

  “I’m standing here, aren’t I?” Sliding my sword back in the sheath, I rolled my eyes. “You act like I can’t take care of myself.”

  “Oh, Mara. That’s not it at all,” Raven said. “You’re one hell of a fighter, and I get that. I know you can stand on your own in any situation handed to you, but you’re only human.”

  “Only human.” I snorted. “Everly saw the darkness, Raven. If I’m only human, then I’m a human touched by Hell.”

  “That’s why...” Everly trailed off. She tapped her chin.

  Raven and I looked at her expectantly. She reached into her small purse and rummaged around while she mumbled under her breath. She pulled out a small gold sphere with shimmering pits.

  She grabbed my hand, placed the heavy golden ball in my hands, and then closed my fingers over it. “That’s pyrite. Some may call it fool’s gold, but as far as healing goes, it’s one of the best protection stones from negative energy and physical danger. Some say the sun god himself created the stones; others say the color reflects angels above. Either way, I want you to keep this with you at all times.”

  I opened my palm, stared at the hue of the stone, and thought about the color of Coren’s blood. “Can I ever use it like the onyx stone?”

  “Glad you asked.” Everly grinned. “You could use it in the same way as the hellhound, but I’d rather you carry it with you. No exceptions.”

  “What about a dress?” I asked.

  Raven chucked. “You’d rather saw off your arm than wear a dress.”

  “You can wear it in your bra. Or perhaps your panties,” Everly suggested with a wink.


  “I like her, Mara. She’s witty.”

  “Can we get back to the hellhound, please?” My eyes narrowed. “Why were you surprised I lived? Isn’t it simply another demon?”

  “Actually, no,” Raven said. She thinned her lips as she seemed to contemplate her next words. “Demons are either soldiers or slaves, per se. A hellhound is Lucifer’s creation. He made four of them by blending corrupt souls in hellfire. They are pure evil and the deadliest beings in the Underworld. Other than Lucifer, that is. Even my father avoids them.”

  My mouth dropped. Lucifer sent a fucking hellhound to my apartment. What he hadn’t counted on were Everly and her magical rocks. I bet he was pissed I had defeated it. I snickered at the thought of ol’ Luke pacing the halls of Hell in a rage. Bending over, I grabbed my stomach in a fit of laughter because the hellhound would probably have to sleep outside in the doghouse tonight.

  Wiping the tears of amusement from my eyes, I smiled at Everly. “I don’t know how you know about this stuff, but I think you need to meet a few of my friends. They’ll love your insight”—I chuckled again—“at keeping Lucifer on his toes.”

  “I’d love to meet them, but I have another client in about an hour.” She handed me a purple business card with only a number on it. “Give me a call.”

  After nodding once at Raven and me, she left the apartment and closed the door behind her.

  “Bringing in a witch is unconventional, but it might work,” Raven said. “I have to wonder how she knows so much about Hell.” She pointed to my hand. “If that trinket works, I’ll be surprised.”

  Glancing down at the heavy stone in my hand, I sighed. “She was right about the onyx. I guess time will tell if she’s right about this one.”

  CHAPTER 30

  Obsession is the root of all evil.

  I had changed clothes and tucked the pyrite in the pocket of my jeans. With everything going on, we slacked off on demon hunting, but I didn’t want to give Lucifer any more incentive to drag me to Hell.

  Coren met me outside. I took in his muscular arms in the black T-shirt, the jeans riding low on his hips, and the stubble lining his jaw. Are all angels this gorgeous? I wondered.

  “How did it go with the witch?” he asked.

  “Everly is fantastic. She helped me defeat a hellhound.”

  He stopped short and grabbed my arm to keep me from walking. “Uh, you’re joking, right?”

  “Nope, but it’s all good. That fucker was sent back to daddy.” I tilted my head. “Do all hellhounds vanish in a cloud of smoke?”

  “I’m not sure,” he said. “I don’t know anyone who has met one and been around to tell anyone about it. Until you.”

  “That’s what Raven said, too.” I raked a hand through my hair. “I know how it found me. We all know Lucifer is a dick.”

  “Well, I have more clever words in mind for him.”

  I covered my mouth and mocked a gasp. “You’re an angel, Coren. You’re pure and chaste.”

  He scoffed. “Right. If you believe that about me, then you don’t know me at all.”

  Letting out a laugh, I shook my head. Oh, I knew how vulgar and crass Coren was. He tried his best to throw me off with his obnoxious sexual talk in the beginning, He was kinder than I expected, but I knew Coren had a mouth on him far worse than any demon. Honestly, that was what I liked about him.

  “You know,” I said, “we have a long night ahead of us. If you could be with anyone, past or present, who would it be?”

  “You.”

  “Be serious.”

  He smirked. “I am.”

  Ignoring the emotion in his eyes, I pointed in the direction of the line of people waiting to get inside the newest club. “Do you think they’ll be there all night and never get in?”

  “Most likely,” he replied, his smirk a full-blown smile now.

  That smile caused all kinds of sexual feelings to flare to life, so I inspected the street in front of us instead. It would be a long night if he kept grinning at me like that.

  My sword pulsated against my back and interrupted my dirty thoughts about Coren. “Demon,” I whispered.

  Coren went on alert, his eyes scanning the vicinity. We both knew we might encounter a high-level demon or an unlucky escaped one. Either way, we had to treat the confrontation with caution. Double-caution after the hellhound in my apartment.

