Blood Magic (After Dark Book 7) by Sarah Bailey (historical books to read .txt) 📕

He stepped away from her, his eyes bright with amusement.

“You’re so very easy to tease.”

Rolling her eyes, she looked around the clearing, spying the shimmering portal again. It was time they went to Hell, but Jamie’s conversation with Neave played on her mind. She walked over to the portal and put her hand on it.

“Ostende mihi viam.”

It shuddered under her hand before it swirled around and glowed purple.

“Shit,” Jamie breathed. “Is this really how we get to Hell?”

“Yes, I can’t believe it worked. I tried everything before Questor showed up.”

He stepped up next to her and took her hand.

“Ready?”

“I guess… Who is Selene?”

He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes growing dark.

“Selene is the demon you saw in the bar we went to. She’s been messing with Gavin’s business affairs to get to me. It’s a long story, Dani. I don’t think we have time right now.”

She nodded, tugging on his hand. The two of them stepped into the portal. They could talk about it when they’d seen Candace. That’s if they would even get to see the Queen of Hell.

The world rushed around them at an alarming pace for several minutes and then they both stepped out into a dark room. It was only lit by a single bulb above their heads. There was a door in front of them. Dani looked up at Jamie.

“Shall we?” he asked.

He opened the door for her and the two of them stepped out into a long hallway. Looking left, they saw a huge set of double doors at the end. The hallway contained several other doors, but Dani felt sure they’d find who they sought through those big doors. She swallowed, trying to tamp down her fear.

A door opened in the middle of the hallway and a woman with blonde hair tied up in a tight ponytail with a white shirt and pencil skirt stepped out. Her eyes fell on the two of them and widened.

“Hello,” she said in a low, sultry voice. “Are you lost?”

Dani had no idea if they were or not.

“We’re looking for Candace.”

The woman’s eyebrows shot up.

“Did you come through the portal? Shit, he’s going to throw me in the pit for this.”

Jamie squeezed Dani’s hand. She hadn’t realised how much she was shaking until that moment.

“Yes… Um, look, we really didn’t mean to intrude or come here unannounced, but it’s quite important. We really need to speak to Candace.”

The woman nodded slowly.

“Right, who are you exactly? Not often I find strangers in my Lord’s private rooms.”

“My name is Princess Dandelion Farlane. I am the daughter of the King of the Fae. I know Candace, a little anyway. She was meant to marry my brother, but that’s not why I’m here.”

“And he is?”

“Jamie, he’s my… partner.”

The woman looked a little taken aback, her eyes flicked down to where Jamie and Dani’s hands were entwined.

“Right, okay. Well, if you wouldn’t mind coming with me, I’ll see if I can get you an audience with Candace. My Lord really isn’t going to be happy about this.”

She began to walk towards the double doors at the end of the hallway. Dani and Jamie followed behind slowly.

“I’m nervous,” she whispered.

“It’ll be okay. I’m sure it’s unwise to piss the Devil off, but we don’t have another choice.”

The woman didn’t knock at the doors, she just flung one of them open.

“My Lord, there are some people to see Candace… Oh, fuck, I’ll… I’ll come back later,” she said.

She turned, her eye’s wide and put a hand over her mouth as she walked back out into the hallway. The door slammed shut behind her. Dani wondered what the woman had seen.

“I think that’s going to be branded into my mind for the rest of eternity. Right, you two better come wait in my office in this case. Trust me when I say you really don’t want to go in there right now.”

Dani looked up at Jamie who grinned wickedly. He leant down, his mouth pressed to her ear. “Want to bet she walked in on them fucking?”

Her face felt hot instantly. She knew all too well what it felt like to be interrupted what with Gavin ripping Jamie off her earlier that evening.

“Jamie,” she hissed.

He laughed as the woman walked back towards the door she’d originally left by and opened it, gesturing to the two of them to enter. Jamie tugged her into the room. Practically everything in it was purple. They took a seat in the two chairs in front of the woman’s desk whilst she sat behind it.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t properly introduced myself. My name is Mallmomoz, although most call me, Mall. I’m Lucifer’s assistant.”

“The Devil has an assistant?” Jamie asked.

Mall nodded slowly. Dani had no idea what to say. This all seemed surreal, them being in Hell chatting casually to Lucifer’s demon assistant. She felt like any moment Lucifer could storm in here and that would make their lives worse.

“I do many things for my Lord. Things have been quieter since Candace arrived. I should really refer to her as my Lady, but she hates titles.”

“That sounds like Candace,” Dani said.

Jamie reached for her hand, entwining their fingers together. His smile made her heart thump. Having him with her made her feel a little braver.

The door to Mall’s office swung open. All of them looked over at the noise. Candace strode in, her blonde hair a little ruffled and her shirt buttons not quite matching the right holes.

“Sorry, Mall, we got a little carried away…”

When she spied Dani and Jamie she paused.

“Dani?”

Dani stood up, folding her hands in front of her.

“Hi… I know I’m probably the last person you