Where Demons Fear to Tread

by Stephanie Chong

  “What a pity the game has to end so quickly,” Corbin said, pretending to be dismayed. “Let’s at least make it interesting.”

  “Call it or fold,” Julian said, irritated by the other man’s delaying tactics.

  “You’re anxious to leave, I see. Perhaps we need to bet something more meaningful than money to make tonight memorable. Something truly precious. I’ll bet the deed to the hotel.” As casually as though he were scribbling a grocery list, he wrote a note on a marker, tossed it into the pile. He sat back and folded his arms, waiting for Julian to react.

  That piece of paper called to Julian. It beckoned him. If Julian won the hotel, Devil’s Ecstasy would be entirely his, free from Corbin’s demands, unencumbered by the older demon’s influences. The quickest way out of his obligations to the hotelier was to become the hotelier. Julian would have a shot at living a clean life, without crime, without evil.

  Maybe one day…after centuries of atonement…a life with Serena.

  “What are you willing to risk?” Corbin asked, the tone of temptation infusing his voice. “What do you have to bet that rivals the Lussuria?”

  Julian swallowed, knowing full well what he was after. But he was unwilling to give Corbin that satisfaction. Not without a fight. So he said, “Devil’s Ecstasy.”

  Corbin sat back in his chair, crossed his arms. “But your club is in my hotel, so I practically own it already. What’s more, it hardly matches the value of my hotel. You’ve got to wager something proportionate. That’s how poker works, old friend. We each bet something of equal value.”

  Unfazed by Corbin’s condescending snarl, Julian told him, “I own clubs across the country. Take your pick.”

  The other demon shook his head, sending a pointed glance at the empty chair where Serena had been sitting earlier. “Spare me the list of your other possessions. There’s nothing I don’t have except for one thing,” Corbin said. He leaned across the table and said, “The girl.”

  Julian glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure she hadn’t returned to the room. Mercifully, there was no sign of her. “Never. I don’t own her.”

  Corbin’s lips twisted into a smile. He didn’t bother to hide it. Maybe he couldn’t. “You own one more night with her.”

  “This entire hotel against one night with Serena.” Julian smiled. “That’s ridiculous.”

  They both knew it was not. Hotels could be built. Within a matter of months, given the right amount of money. If Julian won this one, Corbin would simply build another hotel down the Strip. And he could have it fully constructed by the winter, if he wanted to.

  What Corbin really offered wasn’t simply a chance at winning this property. If Julian won, his relationship with Corbin would be severed forever. If he lost, it wasn’t just his relationship with Serena that would be destroyed. It was Serena herself.

  “No.” Julian stood to leave.

  Corbin shrugged, leaning his arms against the poker table. “What a pity. I’m giving you the chance to save her. Considering that I’m going to take her anyway once you’re done with her.” He spread his hands on the green baize of the gaming table, smoothing them over the fabric covering as though he were stroking the skin of a woman’s body.

  Julian’s mouth went dry. The thought of Corbin’s hands on Serena’s skin sent blood pounding through his temples. He could feel the pressure in his veins and arteries increasing, pressing to the limit. “You wouldn’t.”

  “Why not? She’s fair game.”

  “You and I are business partners,” Julian ground out. “She’s under my protection.”

  Corbin merely shrugged and smiled. “All’s fair in love and war, my friend. Play me for her. At least then she’ll have a fighting chance at survival.”

  Survival? What in hell’s name did he intend to do to her? Julian’s hands tightened into fists. He was ready to explode over the table and beat Corbin to a pulp. Behind him, he heard the Gatekeepers stir.

  “I’m simply giving you a choice. Just as you pride yourself in giving others their choices,” Corbin said.

  But when it came down to it, there was no choice at all, Julian realized.

  “All right.” Julian sat, trying to contain his rage. He cursed Corbin. He cursed himself. He should have let the angel go long ago, when he had the chance, and damn the consequences. Should not have brought her into this, left prey to the many dangers her beauty attracted, himself among those dangers.

