Page 175 of House of Pain
“Yeah, thought so.” Rogue chuckled. He leaned back against the chaise, spreading his arms over the length of it. “I’m not even sure I can say it was worth the trip all the way from Hel to sabotage your House. I was told you’d be a real challenge.”
“Who told you that?” Alecto asked. “We will make sure they pay for your trouble.”
“You,” Rogue said, ignoring her words. He wet his lips, eyeing Alecto, and Blaze had a sudden urge to break his face. “How would you feel about immortality?”
“What?”
“Your half-mortal soul for eternal life. How’s that sound?”
“Are you seriously making a bargain right now?” Alecto asked, her eyebrows rising. “I’m not going to sell my soul.”
Rogue pouted. “What a shame. Half-mortal souls are rare. It would have been a sweet deal.”
“Now’s not the time to search for a bride, Rogue,” Val drawled, taking another step closer. Rogue’s attention landed on her again. “How about we make a deal instead?”
“I don’t want your soul, Valeria. It’s been already promised to someone else. And let me tell you, I have no interest in fighting her.”
Blaze’s heart hammered as the things clicked into place. That was how Val knew the Imp Queen. She had made a deal before.
He knew Val was crazy. They all did. But this was crazy even for her.
“My deal is simpler,” Val continued. “You tell us who controls you, and I’ll let you live.”
“Try me, Valeria.”
“Suit yourself,” Val said and extended a hand towards Rogue, a black tourmaline resting on her palm, and then she chanted, “Exission.”
Blaze’s muscles seized.
But nothing happened.
Val’s hand wavered, and words died in her throat as Rogue barked a laugh. “Nice try.”
“I don’t…” Val trailed off, and it was the first time Blaze, and probably all of them, had seen her confused. “It’s supposed to banish you back to Hel!”
Rogue grinned once more.
If the spell didn’t work, it was either because Val didn’t have the right spell or—
“He’s not here,” Alecto snapped. “It’s a fucking astral projection.”
Alecto moved forwards, reaching towards Rogue, but he flickered in and out. And then he was gone, the Book with him.
“Motherfucker.” Val headed towards the stairs. “He fucking wasted our time. Move!”
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the door opened, and five dark silhouettes greeted them with low growls.
“Well, just fucking fantastic,” Alecto said. “If we keep this up, I’ll bleed out dry before the night even ends.”
57
The Dean’s building was dead quiet.
Only a few dimmed orbs floated around the ceiling, lighting up the corridor as they made their way deeper into the building.
Blaze reeked of blood and burned flesh. The smell was so potent it seemed as if it was lodged in his nostrils permanently.
“I smell like those fucking creatures,” Jolene muttered, wrinkling her nose as she sniffed the arm of her sweater. “Rotten fish and lake mud. I’m going to need to burn my clothes.”
