That Old Black Magic

  She’d never felt so incredibly helpless in her life. The control, once and for all, had been completely taken out of her hands. She’d wanted to break his curse in order to obtain her freedom and privacy again, but not at this cost.

  Destroying him managed to do the trick. The curse was officially toast.

  Damn Ben and Caroline for doing this without her permission, for not even giving her a choice.

  That was the negative side, the dark side that was ready to give up and just cry, yell, and break things.

  But Eden had another side, one that was screaming for her to get up off the floor, to let go of the werewolf she was clutching, and to bloody well do something to fix this.

  “What am I supposed to do?” she whispered.

  Something. Anything. She couldn’t just accept this. It wasn’t too late.

  “It is too late.”

  No, it wasn’t. It couldn’t be. She wouldn’t let it.

  Darrak had been swept away to the Netherworld, to the Void, and he’d always told her that meant the end of everything.

  But maybe it didn’t. Maybe there was still a chance to save him.

  After all, Eden did have friends in important places.

  Friends who wanted something from her, but it hadn’t been the right time. She hadn’t been taken to the very point of desperation before. Not like this.

  Lucas could fix this—he was the Prince of Hell. He might not be able to read minds or see the future, but he ruled the Netherworld and had for an eternity.

  Darrak thought Lucas had a master plan that involved Eden, the reason why he was willing to forgive her slipups, her excuses for not following through on her previous assignments for him. The quest for the angelheart and the attempt to slap the silver chain on Brenda for her hellish job interview had both ended in failure.

  And yet Lucas was still willing to take some of her darkness away from time to time so her soul wouldn’t be too damaged. It was still gray, even after all the black magic she’d burned through.

  Thanks to Lucas.

  Eden had to talk to him, and it couldn’t wait another minute.

  She scrambled to her feet so fast it made her dizzy. Darrak was gone, no question about that, but it was possible he wasn’t gone for good. She might have a window of opportunity here—a very small one. So small she hadn’t even noticed it before.

  This had to work.

  Her hand shook as she slid it into the pocket of her coat to find the marble.

  Nothing was there.

  She reached deeper, then tried the other pocket, patting down the lining of the coat in case it had dropped through a rip in the seam.

  Dark panic returned, chasing away her momentary glimmer of hope.

  “Where is it?” she choked out.

  Her mother and Ben had stolen Maksim’s containment spell while she’d been unconscious. Had they taken Lucas’s summoning crystal, too? It was all she had—the only way she could contact him.

  She tried the pockets one more time as if the marble might have magically reappeared. “Why the hell isn’t it here?”

  Then, shaking, tears streaming down her cheeks, she sank back down to the floor and grabbed hold of Andy as an anchor. He rested his currently furry head on her shoulder and whimpered.

  “It’s too late. I can’t find it. I don’t know where it went. It was my only hope.”

  Andy’s mournful whine turned into a dangerous-sounding growl, low in his throat. Eden froze, then slowly swiveled to glance over her shoulder.

  Lucas stood behind her, his palm outstretched. On it lay the marble. “You wouldn’t happen to be looking for this, would you?”

  “Wh-what are you . . . ?” She was so stunned she could barely form words.

  He cocked his head. “I guess you were distracted earlier. You didn’t see me sitting in the corner of the café drinking a latte. Looked as if you and your mother were having a lovely family reunion. Warms the heart.”

  Magic immediately crackled down her arms, begging to be used. “So you saw what happened to me and didn’t do anything?”

  He seemed unimpressed with her show of anger. “No, I didn’t intervene. Sometimes it’s important to let nature take its course.”

  He’d just been watching her get tranquilized and thrown in the back of a van while Darrak was trapped in here? “Was this all your doing, Lucas? Did you destroy Darrak?”

  “If I wanted to destroy him, I would have done so a long time ago, Eden, and no adorable displays of magic would be able to stop me.” He slid the marble into the pocket of his rumpled jacket.

