Chapter 3
Chapter
Three
A stack of romance novels sat on the windowsill beside Ethan’s reading chair, bright spines a splash of color against the blank rental-unit walls he still hadn't decorated after eight months. String lights draped across his bookshelf cast a warm glow over his modest collection: mostly paperbacks rescued from the library's donation bin. The whole apartment looked barely more mature than his childhood bedroom, but it was his. Even if most nights he just ended up curled in that chair, reading about other people's happily-ever-afters.
Tonight was supposed to be different. "How to Summon Cupid," the chapter title promised in elaborate script. Ethan traced the words with his finger.
The book lay open on Ethan's coffee table, its pages yellowed and creased. He'd pushed aside his laptop and empty takeout containers to make space for the "ritual," though he used that term loosely. The ancient tome had probably been someone's creative writing project, abandoned to gather dust in the library's occult section.
For a moment, though, Ethan let himself dream.
Maybe the cherub would appear in a shower of rose petals, armed with his magic bow. One well-placed arrow, and Kyle would finally notice him. They'd get coffee, talk about books… actually talk, not just Ethan stammering through their work interactions. Kyle would realize that Ethan got all his literary references, that they were perfect for each other...
Ethan sighed. Who was he kidding? Still. He'd already bought the ice cream to combat the disappointment when nothing happened. Might as well see this through.
He squinted at the list of ingredients for the summoning spell.
"Pure spring water blessed under a full moon." He lifted his Brita pitcher. "Filtered tap water blessed under my apartment's ceiling lights. Close enough."
He poured the water into his favorite mug, the one with little cartoon cats all over it. The book hadn't specified what kind of vessel to use, so clearly that part didn't matter.
"Rose quartz crystal." Ethan dug through his bedside drawer and pulled out a bracelet his kid sister had made for him using plastic beads. "Pink is pink."
The beads clattered into the mug.
"Blessed candles..." He grabbed the aromatherapy candles he'd bought during his last Target run. Lavender for calm, vanilla for comfort. "These were definitely blessed by someone at the factory. Probably."
The familiar scents filled the room as he lit them. This was actually kind of nice, even if it was completely ridiculous. Better than sitting alone in the dark, refreshing Kyle's Instagram and imagining different versions of that overheard conversation where he was the one being asked out for coffee.
"Laurel leaves..." Ethan opened his sad excuse for a spice cabinet, mostly filled with instant ramen and hot sauce. "Yeah, no."
But he did have the dried coriander his mom had given him months ago, still unopened because everything he read said fresh was better. But leaves were leaves, right? And really, what difference did it make? It wasn't like this was going to work and he would summon Cupid. The little angel was probably too busy shooting arrows at people who actually had a chance at love.
"To thee I offer nature's bounty," Ethan read from the book, trying not to laugh at himself. He sprinkled the coriander into the mug. "By leaf and stone, I call to thee, O spirit of love. My immortal soul I offer?—"
The lavender candle went out.
Then the vanilla one.
"Um." Ethan reached for his lighter.
Then the mug started to steam.
Ethan blinked at it. That wasn't possible. He'd used cold water from the fridge. Maybe the candles had heated it somehow? Or maybe he'd been staring at that stupid book for so long he was starting to hallucinate.
The steam turned black.
Ethan scrambled back from the coffee table.
What the fuck?
The dark vapor twisted in the air, taking shape, solidifying into...
A man.
A very attractive man in a slightly singed navy business suit, with small red horns peeking through his dark hair. And a tail. An actual tail.
Was this…?
Whatever this was, it was definitely not cupid.
He looked more… demonic?
Holy shit, had he summoned a demon?
Demons were real ?
Stunned, Ethan watched as the man he’d summoned spun in place, seeming almost as confused as Ethan felt. "What the... this isn't the ninth circle." His narrowed eyes darted around the apartment. "Where am I?"
"In my apartment," Ethan said, his voice small. His eyes tracked the movement of the demon's tail as it swished back and forth. It was real. That was a real tail.
He couldn’t get over that fact.
"Who... who are you?"
"I am Malphas." The demon drew himself up. "Seventh Ranked File Clerk of the Dark Archives, Former Junior Soul Acquisition Specialist of Hell's Seventh Circle." He adjusted his tie as he spoke. It had burn marks on it. His tail curled importantly behind him. "You summoned me."
"I..." Ethan shook his head. "I was trying to summon Cupid."
Mal lifted the mug Ethan had been using and wrinkled his nose. "With coriander? That would never summon a cherub. Demons only."
Ethan swallowed hard.
Fuck him. He’d summoned an actual demon into his apartment.
He was never using coriander for anything again.
The last thing Mal remembered, he'd been sulking in the Dark Archives, filing a prophecy about the end times (scheduled for next Tuesday, but those were always getting postponed). Then—poof. Summoned to this cramped apartment with its stacks of books and fairy lights.
Before him, the human's soul blazed like a fire in the night. Mal had never seen one this pure, all earnest yearning and rose-tinted dreams wrapped in an aura bright enough to hurt his eyes.
It was amazing.
Mal had hit the jackpot.
This was exactly the chance he'd been looking for.
A soul like that could buy him a promotion. Maybe even a corner office.
Beelzebrock would have to reconsider Mal’s worth.
Mal only needed to figure out the terms of collection.
"So." The human—Ethan, according to the library name tag set down on the coffee table—hadn't moved from his spot against the wall. His eyes kept darting between Mal's horns and tail. "You're really a demon."
"Obviously." Mal's tail curled with satisfaction. Finally, someone properly intimidated by his demonic presence. "And you’ve offered your immortal soul to me."
"I what?" Ethan's voice cracked. "But I was just reading! I didn't think it would actually…"
Mal looked the human up and down. He was young. Attractive, in a soft way that made something twist in Mal's chest. Obviously, this person should not be anywhere near a demon.
Mal shoved the feeling aside. Focus . A pure soul and a love spell gone wrong.
He was never going to get an easier job than this.
"Your intent doesn’t matter," he said, trying to adopt Beelzebrock’s authoritative tone of voice when his boss talked about demonic regulations. "You summoned me, offered your soul, and now we need to establish what you want in return." A thought struck him. "What exactly were you trying to summon Cupid for?"
Ethan's face flushed red. He stared at his hands. "I want... I want my happily ever after."
"Going to need something more specific than that." Mal pulled out a contract scroll from thin air, proud that he didn’t singe it in the process. "Demonic deals require precise terms."
The human's blush deepened. "I want..." He swallowed hard. "I want to lose my virginity to the man I love."
Oh.
Well.
That was specific.
"You’re a virgin?" the question escaped Mal before he could hold it back.
Ethan's face went from pink to scarlet. "Is that a problem?"
"No, no." Mal scratched behind one horn, trying to look professional. He cleared his throat. "Right. So. Your soul in exchange for helping you lose your virginity to someone you love."
He could do this. How hard could matchmaking be? Humans fell in love all the time. They wrote entire books about it. Mal glanced at the towering stack of romance novels by the window. Books Ethan had clearly read.
Thoroughly.
With much love.
Mal tugged at his collar. "Any particular someone in mind?"
The way Ethan's expression softened told him everything. Wonderful. A specific target would make this much easier. One quick seduction, one claimed soul, and Mal could finally prove himself as a proper demon.
As long as he didn't mess it up.
Again.