The Devil's Daughter Complete Box Set, page 113
part #1 of The Devil's Daughter Series
“And what do I do as he ages?” The conflict between her immortality and his eventual death was one that had been plaguing Sere since their first time together.
Sanguine looked into Sere’s eyes. The woman’s magical sight might have left her, but the wisdom of seeing multiple paths remained in the sapphire pools of light. “Follow Jennifer’s lead, and age with him. Grow old, Sere. Enjoy every stage of life right up to and including Bart’s ultimate death. Don’t waste a minute of it.”
“And then what?” If Sanguine intended on pulling at Sere’s threads of self-doubt, she was going to have to face all of her deepest, darkest questions.
“Revert to your younger self and do it all over again. Find someone else to love, but don’t make the same mistakes you made this time through life. Tell them you love them sooner. Don’t play the foolish games that keep you apart. You have the gift of getting to discover what most of us can only guess at.”
Sere stared at the one-time angel, trying to figure out what she would have done in Sanguine’s place. “You looked into the future, didn’t you?”
She reached out and took Sere’s hands. “Only to see your professional path. Hell isn’t going away, and that means you’re still needed. The professor’s time is nearly finished, but for the most part, Polly has already taken over his duties. When it comes to the paranormal science that maintains the doppelgängers, hell will be in good hands. When Polly’s time is over, Doodlebug will take over from her. Hell will finally be in the care of a doppelgänger who understands the true dynamics of what it means to live in that dimension. However, Doodlebug will need your guidance to get there.”
“And the other two legs of hell?”
Sanguine’s smile carried wisdom beyond her fortysomething years. “I’ve already turned over the Wiccan reins to Chloe Aberrant. She’s training Bernie, who will take over when her time is up. You know the swamp as well as anyone. Watching over the succession of swamp witches will be your responsibility, but you won’t have to worry about that for some time. Bernie will help you find the right person when his time is up, but never forget the swamp is your home. Don’t lose control of it.”
“Speaking of control, I can’t deal with Baron Samedi directly. Voodoo isn’t something I can command.”
“You won’t have to.” Sanguine leaned in close as if there was someone else in the courtyard who might be listening in. “They don’t know it yet, but Kendell and Myles are going to have a son.”
“Isn’t she a little old?” Sere nearly laughed at her own ageism.
“Women in their forties can still bear children, especially when the small human soul has a loa of the dead as his godfather.” Sanguine’s expression lost some of its excitement. “You’re going to have to keep an eye on that one.”
Sere was pretty sure she didn’t want to know what Sanguine had seen. “So, I sit back and watch everyone I know die while worrying that hell will find a way to once again invade the living?”
“Listen to me. You are the most precious being I’ve ever known. You are my daughter in every way but biological. Bart loves you with a fierce passion that would take on the living or the damned. Jennifer sees you as a twin sister—the adventurous one she always wanted to be. To Kendell and Myles, you’re their validation for saving the world from Baron Malveaux. Fisher, Professor Yates, Polly, and everyone else who’ve put their lives and souls on the line for you have found it an honor to join in your fight for good over evil.”
Sere had never found compliments or shows of affection comfortable. “Stop blowing smoke up my ass. You’re not answering my question.”
Sanguine shook her head. “You don’t get it, do you? You’re no longer hooked to hell. As a doppelgänger, you don’t need the basics of life, but the power that sustains you no longer comes from that foreign dimension.”
Sere felt as dense as the bricks that surrounded her. “I don’t understand. What are you telling me?”
“Love, Sere. That’s what keeps you alive. That’s your purpose. That’s what powers you, body and soul. If you ever choose to let go of your immortality, all you have to do is cut yourself off from those who care about you. With no psychic connections, you will truly age. So when I say embrace your love of Bart, that’s only the beginning. Fuck what the professor said. Get to know Jennifer. Become Bobby’s favorite aunt. When the time is right, tell him your secrets. When Bart does pass on to the deep waters, you’ll need someone who knows all about you but isn’t involved in watching over hell. Bobby can help ease you into a new life. I can only see your life to the next curve in this reality’s path, but that path is made up of people you love and who love you. You’re no longer the devil’s daughter. You belong in this life. That’s your mission now.”
Sere couldn’t figure out why tears were filling her eyes. “And what about you?”
Sanguine leaned back and looked at the night sky. “I’ve spent so much time looking into possible futures that it will be interesting to live in the moment. I’m no longer hell’s angel, but I’m also not sure I fit in this life. The swamp beckons me home. I intend on living out my days with the plants and animals, though without seeing the future, I don’t know where my life will lead me. Lefty swam me through the gate and is waiting for me back on Agnes’s island. Out there, I’ll be close to the hellmouth. Our friendly gator will forever act as hell’s watchdog in case there’s another outbreak. So if you ever need help, you know exactly where to find him.”
***
This concludes the Devil’s Daughter series, but you never know when I might sneak in a follow up book.
Curious about how Sere got to be the bad-ass demon hunter? Find her back story woven into the Malveaux Curse Mysteries starting with book 1 here:
Dog Days of Voodoo
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Book List
Technopia Series:
(writing as Greg Chase)
Creation
Evolution
Damnation
Salvation
The Malveaux Curse Mysteries :
(writing as G.A. Chase)
Dog Days of Voodoo
You, Me, and the Voodoo Queen
Oops! I Voodooed Again
Voodoo You Love
Voodoo You Think You Are
Look What You Made Me Voodoo
Love Me Like Voodoo
The Devil’s Daughter:
(writing as G.A. Chase)
Hell in a Head Gasket
Hell Bent for Demons
Hell’s Highway
Hell or High Water
Hell Away from Home
Hell and Back
About the Author
G.A. Chase is the pen name for Greg Chase. He is a science fiction and paranormal author living in New Orleans with his wife, fellow author Deanna Chase, and their two shih tzu dogs. On any given day you can find him behind his computer, people watching in the Quarter, or out in his studio creating stories in glass. His glass work can be found at www.chase-designs.com.
https://gregchaseauthor.com
G A Chase, The Devil's Daughter Complete Box Set
