The Serpent and the Firefly

By Courtney Davis

Sometimes you have to take control of the prophecy.
The prophecy says she’ll destroy him, but if he doesn’t reveal too much, will she help him rule Hell?
Jade is in witness protection and finds herself in possession of a store full of magical items. Her presence there alerts her existence to Baal, a serpent shifter and the first king of Hell. He arrives to kill her before she can become what has been prophesied and kill him, but he is enchanted by what he finds. She is everything he feared she would be, but she is also enticingly beautiful and pulls at something deep within him. She has no idea what she is, and he decides to try and use her for his own plans.
Jade tentatively trusts Baal as she embraces her new powers and his reasons for seeking the keys to a gate in Hell. She agrees to help him, but along their journey she discovers that four planes of existence have crashed together; the fae realm, the angel realm, the demon realm and the earth realm. They are all fighting for control of earth and its inhabitants.
She is the one prophesied to choose the winner. She is the one prophesied to kill the first king of Hell.

• Language: English
• Publisher: 5 Prince Publishing
• Release date: May 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9781631123016

Courtney Davis

Courtney Davis is a mother, wife and teacher who has always loved to find time to escape into a good story. She's been in love with reading and writing since she was a child and dreams of a life where she can devote herself fully to creating worlds and exploring relationships. To give someone else enjoyment through her words is the ultimate thrill.

Book preview

ONE

There is a room in Hell where a book lies open. A female with mouth gaping, sharp teeth bared, wings spread behind her. She stands over a demon with sword drawn, she will devour him. He is her enemy and she is his. Decisions will be made, prophecies will come to pass.

When her plane landed in Hearthtown, Connecticut, Jade didn’t bother looking out the window, she already knew it was lame. It looked lame on its websites, and the reviews… well there were no reviews because there was nothing here to draw people in. She’d picked it, the better of two terrible choices, but at least this one was closer to home and that had made the decision for her. It was nothing like New York, had nothing like high profile restaurants, clubs, and celebrities; danger and death, greed and power.

Hearthtown, where the biggest store in town sold groceries, furniture, and clothing. This was definitely not what she’d wanted for herself. Growing up, she’d always imagined she would be some kind of high-profile businesswoman working in a tall building surrounded by people who loved and feared her, she’d even gone to college for a business degree. Dante had changed all her plans.

Welcome home, Agent Linda Gonzalez said with a wide smile.

Fuck you, Jade groaned. Not only was she exhausted from the midnight flight, but she was stressed to the max. The last year had been hell as she’d turned federal witness to save her own ass and get out of an abusive relationship that would have likely killed her if she’d stayed. She felt like she was being punished for doing the right thing. Sometimes she wished she’d just decided to run away, but Dante would have found her eventually, although, even now, she wasn’t sure he wouldn’t.

Oh, come on, you’ll love it here. They have a brand new tree farm, so around Christmas in a couple years it’ll be a draw for people. That’ll be cool.

Jade just raised an eyebrow. She liked Linda okay, a short spunky FBI agent who was dedicated to not letting anyone shoot, poison, or strangle Jade. Today she was dressed for undercover work in jeans and a t-shirt, her long black hair braided down her back. Jade ran her fingers through her own short brown hair and sighed a little. Deciding to cut off her waist-length locks had been an important step in the witness protection process, so was changing her name from Jade Belton to J.B. Williams; the unisex name adding to her camouflage, she was told.

It’s July, she muttered and grabbed her carry-on.

I’m sure there are things to do in the summer too, and besides, you’ll have your hands full with the shop.

The shop?

"Yeah, didn’t they tell you? Mr. Williams lived above an antique shop he owned, so you get to inherit both."

Wonderful.

Yeah, good thing he died without family and without ever paying any taxes. The government loves to seize property and reuse it for things like this.

Couldn’t it have been like a beach hut in Hawaii? Jade sighed. She could really use a vacation, not a job.

No such luck. You ready? Looks like the car is here.

They got off the private plane and sure enough, a car was waiting outside for them. A small black car with tinted windows, it sent a shiver down Jade’s spine, reminding her of Dante’s car and the last time she’d been in it. He’d held a gun to her head because he thought she was cheating. That was when she’d decided that she was better off working with the Feds’ than with him, throwing away the ten-year relationship and only family she’d known since she was eighteen.

Are you okay, J.B.? You look kind of pale.

Jade shivered and nodded. Just a little motion sick from that tiny plane. It was a bumpy ride.

A man in a bad suit and mustache stepped out of the car. Welcome to Hearthtown, Ms. Williams, he called with a too friendly smile and wave. Bob Zecklis, at your service.

Car salesman? she whispered.

Yeah, you’ll get to keep the car, Linda whispered back. Thank you for meeting us, she said to Bob.

No problem at all. I was a friend of your uncle’s.

Not mine, Linda said quickly. I’m Linda, this is J.B., she’ll be taking over Mr. Williams’ property. Linda pushed Jade forward.

Bob took Jade’s hand in both of his and frowned. I am so sorry for your loss, hon’.

