Hell Inc. (31 page)

“Something
isn't right,” I said, setting the scroll back onto the tray.
“There's way too many things that just don't make sense.”
The Devil whirled to face me, eyes ablaze, flames whirling around his
being and singing the hairs on my arm. He stalked towards me
menacingly.

“You
stupid, arrogant, little human,” he roared, his voice taking on
a second gravelly undertone. It sounded a bit like something out of
the
Exorcist
. I shivered and shrunk back into the chair. I
tried to recall my earlier self advice of not arguing with demons,
especially with the master of all demons. I really needed to take
some classes on self preservation. Maybe they had one at the
community college?

The
Devil grabbed me by my shoulders and shook me. “Do not
question me!” His voice rang in my head, and I felt a warm
trickle as blood dripped down the sides of my face from my ears.
Lunen clasped his father's shoulder, causing the Devil to turn his
anger onto him. Lunen held up his hands and spoke before Lucifer had
a chance to say anything.

“Father,
please. Allow me to set the girl up with a room in Purgatory. I'm
sure with some time to calm down and process all that has happened to
her, she will gladly accept your contract.” The Devil shook
his hands and bits of flame fell from them onto the floor, cooling
and smothering on the already badly singed carpet. Lucifer sighed
and rubbed his temple.

“Fine.
Do what you want with her. I don't have time for this. Just
deliver me results Lunen or this failure will be your last.”
To Lunen's credit, he didn't flinch, just nodded. Inwardly, I sighed
with relief. Until I realized what he had said.

“Purgatory?”
I squeaked. What in the hell was that? I mean, I knew what
purgatory was in the Catholic sense of the word, but I was coming to
realize that organized religions were wrong on so many levels. I was
ignored completely.

Lunen
pulled his hood over his hair again, a habit of his I noticed, and
gestured for me to follow him. I slid out of the chair as quietly
and inconspicuously as possible and slunk after him. Vae gave me a
tight-lipped smile as she watched us leave from her position rubbing
the Devil's back in comforting little circles. I wondered if they
had a 'thing.' That thought didn't last long however as I crept down
the dank hallway. We were proceeding in the direction opposite the
reception area, and I noticed that as we walked, the air was heating
up substantially. I fanned myself with my hand and tried not to
complain, but it was really getting to me. The entire front of my
shirt was soaked with sweat. How attractive I must have looked.

“Lunen,”
I whispered, jogging slightly to match pace with his long legged
strides. “Why am I sweating like a freaking pig? What
happened to being dead? Aren't I at least immune to this sort of
thing?” He ignored me and kept walking. I was getting really,
really tired of being ignored by these people. “Lunen!” I
barked. “Answer me, goddamn it!” I felt the tears sting
my eyes and roll down my cheeks. I was scared. I admit it. Lunen
sighed and threw back his cowl.

“Ginger,
since you are my cousin's mate, I will confide something in you.”
One of my eyebrows made an ascent into my hairline.

“Wait.
What?” Lunen wrinkled his brow.

“I
said since you are my cousin's mate – ” I held up a hand.

“That's
what I'm confused about, Lunen. What do you mean by mate?”
Was Levie one of those guys that gossiped to anyone who would listen
after he got laid? God, I hoped not. Lunen sighed again, a deep
heavy sigh and shook his head. He reached up for his hood again. I
slapped his hand away. “Stop doing that.” He gave me a
strange look.

“You
are certainly peculiar. I suppose that is why Levie chose you. He
never did like the girls around here. Or the boys either for that
matter.”

“What
did he tell you?” I demanded, planting my hands on my hips.
When did he even get the chance to speak to Lunen?
I wondered,
feeling my checks flush at the thought of the two of them discussing
... that. Lunen frowned at me.

“Oh
no,” he groaned, turning away from me again. “He didn't
tell you.” Goose bumps sprouted all over my arms. This wasn't
going to be good.

“Didn't
... tell ... me ... what?” I ground out icily
through gritted teeth. My mind was awash with horrid thoughts.
Every manner of terrible thing flitted in and out of my brain in the
split second it took him to answer.

“Demons
mate for life.” I started choking. Lunen patted my back in a
sympathetic manner and waited quietly while I tried to sort out those
four little words.

“What
– what does that mean exactly?” I sputtered, wiping
sweat from my brow. He didn't mean what I thought he meant ...
did he? Lunen checked behind him as if he were worried someone was
going to come up on us.

“It's
not for me to explain. I'm sorry. You'll have to talk to Levie.”
He continued walking as if we'd never had a conversation. I planted
my feet and folded my arms.

“No.
I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell is
going on. Everything. From the damn worker's permit to the fucking
genies and now this little gem. Spill it. I know you know.”
Lunen looked down the hallway again, and I resisted the urge to kick
him. “Stop that! The sooner you tell me what's going on, the
sooner we can get out of here.” I narrowed my eyes and stared
him down. Lunen returned the stare, stone faced, but a little
trickle of sweat was forming above his left eyebrow. I was wearing
him down; it was only a matter of time.

The
door that I was standing in front of suddenly opened and smacked me
right in the ass. I yelped and turned around, rubbing my sore
behind, and ready to throw a veritable hissy fit. That was cut short
however by the neatly pressed figure that stood in front of me.
Khaki business slacks and a terribly dull sky-blue button up shirt
could not disguise the arrogant countenance of the one and only
administrative assistant demon that I knew.

“Levie,”
I stated stupidly, shocked but not as shocked as he appeared to be.
He closed the door behind him slowly and leaned against it, orange
eyes wide and disbelieving.

“What
on Earth are you ... ?” His voice trailed off as he caught
sight of his cousin standing behind me, head hanging and covered by
the hood. “What is going on here?”

