Page 23 of Deal with the Devil

“Yeah,” she let out a small wheeze of a laugh, realizing she’d been caught drifting off to la-la-land once again. “Sorry, I’m drained, my brain is leaking out my ears.”

It was a bold lie. Amelia wasn’t drained, she was thinking about him. Thinking about the fiend who chased her through herdreams. Thinking about the next chapter she was going to write and how she was going to skirt the line between autobiography and fiction. Thinking about what his face would look like when he found out...ifhe found out.

“I feel that, this week has been wild.” Evelynne flopped herself against the counter. The front door dinged and the two of them snapped back to customer service. Evelynne chirped, “Welcome to Mumford Books and Drinks!”

Amelia called out, “Welcome in!”

“It’s just me!” Eloise grunted as she waddled into the store with a bag on her arm. Evelynne and Amelia rushed away from the counter to alleviate their pregnant boss from the weight of her shopping.

“I got you,” Amelia laughed, taking up some of the bags from Eloise while Evelynne grabbed the ones around her feet. “What are you doing on your feet? I thought Minx put you on bed rest?”

“He can punish me later, we’re out of a few things and with it being summer break, the pub is busier than ever with university kids.” She grabbed a giant water bottle off the floor and took a chug. Eloise Mumford was pregnant,very pregnant.Close to bursting, her belly was round and made her even cuter than she was with her bubble gum colored hair. She wore only sandals now and long sundresses or maxi skirts.

“Thanks, we really needed the coffee,” Evelynne sighed dreamily as she held the bag up to her face. The coffee bar had been non-stop all day. College students, no longer on campus, needed to get their caffeine fix somewhere. Many flooded the bookstore and sat around using the internet. They’d run out of coffee beans and still had a whole day before their truck came in.

“Evelynne, will you take the café stuff over there and get it put away? Amelia, help me with the backroom stuff?”

“You got it, boss.” Amelia carried a massive package of toilet paper and bags of plastic items back to the backroom. As soon asthey passed through the backroom doors, Eloise slid up closer to Amelia.

“So...how’s it going? How’s my favorite little author doing? You told me yesterday you were working on something new, but we didn’t have time to discuss it more.” Eloise opened the office door, and they stuffed the supplies inside. According to Evelynne, Eloise and Minx turned the whole store around. They came in like a wrecking ball and ripped out the toxic, corporate influence. Things weren’t perfect, but Amelia didn’t mind either of them. Eloise was approachable and kind, Minx was understanding and no nonsense. They ran a tight ship, but Amelia had never worked for anyone where she felt comfortable voicing concerns or questions.

“It’s a romance, a romance thriller.” Amelia hadn’t even told her agent about it yet. There was a smidgen of worry that it wasn’t anything she’d want to help publish. Even greater than that, however, was the worry it wasn’t anywhere near as good as her other books.

“Gimme, oh my dragons, you’re writing a romance? I can’t wait!” Eloise squealed, wiggling in place.

“Whoa, momma, calm down, I’m not ready to catch kittens for you when they come flying out.” Amelia laughed, patting down the air in front of Eloise.

Her boss tossed her head back and cackled, “If only! I wish! I wish they would come out that easy. I have indigestion and they’re so stinkin’ heavy! They need to pop out already, but doctor says I have a few weeks yet. So, I’m going to need you to hurry up and write this, so I have something to read in recovery.”

Amelia wheezed, “It’s not going to happen that fast.”

“I know,” Eloise whispered softly, giving Amelia that motherly look that made Amelia miss her own mom. “I’m just teasing, but I am proud of you for branching out. Thriller, Horror, andRomance are all intertwined, so I’m glad to see you broaden your skills.”

“Thanks,” she flushed, tucking loose strands of blue hair behind her ear.

“When you’ve made a good amount of headway, let me know what it’s about. I can’t wait to read it.” Eloise clapped her hands excitedly before motioning for her to lead the way. “Now, I better get back before he spanks the kittens out of me.”

“Mrs. Mumford!” Amelia scoffed with fake offense and the pair burst into laughter. Evelynne was at the counter as they broke through to the floor.

“Oh no! What’d she say now?” Evelynne teased, putting her butt up onto the counter.

“Something about Minx’s paws against her backside,” Amelia snorted as she rolled her eyes.

“You two have fun, make sure Levi doesn’t fall asleep on his lunch and call me if anything happens. Evelynne, you good to lock up by yourself?”

The blonde-haired, pointy-eared, young adult elf saluted the pregnant business owner, “Absotootly!”

“Purrfect, okay, I’m out.” And with that, their boss left, and the two employees went back to mindlessly reorganizing the front section. After an hour, Amelia skipped back to the break room and flicked the sleepy college student on the ear. He squawked before bolting back to the coffee bar. Their evening was rather slow. It was a Thursday, and the business district tended to be dead by four pm. They closed up by seven and the three were out into the setting sun by seven-ten. Amelia grabbed some spicy noodles in garlic sauce with veggies and chicken and a frosty soda on the way home. When she rolled up, however, there was another person in the driveway with Penny. Brayden wasn’t with her, but Amelia could see the curtains twitching.Little shitwas watching them.Amelia parked her car in the driveway and stepped out.

“Oh, hey Amelia.” Penny stepped back from the hushed conversation she was having with the man in all black. Amelia realized suddenly that the Lord Commander was standing in their driveway. Aravis Blightwood was a seven-foot-tall Fowlst, bird folk, with inky black feathers and a sharp face. His talons were obsidian, and his cloak was heavy around his body. Clawed fingers were wrapped around his biceps, his long wings crossed over his chest.

“Ms. Armstrong, evening.”

“Evening.” She hadn’t met the Lord Commander personally, but everyone knew of him. “What can I do for you, Lord Commander?”

Aravis whispered something to Penny, and it made Amelia’s heart skip several beats. Anxiety rushed through her veins as she put her dinner on the hood of the car.

“I’m, uh, going to go inside. When you’re done, Am, uh, Brayden wanted to show you something.” Penny didn’t look at Amelia as she ducked away. It wasn’t till she was at the door that Amelia saw the panicked look in Penny’s eyes seconds before she dipped inside.Oh, our gooses are cooked.She didn’t know why yet, but her twin spoke loud and clear. Lord Aravis Blightwood was not here for a friendly chat.

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