Thanks to a dare gone wrong, Maggie Brumfield finds out the hard way that Heaven and Hell are real.
Prince Laudon, Lucifer's son and the current ruler of Hell, has locked Maggie into a sinister deal that grants him temporary ownership of her soul...
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LAUDON'S POV
Laudon rarely partakes in the same, somewhat questionable, extracurricular activities as Lila.
Her suggestion of using Sarachne as a means of helping him connect with his mother, however, did not sound as outlandish as it should have given the circumstances.
Sarachne, a scentless liquid, is one of Myrlande's many concoctions. It was specifically made to induce relaxation and, depending on how much is ingested at once, a deep sleep. Two things Laudon has never had a problem with until now. And that—problems—is what continues to pile up around him, its weight lying heavy on his tired shoulders.
"I'll be surprised if this actually works," Laudon says after Lila returns holding a tiny vial in one hand, the liquid inside a dark purple. "But, admittedly, I'm desperate and willing to try anything at this point."
"Sometimes being desperate enough is all it takes to catch what it is that you have been chasing." Having moved to Laudon's bedroom, Lila joins him on the massive bed. She opens the vial and raises the dropper above Laudon's mouth. "Open up, darling."
"Not too much, alright?"
"I know. Trust me?"
"I do."
Exhaling a deep breath, Laudon closes his eyes and opens his mouth. A few drops is all it takes to get the job done, any more than that and he will be fast asleep. He closes his mouth and swallows seconds later, his hands clasped and resting on his stomach. He forces his thoughts to clear out, and at the feel of Lila's hand massaging his scalp, he starts to feel the drug kick in.
It was made to work fast. Laudon can feel it start at the tips of his toes, a warm tingling sensation that gently shuts off each muscle as it slithers its way up his long frame. His breathing eventually slows, and his body becomes heavier as it sinks into the bed, relaxation washing over him in waves. Soon, Lila's humming becomes distant to the point where he can barely hear it. A minute passes, then two more passes until he hears nothing but silence.
While thinking of his mother, the darkness behind Laudon's closed eyelids slowly morphs into a beautiful picture he prays he will remember when the drug wears off.
The sun shines brightly in the big blue sky above him, fluffy white clouds of various sizes decorating it. Beneath Laudon's feet is healthy green grass which covers the rolling hills around him. In the center of this serene picture is a tree that stands several feet high and is just as wide, the branches and leaves on it full and thick. Laudon walks towards the tree after seeing a speck of white move at its base. His walk turns into a sprint, then a full-blown run when the white speck is revealed to be that of a woman dressed in an all white gown.
The one woman he has dreamed of meeting since he was a little boy.
