Hell in Heels Read online

  I can walk by myself, you know, he said coldly. Been doing it for centuries now.

  I grasped tighter at the leash. Little fucker. I know. But the humans are weird about certain things.

  He sighed dramatically and walked away swiftly, forcing me to follow and keep pace with his hurried trots.

  We walked up to the front desk and Jose spotted me immediately.

  “Ma’am.” He acknowledged me and quickly moved to take Orthus and my bags from my hands.

  “Thank you.” I smiled at him and followed him to the elevators. His long, deft fingers pressed the button to my penthouse suite and I almost salivated as I imagined what else those long, deft fingers could do.

  “You seem to be a popular woman,” he said, breaking the quiet as the elevator whizzed up to the penthouse suites.

  “Sorry?” I asked distractedly, my mind filled with wicked delights involving his long, deft fingers.

  “First, you had an officer looking to return your dog and then we had a man asking about your card.”

  I froze; the air inside the elevator suddenly stifling. “What man? Did you say anything?”

  Jose shook his head. “Hotel policy. We don’t give out information about our guests, especially to strangers.”

  The elevator dinged and we walked out onto a small landing.

  That was quick.

  I nodded at Orthus. It was quick. I didn’t think my dad would discover my absence until a few weeks, much less a few days. I looked over at Jose. He stood next to my door with a slight frown.

  “Ma’am, are you okay?” His dark eyes were full of concern.

  I nodded. “Jose, can you describe the man that was asking about me? Not the officer. The other one.”

  He nodded. “He was in his 40’s I guess, but kind of built. Had short, really black hair and a scar on his face. Said the credit card company told him that the card was on file with our hotel. He didn’t look happy when the front desk told him we couldn’t help him.” Jose chewed on his beautiful bottom lip for a second.

  “I lied to him, though,” he finally said.

  I perked up. “Oh.”

  He blushed, his dark skin turning a duskier color. “I told him that a man had come in trying to book a room with the card and that we’d reported it to the police as possibly credit card fraud.”

  I smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you so much.”

  Jose opened the door and I walked in. He placed my bags onto the couch and I pressed a hundred dollar bill into his hand. “Thank you,” I told him.

  He blushed again as he walked to the door and then his eyes widened as he saw the bill. “Ay dios mio,” he stammered. He looked back at me. “Gracias! Um…thank you, so much,” he said almost reverently before he closed the door.

  I walked over to the couch and sat heavily. At least it wasn’t my father.

  Orthus walked over to me and I brushed his head with my hand. He pretended to be upset at the touch, but I knew he was worried.

  Is this little outing that important?

  I nodded. It’s more than a little outing. I am tired of being stuck in that place.

  He looked at me. Is Hell really that bad?

  I shrugged. You know it’s not. But sometimes my parents can be so stubborn about things, I feel confined. I looked back at Orthus. You know how you felt in that little cage?

  He nodded.

  Well, that’s how I’ve felt at home lately.

  He sat and stared at me for a moment. Well, there’s only one thing to do then.

  My shoulders slumped. I did not want to go home. I was actually having fun and there were things I hadn’t done yet. Who knows when I would get another chance?

  Orthus walked over to my purse and stuck his head in the bag. I watched curiously as he walked over to me, my phone clutched in his mouth. He dropped it at my feet.

  Call home? I asked with a wry grin.

  He shook his head. No, you moron. Call your brother.

  *

  I walked out of the hotel into the Miami heat. My bags were stacked neatly in the trunk of the hired town car and I walked into the blast of the air conditioner.

  “Off,” I instructed and the driver looked back at me.

  “Ma’am?” he asked.

  I pointed to the air vent. “Air-conditioner. Off.”

  “Yes ma’am.” He turned around and snapped the AC off. I breathed a sigh of relief as the car immediately started to warm.

  Jose stood near the hotel entrance in the same spot he had claimed after he placed my bags into the car. He was holding the envelope I had given him. It contained about five thousand dollars in hundreds, payment for keeping quiet about me. He was pleased, if a bit shocked. He was a good kid and I was secretly happy I didn’t get a chance to fuck him. I sighed. It was for the best. Not everyone was destined to end up in hell.

