Lost in Demon's Eyes

10 - The outstanding library in Hell

I gasped. I quickly opened my eyes, looking around. I was in the car, in the Range Rover, in the same backseat as I was before I fell asleep. Was I sleeping? Was it just a dream? I tried remembering but nothing was coming to my head. I could only barely remember that I had a strange dream with someone I knew in it. What happened in it? What did the person tell me? I can’t remember! I squeezed my eyes together, trying hard to come up with at least the slightest idea of what had just happened.

“You’re up? Great! We already checked in the bags! Come on, we need to say goodbye to family and we go, the plane won’t wait!” Ansel pulled the door open, talking to me in a loud voice. I was getting a headache. I was holding my hand close to my eye, trying to prevent the migraine from growing worse from too much light. Ansel pulled me out of the car and started dragging me after him towards the airport terminal. His grip on me was quite tight but it didn’t overpower the weird burning sensation I was getting from the tattoo on my wrist.

“We’re here, finally!” Ansel said that to himself over other people that were waiting for us there. Mum looked a bit fidgety, while dad was standing straight with his chest out wide as always. Theo wasn’t there yet, he was probably dealing with some last-minute things for the flight. He was the biggest 24/7 secretary you could find.

“Take care, both of you! I’ll come to visit as much as I can!” Mum hugged both of us at the same time.

“It’s not like we’re going to stay there for the whole year,” I mumbled. I wasn’t in a good mood at all. I didn’t want to go to that small country, which had basically the same amount of inhabitants as the whole of Paris.

“I know. But still. Ansel, make sure you support and protect your sister. Stick to her at all times.” Mum now turned to Ansel, while I walked a few steps away. Her overprotective side was just too much to bear.

“Call me when you get there. Theo should already have everything prepared for you. But you never know what can happen when you’re that far from home. Just call if anything happens.”

“Dad, I know. Don’t worry.” I replied to him, looking directly into his eyes. I could see his Adam’s apple shakily going down and up. He was worried as well but was doing his best to not show it.

“I’ll make sure she doesn’t do anything weird.” Ansel’s arm came around my shoulders, weighing them down. He pulled me closer to him and ruffled my hair. Even though he was the younger one, he was taller and stronger than me, so he often acted like my older brother. I gave him a killing stare.

“Go for the checks, both of you! You don’t want to miss the plane!” Mum was already stressed out over the top of her head.

“Bye!” I waved to the three of them, Theo had just gotten back from whatever he was doing. He handed us the boarding passes and I and Ansel slowly headed to the security checks.

“Everything ok?” I asked him, seeing he was squeezing his boarding pass in his hand.

“Yeah, sure… Just… It’s the first time we’re out of the country. Away from the pack. It feels as if we’ve been exiled.” Ansel swallowed his words as fear was starting to show in his eyes.

“We’re not being exiled. That’s just your stupid brain overthinking. Take it as a nice trip.” I muttered and passed through the first check by scanning my boarding pass.

Dantalion

I stretched on my armchair. It was the first time I went into her dreams. In fact, it had been quite a long time since I had entered anyone’s dreams. I’ve gotten quite rusty for a couple of hundred years being locked up in that cave under a church repressing my powers. I should practice more! I got up, shaking my legs. It felt like I had just used most of my strength to deal with a nuisance. Even though it was just an easy slip into her dream.

“Anyone listening from you lazy asses? Where is my meal!” I thundered as they should have already served my daily meal. My servants were surely taking their time today.

“Yes, right away!” One of the lesser demons, that was serving in my place, peeped. I needed to replenish my energy, it had been quite depleted for the past few centuries when I wasn’t getting anything to feed on. A glass of red wine and a few dishes were put on the table in a minute. I sat down, taking the fork and knife in my hands, cutting the steak on my plate, and placing a small piece of it in my mouth. Nothing beats the food here. People just can’t make it this well! I smirked, slowly chewing and enjoying the juices pouring in my mouth with every piece of meat I ate.

