Into the Flames: Spellbound Chronicles, #2

By BB Swann

He paved his way to Hell with good intentions—but can he find his way out?

Seventeen-year-old Iggy Armani may be a demon, but he doesn't want to live in Hell. He's content to slide through his easy life on Earth with his angel girlfriend Gabby, despite the law—and her dad—being set against it. Besides, he and his friends captured Blackwood, the unicorn leader responsible for the unfair laws and for planning infanticide of mixed race magical babies. Their future. Is. Set.

But through a loophole, Blackwood is about to be set free and regain control. Iggy has one option—to go to Hell and find Blackwood's demon accomplice, the only one who knows the truth. He'll do anything to earn the right to be with Gabby, but as an Earth demon in Hell he learns just how difficult life—and death—really are.

His goals: Find the demon, find the truth, find his way home—and don't lose his life in the process.

Into the Flames is the exciting second book in the Spellbound Chronicles YA urban fantasy series. If you like an adventure filled with danger, suspense, and a touch of horror, then you'll love B.B. Swann's novel of a quest for truth and self-discovery.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BB Swann
• Release date: Aug 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9798223116394

Book preview

Dedication:

To my readers. Without you, I would just be talking to myself.

(And I do enough of that already.)

CHAPTER ONE

Go to Hell is usually a figurative phrase, but Gabby’s dad means it. Asshole . Just because I’m a demon doesn’t mean I want to live in Hell.

Sitting at the table with the other angelic jury members in the crowded trial room, he gives me a look that would make Hitler rethink his life choices—red face, eyebrows bunched, and forehead grooves deep enough to ski in just because I sit with his daughter.

And because I still breathe.

Contrary to popular belief, angels aren’t peace-and-love hippies spreading goodwill throughout the land. Most are hard-ass businesspeople in suits and ties, more judgy than little old church ladies during a chili cook-off. Which is why they get to be judge and jury at magical trials.

And for Hugo, I am always on trial.

Raising my eyebrow, I meet his less-than-angelic glare and lift Gabby’s hand to kiss her knuckles. He narrows his eyes.

Her whisper joins the hum of mumbled conversations. Antagonizing my dad isn’t going to make him like you more.

What? I grin. "He doesn’t like me?"

She rolls her deep-brown eyes.

Hey. Got a secret. I squeeze her hand and lean closer, brushing away her long dark hair so I can whisper into the soft curve of her ear. "I don’t care what Hugo thinks about me."

What a shocker. She shivers, then nudges me with her shoulder.

I stare at her full pink lips, resisting the pull of my demonic magic telling me she wants a kiss. She does. I feel it. Being a lust demon has its advantages. But even I know a courtroom filled with magical community members isn’t the place to make out with my angelic girlfriend. No matter how much I want to.

Then again, it would really piss off her dad.

The lead angel pounds her gavel on the wooden block in front of her, and I jump a little. The quiet chatter ends.

Bring in the defendant.

A door to the left of the table opens. The seven angels fold their hands and turn as one to watch, including Hugo who looks away from me to copy the angels at the table with him.

A tall, dark-haired man is led into the room by yet another angel in a suit. Turning away from my blissful thoughts of Gabby’s lips, I clench my jaw and glare at him. Blackwood, the former leader of the unicorns. Newly former thanks to me and my friends.

Seeing him with his wrists shackled in the silvery light of the angel’s magical handcuffs sends a warm glow into my chest. Or maybe it’s Gabby’s glow. Could be my best friend Zaidyn’s sitting on my other side. Or his girlfriend Piper’s sitting next to him. Sometimes being a lust demon has its disadvantages, too. Like never knowing when feelings are mine.

But in this case, it doesn’t matter. We all hate this jerkoff for what he did—and what he tried to do.

The angel leads Blackwood to a low-backed metal chair centered in front of the angelic hosts’ table. Blackwood sits with his back to those of us in the pews that fill the rest of the large space. Just as well. I don’t need to see the smug look on his face, or the piercing blue eyes filled with hatred for anything he deems a threat. Like me.

