He snorted. "Trust me, air conditioning isn't cheaper."
I pulled him around the huge characteristic boulders blocking the narrow path, which were called The Boulders of Hell on Dragon's Path—the only entrance on this dimension. The sun stood high on the pale blue horizon streaked with bands of red and orange. The earth glimmered red, a few flames leapt up from the ground. I hurried to stomp on them before Dallas noticed. The scarce trees adorning the narrow trail looked like black rubber, devoid of leaves, the dry bark was scorched in several places.
"You should really have your dad invest in some fertilizer,"
Dallas said.
"I'll get right on that." Nothing was growing in this place except my frustration of how I was going to pull this number off.
A few voices carried over from the left, where a large stone blocked our view of the forking street. Dallas stopped to listen, but his hearing wasn't good enough to make out the words.
A fox with beady red eyes darted past us. I jumped into Dallas's line of vision, but it was too late.
"What was that?" Dallas asked.
I shrugged. "Just the local wildlife."
"It had red eyes, Cass. I think it was foaming at the mouth, probably from rabies."
"I'm glad you worry about me. It's sweet, but I'm a big girl. I'll have Dad send out animal control." I touched his face. "Now, wait here. Okay? I'll be right back. Just need to tell the guards we're here."
He shook his head. "I wouldn't want anything happening to you."
I rolled my eyes. "Dad's the big boss, remember? He'll take care of it." Since he was the devil and all, which I didn't add because there was no point in spooking the poor guy when we had barely begun dating.
"If you're not back in five, I’m coming after you."
"Sounds like a deal." I smiled and rose on my toes to meet him halfway for a peck on the cheek. His lips brushed the corner of my mouth. An electric jolt rushed down my spine, making my skin tingle.
Peeking over my shoulder to make sure Dallas wasn't following, I dashed for the demons, hoping they were clever enough to take my threat of torture at face value for a change rather than question my authority and mess with me. Trouble was, the high ranked ones weren't particularly keen on my authority so they tended to challenge my position and push their boundaries, being only loyal to my dad.
Uh-uh, trouble ahead, Kinky said.
"What? Why?" I whispered when my gaze fell on one of the demons.
Oh, no, Pinky wailed. You're going to be in so much trouble. For the sake of your loving parents, I wish you'd stop falling for the bad guys.
Kinky snorted. Puuuuhlease! In Hell, he's quite the catch.
"Thrain!" I waved and he turned, shooting me an easy-going smile. There was a time when I fancied his green eyes, dark hair and toned body—until Dad found out I tried to date one of his shape shifters. He assigned Thrain to the lowest level of Hell and sent me to spend a few freezing weeks in the Himalayas to explore other options.
I was ready to use that as an argument if Dad challenged my relationship with Dallas.
Thrain whooshed the chirping Levion demon away. The thin, green spirit bowed, eyes darting across the ground, as he skipped from one leg to the other. I was glad it wasn't a Beleth because Beleths were quite the talkative kind, and Dad would be hearing about my meeting with Thrain in a heartbeat. Beleths were also notorious for sucking up to Dad, eager to get his approval to climb up Hell's social ladder, so they liked to embellish the truth.
"Girl, you're a sight for sore eyes." Thrain grabbed my arm and pulled me to his chest, a dangerous glint playing in his eyes. He was up for fun, which made me feel guilty, even more so since my boyfriend stood a few feet away. So all the rumours flying around this place were true? I didn't believe them for a minute."
Keeping my distance, I nodded. "Yep, here I am in the flesh."
"And looking as hot as ever."
"Take it down a notch, will ya? You might piss off my new friend."
He cocked a brow. "Really? Is she as hot as you?"
"You'll meet him soon enough. Now if you could just go ahead and make sure no one's around when we pass through, I'd really appreciate it."
His jaw dropped. "Him?"
Was he jealous? I didn't think he was serious enough to get emotionally involved. I regarded his tattered jeans and dishevelled hair. Pinky was right, I had a tendency to fall for bad boys. "How come you're back?"
