Touched by Hell

by Emma Shade

He beamed at me and the scar on his left cheek twisted with the movement. I barely got out a curse before he wrapped his arms around my waist and faded with me.

  *****

  The salty, warm air caressed my skin as we materialized. I landed haphazardly on the white shore of a beach.

  “Get off your ass and walk with me,” Zagan said in a patronizing tone. “It won’t be long until your boyfriend finds us.”

  “He’s not my boyfriend.” Glaring at him, I stood and wiped the sand off my clothing. “Where are we?”

  “A small island off the coast of Antigua.” When I only looked at him, he sighed. “We’re in the Caribbean.”

  I scanned the area, noting a few small buildings in the distance. Despite those, it appeared we were the only inhabitants on the island at the time. Maybe that was why he chose this location over the rest of the islands.

  “If you’re wondering if we’re alone, yes. A hurricane damaged a lot of the island, making it nearly unlivable at the moment. Demons often avoid places that have little to no humans.”

  “But not you, though.”

  “Not me.” He nodded once. “I enjoyed this place immensely when I need a short break away from my duties.”

  “You mean as the General for Hell?” I rolled my eyes. “That must be so exhausting.”

  “Don’t you wish for a hiatus from your job, too? We all deserve a few hours of peace.”

  With as much strength as I could muster, I kept my retorts about peace and demons to myself. I needed information from Zagan, not to piss him off. I inhaled and exhaled through my nose and then said, “I need your help.”

  An eyebrow rose. “Oh? What makes you think I’ll help you?”

  “You brought me to this deserted island. I doubt you want to talk about the weather.”

  “The weather is gorgeous.” He smirked as he stared at the crystal-blue water.

  With the sun on his face and the ocean breeze lifting his shoulder-length hair, he was handsome. His eerie light-green eyes glimmered in the light, and I swore his skin appeared tanner than when we arrived.

  I got right to the point, only because I knew Zagan would stall as much as possible. “You said Hell was in an uproar because of Lucifer’s fascination with me. How can we stop him?”

  “Now that’s a loaded question. If I knew how to, I would’ve put a stop to the bullshit already.”

  “I’m not asking you to do this alone. I’m asking you to be an ally.”

  “You mean a spy. You realize if I do this, I’d forfeit my life for treason. What do I get out of it?”

  “Hell would be back to normal again. You’d be General and continue your life as usual.”

  He chuckled. “Try again.”

  Frowning, I racked my brain for anything I had in my arsenal to bribe him with. I wasn’t giving up any of my friends, nor would I offer myself in exchange for his help. I didn’t trust Zagan not to kill me and deliver me to Lucifer on a silver platter.

  His arms crossed as he waited on my response. My eyes lit up as I thought of the only thing I had to offer. I smiled sweetly and Zagan’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.

  “What if I know a human who kills fallen angels?”

  “Now I’m intrigued.” He tapped his chin with an index finger. “Gotta name?”

  “I’ll supply the name once you and I come to an agreement.” This time, I crossed my arms and waited.

  “Go on.”

  “No gossiping about me with other demons, angels, or any creature that resides in Heaven or Hell. Once I have proof of this, you’ll get the name.” He gave a short nod, so I kept going. “I need information on Lucifer, and how I’m going to save my soul.”

  His head tilted back as he laughed. When he looked back at my stony expression, his laughter faded. “You’re serious.”

  “Yes.”

  He looked me over once. With a resigned sigh, he nodded. “Fine. I’ll do what I can. I can’t promise to save you, but I’ll do my best to get you the information that may be helpful. It won’t be easy. When I meet up with you again, I want the name of the angel hunter.”

  “Deal. How will I get in touch with you?”

  “You won’t. I’ll find you.” His head tilted. “Time to go.”

  He seized my arm and the scene of the beach evaporated a split second later.

  CHAPTER 32

  When you dance with the devil, he doesn’t change. You do.

  Lor’s eyes narrowed as he sniffed the air. “You reek like sulfur.”

