Demonic and Deserted (Eternally Yours Book 4) (17 page)

“Aedan, we have to find a way out of here,” I said through a sob as tears threatened to spill over my eyelids. “The Devil is going to keep testing us.” Because I knew without a doubt that sick fuck had put Melanie in Aedan’s room just to piss me off.

“I know, but we won’t let him win,” he soothed while stroking my back.

I hated him touching me when I knew he was repulsed by my fur. I jerked away from him. “Don’t touch me,” I murmured, scowling down at my big, ugly dog paws. 

There was no mistaking the hurt in his eyes. Oh, well. He’d get over it. Him and his two nipples.

He held out a hand to me, a plea in his voice. “Ash?”

I spun around and marched toward the dining hall with the other freaks. Might as well get breakfast over with. I’d probably lose my inhibitions and eat the squirmy meat again while Melanie scowled down at her food and refused to eat it like an unhairy, normal person.

Gah. My afterlife sucked big fat devil dong. 

T
he Devil was waiting for us at the foot of the stairs, a wicked, knowing gleam in his eyes. “Ahhh, there are the happy couples.”

I marched up to him, pounding my furry chest. “Happy?” I waved down at my ugly body. “You call
this
happy?”

He arched a slender brow. “Those cats would have shred you to pieces in your mortal state. You should be thanking me.”

I meant to gasp, but instead an odd, retching noise came out of my mouth, and I sounded like I was ready to cough up a hairball.  “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be in this hell-hole.”

“My hotel is paradise compared to outside.” He nodded toward a big glass window. “If you wish to see a
real
hell-hole, that can be arranged.”

I gulped down a lump of bile, staring at the window as the Devil’s heated eyes bore into me like flaming pokers. Those virtual bunnies were still playing in the field. I kept waiting for one of them to bust out a chainsaw and slice off the heads of his little friends.

Aedan tugged on my elbow fur. “Ash, come on.”

The Devil shooed me away as if I was a stray dog. Technically, I guess I was.

“Yes, do go on to the lower tables,” he said with a haughty air while turning up his nose. “I thought you and I would make good friends, Ashley, but I’ve grown tired of your whining. Besides, this redhead is far prettier.” He wrapped an arm around Melanie’s shoulder, pulling her toward him. Then he gave Aedan a knowing glance. “I’m sure the gentlemen would agree.”

Ohhh, nice try, turd-nugget, but I knew the game he was playing. Putting Melanie in Aedan’s room was no accident.

Melanie looked ready to pass out from fright. Her eyes were as wide as saucers, and her face had gone deathly pale.

Sarge puffed out his chest while hobbling up to Satan, getting far too close in the demon overlord’s face. “She stays with me,” he said with such a commanding air, even Satan looked taken aback by his tone. 

The Devil’s jaw dropped as he blinked at Sarge. Then his beady eyes narrowed, his lips thinning. “Does she now? Soldier, you need to acquaint yourself with my rules, especially rule number three. Go on now.” He waved Sarge away. “I’ll give her back to Mr. O’Connor when I’m finished with her.” 

Aedan tugged Sarge’s elbow. “Come on, Santiago.”

He jerked out of Aedan’s grasp with such furor, I feared he was about to punch him. “Keep your hands off me.” He glared at Aedan before storming past him.

I caught the Devil’s satisfied smirk before I hurried after Aedan. Yep, our host was definitely trying to turn us against each other, and what better way than by forcing us to switch partners.

“Bastard,” Sarge muttered as he sat across from me at the end of a long table.

I didn’t know if that insult was meant for Aedan or the Devil, and I certainly wasn’t going to press Sarge for the answer. “Quiet, Santiago,” I whispered. “This is how I got turned into a dog.”

His response was a litany of swear words as he grabbed a carving knife, holding it tightly while glaring up at the Devil and Melanie at the head table. She sat stiffly beside her host, shaking her head as he poured her a glass of wine. I sure hoped Aedan had warned her to stay away from the food and drinks in this place. 

A bleating goat-man set a plate in front of me. The meat resembled a big block of spam, but when I poked it with my fork, it jiggled a little too much, as if it was trying to scoot away from my utensil. Weird. Aedan pushed my plate away with a warning scowl. What the heck was that about?

“Excuse me.” I waved my fork at him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

His scowl deepened. “I’m not letting you eat that crap again.”