But even though I can’t see his face, the inward cries for justice from those around me send a tightness to my chest. I take a deep breath to loosen it. The irritation of a few—a very few—centers on the fact that their narcissistic idol is shackled. A group of visiting witches in the back sends total unicorn-worship vibes my way. The angel couple sitting behind Zaidyn’s and Ky’s parents glare at everyone around them. The most obvious Blackwood fans, the three male unicorns in the front row, nod to him, then lift their noses in the air.

Thinking your shit doesn’t stink must be a unicorn trait.

The angel escorting Blackwood waves a hand, and the glow around Blackwood’s wrists intensifies, extending on either side of him and attaching to the arms of the chair.

Zaidyn snorts next to me. Do you think Ms. A had anything to do with those magical cuffs? She’s harsh enough on cheaters in class. I bet she’d love to help restrain the man who hid her baby for seventeen years.

Nah. Our old teacher sits a few rows up from us, and I wince at the wave of red-hot rage that courses from her and colors my magic. Her platinum-blonde hair wrapped in her signature tight bun quivers as she glares at her fellow unicorn shackled to the hot seat.

She would’ve made them into vines to remind him he was captured by a bunch of teenagers in the woods.

True, Zaidyn agrees. Guess the angels don’t need help from the unicorns anyway.

Nope. Most of them are as arrogant as Blackwood. Again, I kiss Gabby’s hand and glance at her dad. He’s in pompous-angel work mode, though, staring at Blackwood.

She shakes her head at me. So stubborn.

Gavel Lady stands, holding a piece of paper. The room goes tomb silent, simmering like a cauldron about to boil.

Let’s begin. Mr. Blackwood, you are accused of committing crimes against the magical community, which you were sworn to protect as the official leader of the unicorns. You’re charged with kidnapping, perpetrating hate crimes, and conspiring to commit genocide of hybrid magical infants.

The crowd grumbles, several shouting, No! at the last charge.

My stomach flips, and I lean forward with my elbows on my knees. My lust demon power of knowing people’s deepest desires is a definite disadvantage now. Especially when the parents of the hybrid magical infants are reminded that the psychopath in the chair wants to kill their children. The desires of at least thirty parents in this room—my best friend’s included—border on lynch-mob mode.

I clench my hands into fists and bounce my knee.

You okay, Ig? Zaidyn asks.

Breathing deeply through my nose, I nod. I rub my hands through my hair and lean back in my seat. The pounding of the gavel echoes in my head, timed perfectly with my heartbeat. They both pick up speed.

Piper puts a hand on Zaidyn’s leg and leans across him toward me. Do you want to leave? We’ll go with you.

As usual, like every time Piper touches my infatuated best friend, he reacts below the belt—and I get the brunt of it. My heart kicks up a few more notches, and a different kind of desire joins the simmering fury in the room. I take another deep breath through my nose and shake my head.

Zaidyn side-eyes me and whispers, Sorry. He holds Piper’s hand and blushes.

If I weren’t strung out like an addict having withdrawals, I’d give him a hard time. Dude is totally whipped.

Concentrating on the back of whoever’s head is in front of me for a distraction, I grunt. Bad idea. He has a dryad/angel hybrid child. My pulse increases, and my horns push against the skin on my temples.

Gabby puts a gentle hand under my chin, forcing me to face her. She holds my hand, and warmth spreads across my body. My heart rate slows, my horns recede, and I sigh. Her magic saves me from my own.

Thanks, I whisper.

Heat prickles my cheeks. It’s been a long time since I’ve lost control because of someone else’s feelings. Genocide might be a good reason, though. Not that I completely lost it. If I had, Blackwood would be stewing in a puddle of steaming silver unicorn blood on the floor. But if Gabby hadn’t stepped in with her healing powers...

