“The humans were a little surprised, to say the least, when he brought your body to D.C.” His eyes travelled up and down my body. I didn’t need to look down to know that the tank top and shorts clung to my body like a second skin because of the sweat and ash marked the rest of me. My long hair was wild and untamed, oily, and dark because of the black ash.

“Why?” I felt sick to my stomach, imagining how I looked like dead. My skin turning gray, eyes dulling and going flat, and limbs growing stiff.

“He’s quite convinced you’ll come back. Although,” he paced around me, “I don’t think you will.”

“And why is that?”

“I know death when I see it.” He purred in my ear bluntly.

I didn’t say anything, my tongue couldn’t find the words I needed to say.

“You could always stay with me…” He trailed off, sensually snickering. I felt his fingers tracing patterns down my arm.

“With your positively lovely decor? I’m flattered.”

He looked at my face closer. “Such lovely gray eyes, but I swore they were blue or purple when you showed up at my doorstep.”

I watched him warily, slightly defensive. Gray meant my emotions were unstable. “They change.”

“Interesting.”

I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand. It. Was. So. Hot.

“I’m sure you’ll like to know that all the countries signed the treaty. You ended the war I was so very much enjoying, Aimee. You’re no fun at all.”

I smiled a little. “I didn’t want more people to die.”

“They all die eventually. And, I believe, you’ve sent many here yourself.”

I sighed, wiping my face again. “I’m aware of that.”

“Do you want me to tell your lover to bury your body?”

“How am I even supposed to answer that question?”

He arched an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Well?”

I swallowed and nodded.

A picture of Reven’s face appeared. “What do you want, Lucien?” He snapped moodily. I covered my mouth to contain a sob.

“Is that any way to talk to me, brother? It’s been too long.” Lucien said casually, feigning offense.

“What do you want?” Reven repeated, looking down into his arms. Probably at my body.

“Bury your lover’s body. She’s gone for good this time. Besides, it’s been days already.”

“No, she isn’t. Days doesn’t matter. She’ll --” He cut himself off. “Wait, how do you know?”

Lucien grinned in victory as Reven’s emerald eyes filled with terror. “Oh, don’t worry. She’s whole, I mean, she’s too good to let go to waste.” His hand waved at me and Reven’s eyes darted to me as if he just saw me. Lucien continued, “She isn’t supposed to be here, which is why I was quite surprised because… Here she is.”

Reven set his jaw, trying to look tough. “Send her back. Or, if anything, send her to Heaven.”

“Believe me, if I knew how to do that, I wouldn’t be here.”

“Lucien?” I tested.

“Yes?” He turned to me, smiling impishly. “I like the way she said my name.”

I ignored his comment. “What are you saying?”

“Aimee, my dear,” he smiled. “You’re stuck in hell with me.”

“Don’t you dare touch her.” Reven said instantly.

“I won’t hand her over. I happen to admire her eyes and her… Oh, what do you call it now? Spunk… Among other things.” He winked at me.

I shook his look off. “I’m stuck in Hell, but I don’t belong here.”

He ignored my statement. “Tell me, brother, is she good in bed? She definitely has what you call sex appeal and we’ll need something to do to pass the time.”

The darker side of me wanted to give in and tear his clothes off right then and there, but my good side prevailed because Reven was watching me. I walked up behind him and sent him a swift kick in the back of his knee, making him stumble to the ground before me. The pain in my toes was worth it as I whispered in his ear, “You’ll spend an eternity never knowing.”

Reven tried to laugh. “That’s my Aimee.”

Lucien got back up as if my kick was nothing to him. “See? Spunk?” He thought for a minute. “Actually, I think the more accurate word for her would be fire. Aimee has fire. Aimee is fire. She’s hot.” He laughed and glanced at me, “Ohhh, they’re red now.”

“Aimee, calm down.” Reven advised.

“I have to spend an eternity with him?” I whined.

“Don’t worry. I’ll save you. I’ll find some way how.” Reven vowed.

“You’re welcome to try, brother, but I believe the phrase too bad for Heaven, too good for Hell applies to all of you angels right now. If you aren’t dead, you aren’t coming here.”

“Reven, do not get any ideas.” I interjected immediately. “We have an eternity, right? Just… Make sure the peace is kept.”

“I will, but Aimee… If you stay there too long, you won’t be able to ever come back.”

I held back tears as I whispered goodbye, anxiously waiting for him to say those three little words.

“I love you, Aimee.”