  The car quickly drove the few miles to the condo scheduled to be my home for the next month or so. After I had called Luc, he had informed me that indeed, dad was looking for me and since he had already been questioned, he could help me because he was not breaking any rules. He gave me directions to his condo on the beach and instructions on how to open the safe that contained a credit card I could use and even more cash. All I needed to do was a quick spell to change the name on the card and I would be fine.

  I patted Orthus absentmindedly and stopped at his annoyed growl.

  Sorry, I told him quickly. To be honest, I was determined to treat Orthus better. After all, his quick thinking had allowed me to stay topside for a few more weeks. I smiled. Things were looking up.

  The condo came into view and I felt my smile disappear. When I thought condo on South Beach, I thought of glamor and excitement. When I had read magazines or saw billboards of condos on South Beach I saw opulence and elegance. As I looked up at Luc’s building, I saw horribly ugliness. The drab gray color and lack of adornments made my mouth turn down in distaste. The hotel I had just checked out of had been so luxurious and nice; I had assumed a neighboring condo would be the same. I was wrong. No matter, at least I had somewhere to stay without prying demons asking around.

  I walked into the lobby, the driver on my heels with my bags. I entered the elevator, happy to have my Jimmy’s on something other than the dingy brown floor. I pressed the button for my floor and closed my eyes as the elevator groaned. It was worse than I thought.

  The door opened onto the sixth floor and I breathed a sigh of relief. There were four condos on my floor. I glanced at the names of the owners on the plates near the door. I owned—Luc owned—both on the left side of the building. One faced the ocean and the other faced the street. The other units were occupied but I was not in the mood to entertain anyone.

  I ran through the building schematics in my head. There was a pool on the ninth floor complete with a Jacuzzi and a bar, a fitness club on the second floor and conference rooms, a computer lab, a restaurant and another bar on the first. Floors 3 to 8 were residential. It may not be too bad, I thought, trying not to think of the brown, drab carpet and ugly exterior.

  Unlike the other units on this floor, Luc’s condo had an automated key code entry instead of actual keys and the door clicked open when I entered the numbers. It was handy but even I had to admit that it made him stand out a bit. I walked into the condo and smiled. I was never happier at my older brother’s lavish tastes. Turning back to the driver, I tipped him well and instructed him to deposit my bags on the chocolate brown leather sofa. He walked out as I walked further into the room.

  The kitchen near the entrance was decked out with dark marble countertops and beautiful mahogany cabinetry. Off the kitchen were the living and dining room with views of the ocean and on the other side were what I assumed were the bedrooms. I dumped Orthus onto the couch and walked into the wide open room with high ceilings. The floor was covered in dark hardwood and the dark paint and heavy curtains cast the room into shadow. The entire décor reminded me a little of home and I swallowed an almost sn
iffle.

  Orthus stared at me in disgust. You’ve got to be kidding me.

  I barely resisted the urge to kick him. Bastard.

  He puffed out his chest. Purebred bastard. And proud of it. He walked over to one of the doors. A little help?

  I looked over at him. Help?

  He indicated the closed door. Can you open the door? I need to pee.

  Have you been here before? I asked suspiciously. How the hell did he know where the bathroom was? I hadn’t even opened the door yet to check.

  He cocked his head at me. Of course. You haven’t? Luc’s brought all of us here a time or two. He laughed at my murderous look.

  I crossed my arms over my chest. More than bastard. He was a little cocksucker. Do it yourself. I turned on my heel and walked out onto the balcony.

  The acrid scent of urine hit me at the same time as his laughter. The little fucker had peed on the floor. I waved my hand, muttered a few words and the smell disappeared. Orthus laughed again as my anger start to rise. Luc had brought everyone here a time or two Orthus had said. But he never thought I might want to visit. A headache started at the base of my skull and I took a few moments to clear my head. I was not going to let this ruin my day. After all, I was here now and it was my home for a while. I bet no one else got to stay that long.

  Orthus was paying me back for humiliating him earlier, but it still hurt to know that I had not been invited. I wiped my eyes, pissed at what seemed like tears. Suck it up Helena. You are a big girl. Don’t let the little asswipe get you down.

