Thanks to a dare gone wrong, Maggie Brumfield finds out the hard way that Heaven and Hell are real.
Prince Laudon, Lucifer's son and the current ruler of Hell, has locked Maggie into a sinister deal that grants him temporary ownership of her soul...
Everything would have gone smoothly had Laudon not been reunited with Maggie. More than anything, he had wanted to claim the girl in ways that were illegal. He had wanted to consume her soul, absorb her energy, and ultimately extend his lifeforce by a few hundred years. However, Laudon knows better than to put himself above the needs of Hell.
Lucifer's kingdom does not run off air. Similar to Heaven, Hell requires souls to keep the figurative lights from getting shut off. All demons do whatever they must to get souls—those wicked and pure, Lucifer doesn't have a preference—into hell. Whether it be by lying, stealing, tricking, or killing, all options are allowed. Better to get the job done rather than come home to Lucifer empty-handed. No one is exempt from catching his wrath, not even his own son.
"We have been down here for hours and have made little progress," Zul later complains. "Are you sure we are looking in the correct section?"
"It's the only section that pertains to humans," Laudon replies. "This is where we need to look."
"And what about the girl?" Zul changes the subject. "She has been alone for a while."
"I know you wish to play with Hell's shiny new toy," Laudon says, sounding peeved. "But what is your point, Zul? Why do you seem to care so much about her?"
"Well, my prince, for whenever she wakes up, if she has not already done so, one of us should be there to keep her from doing something to harm herself," Zul says. "We cannot get the answers that you are looking for from a dead body. Luckily, for now, she is still alive."
Only because Laudon had trouble extracting Maggie's soul.
Laudon remembers that trouble all too well. It had been one of the few times in his life where he began a task that he could not successfully complete.
Shortly after he and Maggie arrived in Hell, with her still unconscious, Laudon attempted to extract her soul. Despite everything in his bones having told him to leave the girl alone, he ignored what Zul would call his 'softer side' and instead tried to complete his part of the ritual. Maggie, or rather her body, refused to let him. The familiar blue glow that previously shot out of her hand suddenly encased her body completely, preventing Laudon and anyone else from touching her. That happened a little over twenty-four hours ago, and Laudon has not bothered her since.
"Doesn't matter. Just leave her be for now," Laudon mutters. He picks up another book and speedily reads through its pages. "This is what I get for leaving Hell. Had I stayed and done my work like I was supposed to do, I never would have gotten tangled up with that damn girl."
Intrigued.
Laudon is extremely intrigued about Maggie and the strange power that she wields, one that he has since learned isn't permanent but temporary. Still, it is a power that can cause him harm. After Maggie struck him in the chest back at her house, Laudon was left with a small bruise. Nothing life-threatening, but it had been highly alarming because the wound has since been slow to heal, even after using the power of multiple healing spells.
Up until tonight, despite Maggie having been his first encounter, no human has ever been or should ever be a match for Laudon. And yet, Maggie Brumfield is that and so much more.
"You should not feel bad for having gone to Edreial. You deserved that break," Zul says. His expression then goes bitter. "You may be unaware of this truth, but the majority of my life has also been spent in Hell. Edreial has never been of interest to me, which is why I unfortunately have little knowledge about its humans. If only your father were here, we would not have to sift through all of these damn books."
"I know. That's what makes this situation all the more frustrating," Laudon says. "My father has been around since the beginning of time. He is one of the original seven. He has been everywhere, seen just about everything... I'm willing to bet he has run into Maggie's kind once or twice before. Too fucking bad he isn't here to confirm whether he has or not."
"At least Hell has been quieter without him around," Zul says, trying to keep Laudon on the positive path. "Though, his presence is still missed."
"I'm sure there are many who would disagree," Laudon distastefully adds. "Probably the same who would prefer to see anyone else running the kingdom instead of me."
"You mustn't beat yourself down, my prince." Zul walks over to Laudon and pats him on the back. He does not often show affection towards others, but for Laudon, he tries. "I may not have been around since the beginning like your father, but I have served at his side for centuries and I am confident when I say that I know him well. While your father has never been one to hand out praise, even to those who deserve it, I will say this on his behalf—you have done an excellent job of keeping Hell in order."
"Thank you, Zul. I know I give you shit, but coming from you, those words mean a lot."
"I hope they do. And I know you would much rather be doing something else with your time," Zul says. "Nonetheless, I am proud to see you putting your home first."
"I do what I must," Laudon replies. "If I don't, everything down here would fall apart and we can't have that happening, right? Without proper leadership, it'd be a fucking bloodbath."
A bloodbath.
Blood.
Zul's eyes widen as the lightbulb above his head goes off. "My prince, please forgive me for not thinking of this sooner, but I believe I may know a way of getting you answers about the girl and her powers. The blood tells a story, correct?" Laudon nods. "Then why not have her blood tested? You said the power that she wields comes and goes. Then, during the window that it is no longer active, perhaps you can proceed quickly at getting a sample of her blood."
"Well, I'll be damned." Laudon slams the book shut that he'd been speed reading. He places it back on the shelf with a hopeful smile. "I would be lost without you, my friend."
As they exit the library, Laudon begins to wonder if Maggie is still unconscious. She passed out mid-descent into Hell and hasn't woken up since. Then again, getting her blood will be easiest this way. The last thing Laudon wants is for her to be alert and able to put up another fight. He does not want to get humiliated in front of Zul, the man who helped teach him the majority of his combat moves.
Laudon's reputation would never recover if he were to be tossed on his ass by a mortal girl.
. . .
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