Pure Hell (Seventh Level Book 1) (16 page)

At first, Anne didn’t think the demon was going to appear but then the air turned heavy with the sickening smell of sex and brimstone. A dark shadow shimmered in front of her and then invisible fingers brushed along her skin. When she didn’t move or say anything the shadow took the form of a naked blonde.

The deadness in the woman’s eyes bespoke of centuries of corruption and perverseness. Its calculating stare sent a shiver through Anne’s spine. To shore up her nerves, she lifted her chin with a grim determination to do the right thing for Kylie. Anne had killed her sister with neglect.

“Pamela?” The same lust she had felt the first time they met shot through Anne, but this time she knew it had nothing to do with how she really felt. It was what the demon was making her feel. It was the first time she understood what people meant when they said they were being mind-fucked. To put a stop to the erotic thoughts from being force fed into her mind, Anne pictured Mark’s kind smile and gentle ways. The moment she visualized him standing next to her holding her hand she was able to take control of her own thoughts and feelings again.

Anne could tell the moment Pamela realized she was no longer in control of Anne’s mind, she screwed her face into a pout. Taking a new track, she moved to the bed and sat on the edge. Spreading her legs open wide, Pamela exposed every square inch of herself. She cocked an eyebrow. “What do you want?”

Anne focused on the dead eyes and made a determined effort to ignore the fact Pamela now was happily fingering herself as if she didn’t have an audience.

“Who are you? Are you Septem or Pamela?”

Pamela began licking her fingers. For a moment, Anne didn’t think she heard her, but then she stood and slithered over to her. She never touched any part of her, but she sniffed at her skin and then knelt in front of her. She grinned so malevolently Anne flushed hot then cold and felt as if she might throw up.

Pamela hissed through clenched teeth. “I’m sin and wanton lust. I’m every secret wicked desire everyone has ever thought of. I’m all of the world’s rapists, child molesters along with every sexual deviant spirit intertwined into one soul.” She leaned forward and ran the tip of her tongue down the zipper of Anne’s jeans.

The metal turned burning hot but Anne tried to show no reaction to the assault. It was obvious part of Pamela’s power came from other people’s emotions and she kept Delphine’s advice close to her heart. She needed to stay in control.

Anne knelt so she was eye level with Pamela. “I have a proposition for you.”

Pamela rocked back onto her heels. “What could you give me I don’t already have? Although, proposition has always been one of my favorite words,” she added with a sly smile.

In spite of her repulsion, Anne leaned forward. “Me.”

Pamela smirked. “What makes you think I can’t simply take you anytime I want to?”

Pretending boldness she didn’t feel, Anne reached out and caressed one of Pamela’s breasts. “Because if you could have, you would have taken me by now. You need my permission.” She ran the tip of her tongue across Pamela’s nipple and then stood. She began unbuttoning her blouse. “I’ll willingly give myself to you but you have to give me something in return.”

Pamela’s eyes followed Anne’s fingers as they hovered over the fifth and final button. She licked her lips before asking, “And what is that?”

“Keep me hidden from Kieran.” Anne finished unbuttoning her blouse and slipped it off. She tossed it on top of Kylie’s bed. Slipping a finger under the strap of her bra, she slowly slid it down her shoulder until the top of her breast was exposed.

Pamela licked her lips but made no move to accept what Anne was offering. “If I try to interfere with Kieran’s plans, he would fuck me in ways your mind could never imagine. And I don’t mean in the good way. You can believe me when I tell you I wouldn’t enjoy it. When he finished, he would banish me to the lowest region of hell where there are creatures willing to feast upon my flesh until there is nothing left. I’m attached to my position and my skin. Why would I risk either of those things for you?”

Pamela didn’t sound as if she was saying no, only as if she was curious. Determined to keep the demon’s interest, Anne unhooked her bra and threw it on top of her blouse. “So, he’s told you not to touch me,” she mused aloud as she cupped her breasts in hopes of luring the demon inside Pamela to disregard an order. “Are you telling me you think he is more powerful than you?”