She smiles and squeezes my hand. Don’t let go.

I’ll never let you go. Fact. No matter what her dad wants.

Happy Hammer Lady stands and pounds the gavel. Quiet. Quiet now, or you’ll all be removed.

She pounds once more, and the room goes silent. I tighten my grip on Gabby’s small hand.

The woman sits again, shuffling the papers on the table in front of her. Mr. Blackwood, what do you have to say about these charges?

That they are complete nonsense. He tugs his hands, but the restraints glow brighter. He moans and stops.

Hugo leans forward. Are you claiming to be innocent? He folds his bushy dark eyebrows over his eyes. We have more than enough proof and witness testimony to the contrary.

Not to mention Melody’s video of his confession, Zaidyn whispers.

Right? But I frown. I hope she kept a copy of that.

I’m sure she did. Melody is smart, Piper says. Well, most of the time.

When she isn’t focused on Ky. Zaidyn chuckles.

Melody and her boyfriend Ky aren’t in the crowd. Knowing them, they decided to stay home and make out instead. Selkies and skin changers aren’t exactly known for caring about their civic duties.

What proof? Blackwood scoffs.

Hugo flips open a manila file folder and retrieves a paper. Peering down his long nose, he reads.

You confessed that you knew about the dryad hybrid children and the efficacy of their magical powers. You wanted to capture and eliminate them to prevent the dryads from usurping the unicorn leaders with these enhanced magical creatures. And... Hugo drops the paper, giving Blackwood a ball-melting glare. You enlisted the help of a Hell demon to collect and contain the children until you had a chance to destroy them.

Angry shouts erupt again, echoing with the pounding of the gavel. The pressure from my horns returns. Gabby adds her other hand to the one holding mine as the people finally quiet.

You made this confession during an angelic interrogation. Hugo glares at Blackwood. "The magical community recognizes that no one can lie in that situation. Not even the mighty unicorns."

A few snickers and chuckles go out, mine included. Hugo’s an ass most of the time, but I agree with his take on the horned high-horses.

Blackwood tilts his head but then clears his throat. It is a fact that angelic interrogations are very thorough. But one can only confess what they know. Or... His head moves from side to side as he looks at the angels in front of him. What they are made to believe.

What exactly are you saying, Mr. Blackwood? another angel judge asks.

"I admit that I confessed the words you read. But they were not my words."

Hugo stands, leaning forward with his hands on the table. "I was there. I heard you speak. I personally witnessed your admission during interrogation by several fully competent angels, I might add. You confessed to the atrocious crimes you committed and planned to commit."

You heard what I was told to believe, Blackwood says in a loud voice. I tell you they were not my words.

Then whose words were they? Hugo demands.

The Hell demon’s, Blackwood says. He orchestrated this coup and used his powers to control me.

Do you really expect us to believe that? Hugo laughs as the other angel judges whisper to each other. "My wife was among the angels interrogating you for weeks until you finally told us about the demon and the missing infants. Why didn’t you tell the interrogators then about this alleged demon control?"

Demon spells are not easy to overcome, nor are they easy to detect. I have only recently become aware of it after sessions with the counselor appointed to me by this host.

The other angels pass around a paper from the file and nod in agreement, but Hugo sneers. You’re lying. This is just another excuse to avoid conviction.

Is that possible? Zaidyn asks. Can a demon make someone believe ideas are their own?

Maybe. I scrunch my forehead. I mean, Hell demons are different from us. I guess their magic could allow that.

It would make sense. Gabby squeezes my hand. Spreading lies is their special skill.

Maybe that’s why you had such a hard time getting him to confess, Gabby, Piper adds. "If Blackwood was under a demon spell, that might have made things harder for you."

I don’t care what anyone says. Blackwood deserves to pay. It doesn’t change the fact that Blackwood did all those things. Demon control or not, he doesn’t want to lose power.