  “I do? That’s weird.”

  He gave me a pointed look. “Mara, what’s going on? Why did you appear out of nowhere smelling like that?”

  “It’s a long story, but I’ll fill you in soon. I promise. There’s nothing to worry about.”

  “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me everything,” he stated.

  Deciding to change the subject, I glanced around. “Where’s Coren?”

  His breath came out in a huff. “How should I know? I’m not his babysitter.”

  “He was supposed to meet me at the coffee shop”—I looked at the time on my cell phone—“five minutes ago.”

  “You were late, too. He’s probably doing something important.”

  More important than me? I thought but wouldn’t dare say it out loud. Instead, I scrutinized our surroundings. Had Zagan lied to me and used me as a distraction? What if my estranged father had captured Coren? A million scattered theories rattled through my mind, but maybe Lor was right. Maybe he was following up on something.

  “Anything new?” I asked.

  “This isn’t over. You’ll eventually have to tell me why you smell like Hell.” He took a long inhale through his nose. “Fable and Zen have a promising lead in the remote parts of the desert. Char and Vex are off to Italy for research in a historic church library. Other than that, nothing to report so far. I wish we had more, but alas, we’re hoping for a miracle.”

  I hoped for the same. I wrapped an arm around him in a friendly gesture. “Next time you talk to them, will you tell them all that I’m thankful for all their sacrifices? The same goes for you, too. I’m so happy you’re in my life, Lor.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Where is Mara and what did you do with her?”

  “Yeah, yeah. Don’t get used to this caring and emotional shit. I only let it out for a short time before I bolt it up behind an impenetrable lock.”

  Lor squeezed me back and smiled. “I’m surprised you even let that beast out to play.”

  “Don’t get used to it.” I chuckled.

  When we began walking back to my apartment, my sword gave away an evil presence nearby. I let out a frustrated breath through my lips.

  “What’s wrong?” Lor asked, his gaze darting all around us.

  “I can’t get a damn break.”

  Black smoke hovered near the entrance of my apartment complex. Lor froze when he spotted it, too. The haze twisted and darkened into a human form. As the being made a few steps in our direction, it dissipated slowly. First black boots appeared, then black pants, and next, strong arms dressed in a black button-down shirt. The last thing to materialize was Lucifer’s angled face and obsidian hair.

  Rage throbbed through me like it had its own heartbeat. Seeing him brought all my pent-up anger roaring to the surface. I unsheathed my sword and scowled.

  “Mara, put that dismal blade away,” he said, his voice so deep it reverberated against the buildings around us. “I’m only here to follow up on your progress.”

  “Oh, I’m still alive. No thanks to you,” I growled, tightening the grip on the decorative hilt.

  His gaze went to my sword and back up to my face. He rolled his glossy, midnight-colored eyes. “We both know that weapon won’t hurt me. But if you attempt to use it, I’ll make sure to end your contract right here and now.”

  Lucifer knew I wanted to slice him to shreds and he was daring me to try. If I did, it would give him an excuse to end my existence.

  “You can’t do that,
” Lor hissed, his red eyes glowing from fury.

  With a nonchalant hand, he waved Lor off. “I can do whatever I damn well please, shadow.”

  A few things happened at once. Lor shoved me behind him, Coren appeared next to me, and Lucifer gave a frightening smile full of teeth.

  “Coren,” Lucifer snarled. “So fancy seeing you here. I’ve yet to receive a progress report on her. That’s unacceptable behavior.”

  “My apologies, sir,” Coren answered. “I’ve attempted to keep her under control, but as you can imagine, that’s nearly impossible.”

  My mouth hung open at his response.

  “Liar,” Lor hissed so low only Coren and I could hear him.

  “What do you recommend for her punishment?” Lucifer questioned, his head nodding once.

  “I need more time with her, my liege. If we can’t come to a conclusion, then we can move forward with our plan. I’m sure I can break her eventually.”