He shrugged. "It was just a matter of time until Lucifer realised he couldn’t possibly run this place without his best tracker."
I giggled. "I always thought you were better than Google Maps."
"Yes, you did, gorgeous." He moistened his lips, the tip of his tongue leaving a wet trail behind. I peered at it, and then away, embarrassed. Shouldn't that connection with Dallas make me stop noticing other people, particularly hot ex boyfriends? Maybe Dallas and I needed to seal it with a handshake or a first kiss, or something.
"Cass? Are you okay there?" Dallas yelled.
"Just a minute."
Thrain sniffed the air, amused. "You brought a mortal? I hope it's just personal luggage."
I ran a hand through my hair, wondering again whether he was jealous. "Nope. It’s the real deal."
"With fluffy clouds, roses, symphonies and all?" Thrain whistled.
"That's going to be one Shakespeare tragedy. I'd better book my seat in advance."
I slapped his arm. "Shut it, mate. Dallas and I will be very happy together."
He nodded, unconvinced. "I'm thrilled for you. So, tell me, does your dad know?"
I winced. "Not exactly."
"Does he even know the guy's trudging along?"
"Still working on it." Why all the interrogation? Then I remembered. Thrain might be a shape shifter and Dad's best tracker, but he was also a chaos demon, fallen just like Dad, so he was bound to have a flair for the dramatic, soak up tension where he could get it.
I frowned. "Can you get your kick somewhere else?"
Thrain laughed. "It wasn't meant that way."
"Really?" I raised my brows.
"Want me to warm your dad up for you?"
I shook my head. "This is my battle. Just make sure the road's free."
"No problem." He winked. "We wouldn't want to frighten the poor boy."
Dallas wasn't a boy. Technically, he hadn't yet reached drinking age in the US, but half of the population hadn't. It wasn't a big deal.
"Get moving, or I swear I'll send you back to that place Dad had in mind for you." I pushed his shoulder as hard as I could. He barely budged from the spot.
"You know he would've eventually gotten used to the idea of us dating," Thrain whispered.
I stared at him, speechless for a moment. I knew where he was heading, and I didn't like it one bit. "Dad was right. You and I would never work out. You'll find the one meant for you."
He bowed slowly, an amused glint playing in his gaze. "Fair enough, Princess. If things don't work out with the boy over there, you know where to find me."
I nodded and watched him walk away, his shoulders straight, his leather coat swaying slightly in the scorching heat. There was a time when I would've given anything to hear those words, but now I only sighed and hurried back to Dallas, who was still waiting behind the huge boulders.
Chapter 7 – Hot as Hell
Dallas leaned against a twisted tree, drenched in sweat. His face showed red, ugly blotches, his eyes shone unnaturally bright. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear he was coming down with malaria. I shouldn't have left him in Hell's scorching heat, without a water bottle and at least half a dozen wet towels to cool his mortal body. I bit my lip hard. His suffering made my heart sink. It was all my fault.
"We'll get you inside," I whispered.
"Who's 'we'?" He laughed and wiped his soaked sleeve over his face. A moment later, wet pearls gathered again above his brows.
Oops. Another slip up. I was so used to Pinky and Kinky at my side, I always
included them. "No one." Eager to change the subject, I pointed around the cairn formation. "We're almost there."
Dallas groaned but grabbed my hand in a clammy grip, following me as I pulled him along the trail. "Remind me never to even consider moving to California."
"It's not that bad."
He snorted. "Probably not if you're stuck at a floating pool bar, guzzling down ice-cold drinks with a soft breeze swaying your hair. I don't see that happening any time soon though."
I glanced at his crumpled shirt, wishing I had advised him to pack a change of clothes. Now I couldn't just beam over his baggage and pretend someone had couriered it over. Too many weird things had happened already. Maybe I'd find something else for him to wear before he met Dad in this damp attire.
"I could've saved myself the hour in the bathroom, huh?" Dallas said.
"Now that you're pointing it out, you're absolutely right." I shrugged. "You'd look awesome wrapped in a plastic bag with a tiara on your head."
