The Devil's Love

Queen of Hell: Chapter 13: Anton

We were back at the apartment, Igor and Catherine had returned to the shop and pretended that Igor had never left. I hadn't realized but Catherine was helping out in the shop today, something that I found oddly pleasing. Sarah and I were married, it was official and things were about to change. Michael was still in the underworld, much to my annoyance.

I wasn't about to unleash a war upon anyone but if he didn't leave us alone then I was going to. No doubt Ignatius would be calling those above him and telling them how sorry he was for breaking the rules. I knew that his reluctance and stalling tactics were all because of the seer's vision. Everyone was determined to stop this and there was no just cause.

"My darling, I have some pretty things for you."

"Is it you, naked under the sheets?"

"Soon my love."

I pulled another ring out of my pocket, one to add to the crown ring. When it was on her finger I gestured to her own pocket.

"Check in there Sarah."

With a big frown, she tucked her hand into her pocket. The frown was gone as her eyes widened with astonishment, producing a ring.

"Oh, you are a good magician." She said with a giggle, sliding the ring onto my finger.

"What a mighty fine sight."

I looked at the gold upon my finger, thinking that I didn't ever think that such a little trinket could be so fascinating.

"More of looking at that later. You will be needing this."

Sarah's eyes widened again and then her lip twitched with a slight sneer.

"You're kidding, right?"

"You should put it on as a show of who you are now and then, all you need is to make it reappear when necessary."

With an indignant huff, she allowed me to place the crown upon her head.

"There you go, queen of hell. My, you are a pretty one."

"Thanks." She said with a chuckle.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

We both turned and looked at Michael who was standing in front of the racks of clothing.

"What's the matter, Michael? Did you just realize you lost again?"

His eyes narrowed as his hands went to his hips.

"She's not pregnant."

"Yes she is, I checked. Oh and we married, but I guess Ignatius told you that already."

He rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath.

"Do be a good little fluff ball and go away, Michael. You've got earth back, you can't win a war waged against me now that I have my queen."

"I'll lock you in hell."

"You are not authorized to do that and I won the battle to walk this land. If you are planning on going against the treaty then, by all means, call my demons home."

Michael growled and faded into the air, leaving us alone with our sniggers and delight of winning.

"Now, that piece of loveliness on your head. Think about it fading into the air and returning to the cabinet where it belongs."

"Will it be safe?"

"It does not matter if it is safe Sarah, only you or I can pick it up. Anyone else will have their fingers burned off and they will not be able to lift it, the thing is too heavy for anyone else."

She did as I suggested, the crown lifting from her head and fading into the air.

"It is bound to you and only you. It calls you home to where it is, did you feel it, Sarah? When we arrived did the land feel perfect to you?"

"It did." She said with a gasp. "I felt like I was home."

I nodded a little morosely, sitting onto the edge of the bed. Sarah sat beside me and looked upon the beautiful sight that was a band of gold. Her fingers toyed with it as she snuggled against my body.

"I feared that may happen, the call to where we belong is strong and there will be times when we cannot ignore it. We will keep this place but understand that our time here may be limited."

"I understand. As much as you've got a scary dragon flying around the place and a rather ominous looking castle, I think it's very pretty."

I looked at her with wonder, a soft and playful smirk curled into my lips.

"The dragon is not so bad once you get to know him. He's just a little cantankerous."

"Maybe you need to get him a girlfriend."

I chuckled with a nod. As much as I disliked the thought of there being two of them and of course them fornicating on the front lawn, I had to say that the poor thing was probably lonely.

"Is he the only one or is there some far off distant land that has hundreds of them?"

"He was a gift actually, from the master of the afterlife for the dimension of Tresel. I will send word that I would like to see the dastardly thing have a lady friend, maybe he might gift another one to us."

We laid upon the bed for what I hoped was a long rest. Well, Sarah laid and I rested upon my arm with my free hand smoothing over her stomach.

"Six months if you are wondering and it's pretty much the same as a human pregnancy. There is no way to know if you are going to be sick or how big the child will be."

"I can't believe you did it in one go." She said dryly.

"Hey you said it yourself, I've got wonder sperm."

She chuckled, shaking her head. I settled onto the bed beside her, wrapping my arms around her body and holding her tight.

"Do you think that Michael is going to get his revenge some other way?"

"It's not in his nature to be like this, no doubt he'll go and drown his sorrows somewhere and in a few hours he'll shrug it off as inconsequential."

We laid in silence for a while, I was tired but I could not find rest. There was so much that I had to do. I had to go back into the underworld to check that everything was okay, I had to let the castle staff know that the place was going to be occupied again. All thoughts and planning were cast aside when the intercom buzzed and the sound of one annoyed woman bellowed through it.