  I glared at Orthus who now lay on the hardwood floor on his back, his legs in the air. As if sensing my mood, he immediately rolled over and looking at me, bent and licked his balls. I curled my lip in disgust as I turned away.

  Walking back towards the bedrooms, I eyed the three doors stood in front of me. The door closet to the exit was a small bedroom and held a desk with a computer and bookcases lined with books. The next door, revealed a bathroom, the same one Orthus wanted to use. The third door nearest the kitchen was the master bedroom, a huge sprawling room with a ginormous bed sitting in the center of it.

  My mouth dropped open. Wow. Then I grinned as I pictured Officer Sexy, Jose and I sprawled onto the huge bed. Oh the fun I could have! Not giving into temptation, I quickly changed my dress and pulled on my swimsuit. I really didn’t have to go through all this but if I wanted to pretend to be human, I had to start practicing. It would be rather awkward if I inadvertently used magic in front of a mortal. I gathered my towel and ignored Orthus as I exited the condo.

  The bright Miami sunlight greeted me as I walked onto the ninth floor landing. The pool was huge, the clear water sparkling. About thirty people sat around it; drinking, laughing and enjoying the water. A group of about ten were having a barbeque, while the others were just milling around the pool edge.

  The water looked quite inviting even though I was not going to swim, although the bubbling Jacuzzi on the side called to me. It was empty and I made a mad dash for the frothy hot water. I sank deeply into the heat and groaned. It was almost like heav—hell. I sighed a little and muttered under my breath, heating the water just a smidge, before pulling my hair up into a messy bun and sinking lower into the water.

  I opened my eyes as I felt a presence. The sun had dipped lower in the sky and the air had started to cool. But I was hot as I looked up into the bluest pair of eyes I had ever met. The eyes rested above a straight nose and sensually curved lips. The bottom was just full enough for me to imagine pulling it into my mouth. I licked my lips and watched as the eyes followed my movement. Good. I saw his lips quirk up for a second before he opened his mouth.

  “Care if I join you?”

  The deep timbre of his voice made me shiver. Oh, if I wasn’t already wet, I would’ve been at that point. I nodded and watched as he removed the towel from his wide shoulders, my mouth dropping open as I took in his body. Forget Officer Sexy. This guy was Sex Incarnate. His broad shoulders tapered to a small waist and his washboard stomach was covered in a light dusting of golden hair that led into the board shorts tied at his waist. There was a bulge that hung fairly low and at that moment, I felt like thanking the man above for small favors.

  He sank into the water and winced slightly at the temperature. Normally, I didn’t give two shits about anyone else’s feelings, but if my comfort might hurt that delicious looking package, I could suffer for a bit. I muttered a few words and the water started to cool. Just a bit. He sighed and sank into the water, his leg brushing against mine under the water.

  “Sorry.” He smiled at me.

  I managed a small smile before turning my head away, careful to keep the drool back. He was definitely a keeper. I ran his face through my mind, comparing it to every face I’d seen on my dad’s fast-track arrivals or even the ones who could be potentially fast-track. No match. Damn. I would get the goodie-two-shoes. But unlike Jose, I was not content to let this one end up upstairs. Oh no, he was going down. In more ways than one. There was always the possibility, especially if it was orchestrated by me. I wondered if dad would let me keep my new pet and I almost moaned at the thought of having this one next to me for all eternity.

  I felt his eyes on me and I turned towards him. He smiled at me.

  “Your hair is getting wet,” he said.

  I shrugged. “It’s okay. Not that big of a deal anyway.”

  He laughed. “I like a woman who’s comfortable enough to let her hair down.” He shifted in the water and my eyes fell to his chest. Wow. Did I mention that he had a body? My heart sped up just a tad. This was going to be fun. Perhaps I could get to experience that whole falling in love thing after all. And even if I didn’t, it would sure be fun to try. I mean, it was probably a lot easier to fall in love with someone that was this good-looking. I bit my lip at that thought. I had left Hell because of the self-centeredness, but now I was starting to sound exactly like the demons I was fed up with.

  A ball sailed over his head and landed with a soft splash in front of me. I wiped the water from my face, my eyes spitting fire.

