Undeniably Hellbound

by Cassandra Lawson

  “Very much so,” he murmured. “I think it would be best if we leave now.”

  “You’re no fun,” I teased as I grabbed my bag and keys.

  Dev chuckled. “I promise to show you how much fun I can be another time,” he assured me as he took my keys and locked the door for me. “Where are we going tonight?”

  “It’s a little late for my food truck plan,” I replied. “There are plenty still open, but not the ones I was hoping to introduce you to. Neither of our schedules were right for it today. There’s a great taqueria not far from here. They make the most amazing burritos. Persephone says their chorizo is great.”

  “Chorizo?” he asked, looking confused.

  “You don’t spend much time in the human realm, do you?” I asked as we walked out to Dev’s car.

  “No,” he replied. “The older I get, the less time I spend here. It’s changed quite a bit. The word is vaguely familiar.”

  “How old are you?” I asked.

  “I’m not sure,” he admitted.

  “You weren’t one of Lucifer’s original fallen angels, were you?” I asked. It had never occurred to me that Dev could be one of those fallen angels. I’d heard they all lost their compassion with age. Evie had also told me that the older the fallen angel, the more annoyingly sexist they were. She’d learned that from her time with Rainer.

  “I’m not one of Lucifer’s original angels,” he assured me. “I promise to tell you all about my heritage another time.”

  “Why not now?” I pushed.

  “I don’t want to discuss my life in Hell this soon in our relationship,” he explained. “It’s not a pleasant topic.”

  “Is it really horrible?” I asked. “I’ve only been to the sex demon areas, so that’s all I have to base my opinion on.”

  He paused to consider his response. “In some ways, it’s not nearly as bad as you might think. There are nice places. Some are truly amazing. In other ways, it’s more horrific than you could imagine. There is violence that many consider the norm. I promise we’ll talk about this later. For now, let’s go to dinner.”

  “Fair enough,” I agreed as I settled into the passenger’s seat of his car.

  Chapter 19

  Lucifer

  I was relieved when Beatrice didn’t push for more details about my life in the demon realm. It was easier to avoid lying to her this way. I already felt bad about the lies I was telling her. Normally, I didn’t give a damn who I lied to. Being labeled the Father of all Lies didn’t bother me. I live in Hell and deal with the worst kinds of demons and fallen angels on a daily basis. It affects my sense of morality.

  Since I wanted more with Beatrice, I was trying. She wasn’t one of those witches who didn’t see the bad in the world. Many preferred to remain sheltered from anything outside the witch community. They viewed the world with rose-colored glasses and avoided any unpleasantness. Beatrice hadn’t lived a sheltered life. She’d seen horrific things, but she was still innocent in many ways—compared to me, at least.

  “How was your day?” I asked. That seemed like a safe topic.

  “Interesting,” she replied. “I’m still amazed that so many witches want to hire me to work with their familiars.”

  “Why?” I asked. “You have a unique talent, and witches love their familiars like children.”

  “That’s true, but familiars are incredibly gossipy,” she explained. “I’m mostly surprised these witches trust me alone with their familiars who could tell me anything.”

  “I can see how that would be stressful. I didn’t know familiars were like that,” I remarked. My Hellhounds loved to gossip, too. Luckily, few people understood them.

  “I’d expected them to worry more about me telling others what I hear, even though I’m not very involved in the witch community,” she added. “I’m sure some witches won’t bring their familiars to me because of that fear.”

  “Don’t you have a confidentiality agreement?” I asked. I wasn’t certain what the rules were when it came to counseling familiars, but I knew human and witch counselors had rules about disclosing what was shared in sessions.

  “Not officially,” she replied. “It’s more like an agreement between me and my patients. The familiars don’t want me to share what they tell me. While they may not care if I tell others the latest gossip they heard, they don’t want others hearing about why they’re seeing me.”

  “Do you share with their witches?” I asked. “I can’t imagine they don’t ask what you discuss in sessions. Or do they stay in the room with their familiars?”

  “I only allow a witch in the room if their familiar requests it. I’ve had a few witches fire me over that policy, but I have to make it all about their familiars. Most understand. They still ask what we’ve talked about,” she added. “Sometimes, it gets frustrating. They don’t get that if I start telling them what happens in the sessions, their familiars won’t trust me.”

  “How long have you been working with familiars like this?” I asked.

  “For about five years, but I only had a few clients until recently,” she replied.

  “What changed?” I asked. “I get the feeling you didn’t suddenly decide you wanted to spend more time with witches.”

  “No, but I don’t avoid them as much as I used to. I recently met a few who don’t judge me for my station,” she replied.

  “Like your friend, Persephone?” I asked.

  “Surprisingly, she’s done a lot to help me build my client list,” she said with a laugh.

  “Why is that so surprising?” I asked. “She strikes me as a witch who talks to everyone she meets.” While I hadn’t talked to Persephone much, it had been enough to realize she was naturally open and friendly. She’d be the type to tell others about her friend’s talent, and I suspected, with her upbeat attitude, she had many friends.