Throwing caution to the wind, Anne unzipped her jeans and stepped out of them. She walked over to Pamela wearing only a pair of white lace panties. She had no idea why Septem wanted her so much, but there was no doubt the demon found something special about her. Perhaps it was the hands off order and the interest would wane as soon the restriction was gone. A girl could hope. She was so desperate to save her sister’s soul she wasn’t above using everything in her arsenal.

As Anne moved closer, Pamela’s nostrils flared. Anne stopped a few inches from the demon. Reaching between them, she cupped Pamela’s cunt. Boldly holding her gaze, she dipped two fingers inside her. Holding still, Anne allowed the promise of pleasure to hang between them. “Why should Liam cost you two women? You’ve done all the work. I could be your little secret,” she whispered in her most seductive voice.

She pumped her fingers inside her once to let Pamela know she was serious. She knew her point was made when Pamela’s eyes lost a hint of focus. With her fingertips wet with Pamela’s cream, she circled her clit. “You’re smart. You could keep me all to yourself.” She knelt in front of Pamela and licked her navel. “I’ll be yours alone to do with as you wish.” Sliding her tongue downward, she licked a wet path down Pamela’s body before stopping just short of her goal. “We could seal the deal today.”

Pamela ran her fingers through Anne’s hair before using it to guide her where she wanted her the most. “I’m really good at sealing the deal. Maybe we can work out something suitable for everyone involved.”

* * * * *

“A cage? Really Kieran?” Kylie asked attempting to sound calm as she looked around at the bars that had no door she could find. It hung a few feet from the floor and reminded her of something she’d seen in a book once on medieval torture.

He lifted his booted foot from the floor and used it to set the cage in motion. Metal screeched against metal as it swung in a wide arch. Grasping the bars, Kylie held on for the ride.

“I admit it’s a bit dramatic, but sometimes theatrics are in order.”

Her stomach shook in her fear. It didn’t matter that she was already dead. She knew deep within her heart there were things much worse than death. She’d immediately tried to simply disappear and reappear somewhere else as she’d done in the past but nothing happened. She was truly trapped. If she’d ever doubted Kieran’s power, she didn’t any longer.

“Is that all this has been these past months? Theatrics?” she asked in attempt to draw his attention away from whatever horrible thing he had planned for her.

The door exploded at Kieran’s back before he could answer. Chunks of wood flew in every direction. Liam’s large frame filled the now open doorway. His eyes glowed bright red and his chest heaved with his fury. Kylie almost dissolved into tears at the sight of him. Kieran didn’t bother turning even as the splinters pelted his back. A satisfied smile stretched his lips and chills raced over Kylie’s body at the sight of it.

“How nice of you to join us, Liam.”

Liam’s low growl was the only warning he gave before springing. Almost as if in slow motion, he froze in mid-air suspended as if held by invisible chains. Kieran continued staring in Kylie’s eyes the entire time and his grin grew wider at her gasp.

“Have a seat, Liam.” Even though Kieran had not raised his voice there was no mistaking it was an order. With the invisible binds no longer holding him, he landed in a heap at Kieran’s feet. Obviously realizing he had no other choice, Liam came to his feet and moved to the chair opposite Kieran’s desk. Kieran claimed his seat behind it. Even though the massive oak surface separated them, the murder didn’t leave Liam eyes.

“You have something that belongs to me,” he said sounding angrier than Kylie could have ever imagined.

“Actually, she belongs to me.”

“That possession is nine-tenths of the law bullshit is for mortals,” Liam snapped. “It doesn’t fly in our world. You can condemn or bargain. Those are the laws.”

Kieran didn’t quite sneer but it was close. “No laws were broken. Kylie sold her soul to me with the understanding that in death she would find love.”

The look of betrayal on Liam’s face at Kieran’s words caused a crack to open in the center of Kylie’s heart. She half expected him to walk out right then. Instead, he said, “An understanding is not the same as a bargain.”

Kieran didn’t quite roll his eyes but he came close. He turned to Kylie.

“Did I not honor our bargain?”

Kylie looked in Liam’s direction and her heart turned over in her chest. Her fingers itched to feel the soft stubble of his short-cropped hair. She envied the black t-shirt stretching across his chest for being able to touch his skin while she could not. She would never get enough of him. Greed gnawed away at her insides and pride burned through her veins at the knowledge he did indeed belong to her. She loved him, she realized with a start. As twisted as Kieran’s description of the emotion had been, he was right.