  She wondered, not for the first time, why this was the form he chose to use here in the human world. From what she understood, he could look like anything he wanted. And yet, this disarming, brown-haired, brown-eyed man was his look of choice.

  “You have to help me.” She forced the words out. “You have to bring him back.”

  Andy stayed right next to her.

  “But don’t you feel relieved that he’s gone? You’re finally free from him. You can admit it to me, Eden. I won’t tell anyone.”

  “Do I look relieved to you?”

  Lucas swept his gaze over her. “Not particularly. Honestly, though, it shouldn’t be such a big loss to you. He was trouble, he brought bad things into your life from the first moment he possessed you. I’ve told you before, Darrak was just some hellfire I decided to give a personality to once upon a time. Nothing worth shedding tears over.”

  Yes, she’d heard this before, but she still didn’t care. Darrak came from lowly beginnings—so did a lot of people. Maybe not quite so literal, but it didn’t matter to her who Darrak was, how he’d been created, or how he’d spent the first portion of his existence. All she cared about was the man—yes, the man—she’d grown to know and love with every ounce of her being. He wasn’t simply hellfire with a personality. Not to her. Never to her.

  Lucas cast a glance through the small office space. “You broke the door.”

  “Screw the door.”

  He touched the frame and it mended itself before Eden’s eyes, the shards of glass reforming so there wasn’t even a crack left to show what had happened to it. “There. I’ve saved you and your partner a few hundred dollars at least.” He glanced at Andy, whose muzzle was drawn back from his sharp teeth. “You’re welcome.”

  Eden shook her head. “Bring Darrak back.”

  Lucas stood by the door he’d fixed and stared out at the parking lot, likely a very bland sight for someone like him. He said nothing, and it was driving Eden literally insane with every moment that passed and nothing changed.

  “It’s not that simple,” he finally said. “The Void is a one-way trip. None have ever returned from that region of the Netherworld. You must come to terms that he’s gone and get back to the rest of your life. You have more important things to concern yourself with now.”

  “Lucas, please.”

  That earned her a look. “Are you so desperate that you’re actually begging for my help?”

  There was no time to play games. “I’ll beg if I have to.”

  “He’s gone, Eden. And it won’t be long before he’s lost to you forever.”

  Harsh words, but they worked exactly the opposite of how he’d likely meant them. They gave Eden a glimmer of hope. “Won’t be long. But that means there’s still a chance.”

  This earned a laugh from the prince. “You’re very determined. Pregnancy becomes you. You have that special glow.”

  A breath caught in her throat. “You knew?”

  “I sensed it the last time we spoke.”

  “You didn’t say anything.”

  “What was I supposed to say? Demons like Darrak—those who were never human to begin with—shouldn’t be able to father a child. I guess he’s changed more than even I realized.”

  “I guess he has.”

  Andy paced in front of Eden, as if marking the line Lucas wasn’t allowed to cross. Lucas glanced at him with humor. “The werewolf is
very protective of you.”

  She willed herself to remain calm and inhaled slowly. “What do you want from me?”

  He looked at her curiously. “Pardon me?”

  “You want something from me. Something you haven’t asked for yet because you said I wasn’t ready.” She blinked. “I’m ready. Ask me.”

  He approached her, ignoring Andy’s warning growl.

  “You’re right, Eden, I do want something from you. And if you agree, then it’s possible I might be able to help you find Darrak before it’s too late.”

  Hope grew inside of her, tempered with worry. “What is it?”

  He slid his hand into her dark red hair and pushed it off her face. She watched him warily, as he leaned closer to whisper in her ear. “I want your angel half.”

  Eden pushed back at him with surprise. “What?”

  Lucas’s gaze was steady on her. “I want your celestial energy, that which has sustained Darrak and given him more power than he’s had in three hundred years. The energy that’s changed him into something else, something that’s never been seen before. You have to give it freely to me. And I want it all.”

  She wasn’t sure why this came as a shock. “But . . . but why?”

