To Hell and Back by L.B. Gilbert

Chapter Thirty-Six

Valeria woke up in drips and dregs, her head aching. Taking a deep breath to make sure her lungs still worked she rolled over and opened her eyes.

She took in her surroundings slowly, as if small bites would somehow make it more palatable.

The room had stone walls and a big bed underneath her that echoed the one she’d slept in at Rhys’ house. Only this one appeared battered, the wood grimy. No one ever polished it.

A wardrobe and chest sat on her left. An elaborately carved fireplace was against the wall on the right. The windows were simple cut-outs in the stone. No shutters, just some threadbare curtains that were pushed to the side to expose the light.

Beyond it was the strange, stained sky.

She hadn’t imagined it. The only place she’d seen air like that had been in photographs of cities in China overwhelmed by pollution. Cheeks pulled tight, she went to the window, cautiously poking her head out.

More of that sky, only it was darker now. The ground below was barren. There was nothing green in the rust-colored dirt. The only sign of habitation aside from the dwelling she was in was a low stone wall that showed signs of having been repaired.

If the sky was real, then so was that man who’d kept her from turning into Valeria soup on impact when she arrived. At least she thought it was male. The voice, it had been male—so clear and strong it had been like someone rang a gong right in her ear.

Okay, so not a man.

The idea that she should go out and thank him crossed her mind before she smacked her own face for being a bloody idiot.

The stranger had to have known she was coming. He’d been waiting for her. Whoever the being was, he was the reason she had been chased, hounded to the ends of the Earth.

Anger coursed over her like a flashfire. Gripping her hands into fists, Valeria coughed, choking on her rage.

No, you can’t kill him. First of all, she’d get creamed. Her ability was unique and powerful, but this was a creature who had survived this hellhole, had thrived even. If he were the reason she was here, then he had enough power to influence her world, sticking little tendrils inside it, dangling lures for witches like the ones who had attacked.

He—it—tempted them, making promises, waiting to snap up the unwary like that deep-sea fish they showed in ocean trench documentaries. A glowing lure, the shining promise of more power twisted into whatever form they wished.

Don’t worry. You’re not about to become dinner.

That much she knew. The stranger had gone to too much trouble to get her here.

If he’d wanted something as simple as sustenance, he’d have been satisfied with one of the cross witches.

But Valeria was here so he wanted her, or someone like her. She didn’t want to know the reason why.

The temptation to hide here in this room was strong. Unfortunately, blissful ignorance was not something she could afford.

Valeria had to beard the beast in his den. The idea chilled the blood in her veins because she had a pretty good idea of what he was.

Given the evidence, there weren’t too many options. Valeria had been taken by a demon.

* * *

Valeria followedthe shuffling servant who’d come to fetch her down the steps, covering her mouth and nose with one hand. The servant smelled that bad.

The creature had appeared as soon as she worked up the courage to step outside the door of the bedroom she’d woken in. It had materialized at the end of the hall, moving with a slow shuffling gait that would have driven her mad under normal circumstances.

However, Valeria didn’t mind the snail’s pace today. She wasn’t in a hurry to get where they were going. Although stoic patience was hard to come by given the stench.

The servant’s scent surrounded her like an eye-watering cloud of boiled urine. It assaulted her like a physical blow after she mis-stepped going down the steps and her hand slipped off her nose.

She would have used both hands to cover her nose, but she needed to keep one hand on the wall. The staircase was steep with stone steps so worn they were slick. The bottom of the stairs was so dark Valeria couldn’t figure out how far down it went. If she fell, she’d break her neck.

Yeah, you’re not that lucky.

“How long have you worked here?” she asked, picking her way down with care.

“Furrever, misss,” the servant hissed in a voice that was more female than male. “Slank serves masster furrever. Honorrr.”

“Slank? Is that your name?”

“Slank,” Slank confirmed, continuing to shuffle forward.

Ten minutes later, Slank showed her into a large room that was one big open space. It was like the inside of a medieval castle’s main hall, with stairs leading up to the second story.

The hooded being was sitting on a throne.

Well, someone thinks highly of himself. Taking comfort in snarkiness, she made sure no emotions showed on her face. Whatever the hell was going on, she had to keep her those to herself. At least until she learned what she was dealing with.

Thecreature raised a gloved hand, beckoning her closer. Stomach twisting in knots, Valeria stepped forward.

Anger is fuel, she reminded herself. That was in Ravenna’s top ten rules to live by.

The thought of her mother made her steps falter. It wasn’t a real betrayal.

Ravenna would have told her the truth, and they would have come up with a plan together. It was just that when her mother was ashamed of herself—a rare occurrence—it took her a while to admit her wrongdoings. But she would have. Valeria had to believe that.

