“Right,” Bruce agreed. “Right. There’s some sort of Ball that introduces her to all fallen angels as his new wife.”
“How do you know all of this?” Paul asked, stopping his pacing and crossing his arms over his chest.
“We’ve been around longer than you have, my friend,” Bruce said. “And a lot of the female demons like to gossip with Kelly.”
“But Paul,” Kelly said, wincing in preparation for what was to come. “That’s not all. The Ball is the beginning of what makes their union official. And it is only deemed official when they’ve consummated –“
Before she could even finish her sentence, Paul’s ear took hold of the word ‘consummate’ and grabbed the nearest vase before throwing it so it hit a wall and crumbled into pieces.
“Break my window, now my vase,” Bruce muttered under his breath.
“I will murder Him if He lays even one finger on her,” Paul said, his eyes shining with anger.
“Paul,” Kelly said, her voice sharp and serious. “He’s Satan. He’s already dead.”
Twenty-Three
She didn’t get a good look at what Hell was, up until the point where Kesha had brought her to her room. They were in the castle, her new home, the fallen angel had informed Mandy, but beyond that, Mandy had no idea how she got to where she was, what the castle looked like. She hadn’t met Satan, the Creator, whatever He was called, nor had she encountered Satan’s right-hand demon, Griffin. If she saw anyone, it was the servants that made up the majority of residence here, but even then, Mandy hadn’t been introduced to anybody. The only person (was person even the correct word?) was Kesha, and even that gave her little comfort.
Currently, her eyes were scanning the room, unsure if someone was spying on her at this very moment, or maybe someone was waiting behind some sort of secret passageway, waiting until she was vulnerable to finally - But even that didn’t make sense. If Mandy was supposed to be a bride – a wife – to one of the most famous people in the entire history of the world, there was no reason for Satan to hide away or spy on her. If He wanted to talk to her, no doubt He would talk to her without any sort of games thrown in. In Mandy’s mind, Satan got whatever it was He wanted, and that was that.
There was a four-poster queen sized bed with red and black comforters, sheets, pillows, and the like. Mandy wasn’t exactly sure what the material was, though it did look like velvet if she was being honest. She stifled a yawn, wanting nothing more than to go to bed. Tired was definitely an understatement when it came to Mandy’s current state. But Kesha had mentioned some sort of Ball, a ceremony that indicated they were really supposed to be together. What did she say? It was supposed to be the official ceremony that announced her as His wife to His people. That was it.
Directly across from the bed was a Gothic styled desk with an oval shaped vanity mirror in front of it. Adjacent to that was an old fashioned wardrobe that matched the texture and coal-like color of the desk. For a moment, Mandy wondered if there was anything in the wardrobe. If there really was supposed to be a ball this evening, she would need some kind of dress, something nice and presentable, shouldn’t she? Chewing her bottom lip lightly, she took tentative steps towards the wardrobe, and after inhaling, she opened the door slowly.
It was silly how afraid she was of a piece of furniture, but Mandy still wasn’t sure how Hell worked. Was there magic? Were inanimate objects alive? Or did it all depend on Satan’s mood?
However, her answer was given to her. There were, indeed, many dresses and matching shoes that stocked the wardrobe, and interestingly enough, there was an assortment of colors rather than just the cliché of red and black.
A note caught her by surprise, and she grabbed it. The first thing she noticed was the elegant scrawl, and when her eyes glanced down at who it was from, she immediately dropped it, as though it had burned her. It was silly, but the fact that Satan had been in her room, that he had picked out the clothes, this wardrobe for her… It was still something to get used to, among other things she didn’t want to think about it.
Bending down, Mandy grabbed the note and quickly skimmed it. Basically, it welcomed her here and instructed her to wear the emerald green dress hanging from wardrobe. He would be at her door in an hour and a half, and if she needed someone to help her get dressed, all she had to do was call. Mandy had to give him credit for being polite, but the politeness held a darkness she didn’t want to get deeper acquainted with.
