“That’s not how it works.” Rising up, the fallen angel of the heavens towered over me. “You tell me what you want, and I’ll tell you if you’ll get it.”
I swallowed hard. Of course he wasn’t going to present all the options like an all-you-can-eat buffet. That would make it too easy.
“Okay,” I rasped. “I want entry into Abaddon Academy.”
He snapped his fingers and the soul contract and quill reappeared. Said quill flew across the pages, presumably writing my terms. “Done.”
“I want... the means to get around undetected,” I blurted. “Unnoticed. I want everyone I come across to think I’m just another demon.”
Thescritch-scritch-scritchof the quill tickled my ears.
“Done.”
“And,” I cried, struggling to my feet. “I want to be as strong as a demon. I want to be able to wield magic and do everything a demon can.”
Lucifer clicked his tongue. “Now you’re reaching too high, dearest. I can bring your body to its absolute and optimal strength and performance. I can even weave glamour magic into your pores that will make you look and smell like a demon, but if you want to be a real demon, you’ll need to make some spectacularly bad choices and then die. You are what you are, human, and only Daddy Dearest has the power to change that.”
I slumped over, holding my head in my hands.
“Don’t look so put out,” Lucifer sang. “You should be glad of that limitation. Understand that you are not the first human to make a deal with me. Not even the thousandth. Can you imagine what would have become of your world if I were able to make all of them the all-powerful beings they so desperately wanted to be?”
I did imagine that, and shuddered. If thousands of humans were granted the same abilities as those monsters who invaded our home and took Dora, the world would’ve been reduced to an apocalyptic wasteland decades ago.
“That’s all well and good for earth, but how does that help me in hell?” I cried. “Won’t I give myself away if I can’t do magic or fight back? Won’t it be impossible for me to beat those guys and get Dora back if I’m just a weak human against four demons?”
He hummed, rubbing his chin. “I can weave a layer ofcunninginto the glamour. Make it so whenever someone with suspicions about you looks into your eyes, those suspicionsdissipate. Hmm, ah yes, and a littlesuggestionmagic in your voice box would do a nice trick. Not so much to be detected, but enough that when you speak, your listener will want to believe you over their own internal voice.
“I have given those gifts to more than a few of your human counterparts.” He winked. “How else do you think the most despicable among you have risen to power and amassed followers, even though everything you humans know of goodness and morality was screaming at you to kill those bastards on sight?”
Bile burned in my throat. “I really don’t want to know who you’re hinting at right now, but you could explain why you’re saying you gave them that magic, but you won’t give me the magic I’m asking for.”
Lucifer sighed. “Don’t purposely misunderstand, darling, you’re too intelligent to pull off that charade. In those cases and yours, I’m using my own ability to boost your natural ones. You humans have already perfected the art of gaslighting, I’m merely making it more effective—as in effective enough to fool the creatures you’re about to meet.
“But if you do not have the power to create and wield magic, I cannot give it to you,” he stated. “If you want to make use of demon magic, you’ll need to make use of a demon. Recruit one, subjugate him, make him helpless to your whims as you have many a human male gifted with the honor of knowing you.” His leering smirk twisted my lips. “Mere moments in your presence, and I already know you’re no stranger to getting men to do what you want—” He cocked his head. “Matter of fact, there’s another littleboostI can trade you. I can amplify your power of seduction so that one drop of your sweet, tasty pussy juices makes all men—”
“Stop!” I blared. “No, no, no, and fuck no to that! I won’t be seducing any demons! I just need to be sure I won’t be foundout and killed two seconds after setting foot in the place. Are you certain that super-powered gaslighting and glamours are going to be enough to help me infiltrate the academy, rescue Dora, and get her back home? If you are, put it in the contract,” I demanded. “Put in the contract that if your magic fails me for any reason, the deal is void and I keep my soul.”
Lucifer raised his hand, his finger and thumb poised to snap.
“Wait, no!” I lurched forward, snapping the quill out of the air. “Scratch that! Ignore what I just said!”
My chest heaved, rolling with my harsh, runaway breaths.That was close. That was much too close! Stop letting emotion get the best of you. Take a breath, and think.
“No,” I repeated, eyes narrowing on him. “Those terms would’ve been my death sentence. All you would’ve had to do is give me cheap, crappy magic that fails me. The deal would be void, but I’d still be stuck in hell, and at the mercy of however many demons and fallen angels serve you and only you. All you’d have to do is order them to take my soul, or impregnate me and take my soul. You’d still win.”
A smile stretched his lips. Not a smirk or leer, but a true and real smile so horrible, I wanted to run out of the room. “Oh, yes,” he whispered, sending a shiver up my spine. “I like you, darling. Dare I say, I’m falling harder for you by the second. Such a clever, clever girl.”
My throat bobbed with a hard swallow. He didn’t have to confirm it. I knew in that moment, that’s exactly what he would’ve done to me had I let him put it in the contract.
“Okay,” I breathed, willing my heart to slow. “Let’s... try this again. You said that Dora had to be taken to this academy place because it’s neutral territory. AnyHousefound to be harboring a human female would bring war on their heads, so these are my real and ironclad terms. You, Lucifer, will give me all the spells, magic, and abilities that you can possibly give me, eventhe things I’d never have considered, to ensure I get in and out of hell safely with my sister. Because if for some reason I fail or get found out,youwill be the one to instantly appear and save one or both of us from trouble.”
I returned his smile with one of my own. “You’re the one who’s going to take on all the risk and danger. You’re the one who’ll have a vested interest in me flying under the radar, because I may not know exactly what a House is, but I know you got one—House Lucifer. And unless you want all of hell to know House Lucifer is the one messing around with human females to the point you’re breaking into protected, neutral territory to protect one...” I clicked my tongue. “You’ll have no choice but to become my unseen guardian angel.
“It’s either that, or everyone’s going to see you fly to my aid, and everyone’s going to know Naughty Lucy’s making another play to take over all of hell—and something tells me they won’t take too well to that.” I cocked my head in the same peculiar way he did. “How’s that for subjugating a man to my will?”
A noise ripped from his throat—loud, oppressive, and ear-piercing. His laugh.
“Well done,” he guffawed. “Well done, darling. You are amazing. Utterly and completely magnificent! First, you trap me with nets, then you trap me with my own foolish words. Oh,” he breathed, “I could rip your tongue out for using the information I gave you against me. Or I could have you right here and now.” Licking his lips, a large and highly noticeable bulge pushed against his pants. “I truly cannot decide, and it’s delicious.”
