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MAGGIE'S POV

Everyone keeps calling it a freak accident.

I managed to get a look at Johnny's motorcycle after the ambulance came to take him to the hospital, and that was enough to tell me all that I needed to know.

There was barely anything left of the front tire on the bike because it had literally exploded. What logical explanation could there be for his tire to randomly explode when everything about the bike had been thoroughly examined before Johnny got on it to ride? There is no explanation. His wreck was no accident. It happened because of me.

It happened because I've yet to complete this damn ritual, either that or Zul was somewhere hiding in the shadows dishing out his dark magic on my friends again. I don't fucking know anymore. I'm tired and disappointed. Tired of trying to avoid the inevitable; Disappointed in myself because there was only one person that I ached to see after the wreck. Someone that I wished had held me as I cried over my injured best friend...

And that someone isn't Samuel Carpenter.

"Thank God he was wearing a helmet." Katie, Johnny's mother, returns to the emergency room waiting area to give us an update. Richard, Johnny's father, produces a tissue from his pocket as fresh tears glisten in her brown eyes. "The doctor said that his surgery went well, but his recovery will be long. He has a very mild concussion, one broken rib, and a broken right arm..."

"But he's alive and that's all that matters," Richard finishes after she begins sobbing again. "He'll be out of it for the rest of the night, so you kids can come back to visit him in the morning. You might even get to see me scolding him," Richard jokes, trying to lighten the mood. "Maggie. Krista. Can I speak to you girls outside for a moment?"

A few of Johnny's biker friends leave after that. I'm not going anywhere until I see my friend, so Krista and I agree to follow Richard outside to talk in private. Katie stays in the waiting room in case someone comes back out with more news.

I share a look with Krista as the three of us walk in silence, neither she nor I want to have this conversation despite it being necessary.

"No one is in any trouble, alright?" Richard speaks softly after coming to a stop. "But I overheard one of Johnny's pals say something about racing and I just want to know how long he's been doing this sort of thing. His mother and I had no idea... and, you know, I get that he's an adult and whatnot, but us getting a phone call right as we're about to go to bed saying that our son has been in a motorcycle accident nearly gave me a heart attack. Shed some light for me, please."

I look at Krista again, and then I look back at Richard, struggling to open my mouth to speak a truth that isn't mine to tell.

Johnny's parents didn't like it when he bought his first motorcycle. They threw the biggest fit I'd ever seen from someone's parents. They sure as hell won't like it when I tell them that their son has been doing illegal street racing since he was a teenager.   

"Respectfully, Mr. Malone, I think Johnny should be the one to tell you all this." Krista steps up, grabbing my hand for support. "It's not a no-snitch thing, but more so it-isn't-our-place-to-spill-our-best-friends-business-to-his-parents thing, if that makes sense."

Richard sighs but smiles. "It's alright, girls. I'll ask him in the morning."

I frown, feeling guilty. "I'm really sorry, Mr. Malone."

"No need for apologies," he says. "I'm just really glad you two were there with him tonight. If anything else had happened... if things had gone worse than him getting a few broken bones, it gives me peace to know he at least would've had two people that he loved by his side at the end." 

"I-Is there any way that we can see him? We'll be quick, I promise." I sniffle, starting to cry again. "I just need to see for myself that he's truly alright."

Richard gives me a sympathetic look while glancing at his watch. "I'm afraid visiting hours close in ten minutes, and I'm not sure how much longer he'll be in recovery before they finally put him up in a room. If I could sneak you girls in to see him, I would, but it looks like you'll have to come back in the morning. Can I give you two a ride home, or...?"

"No, sir. We can Uber home." Krista saves the day again, speaking for me when I can't. "You should head back inside. Mags and I will come back first thing in the morning."

It feels like my heart shatters for the second time tonight after Richard leaves. It sucks that I'll have to wait to see Johnny, but as Richard had said before, he's alive and breathing and that's all that matters. I exhale a shaky breath as Krista and I take a seat on a nearby bench while she orders us an Uber. We came here courtesy of one of Johnny's friends, but they're long gone.

"I know we're outside already, but I need some air," I whisper, wiping my eyes as I stand. "More air? Fuck. I-I don't even know what I'm trying to say... I just can't sit still right now. I need to walk."

"I'll yell for you when the Uber gets here," Krista replies. "Don't go too far."

I thank her before walking in the opposite direction of the hospital.

Johnny, Krista, and I all grew up together, but I swear I've only ever seen Krista cry one time. It'd been when her parents had gotten divorced about five years ago, then her mom went on to remarry Todd, some bank manager. Krista used to be an only child, but now she has two younger stepsisters that she's absolutely crazy about. She's still close to her biological father, so while the divorce had been a mess, their relationship never deteriorated. 

