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As we entered the fire station, I was greeted by a chorus of cheers and whistles from the firemen.
One of the firemen, a minotaur, said, “Finally, food!”
I blushed, smiling shyly as the firemen gathered around the pot, eager to try my latest batch. None of them had their glamours up, so I could see all the monsters in their full glory. It was definitely a rare sight.
I watched as the firemen scooped the gumbo into their bowls and dug in, their reactions varying from groans of delight to coughing and reaching for the nearest beverage. Baptiste seemed to enjoy it, though he kept his reactions neutral.
After a few minutes, I gathered the courage to ask, “Well, how is it?”
“It’s perfect,” Lucian replied, giving me a reassuring smile.
“Absolutely delicious,” the minotaur added.
“Best gumbo I’ve ever had,” a werewolf chimed in.
“Definitely spicy enough for the contest,” a vampire remarked, though all he had was a sniff on account of his dietary restrictions.
I beamed. It meant a lot to me that they enjoyed my cooking, and their encouragement gave me the confidence I needed to go for the win.
That was when Baptiste cleared his throat, seeming to hesitate with his feedback.
I stepped forward, saying, “Go ahead. You can be honest.”
“Well,” he began. “I know the Carolina Reaper pepper is what gives it a real kick, but I was thinking…” He paused, glancing at Lucian, as if looking for permission.
Lucian just gave him a confused look. “What, Bap?”
“I get the feeling a lot of dishes at this contest are going to use that pepper. Maybe you should mix it up… Add some hell peppers, for instance.” Baptiste shrugged, seeming a bit embarrassed. “Just a thought.”
I frowned, unsure what a hell pepper even was.
Baptiste explained his hesitation further, “I know that probably means venturing into the underworld.”
Lucian nodded. “It certainly would…”
I gave Lucian a curious look. “Underworld?” He had told me about his homeland a few times, but I never considered the possibility of him returning—or of visiting it myself.
Lucian met my gaze, his expression unreadable. “He’s right that it would make this dish very special. I could procure some myself, but if you wanted… You could come with me.”
I hesitated, feeling a spark of both excitement and apprehension. “Would it be safe?”
He nodded. “There are ways to stay safe.”
I weighed my options for a moment before finally nodding. “I’m in.”
Lucian grinned, his eyes glimmering with excitement. “All right then. It’s settled. We’ll go first thing in the morning.”
I took a deep breath, trying to quell my nerves as we wrapped it up with the crew and started packing up the pot and dishes.
I would soon be entering a whole new world—quite literally. It was scary and thrilling, and I couldn’t wait to see what awaited us there.
“I wouldn’t be the first human to ever go down there, would I?”
Lucian chuckled and reassured me, “It’s actually quite common. And besides, those who are pure are untouchable there.”
“Really? I mean, you’d call me pure?” I lowered my voice to a whisper. “After some of the things we’ve done together?”
Lucian smirked and whispered back, “You know what I mean. Pure in the sense of your intentions. You have nothing to fear if you intend no harm.”
