Demons Like It Hot

by Ayers, Sidney

  “I need a shower,” Serah mumbled, taking a whiff of her sauce-covered chef’s jacket. “I smell like I fell in a sewer.”

  “I called Kalli for cleanup.”

  “Thank you.”

  Matthias crossed his arms. “It wasn’t me, Serah. I swore to the Fore-Demons and Rafael that I would protect you. I might have done some reprehensible things in my past, but one thing I’ve never done is broken my word.”

  “Balthazar doesn’t seem to think so.”

  “I did what was asked. They were the ones who broke the vow.”

  “I’m still trying to understand why.”

  Matthias took a deep breath. “It’s complicated.” He took a seat next to her on the bed. “I don’t expect forgiveness. I wouldn’t forgive myself either.”

  “I just want the truth.” Serah sat up in the bed. “You owe me that at least.”

  “If I said you couldn’t handle the truth, would you understand?”

  “Sorry, that line’s already been used.” She reached down and slid a finger across a splash of sauce. “If I can handle a demon in a pot, I think I can handle what you’re hiding.”

  Matthias nodded. “I kidnapped you, but not for money. I was already planning on retiring before the Infernati contacted me.”

  “How noble of you. You did it for free.” Serah rolled her eyes. “Not a good way to get on my good side.”

  “I did not do it for free.”

  “Then what did you do it for? Notoriety?”

  “You said you wanted to know. Let me tell you.”

  “Fine. What did the Infernati have on you that was so bad you needed to kidnap a Pure-Blood?”

  “I didn’t know you were a Pure-Blood. I thought you were just the succubus’s friend.”

  “So that makes it okay?”

  “No. I am not saying that at all. If I knew their true intentions I would have turned down the mission.”

  “It still doesn’t make it right.”

  “I know!” He reached out and grabbed her hand. She should have pulled away, but instead she allowed him that one touch. “Let me explain.”

  “Okay. I won’t say another word, unless you ask.”

  Matthias nodded. “I was married before. I joined Emperor Frederick II in 1228 to go on his crusade.”

  “The Holy Roman Empire?” She had gone to Catholic school, after all.

  Matthias nodded. “I was raised near Münster, in modern-day Germany.”

  “Like the cheese?”

  Matthias scowled. “No, unfortunately not. Let me continue. My wife, she never told me she was with child.”

  Serah cringed as he told the story. How he’d taken a blade through his chest. How he thought an angel was taking him to the Promised Land. But it wasn’t an angel. She was a demon. She’d turned him into a demon for her own pleasure. Serah’s stomach roiled.

  Salome. She remembered the story from her years at Catholic school. It was only fitting that Salome would choose the Infernati in her demonic afterlife.

  “She showed me what the Paladins had done to my village. It had been burnt to the ground. My wife had been torn to pieces, she said. Then she told me about the babe. How she tried to save it.”

  But she had lied. Kalli had shown him the truth. How the villagers had been manipulated by the Infernati. How they tried to kill her. Kalli had shown him his wife’s final moments, how she eased her pain.

  But one thing disturbed Serah the most. The baby had been ripped from his mother, quite literally. She clenched her fists. Of all the sick and demented things she’d heard in her life, this had to be the worst.

  “I’d always believed the baby had died. I’d been conditioned to believe the Paladins had killed everyone in the village. The truth is, Salome killed Josephine and our child because I chose them instead of her.”

  “That’s disgusting.”

  “Kalli happened to be in the area and she saw the fire. The villagers attacked her as she rushed to my wife’s aid. Unfortunately, she was too late.” A tear crested along his eyelid, ready to drop. “Kalli had to burn the village. They’d been changed to animi mortui.”

  “Sorry, my Latin stinks.”

  “Dead souls—zombies.”

  Yuck! And here she thought zombies were only a voodoo creation. Who knew? “So what does all this have to do with kidnapping me?”