“Aww, isn’t that--” Lucien said sarcastically.

I flipped him off and smiled through tears. “Je t’aime.”

“Cheer up, Frenchy.” Reven used the annoying little pet name he made for me back when I was fifteen.

I shook my head and blew him a kiss.

“Talk to you later, brother.” Lucien smirked and Reven’s face disappeared.

I started to quietly cry. “I can’t believe I have to stay here. The irony.”

Lucien looped his arm through mine. “It’s not so bad, my new queen of the Underworld or Hell, whichever term you prefer.” When he saw my murderous expression, he exclaimed, “Okay, okay! I was joking. But seriously, I can make it not as bad for you.”

“How so?” I sniffled, trying to ignore the fact that his fingers were stroking me.

“I can change things.” We took a step forward, suddenly we were in front of a huge stone castle, complete with a drawbridge and a moat.

“Too medieval. I lived in the 21st century, maybe 22nd now but I’m not sure.”

Another step, and we were in front of a modest but luxurious log cabin in the woods, by a lake.

“I can take suggestions.” He hinted after watching my expression.

I thought for a moment. “Anything?” I questioned.

“Anything.”

“A mansion. Modern. Pool. Hot tub. Beach. Tropical. Lots of sun, books, windows, and light.”

“A mansion?”

“What can I say? I like nice things; houses, toys, cars, et cetera.”

“I can’t blame you. I think you’ll fit in here.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“One of the seven deadly sins is greed, you know. I’m not saying you were greedy enough for hell, but you aren’t a saint.” He winked.

“And I take it that’s a good thing for you?” I murmured, trying but failing at resisting his flirtatious nature.

He laughed. “Definitely. I couldn’t see a halo on you, after knowing who you are.”

“No heavenly choir or pristine white robes?”

His arm slipped from mine to wrap around my waist, pressing me to him. “For you? Never.” He whispered it seductively in my ear.

I tried, I really tried, to not be affected by his voice or the sensation of his hard body pressed against my curves, fitting like we were perfect puzzle pieces.

He smirked because he knew and we took another step.

“This is perfect.” I said softly, trying to regain the breath Lucien stole from me.

It was a mansion for sure. It was huge, with big open windows, balconies that had an amazing ocean view, pristine white walls, and lots of angles. The temperature was nice; probably around 80 degrees with a cool breeze that was such a relief to me. Palm trees and big, red hibiscus flowers lined the house, the sand was white and coarse under my toes, the water was only a few meters away and crystal clear. I could also tell that there was a pool on the roof.

Lucien pulled me forward by the waist. “Come on, don’t just stand there.”

We explored the house; white walls, white furniture, white everything. I made a mental note to add some color, but the white did make it look even bigger. The mansion had modern bathrooms, a kitchen, a fully stocked library, various bedrooms, and a lovely living room complete with a huge flatscreen and hundreds of movies organized alphabetically on bookshelves.

“You can do literally anything you want. Learn how to surf, climb a mountain, skydiving. Just ask me and I’ll make it happen.”

“Cool,” I said, a little breathless.

“Would you like it to stay a certain time, like sunset or…?”

“Just let it be normal. I think that would be too weird for me.”

“I have to go. Business to attend to, you know how it goes. If you need anything, just call me.”

“Thank you and okay.”

After he was gone, I took the opportunity to finish exploring. Damn, this place even had a sauna. I found the master bedroom and master bath and took a much needed shower, scrubbing off the sulfuric ash that coated my body. I towel dried my hair and put it up into a messy bun. Then I opened the closet.

“Oh, my God.”

So many clothes; shirts, dresses, jeans, shorts, swimsuits, shoes, formal wear, and casual. Just everything. Even if I wasn’t a prissy girl, it was still glorious to me. I picked out a swimsuit and grabbed a beach towel, sprinting to the beach.

I dove in right away, the water a perfect temperature. I expected it to be salt water but it wasn’t. I silently thanked Lucien. I was able to swim alongside tons of tropical fish, even dolphins and sea turtles.

It was approximately noon when I started swimming and sunset when I finally got out. I dried off and went into the kitchen. I found a pint of chocolate gelato, grabbed a spoon, snatched a book from the library, and put a movie in to watch while I sat on the couch.

When the movie finished, the ice cream melted, and the book grew boring, I cleaned up and dragged myself to the massive bed in the master bedroom, which I declared as mine. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep on top of the silk sheets and still in a damp bikini.

That was the end of the first day in Hell, literally.