Page 28 of Boyfriend From Hell
“Yes, first date,” he said with a sheepish grin. “The first of many—I’m hoping for a few millennia’s worth.” “What?” I asked incredulously.
He nodded. “I know you heard me correctly, Deer. I can sense it in your mind. What do you say? Would you care to date a devil like me?”
I stared at him, completely baffled.
This was adate? Ourfirstdate? Says who?I didn’t agree to go on a date—especially one like this! This felt more like a nightmare than a date. This man was bat shit crazy.
His smile faltered, and for a moment, I caught a flash of sadness in his eyes.
“And, if I say no?” I ventured.
“Well, this wasyourwish, and I’m fulfilling it. It’s a devil’s duty to grant the wishes of the desperate. Up north? They get the prayers and hopes of the good. But down here—down here, we get the pleas, the bargains, the desperate exchanges. You can deny me. Denythis.But whether you admit it or not, thisiswhat you wished for.
I was pretty positive that I hadn’t wished for adevil, let alone to be abducted by one.
Hewasdrop dead gorgeous though, I’d give him that. And then there was the fact that when he looked at me it felt like he was looking at every fiber of my being, seeing me for me.
I couldn’t possibly date a devil though, right? That would just be...
“What happens if I deny you? Do I get to go home?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never been denied before, but I’d assume––based on my father’s stories––you’ll end up trapped here in some way, shape, or form.”
“And where is ‘here’?” I asked, slowly.
“Deer,” he drew out my name as if savoring every letter.
I stared at him, everything in me stilling.
“Where is here?” I demanded, my voice taking on a small shake.
“Hell,” He replied flatly.
I remained silent for a few moments, giving him the silence to add in the real answer—but, when he said nothing more, I realized he may be serious.
“Iamserious,” he said quietly and I cringed at the reply.
“Prove it.”
He looked at me in surprise. “Prove it? How?”
I shrugged.
His eyes never left mine as his horns emerged from his head, smoke pluming from them in small puffs. The look he gave me was enough to let me know he knew I needed more than just that, and he sighed.
He reluctantly raised his hand and made a strange wafting gesture, the room turned black for a moment, before shadowy forms began writhing around us. The shapescackled and yowled, their wispy fingers reaching for me, causing me to jump up from my chair. Raios had found my hand, and pulled me back down into my seat.
The room instantly went back to normal and I hauled in a deep breath. I could feel that all of the color had drained from my face.
“So...” he said slowly, “what do you say?”
I sat rigid in my seat, shaking with fear at what I had just seen. He was serious, even if he wasn’t there was no way for me to believe otherwise.
“Do I need to sift through all those thoughts or will you put me out of my misery and just tell me?”
“Okay,” I whispered.
“Okay?”