  Shock and betrayal cut me so deep I was surprised I didn’t bleed from it. My nostrils flared once as I stared at Coren. His eyes met mine for a split second before he focused on Lucifer. My breath caught in my throat as I reined in my temper, but a seething vortex of anger swirled in my gut. My breathing increased as my heartbeat thundered. I wanted to punch Coren in the face and watch his golden blood gush from his nose. He deserved much worse, actually, but I knew I couldn’t kill him if Lor and I wanted to keep the humans in the nearby buildings safe.

  “Fine. I expect weekly updates from here on out.” Lucifer concentrated on me. “Don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be, Mara. Your life depends on it.”

  I wanted to scream “fuck you” but I held it back. Barely. Instead, I made no move to acknowledge Coren or Lucifer. I grabbed Lor’s hand in mine and he squeezed once.

  “Coren, let’s go back to my lair and talk about how to break this wild girl.”

  He nodded, and with one last look at me, Coren left with the Devil.

  As soon as he disappeared, the rage exploded and I screamed so loud, my voice cracked. “Motherfucker!”

  “My sentiments exactly,” Lor whispered.

  CHAPTER 33

  The devil always cheats.

  Instead of going to my apartment, I stormed off in the opposite direction. Lor followed silently beside me, for both moral support and protection.

  I felt like a sucker for believing Coren for so long. Oh, but he’d made himself so damn charming for me to think otherwise, hadn’t he? And to think I opened up my heart to the backstabber. I still owed him a fucking favor, too.

  This reminded me of why I remained unemotional for so long. The only thing my heart was good for was pumping blood through my body. Other than that, I’d close off any and all feelings until I felt that delicious numbness that followed me most of my life. Damn emotional shit only resulted in betrayal and heartache. I’d focus on the rage bubbling beneath the surface to fuel me.

  “I don’t like that look on your face,” Lor said softly.

  “Get used to it,” I snapped. “All my life I’ve been fucked over by those who said they loved me. I opened my heart and guess where it got me? Fucked over again.”

  “Don’t let a fool make you bitter. Life is too short for that. Get mad, get pissed, cry, whatever. Don’t shut yourself off from those who truly care for you.”

  Emotion flickered through me but I swallowed it back. “I’m doing this for my own good. It’s nothing personal.”

  Lor gripped my arm and pulled me to a stop. “The hell it is. You expect your friends to simply let you withdraw from us because of a broken heart? Fuck that. You think we’ve never experienced disappointment and heartache? You think we’ve never been betrayed?”

  “Look, as a child—”

  “Yeah, yeah. You had a rough childhood. That’s no excuse for being a shitty human being.”

  “Don’t you dare judge me,” I barked, irritation simmering to the surface.

  “I’m not.” His jaw muscle ticked once. “But I’m not going to stand here and let you wallow in self-destructive pity. Your past either breaks you or strengthens you. Make your choice wisely, Mara. One lets the Devil win.”

  His body dissipated and I stood alone on the sidewalk with my mouth sagging open. He was right. Lor had seen right through my defense mechanisms to the real reason behind my unemotional state. My mentality from a damaged childhood had left me broken. Now I needed to work on strength and resilience instead. My life depended on it.

  “Mara? Is that you?” a soft, feminine voice said.

  My head jerked up. Everly stood a few feet in front of me with two paper grocery bags in her arms. Her red hair curled about her shoulders, and her bright green sweater complemented her jade-colored eyes.

  “Hey.” I tried to smile but it was forced. “Sorry, I was deep in thought.”

  Her head jerked to the side as she watched me. Her ruby-red lips thinned. “Your aura is mixed with a bit of purple today. Why so melancholy?”

  “My aura? You can see mine?” I blinked a few times in disbelief. “What color is it usually?”

  “As black as crude oil.” She gave me a sad smile. “I think that’s because your soul is covered in a hellish filth, though.”

  I held up a hand. “Wait. I still have my soul?”