  “Persephone grew up away from witch society, so she knows very few witches,” she explained. “This is her first time seeing most preternatural creatures.”

  That explained why Persephone also didn’t recognize me.

  “Where did she live?” I asked.

  “With humans,” she replied. “Her parents homeschooled her. They also handled her witch training.”

  “It’s strange that her parents kept her away from witch society,” I mused. Even witches at the lower end of the hierarchy wanted their children trained at proper schools, or so I’d heard. I’d never heard of a witch being kept completely separate from other witches. There were cases of half-witch children living with their non-witch family. We had half-witches living in the demon realm, but most still attended witch schools.

  “I’m not sure I understand their reasoning,” she replied thoughtfully. “Persephone doesn’t even seem to understand their reasoning. I guess they decided right after her birth to move to a small town in the middle of nowhere. They aren’t happy she’s living among witches now. Demons and fallen angels frighten them the most. I’ve been around when she’s getting a phone lecture about the dangers of fallen angels.”

  That made things even more interesting, and it made me wonder if she might be the one Hades was looking for—not that I’d tell him about her yet. Having met Persephone, I wondered if I should ever mention her to Hades. She was sweet and innocent of the evils of the world. Hades was more jaded than I was. Surely, fate wouldn’t put someone like Persephone with my cousin.

  “What are you thinking about?” Beatrice asked as she studied me.

  I shook my head to clear my thoughts. “Nothing,” I assured her, laughing at her expression of irritation. “I was thinking how odd it is that you’re dating a fallen angel when your roommate’s parents fear them so much. I’m also wondering what experiences they’ve had to make them have such negative feelings about fallen angels. Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of reasons to fear my kind, but their reaction seems rather extreme.”

  She shrugged as I parked the car. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

  “Are yo
u sure this is the right place?” I asked, eying the decrepit restaurant.

  Beatrice laughed at my expression. “I thought you’d be happy since you get to avoid food trucks today.”

  “I’m not sure this is an improvement,” I told her.

  The little shack on the corner needed new paint, and the seats outside had seen better days. The inside wasn’t much better, with faded red booths and a line of people waiting to order at the counter. At least, the food smelled good, and the place looked clean.

  “The food is fantastic here,” she assured me.

  “How long have you been coming here?” I asked.

  “About ten years,” she replied. Her smile was so bright, I found myself unable to look away. “Actually, it’s been longer than ten years. I used to come here when I was still in high school. Whenever I had a little extra money, I’d come out here for lunch. I love this place.”

  The prices were on the low side, especially compared to the places I usually dined at. Still, I couldn’t remember ever finding such pleasure in food. “I’m looking forward to dinner,” I admitted, hoping to experience some of the pleasure Beatrice did in this place.

  She snorted. “Yeah, right. I know this isn’t your speed. I still think you’ll like it.”

  “I truly am looking forward to it,” I assured her. “Your excitement is contagious.”

  She laughed and said, “I’ve never had anyone tell me that before.”

  “You usually try to hide your reactions,” I pointed out.

  Her smile faded. “It was safer that way when I was growing up,” she said quietly.

  “Sorry,” I began. “I’m not trying to bring up painful memories. I just meant that, when you allow yourself to find joy in things, it is a thing of beauty. I long to experience that beauty with you.”

  “You’re getting quite poetic, Dev,” she teased. “Way too cheesy.”

  My lips twitched. “I act differently around you.”

  “And I act differently around you,” she added. “So, what are you going to order?”

  “I’m not sure,” I replied as I studied the menu. “What do you recommend?”

  “I always get a vegetarian burrito, but you don’t strike me as the type to go without meat,” she remarked.

  “There is no reason to go without meat,” I insisted.

  “Try telling that to the animals,” was her response. “I’ve spoken to most types of animals, except cows. I haven’t met a cow familiar yet, so I still don’t feel too guilty eating burgers and steaks. It’s hard to eat animals who’ve told you how upsetting it is to them.”

  “What about chickens?” I asked. “Surely, witches don’t have chickens as familiars.”

  “I used to think the same thing,” she replied. “In high school, I met two witches with chickens as familiars. I still eat meat from time to time, but not as often. I love bacon. It’s one of my favorite foods, but I can’t stomach it since one of my patients is a pig.”

  “I can see how that might make you feel guilty about bringing a BLT for lunch,” I remarked playfully.

  We reached the front of the line, and Beatrice looked over at me. “Shall I order for you?”

  “Be my guest,” I replied.

  She placed our orders before we went off to find a table while we waited.

  “Since you ordered it for me, it seems you should tell me what chorizo is,” I told her.

  “You probably don’t want to know what’s in chorizo any more than I want to know what kind of meat they serve in the demon realm,” she replied. Considering what was served in some demon run establishments, I was certain I could handle knowing what was in chorizo, but I decided not to argue the point.

  “Maybe we should go to a restaurant in the demon realm for our next date,” Beatrice suggested.

  “No!” I replied quickly. Hell was the last place I wanted to take Beatrice before I told her the truth about who I was.