  He scribbled her name on a piece of paper and tossed it onto the pile. As it slipped from his fingers, he could feel his heart tumbling with it, landing to rest atop the pile of cash and poker chips.

  “One more condition,” Corbin announced. “We bet on a single new hand. Sudden death. Winner takes all.”

  “Fine. I want a new dealer. And a new pack of cards,” Julian insisted.

  “You, Gatekeeper,” Corbin said, snapping his fingers in Simon’s direction. “Come here and deal.”

  “A neutral dealer. Someone who doesn’t work for you,” Julian said.

  “Every dealer in this house works for me,” Corbin said in a low rumble. “Every croupier, bouncer and cocktail waitress. Every hotel clerk, porter and busboy. This is my domain. You will not find a soul on this property who is not partial to me. Harry’s your man,” he said, jerking his chin in the direction of Julian’s manager. “And the girl is already half in love with you.”

  There was no way to argue with Corbin, so Simon took a seat at the table. They were cheating, and Julian knew it. Lame fury seized his entrails and wrenched. Was he going to sit here and let Corbin cheat him out of the only thing that mattered to him?

  “You’re losing your poker face, my boy.” Corbin laughed. He toyed with a stack of chips, the clinking sound grating on Julian’s nerves as the ivory discs dropped against each other.

  Julian said nothing. He began to sweat, wondering if Corbin could see the tiny beads of moisture forming on Julian’s upper lip, his forehead.

  “Deal a single hand,” Corbin told Simon. “Best hand wins.”

  He picked up his cards. So it had come to this. Julian sat for a moment, staring at the pair of jacks and the pair of fives in his hand. Lady Luck had deserted him.

  Corbin laid his own hand on the table. “Royal flush.”

  Impossible. The odds of drawing a royal flush on a single hand of poker were astronomical. Julian stared at the cards fanned neatly on the table: ten, jack, queen, king, ace of diamonds. The face cards smirked, their subtle smiles taunting. Julian’s hand could not beat Corbin’s royal flush. Nothing could.

  Julian did not bother to show his cards, but instead placed them facedown on the table. He would not walk away. Even if Corbin threw him into the deepest pit in hell, he would fight to his last breath. He would protect Serena with every ounce of strength he had.

  “You’re cheating,” he said flatly.

  At the other end of the table, Corbin rose. “How dare you,” he snarled. “I won her fair and square. I’m going to enjoy her, not only because she’s fresh, nubile angel flesh, but also because I won her from you.”

  Raising his chin, Julian stared straight into those dark glasses. “You’re cheating, and you know it.”

  “You lost. Too bad, my friend.” Corbin picked up a poker chip from the table, flipped it so that it landed in front of Julian. “Take this. Consolation for a game well played. Walk away now, if you know what’s good for you.”

  “There’s too much at stake. I’m calling your bluff, Corbin.”

  “Your nightclub is on my property. I could ruin you. Not only here on earth, but in the bowels of the underworld. If you want to spend the rest of eternity living out your darkest nightmares, keep it up.”

  Julian folded his arms across his chest.

  On all sides, the Gatekeepers loomed, waiting for Julian to make a move. If he showed the slightest hint of aggression toward Corbin, they would jump him. But he would not walk away. There must be some way he could protect Serena. Or perish trying.<
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  His brain churned as he sat and stared at Corbin, the malice seeping from behind the other demon’s dark glasses. Corbin would destroy Serena, and they both knew it.

  Julian did something he hadn’t done in centuries. He began to pray, and not to the devil this time. Not for the hotel—he could care less about Corbin’s palace of sin. Nor did he pray for himself—he was a lost cause and he knew it.

  He prayed for Serena. He prayed like he’d prayed for his dying mother and his baby sister, those centuries ago, as he had knelt on the wooden floor of his aunt’s Spartan cottage. Right then and there, he made a bargain with God. Lord, if you help me keep Serena safe, I swear, I will let her go.

  Corbin reached for the piece of paper from the center of the table with Serena’s name on it.

  It was then that Simon cleared his throat and spoke. “Julian’s right. Corbin’s cheating. He marked the cards.”