  “Salome never killed my son.”

  “She raised him as her own?”

  Matthias shrugged. “I haven’t any idea. Kalli said she’d tried tracking him for years, but she never found anything.”

  “And Kalli’s a pretty good tracker, from what I’ve heard.”

  “Salome can be pretty sneaky. She’s evaded quite a few trackers over the centuries. No one knows quite how she does it.”

  “Okay, so go on.”

  “Belial called me in. He knew I was planning on retiring. He told me he had an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

  Offers like that never boded well. “What sort of offer? Your prized horse’s head in your bed?”

  “I should have known something was amiss with that sort of offer, but I knew one thing. When Belial wants something, he gets it—one way or the other.”

  “What was the offer?”

  “I was to kidnap you or my only remaining descendant would die.”

  Serah’s heart plummeted. Her stomach heaved. She wasn’t sure she’d react any differently if she were in his shoes. “Oh.”

  “He said Salome had hidden the child so the Paladin couldn’t find him. I didn’t believe him at first. After all, Salome had told me they both had died.” Matthias sucked in a ragged breath. “But he had proof. He had the babe’s swaddling cloth and a toy Josephine and I had bought shortly after we were wed to prepare for the family we wanted.”

  “How horrible.”

  Matthias nodded. “I took the mission, but when I saw the mark on your hand, I knew what they were planning.”

  She looked down at her hand. She’d never seen the scar until after she and Lucy had opened the chest. It freaked her out. She hated it. “So when you found out I was the world’s biggest superhero, you decided to change sides?”

  “I was already planning to change sides.” Matthias pushed a curl off her brow. “You are more important to the world alive. If you died, the world could have died with you. If I saved you, I would also help save the world.”

  “Either that, or you’ve watched one too many episodes of Heroes.”

  “Is there a need to be so flippant?”

  “It’s just something I do. I think I’ve been hanging around Lucy too much.”

  “Lucy can be a tad sarcastic at times, huh?”

  Serah nodded. “She sure can. So you did this all to save the world, eh?”

  “Yes.” He sucked in a deep breath. “But there’s a part of me that did it for myself too, Serah.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “There’s something about you that draws me to you.” Matthias’s onyx eyes sparkled. “When I kissed you, I meant it.”

  Serah’s heart thudded. She didn’t have the guts to tell him she meant it too, even when he held her captive. Heck, he still held her captive. “I’m glad.”

  Matthias quirked a brow. “You’re glad?”

  “Yes,” Serah replied with a smile. “I like meaningful kisses.” God, she sounded so lame.

  “Why do you try to hide from your true nature?”

  Serah froze. Now that was a bomb she didn’t need him to drop right now. “Huh?”

  “I just bared my soul to you. I think it’s only fair that you do the same.”

  She gnawed her lip. Damn him for always making an excellent point. She’d been hiding all her life, it seemed. Nonni always kept her protected. She gulped.

  “The dream I mentioned to Kalli?”

  Matthias nodded. “I remember.”

  “It’s not a dream.”

  Matthias nodded. “I imagine it’s more of a nightmare. They are easily overcome.”


  “It’s not a nightmare either. It’s reality.” She took a deep breath. “I was young—just turned four. I don’t remember much, but what I do remember has haunted me my entire life.”

  “What happened?”

  “My family was visiting Nonni. We were all playing Candy Land. I had just passed Lord Licorice’s Castle.” She clasped her hands together and wrung her fingers. “Nonni was just about to draw a card when we heard a loud hiss.

  “I was about to ask what it was. Before I could, Nonni jumped up and grabbed me. She rolled into the closet and threw a blanket over us. Just then, the entire house exploded.

  “My parents weren’t so fortunate. They didn’t make it to safety in time. Nonni was my only living relative, so she took me in.

  “I remember hearing the fireman say it was a gas leak. Shortly after, Nonni packed up our remaining things, and we moved to Michigan.”