“WHY DO YOU TARRY, CHILD?”

She flinched, freezing to the spot. The voice had a preternatural resonance that rattled her bones. And it was so beautiful it hurt to listen to. Literally.

Startled, she lifted a hand to her ear. Her fingers came away tipped with blood.

“Could you lower the volume, please?” she asked. “You are going to blow out my eardrums.”

Valeria was working under the assumption the being wanted her in some sort of functional order. At least she hoped so.

There was something that could have been a stunned silence from the throne. And then there was laughter.

“I am pleased with you. You speak your mind even in the presence of your gods. It’s unwise but entertaining.”

“I wasn’t trying to be amusing,” she said, deciding to ignore the ‘gods’ crack. Demons loved to brag. “Simply honest.”

“Honesty?” The demon sounded surprised as if this were an alien concept. “How quaint.”

Valeria bit the inside of her lip to keep from making a smart remark. “How is it that you speak English now?”

The words he’d spoken to her in the desert hadn’t been intelligible. She hadn’t recognized them despite her past travels and extensive study. It was either a dead language…or it had never been spoken on Earth.

“Aren’t you going to ask me why I’ve gone to so much trouble to bring you here?” the hooded figure asked instead.

Despite modulating his tone, there was a creepy otherness to his voice that rubbed her the wrong way, as if she were a cat being stroked in the wrong direction.

Her shoulders slumped. “I’m not sure I want to know.”

She hadn’t meant to say that aloud, but when the being threw back its head and laughed, the hood slipped back a smidge—revealing shadowed features that were recognizable as humanoid.

That wasn’t what she’d expected after meeting Slank.

And then the creature stopped laughing. It raised a hand and she shot forward, gripped by an invisible power stronger than any she’d ever experienced.

The toes of the expensive hiking boots Rhys had bought her scraped against the stone-flagged floor. Like the stairs, it was smooth, polished like a mirror. But there was no mortar in between. Each stone had been fitted so that they joined seamlessly, like a gigantic jigsaw puzzle.

Then the demon laid down the law.

“I realize the circumstances of your arrival were jarring. Therefore, I am willing to make allowances, but my indulgence only goes so far. Honesty, I will accept, but a word of warning—insolence will not be tolerated.”

Realizing her throat wasn’t compressed, she sucked in some much-needed air. “I understand and apologize for any offense my honesty might have caused.”

There was a huff of agreement, and the creature stood. Despite the fact she was suspended in the air, the demon towered over her. “You are honored to be my guest.”

Now she was going to choke out of pure spite, but she kept her voice level. “Sure, of course. Um…can you put me down?”

He didn’t move or speak. “Please?” she added.

Her toes touched the floor, and she couldn’t help a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

“Thank you, master.”

Cabron, he would have to be an egomaniac.Valeria looked down at her boots. “Thank you…master.”

Another laugh. It was more muted than before, but still as affecting on a visceral level. Cold and beautiful like a glacier or a diamond.

“Why am I here?”

There was no escaping her fate now. She was going to have to deal with it. Better now than later.

The hooded figure tilted its head slowly, the move so smooth it didn’t seem human. That’s because it’s a demon. And despite what she might have assumed from what she knew about the awkward way the possessed moved, a demon in the flesh was graceful.

“You’re here to help me.”

She took a step back, blinking rapidly. “What?”

“I said you’ve been brought here to help me.”

He waited expectantly. Great, the twenty questions part is required… “Why do you need my help?” she asked.

“To return to your realm.”

“Return?” She swallowed hard.

The cloak the being wore fluttered despite the lack of detectable wind. “I am in exile here. But Earth is my home, and I intend to return.”

“Demons can’t walk the Earth.” That was demonology 101.

It threw back its head and laughed. “Who said I was a demon?”

Her skepticism must have shown on her face because her ribs were suddenly groaning. The head lowered until it was next to her ear. “I forgive you, child.”

“Prove it,” she gasped. “Let me go.”

There was a chuckle, and the pressure around her chest eased. Another moment later, she was released.

“I understand your reticence and suspicion. It’s only natural that you would make assumptions given the company I keep.” The blade-tipped hands emerge from the end of the sleeves, pulling the hood back.

Valeria backed away so fast she fell on her ass.

Her captor’s face was a reflection of his voice—in a word, stunning. Her flesh began to creep as he threw off the cloak.

Wings. Feathered wings. Blindingly white feathered wings. She was staring at an angel.

“Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Michael, and you, Valeria, are the most fortunate human alive.”

He leaned closer, his radiance making her eyes ache. “You’re going to help me save the Earth.”