Page 52 of Brimstone and Broomsticks
Chapter 18
Cassandra
Shelby didn’t spend long in handcuffs. Clinton regained his senses quicker than expected, although he didn’t remember seeing Shelby making out with Alberta. When we told him a sanitized, somewhat non-truthful, version of Shelby getting the upper hand in a challenge fight and Alberta “saving” him and hauling him off before he got killed, he declined to press any charges.
As long as Shelby didn’t take his spot as number two in the pack, that is. Clinton really wanted all of this to go away, and not a word of it to be spoken. Anywhere. To anyone. Being beaten by a female werewolf then rescued by a female troll? That was not the sort of thing a bully wanted widely known.
Of course, I was determined to make sure that rumor quickly spread throughout town.
Alberta was off the hook. Shelby was off the hook aside for some hard work at Hollister’s to pay him back for trashing room six and ruining his carpet. Everything came up roses.
Well, everything except for our meeting with Dallas, that is. Let’s just say that although Alberta and Shelby were safe from any reprisals, I was pretty sure I wasn’t. Good thing I had Lucien by my side, as I’m pretty sure the demon was the main reason I wasn’t fighting for my life against the werewolf alpha right now. I was safe…for now. But I knew I’d need to be watching my step.
As for the rest…well, all my sisters were in the dining room along with Aaron, waiting for Sunday dinner—a dinner I was fixing with the help of Lucien who in three days had become a part of our family.
“So…how long does this vacation of yours last?” I shot him a side-eye while stirring the green beans. “When do you need to be back in hell, torturing lost souls and balancing budgets, or whatever it is the son of Satan does?”
What I really wanted to know was if this was a one-week fling, or something more. I mean, I knew it was “more”, just howmuchmore? Could I do a long-distance relationship with someone who called hell their home? How often could he be here? Because the idea of staying the night as his place didn’t exactly hold much appeal.
Lucien shrugged. “Most demons take a few years off here and there. I could probably be gone a decade, maybe a century if I made it a practice to check in on things every now and then.”
“A century?” I let out a breath. A century. I’d be dead by then. But what about our kids? I assumed he’d look after any who were demons once I was gone. That is, if we ever decided to have children. After raising my six siblings, I wasn’t sure I wanted to go down that path again.
“A century.” He reached out and cupped my chin. “There’s a place in hell for you, if this works out between us.”
I couldn’t help laughing. “Oh gee thanks! I’m so glad to know I’ll be welcome in hell. And you do realize that in a century I’ll be dead.”
He chuckled. “Yes, well since all the humans in hell are dead, you’ll fit right in. I know of a few witches there, so you won’t be missing out on intellectual conversation of the spell casting type.”
“You’re proposing that I go to hell?” It would have been funny if it wasn’t so alarming.
“Well, yeah. Eventually I’m hoping you will. It doesn’t have to be forever. I mean, my mother finally got fed up with my father after a few thousand years and ditched hell.”
“I’ll be dead, and I get the feeling I won’t be welcome in heaven if I’ve been down in hell with a demon lover.” Come to think of it, I’m not sure I wasn’t damning myself just sleeping with him while I was alive. What were the theological implications of this relationship?
“Cassie, it’s not like that. Hell isn’t all brimstone and fire and torture.”
“Lava pit spa treatment?” I grinned. “Chocolate? Pizza? How’s the shopping?”
“Well, no shopping. But you could always vacation here and hit the outlets if you feel the need.”
This didn’t sound much like hell. “I’ll be dead, a spirit. What good would shopping do me as a ghost let out of hell for a weekend getaway?”
“A ghost? No, sweetheart. You’re not understanding this. You’re not going to be some damned soul. There are…there are benefits to being the lover of a demon. And there are special benefits to being the lover of the son of Satan. Not tooting my own horn here, it’s just the way it is. You’ll gain in power. Over time, you’ll be my equal.”
“And why didn’t you lead with these perks when you were trying to seduce me?” I teased.
“Because it took all of five minutes to seduce you and there wasn’t much talking involved?”
I whacked him with the spoon and he laughed.
“Actually, as a witch I thought you knew these things.” He grinned. “One night with me does confer some benefits, but a long-time relationship? Us in love? You’d be a high-level demon after your death. And alive you’ll find your powers increasing year by year.”
I set down the spoon and stepped into him. “It’s not the perks, buddy. I want to know that I won’t be trapped in hell, tortured for all eternity because you got pissed off at me or decided you didn’t want me anymore.”
He laughed. “You’re a witch, Cassie. You with your coven of sisters are more than capable of holding your own against me. And by the time you’re in hell…well, I’m probably the one who should be worried you’d decide to ditch me and dump me in a lava pit.”
“Well then keep that in mind if you ever think of screwing around.” I gave him a quick kiss, then handed him the bowl of green beans. “Now let’s go eat. Everything else is on the table and our family is out there starving.”
He leaned down and kissed me, slow and soft and full of promise. “As you command, my witch. As you command.”
