Chapter Five Manifesting
The summoning line has remained open.
The human pain in my ass on the other end of the line has remained silent.
I remain pissed off at the level of a volcanic explosion.
The open line glows steadily, mocking me.
I’ve tried everything, every trick I know to get this infuriating human to speak to me.
First, I attempted silence.
That lasted all of twenty seconds before I started chattering, pondering aloud if he’d open the door and perhaps was standing there waiting for me to speak first.
Then I tried yelling.
After that, bribery.
Followed by threats. Empty threats, but the principle was there.
Then I went into “Break glass in case of emergency mode.” I broke out the voice.
The one that made mortals, demons, and beings of all sorts forget their names and trip over air.
“Ezra,” I purred into the connection, “Are you there?”
Silence.
“Darling, come back and talk to me.”
Nothing.
“Pookey Bear?”
Zip, zilch, nada. Fuck.
I had to give the man credit; if he were indeed standing at the door listening, he’d resisted enough demonic charm to earn a commemorative plaque.
I release a sigh that comes from the core of my being and slump forward. “Talk to me, you stubborn mortal,” I mumble. I’m greeted by the same stony silence that replaced his charming voice ever since he threw the planchette in the closet again.
I rub absently at the ache in my chest. This odd pain bloomed yesterday shortly after Ezra mentioned that his son's mother had left him. It’s the same feeling I get anytime I feel like a soul has been wrongfully assigned to the Pitt. The feeling that blares wrong and deafening decibels in my mind.
I hated it.
And I hated the fact that every time I heard Ezra’s voice echoing in my mind, saying, “She left,” it got worse.
The pain I felt in his words gnawed at me. Like an open wound that wouldn’t heal.
“Syn?” a silky smooth voice says.
My attention snaps to the demon in front of me.
Lillix? Lyrana? Lemon? Whatever her name was.
Ethereal glow, perfect silhouette figure, long flowing hair. Without question, a demon of seduction.
“What?” I snap more harshly than intended.
She jumps slightly. “Your presence has been requested by the head of the department.”
Fuck. My. Life.
I push back from the desk and point a clawed finger at the unnamed demoness, “If this line goes live, you are not, under any circumstances, to do anything except come find me. Got it?”
“Got it,” she says sheepishly.
I stomp my way from the Summoning Switchboard all the way to the office of the head of The Department of the Dead and the Damned. I find the cavernous office empty upon my arrival, so I take my usual seat. This isn’t my first time in the hot seat. My name may as well be stamped on the back.
As I wait, my mind wanders.
What if Ezra decides he’s ready to talk while I’m here waiting?
What if that floozy who’s keeping my seat warm tries to seduce him?
What happens if she closes his ticket instead of me?
Something ugly twists in my chest as I imagine all the ways she could hook her perfect claws into Ezra.
And why does the thought of him speaking to her make me want to turn her into ash and use it as eyeliner?
“There’s my rule breaker,” a warm, rich voice says from behind me, pulling me from my spiral.
I stand from my seat and face the head of the department.
When on call, Mortivar appears as a faceless entity, radiating power with imposing, ashen colored, decaying wings.
Off duty, he has a sharp, angular face with rounded cheeks, shaggy reddish-brown hair, fluffy wings, and a total dad bod from his addiction to margaritas, chips, and queso, for which the man says he has no regrets.
“Hi, Daddy,” I say as he pulls me into a bone-crushing hug.
No matter how frustrated he gets with me, there’s nothing that makes me feel better than being safely wrapped in my dad’s arms and wings. I can feel my anxiety begin to melt as Dad kisses the top of my head. After a few moments, he releases me, rounds his desk, and takes a seat.
I resume my perch and ask, “How’s Mom?” in an attempt to prolong whatever lecture I’m about to receive.
His face scrunches up. “In a spicy mood. She’s rather pissed at me for putting you on switchboard duty.”
“So you’re in the doghouse,” I say, amused.
“Yup,” he says with a shrug, crossing his arms over his belly, “I tried explaining inter-realm politics to her. She tried to set me on fire.”
I let out a laugh as I imagine Mom flinging fire at him as he flaps out of range. Then I catch the look on Dad’s face and cringe.
“Ew. Stop that.”
“What?” He asks innocently.
“Thinking porno thoughts about Mom.”
He barks out a laugh, the sound pleasant and happy, a stark contrast to his job and our surroundings. When his laughter fades, he puts on his serious business face.
“How’s the switchboard?” he asks casually.
I cross my arms and narrow my eyes. “I feel like you already know the answer to that question.”
He nods, placing his clasped hands on the desk.
“You need to close the summoning, honey.”
“I know!” I exclaim, jumping to my feet. “I’ve tried! He’s put me on hold, refuses to answer or engage.” I say pacing. “If he doesn’t talk to me, I can’t get him to tell me his desire, and if I don’t know his desire, I can’t make a deal to close the ticket.”
Dad hums thoughtfully while I wear a path in the floor, wringing my hands.
“I think you’re going to have to take a different approach.”
I pause my pacing and focus on my dad.
“Some summonings are easy, and some require a hands-on approach,” he says.
“Hands-on as in?” I question.
Dad points a finger up as realization dawns .“Hands-on as in, in person. You need to go topside and figure out a way to get this guy talking. Not an interrogation, though. A conversation. Humans tend to respond better when they aren’t feeling pressured.”
He had a point. When I agreed to Ezra’s terms the second day, I could tell he was more comfortable answering my questions. Well, my question, singular, just in different phrasing.
“So, topside?”
“Topside. To close the case.” Dad confirms.
Great, I’m going on a field trip.
To meet the infuriating human male who has made it his job to ruin my eternal life. Time for some serious manifesting. Easy..
What could go wrong?