The Devil's Love

Queen of Hell: Chapter 6: Sarah

I stood at the window of the restaurant, staring at the view of my apartment building. Too scared to venture into it now that I knew what Michael was capable of, too scared to walk away from the place that I loved. Anton seemed to think that Michael wouldn't fight dirty but I think he was wrong.

My thoughts and beliefs on the world were warping, never did I think that an angel could be so callous. He was in the underworld and likely to be holding Anton's staff as hostages, was that possible? Surely not. Anton seemed anxious and a little freaked out but he wasn't fretting for their lives.

Maybe demons are expendable my mind whispered.

It was possible, though Anton seemed pretty fond of Nick and Rowan. Oh, and Igor. The rest I do not know.

My hand rested on the glass of the window, looking out upon the morning. Cold days were drawing closer with each passing minute, I'd miss the cold if I were to live in the warmth of the underworld forever.

Because it would be forever, I wasn't a fool. Anton's reluctance to tell meant that he worried about my reaction and rightly so but not the way that he thinks. My place of residence meant little, what mattered more was having to push him to get the information out of him, things that as his partner I should know.

The door pushed open, two women walking in with large smiles and friendly hellos. I smiled back as I wrapped my arms around myself and turned back to the window. Could I give this all away for a life as a bored housewife in the bowels of hell?

"Sarah."

I turned to the shocked voice of Anton as he drew closer to me. I'd freaked out and he obviously thought I had done a runner. All I wanted was to look upon the apartment building as I decided my future.

"I'm sorry, I should have told you. I didn't think that he'd get so worked up about it. It's not as if I haven't done this before."

With a shrug, I looked up at him.

"It's okay Anton but you need to realize that we are partners, we talk about everything and make decisions together. How can I be your wife if you do not include me in things that matter to us? Include me, that is all that I ask."

Anton nodded, a soft smile slipped across his lips as his fingers trailed down my arm.

"For a while, it was almost an annual thing." Anton grinned a little darkly as he whispered the words. "I'd even send him a birthday card, been doing that for a few years. I like to send the ones with buff fellows on the front. Subscriptions to wonderful magazines of a certain persuasion. Did you know that there is a club that you can join and they send you these long rubbery things? I have no idea what they are for but I thought that Michael would enjoy them."

I laughed, shaking my head at the crazy man that I loved.

"Maybe I might have sent a box of cookies for his birthday a few years back. When was it?" he frowned as he thought about it. "Oh that's right, it was in the sixties."

"I thought that you guys didn't have birthdays and what did you do to the cookies?"

"We don't but I picked a day and decided to make it an annual event. As for the cookies, well I did not bake them so I cannot be held responsible for them."

I folded my arms and leaned on the window, watching him with narrowed eyes.

"Okay, so it might have been the rage at the time, who can say? I am a man that likes to keep up with the trends and ensure that my temptations are time appropriate."

"You laced them, didn't you?"

Anton grinned supremely and offered nothing.

"Okay so enough distracting, we need to talk about that thing."

He gazed upon the building that he had bought for the two of us to make a home, to raise our many children and have a happy life together. For a short while at least. Who was I kidding? Even with the latest in surgery, I couldn't get away with looking like this for too long.

But my looks was the least of our problems.

I took Anton's hands and pulled him to an empty table, the view of our place still sitting in the corner of my vision.

"We should be realistic about this. If I cannot walk across the street without being in danger then we've got issues, don't we?"

Anton nodded sadly as he turned my hands over, his thumbs washing over my palms.

"I was so desperate to give you all that you wanted and so blinded to the dangers of what could be. I've never had to worry about anyone else and now I do, this is all new territory. Demons know how to care for themselves in these situations, they learn quickly or the end up in trouble. How this world is and the dangers that are associated with it are ingrained in them from the beginning, in their transformation they see so much and learn all that they need to know. Like years of learning that pounds into their minds, filling them with information in a matter of days. But for you, it was different. You do not need to know the demon way of life, you are not in servitude to me but this is my failing because you do need to know."

I gripped his hands, his sad face rising to mine.

"Forget the apartment, Anton, forget the restaurant. Our love and safety are all that matters. I know that I said that this was what I wanted but I want you more. I'd rather walk away from this place than lose you."

I looked at Igor in the kitchen as he continued to ready for the lunch rush. His words about the yellow and red sun made me wonder about the demons.

"Will the demons be called back to your world?"

"Demons are supposed to reside in hell Sarah, if the gates are to be locked then they will be called back."

"What about Nick and Rowan? Could they take Castian with them?"

Anton shook his head sadly. "They could not take anyone that is not a demon. If it happens before Rowan gives birth then the child will die. But that will not happen, they do not know it but there are get-out clauses in their contracts. I would free them before I would have them dragged to hell."

One of the staff brought over coffees for us even though it had not been requested. The fear in his eyes was obvious, he looked to his master and worried for our future.

"They know, don't they?" I asked as I watched the fellow walk away.

"Every demon has a connection to me, small but enough to know that things are not good. It is how I can call them home when needed. I have to restrain the sense of fear otherwise, they will flock to the underworld and I do not know what Michael has waiting for them."

"Then calm down and take a breath, we are going to be logical and we are going to win."

Anton smiled at me as he leaned over for a chaste kiss.

"Did I ever tell you how wonderful you are?"

"Not nearly enough," I whispered back.