Instead, she pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind, and instead, searched the wardrobe for what she thought Satan meant by the emerald green dress. When she thought she found it, she looked at it, her mouth dropping at how tight it would be, at how revealing it was. Her face was filled with a crimson color, and she realized that no matter how badly she wanted to refute the dress, refute the ceremony itself, she couldn’t. So she spent the next hour and a half doing her hair, her makeup, and everything else to the best of her abilities.
As she got dressed, she pretended that it wasn’t Satan who she was donning this gown for, but Paul, and even though it was a downright lie, even though she knew that wasn’t the case, it calmed her down a bit.
When she had finally finished, she had a few moments to spare, so Mandy checked her reflection in the mirror. With a barrette she had found in the desk, she pulled her hair back into a sleek ponytail. Her makeup was light but enhancing, and Mandy was glad that her mother had taught her how to apply makeup back when she was thirteen years old, despite the fact that she didn’t wear it. The desk was stocked with it, with everything she might need, and there was an attached bathroom with an assortment of lotions, shampoos, conditioners, soaps, tooth brushes, everything.
The dress itself felt as though it had been painted on her body; it was difficult for her to breath in it, if she was being honest. The cut was low, and there was some sort of contraption inside that pressed her breasts up, to emphasize them no doubt. It was almost like an x-rated prom dress, but instead of feeling beautiful, sexy, flirty, she felt trashy. She didn’t want to wear this, but she had no choice. The back to the dress was nonexistent, really, up until her hips, and on her feet were matching shoes.
Tonight was going to be the longest night of her entire life.
When a knock sounded at her door, Mandy felt herself lose her breath at the prospect of who it was. But she made a deal, and as much as she didn’t want to, she would see it through.
Biting his bottom lip, Paul opened the door to his bedroom and walked out into the living room, tentatively shifting his weight back and forth as he stood before a waiting Bruce and Kelly. He felt completely uncomfortable in what he was wearing, but he knew that such a measure needed to be taken, especially when it concerned the safety of the woman he was in love with.
“Well?” he asked finally, looking at the couple imploringly. “How do I look, then?”
It had been twelve hours since Paul had actually transformed into a human, and interestingly enough, it felt no different than being a fallen angel, save for the fact that he now didn’t have his wings. There was a part of him that had been afraid Kelly and Bruce would turn him out because he had changed, but surprisingly enough, they treated him the same, which was more than he could ever ask for, and even helped him devise a plan to infiltrate this ceremony that was to take place in Hell in hopes to execute some kind of rescue attempt and get Mandy back to him. As a human, Paul couldn’t just get into Hell, but as long as he was brought down by either Paul or Kelly, he would be able to get inside.
“You look like a penguin,” Bruce said flatly, eyeing Paul’s black and white tuxedo with obvious distaste. He was glad that he was only required to wear a suit and not something as ridiculous as Paul.
Paul rolled his eyes. “Give me a break,” he said in his normal, soft-spoken voice. However, his eyes descended downwards to regard himself even more cryptically than he had before. “I’m supposed to be a waiter, after all. I’m supposed to look like this.”
“Don’t listen t
o him Paul,” Kelly said, taking a step forward. Her voice was serious, and she locked eyes with Paul, giving him a serious look. “Listen, you’re a human now. People are going to hear your heart beat at that party, just like they can hear all of the other waiters’ heart beats, just like they can hear Mandy’s. I don’t have to explain to you what a waiter is, do I?”
Paul gave her a dry look, but shook his head. “I know what a waiter does, thank you,” he said. “I’ll keep my eyes down and my mouth shut until I see Mandy. I carry the food without spilling it. I take orders.” He sighed heavily through his nose, trying to wrap his mind around just what was going to happen, what he wanted to happen within the next few hours. “All right, let’s go.”
Bruce nodded, throwing a knapsack over his shoulder, while Kelly placed herself in front of Paul, making sure she made eye contact with him once more. “Paul, I know you know this,” she began, “but I think it’s important enough to remind you: you’re a human now… which means you can die. So take care.”
