A Devil's Pact (Celestial #1.1, Complete)

The Normalcy of a New Life

"Well that was... interesting," said a voice somewhere to my right. I turned to see it was the other Housecarl, the one's who's name I did not yet know. Like Alex he was dressed in what I took to be the armour of the House of Malliath, which was a deep black with crimson red trimmings. With the helmet on I'll admit it would probably be quite intimidating to come across the wearer of such armour in battle.

Gillia chuckled loudly as she heard the comments of her servant. It was a beautiful laugh that rung through my body like wildfire, only it was soothing like the breeze of a cool wind in summer. "It was certainly something different Dante, I'll give you that." She turned back to face me as she spoke again. "Come! Let us return to the manor, and then I can introduce you to everyone properly Blake."

Gillia's emerald green eyes flashed brightly, and soon the now familiar runic red circle was beneath both our feet. Now I had been given the chance to properly examine the circle in all its detail, I realised it was in fact a pentagram on the centre, surrounded by rings of what looked like runic writing, very similar to the drawing I could see carved into the stone pillar surrounding us. Everyone else present had also made their way into the middle, until finally we were all inside the teleportation circle. There was a flash of light and...

... Nothing. I opened my eyes to find myself still standing in the centre of the stone circle where minutes before I had pledged my life in servitude to the drop-dead gorgeous crimson haired devil beside me. Everyone looked as confused as I felt, or at least everyone who's faces I could see, the two girls had yet to lower their hoods for some reason. Beside me Gillia gave a small huff of annoyance. "I suppose I should have expected that" she said.

"Err... what just happened" Dante asked what we were all thinking.

"I tried to teleport us directly to the manor, but it seems the wards aren't accepting Blake as a member of my household. I can only assume it's because you have so small amount of active Malliath magic in you that it's not automatically registering you as it did for the others." Explained Gillia.

Oh brilliant, not only had I been turned into a devil tonight, but I had been turned into a crappy devil! I couldn't even access the home of my own master for fucks sake.

"So what do we do?" I asked. For some reason I felt disappointed, as if I had let my master down. I could only assume this sudden onset of feelings was as a result of the blood oath I had just sworn, and prayed that they passed with time. Emotions and me didn't mix very well, although it was always a problem I could sit and work through with my friend tequila.

The disappointment must have been evidence on my face, as Gillia took on a reassuring tone. "There's no need to worry, it just means I'll have to key you in to the wards manually. The blood you gave me should be more than sufficient to do that. It does mean you'll have to make your own way to the manor tonight however."

I grimaced as relief flooded through me at not having disappointed Gillia. I really fucking hoped this stopped after a while. I could accept having to serve her, but to do so with such feeling was just plain painful.

"I can... escort him back Gillia" said the seductress who had brought me here. "I did bring him here after all, its only fair."

Yes I thought, that was very fair indeed. We had business to finish after all... that reminded me I really would need to stop by the club and pick up my jacket tomorrow, if not tonight. It was the only one I had after all, or at least the only one I wore. "I'm okay with that plan" I said, flashing one of my dirtier smirks at the seductress, who subtly licked her lips in response.

Gillia chuckled, "I'm sure you are" she said to me before turning addressing the seductress, "however Leanna, I won't have you corrupting my newest Housecarl tonight with your perverted kinks."

"I'm sure he's wouldn't mind" replied the seductress, who's name was apparently Leanna in a voice far too innocent compared to her intentions.

"No, I doubt very much he would" agreed Gillia, looking me up and down as if she could see into my minds eye, which was currently filled with images of the journey Leanna was promising me. "Still, not tonight. You'll both just have to rein it in. Dante can take you where you need to go before returning to the Manor."

Damn it! My night was just beginning to look good again. Still, I suppose it could be worse, Gillia could have assigned me Alexander to ensure I returned to the manor, wherever it was and everyone knew exactly how that would turn out.

"Awh" pouted Leanna as Dante stepped forward. Unlike the majority of the group Dante's hair was a bright blonde, although as was the trend he too had red tips at the end of his short spikes. It didn't really work with the natural colour of his hair, but it seemed to be something everyone in the group had. I sincerely hoped that I wouldn't be required to get such silly colourings.

"Ha, sorry to spoil the party but I can't say your journey to the manor will be as much fun with me" said Dante, in a deep, smooth voice that seemed fitting with his rather 'pretty-boy' looks. "I can almost guarantee it will be less painful however."

"Alright then, lets get going. I will expect you two to be at the manor in an hour, do try and be on time." Said Gillia as she and the other four members of her household disappeared in a flash of light.

"Right then. First stop, the club!" cried Dante as he stood before his own portal, which unlike the normal teleportation circle was a swirling vortex of red and black that hung a few centimetres of the ground and stretch to a high tall enough to envelope both of us. "I find walkways to be much less discombobulating than teleportation circles, although, of course they are much more cumbersome to make and maintain, so if you don't mind" he answered my unspoken question, ushering me into the vortex with a smile. Sensing no immediate danger from this new magic, I stepped into the swirling mass of red and black.

After retrieving my coat and maybe having a few drinks, we had little more than twenty minutes with which to make it to the manor before our hour limit was reach. Dante had informed me that the manor served as the residence for the Gillia and her household during her time in the human world. They had only recently created it however, as this area had been unclaimed by devil's until Gillia arrived to attend the university. Why the young heiress had made the decision to attend a human university was unknown to even Leanna, her oldest friend according to Dante, but she had insisted everyone in her household attend as well. It was lucky they were all of the same age, or at least that's what their records showed anyway. Dante did say that devil's lived for hundred, normally thousands of years. I really hoped Gillia and Leanna weren't secretly wrinkled old hags who were thousands of years old, that would have just sucked.

"I suppose we should take a walkway to the edge of the manors wards, Gillia will be expecting us soon." Said the blonde devil.

I stepped into the swirling vortex that opened with a wave of the teens glowing hands.