  He leaned over and plucked the ball from the water, smiling apologetically at me, and shook it off before he threw it back at the guys near the grill. He stood half out the water and I watched in envy as the water fell from his back. His shorts, now wet, clung to his ass and hung low. “Hey guys, watch it,” he called good naturedly.

  “Sorry, Priest.” One of the guys yelled back.

  My heart stopped. No. No way in hell. Priest? No. I wanted to cry. All the naughty things I wanted to do to him and he was a priest.

  “Priest?” I mumbled.

  He looked back at me. “Yeah. It’s just my name.” He leaned over and held out his hand. “I’m Evan. Evan Priest.”

  I was thoughtful for a moment. Somehow that name sounded awfully familiar and I closed my eyes in concentration. Suddenly my eyes flew open. I smiled as a memory clicked. There was an Evan Priest living across the hall from me. I distinctly remembered his name from the nameplate on the side of the door.

  I reached out a wet hand. “Helena.” He took my offered hand and shook it, his grip firm and sure. I thought about having those hands running over my naked body and shivered despite the hot water. I silently thanked every demon I knew, running through my list of the fallen. I even included a few angels, just in case. Either way, I was euphoric. This hot hunk of human was my neighbor. Oh, what fun times Sex Incarnate and I were going to have.

  ~*~

  Chapter 3 – No Rest for the Wicked

  I adjusted the strap to the itty, bitty and oh, so pretty, Betsy Johnson dress I was wearing. The white, barely there, sundress fell to mid-thigh and set off the red of my hair. It was a killer dress and I was dying to watch Evan’s face when he saw me in it. It was one of those dresses I just had to have and I had picked it up earlier in one of the stores along the beach. I smoothed the material across my hips, slipped on a pair of red strappy sandals, and walked out the door.

  Movi
ng silently across the hall, I lifted my hand to knock on the door when I heard the feminine laugh from within. Either Sex Incarnate had a girl giggle or he was not alone. I sighed. Never thought he was taken, but it totally made sense. I mean, really? Hot guy like that single? Not a chance in hell. I paused, contemplating whether or not I should introduce myself or run and hide with my tail tucked between my legs.

  Yesterday’s flirting at the pool came to mind. No taken guy should lead a woman on like that! If he was unavailable, he should have acted like it. Instead, he’d shamelessly flirted with me all evening and even invited me to come over and visit sometime. Two-timing bastard, I thought, a cross look on my face. He was no better than the demons I had left!

  I spun on my heels and was about to walk away, when the door slowly opened. Instead of the well-rehearsed, innocent, sex kitten look I had perfected in my bathroom mirror, I met Evan’s eyes with a ‘oh shit, I’m caught’ look.

  He stopped in surprise as I stood there. “Hey, we were just coming to visit you!” He opened the door wider and the smell of his manly musk wafted across my nostrils and sent sensations pooling down into my loins. The pool immediately dried up as the opened door revealed the blonde standing behind him.

  He waved a hand to indicate the woman next to him. “Helena, this is Bri. She lives next door. Bri, Helena.”

  The blonde’s eyes widened as she took in my attire. I smirked. Yup. Same fucking dress. She narrowed her eyes as she raked me from head to toe.

  “Oh my gosh,” she gushed. “You are so brave. Wearing those color heels with your hair! It’s a wonder the colors don’t clash.” She put her hand on Evan’s arm and laughed sweetly.

  Evan laughed. “Well, I think it looks good on her.” He cocked his head as he looked at me. “For some reason, red is definitely your color.”

  I smiled brilliantly at him. “Thank you.” Reaching around Evan, I held out my hand to Bri who had apparently forgotten and kept her hand possessively on Evan’s arm. She looked annoyed as she had to relinquish her hold and I deftly slipped into the gap left between her and Evan. I almost moaned as my hips brushed against his as I lightly bumped him out of the way. My eyes widened slightly at the electricity which crackled as she shook my hand. Either I was giving off some major mojo or Ms. I-Want-Evan-Too was of the magical inclination. Great. Just what I needed. A damn witch. And judging from the sparks in the air, a pretty accomplished one.