  Yanking my sword free, I used my free hand to touch the gold sphere in my pocket. A couple walking by gave us a wide berth, and I didn’t blame them with my wicked-looking blade. I didn’t care about them. My only focus was whatever was in the alley ahead of us. The weapon in my hand rattled again, the metal ringing slightly.

  Coren’s eyes narrowed at the sound, his jaw ticking once. When we rounded the corner of the alleyway, a lone man stood in the dim lighting from the building above. He wore dark jeans and a trench coat that fluttered in the wind. His shoulder-length, blond hair shifted slightly as he turned to watch us.

  He was attractive, with a sharp-angled jaw and eyes the color of celery. The scar running down his left cheek showed he’d been through some shit, and a faint scent of sulfur emitted from the man. If I hadn’t smelled that, I’d have guessed this guy to be a mere mortal.

  “Hi, Coren,” the man said. “So nice to see you again.”

  “Zagan,” Coren growled. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “Hello, Mara.” Zagan bowed, but the gesture was sardonic, at best.

  My lips curled into a scowl. Although he no longer looked like a bodybuilder, I’d met this demon once before. He had threatened Coren about caring about me and about him interfering in demon hunts.

  With the sword held tightly, I took a menacing step forward. “What in the fuck do you want this time?”

  Zaran grinned and it pulled on his scar. “So glad you asked. I’m here to give you a warning.”

  “Oh no.” I covered my mouth in mock shock. “I’m so surprised.”

  “Fine, if you don’t want me to help you, then I’ll just kill this shell of a human and be on my way.” He gestured to the body he had borrowed.

  My heart lurched at seeing that, once in my life, and I didn’t want another human to die because of me.

  Coren chuckled. “Go ahead.”

  I glanced at him, in shock at his coldness over a human dying. “Fine. What’s do you want?”

  “Lucifer has quite the obsession with you. In fact, he’s so foolish that he’s neglecting his duties and letting his generals do his dirty work. As you can imagine, that isn’t going over well.”

  “Interesting,” Coren said. “When did this begin?”

  “About two months ago.”

  Anger flared through me. “But he didn’t put a time limit on me until recently.”

  “Do you know why he wants Mara so badly that he’d risk an uprising in Hell?” Coren questioned, his voice cold and unflinching.

  “All I’ve heard from rumors is it has something to do with a prophecy and a sword.”

  Coren glanced at my weapon. “Makes sense, I guess. But everyone knows a prophecy isn’t set in stone. Remember Jeanne d’Arc?”

  “Who’s that?” I asked, curious how this woman had anything do with a prophecy.

  With a twist of his borrowed lips, Zagan said, “Why, Joan of Arc, my dear.”

  My eyebrows rose. “You’re shitting me, right?”

  “Afraid not.” Coren shook his head. “They said a young maid of honor and sacrifice would become the savior of France. She would be dressed in armor, carrying a sword and riding a white stallion. She was supposed to work miracles, but some of the supposed prophecies happened and we all know how that ended.”

  My gaze went from Coren to Zagan and then back again. “Please tell me you both aren’t old enough to have met Joan of Arc.”

  Zagan shrugged. “Okay, we won’t.”

  Coren grimaced.

  Fuck me. Talk about an age gap between Coren and me. Age was just a number, my ass. We’re talking ne
arly six centuries between us, but I was sure it was far more than that. I was afraid to ask him his true age.

  “Okaaay.” I blinked a few times. “I’m not defined by some prophecy that may or may not be about me. We recently discovered the passage, so how could Lucifer know?”

  “I’m not sure of the details. We’re going off gossip and not facts.” Zagan held his hands out. “But where there are hearsays, there are believers.”

  My eyebrows lifted. “Do you believe it?”

  “I don’t know.” Zagan lifted a shoulder.

  At the same time, Coren said, “Not all of it.”

  “And what’s this crap about my sword?” I lifted the blade and looked at the shiny metal and decorative hilt.

  “Nothing.” Coren narrowed his eyes at Zagan, daring him to speak.

  Zagan’s face went blank. “I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.” He gave another mocking bow. “Until we meet again.”

  In a split second, Zagan disappeared. Only a spot of black smoke floated on the breeze where he had stood.

  My mouth dropped. “Did he just fade away with a human body?”

  Coren shook his head. “That was really him. No possession needed this time.”

  “Asshole.” Zagan had called my bluff on my assumption that he’d possessed a body to speak to us with, and I hated him even more for it.

  “Agreed.”

  I put my weapon away. We both left the alleyway and strolled back in the direction of the bar scene. Since it was Saturday, the place was crawling with partygoers. Different music blasted from each bar we passed, and besides Zagan, we hadn’t seen a demon in hours.

  The slowness reminded me of when Raven and I had hunted. We’d usually run across a couple and then stop for the night. Of course, that was before Lucifer got a hard-on for me and had begun sending awful creatures in an attempt to kill me. Sure, I knew Hell needed somebody in charge of the tainted souls, just like Heaven needed somebody to take in the pure ones. Still, if I had a way to maim or hurt Satan, I would.

  Speaking of Raven, I missed her company. While I liked Coren, I wanted my best friend to be here, too. I made a mental note to ask her to hunt with me next time.