Page 26 of Deal with the Devil

Knox stuffed his fists into his biceps while crossing his arms over his chest. They walked slowly down the hall toward his office. “So how do we get her fully awakened? That would be the easiest course of action.”

“A mercy killing would be the easiest course,” Hellen grumbled, shaking her head.

Knox jerked his head in her direction. “We’re not killing a kid just because she got bit.”

“Well, it’s either that or her sire has to bite her a second time, finishing the ritual. Do you really see that bastard, whoever he is, releasing his little plaything from his mind control?” She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the girl.

“That’s it? Our only two options?” Knox snapped.

“No, there’s one more…if the fledgling defeats the sire, the old school kill your master trick works every time. But she’s a kid, I don’t see her driving a stake or her hand through his chest and ripping it out. The options aren’t good.” Hellen motioned at his office. “I’ll go ask some of our nighttime friends a few questions, see if there’s a way I don’t know about. But she’s got three options, and I know which option is the least painful for that girl.”

Knox exhaled heavily. “That is a last resort, you hear me? We still need her to figure out who is fucking with my business.”

“I know, I know,” Hellen huffed as she tossed her hands up. The healer stalked away from him, her tail hung low between her legs. He knew Hellen didn’t like the option any more than he did. They didn’t call her the Fiend of Mercy for nothing. She had to put down more people than Knox, and he was the murderer. Hellen would likely try anything and everything to save her, butshe was realistic. Knox knew that killing the girl was an option. He would try until there was nothing left before he resorted to mercy killing.

With a heavy heart and feet made of concrete, he lumbered into his office. On his desk was a parchment wrapped box with a note, Denver’s specialty. Knox furrowed his brows, knowing his butler hardly sent anything to the casino when it could wait till Knox got home. For a moment he worried it was someone’s head. Yet, the box wasn’t as drippy as he imagined a bloody head would be. Instead, he dropped into his seat and ripped the box open.

Four paperback books, signed with a thank you note, stared back at him. His heart skipped a beat. Longing, deep and needy, carved into his soul as he slid them across his desk. The thank you note was from the publisher. He hadn’t ordered her paperbacks but had gladly devoured all her ebooks. The note was simple and printed, obviously made with an automatic order.

Thank you for ordering personalized paperbacks from Salamander Press!

However, when he opened the top book, two stickers fell out and Aurora Darkwater was signed upon the title page. The o had a little wave detail in it and the period was a tiny heart with a dagger through it. The signature was a little crude, not smooth or easy with a flick of a wrist. But it was so uniquely Amelia that it stung to look at. A light scent of peonies filled his nose.Like the flower boxes near her porch. The stickers were simple, one was her author logo bearing the same kind of signature, the other a knife through a heart that was dripping blood. He stuffed the stickers in his drawer and left his chair, books in hand. Across from his desk was a bookshelf. He displayed them, covers forward, across the shelf.

It was foolish. But with days as dark as his, he could use all the light he could manage. With her proudly displayed, he steppedback and stared at them. Knox ripped his phone out of his pocket and called Denver.

“Hello, sir, is everything all right?” Denver answered upon the second ring.

“Thank you, Denver, you always seem to know what to get me.” Knox sat on the edge of his desk, still glued to the covers.

“Of course, sir, it’s my pleasure. I do hope they arrived in good condition?”

“Perfect, thank you. Do you happen to know anyone in marketing?” Rubbing his gloves down against his slacks, he peeled his gaze away from the shelf. Amelia haunted his dreams and his mind. Every time he thought he was done thinking of her, she returned. A brush or a touch, it would reel him back in.

“I don’t believe I have anyone in the book world but, let me ask around and I’ll get back to you,” Denver chuckled.

“Thanks.” Knox exhaled heavily. “You’re always a miracle worker.”

“It’s why you hired me. Have a good afternoon, boss, dinner will be ready when you arrive home.”

Denver hung up and left Knox alone in his office. Sat behind his desk, he stared at the window. He hadn’t illusioned it in three days.No time for it.However, he lazily dropped into his seat, locked his door with a snap of his fingers, and activated the window in the same motion. Inside the bookstore, he checked his watch and found it was just about time for her to start her shift. Under the bird’s eye, she walked inside and waved to two employees lounging by the coffee bar.

Amelia Armstrong clocked in, and he watched for a good hour as she moved about the shop.

“This isn’t healthy,” he exhaled, knowing full well he wasn’t going to do a damn thing about it.

Chapter ten:

Amelia

TW: nervous dry heaving- emesis

Amelia waited on pinsand needles, staring at her already half-done novel. Should she have cranked out fifty thousand words in two-ish weeks? No, probably not; her wrists were on fire. But she was on a mission. She had a vision! It was, however, time to fess up to her agent and editor. Which is why she was waiting for them to pick up the video call.

Martin, her editor, picked up first, “Howdy Amelia, how’s it hanging?”

“Good! I uh…I got exciting news.” She held up a stack of print paper up to the camera. Martin’s mouth dropped open.

“What is that! You didn’t tell me you were working on something new!” He gasped, leaning into the screen as if he could see better. The Orc was taking up half the screen when Fanny, her agent, popped into the call.

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