“Now, what should I do? I still have some time until night falls… I can’t wait to see her in her dreams again!” I was standing at the window after finishing a few courses of meals. I tapped on the window glass with my nail, conjuring Zia’s image on it. She was still so young and innocent. Nothing I wouldn’t appreciate. On the contrary, that was the best pleasure I could have ever gotten. Innocent, young, without any experience. I softly breathed on the window to let her image disappear.

“Master Dantalion, master Viné has come.” I turned around. These lesser demons don’t know how to behave! They had to lose their education! They don’t know when to not disturb!

“Send him in,” I muttered, putting the wine glass away. My desire to drink more had been ruined. The taste rotted in my mouth.

“Dear Dantalion. It’s good to see you! I heard you have managed to get a piece of old Solomon’s soul?” He came in without even a proper greeting. I frowned, but quickly straightened my face and smirked, stretching my lips from one ear to the other.

“And why would you care, dear Viné?” I counterattacked. It was my own accomplishment I had managed to capture Solomon’s soul into a contract. He had nothing to do with it. If he wants to get a piece, he should find his own!

“I was thinking that we could probably visit him together. To settle the old accounts… For the good old times’ sake.” He was walking around the room, touching and caressing all furniture he was walking past by.

“Not sure that will be possible,” I replied shortly. I didn’t want to waste my time with this guy. I still had plans to go to my library and read a few things before diving into Zia’s dreams again. Anyone’s visit was highly unappreciated.

“Oh come on, Dantalion. We’ve known each other for centuries and you are still so stuck up!” He tried intimidating me with his behavior, so I would give in and agree to his proposition. But I wasn’t going to. I never planned to share Solomon’s soul with anybody. Let alone this guy.

“I have things to do. Yalé?! Yalé!” I exclaimed my butler's name, so he would come. He had forgotten what it meant to have his master in the house, so he sometimes still ignored my commands.

“Yes, master?” He finally appeared, bowing to both me and Viné.

“You can accompany Viné out of the house. It’s better for him, so he doesn’t needlessly wander around.” I didn’t want Viné going around my house. His little hands and nose were very agile and good at finding hidden things. If he had gotten his hands on the contract I had with the human girl, he would definitely take it for himself. There was no way I was having that.

“Well, in case you change your mind, hit me up with a raven!” Viné turned around with a smile on his face. He was good at baffling humans. Many of them even thought he was an angel in the clothes of a devil, sent from God himself to test them. Funny little things, not being able to distinguish between Hell and Heaven. I smirked. Viné was already gone with Yale, who was bound to get him out of the house and the premises.

“Now, for the library…” I hummed to myself, walking out of the room, letting the door close. I stood there for a while, turned around, and entered the door once again. The house tended to switch and shift the rooms on its will, so conjuring a portal through the closed door was the most secure way to get anywhere. I opened the door again, stepping into the portal and finding myself in the library, the door closing behind me.

“Welcome, master Dantalion!” A tiny squeaky voice, which was echoing throughout the room, greeted me. Little Will-o’-the-wisps were flying around. Humans would only see little balls of light, while I saw their tiny bodies. They were like Hell’s fairies. And many of them were taking care of my library day and night.

“Where’s Oleana?” I asked the wisp that was closest to me. She was the first one to greet me as well, making the others do the same.

“The usual spot, master Dantalion! Shall I take you there?” Her little voice was high-pitched, quite annoying.

“No, that’s fine. I can find her myself. Continue doing what you were.” I leaned a bit lower, to be at her eye level. I could see her tiny cheeks blushing. Her light flickered from green-yellow to pink for a bit.

The room was getting darker, wisps being the only sources of light. One would say it looked very romantic. It indeed looked better than lit candles. The light of wisps never flickered, it was always there with them. A child-sized woman was sitting behind a desk on the fifth floor of the library, having a small lamp with a wisp light on. She was completely focused on writing on the scroll in front of her. The goose feather looked huge in her tiny hands.