The Devil's Love

Tempt the Devil: Chapter 21: Anton

The weight of inevitability was weighing down upon me. I'd found the woman that represented my soul, the one that fitted to me like no other. Now I had been summoned to appear before my kin, to appease their worried thoughts and discuss my plans for the future.

Sarah wasn't going to like the immediate future. Long term things would be fine but before then it would be emotionally draining.

With little else passing through my mind, I let my gaze wander out the window. The streets were filled with people going about their lives without any knowledge of what was truly out there. That the person beside them could be more than human. They would never know.

The driver pulled alongside the building, scurrying to the door to open it for me. This was the head office of my kind, I found it rather surprising that they held an office in the human world. There were lots of little offices dotted around the world but this was the one that you came to when you had been summoned for the soul confirmation interview.

They called it an interview but I had heard it was akin to a witch hunt.

"I will summon you when I am ready to leave. Hopefully, it won't be too long."

"Yes my lord."

I walked up the stairs of the old building, the sandstone pillars rising high above to support the eave that was decoratively carved. Windows were scattered across the width of the building and sitting several rows high.

There has never been a time when I have enjoyed coming here. I would avoid this place at all cost. But today, I could not. If I wanted an eternity with Sarah then I had to endure the first part of the process.

Inside the building, the lobby was simple to avoid anyone becoming suspicious. It held a small coffee house to the left of the security desk and to the right was a group of single seat leather chairs. The place was wall to wall black marble, cold and clinical.

"Good morning master Dremain. I will notify the council of your arrival." the guard gestured to the lounges as he spoke, "Please, take a seat."

"Thank you."

I sat on the first of the chairs, waiting for this meeting was like waiting for the grass to grow. Like all bureaucrats, they moved at a snail's pace. My phone buzzed in my pocket, I pulled it out with a smile. Sarah sent a message that warmed my heart with just two words, miss you. Seeing the guard moving to me, I quickly typed a return to her and told her I was going to be unable to message her for a while because I was going into a meeting. Imagining her scoffing and rolling her eyes made me smile more, no doubt she would find the thought that the devil does meetings laughable.

"Master Dremain, the council has requested you join them on the third floor."

He smiled hesitantly at me as I stood, his hand washing over the other one.

"I'm sorry but the rules state that all electronic devices are to be removed. There are lockers that you can use, I will take you to them."

"Lead the way, my good man."

The poor thing was probably freaking out at telling the devil he had to leave his phone behind. I dumped every loose item into the locker, shutting the door and removing the key.

"There you go, all done. Can I go now?"

"Of course. Through the scanner and take the elevator."

I nodded and walked through the long line of scanners. The first was the electronics scanner, then the weapons detector, the third I didn't know what it was for.

"What's the third one? It wasn't here the last time I came here."

"Creature Identifier."

"I take it that you've had some trouble?"

He nodded with a deep frown.

"Witches."

"What a surprise," I said dryly and walked through the long line of scanners.

As I stepped into the lift I thought of Sarah, she would probably insist that we take the stairs. She would say that it was the healthier option. It was only a few floors yet I did not want the delay of walking it.

"Good morning master Dremain." the woman behind the reception desk said with her pretty pink smile shining at me. "You may go through, the council is waiting for you."

"Thank you." I offered and walked into the door on the right.

It was all plush carpet, wood paneled walls and thick heavy doors. Beyond the warmth of the reception area were the cold and hard lines of the meeting room. It was a wide and narrow room that spanned the entire distance of the front of the building. Curtains were drawn over the windows, darkening the room. All that lit the room was a few gas lanterns, it made the place seem antiquated and dreary. Much like the people in the room really.

In front of that was the long desk that the council sat at, all of them in their finery and sitting as if they were the beginning and end of this world. Their arrogance shone brighter than the sun itself.

They wore the finest of silks, their bodies littered with the jewels of their worlds.

"Welcome master Dremain, please sit."

I took a seat on the only seat available, one that sat in the center of the room and was directly in front of the council leader. The high backed seat itself was exactly the same as the others. Hand carved wood that was an intricate weave of herringbone frame and the council emblem in the center. It was of three figures, people that I did not know who or what they were. But their unified stance was the meaning of the emblem. Below them was a scroll that held a language that had died millennia ago, one that I had spoken with ease but had forgotten as time had passed.

Find comfort on the chair was never going to happen but that was the point of them. This wasn't meant to be a gentleman's club or a coffee lounge. This was to discuss matters of a serious nature.

"The order of dimensional councilors has convened for this interview for the confirmation of the location of the soul for master Anton Dremain."

She banged her gavel and twitched a barely there smile. One that said I am so much better than you and I will always remind you of it.

"The interview and meeting are now in session."

As the gavel was placed back onto the table I hoped that this went well. There was so much riding on this. I couldn't imagine a life without Sarah if they rejected her.