I didn’t know him, she said, and Linda gave her a jab in the ribs with her elbow. I mean, I hadn’t seen him in years. He was estranged from the family.

Because of his drinking, Bob said with a nod.

Jade grunted agreement.

Well, you’ll find all of his things still there and I sent my wife in earlier today to make sure it was aired out and stocked with a few essentials.

Maybe we should go to a hotel, Jade said quickly, giving Linda a worried look.

Bob laughed, Good one, no hotels in Hearthtown. Let me take that, Are there more? He grabbed the small bag Jade was holding and walked to the back of the car, popping the trunk.

There’s more on the plane. The crew should be bringing it, Linda answered.

Oh yeah, small town, no hotels… wonderful, Jade grumbled.

Don’t worry, we’re only a couple hours from Hartford, Boston, and New York if you get really desperate for city life. Most folks make do here though, we have some nice outdoor recreation; fishing, and hiking. Do you like to camp, Ms. Williams?

No, she said with just enough disgust to keep Bob from asking any more personal questions. You’re right, Jade said to Linda with a dramatic sigh as she slid into the passenger seat. No one will look for me here. She slammed the door shut to emphasize her point.

Linda knocked on the window, and Jade rolled it down. I’ll check in with you in a few days. Bob has the keys. His wife is the real estate agent in town, so she was dealing with the property stuff. She’ll have papers for you to sign tomorrow. Remember to use J.B. Williams.

And I’m supposed to suddenly know what the hell to do with an antique store?

Just be glad it isn’t a shack in the Florida everglades, Linda said with a laugh.

Jade knew that had been a very real possibility until about a week ago when this property came into the Feds hands. She’d jumped on it. Now she wasn’t so sure about the choice.

Linda got back on the plane and Bob took the driver’s seat. Your friend isn’t staying with you at least one night?

She’s not my friend, Jade said and stared out the window.

Bob didn’t seem to notice her sour mood, just talked and talked as they passed through the small town. Apparently, he knew everything about everyone. She supposed between him being a car salesman and his wife being a realtor, they dealt with most of the people in the town on a pretty personal level.

So, did Uncle Beauford have much in his savings? she asked casually.

Bob laughed. Oh no, all his money was sucked up immediately by the government. He owed all kinds of money to everyone, but for some reason they didn’t touch the store. Bob just shrugged as if he didn’t care that it didn’t make sense.

He pulled up in front of a brick two story building. The bottom floor had huge shop windows displaying old crap she was sure no one would ever want to buy, and a half readable sign that declared B. Williams’ Antiques and Collectibles of Interest.

Collectibles of interest? she said, mostly to herself.

Oh yes, your uncle fancied himself to be in possession of all kinds of things. Bob’s voice drifted down to a near whisper. All that drinking really addled his mind.

I’m sure. Well, thanks for the ride. Uh, do you need a ride home?

Oh no, I live just a couple blocks that way there. I’ll walk it. This is the safest town you’ve ever been in, dear; most people don’t even lock their doors. He laughed and handed her a set of house keys and a car key. That should get you in every door here. Just let me know if you need anything at all. Joyce will be by with the paperwork in the morning. He gave her a business card that said Zecklis’ Used Cars and Repair.

Joyce?

My wife.

Oh yeah, realtor, thanks. She looked at the keys and bit her lip, tears burning the backs of her eyes. This was her life now. Hiding out above an antique store in the smallest American town to still exist. She’d felt like a kept woman in Dante’s life, but at least she had been kept in luxury and a healthy dose of excitement! Well, an unhealthy dose, she could see that now. Maybe a life with less excitement will be good for her. She could take on a hobby, or read more.

Oh, one more thing, your uncle. He had a cat. It’s still in there, name’s Monkey.

A cat named Monkey?

Your uncle thought it was funny. Bob gave a little laugh. Need help with your bags?

Jade declined his offer; she didn’t want to bother with them tonight anyway. Just her small carry-on was all she needed to get through a couple hours of not being able to sleep.

She waited until Bob was around a corner before she opened the bag, pulled out a small gun and eyed the dark street. She wasn’t supposed to have the gun, but it was a non-negotiable in her mind. She barely knew how to shoot it, but she wouldn’t hesitate to try if Dante sent his goons after her. She picked up a small rock and threw it at the door to the shop, hard enough that if it was rigged to explode, it would do it while she was safely on the other side of the car.

Nothing.

She straightened and took a deep breath, well, maybe she wasn’t going to be murdered right off.

When she stepped into the shop, she wrinkled her nose from the smell of old; old wood, old plastic, old paint, and old dust. It was dark, but the streetlight shone in enough to tell her it was a disorganized mess that she had no desire to take care of. She locked the door behind her and headed for the back of the store, where there was supposedly a stairway up to a small living space.

Meow.

Jade jumped and screamed, and if she hadn’t put her gun away, she probably would have shot the damn thing that jumped off a shelf and meowed at her.

What the hell is wrong with you? she demanded of the cat.