Twenty-Four
Before Mandy opened the door, she inhaled deeply, hoping that the act of breathing would calm her nerves. However, it failed to do just that, but she knew she needed to open the door anyways. Surprisingly enough, Satan was rather good looking in a dark sort of way. He had coiffed raven-black hair and light, clear, sky blue eyes that penetrated her to her very core. He was short, maybe five foot ten at the most, with strong, broad shoulders, and a fit body. Despite the lack in height, however, his presence commanded intimidation, and even Mandy felt herself swallow as subtly as possible when she first saw him. Unsurprisingly, he was dressed in all black with a silk emerald handkerchief that matched perfectly with her dress sticking out of his pocket.
When he caught sight of her, he whistled long and low, dropping his eyes and taking in every inch of her the dress offered to him and whoever else happened to look at her. When his eyes finished, he lifted them back into her own, and he smiled, causing a dimple to pop in his cheek.
“You are even more beautiful in person than your picture could ever convey,” he told her in a low, raw voice.
He had seen her before. It must have been when she was with Paul, sometime. Maybe it had happened when she had been sleeping, because she didn’t remember ever taking pictures with him. The reminder of Paul’s betrayal caused her heart to beat painfully, but she still had yet to regret her decision.
In response to his flattery, Mandy nodded her head once, still unsure of what to say.
Satan grinned at this, resembling a smile one would see on a mischievous child who just did something naughty. Even his eyes were sparkling. “They are waiting for us,” he said, and though he didn’t specify who, he really didn’t have to. He offered her his arm, and after a beat, Mandy slipped her arm through his. “I cannot wait to get you alone,” he whispered, his hot breath invading her senses.
Mandy clenched her jaw, but swallowed a retort that had been building on the tip of her tongue. She needed to be on her best behavior, still unsure if Satan could take back Paul’s mortality. The best thing for her to do, she realized, was to ensure that she kept quiet, she kept her eyes void of any emotion, and to listen to any and everything she could, especially when it was regarding Paul.
Mandy allowed Satan to lead her down the hall, and when they reached the stairs, a great hush fell on the ballroom below them. Satan said nothing, but it seemed to be collectively known that Mandy was the woman He wanted for Himself, and as such, she was the key, the reason they were going to win the award. Her eyes glanced at the crowd before her – every guest had some form of wings in whatever dark color – all dressed up, all beautiful, and all seemingly enjoying themselves. Everyone but the waiters seemed to be fallen angels. Apparently the waiters were human servants, people demons could honestly care less about.
The music changed into a slow song the minute Satan stepped onto the floor, and without asking, pulled Mandy into a dance. Even Mandy couldn’t control how tense her body was at that moment, but given the fact she didn’t really know how to dance, nor did she feel comfortable with the demon she was dancing with, her tenseness was understandable.
“Paul,” Satan began in a low voice, ignoring the stares they were getting from His people, “used to love this song. Did you know that he was my favorite demon? No? Well he was, up until the moment he allowed himself to foolishly fall in love with you.” Though his words had turned darker in context, Mandy observed that Satan’s face was still relaxed. She wasn’t sure if He wanted to make sure His people didn’t see Him agitated, or maybe He didn’t want Mandy herself to see Him disheveled due to a mere demon.
“He sacrificed his mortality for you,” Satan continued, clearly puzzled at such a choice. “And yet, you sacrificed yourself for his mortality. You both made sacrifices for the other when, ironically enough, none of it actually matters. I would have had you, even if you hadn’t chose to come to me. And Paul, now that he is mortal, will die because of it.” He chuckled, though the humor had yet to actually reach His eyes. “I love irony. It amuses me.” He paused and looked at her, waiting for her to say something.
When Mandy realized He meant for her to speak, she cleared her throat, hoping to buy time for herself to think of something to say that would convey what she was feeling without actually being a smartass about it. “I would have done it anyways,” she finally said, her voice soft and her eyes on her hand on his shoulder rather than in his eyes.