He grinned. "I love spending time with you. You know that, right?"
My pulse gained in speed, my mouth turned dry. I nodded.
"That's why we're here, to find out whether what we have is real."
"I don't doubt it for a minute. Do you?"
I winked. "Not yet." I took a step forward, hoping he got the hint. If Dad approved of our relationship instead of forwarding both of us to opposite sides of the world, we'd have to seal this deal once and for all. Since Auntie never mentioned how, I figured a kiss might be my best bet.
Dallas peered down at me, his eyes searching mine. I started counting the golden speckles, getting lost in their number. His lips inched closer until our noses almost meet. My stomach clenched and that feeling of floating outside my body returned. I held my breath, waiting for his lips to graze mine. Why was he delaying the inevitable?
My hand moved up his chest as I whispered, "Dallas." He smiled but didn't make a move.
"You must really be used to this heat. You're not sweating a drop," he said.
So much for our undying love and finally settling it all with a kiss. "Women don't sweat, they glow."
"It's hot like Hell. I'm sweating buckets."
A giant, blinking neon sign flashed in my head. Talking of Hell reminded me where we were. I might never get him out alive if we didn't strengthen our bond to show Dad our relationship was serious.
Dallas meant well by wanting to make our first kiss special, but I figured he'd seize any opportunity available if he just knew what was at stake.
"I don't mind," I whispered. "As long as we're together nothing could bother me." My last attempt at signalling Dallas I wanted to be kissed ended in him peering at me, embarrassed. The magic was broken anyway, so I headed for Dad's four-story mansion carved into the red mountain cliff. Like a fata morgana, the air around it seemed to vibrate from the unbearable heat. We reached the tiny patch of front garden with its withered bushes and stone borders. The dry and cracked ground could've easily passed for the Sahara Desert. Smoke and steam rose from the zigzagging fissures, giving the impression of a snaking cobra.
The wrought iron gate squeaked when I pushed it open. Dad got a laugh out of that every time and refused to fix it. He liked the creepy factor. "This is where I grew up. Home, sweet home."
Dallas stared at the gothic Transylvanian castle, shimmering in red sandstone. The towers, spires, and colonnades glittered in the sun against the glaring blue sky. Specks of light danced off the giant stain-glass windows. "It reminds me a bit of The Haunted Mansion, right here in Disneyland."
I laughed. Yeah, my dad loved the classical grandeur of Gothic.
"Dad still thinks he's a kid. The creators had a blast designing this place. Since he borders a little on the eccentric side, he put on all the bells and whistles."
Dallas nodded, seemingly impressed. "You don't have a resident dragon living inside, do you?"
"Nope, but I had a hound until he grew almost as big as a room and started eating the furniture." I grinned, even though it was the truth.
"Can't wait to see this place at night." His gaze shifted to the monstrous stone gargoyles perched on each side of the steps. Whispers echoed in the air. I ran a hand across my lips for the guardians to zip it. They did, but not before Dallas jumped back.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Its eye opened! I swear it did."
I rolled my eyes and vowed to kick the demons into next week for scaring my boyfriend. "Did its wings start flapping too? Or did smoke come out of its mouth? It's only stone, babe. Let's get you something to drink. The heat's messing with your brain."
He let out a breath. "I must be making a terrible first impression. First, I faint, and now I'm seeing things. You must think I'm crazy."
I winked. "Never." If anyone was crazy, it was me—for bringing him here.
Grabbing his hand, I pulled him across the drawbridge. Dallas gazed down at the moat of flowing red lava. "Now that's a river."
"Don't get too close. The crocs bite."
"The special effects are beyond amazing. I wonder where the projector is."
"If I told you, the magic would be gone."
He smiled and pulled me closer. "When I'm with you, the magic's always here."
My heels clicked on the cobbled path as we made our way to the large double door. I grabbed the massive brass knobs and pushed the heavy wood panel open to reveal the hall with its marble floor, crystal candelabras and candleholders in every corner—and, most importantly, air conditioning.