It sat and cocked its head, then meowed again. It was a rather fat calico with smallish ears and a flat nose.

Monkey? she asked, as if she expected him to confirm his identity.

He meowed again and started to lead the way to the back of the store and up a narrow staircase. A small cat door was cut into the bottom of the door there and Monkey let himself in. Jade unlocked the door and walked into a living room. It was cozy, only room for a small couch, television, and coffee table; but it was tidy, and she wondered if that was Joyce’s doing. Certainly, an alcoholic who didn’t pay his taxes wasn’t good at housekeeping and if the state of the shop was any indication, he hadn’t minded being around dirt and dust.

She locked the door behind her and followed the sound of Monkey’s meowing to the kitchen. An empty bowl was on the floor.

Do you have food here? she asked the cat, not sure why she expected him to reply. She’d never had a pet and wasn’t quite sure what the appeal was. She didn’t appreciate anything that needed her. She’d always been busy enough taking care of herself. Some called her selfish. It was that selfishness that had kept her denying Dante a baby for years, and thank god for that.

Monkey rubbed against a cabinet. Jade opened it and found a bag of kitty kibble. She poured some in his bowl and he purred as he ate it. She filled another bowl with water and set it on the floor.

Okay, maybe we’ll get along, she said, stroking his soft fur as he ate.

Other than the kitchen and living room; there was a master bedroom with the bathroom attached, and a small deck just big enough for a café table and one chair. She could see herself enjoying morning coffee there, she supposed, trying to find something she liked about the place. The whole apartment was decorated in browns and more than one dead animal; she was going to have to start throwing shit away tomorrow and redecorating soon.

She gave a frustrated sigh. With what money? she asked Monkey, who just rubbed against her leg and meowed. She was basically broke. She hadn’t had her own money when she’d been with Dante, and the FBI’s allowance during the trial had been less than minimal. Her parents had been well off, but she’d used her inheritance to pay for college. Now she was expected to make her own money? At least she didn’t have a house or car payment. That was the only good thing about this situation. In exchange for testifying to all the things she’d witnessed Dante do that were illegal, the government had provided what they considered a nice new life, but no real guarantee that she wouldn’t be assassinated at any given moment.

She felt more trapped than ever, and it made her skin crawl. She’d always liked a little bit of danger, but this was an extreme she didn’t appreciate. Add to that, she was completely alone. Not a soul from her old life knew where she was, or if she was alive, because that was the way it had to be. She was actually lucky she didn’t have any family, because then her options would have been to pretend she was dead so they didn’t look for her, or risk their lives on a daily basis for knowing she was out there and possibly where.

Not a lot of choices for a girl like me, she grumbled and picked up Monkey. Sorry, but you’re my only friend now, so get ready for late night ice cream cry-a-thons and sad movies with sexy men in them.

Monkey purred, and she took that as agreement to her terms.

She carried him into the bedroom. The bed was soft, and she felt exhaustion settle over her when she sat on it. After double checking all the locks and putting her gun under her pillow, she changed into pajamas, washed her face, and slid between the sheets. She could tell they were freshly washed, they smelled like lavender, and she made a mental note to do something to thank Joyce. She’d been afraid to think she might be slipping between the sheets of a dead guy tonight.

He hadn’t died here; she’d made sure of that before agreeing to this deal. He had been out in the forest nearby and had a heart attack, apparently. No one knew what he was doing out there alone, probably drunk and lost. It had been a couple days before he’d been found. Animals had gotten there first. Jade shivered and looked across the room at the stuffed head of a small bear.

Was it your wife’s revenge? she asked, then laughed at her own insanity and closed her eyes, not expecting to be able to actually sleep. Ever since she’d turned on Dante, she hadn’t slept more than an hour at a time without a noise waking her up, expecting to find herself at the end of a gun barrel at any moment, or perhaps with gloved hands wrapped around her neck, wishing she’d made a different choice with her life. Something about her attracted trouble. Her mother had warned her of that when she was a child, and it had never failed to be true. Even her high school days had been fraught with bad boys on motorcycles and poor decisions made with friends, but it had been fun!

Trouble follows you, but you have the tools to do big things, never doubt that, her father had always said, and somehow she’d believed him. He had always seemed like an extraordinary person, someone who would live forever and could move mountains if he only wanted to. All that had changed the night they died. How could he be extra anything if he could be killed so easily? A simple car accident had taken both her parents instantly, and she’d been alone, so alone.

Just like she was now.

TWO

Baal lounged with a glass of whiskey in one hand and watched Joseph pace in front of him like a caged animal.

What do you mean a disturbance? Joseph growled.

I mean, someone is in Beau’s shop, and it isn’t just another human.

What is it?

Baal didn’t dare speak what he thought, what he feared and hoped. He sipped his drink and looked like he couldn’t care less about this new development. Who knows, but I think I will check into it. Whatever it is, it might be able to give me access to the shop below.

Joseph stopped and growled in Baal’s direction. Do you really think the book is there?

Baal nodded and finished off his drink. "Yes, I spied it once but didn’t realize what it was at the time,