Emma: Healing Witch. Human
Ethan: Emma’s younger brother. Human.
Gabriel: Archangel for Diligence. Counterbalances Belphegor
Haziel: Second to Ramiel. Seraph
Indolex: Demon Lord. Evolving being
Isabelle Henshawe aka Issy: Sick child. Human
Leafrot: Avarice Demon. Woodland gnome
Leviathan aka Levi: Hell Prince for Envy. Counterbalances Azriel
Lillian Hampstead: Lead Actor Valley Players. Human
Lucifer: Hell Prince for Pride. Counterbalances Raphael
Lynne: Witch. Human
Mammon aka Ava: Hell Prince for Avarice. Counterbalances Michael
Matt: Member Paradise Players. Actor Macbeth. Human.
Michael: Archangel for Charity. Counterbalances Mammon.
Narcissa: Pride demon. Higher Order.
Oliver: Guardian. Human
Patty: Member of Paradise Players and witch. Human
Pestilence: First horseman of the Apocalypse
Peter Hampstead: Director and board member of the Paradise Players. Human
Raguel: Second to Gabriel. Seraph
Ramiel: Archangel for Patience. Counterbalances Satanus
Rapace: Avarice Demon. Second to Avarice.
Raphael: Archangel for Humility. Counterbalances Lucifer
Rodney Sykes: Member Paradise Players. Human
Rosabella Ward: Eddie’s mother. Human
Satanus aka Wrath: Hell Prince for Wrath. Counterbalances Ramiel
Torpidius: Sloth Demon. Higher Order.
Uriel aka Sophia: Archangel for Chastity. . Counterbalances Asmodeus
Vexia: Wrath Demon. Second To Wrath.
Xerxes & Cronus: Lust Demons. Hellhounds
Yesterday: Wrath Demon. Imp
Zephon: Patience Angel. Seraph
Chapter One
If Christen circled the hell gate one more time, Bianca might give in to temptation and push him through. They were all nervous and on edge, so his constant pacing and intoning were gnawing away at her already frayed nerves.
She should have done this alone, like she had the other time. However, her last summoning hadn’t panned out so well for her. It had worked great for Eddie, but for Bianca—not so much.
Christen tossed another sprinkling of earth between the tall, white pillar candles circling the hell gate. “We invoke the power of midnight, by this the new moon, and call upon earth…”
Bianca tuned him out. His earth offering carried the ammonia tang of Scotts Turf Builder. If the constant circling didn’t buy him a one-way ticket through the hell gate—courtesy of her—the overblown, portentous prose would do it for certain.
“Christ on a cracker.” Patty rolled her eyes and looked longingly at her knitting bag at her feet. “How much longer?”
“Patty.” Carmen gave the older woman a reproachful look. “Christen needs us to all give him positive energy.”
“Christen needs to hurry the fuck up,” Patty replied, and Bianca half expected her to pull out the baby blanket she was working on. Patty had six children, all of whom were similarly prolific with their offspring, and there didn’t seem to be an end to the number of baby blankets and tiny beanies and jerseys Patty was working on.
Bianca found Patty’s knitting oddly soothing and almost reached for the bag herself. Then again, there were needles in that bag and there was never any telling what Patty would do.
Ever the peacemaker, Lynn stepped between Patty and Carmen. “I think Patty is concerned about somebody discovering us before we’ve completed the summoning.”
She sent a tentative smile to Carmen and then Patty.
Not shifting from her position as the hard sell, Patty snorted and said, “What Patty is concerned about is how the concrete floor is irritating her plantar fasciitis.”
“Did you buy those Sketchers I told you about?” Lynn’s earnest, sweet face crumpled in concern. “They provide wonderful arch support.” She looked at Patty’s shoes and sighed like a soul broken. “Can I get you something to sit on? I’m sure I saw a crate in the other section of the basement.”
Christen cleared his throat and flicked a wave of lustrous strawberry-blond hair out of his face.
He may be an asshole, but Christen had the wavy, shiny locks of a Pantene commercial. Bianca had fallen for his hair first, and then those soulful brown eyes.
“Christen.” Bianca kept her tone pleasant. No easy feat when she was dealing with an on and off again ex who had now started making eyes at her sister. With that new development, Bianca and he were definitely going to stay off. She wished she could call Carmen on her stupidity, but as Bianca had been there and made the same mistake, her objection reeked of hypocrisy. Pushing him through the hell gate was looking more and more attractive, but there were laws against that sort of thing, and it would upset Carmen. “We really need to speed this up. The longer we’re down here, the more chance someone will find us.” She managed to tack on a smile.
Christen caressed his hair behind his ear and gave her a lofty look. “Bianca, I understand the risks as clearly as you do.” His brown eyes radiated sympathy. “And I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that we wouldn’t be in this position if any of the…er…previous attempts had met with success.”