Dallas hovered in the doorway so I said, "Come in. Don't be shy."
"Your dad sure likes candlelight, huh?"
I shrugged. "Not really, but I do. I had the house redecorated as soon as I could walk."
"You're officially hired to decorate our home," Dallas said.
Our home? He must be joking. Either that, or things were moving very fast. I certainly didn't mind. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Dallas wasn't smiling.
"I'd like that," I said, squeezing his hand.
"The air's cooler here. I feel already a thousand times better."
He turned to face me, sending my stomach into somersaults. His gaze focused on my lips as he ran a finger down my cheek. I could hear his heart racing, drumming against his burly chest.
"Cass?" Dad's voice carried through the silence, making me jump a step back. Why wasn't he working? Torturing the next best sinner, or whining about how little respect mortals seemed to pay him nowadays?
"Wait in the library, okay? I need to change first," I yelled, pulling Dallas up the stairs to my room. I locked the door behind us and dropped on the bed with him next to me. "Why don't you take a shower while I get you a glass of water?" I pointed at the bathroom door. He nodded and left.
I got up again and headed downstairs in search of clothes for Dallas. Luckily, he was about the same size as Dad, maybe a few pounds lighter, so I figured there had to be plenty of stuff that fit him. I sneaked into Dad's walk-in dressing room and skimmed through the pants and shirts, then returned to my room with my find and a glass of water filled to the brim with ice cubes from the kitchen.
After the scorching heat Dallas had endured, I assumed he wasn't coming out of that shower anytime soon. Who could blame him?
It suited me just fine since it gave me the perfect opportunity to catch a moment alone with Dad. I left everything on the dresser and joined Dad in the library.
"Dad?" Even though the door was open, I knocked on the wood to get his attention in case he hadn't noticed me.
He turned slowly, eyeing me up and down. "You said you needed to change. Where's your suit?"
"Couldn't be bothered. We need to talk." I sat on his desk, crossing my legs, the way I always did.
"Your mother used to fall for the wrong ones too."
"What?" I blinked, unsure whether I'd heard him right. Did he just mention Mum? And how did he find about my secret boyfriend? I guessed nothing slipped past his eyes.
Dad shook h
is head. "Never mind. Let's talk."
He knew. I could see it in his green eyes and the serious expression on his face. "Did Thrain spill the beans?"
"Thrain knows?" A shadow crossed Dad's features. "When did you two talk?"
Dad might be the devil and a master of disguise, but I could see right through his lie. "I saw him on my way here. And now I'm going to give him one swift kick that'll land him in Egypt or Africa. If he thinks what you did to him is bad, he has yet to see me in action."
"That's my girl." Dad leaned back, smiling. "He didn't tell me. I wish you'd stop underestimating your old father. I know everything, Cass."
I narrowed my gaze. "You're still watching me?"
"Of course I am. Do you honestly think I'd let my only child walk on Earth without constant supervision?"
"I won't have it." I shook my head. "Everyone has a right to privacy."
"That's not what this meeting is about though, is it?" Dad took a deep breath. "We agreed if you wanted to see someone regularly, you'd run it past me first."
I smirked. "You said if I wanted to date any of your guys blah, blah, blah."
"So you chose a mortal, and the best part is you brought him here to meet me." His tone was nonchalant, matter-of-fact. I didn't expect him to remain so calm.
I raised my chin defiantly. My temper threatened to flare any minute. "Dallas isn't just anyone. We have a bond."
Dad rose slowly, palms pressed against the polished desk.
"You're talking about that wicked connection spawn by Fate herself in order to mess up everyone's life?" He scoffed. "Trust me, it doesn't mean a thing. As much as you want it to, it won't work, Cassie. So you'd better get out while it doesn't hurt so much."
Wrath choked up my throat. I narrowed my gaze. "How would you know?"
"Been there, done that."
"When?" He must be lying, which made me angry because, in spite of his reputation as a major trickster, Dad had never lied to me before.
He hesitated. "Been a while."
"When?" I leaned forward, staring at him.