Page 278 of Castings & Curses

“I sent her to Hell!” I look at Delilah, tears forming in my eyes.

“Yeah, that does put a damper on the whole afterlife thing. I hear it’s pretty humid down there this time of year. Probably not good for her hair.”

Again, I can’t help but crack a small, pained laugh at her attempt to make me feel better.

“What am I going to do if they pull me from the Annex?” I ask, my voice full of worry.

“Whatever they decide, Val, we will handle it. You won’t have to go through it alone. I promise,” she says, this time her voice is serious. She hugs me tightly.

“Okay,” I say as I regain my composure.

“Okay,” she agrees as we both stand. “Now, let’s go find a suitable second-chance suit for you, eh?” she suggests as she heads for my walk-in closet.

CHAPTER10

Endor

The travelfrom realm to realm isn’t quite as simple as it seems. Hell is designed to keep us in, which is why the doors only work one way. For special circumstances, and if you have the clearance to travel between realms, transportation is much more… dramatic.

Mercy all but hangs over the side of the boat as Roche fidgets in her seat next to me. Her long, sinuous legs go on for days in the getup she’s wearing, and I can’t deny that the sight appeals to me on some level. Though, not enough that I can take my mind off where we’re going or what’s going to happen when we get there.

Heaven and Hell have a treaty. We have for almost a century now. We mind our own business, unless special circumstances should arise, such as this. In such an event, both sides will convene for mediation first, and if a solution cannot be met, we will have to go before the Spiritual Council and plead our cases, giving them the ultimate ruling decision.

Lost souls have been a topic for ages. No one seems to know much about handling them. The rarity of one ending up in Hell, after somehow finding their way to Heaven, is a special circumstance indeed.

A part of me is thrilled at the idea of stepping foot in the proverbialcloud land, while the other is slightly nervous.

Will it hurt?

Demons, like myself, are designed for living in this environment, and while I know enough about Heaven to at least have an inkling of what to expect, I don’t know if it will be a painful experience. Rumors, gossip, and old legends talk about burning, smiting, and evil perishing in the face of God’s beautiful real estate.

But no demon has set foot on Heaven soil since the Dark Ages, so there’s nothing to really weigh it against, nothing to confirm or deny the suspicion.

After all, a demon is the epitome of evil, isn’t it?

“Try not to look so morbid, Endor.” Roche shoulder bumps me, drawing me out of my head and back to the present. She sets her hand on my thigh, rubbing lightly.

Mercy is still transfixed on the foggy and alternating neon colors of the ocean waves beneath our boat. I suppose it is quite mesmerizing if you take the time to watch how the water shifts from pink to blue to green and so forth. Her excitement both makes me smile and feel a tinge of fear.

“Don’t lean too far,” I say, causing her to turn and look at me with those big, expressive pools.

She smiles back. “Promise I won’t fall in,” she teases.

All I can do is nod, but the concern does not alleviate.

“I am a demon, Roche. Looking somber and morbid is in the job description.”

“You’ve wanted out of HAD for as long as I can remember. Aren’t you even the least bit excited to see Heaven?” she asks as she lazily draws circles on my thigh.

I push her hand off of me and she huffs in annoyance. Now is not the time. To be honest, I’m not sure there will ever be a time.

“I am intrigued to see what all the fuss is about, yes.”

Roche lets out a sigh, turning from me toward the horizon where the greenish-yellow sun awaits. Once we are at the horizon line, the waters will shift and we will pass from Hell into Heaven’s territory.

“Mercy, please get back from there,” I snap as I realize we are closer than I thought.

She purses her lips, the look on her face says she wants to argue, but she does not. Instead, she does as I say, no pushback.

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