  Beatrice’s brow furrowed at my reaction. “Why are you so determined to keep me from seeing or talking about the demon realm? Don’t give me the same line you did earlier. After the way you reacted, I get the feeling there’s some other reason you don’t want me there.”

  Chapter 20

  Beatrice

  I watched Dev’s expression carefully as I waited for his response.

  He opened his mouth to speak before closing it and running his fingers through his hair. “I work in the detention areas,” he finally began. “I’m there more frequently than many other fallen angels.”

  “That doesn’t sound pleasant,” I remarked.

  He shrugged. “It’s not usually terrible, but it’s far from date conversation. That’s part of the reason I didn’t want to discuss my life in the demon realm. I’m also a fallen angel.”

  “I know,” I replied. “You make it sound like that’s a problem.”

  “It can be,” he stated. “Most witches make the mistake of believing we’re another type of demon. We go out of our way to make others believe that since the truth isn’t pretty. We’re scorned by other angels and have gone to war with them more than once. When humans say fallen angels are evil, that’s not completely true. It’s partly propaganda to make other angels look good. None of us are truly good.”

  “I still don’t see what this has to do with me not going to the demon realm,” I insisted.

  “If you go to the demon realm with me, people will talk about us being together,” he began. “That will bring our relationship to the attention of those who might want to hurt you to get to me.”

  I shrugged. “It’s too late to worry about that now since an angel already saw us together.”

  He blew out a frustrated breath. “That’s an even bigger problem, but we may be okay since he doesn’t know who you are or where you live. Still, I fucked up, Beatrice.”

  “How?” I asked.

  “It never occurred to me that angels might see us together,” he admitted.

  I shrugged. “Who cares if they see us together? I know angels are nothing to mess with. Even though I didn’t take any classes on angels in school, I learned a little about them. Can I ask you a question?”

  “Sure,” he replied hesitantly.

  “Why can all preternatural beings see fallen angels, but they can only see regular angels when those angels choose to be seen?” I asked.

  “It was Lucifer’s decree that fallen angels be visible to others,” he replied. “He didn’t want fallen angels becoming as out of touch with others within the preternatural community as angels have. Your ability to see angels puts you in a great deal of danger.”

  “You mentioned that,” I told him. “My mom completely freaked out when I saw that angel as a child.”

  “With good reason,” he added.

  “At the time, I thought she could see him, too,” I explained. “Now, I realize that I may have been mistaken.”

  “It’s possible she also saw him,” he stated.

  I shook my head. “I’ve replayed her reaction several times in my mind since yesterday. I’m sure she couldn’t see him. We never talked about it after that day. She made me promise to never tell anyone I’d seen the angel.”

  “Good,” he began. “It would have been safer for you if she’d told you that only you could see the angel and explained the danger it put you in.”

  “I doubt my mom gave a damn about the danger I was in,” I muttered. “My parents are selfish. There were only a handful of times when they seemed genuinely worried about me. When my brother was trying to kill me, they acted concerned. It’s always possible I imagined their concern.”

  “You deserve better,” he said softly.

  “We don’t always get what we deserve, right?” I asked with a smile.

  “I suppose you’re right,” he agreed.

  “Why else don’t you want me going to the demon realm?” I pushed.

  He raised an eyebrow at my question. “Haven’t I given you enough reasons?”

  “There’s more to i
t,” I insisted.

  “I’m looking for your brother,” he replied softly.

  “It shouldn’t be hard to find him,” I said nervously before realizing that if Dev was looking for him, Desmond was missing. “Did he escape?” My words came out as little more than a whisper.

  He took my hand before responding. “The detention area he’s housed in is nothing like witch or human prisons. There are many places to hide.”

  “But he could have escaped,” I insisted. “That could be how he got a phone to call me.”

  “Smuggled items are a problem in all prisons,” he explained. “There are phones, weapons, and drugs in the demon realm detention areas. We’re only worried about your brother’s disappearing act because he’s a warlock. It’s much harder for a warlock to survive and make the kind of friends needed to get his hands on a phone.”

  I smiled and nodded. “You don’t think a warlock could hold his own in a demon realm prison.”

  “Not this one,” he replied. “I’m not insulting witches, but the demons in this prison are the worst of the worst.”

  “Desmond is very good at manipulating those around him,” I pointed out. “He could have convinced someone to help him.”

  Dev sighed. “That’s what we suspect. We think someone’s hiding him.”

  “Why are you looking for him?” I asked. It was a stupid question, but I needed to hear the answer from Dev.

  “I’m going to make sure he doesn’t hurt you,” Dev told me, his dark tone sending shivers down my spine and making me want to squirm in my seat as arousal flooded my body.

  I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat. “Our food is ready. I’d better run and get it.”

  Before Dev could respond, I jumped up and raced to the counter to get our burritos. Hopefully, Dev wouldn’t try acting like a gentleman again tonight.

  Chapter 21

  Lucifer

  The way Beatrice watched me and shifted in her seat throughout dinner made it obvious she wanted me. I knew exactly how she felt. Everything about her called to me. I couldn’t remember ever wanting a woman this badly. I could take her back to her place, strip her naked, and spend the entire night indulging in her body.