Read Online Devil's Bargain by Christine Warren - Free Book Online Page A

gray of the cement floor, and fourteen stout black and white candles, seven of each, ringed the outer perimeter of the space. In the middle of the circle, she’d laid down the soft fleece lap blanket his uncle had always kept folded neatly over the back of the desk chair.
    â€œWe’re going to cast a basic circle of protection first,” she explained. “I’m sure you know how to do those, so I won’t bore you with details.”
    Aaron shook his head. “I’m far from an expert. I’ve doneone or two, of course, but not since I was still studying with my father. I’m more of a magus than a summoner. I generally leave circles to the people who know how to use them. I just work in the open and rely on my personal words to keep away the baddies.”
    â€œOh, right. I see. Well, um, it’s really pretty simple. You can just watch me and follow along.” She cleared her throat, her glance sliding away from his and toward the center of the circle. “We’ll need to raise a pretty intense level of energy, though, Samael isn’t a garden variety demon or a low-level devil, so it’s going to take more than a quick chant to get the job done. Then once he’s in the circle,” she continued hurriedly, “I’ll ask him what the price is for his agreement not to break the seals to Hell.”
    â€œSee, this is where things start to break down for me,” he said. “I know what you read in the
Praedicti,
but what could either of us be able to offer than would make a Prince of Hell give up the quest for world domination? That’s like asking how much a bird would want in exchange for giving up its song.”
    Lilli nodded, her mouth settling into grim lines. “He’s going to ask for a soul. At least one of ours, maybe both.”
    â€œAnd you think that’s a fair exchange?” He tried not to sound as appalled as he felt, but wasn’t sure he succeeded.
    â€œOf course not. We’re going to negotiate.”
    â€œI thought there was supposed to be a battle.”
    â€œA battle of wills.”
    Aaron knew his skepticism was showing. “I’m not quite sure prophecies are really as elastic as you seem to think they are. When they talk about battles, they usually want battles, complete with injuries and the potential for death and/or putrescence.”
    â€œDon’t worry. If it does come down to an actual fight, just remember two things. Number one: even in the flesh, Samael’s powers are limited in this realm—severely limitedas long as he stays inside the circle—so whatever you do, don’t open the circle. Keep everyone inside and he’ll be at most equivalent to an elder master magus.”
    â€œOh, right. No problem, then. Do you have any idea how many elder master magi there have been in recorded history? Three! Three out of all time! But sure, piece of cake. I can take him with one hand tied behind my back.”
    â€œAnd number two,” she continued, her mouth curving into a smile that both infuriated and tempted him, “remember that you have a secret weapon.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œMe.”

 
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EIGHT
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    Lilli glued her smile in place like a Kabuki mask. She could feel her cheeks threatening to quiver from the strain, but she ignored them. She had no intention of giving in to her own fears, especially not when Aaron obviously had so many of his own. To be honest, she had no idea whether or not her plan was going to work, but she didn’t see any choice but to give it a try. Their current choices consisted of dying now, together, in an attempt to save the world from Samael’s apocalyptic war, or dying in a few weeks or months along with every other human being who resisted his dominion. She’d rather die on her own terms.
    She thought Aaron would feel the same, but thankfully he wouldn’t have to make that choice. If a sacrifice