“That's
what I've been asking for the past several hours.” It came out
snappy though I hadn't meant it to. I was actually quite relieved to
see him. I couldn't trust anyone else, that was for sure. “Levie.”
I didn't know how to phrase what I was about to say, but I decided
that it wouldn't do to avoid the subject for very long. He was going
to find out sooner or later. “I um ... I'm dead.”
Wow. That sounded flat. I swallowed and waited for him to yell at
me.

He
didn't. He just stood there and stared at me like I was some foreign
object that he had never seen before. I cleared my throat and
waited. No one spoke. “Levie, I ... ”

“Is
this true?” he whispered. He wasn't speaking to me but to
Lunen. Lunen looked up and nodded.

“A
vampire set a car bomb. She got in the way.” Levie turned
back to face me, eyes narrowed.

“You
stupid girl, did I not warn you to be careful?” he snapped and
grabbed my wrist, jerking me towards him. “What of her fate
now, Lunen? Was she not released from her contractual obligations?”
Lunen sighed and shook his head.

“It
all happened so fast ... ” he trailed off. My arm began
to heat up from Levie's anger. Dead or not, I wasn't looking forward
to being singed.

“Can
you please stop that?” I snapped back at him. He released me
and turned his anger on Lunen.

“Can
you do nothing right?” Lunen glanced up sharply.

“It's
not as if I was given much warning, Levie. It was twenty minutes
from the time of your reassignment to her death. I can't see how you
can place the blame for this on me.” I tried to talk, but
Levie was in too much of a panic to listen.

“Have
you spoken to your father yet? What is his verdict?”

“The
girl goes free if she can coerce the Recall and Collections employees
to come back.” Levie stood silently for a moment before turning
and facing me, taking my hands in his. I opened my mouth to mention
the whole 'demons mate for life' bit, but he stopped me with a
finger to my lips.

“Do
you like me, Ginger?” he asked it with such sincerity that I
felt my face flush. I tried to glance over at Lunen, but Levie
caught my chin in his hand and made me look him full in the face.
There were lines of worry in his forehead, and his wing tips drooped
to the cement floor. I had a feeling that this was a loaded
question. If I didn't answer it carefully, I had a feeling things
could get a whole lot worse. Not that they weren't already bad
enough.

“Uh.”
The information Lunen had given to me was floating around in the back
of my mind, but Levie was staring at me with such intensity that I
decided to hold that off for later. I squeezed my small hands around
his big ones and marveled at the scorching heat in them. “Yeah,
yeah, I think that I do. But Levie – ” He released me
abruptly and took a deep breath, his chest expanding slowly before
releasing it in a rush. “We need to talk.” He nodded
once at Lunen before turning his attention back to me, eyes softer
this time but still full of worry.

“Of
course we do, Ginger,” he said with a soft sigh as one of his
hands reached up the brush my face. I raised my eyebrow at him and
pushed his hand away. I didn't want to be ignored anymore. It was
time that someone gave me some answers.

“Not
later, Levie, now. I've been patient with all of this.” I
swung my arm out in an arc meaning to indicate the whole mess, from
my first wish to my death. I'd been patient, but I didn't want to be
anymore. Patience was only getting me fucked over. Levie shook his
head, and I stomped my foot. Childish maybe, but effective. Levie
raised his own dark brows at me. “I'm tired of being dragged
here and there like a fucking puppet. Tell me what's going on!”
Levie and Lunen exchanged a quick glance.

“Ginger,”
he said, turning back to me. “After a human dies, they have
only a short time period until they pass on to their next life. If
we do not get you back to your Earth before our two day window is up,
you will be lost to us.” My blood chilled despite the heat,
and I took an unconscious step closer to Levie's warm body.

“Two
days? But I thought when I sold my soul, I would work here? Isn't
this Hell?” My voice was squeaky and small. So much for
standing up for myself. Apparently, I was terrible at it. Levie and
Lunen shared yet another private look, and Levie put his hands on my
shoulders.

“You
have not wished your last wishes. We must have you restored or your
contract altered in this time period, Ginger. I must speak with my
uncle now. There will be time for your questions later. Besides, do
you not wish for me to help your friend?” Oh. Erin. I felt
sick. In my own selfishness, I had completely forgotten. No wonder
my family only wanted to see me on major holidays. I nodded slowly,
and he let go of me, leaving my shoulders cold again. I couldn't
really argue with that point. And I didn't want to pass on. I was
terrified.

“Levie.”
I grabbed his arm and pleaded with my eyes for him not to leave me.
“I'm scared.” I didn't feel ashamed admitting it. I was
terrified, and I had a right to be. I didn't have a religion or even
a clue about what I was supposed to do in this place. I was dead and
in Hell, but really, it was just like a waiting room. Unless I let
Levie help me. I let go of him and turned away, wiping my eyes with
my arm. I wouldn't let the tears fall.

“Ginger,”
he said, wrapping his arms around me from behind and tucking his
wings around us like a shield. “Do not worry. I will take
care of you. I am your ...
caseworker.
” The
second meaning behind the word and his breath on my ear made me
shiver despite the situation. I nodded slowly and hugged his arms to
my chest briefly before releasing him.

“You
will take her to Purgatory for me?” Levie asked Lunen. Lunen
nodded and Levie gave my arm one last caress before leaving. “I
will come for you soon, Ginger. Do not be afraid, everything will be
okay.”

I
let Lunen lead me to Purgatory, which really was only a very
extravagant hotel with a catchy name. A backdoor into the lobby had
opened right off the end of the hallway that Lunen had dragged me
down, and he showed me to my room without incident, leaving me there
alone to ponder my thoughts. My brain was scattered and my feelings
scrambled. I was having a difficult time processing any information,
so I flopped down on the bed to rest my eyes and ended up drifting
into an uneasy sleep.