A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends #1)

scent on that candle you’ve touched. Every
single one of them has been blessed by our priests,” Deidre said.
    “Hey, I’m half fallen angel and half Seraph.
There’s a difference, meaning I’m actually holy.” Cass crossed her arms over
her chest, grinning.
    “Pitch the candle you’ve defiled,” Deidre
said.
    “I’ll look for a trashcan then.” Cass
shrugged, but didn’t budge.
    “Angel, dispose of this candle immediately.
And then leave.” Deidre waited until Angel scurried out, then grabbed Amber’s
hand, addressing her. “I see you’re back. You truly want to retrieve the book
for us?” Amber shot me an insecure look and nodded.
    “Good.” Deidre pointed at the high
cavernous walls where the soft light of the candles didn’t reach the shadows. “This
hall’s special. Once the—” she hesitated and scowled as if she had to
force herself to speak out the word “—vampire leads you to the threshold
of death, where your physical and astral body meet, this place will help you
enter the otherworld. You, then, shall be brought by hell’s demons to where the
book supposedly is. When your deed’s done, our incantations will help you
return to the physical plane. You understand you could die in the process?”
    I noticed Amber flinch and put a reassuring
hand on the small on her back as rage rose inside me. She wouldn’t die. I’d
rather break the Lore rules and turn her into what I was than have Fate take
her away from me.
    “I do,” Amber said. I smiled proudly at how
brave she sounded.
    “Whoa, let’s not get dramatic here. No one’s
dying,” Cass said. “Now, without further ado, let’s get this party cracking.
You had enough time for chatting when you kidnapped her. Besides, I’m not paid
by the hour.” She turned to me, frowning. “Aidan, how am I actually being paid?”
    “There’s something else,” Amber said. “I
want something in return. You can have the book, but you have to perform Aidan’s
spell. Promise me.”
    Deidre tilted her head. “Very well. I give
you my word.”
    Amber beamed up at me, then took a deep breath.
Grabbing her hand, I helped her onto the altar, kneeling next do her. Somewhere
behind us countless voices, obscured by the darkness, started to chant. Amber
looked small and fragile among the countless candles that barely flickered. She
shuddered, wide-eyed with fear. I remembered I still didn’t have her agreement.
    “What the heck am I doing here?” she
whispered. “I thought you guys were going to show me how to go into a trance
and talk to Rebecca to ask where the book was. And that the trance might kill
me.”
    I shook my head. “It’s a little more
complicated than that.”
    “So you keep saying.” Her voice quivered.
    I grabbed her hand. “Listen, babe, try to
remain as calm and still as you can.”
    “Am I being sacrificed in some freaky
ceremony?” She laughed nervously.
    How could she even think that? “No, of
course not. I’ll just have to drink a bit of—” I hesitated, reconsidering
my words “—I promise I won’t let anything happen to you. I’ll get my life
sorted out so we can be together. Once this is over, I won’t ever have to feed
again.”
    “I never promised you a life together because
I want my old life back,” Amber said.
    I grimaced. “We’ll talk about that later.
There’s one more matter to discuss.”
    “You haven’t told her?” Cass shouted. “You’re
the worst boyfriend ever!”
    Damn the demon. I tried to keep my
composure and ignore Cass’s ecstatic gaze, sucking in every chaos vibe she
could get hold of. “I’ll have to bite you now to slow down your heart rate
until you almost die so you can cross over.”
    “What sort of crappy plan is that? You
should’ve told me,” Amber hissed.
    “You can still back out.”
    She rolled her eyes. “No. I’ll do it, but
only because I don’t go back on my word. But you better not suck me dry. Got
it?”
    I shook my head. “The others won’t let that
happen.”
    “Let’s get this over and done with.” She
punched my arm, then lay on her back, her eyes bulging in their sockets, heart
pumping with fear. “When I get back you’re so going to get a piece of my mind!”
    “I deserve it.” I inched closer and
whispered in her ear, “If things go wrong, please let me turn you into what I
am.”
    She regarded me for a second, her eyes as
deep as dark pools with the bright flames of the candles reflecting in them,
and then she shook her