“So, are you excited, my sweet?” he asked as he examined the contents of my suitcase.
“Um, no,” I said quietly as I sat down on my bed and shoved my hands under my bottom so I didn’t grab my grandpa and break him.
“You and your cousin Astrid are the only ones that can control yourselves around me,” he muttered as he refolded some of my clothes that I had sloppily thrown in. “The Balance of Chaos is missing and the Rogue Demons are out of control.”
“I’m sorry, what?” I asked, getting a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Grandpa loved dropping time bombs.
“The Rogue Demons on Earth are wreaking havoc and they must be stopped,” he relayed as if he were reciting a laundry list of chores. "Of course the one who should be stopping them is useless."
“Rogue Demons?” I asked, knowing for sure I didn’t really want the answer.
Grandpa clasped his little hands together and bowed his head. “They are Demons who don’t follow our rules." He paused and squinted.
“Don’t you dare sugarcoat.”
“Fine,” Grandpa huffed and rolled his eyes. “They are Demons that roam Earth killing and maiming mortals, Angels, Demons, Vampyres, Fairies. You name it. Basically they’re destroying the Balance of Chaos. They have become uncontrollable and it’s come to our attention they want to destroy your father and supposedly God.”
“That’s not possible,” I replied sharply.
“It’s possible,” he said. “But highly improbable and quite difficult.”
“Is Heaven behind this?” I felt restless, irritable and freaked out.
“Very good guess, my child, but no,” Grandpa sighed. “The Demons have been ravaging Angels in the most heinous ways even in neutral territories. God is definitely not behind this. We need to find the Balance of Chaos.”
"Did you say Fairies?"
"I did," he replied.
"How in the Hell did I not know that Fairies existed?" I moaned and dropped my head into my hands.
"Trust me, they do and they're not sweet and they do not grant wishes easily. I'm not even sure how they got involved in this mess," he mumbled.
“And I’m supposed to fix the shitstorm of a bunch of immortal asswipes, including Fairies that I didn't know existed?”
"You forgot a part."
"Oh right, and find the elusive, stupid, freakin' Balance of Chaos?"
My grandpa raised one eyebrow and stared at me in silence.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. I was trembling and furious with my father. “Why would Dad send me into something like that?”
“He doesn’t have a choice. It’s part of the deal he made. In fact, I think he's a couple of years behind on that deal,” he answered.
I waited for more but none came. I’d about had it with my family’s love of cryptic bullshit. “Would you like to tell me what that means?”
“I’d love to.” He smiled and clapped his little hands.
I waited.
“But I can’t,” he said as he produced a wicked-looking dagger out of thin air and placed it in my suitcase.
“What’s that for?” I asked as I tried not to laugh hysterically or scream in frustration and terror. Was I supposed to use that to slice up the Rogue Demons to save the freakin' Fairies? If they thought I was going to cap that problem they were seriously mistaken.
“If I did something repulsive for you, would you honor me by going along with it?” he inquired as he continued to conjure weapons out of the air and pack them carefully in my suitcase.
“Is this a trick question?” I wondered what in the Hell the most adorable man in the world could do that would strike me as repulsive.
“No, Dixie, it’s not a trick.”
Crap. “Um, okay. . ."
My delightfully scrunchy and addictive grandpa produced yet another knife from out of nowhere. This one was different. The handle was encrusted with diamonds. It shimmered and winked at me—a perfect combination of beauty and death. He raised the knife to his neck and sliced.
I screamed.
“Holy Hades, Grandpa,” I screeched, trying to pry the knife from his fingers before he took his head off.
“Dixie, stop,” he commanded. Occasionally his adorable factor made me forget he could level a continent with a flick of his fingers. I froze and watch the blood gush out from his neck. “I want you to drink from me.”
“Like a Vampyre?” I was in shock.
“Yes, like a Vampyre.” Grandpa grinned and used two fingers to pretend they were fangs.
“Oh my Hell.” I gagged as I turned my head away from the sight of my beloved grandpa bleeding all over my favorite down comforter. For Satan’s sake, did he slice into an artery or what? “Can I ask you a question?” I choked out.
“Make it quick. Feeling a little queasy here,” he replied.
“Oookay, drinking your blood seems kinda cannibalistic and beyond disgusting since I'm not a Vampyre. You want me to do this why?” I tried desperately to keep a tight rein on my gag reflex.