Well, duh. It wasn’t like I was about to eat Satan’s spam. At least, I didn’t think I was. Either way, it wasn’t for him to decide. That spam was mine. Mine! He had no right to take it. I cocked my head, my ears flattening against my skull. “Oh, so you’re my boss now?”

“Ash,” Aedan said with a sigh. “Will you listen to yourself? We’re arguing over a plate of undead meat.”

“Oh,” I breathed, while looking down at the squiggly spam. I cringed when a drop of my drool hit the table. Had I been salivating over demon chow? Gross!

I looked back at Aedan and his judgmental scowl. Jeez, what a jerk. It wasn’t my fault Satan had turned me into a butt-licker. I supposed he was comparing me to his new roommate, Miss Big Tits Melanie. Melanie didn’t drool over spam. Melanie had only two nipples and no back hair. Melanie couldn’t reach to lick her anus, and even if she could, she probably wouldn’t. 

“This is what he wants. To make us mad at each other.”

I looked across at Sarge who was staring intently at both of us. My instincts told me my friend was right. Satan wanted to see us fight, which was why he’d given me facial fur and put the redhead in Aedan’s room. The sick fuck probably enjoyed watching us bark at each other.

I jerked around and chewed on my furry backside for a moment. That damn hot spot on my tailbone was always itching me. I turned back to Aedan, spitting a chunk of fur on the table, pleased when I saw a flea hop away. “And stay the hell off my back!” I barked. “Shit. It’s going to be weeks before Cam comes for us,” I whined while scratching behind my ear.  “I don’t know how I can survive that long.”

Aedan looked at me as if I’d grown two heads.

Jeez. What did I do wrong now?

I covered my ears, howling when an annoyingly loud horn blared from the head table. Whimpering, I looked up to see a guard blowing into a shell. 

Satan held up a glass of red wine, smiling down at me. “I’d like to congratulate Ashley, the bitch, on her victory yesterday. She took on three cats and won.” His beady eyes narrowed to two points, honing in on Aedan as if he had a target on his chest. “Though it was no surprise, since her knight in shining armor brought her a weapon, even after I’d ordered him to his room.”

I swallowed hard as the crowd went silent. Well, shit. 

“Now we must decide on his punishment,” Satan said a little too merrily, “for clearly he’d broken rule number two.”

The crowd erupted into a cacophony of chants. “Outside! Outside! Outside!”

“No!” I wailed, feeling as if my chest was caving in on itself.

Aedan sat silently beside me, his face blood red and his body as stiff as a corpse.

The crowd went silent when Satan waved a hand. “Ordinarily, I send guests who disobey me outside.” He grabbed Melanie by the elbow, jerking her against him. “Since I’m feeling in a charitable mood today, I’ve devised a different kind of punishment.” He pointed the end of his serpent staff at my fiancé. “Aedan O’Connor, I hereby confine you to your room for ten days. You are not to leave your room until your full sentence has been served, understand?”

“Yes,” Aedan answered through a stiff jaw.

I let out a shaky breath in relief. Sitting inside his room had to have been better than being stuck outside, right? Why did I get the idea the Devil would find a way to make the torture even more unbearable?

The Devil’s lips cracked into a slow and calculated smile. “Oh, and to show I’m not the hateful bastard you all probably suspect me to be, I’ll allow you to have one friend in your room with you.”

“Ash,” Aedan said aloud without batting an eye.

Well, that made me feel a bit better about myself. I may have had a few repulsive habits and way too much hair on my nipples, but Aedan still wanted to be with me. That had to count for something. 

“Ash?” The Devil tapped his chin while thoughtfully eyeing me. “Why there’s an idea, but, no, I’m not that cruel. I have a much prettier partner in mind.” He added with a wicked smile. “I think I shall leave Sister Melanie with you.  She’ll make a fine companion, and no man can resist her beauty.”

Sarge pounded the table and jumped up from his seat. “You bastard!”

“Santiago,” I hissed, “Sit down.” The last time I’d smarted off to the Devil, he’d given me a tail and floppy ears. I didn’t want Sarge meeting that same fate or worse.

The Devil jutted his arm out, pointing the wand directly at Sarge. “And you, my one-legged friend. I’m afraid you must be punished as well for disrespecting your gracious host. You shall be Santiago, the three-legged dog. Then you and the bitch can try to make puppies while you’re locked alone in your room for the next ten days as well.” He mumbled something under his breath while waiving the wand at Sarge. I knew it was all over for my friend. Soon, he’d be a fleabag, too.