  “It wasn’t a gas leak.”

  Serah sucked in a ragged breath. “I figured as much. Especially the way Nonni packed up in the middle of the night. Later on, when I got older, I thought maybe she was hiding from the mob.” Serah snickered. “We are Italian, after all.”

  “If only it were the Mafia. Your chances would have been better.”

  “Thanks for boosting my confidence.”

  “But you still haven’t answered my question. Why do you keep denying your destiny? The world needs you.”

  “I’m not a hero. I’m not that smart. I do dumb things. I gave my half-demon friend a cursed chest, after all.”

  “You put it in safe hands, from what I can tell.”

  “I helped destroy her shop. If it weren’t for Kalli, Lucy’s shop would still be under water.”

  “Things happen for a reason. There are no coincidences.”

  “I killed Nonni.”

  Matthias blinked. “What do you mean? I was told she died of a stroke. Hardly something that you could have caused.”

  “It was the day of my birthday. Usually I spent the evening with Nonni, playing cards and watching old movies.” She wiped tears from her cheek. “Nonni called and said I didn’t have to come if I didn’t want to. She knew someone had given me tickets to a concert and she didn’t want me to miss my favorite band. I felt guilty the whole time. I didn’t enjoy the concert at all.”

  “What happened?”

  “The hospital called me. Nonni had a stroke and was on life support.” Serah couldn’t stop the tears. They fell from her lids, down her cheeks. She gulped. “I stayed by her bedside. I never gave up hope. But Nonni had always told me she never wanted to live like that. So, when the doctors told me there was nothing more they could do, I had them turn off the machines.

  “She said to me once that if she wasn’t able to see me through to my destiny, she’d find a way. I guess this is her way.” Serah reached down and ran her fingertips across the locket.

  “Your Nonni loved you very much. You’re lucky to have had her.” Matthias ran his hand across her forehead.

  “I can’t help but think that there’s more.” She brushed her fingertip across the locket, one stone jiggling at her touch. “Oh no. A stone’s loose.”

  “Huh?”

  “One of the diamonds. It’s loose.” She wiggled her finger over the stone, just like a kid would wiggle her first loose tooth. The stone popped out. Serah caught the diamond in her hand.

  All of a sudden the locket flew open. “What the hell?” God, she was really starting to hate that expression.

  “There’s something inside,” Matthias said, pointing to the now-open locket.

  Serah took the locket and turned it over. On one side was a picture of her mother. On the other side, a folded piece of paper. Serah took out the paper. Behind it was a picture of her father. Shaking her head, she brushed her fingertips across their photos—the only reminder she had of them.

  Unfolding the paper, she breathed in deeply. She squinted to read the ornate print.

  “Damn it, Nonni. You know I can’t read Latin.”

  “Do you need me to translate?”

  Serah nodded. She went to hand the letter to Matthias, until she caught a glimpse of some of the words.

  “Wait.” On second thought, maybe she didn’t need a translator after all. Tracing her fingertips across the words, she read. “Actually, I don’t!”

  The key is in your hand. Stand Watch and Face your fears.

  “The key is in my hand?” Serah groaned. “Stand watch and face my fears?” Her Nonni couldn’t have been any more cryptic. It was her specialty. Sadly enough, Serah missed it.

  “Can I have a look?”

  “Have at it.” She handed him the scrawled note. “I’m as clueless as I was before the locket opened.”

  She glanced down at the locket, looking at the tiny hole where the stone once fit. Picking the stone up with her fingertips, she placed it in the empty socket. The locket snapped shut and locked.

  “It’s the key!”

  “What?”

  “The stone.” She brushed her fingertips across the stone again. It loosened and fell, the locket snapping back open. “See?”

  Matthias nodded. He plucked the stone from Serah’s hand and looked closer. “There are two tiny prongs at the bottom. Not visible to the human eye.”

