Page 78 of Burn for the Devil

Barely hearing him, I spun in a circle. Glittering weapons were fastened to the walls and the floor shone. Huge wrought-iron chandeliers hung overhead, glistening crystals dripping around the circumference. A plush carpet lay across the staircase we’d climbed recently. Remembering the quartz arch, I quickly went to investigate.

As I suspected, the mess was cleaned up. In its place was a smaller arch, formed of what I’d guess were rubies. “Ramone....” I stopped. I didn’t know what to say. It was overwhelming, the difference between what had been and what it was now.

“What do you think?” He asked. “Do you like it? I can change it however you like.”

My eyes watered. How did he go from being so needlessly cruel—to this? He was practically waiting on me hand and foot since we got to this realm, and I knew he was sincere. Had there been anyone to witness it, they would have seen it as well, had they known him before.

“It's perfect.” He grinned at my words. “There’s more,” he said. I followed him.

We entered the room where the dais had been. It was still there, but now it was refurbished. The room was immaculate, no dust or splintered wood, no torn material or broken woodenbeams. In place of the rotting furniture sat two immense chairs, thrones.

Dear Lord, the man was serious.

I bit my lip. He’d said “we”, but there was no one to reign over. “This is beautiful, but I guess I didn’t really take you seriously.”

“People will come. They will come out of hiding as well as from other realms. It may take a bit for everything to fall into place. Things don’t work the same here as they do at your home. Time is different, for one.”

“Oh my God! What will my parents think happened to me?” Horror suddenly washed over me at the thought of them having lost another child, their last surviving child. “Ramone, I have to go home.” It was too much, thinking of how someone would do all this with me and for me, actually caring what I thought.

He grabbed my hand. “Ilya will take care of all those things, don’t worry, he knows what to do. Don’t forget, if you go home, it will be worse for them. My father would not hesitate to not only harm you, but them.”

“But—”

“Please, Samantha, trust me on this.”

Leaning my head on his shoulder, I took a deep breath. I had the opportunity to be free, to start over, and with a man I’d come to love and knew I’d end up loving deeply. “Okay, I do. I trust you.” And I did. He gave up everything for me. I could do the same; we’d start over.

I pulled away and walked onto the dais, running a finger along the material of one of the thrones. The view from the height was perfect, you could see the whole room at just the right angle to see every face. Once people began showing up, anyway.

This was happening. It was really happening. The thought caused me to take a deep breath and let out a long exhale.

Ramone jogged up the short steps and joined me. “What do you think, my love? Are you ready enough?”

Somehow, he knew I now had my mind set and I was grateful he could read me so well. He was asking me if I was ready to move forward. I was. “Yes. What’s next?”

“People will realize I’m here, and here to stay. They’ll want to meet my wife.”

My head snapped to the side. “Your wife?”

He chuckled. “Relax, of course I mean you.”

“You never asked me, though.”

My anger over “his wife” had me interestingly prepared to murder someone. I had to wonder if it was his influence on me, or a part of myself I’d never explored. I’d have to consider the possibilities later.

Ramone nodded at my left hand, and I lifted it. A ring with a blood-red ruby sat where a wedding band should be. “It's gorgeous,” I whispered, swaying my hand in the light and marveling at the clarity of the red stone. “Is this real?”

He met my gaze with a flash of irritation. “Why would you even ask that? Do you think you deserve less than that from me?”

“No, no. I love it, I just can’t believe how beautiful it is.”

Ramone grabbed me so quickly my hands splayed against his chest. “Wait until I make you jewelry with our enemies’ blood, the beauty is unparalleled, almost as much so as you.” He pressed his lips to mine, molding his mouth over my own, before releasing me.

“Enemies, huh? This could get interesting.” I rolled my eyes at him. Apparently, he still wanted to go around murdering people.

Really, I just wanted a peaceful life. I was looking forward to exploring this new plane of existence, without a body count.

His eyes gleaned with excitement. “Always.” He seemed much too thrilled over the possibility of adversaries. I tilted my head at him, and he winked at me.

“So, what do we do now?”

Ramone licked his lips, his eyes glowing brighter as he stalked toward me. “Now we christen the thrones. Both of them.”

My body flushed with heat. “Is that your version of happily ever after?”

“My little witch,” he said, tracing his lips along my neck. “that’s infernally ever after.”

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