  “Well, of course. You can’t live without one.” She shifted the bags in her arms. “The color of yours means it’s marked by something evil. A demon perhaps? It would explain the hellhound.”

  “No, not a demon. Let’s just say the being who owns my soul goes by many names and has a few songs about him. You know, like the one where he went down to Georgia.”

  She gasped and about dropped one of her sacks. When she recovered, she set the bags down. She dug in her purse and pulled out a dark, shiny stone. “Here. Put this in your pocket along with the pyrite. At night, soak both stones in salt water to cleanse them. It won’t save your soul, but both of those together are pretty powerful protection. You’ll never know when they might come in handy.”

  “Thanks.” After taking the stone from her, I placed it in my pocket next to the gold stone. They clinked together as they settled.

  “Take care of yourself, Mara. Evil isn’t anything to mess with, and the Devil always cheats.”

  “Don’t I know it,” I said with a snort.

  We said our goodbyes as Everly retrieved her bags. I watched the witch while she strolled down the walkway and wondered how she knew about such evil. She’d known how to hurt a hellhound, after all.

  Letting out a breath from between my lips, I twirled on my feet and walked back in the direction of my apartment. I pulled my leather jacket over my chest to fight off the nip in the air. The colorless sky revealed the colder weather ahead. I reminded myself to buy a thicker jacket soon.

  Once my key slid into my door, I froze. What if Coren was inside? What would I say to him? I might punch him square on the jaw before I said a word. He deserved that much.

  Thankfully, the apartment was silent as a tomb. The only sign Coren had been there recently was his long, leather coat slung over the couch. I guess he didn’t need it in Hell. At the thought, anger raked against my insides. I squelched it back and placed my sword on the coffee table.

  I yawned and decided coffee was needed as soon as possible. First, a trip to the restroom was in order. After I did my business, I practically trotted to Mr. Coffee. Once the machine gurgled and sputtered, I turned to grab a mug. A note on the counter caught my attention.

  My name was written in a blue script. I stared the calligraphic lettering for a long time before I had the courage to pick it up. I felt the texture of the paper and ran a thumb over my name. Dread settled in the pit of my stomach, but I unfolded the note anyway.

  It read, Mara, don’t believe anything I said. I’m going to challenge Lucifer for your soul. If I don’t come back, I love you forever. Coren.

  My heart stopped in my chest and then lurched as it beat again. Lucifer would punish Coren for
falling in love with me and for challenging him over something he wanted so badly. He’d sacrificed himself to save me. All the betrayal and hurt over his callousness earlier dissipated. Instead, my fury roared to life. Rage surged through me as hot as molten lava. I’d always heard rumors about seeing red from anger, but I’d never quite experienced it before. Now I had. My entire apartment and belongings turned a hazy shade of crimson.

  At that moment, Death and Raven showed in a wisp of red-tinged smoke. They took one look at me and froze.

  “What’s wrong?” Raven questioned, her eyebrows knitted together.

  “Take me to Hell. Now.” I shoved the note in Death’s face.

  “We can’t storm Hell without a strategy. He’s an angel. Lucifer can’t kill him,” Raven said. “We have some time to formulate a plan.”

  The note shook in my hand. “If Coren hasn’t confronted him yet, we need to stop it from happening. What would Lucifer do if we’re too late?”

  Death swallowed and avoided my gaze. “I don’t know. Lucifer invented all manners of torture for his own sick sense of humor. He gets off on pain and suffering. If we’re too late, Coren is in deep shit.”

  I slammed the note down on the counter and seethed as I attempted to come up with a plan. Lucifer may own my soul, but he had the man I loved.

  The fucker had no idea what I was capable of. He was going to find out.

  About the Author

  Emma lives in Indiana with three adorable but crazy cats. She has a degree in Fine Arts & Design and Photography. When she’s not busy writing her next novel or taking photographs, Emma enjoys spending time with family and friends, listening to music, taking naps with her cats, or curled up with a good book.

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  Books by Emma Shade:

  Urban Fantasy

  Only Human Series