Hell’s Half Acre (Infernal Affairs #2)

Prologue

Ancient Hell

Barely more than a toddler, Luke Teivel stared at the twisted, purple-skinned thing in front of him. It had three red eyes and two black horns springing out of its head. Being the son of the devil and confined to Hell, he was used to all manner of strange creatures.

Even those who’d once been beautiful humans were often given contorted or mangled forms as infernal punishment. His father was terribly creative when it came to ways to make someone suffer.

But this…

Never had he seen anything like it.

“What is it, Father?” He stared up at the most beautiful of all creatures in Hell.

The devil would never allow anyone or anything here to outshine him. Light-bearer wasn’t just his title, it was Lucifer’s mind set. Tall and well-muscled, his father had long hair like spun gold and eyes that flashed between bright blue, swirling gold, and red whenever Lucifer lost his temper.

Red that descended over the blue as he turned toward Luke. “Are you stupid, boy? Surely, you know a demon when you see one.”

Yes, but this one was very different than the demons Luke was used to seeing. And he knew better than to say that out loud.

His father was mad enough, and patience wasn’t a virtue Lucifer possessed.

Then again, there weren’t any virtues Lucifer possessed.

Luke’s mother moved to stand between them so that his father wouldn’t be able to strike him for punishment. She was almost as tall as Lucifer, but that and their gold eyes and him were the only things his parents shared. His mother was as dark as his father was fair.

Her brown skin glistened in the firelight that also caught in the jeweled collar she wore. “Don’t be mean, Sammy. He’s just a baby. Be kind or we’ll leave here…forever.”

Samael Lucifer’s eyes flashed like a turgid sea. Had anyone other than Luke’s mother spoken those words, they’d have been blasted by fire to the lowest pits to suffer eternally.

But as the Alpha hellhound who enforced Lucifer’s rules and dictates, Senka held no fear whatsoever of Hell’s king. It was something Luke didn’t understand because his father terrified him, and he did his best to stay far away from the angry fallen angel.

Luke peeked around his mother’s legs.

Releasing a long, deep breath, his father calmed instantly in front of the one woman Lucifer favored above everyone else.

“Fine.” He dropped his glacial gaze to Luke.

“It’s a present for you, little—” He hesitated because he normally called Luke a little turd or shit, but since his mother was present… Lucifer thought better of the insult.

Instead, he attempted a smile that looked evil despite his beauty. “—boy.”

Luke was confused by his father’s actions and words. Lucifer wasn’t known to gift him much of anything other than pain whenever Senka wasn’t around. It was something he was forbidden to speak about because if Luke ever told his mother…

There would be hell to pay.

Which meant Lucifer did possess one virtue.

He kept all promises of torture, especially when it involved excruciating pain.

His mother smiled down at Luke, placing a hand on his head and ushering him a step forward. “What do we say when we receive a gift, Xynzara?”

Luke bristled at the name his mother had saddled him with. He hated it almost as much as he hated his father. “Piss off.”

Lucifer laughed.

His mother grimaced. “I give up.” Cuddling his cheek with her gentle hand, she held Luke to her side. “Why are you gifting him with this creature, Sammy?”

“I thought it would amuse him. It’s a pet. You said that all children should have one. Since you gave him an imp at his birth, I thought it was time I gave him one of my demons to command.”

Luke felt his mother tense subtly. “What is it you really want, Sammy?”

“To make you happy, my love.”

She scoffed at his words. “Why do I doubt that?”

Tsking, Lucifer moved to stand in front of them. “Ever defiant and always suspicious.”

“You’ve tutored me well on those subjects.” His mother gave his father a pointed glare as she continued to stroke Luke’s cheek.

Lucifer gestured toward the demon. “And sometimes a gift is just a gift. Take it, boy.”

His mother let out a soft, “humph.”

Lucifer kicked the demon toward Luke. “Go on, you two, and get acquainted. I have business to discuss with Senka.”

The demon squeaked in pain.

This time, his mother’s gold eyes flashed red. “Watch him, demon. Let no one cause him harm, and that includes you.”

The little demon bowed, eyes down. “Yes, domina. I will take care of your child.”

Luke didn’t want to leave. Bad things happened whenever his mother wasn’t around. Hell was an awful place. Every shadow and corner could be lethal.

And no one could die to escape their torture. It was all eternal and excruciating.

Even though he was a child, he was tired of fighting for every scrap. Every piece of sanity and safety.

The demon tugged at his arm with a rough-textured claw. Anger flashed in his three red eyes.

Luke cringed out of habit.

Instead of striking him, as was typical, the demon teleported him from Lucifer’s room to the mansion where he and his mother lived.

Luke stumbled away from the demon as he fought against the tears he wanted to cry. In Hell, those signs of weakness evaporated. But if anyone ever saw them gathering in his eyes, they would worsen whatever cruelty caused them.

Never let anyone know what hurts you. First rule of Hell—one he’d learned the hard way.

The demon turned to face him in the black marble foyer, his eyes narrowed. The stench of brimstone clung to his purple skin. “What do you fear?” he snarled, his hot, nasty breath stinging Luke’s eyes. “Snakes? Betrayers? Killers? The darkness that keeps them all concealed?”

Luke might be young, but he knew better than to answer that question. Gathering his courage and straightening his spine as his birthright taught him, he spat, “I fear nothing.”

The demon laughed in his face. The sound was grating. His breath reeked of death. “I don’t believe you. Since the dawn of time, Hell has created and conjured all manner of terror. Some real. Some fantasies that only live in the minds of the most creative.”

“And?” Luke had no idea what point this creature was trying to make by stating what they all knew.

“Haven’t you ever wondered what terrifies the scary things in this realm?”

Luke had been practicing his indifferent tone with his imp, Helly. He used it now. “Not really.”

“No?” the demon asked in disbelief. “Never?”

“My father is what terrifies the scary things.”

“And Luke’s imp.” Helly stepped out of the shadows to confront the demon, stepping between them and baring her fangs. Not much taller than Luke was at his young age, Helly was the only creature in this realm Luke trusted besides his mother.

Yet unlike his mother, Helly had never once hurt him. Not even his feelings.

For that alone, he adored her. In many ways, she was more a mother to him than the hellhound who’d birthed him.

The demon raked his stare from the top of Helly’s dark brown hair and horns to the bottom of her tiny, booted feet. “You’re an imp. Do you think I fear you?”

Helly sneered. “You’re a low-ranking stink demon. Have you any idea what I could do to you?”

“Nothing.”

She laughed out loud. “Keep your delusions, then.” Snapping her fingers, she made the demon vanish.

Luke gaped. “What did you do?”

“Put it where it belonged…locked in a wardrobe.” She ruffled his hair. “Those are the subterranean demons, dominus. Fit only for tormenting others.”

“My father gave him to me as a pet.”

Helly winced. “Of course, he did. A pet that is more likely to bite and devour you than obey.” She picked him up and smiled at him.

Luke smiled back, especially since he was so tall now that his feet almost touched the ground when she held him. Even so, Helly carried him toward his room.

“You and I will have some real fun. What do you say, little bit?”

Luke nodded. “What shall we call my demon pet?”

“Dohlar.”

What a peculiar name. “Why Dohlar?”

“Because he’s worthless.”

“My father says I’m worthless.”

She kissed his cheek. “You are extremely valuable, dominus. One day you will learn your worth.”

“Then why do you look so worried?”

“Because I’m terrified of the day in Hell when the others here realize your true value.”