"Your cousin Astrid did it," he informed me.
"My cousin is a Vampyre. She likes blood. Why do I have to do it?"
He swayed from blood loss. “Your father isn’t allowed to because of the deal he struck, but no one said anything about me.”
“I am so confused and grossed out I don’t know where to begin.”
“Drink my blood, Dixie. If you want to survive Earth, you must do this. Trust me, I find it as unappealing as you do, but there’s no faster way.”
“Faster way to what?” I felt the bile rising in my throat.
“To give you Black Magic.”
I gasped and grabbed my bedpost to steady my quaking knees. Only the highest level Demons had Black Magic. The only ones I knew for sure that possessed the gift of Black Magic were my father, my grandfather and my cousin Astrid. I suspected some of my dad’s top generals might have a small amount, but me? Why in the world did they want me to have Black Magic?
“Does Dad know?” I whispered.
“He suspects,” Grandpa muttered. “He would do it himself if he could, but as I told you he can’t. Now drink before I faint,” he insisted.
“I have to?”
I really did not want to do this.
“Do you want to live out the next week?”
I thought about my family and my friends and Hayden's green eyes and soft lips and the ridiculous fact that I still hadn't experienced third base. “Yes, I do.”
“Then drink,” he hissed.
I slowly bent down and pressed my tightly closed lips to my grandpa’s throat. I shut my eyes and hoped that if I couldn’t see what I was doing I could pretend I wasn’t doing it. I’d tasted blood before—my own. The many times I bit down on my lip trying not to laugh at something that wasn’t supposed to be funny and drew blood. Blood tasted like metal, kind of like vitamins. I would pretend I was drinking liquified metal vitamins. It would make me stronger, smarter, possibly make my boobs better than Blanche’s. Not to mention it would give me the ability to destroy cities with the blink of an eye. Crap. I jerked back and my eyes shot open. They locked on my grandpa’s.
“There’s more at stake than just your life,” he told me with a gentle urgency. “The future of Hell will soon rest in your hands. You have to do this.”
“I might throw up,” I told him.
“For the Love of Hatred, please don’t. I have a very active gag reflex, and if you go I’ll go too.”
I started laughing. I’d had many bizarre conversations during my short life in Hell, but this one took the cake. “Okay Grandpa, I’ll do my best not to hurl.” I took a tentative lick. It wasn’t good, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
“Latch on and drink.” Grandpa grasped the back of my head and forced my lips to the gaping wound on his neck.
I drank.
The second his blood entered my system something strange happened. Bolts of heat ricocheted through my body, down to my toes and out through my fingertips. It was violent. I tried to pull away, but Grandpa held me fast. As much as I wanted to stop drinking, something compelled me to continue. I was losing control, of myself, my mind, my body, my soul.
I convulsed and shook as if I were having a seizure. It quickly subsided into a gentle hot wave churning inside me. It didn’t hurt. It was surreal, floaty and powerful.
I knew now that I possessed a power I had no business owning. I wasn’t old enough or mature enough to wield Black Magic. Only the strongest beings in the Universe were blessed with Black Magic, and now I was in that club.
“Um, Grandpa, I’m guessing I shouldn’t share the arrival of my new super powers with anyone?” I gave him a small smile as I floated down from my bizarre blood high.
“That would be correct, although some will know.” He grinned as he ran his fingertips over the gash on his neck. It magically closed.
“Could I have done that?” I asked, referring to his healing.
“Yes, you can now,” he replied as he retrieved a small silver book from thin air. “In this tome are some of the things you need to know. Don’t read it all at once or you'll die.”
Laughter burbled from my lips. I waited for him to join me. I waited some more. He didn’t join. My laughter died in my throat.
“For real?”
“Yes.” His cute little dimples appeared and I couldn’t help myself. I squeezed him, but not too tight.
“What’s in the book?” I ran my hands over the cover and I could swear it had a heartbeat. I jerked my hands back. “Grandpa, it’s breathing,” I shouted.
“Oh, how wonderful.” His eyes were shining with glee. Of course he would think that was awesome. What in the Hell was wrong with my family?
“Wonderful,” I agreed sarcastically as I moved away from the freaky silver book with a pulse. “What’s inside that book?”
