stevie’s Reviews > Devil By Rumor > Status Update

The castle behind us pulsed with life—her life now, not just mine. The demons kept their distance. Not from fear, but from reverence. Carmen wasn’t a mortal girl stolen by the Devil anymore. She was a woman who looked at fire and said burn for me.

“I love you,” I said. “I love you, Carmen, and not the way people use that word like it’s currency or armor or debt. I love you like it’s a promise. Like it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to keep.”

“Only monsters born in fire may enter. All others will be devoured.”

Death looked at me, something ancient and aching in his eyes. “Because if he loses you, he won’t just fall apart.” His voice dropped like a grave sealing shut. “He’ll burn the fucking world.”

His voice dropped lower, reverent now. “Let me worship you, baby. Let me earn the right to be near you. Because there is no one—nothing—that could ever make me want anyone else.”

“You try that again,” I said, voice like a god’s judgment, heat unfurling like brimstone, “and I’ll make sure you walk the Earth without name or title. You’ll be a shadow no one remembers. A regret not even Hell can house.”

He looked at me then—eyes like dying stars.

“She’s the only thing keeping you from burning the rest of this place down,” Death murmured. “And you’re not even being honest with her.”

He and Death were more alike than either of them realized. Sure, Death was a complete psychopath, and Damon was a control freak, but I could see why they were friends. Or whatever you called that brand of mutual chaos and borderline insults.

“Right,” Death murmured, like he was agreeing with a child’s delusion. “Of course you’re not.” He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees, cigarette dangling from one hand. “But let’s call it what it is,” he said, gentler now. “You’re not just keeping her. You’re orbiting her. You’re building a goddamn solar system around her and pretending it’s just gravity.”