I received an unusual gift the next day. It was left on my desk, with the beautiful penmanship of Luc's hand on a note underneath.
It was a shard of Obsidian. Sharp like flint with a jagged edge. I held it up to the light and admired its sheen as if there were thousands of particles of stardust inside.
In my hands, was an honest to goodness Treachery stone. Taken from the base of my home at the centre of hell. The very foundations of the Ice Castle.
My fingers began to tremble. My emotions warred against each other. Elation, fear and confusion.
Did Luc want me to come Home? Hope bloomed in my chest and then quickly diminished when I looked to the note.
Use this stone to reach me when you find the mother of my future child.
He didn’t sign his name but he didn’t need to.
I scrunched up the lined paper and called forth the flames of Hell to burn it to a crisp.
I jammed the Obsidian shard into the pocket of my trench coat.
I would never use it.
Luc thought that I owed him enough that I planned to integrate myself with the Rose family on his behalf? I snorted in disbelief.
If I found the woman who was destined to bear his child, I wouldn’t call him.
I would rip her fucking throat out and laugh in his face.
Every Pureblooded Hellion has a summoning name. It allows someone to call them with the correct ritual. Bones. Blood. Pentagram. That sort of thing.
Before Morgenstern and Clark was a reputable business in a sleek central London office building, my primary method of doing business was by making deals when I was summoned.
Being summoned was unpleasant.
When I experienced the tell-tale feeling of my stomach dropping out of my arsehole with a forceful tug, I knew that someone had acquired my long and pedantic Pureblood name.
Since it had not been used in an age, I had almost forgotten what the feeling was like.
Hunched over in pain, I unfurled myself when I felt my feet hit solid ground. My Louboutin’s stuck to the grotty maroon carpet. I flicked my hair over my shoulder and searched for the human that had the audacity to summon me.
“What the fuck, Kerning?!” I snarled as I came face to face with the Leviathan; Slimy Envious daemon bastard. “Can you not take no for an answer?”
Kerning looked up to the dripping sound to his left. My attention was drawn to the rather squalid surroundings. We were underground, in some sort of sewage system. I plugged my nose but it made no difference. My sense of smell was far superior than I would have liked it to be, especially when I was surrounded by a putrid stench.
Mike Kerning cracked his neck to the side. His expression was livid.
“You will grant my request or I will go to your boss. He won’t be too happy with you.” Kerning threatened. Spittle flew from his mouth. I casually wiped my cheek with disdain.
“You will do no such thing.” I said calmly.
“You haven’t even heard my request!” Kerning clenched his fists.
I waved my hand in a circular motion as I gestured silently for him to get on with it. The MP startled and quickly gathered his thoughts.
He opened his mouth. “I want—”
I interrupted him. “No.”
His teeth bared in a snarl. “But—”
“No.” I smirked, as I surveyed my manicure for signs of wear and tear.
Kerning looked like you could fry an egg on his forehead. “I’ll keep you trapped in that circle until you give me what I want.”
I snorted an unladylike laugh and stepped out of the circle gingerly, making a conscious effort not to get my suede heels wet. Of all the days to wear in my new shoes. I shook my head to myself in disdain. His circle could not hold me.
“The Devil is not allowing any contracts to go through at the moment.” I said in an uncharacteristic moment of honesty. “I would suggest you contact him directly and ask.”
“I tried!” Kerning spluttered. “I got you instead.”
I swore under my breath. The bastard had redirected his phones and I was the one stuck answering them. He must have been in someone else’s body, if a summoning had failed.
“What is it that you want?” I pinched the bridge of my nose in exasperation and closed my eyes.
“I want my party to win the majority of seats in the next election.”
I shook my head sadly. “I can’t do that.” Besides the obvious logistical issues of influencing an entire country, I wasn’t in the mood to help the slimy bastard.
“Why not?” Kerning hissed.
“Because I’m not registered to vote.” I crooned, cocking my hip as I disappeared in a dramatic flurry of Hellfire.
With every contract that I had submitted in the past fortnight bouncing back, Luiz and I found ourselves pulled into the more human affairs of the firm. For the first time in five years, I sat at the end of the conference table as I listened to my human associates discuss various new tax legislation.
I did not need to sleep but I stifled a yawn anyway. It was tedious.
Luiz hung by my side, ever the dutiable hound. He took notes on his tablet so that I didn’t have to. I found it difficult to command the technology easily. I was from the coldest region of Hell. Ice was in my blood. It often caused touch screen technology to fumble.
I sighed and dismissed the others when the meeting drew to a natural close.
Luiz Ramirez went to leave when I grabbed him with my power. Too tired to speak.
“Are you still maintaining my online dating profile?” I asked in a hoarse rasp.
“Yes. I have a list of potential matches on this new app. It caters specifically to extramarital affairs.”
I licked my bottom lip. “Set something up. I need to feed.”