“Spells, how to cope with your gift, how to cure magical hangovers, how to destroy the world.”
“Great. That’s just frickin’ great,” I muttered as I attacked my now raw cuticles.
“Isn’t it?” Grandpa giggled and hugged me tight. “I love you, little Demon Princess. I really do.” He slowly let go and then disappeared in a breathtaking mist of black glitter. I looked down at my suitcase loaded with sharp, glistening weapons and I shook my head. I tucked the book into a corner, carefully zipped it shut and prayed I wouldn’t have to break in any of my shiny new toys any time soon. I walked to my closet, yanked out another suitcase and continued to pack.
Ahhhhh, just another effed up day in Hell.
Chapter 14
“I'm going to go to Earth to kick some ass in a timely manner and then come home. However, I'd like to go on record and say that I'll probably do something horrifically embarrassing to Hell and get my Demon card revoked." I paced my bungalow as a wave of apprehension crashed through me.
“Duly noted. Mine's been revoked at least a dozen times.”
I laughed and threw myself into Hayden’s strong arms. He wrapped himself securely around me and buried his face in my hair.
“You smell so good.” He ran his lips along my jaw and kissed the corner of my mouth.
I placed my hands on either side of his face and touched my forehead to his. Being so close to him sent shivers of delight through me. I eased away and searched his eyes. “Will you come see me?”
“I will.” He captured my lips and made me forget my name. I wrapped my legs around his waist and tried to wrestle him down on my bed.
“Oh no you don’t.” Hayden laughed as he flipped me over and locked my arms over my head while trapping my legs under his thigh. His desire made me bold.
“Well, I like this too.” I fought to free my arms so I could wrap them around his neck.
He slowly lowered his face to mine. Butterflies were having a smackdown in my stomach. My lips parted willingly under his and I gave myself freely to the passion of his kiss. He raised up and gazed into my eyes, “I have waited so long for you, Dixie.” His voice was low and intense.
“Was I worth the wait?” I whispered, completely lost in his eyes.
“Without a doubt,” he said.
“Hello, Dixie darling.”
“Holy shit,” I screeched as I sat up and conked heads with Hayden so hard I saw stars. “Dad, you’re supposed to knock!”
“Why should I knock on my own daughter’s door?” he asked, truly stymied.
“Because I’m an adult and I was busy.” I was mortified.
“And who is the young ma. . .” My father froze, his fists clenched at his sides and the room got chilly. Literally. It dropped about thirty degrees. “What are you doing here?” my father hissed at Hayden, giving him a brutal and unfriendly stare.
“Hello, Lucifer, it’s nice to see you again too,” Hayden replied as he made himself more comfortable on my bed.
Something was really wrong here. Why wasn’t Hayden afraid of the Prince of Darkness?
“I believe,” my dad spoke slowly through clenched teeth, “I asked you what you were doing here. I’d also like to know what in the Hell are you doing with my daughter.”
“I’m here because I’ve finished my task and I’m with your daughter because I’m in love with her.”
Hayden stood up and went toe to toe with my dad. Sweet Baby Beelzebub, Hayden really was as tall as he was.
“Impossible,” Satan bellowed. The room shook as his power bounced off of my walls like a ping pong ball on crack. I shrunk back into a corner, not liking where this was headed. I felt certain it would not end well.
“Not impossible,” Hayden countered. Holy Hades, I could feel his power dancing all over my room along with my dad's. Who in the Hell was he—or better yet, what was he? Why in the world would he challenge my dad like this? He either had a huge amount of power and magic or a gargantuan death wish. “You knew she was mine yet you sent me away all these years.”
“She’s just a child,” my father fired back at him.
“She’s a woman."
“Exactly,” my Dad shouted. “Young. Woman. And she’s mine. My little baby girl.”
“Helloooo,” I said to the two “Tug on Dixie” participants. “She’s sitting right here.”
“Quiet,” they yelled in unison. Well, alrighty then.
“She is not yours, she’s mine,” Hayden smugly informed Satan. Ooooh, my dad hated smug.
“I could destroy you so quickly and it would be so much fun.” My father bestowed an icy smile on Hayden. He was stunningly beautiful and viciously evil at the same time.
Hayden laughed, his beauty as riveting as my father's. “Try it, old friend. See how far it will get you.”