  His expression grew pained. “I want to return to Heaven, but I’m weighted down with too much darkness. The celestial energy inside you would burn that darkness away enough for me to unshackle myself from Hell once and for all. A nephilim must give that energy to me of her own free will, every last piece of it, and I can accomplish my one and only goal.”

  Eden paled with every word he spoke. She already knew Lucas wanted to go back to Heaven. He’d tried other solutions to this age-old problem of his. This, though . . . this was new.

  “Have you tried this with another nephilim?”

  “All nephilim have been cloaked to me in the past here in the human world, and now I know why. It’s an angel thing. Your black magic helped remove part of that angelic cloaking from you and I was able to see you for what you are.” His lips twisted wryly. “This is a solution to my problem that I began considering the same time the angelheart was in play. I’ve been trying to find a way to kill my darkness, but my darkness is immortal. To rid myself of it forever, I must give it to another.”

  “The job interview,” she said, putting it together. “You’re trying to find your replacement for when you leave Hell.”

  “Yes. I might be a selfish bastard, Eden, but I know I can’t leave Hell without another to take my place. That someone must control the darkest shadows of Hell—and only someone with true, pure goodness inside them can do that.”

  She gaped at him. “You’re trying to tell me you have goodness inside you?”

  “I was an angel—the brightest and best of them all.”

  “And the least modest.”

  Lucas smiled. “My target from earlier today was only one possible candidate. There is another I have lined up who has already enthusiastically agreed to take my place.” He crossed his arms. “Tick tock, Eden. Darrak has very little time left. Time works differently in the Netherworld. You said you’d do anything for the chance to save him. Are you willing to give me your celestial energy for that chance?”

  She hesitated and slid her hand over her stomach.

  Lucas noticed. “I can make you one solemn promise. Your child will be fine. I’ll personally guarantee it.”

  That was . . . reassuring. A promise from Lucifer himself.

  Eden’s mind swam, but she didn’t have that difficult a time with this question. Was she willing to give up her angel side—a side that had given her nothing her entire life but a bit of unreliable psychic insight thanks to an absentee father? Would she give that up in order to rescue the man she loved—the father of her unborn child?

  “Yes,” she said. “I agree.”

  “Say it again.”

  “You can have my celestial energy. All of it.”

  “One more time.”

  “You can have it, Lucas. Yes.”

  His warm smile widened. “Thank you.”

  She crouched down, watching him warily, and put her hand on Andy’s furry back. The werewolf had gone very quiet, watching the two of them as though witnessing a tennis match.

  “Now bring Darrak back,” she said firmly.

  Lucas ran his index finger over the edge of her desk as if looking for dust. He probably wouldn’t be disappointed. “Well . . . that wasn’t exactly what you just agreed to.”

  “What?”

  “Remember, Eden, the wording is important. I don’t have the ability to snatch Darrak right out of the Void. Nor do I have any desire of going anywhere near that place. It’s very dangerous there, even for me. No, what I said was that I could offer you a chance to save him.”

  Fury rose inside her. “You asshole. You tricked me.”

  “Not a trick. It’s not my fault your head is not in the game.”

  “A chance? That’s it?”

  “Yes. I will grant you entrance to the Netherworld. Mortals, even if they’re witches or nephilim, or both, are still vulnerable there. Without my permission you would burn up the moment you entered my kingdom. But tonight I’ll let you in so you can seek your demon at the very edge of his ultimate doom.”

  She swallowed hard. “You’re sending me to Hell.”

  “You don’t have to go at all, if you don’t want to. However, I should warn you, our deal holds no matter what your decision is. I will, however, ensure your safety and your child’s safety . . . but Darrak, well, he’s the wild card in this scenario. No money-back guarantee.”

  Her nausea came back in full force, but she tried to ignore it. “Fine. I’ll do it. I’ll go.”

  “Just one more thing. You need a guide.” He smiled down at Andy. “Would you be willing to protect your lovely business partner tonight? She needs someone who cares about her. I don’t think I’d trust anyone else to help her in this quest.”