  Corbin towered over the Gatekeeper, his face contorting into a mask of fury. “How dare you accuse me. You will be severely punished for this.”

  “We fixed the decks before dealing,” Simon blurted, backing away. “He didn’t get that royal flush by chance. He used ink that can only been seen with those glasses.”

  Julian studied Simon’s face carefully. Was he telling the truth? Or was this part of some elaborate plot Corbin had schemed up?

  Between the two demons, which one to believe? Simon or Corbin?

  His gut said Simon. Standing over his minion, the old Archdemon’s face flushed deep red. To cross him meant risking everything, Julian realized. But that risk was his only choice.

  “I believe you, Simon,” Julian concluded finally, his voice calm but firm.

  Corbin let out a short bark of laughter. “It’s his word against mine. Both of you boys are out of your league.”

  “There’s a simple way of proving this. Give me the glasses, Corbin,” Julian said.

  “Go fuck yourself, you insubordinate jackass. This is mutiny,” the older man spat.

  The other Gatekeepers tensed nearby, ready to intervene. “Whose command do you obey?” Corbin barked at them. “Take him!”

  But they didn’t move. Like Simon, it appeared that the others had also endured enough torture at Corbin’s hands. Julian drew himself to his full height. “No need for this to get ugly. Just give me the glasses and we’ll settle this like gentlemen.”

  The older demon launched himself across the table at Julian, sending chips and money flying into the air. Julian hated to fight, but he knew how to defend himself. Corbin came at him. Julian deflected him easily to one side. Corbin whirled, managing to sucker punch Julian in the gut, winding him momentarily. There was no holding back now. Julian threw one punch to Corbin’s windpipe. The older demon was laid out on the floor, struggling to breathe.

  Julian picked up the glasses. If he was wrong about this, Corbin would never forgive him. Not only would Julian lose the investment and effort he’d put into Devil’s Ecstasy, but he would be discredited and disgraced before the entire hierarchy of demons. He would lose the respect of the Gatekeepers. He would never be able to function as an Archdemon again.

  And Serena would be lost, destined for certain destruction at Corbin’s hands.

  His hand shook as he put the glasses on. He fished some cards out of the clutter on the table. At first, it didn’t seem like they were marked. Perhaps he had made a mistake. His heart began to race, his palms sweated. He turned the cards over, searching for a sign.

  Then, as he examined the cards more closely, he saw that Simon was right. In the corner of the face cards, there was a tiny mark on the bottom left of each card. Marks that could only be seen with these glasses. He whipped the glasses off, handed them to the nearest Gatekeeper to verify.

  “I knew you were cheating,” Julian said, exhaling finally. He looked down at Corbin, squirming on the floor.

  “You don’t realize what you’ve just done,” Corbin snarled. “You’ve started a war. Over that whore of an angel.”

  “I should kill you.”

  “You can’t. We still answer to the same master. I am still his second in command. Kill me, and you’ll spend the rest of your days in the deepest reaches of hell.”

  Julian sighed. “I don’t want to fight with you, Corbin. I don’t even want the hotel. But leave Serena alone. I want to hear it from your lips. Say it. Promise me you won’t harm a hair on her head.”

  “Take the hotel. It’s yours. You’ve won it fair and square, haven’t you?” Corbin snarled. “But that whore of yours had better watch her back.”

  Julian increased the pressure of his foot on Corbin’s neck. “You dare threaten her? I really should kill you.” On the floor, Corbin started to choke. Julian refused to let up. Let the demon die if he wasn’t willing to promise Serena’s safety.

  Corbin flailed, waving his arms. Julian released his foot ever so slightly. “Fine,” the old demon choked. “I won’t…harm her.”

  Julian released the pressure slightly. “How do I know your word is worth a damn?”

  Corbin grasped his neck, coughing and spluttering. “Trust me. We’ve been working together for quite some time, old chap. I swear it on my honor as a demon. I will not hurt Serena.”

  Why would Corbin honor his word, given what had occurred tonight? But Julian had little choice. If he didn’t find some way to let Corbin go, he would have to find some way to either keep him in captivity, or kill him. There would be hell to pay for that, quite literally.

