It was the first ever vehicle I bought brand-new and is fancy enough for me. I like nice things, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve never been a car person. The Jeep has everything I need and then some.
Scarlet and I go through the drive-through at Steak ’n Shake on the way home. All the lights are on when we get to the little brick house, and the moving truck is driving down the street. The house is emptier now than when I left to go to the bookstore. My office is cleared out, leaving only the empty bookshelves and desk. The dining room has been packed up as well, leaving only the table and chairs behind.
I sit in the living room with Lucas, eating as we watch TV. He shows me the sheets and pillowcases he ordered for our bedroom, and his excitement to get into the new house together makes my heart feel so full. We shower together after we eat, and I’m so depleted of energy, I collapse into bed as soon as I put on my PJs.
I’m asleep for maybe an hour before I’m awoken by a loud buzzing in my ears. I sit up and know right away something is off. The world is gray and still. The air hangs heavy around me, pressing down on me like an invisible weight. Blinking, I swing my feet over the side of the bed. As soon as my feet hit the floor, I’m transported into a dark and ashy forest.
“What the hell?” I mutter, running my thumb over my fingers, but am unable to conjure any magic. Something still feels off, and every step is difficult, as if I’m wading through frozen water. I close my eyes and feel Lucas next to me. The heated blanket on high, and I’m uncomfortably hot. I open my eyes and look through the dark forest.
I’m either dreaming or on some sort of astral plane. Whatever it is, I’m only here mentally but not physically. Did Lucifer bring me here so we can talk? Nothing about this place looks or feels right. He always appears in my house, in the exact location my body is.
And this place…I look around. The trees are dead or dying, and dark red sap drips from their gnarled limbs.
“Hello?” I call out. Someone brought me here, and the sooner we have it out, the sooner I can get back to my body.
“Callie,” a voice in the dark rings out. I whirl around, eyes narrowed as I try to look through the gray forest.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are,” I mumble. “It’s not polite to keep a girl waiting.”
“Very well,” a deep voice rumbles, and Bael steps out of the shadows.
“I know what you want,” I state, pushing my shoulders back and refusing to look scared. He shouldn’t be able to hurt me here, which also means I can’t hurt him. “And you’re wasting your time. I’ll kill you before I agree to be your wingman for taking over Hell.”
“The light in you,” he says, inching closer. Spiders crawl out of the sleeves of his robe, and the strong scent of sulfur nearly chokes me. “It will be fun to snuff out.” He moves in a flash, appearing behind me. “For centuries I have searched for the one the prophecy speaks of, and now you are here.”
I whirl around, trying—and failing—to conjure an energy ball. Wake up! Wake up! I close my eyes again and try to move my fingers, scraping them on the mattress. Lucas will hear and will shake me awake, pulling me out of this place.
“There’s only one thing I can’t figure out,” Bael goes on, hoarse voice shaking me to my very core.
“How not to be a pain in my ass?” I shoot back, crossing my arms over my chest. “Because you are.”
Bael ignores me and reaches his hand out. His fingers go right through me yet send a shiver down my spine. “He’s concealed you well,” Bael notes, appearing to be talking to himself and not caring that I can hear.
“Who has?”
Bael’s thin lips curve into a smile. “That’s what I would like to know.” He lunges forward, face right up in mine. “Tell me, Callie, who is your father?”
“I’m not telling you,” I spit out, shaking my head. Wake up, dammit! Binx, can you hear me? Wake me up!
“The prophecy will unfold in time.” Bael reaches out again, and this time a cold finger sweeps across my cheek. “And then you’ll see. The whole world will see.”Chapter 33I bring my cup of coffee to my lips and take a sip. Big snowflakes slowly fall to the ground. Scarlet runs around, jumping and biting at the snow. She was excited to wake up and find a few inches of snow on the ground, and given that she’s a hellhound and is usual in Hell, I’m guessing she’s never seen snow before.