"How could I have been so stupid?" I mutter to myself while walking down the sidewalk, having nothing but the stars and streetlights to light my path. "I never should have let him ride tonight, not when I have all this supernatural bullshit going on. God, I'm so fucking stupid—"

"Stop calling yourself that."

I spin around at the sound of Laudon's deep voice, my pulse accelerating for the umpteenth time tonight. He's dressed in all black, looking ready to attend someone's funeral and the thought only makes me sob harder. I don't push him away when he pulls me into his arms, holding me tight.

"I heard you crying and came here as quickly as I could," Laudon whispers, one hand stroking my back. "I was prepared to make someone pay until I overheard the conversation between you and that man from earlier... Johnny's father, was it?"

"Y-Yes."

"I'm sorry about what happened to your friend."

"Please tell me Zul had nothing to do with it."

Laudon pulls back enough so that our eyes meet. He cups my face with one hand, his expression soft, and thumb stroking my cheek. "Zul remains in a part of Hell where not even my father can hear his cries for help. So, no, he had nothing to do with your friend's unfortunate accident." 

"Then h-how could it have happened, Laudon? I don't understand..."

"Can you recall what I told you before we made our deal?" he asks, dropping his hand to return it to my waist. I shake my head at his question. "I told you that once a ritual is started, it must be finished within a specified amount of time, or else mayhem will arise. Bad things outside of my control will continue to happen until Hell gets the soul that it is owed."

I rest my forehead against his chest, sighing heavily in defeat. "This is so messed up."

"It pains me to see you suffer like this," Laudon says, tightening his hold on me. "It was selfish of me to keep this from you, but I have a confession to make."

"About what?" I raise my head and meet his nervous gaze, my hands gripping his shirt. "Tell me, please."

"The ritual that you performed, as you already know, was something that'd been created as a means to get more souls into Hell. Castor, its trickster inventor, does not have the power to undo the spell, no one does except for my father. The problem is that I have no clue when he will return, and not only that, but you are essentially one of a kind and I do not wish for him to know about your existence. Nothing good will come from that, and I cannot kill my father before he is able to free my mother from her prison."

It takes a minute for me to process what he just said, so I study him at the moment. His tall, muscular frame is several inches higher than mine, forcing me to arch my neck back so that I can properly look at his beautiful pale face. Dark brows, straight nose, kissable lips... Laudon is undeniably handsome in spite of the ominous energy that he emits.

My core clenches at the thought of this man belonging only to me.

"Y-You would hurt your father if he ever tried to come after me?"  I ask the question after pushing my previous thought far, far away.

"For as long as I have breath in my body, no harm will come upon you, Maggie. Not from those in Hell, nor from my father. However, as you've seen tonight, some things are beyond my control. This is why it is imperative that you find someone to hand over to me. I truly do not want to see you or any more of your friends get hurt due to the deal we'd been forced to make."

"I swear I'm working on it."

"You need to work a little harder, love."

I blush at the innocent nickname, gently separating from him. "You've been worrying about me, and I've been worrying about you, too. I'm not sure when we got close enough to start caring about each other this much."

"Why have you been worrying about me?"

"Because I know I dropped a lot on you back at your father's office. When I left, I was concerned about how you've been handling everything."

"Honestly, I feel a lot better now that I've spoken to my mother."

"Holy shit! Seriously?"

Laudon smiles, nodding. "She really likes you."

"And I really like her," I reply, smiling back. "I wish there was more that I could do to help free her."

"I had an idea in mind, but she dismissed it," Laudon says. "I was thinking about purging my demonic power and becoming a full-blooded angel, which would then allow me to get past the gates of Heaven. The consequence would be that I could never return to Hell, though truthfully, I see it as a positive. I never wanted to be the prince of anything in the first place."

"It's very admirable that you're willing to sacrifice a part of yourself to help save your mother. If I were in your shoes, I'd be willing to do the same thing. Whatever you decide to do, please let me know if or how I can help out."

"From the way this conversation has been going, it almost sounds as if we're slowly becoming friends," Laudon smirks, his tone playful. "Or have I been misreading the signs?"

Before I can respond, I hear Krista yelling for me.

"Shit. I think my ride is almost here." I give Laudon an apologetic look, not wanting to leave but unable to stay. "I hate to cut this short, but I have to go."

"Can I see you again tomorrow? I have an idea about how we can help your friend."

"Johnny? But he's alive... He's going to be fine, right?"

"Yes, of course. I simply meant that I have an idea about helping him heal faster, or would you prefer his body do that the natural way?"

"No! I like whatever you're thinking." Optimism spreads through me like a wildfire as I give Laudon a parting hug. "Visiting hours start at eight in the morning. You can meet me here at the hospital, but I won't know what room he'll be in until I get here..."

"Don't worry." Laudon smiles. "I know how to find you."

. . .