Sorren #2
“I can set up a link to the underworld, to Malachi. You can let him know what happened and buy you some time until we figure out how to get you back!” Eva drops her armload onto the coffee table and strategically places the items.
The weight of my obligations comes back all at once.
She fills a copper bowl with water and places it in the center between three mirrors pointing toward each other in a triangle.
“This right here,” she says, pointing to the bowl of water.
“This is a relic that can connect anyone to another, like a magickal cell phone.” She arranges a number of bone runes around, twisting and turning them to be just right.
I watch her in awe, her magick pulsing like waves lapping on the edge of an ocean. “Call hell often?” I ask with a nervous laugh.
“No, silly. I’ve never had an anchor object from there before. And you, you are an important part of the spell.” She brushes her hair back behind her ear.
“You’re incredible. I can feel your magick.” The words slip out, immediately I worry that I am making her uncomfortable with my compliment.
“Sorren, you should know I’m defective. This is simple – like pulling a coin from behind your ear. You must be feeling something else.”
“No, it’s as tangible as this table.” I grip the solid wood.
Her mouth quirks up on one side, not convinced of what I feel so strongly.
She clears her throat and goes back to her spell. “I need an anchor object. What have you got?” Her eyes zero in on my gold cufflinks. “Those will work,” she points.
I hand them over reluctantly.
She places them in the bronze bowl. “Now this last part might hurt. I need a drop of blood.” A knife appears out of nowhere.
“Mine?” I shake my head and take a step back. “How much blood are we talking about?”
She quirks her head at me. “Is Sorren, Prince of Hell, CEO of Mephisto Inc, scared of a little prick?”
“Blood is supposed to stay inside your body. I’m not wrong to want to keep it that way.” I gulp hard and remind myself to breathe.
“It’s just a drop. I’d do it myself, but it’s got to be you.”
“I don’t need to talk to Malachi. I’m sure he has it handled down there.” I step back again, keeping my eyes on that knife while trying to put as much distance between it and my body.
“I’ll be gentle,” she says sweetly, and I might be the dumbest demon in all the realms because I believe her.
I hold out my hand and squeeze my eyes shut. As long as I don’t see the blood, it should be fine.
Her soft warm hand comes around mine. She flips my hand over carefully and holds my middle finger. I feel a poke and a squeeze, but she doesn’t let go.
I open one eye. “Is it over?”
“Yep, all done.”
Neither one of us moves. Facing each other, the fire crackling in the background. Goddamn, she’s beautiful. She bites her lower lip between her teeth. On pure reflex, I use my thumb to release her lip. Eva looks up at me, eyes wide and bright, drawing me in.
Her phone buzzes loudly on the kitchen table, ruining the moment and effectively reminding us both that we are not the only ones in all the realms.
“I’d better get that.” She’s up and out of the living room in a flash. “Think about who you want to talk to, light the candles, and knock three times on the floor.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I watch her pick up the phone and see who’s calling.
“Hey, Grant. What’s up?”
That’s the last thing I hear before she steps outside and closes the door behind her.
I have no right to feel like Grant just interrupted us.
He’s the boyfriend or fiancé or whatever, and I’m technically the interloper.
But it doesn’t stop me from feeling crushed that she took his call and left me here to finish the spell.
I look down at the arrangement on the table, take a deep breath and snap my fingers, igniting the candles.
Even though it’s the last thing in the world I want to do, I focus on Malachi and knock three times on the floor.
His disembodied head materializes over the bronze dish in the center.
“Hey Kai! What’s been going on?” I ask brightly, acting like nothing is out of the ordinary.
“Sorren? Is that you? Holy shit! Where are you?” He bellows, loud enough to wake the eternally dead.
“Oh, you know, the usual. Summoned Earth-side by a witch.”
“The fucking usual?! A witch? Are you okay?” His voice reaches a new height of panic.
“I’m fine. She’s fine. No torture. She’s great.”
“Do I need to come save you?” He finally whispers, but it’s for my benefit, not his. Even though I’ve told him things are okay, it’s not easy to let go of the brainwashing young demons go through.
“No. No. No. You stay down there, and buy me some time with the board, okay?”
He narrows his eyes at me. “Sorren, what’s really going on?”
I hear Eva on the back porch, saying goodbye to Grant and ending her phone call.
“Nothing! I’ll call again later.” I blow out the candles, and Malachi’s face disappears. He deserved a much more detailed explanation, but I panicked and didn’t want him to figure out that I’m actually enjoying myself up here.
“What did I miss?” Eva sweeps in like a refreshing breeze.
“Not much. Checked in with Malachi. We’re all good.” Catrick Swayze jumps up on my lap and settles in with a purr for a nap. I scratch the top of his head between his ears, his favorite spot.
She glares at the cozy cat in my lap. Catrick chose me to be his favorite, and she hasn’t forgiven him yet.
“That’s it? That was fast.” She shakes her head. “Damn, I’ve never opened a channel to Hell before. I was hoping to see it.” Eva sits down next to me.
I lift the cat off my lap and place him on her lap. “Don’t worry, you can say ‘hi’ next time. By the way, I watched Dirty Dancing while you were gone today.”
“Well? What did you think?” she asks, eager for my thoughts.
“Nobody puts Baby in a corner.” I quote the best line from the movie.
“Damn straight.” Eva beams a smile at me, bright enough to blind. “So, do they have reality TV in hell?” She asks out of the blue and grabs the remote.
I don’t know how much longer I’ll be here. However long it is, it won’t be enough. I’m doomed.