  “You have no honor. I want your promise in writing. A blood contract,” Julian said.

  The older demon winced, but nodded his assent. Julian let him up. Watched as Corbin requested a clean sheet of paper, a pen, scribbled out a sentence and handed it to Julian for approval.

  I, Corbin Ranulfson, hereby swear never to harm Serena St. Clair.

  Julian nodded, then watched as Corbin signed his name. Taking a pocketknife from one of the Gatekeepers, the beaten demon slit his index finger and smeared scarlet on the page over his name.

  He had executed the most extreme bond a demon could give, a contract sealed in blood. The blood contract carried dire consequences for any demon who dared to break it. It ought to be insurance enough. In addition, Julian would keep a close watch over Corbin. And assign a detail of Gatekeepers to guard Serena. Never let Corbin get close to her again.

  Corbin brushed off his clothes, straightened his suit jacket. With the same remote smile he always wore, he said, “See you around.”

  Julian’s poker hand lay facedown on the table where he’d left it. Corbin flipped it over and laughed. He strode toward the doors, passing Serena on the way out. He laughed and told her, “Julian lost you on a pair of jacks.”

  Then he was gone.

  Julian stood, amazed. He had worked for years to partner with Corbin. Now he owned the Lussuria. Strangely, he didn’t care about any of it, the material trappings, his newly gained power. All that mattered was that Serena was safe.

  “Thank you,” Julian said to the Gatekeepers, as they were about to walk out of the room.

  “I didn’t do it entirely for your sake. I did for myself, and all the other Gatekeepers who worked for him. He treated us like shit,” Simon said. His gaze slid toward Serena. “And I did it for her. Even though she gave me the worst headache of my life, she didn’t deserve to wind up with Corbin.”

  What wouldn’t a man do for her? It was no wonder that Simon had risked his life to protect her. Corbin had lost his hotel because of her. Julian had made a fool of himself over her, staking everything that he had, everything he was.

  He had one more day with her, and that was all. He had not forgotten the bargain he’d made with God, who had failed him on every occasion but this one. Julian had sworn he would let her go, and he would honor that promise.

  “A pair of jacks,” Serena said, her voice flat. “I don’t even play cards, and I know those odds are not good. What did he mean when he said you lost me?”

  Julian
pulled her into an embrace so tight it cut off her breath entirely for a moment before he eased back, looking straight into her eyes with such openness that she forgot all her anger. “Don’t ask. Please don’t ask. I’ve been through hell tonight. Serena, I would never willingly risk your safety. I hope you know that by now. Come. We’re going to enjoy our last twenty-four hours together. I want to dance with you again before I let you go.”

  She hated him. She loved him. He was unbearable. He was addictive.

  Then she realized that none of it mattered. She only had one more night with this man, and after that, she would return to her usual life, without distractions. Without passion. Without Julian.

  As they crossed the lobby, the Gatekeepers bowed to Julian as he passed by.

  “Is there something you’re not telling me?” Serena asked.

  “I won the hotel from Corbin while you were gone. He won’t be bothering us anymore,” he said, in the banal tone he used to cover deeper emotions. “News seems to spread through the staff like wildfire.”

  The king is dead. Long live the king. Those were the words that floated into her consciousness. By the time she tried to figure out where they had come from, they had already passed, drifting back out of her mind as they entered the doors of Devil’s Ecstasy.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Devil’s Ecstasy was cavernous, deserted. Less than a week had passed, but it seemed like a lifetime ago that they’d last danced together in the eerie emptiness of this luxurious space. Serena waited in the dark, illuminated only by the glittery light reflecting from a disco ball hanging high above the dance floor. Julian disappeared into the DJ booth, and within moments an old recording of Elvis played over the sound system.

  “Come and take a turn around the dance floor,” Julian said, holding out his hand toward her. They drifted into the empty space, and the music washed over them. She knew the song well. “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Elvis sang of fools rushing in. If fools rush in where angels fear to tread, where do demons fear to tread? she wondered. Then it hit her.