Sarge clutched his stomach, falling back into his chair. “I don’t feel so well.”

I leaned over, grabbing his hand. “We need to get you to bed.” I remembered how sick I’d felt the night the Devil had cast the spell on me. 

Aedan and I both rushed around the table to Sarge and helped him up. He leaned on my shoulder for support while we walked him up the stairs.

The Devil sauntered over to us dragging Melanie with him. “Retiring to your rooms so soon? I suppose you’ll want this lovely lady for company.” He thrust Melanie into Aedan’s arms. “Can’t say that I’d blame you.”

I growled at Aedan, surprised to see how quickly he’d let go of Sarge to catch Melanie. Aedan let go of Melanie’s arms as if she was made of hot coals. I wasn’t fooled.

“Are you okay?” he asked her.

She nodded as silent tears streamed down her face.

Oh, give me a break. All she had to do was sit by Satan for a few minutes. I had to endure him a lot longer than that. At least she still had her flawless, unhairy skin and big breasts.

“See you lovebirds after the honeymoon,” Satan said with a wink. “Have fun.”

Ohhh, that asshole had gotten under my skin for the last time. I pushed Sarge against Aedan and puffed up my chest as the hair between my shoulder blades stood on end. “I’m not cheating on Aedan,” I said with a menacing growl, glaring first at Satan and then at Aedan and Melanie. 

“You humans and your foolish loyalty. You’ve forgotten, no pleasure is too sordid, carnal, or disgusting.” He smirked at Sarge and then me. “That especially applies to the two of you, as I’m sure your coupling will get rather hairy.” He threw back his head and laughed. “Oh, I love it when I amuse myself. What do I need all of you for?” He waved us off as if he were a king forced to acknowledge lowly peasants.

He continued to laugh as he turned on his heel, scraping a hoof across the floor with a nerve-wracking screech. He held a hand above his head, snapping his fingers. Four guards flanked our small group and Hitler hopped up the steps in front of us, squealing like a rabid squirrel as he swung onto the landing.

After Sarge had gone completely limp in our arms, Aedan and I had to carry him up the last flight of stairs.

“Hurry faster,” the monkey snarled back at us.

I answered him with a flick of my middle finger, ignoring his hiss as we brushed past him. 

Aedan helped me drag Sarge to the bed. I frowned down at my friend, whose skin had gone clammy. I feared he was in for a rough day. At least he didn’t eat the spam. The carpet had enough drag-racing stains on it.

“You go now!” The monkey blew spittle in Aedan’s face while swinging from the top of Sarge’s canopy bed.

Aedan answered Hitler with a punch to the gut, sending the primate careening across the room with a squeal. 

The bull guards grunted behind me, and I knew Aedan was out of time. I caught sight of Melanie hovering in the doorway. Was she anxiously waiting on Aedan, or was she concerned for Sarge?

I looked up at Aedan with watery eyes, not knowing how we could be parted for that long. “Aedan, I—” I searched his bright blue eyes, unable to say more. It was kind of hard to get romantic at a time like this, and not just because a big bull beast was breathing steam down my neck. I knew I looked hideous to Aedan. How exactly was he supposed to sweep me into a loving embrace and give me a passionate goodbye kiss?

Aedan squeezed my shoulders, his intense gaze searching mine. “We’ll get through this. I know we will.”

“I know
I
will.” I was unable to keep the sarcasm out of my voice. I thought of the way Melanie had vulnerably cried on Aedan’s shoulder. I was certain she’d need to be comforted once they were alone. The sirens would probably try to tempt him again, leaving him confused and horny with no one to console him but Melanie. Would he be able to control his passion?

His eyes flashed with pain as he squeezed me harder. “Ash, I’ll be loyal to you. I swear it.” He spoke so fervently, I almost believed him.

I hung my head, unable to look into his eyes as a lone tear slid down my snout. “Just remember that I love you.”

He tipped my chin, forcing me to look him in the eyes. “And I love you. I always will.”

“I hope so,” I mumbled. I shook out of his grip. I didn’t want him touching me. I was too hideous.

“Melanie, don’t go,” Sarge groaned before turning over.

My heart wept for him. Would Sarge ever win Melanie’s heart, or would we both lose our loves to the Devil’s manipulations? After all, the Devil didn’t think sins were sordid, carnal, or disgusting, but they could certainly be hurtful.

* * *

Aedan O’Connor

“A
edan, are you okay?”