  “Andy, wait . . .” Eden began.

  But Andy barked.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” Lucas held out his hand. Andy walked over toward him and Lucas grasped either side of his head. The next moment, dark light slid along Andy’s werewolf form and he whined.

  Eden grabbed Lucas’s arm. “Stop it! You’re hurting him!”

  Lucas shook his head. “He’s fine. Better than ever, in fact.”

  Andy looked different now. His fur had quickly changed to become black, short, and wiry. He was at least fifty pounds heavier than he’d been before. And his eyes were now red, with slits for pupils more like those of a cat. He looked like a cross between an otherworldly black panther and a Rottweiler.

  Eden gasped. “What did you do to him?”

  “Consider it an upgrade.” Lucas stood up and brushed his hands off on the front of his pants. “He was a werewolf. Now he’s a hellhound. They’re the best guides in the Netherworld.”

  Eden stared with fear at the muscular black monster that bared its sharp teeth at her.

  “Christ on a cracker!” a voice proclaimed in her head, but the hellhound’s lips didn’t move. “I need a drink!”

  Her mouth dropped open. “Andy, I can hear you. How . . . how can I hear you?”

  “You can hear him because he’s the first and only werehellhound. Now, you best get going. He’ll return to his human form at dawn, and he won’t survive more than a couple seconds if you’re still in the Netherworld.” Lucas’s smile returned. “Again, you’re welcome.”

  Eden hadn’t said thank you. She wasn’t prepared to say it yet, not with the heavy price tag associated with this literal deal with the devil.

  Lucas walked toward the door and pushed it open.

  “Wait!” Eden called after him. “How do I get there? Is there a gateway nearby?”

  “You won’t need one. You already have the keys to my kingdom at your disposal. Darrak’s ultimate fate is in your hands now, and I suggest you don’t delay. I’ll be in touch soon to collect on our bargain. Good night, E
den.”

  Before she could say another word, he left the office. She ran to the doorway and scanned the dark parking lot, but Lucas was nowhere to be seen.

  Feeling completely stunned, Eden looked down at Andy the werehellhound.

  “Don’t look at me,” he said, or thought, or however he was able to communicate with her. “I have no idea how to get there. Was that really Lucifer? He looked so . . . normal. Quite frankly, I’m really hoping this is all just a crazy dream.”

  This was no dream.

  “Keys to the kingdom,” she whispered, wracking her brain for the answer.

  But then it came to her. Of course that was what Lucas had meant. What else?

  She grabbed her coat and slid her hand into the pocket, pulling out the silver bracelet Lucas had given to her—the one he’d meant for her to put on Brenda that would have taken her to a job interview in Hell. She stared at the chain in stunned silence, feeling resolve fill her.

  There was no time for regret or second thoughts. Now was the time for action.

  She eyed Andy. “Are you ready?”

  He cocked his head and stared up at her with those spooky red eyes. “I expect to wake up in my warm bed any moment. But until that happens, let’s go get your boyfriend and hope for the best.”

  Eden had agreed to go to Hell itself to rescue the demon she loved. Hoping for the best sounded a bit presumptuous. “Fine. Let’s do this.”

  She grabbed hold of Andy and slipped the chain over her wrist.

  SIXTEEN

  “Last call, demon. You want another drink, or what?”

  Darrak raised his head off the hard wooden bar where he’d dozed off for a moment and eyed the empty shot glass in front of him. “No, no more.”

  Where was he?

  He glanced to his left around the dim interior of the empty bar. Looked like something out of an eighties sitcom. There was a lot of wood paneling and vinyl. Definitely the Netherworld, though. He ran a hand through his hair to check himself. No horns. He was in human form. At the moment, anyway.

  He didn’t remember how he’d gotten here. Usually when he went to bars they were in the human world, not here. Why bother? Drunk humans were way more fun to play with than drunk demons.