Page 48

Jake looks petrified.

Good.

He stammers, and nothing comes out.

The demon crouches down and grabs him by his burnt dick. He yanks upward, ripping it off. Jake screeches and the demon laughs.

“You’ve been a naughty boy, Jake. Satan’s been waiting for you for a long time. I think he’ll be quite pleased when he sees what I’ve brought for him.”

The demon lifts Jake by the armpits, and the two of them rise together.

The demon stomps his gigantic foot down on the floor, and with that, a fiery portal appears next to them.

Surveying Jake, the demon looks at me, impressed.

“You do good work, Mr. Black. You should consider a change of scenery.”

It grabs Jake by the collar and pushes him into the flaming hole. Jake screams and the demon chortles as it follows behind him, the portal closing before either of us have had time to investigate.

It’s over. My princess can finally go home. I think. But if I can’t go with her, I don’t know if I want her to. I go to her and pull her into me, squishing her face into my burly body.

“Lyr?”

I look down at her, grabbing her face and holding onto her chubby cheeks as I speak.

“Yes?” she says through duck lips.

“I love you, Lyr. You are my light in the dark. Without you, I am unguided and lost. I can’t go back to the way things were. I can’t live for you, and I can’t die for you, well… because I’ve already done that,” I chuckle awkwardly, “but I can kill for you. I can save you. I can love you.”

Tears well in her beautiful blue eyes, and she sniffles, “I—I love you, too, Attie.”

The words roll off her tongue like she was always meant to say them, but not just to anyone—to me.

I don’t want her to feel like we have to stay anymore. We’ve accomplished what we came here for, but something doesn’t feel quite right. If a demon came for Jake, who’s going to come for Lyr and when?

I wonder how this is going to affect her. She appears to be fine overall, but I just made her ex gut himself like a fish in front of her. That has to have some type of impact, I imagine. Uncertain and wary about this whole thing, I ask, “Are you ready to leave now?”

“God, yes. I’m ready.” She says eagerly.

Although she’s set to go, and so am I. I can’t stop thinking about if we did it or not.

Did I just secure Lyr’s spot home?

I want Lyr to be happy, and I’m willing to do anything to make that happen, but a part of me is overjoyed that she still stands here with me. I don’t know if going to Heaven takes more time, but I’m not about to jump through hoops trying to summon something to come get her. Knowing what Lyr needs, I assure myself that I can be that for her. I can be her peace.

CHAPTER 31

LYRIC

I’m happy to be out of that room and away from whatever the hell just happened in there. I’m still trying to process it all. Jake is dead—and he’s in Hell.

Attie sits on the opposite bed from me, his leg bouncing rapidly. I can tell he’s lost in thought. He hasn’t acknowledged my existence since we made it back here. I wonder what’s going on inside that big, beautiful brain of his.

I clear my throat in hopes it’ll draw his attention. Nothing.

I try again, but with a little more oomph, “Ahem,” he continues to stare off, and I’m losing my patience.

“Hello? Earth to Attie. Look at me.”