“Uh … So, yeah … This is SJ’s sister.” I let out a manic giggle. “Surprise! He’s … kind of the Son of Satan.”

“And this is the … daughter of Satan?” He dug his fingers into the fabric of his trousers. There were still tear tracks on his cheeks from earlier, but he seemed oblivious, his eyes fixed on Hellen.

“I prefer eldest spawn of Satan.” Hellen and Joe seemed locked in some bizarre staring competition, their attention not straying from one another. “Unfortunately, I cannot inherit the crown. That goes to my distinctly lacking little brother. Who has been missing from Hell for almost six days now.”

My stomach cramped. What? Six days? Since Saturday?

“No!” My throat constricted with worry. “That can’t be right! I saw him go through a portal home on Saturday afternoon!”

But had he gone home? Sally had seen him on Saturday evening, lurking around the university … with a letter he was desperate to post.

Hellen’s face twisted into something so ferocious that I flinched backwards. “Apparently my brother was a better liar than I gave him credit for.” She stepped towards me. I stepped back on shaky legs. She advanced again. I retreated again.

“I … I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I mumbled. “He … whatever we were, it’s over now. He made that very clear.”

Hellen’s eyes flashed, and from inside the apartment, a scorching wind blasted me from behind, forcing me forwards. I yelped, digging my heels into the rug. I tried to turn, to push against the invisible force, but it was no use. I was buffeted towards her, my heart both hammering and sinking at the same time. The pounding pulse of it was deep in my abdomen as she leered at me.

She was going to do something awful to me, and there was nothing I could do to stop her.

I wondered frantically what she’d done to SJ to make him come back and end things with me. All my suspicions about him lying to me were founded, I was certain of it. He’d lied, to protect me from his lunatic sister. And it hadn’t even worked.

Where was he? What had happened to him? That pounding in my gut became a throb of nausea. What if he was …

My thoughts were torn from me when Hellen snatched me by the throat, dragging me against her. I screamed, but all that came out was a gargling groan, my voice box constricted.

“Jemma!” Joe gasped, getting to his feet. “What’s going on?”

“Your sister is collateral in a little … or rather a very large deal with my brother. And he broke his end of the deal. He disappeared. So, I’m taking what I’m owed.”

“Put her down!” Joe demanded, his voice a low warning. All I could see, smooshed up against her, with her hand still gripping my throat, was the way her eyes widened.