“Yes,” she admitted, causing Liam’s head to swing in her direction. His jaw was set in a hard line. He was so angry with her she could feel it from all the way across the room. “You made all my dreams come true,” she said, answering Kieran’s question while holding Liam’s gaze hoping he realized the words were meant for him as well.

“You heard the lady. A bargain was made and met.”

Even though Kylie could tell it chafed him to do so, Liam still asked. “And what terrible thing do you expect from me to secure her release?”

“You mistake my intentions. The time has come for you to stop hiding your nature and do the job you were meant for. Take your place at my side and I’ll sign her soul over to you.”

“I’m a cop. That’s the job I was meant for.”

Kieran leaned his elbows on the desk. His voice dropped into the appealing one Kylie knew so well. “I know you feel it. You’re a soul reaper, Liam. You burn with the desire to own her. You need to possess her soul. You won’t be able to rest until you deliver her to her final judgment.”

Liam’s expression never changed. “No. I can’t say I am feeling those things right about now.”

Kieran sighed dramatically. “Then I will continue torturing her sister until she begs me to kill her just as Kylie did.”

Liam flinched but otherwise didn’t react.

“Anne? Oh my God! What have you done to her?”

Kieran didn’t bother answering Kylie. He kept his eyes locked on Liam awaiting his decision.

“I’ll go, Liam. Just tell him you’ll take me wherever he tells you to.” She could hear the desperation in her own voice and she didn’t care.

Both men ignored her pleas.

“I’m not asking you to give her up, Liam. There’s no need for that now that she is here. You could keep her in limbo and take pleasure in her body anytime you pleased. Just as I did with your mother. All you need to do is accept your place in life. Claim her as your own.”

Kylie’s knees gave out and she slid to the floor of the cage. Delphine was right. Kylie had seen so much it made her blind. She could no longer tell the difference between the living and the dead. No wonder Delphine seemed so young. She probably had been close to Liam’s age when Kieran killed her. The mother of his own child. She realized in that moment there was no hope for her.

“How am I supposed to know you’re not lying about Anne? For all I know Kylie’s sister could have been dead for years now.”

Kieran nodded as if pleased by his son’s quick mind. “Justice is a witness in this matter. He acted as her escort last night when she came to the club.”

“Anne was here?” Kylie asked, even though everyone was still ignoring her.

“Will you accept his word on the matter?”

Kylie jumped as a mist appeared. It hung in the air for a second before transforming into a man. He was huge with bulking muscles taking up too much space in the room. He flashed a startled look at Kylie.

“Yep. I’m in a cage.” It seemed neither death nor fear of burning in hell could scrub away her inability to keep her thoughts to herself. He rubbed his hand across forehead as if exhausted by it all and opened his mouth as if to say something before snapping his teeth together again.

Instead, he focused on Kieran. “You rang?”

Kylie hadn’t heard Kieran do anything of the sort but Kieran nodded. “My son doubts my word Miss Trace came calling last night but he has agreed to trust your testimony on the matter.”

He shuffled in place. His one nervous gesture told Kylie everything she needed to know. Anne had been here. However, Liam continued to wait patiently for the actual words. “There was a human female here last night and I was told her name is Anne Trace. However, I could not swear to you it was her real name as I had never met her before last night.”

He shot a nervous glance in Kylie’s direction and in that moment, everything became clear. This man, Liam and her sister would all be the ones to suffer because she had wanted to feel something other than scorn for once in her life. She’d gotten her wish and she would take her punishment. She stumbled back to her feet.

“Don’t lie on my behalf. I don’t want anything to happen to you because of me.”

The man scoffed, but she pressed on. “Please? I can’t escape my fate. Don’t make me live eternity knowing I was responsible for your torture or something equally horrible.”

Justice looked incredulous at her words. “He can’t hurt me.”

“I could try.”

Justice snorted at Kieran’s words. “I do my job. I work the door between worlds. I show you the respect due your position as I do your counterpart but neither of you better ever begin to think I work for either of you.”

Kieran waved an impatient hand. “Yes. I know. Justice is swift and fair. I guess I have no choice but to summon Anne.”