Mr. Blanco, I don’t care what you believe, Blackwood says to Hugo. What I do care about is that I get treated fairly under the laws governing our magical community.

Is he joking? He tried to capture and kill Zaidyn and Piper because they were different. Did capture and hide dozens of other kids, including Piper’s cousin, and planned to kill them so he could retain power. He forfeited fair a long time ago.

Uhm, ow. Gabby lifts our interconnected hands.

Sorry. I loosen my grip.

All laws have been followed. Hugo glares at Blackwood like he’s something he stepped in at the dog park. A look I’m familiar with.

The other angels still whisper along the table, but Hugo isn’t a part of it. The lead angel nods to the man whispering in her ear and points at the paper he holds. She closes her eyes for a moment, and my stomach drops.

Maybe so. Blackwood still sits in his chair, but his booming voice drips with authority. But it’s your job as the angelic host to determine every facet of the truth.

The unicorn brigade in the front tilt their heads together, their mouths forming words I can’t hear. But the amusement and confidence oozing from them sends a chill down my spine.

And we have. Hugo almost yells now. You confessed!

If it weren’t for the fact that I dislike Blackwood more than Hugo, I would enjoy seeing her dad come unhinged. But I can’t relish the moment because my gut churns. Something bad is about to happen.

My confession is moot, Blackwood says. He turns his head toward his fan club for a second, and I catch a glimpse of the cocky smile on his face. I cannot be held accountable for crimes I had no knowledge of committing while under the spell of a Hell demon. And until further investigations are made, or you re-interrogate me and find evidence of my guilt not associated with the Hell demon’s spell, you cannot continue this farce of a trial.

It’s your word against his, then? Hugo pounds a fist on the table. The demon is in Hell.

The crowd grumbles low and urgent. I catch mentions of never going to get the truth and how can they expect to go there?

Then you know where to find him. Blackwood laughs. The newest law enacted by a unanimous vote by the magical board of criminal justice review states that any magical being forced to commit crimes while under the control of another magical being shall be absolved of all charges.

Just because you—

"And the law states no magical being suffering from the controlling influence forced upon them by another shall be discriminated against nor convicted without a fair and equal opportunity to prove their innocence."

We have your claim, Hugo yells. But you have no proof that you were being controlled. Therefore, you must still face the consequences of your crimes.

The lead angel clears her throat, and the churning in my gut increases. Everyone else must clue in to the bad mojo floating around. More whispered conversations spring up on every side. Gabby leans into my side, shaking.

With a delicate finger, the gavel queen points to the paper from the other angel. This is a written evaluation from Mr. Blackwood’s counselor affirming evidence of a possession or controlling spell from a Hell demon, she says.

Hugo’s eyes widen as he reads.

The man in front of me trembles and shakes his head.

To my left a few rows up, sit Zaidyn’s parents. His dad puts an arm around his wife’s shaking shoulders. The angels behind them smile.

The heat surging through my chest parches my throat. The bastard is going to get away with it. After all we went through, he’s going to win.

"My mind control and subsequent innocence is proven. So, unless you can provide proof that the demon didn’t control me, Blackwood says, lifting his chin, you also can’t keep me locked up."

The room erupts with shouts as people jump from their seats. The witches in the back cackle with glee. Gabby’s two-handed, magical-sedative grip isn’t enough to completely stop the onslaught of anger and disbelief surging through the room. Blackwood’s laugh rises above the noise, and pain rips through my temples.

The room burns with a scarlet mist, and the constant heat inside my body engulfs my skin. The angel guards drag a laughing Blackwood off the chair and shuffle him toward the door behind the table.

I can’t look away from him. I grind my teeth, and a growl rips through my chest as desires assault me.

Contain. Punish. Hurt. Maim.

One after the other, the wants of everyone in the room crash into me, erasing any thoughts and feelings of my own, calling for someone to do something to stop this man from walking free.

I got this. I clench my fists and launch out of my seat.

No, Iggy! Gabby jumps to her feet, pulling me back. Let’s go.