  She took the stone back and held it up to the light. Sure enough, two silver prongs jutted from the setting. “But how come I can see them?”

  “Let me rephrase: They are not visible to the normal human eye.”

  “Of course,” she said with a snort. “But what does ‘stand watch and face your fears’ mean?” Serah threw up her hands. “I’m stumped.”

  Matthias reached up and snatched her wrist, his hand encircling her watch. “Your grandmother was clever.”

  “Huh?”

  Matthias pointed at the W on the slip of paper. “Look. Watch is capitalized.” He then moved to the F. “And so is face, but none of the other words are written that way.”

  “I hate to blow a hole in your theory, but my grandmother wasn’t very good at grammar.”

  Matthias shook his head. “I think it was deliberate.” He examined her watch. “There.” He pointed to a spot on the watch. “See the gap there?”

  Serah glanced down to where Matthias pointed. A tiny spot, but it was still large enough for the stone to fit. She took the stone and placed it in the gap. It snapped into place.

  The watch face creaked open, revealing another compartment. Serah glanced inside. Sure enough, there was another folded piece of paper. She reached in and plucked it out. “Another note, it appears.”

  She unfolded it and began to read.

  My Dear Seraphina,

  Let me start out by saying how incredibly sorry I am that I left you without answers. I thought I was protecting you. My time is drawing near and I don’t want to keep you in the dark any longer. I just hope it isn’t too late.

  You have now discovered the key to unlock your destiny. I wish it didn’t have to be this way. I wish I had made different choices. After the fire, I decided to run. I thought that keeping you hidden was the only way to protect you. I was wrong.

  As you have already figured out, you have special abilities, as do I, and your great-grandmother before me. It is believed that we have a rather angelic ancestry. Every female born from this line has had these powers. I tried to mask ours and hide in the shadows, but I now see how wrong that was.

  I know you enjoy your uncomplicated life. But life needs to be lived to its fullest. And sometimes complications help us grow to become better people.

  You are destined for great things. I do not want you to have regrets, as I did. Claim your destiny. Do not cower in fear.

  Love,

  Nonni

  “Wow.” She handed Matthias the note. “Apparently an angel is my great-great-great-a couple times over great-grandmother.”

  Matthias shook his head, a wide smirk curving his lips. “I knew there was a reason Minerva took such an interest in you. Angels are
known for their wisdom.”

  “Looks like you and my grandmother have a lot in common.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You both were trying to save your only descendants.”

  “There’s one difference.”

  “What?”

  “She’s going to succeed.”

  Serah’s heart clenched. In all the excitement, she’d forgotten that he’d given up his descendant for her. “Oh God, I’m so sorry.”

  Matthias shook his head, brushing her tears from her cheeks. “Don’t be sorry. I made this decision, not you.”

  “I know, but it still must be hard for you.”

  “I told Balthazar that I’d risk my remaining blood if it meant saving the world from the Infernati. I still feel that way.” He’d sucked in a long breath. “Sure, it hurts that I will see my lineage die, but the world will be a better place.”

  “There has to be a way to save them.”

  “That’s the problem. I don’t even know if this descendant is male or female. And Belial and Balthazar weren’t that forthcoming with information. I don’t even know if what they told me was true.”

  She had to do something for him. She felt in her heart that this descendant did exist. He risked his life to protect her. She owed him something. “I know they’re out there, Matthias. I can feel it.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying that we’re going to save the world… your descendant included.”

  Chapter 32

  “I don’t even know where to start. They could be anywhere in the world.”

  “You have something that belongs to them.”

  “What?”

  “This.” She reached out and traced her fingertip across the pendant dangling from Matthias’s neck. “It belonged to your wife, so it would belong to your descendants after her death.”

  “Kalli said she tried tracking the child for several years after the incident.”

  “Even you said Salome was sneaky, but one thing may have changed. Maybe the descendant is far away from her. Maybe Kalli will have better luck now.”