Satan pressed His lips together, arching a questioning brow as he regarded the young woman in His arms. “You are a very interesting woman,” He told her, and surprisingly enough, there was actual sincerity laced in his tone. “You realize that Paul has betrayed you, your heart, your love, and yet, you still love him, and you still would have given yourself for him.” Another pause as he looked at her, and then shrugged his shoulders elegantly. “Maybe one day you will come to love me that much.”
“Never.” The word was out of her mouth before she had the chance to stop it, but she didn’t particularly care.
Satan’s face tensed, and that arched brow seemed frozen in place. After what seemed like hours, he finally spoke. “Your love for him will die,” he stated. “Whether it’s sooner or later, it will die.”
Mandy shook her head. “No,” she said. “You don’t understand because you’ve never been in love. But love is immortal.”
Paul glanced at the watch he was wearing, trying to focus on the soft ticks rather than the fact that Mandy was currently dancing with his Creator. It relieved him to know that she didn’t seem to be enjoying at any point, and yet, he needed something else to focus on, to do in order to refrain from walking over to Satan Himself and prying Mandy out of His grip. Paul wanted nothing more than to grab the girl and get the hell out of dodge, but Bruce and Kelly persuaded him to wait until the opportune moment, and as of right now, that moment had yet to show up.
God, she looked beautiful. The dress was more than a little revealing, and Paul found himself both flustered and disgruntled at it – he really didn’t want other men looking at her in such a dress, but couldn’t exactly stop it, and she really did look beautiful in it – which was another reason why he had to look away. Paul didn’t want to stare at the couple, because if Satan felt that there was even a feather out of place, He would somehow know. And Paul didn’t want to get caught before this entire thing started.
But he couldn’t completely refrain from observing her. His eyes caught sight of the frustrated look in her eyes, a look that only he could probably read because she was being unusually reserved. Not that he could blame her, of course. Hell, he still couldn’t believe what she had done for him, but he wished she knew that mortality would mean nothing if she wasn’t there, sharing it with him.
At that moment, he watched as Satan leaned in to try and kiss Mandy. Paul felt his breath escape him – he was holding it, unsure of what to do if his worst fears were confirmed. They couldn’t have possibly consummated the relationship already, could t
hey? Kelly had assured him that that didn’t happen until once the ceremony commenced. Maybe Satan was just trying to test the waters when it came to Mandy, to see just what he could get away with when it concerned her.
Mandy, however, wanted no part kissing him, so she quickly turned her head at such an angle that Satan not only missed her lips, but also her cheek. He literally kissed the air. Paul’s eyes widened at the sight. He, of course, was proud, while simultaneously upset with Mandy. Satan didn’t like to be toyed with, and Paul was almost sure his Creator would reprimand her in some way.
However, all Satan did was throw His head back and laugh. The sound was not pleasant in the slightest. Paul couldn’t pull his eyes away from the sight, especially not when the Demon leaned in towards Mandy and whispered something that he couldn’t pick up. Paul watched as Mandy shut her eyes and clenched her jaw, and when Satan tried to kiss her again, she allowed.
Her eyes slid open at that moment, and they reveal that she was clearly not enjoying the experience. At that moment, Paul felt his heart jump in his throat upon seeing, feeling, Mandy lock eyes with him.
Twenty-Five
When Paul realized that Mandy had seen him, was locking eyes with him at this very moment, he couldn’t help but very subtly tilt his head in the direction of the hallway. What he was suggesting was dangerous to both of them, but Paul had to see her, had to feel her in his arms, and most importantly, had to figure out just what it was she was doing. He held his breath as he waited for Mandy to respond without giving any sort of indication that Paul was in the room. She glanced away as Satan broke away from the kiss and nodded a couple of times, giving Paul her answer while being as discreet as possible.
At that moment, receiving that answer, Paul couldn’t help but smile. He needed her to say yes, needed… Well, he needed her, if truth be told.
Killing by Captivation: A Gods & Monsters Prequel (Gods & Monsters Trilogy Book 0) Page 11