“Does she do this often?” Joe asked, a hint of a smile on his face. I silently thanked my crazy ferret for distracting my brother from all talk of SJ as I hopped off the lounge to chase her.

“What is up with you, Miss Lulu?” I demanded, trying to scoop her up. She darted away, returning to the spot in the corner. The same spot where⁠—

“What the hell is that?” Joe rasped. My heart pounded against my ribs as I turned towards the magenta light that pierced the room. I gaped as it grew, and sparkled, and stretched.

No.

It wasn’t …

It couldn’t be …

Shit! Joe!

My eyes darted to him. He sat, staring agog at the growing portal, his skin so pale it was a perfect canvas to the flashing lights.

“I … Joe, I can ex⁠—”

“Oh, goody! Two blithering Blisses.”

My head snapped back towards the portal, and my mouth fell open.

That was not SJ.

45. Permanently in Purgatory

Chapter 45

Permanently in Purgatory

SJ

“No.”

That one word, on repeat in my numb brain.

“No. No, no,” I muttered. “You lie.” My feet, my gaze, glued to the plush carpet that was slowly coming into focus. It was such a pale cream colour and soft and fluffy under my bare feet. The red of my skin looked completely out of place … dirty even, against that pure colour.

No! I refused to think of myself like that, in Her domain. She hid behind her machinations, pretending purity when She was eviller than anything to ever come out of Hell. She’d waged a war against my kingdom, one that had us on the brink of collapse while rewarding the vilest of humankind with eternal bliss.

Bliss … Jemma. I needed to make it through this … whatever She wanted with me, so She’d let me go before Hellen decided to take matters into her own hands.

I wrenched my gaze up. My eyes, almost accustomed to the blinding sunlight, took in the space, and further words failed me.

Floor-to-ceiling windows along one wall. They looked out upon a sky so cerulean blue it could not possibly be real. And clouds! Clouds below us!

The room itself was enormous. Paintings of cherubs blowing horns that looked more than passingly phallic adorned the white and gold walls. I sneered at their seemingly innocent little faces. Nothing about this place was innocent.

And finally, I let my eyes fall to the gilded desk at the far end of the room. And the woman sitting behind it, Her white patent leather stiletto heels resting on the desk.

I swallowed back my bellow of betrayal. Yes, She had my white-blonde hair, but so did Father. But it was Her eyes. That silvery grey that I saw every time I looked in the mirror. The silvery grey that no other demon possessed.

No! Nononononononono.