Page 5 of Dancing With Demons

“Good,” I breezed, “because I wouldn’t give a flipped shit about that. What I do care about is—oh, yeah—where the fuck is my sister!” Snatching up the cake stand, I flung it, cake and all, at his head.

It sailed through and reappeared back where it was like it never left that spot at all.

Lucifer didn’t even blink. “Where is Dora?” he repeated. “You mean to tell me you still care about her fate even though heaven rejected my offspring, and left her to the fate of a demon?”

“What are you talking about? Of course I care! She’s my sister! I came here to bring her back home, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

His face changed so suddenly, I would’ve missed it if I blinked.

“Good,” he hissed, his eyes darkening so deep, I flinched. “This wouldn’t be an effective threat otherwise.”

“Threat? What threat?”

Lucifer gritted his teeth, snarling as he leaned back in his chair. “So here it is. Thanks to your mother’s love of monologuing, you know what we’re trying to achieve. We’re opening the gates of hell,” he dropped. “The fucking problem is that since the power of the All Hallows was used to close the gates, it will take the same immeasurable power to open them. That’s where you come in.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you!” he barked. “Do you see any other fucking living Avos witches around here?!”

Anger and irritation were coming off this angel in waves. He really, really, didn’t like that my ancestors got the jump on him, but honestly, it was a relief to see him drop the fake, smiling darling act. Seriously, was there anything more cringy than a bad guy pretending to be a gentleman?

“You,” he stressed. “Your mother says that even though your magic hasn’t awakened yet, the secret of the All Hallows is in your blood. Trouble is, it’s been in the blood of all Avos witches for the last three hundred years, and you all clearly had no idea.” The devil plucked a piece of paper from his pocket and flicked it at me.

It gently floated down onto the arm of Dora’s chair.

“Your mother says the key to unlocking the power has to be in the original spell. All that ‘stealing what was given and shackling yourself to his manhood’ bullshit. So get to it.”

I stared at him. “Excuse me...? Get to it? Get to what?”

“Find out what the clues are and awaken the power of the All Hallows. And when you do”—those terrible eyes cleaved me in two—“give that power to me.”

I still felt that strange, quieting calmness fighting to smother my rage. “Let me guess the rest. I give you this power, and you’ll give me my sister back?”

“See?” His smile held no mirth or warmth. “I knew you were the smart one.”

“But you’re not.”

His strong, handsome jaw crumpled like toilet paper. “What the fuck did you just say?”

Right then, I was thankful for this dreamy tranquility. It was the only reason I could look into the murderous eyes of Satan himself without soiling myself. “Seems to me we’re in the same place that we were before. The place where I possess something that you can’t get without my cooperation. So this is what I want: I want my sister back alive.

“With her soul back in her body and her whole future ahead of her again. Undo what you and that woman have done!” I shrieked. “Bring her back, and then you can have all the fictitious powers you want!”

He beheld me dispassionately. He almost looked bored. “You seem to think you stumped me, but, darling, with the power of the All Hallows at my fingertips, I can bring a thousand Adoras back to life—soul, mortality, and all.

“You have a deal, sweet Charlie.” Lucifer, the decorations, and the room all started fading. “I’ll even send you a little incentive... in all good faith...”

“Wait!” The scene slipped away, allowing the darkness to creep back in. “Wait!”

I shot up screaming, and jolted Tristan out of his chair.

“Charlie? Are you okay?” He rushed over to take my hand and place it on the glass of water waiting on my nightstand.

Wait? My nightstand?

I blinked through the gloom, surprised to find myself back in my plain, boring dorm room in Abaddon Academy. The only thing missing was Sabrina... and the one thing added was the large, looming presence in the corner—watching us with those ruby-red eyes.

“D-Dora,” I burst out. “Lucifer has Dora! He and my m—m—that woman! They have my sister in a horrible cellar down in the—”