He has to pay, and I’ll collect. Nobody here will care. I have the tools to take care of this maniac. Not that I’m allowed to use them, but all it takes is one quick blast before they get him through the door. The fire smolders in my palms, and I try to raise them, pulling against Gabby’s grasp.

He’s not worth it, Ig. Zaidyn grabs my other arm, pulling my hand behind my back. He conjures ice around my palm, but it melts within a second.

Across the sea of raging dryads, wizards, and other pissed-off magic people who internally—and some vocally—call for Blackwood’s head, I catch sight of my dad. His blond eyebrows fold in over his eyes, and he mouths the word go, pointing a finger at the door behind me.

Nope. Got business to do. My lungs refuse to work right, and I strain to get enough air.

C’mon, man. Zaidyn zaps me again with the ice.

Adding fuel to my hate, I glance at Hugo. His eyes shift to Gabby and Zaidyn struggling to hold me back, then he gives me a ball-melting stare. It’s enough to put a divot in the chaos shitstorm in the room. He curls his top lip, and my stomach knots up.

Great, livin’ up to his expectations.

The roar in the room doubles as Blackwood is pushed through the door and out of sight.

With my target gone, I close my eyes, trying to block out the wordless mental screams of despair and anger. Gabby and Zaidyn pull me toward the door, and with Piper pushing against my scorching back, they drag me from the courtroom.

CHAPTER TWO

We enter the window -filled foyer, and sunlight blasts me in the face. I wince and jam my fists over my eyes. Not conducive to getting a demon to cool down. Echoes of the collective rage in the courtroom sends a heat tsunami down my spine.

Dude, put away the horns, Zaidyn says, pushing me to a shadier spot away from the window. We need to get the hell out of here, and you can’t go outside looking like that.

Really? No shit.

Sorry, I just meant—

"I know what you meant."

Zaidyn frowns.

I yank my arms away from him, catching a glimpse of my red skin that practically glows in the sunlight. Wow, a full-on spontaneous demon morph. In broad daylight. I’ve really lost it. I move to a bench against the wall and sit with my elbows on my knees, holding my head between my hands.

I swear I still hear that damn gavel. The pounding in my skull makes me want to puke.

Zaidyn and Piper stand in front of me, shielding me from the light and any people who might walk by. We’re in a magically protected area of the city building, but accidents do happen. Like this. Losing control. Like a flipping toddler having a tantrum.

It’s okay. Gabby sits next to me and places a cool hand between my scorching shoulder blades. You’re all right.

I am not all right. I’m an idiot.

She makes little circles on my back with her palm. After a few minutes, the coolness of her touch—and her magic—eases the burn, soothing me enough to focus and retract the white spiraled horns that had erupted through the skin on my temples. The rest of my body cools, too, and my skin goes from demon scarlet to my normal summer tan. I take a deep breath and blow it out through my nose.

Glancing up, I can’t even meet their gazes. Especially Zaidyn’s.

And I teased him about losing control when his magic kicked in last fall? At least he didn’t almost attack the leader of the most powerful magical creatures. Well, maybe that’s not exactly true because he did do that. But only in the woods with help, not in front of his girlfriend’s judgmental asshole father and the entire magical community of our pissant little town.

I...I don’t know what happened. I haven’t lost control like that since I was like...ten.

It’s not your fault, Piper says. Things got out of control in there.

Yeah, Zaidyn agrees. I’m sure most of the hybrid parents in there were freaking out. That had to be hard to deal with.

Raised voices still carry from the courtroom, and I nod. If they only knew. The crowd’s anger and hate still poison me. Gabby can probably feel their pain with her powers, but the rest of the bullshit is mine to enjoy as a lust demon. Still, that’s no excuse for me to lose control. My parents felt it all, too, and they were fine. Why wasn’t I?

Hugo would say it’s because I’m a piece-of-shit demon hothead. Picturing his look