The Road to Hell

by Jackie Kessler

  Tracy's mouth opened, closed.

  "There's no temptation in Heaven," he said.

  Or wild parties, from what I heard. I decided to keep my mouth shut.

  "Please," Tracy whispered, "stay here with me."

  Paul's hand slipped out of my grasp, and my stomach dropped to my knees.

  He touched Tracy's pale cheek. Tears sparkled in her eyes, and she smiled at him—a good smile, one full of love.

  "I love you, Tracy," he said softly. "And if I'm meant for Heaven, surely you are too."

  Her smile froze.

  "Jesse's right. This isn't Heaven. And my Tracy is in Heaven."

  "Paul," she whispered, "please…"

  He nudged her away. "Go," he said. "You're not my Tracy."

  She gasped, her eyes huge and hurt. "I am. Paul… please, sweetheart, it's me…"

  Paul looked at me. "Can you lead a White Knight away from temptation?"

  "Let's find out together." I reached out to him, and he took my hand. Together, we climbed to our feet. I buried my head in his chest, delighting in the feel of the soft curls of hair on his torso. I breathed him in, took his unique scent deep inside of me. "Bless me, Paul, I thought I'd lost you."

  "You did," he said, wrapping his arms around me. "But then you found me again."

  Covering her mouth with her hand, Tracy scrambled to her feet. She called his name, the sound muffled by her fingers.

  His back to her, he didn't reply, but his arms around my waist trembled. I placed my hands over them, easing their quakes.

  With a sob, Tracy turned and fled. I watched her leap through the sycamore tree.

  Not a false vision, not a temptation: the ghost of Paul's dead fiancée, trapped for eternity here in the Endless Caverns.

  Tracy wasn't meant for Heaven after all. But far be it from me to tell Paul that.

  Long since stepping through the door and then the mirror, Paul and I wandered around the Endless Caverns. I'd created flashlights so that we could see our way, but that being said, there wasn't anything to see but rocks, rocks, and rocks. Some were enormous and many were tiny, and a handful served as treasure chests of precious gems in the rough. But at the end of the day, they were just rocks. Lots of them.

  "You know," Paul said, "I'm starting to believe I'm really dead. We would have run out of air a long time ago."

  "Yeah, the not breathing thing has its perks."

  "So why am I sweating?"

  I shrugged. I had no idea why I could still feel my heartbeat when I had no heart in this form. "Chalk one up in the Mysterious Ways column."

  He said, "Tell me again that you know how to get out of here."

  "I know how to get out of here," I lied.

  "Because maybe I'm crazy, but it seems like we're lost."

  I stopped walking and jabbed a finger at his chest. "We're not lost. These are the Endless Caverns. That means the path goes on for a long, long time. If the path was short, don't you think they'd be called the Not So Endless Caverns?"

  "I'm just saying."

  I put my fists on my hips. "You know, in Hell we take the naming thing seriously."

  He held his hands up in a "my bad" gesture. "Okay, sorry."

  "Besides," I grumbled, "I don't hear you coming up with a better idea."

  "Better than what, walking forever and ever?"

  I glared at him. "Are you complaining?"

  "Me? Never."

  "Good."

  "I'm just wondering if maybe next time you rescue me from Hell, you could get directions."

  I frowned. "Are you sure you're a man?"

  "Hey, real men know when they're lost, they better get directions. Or a map. You have a map?"

  "I must have left it in my other demonic catsuit."

  "Jess."

  "Yeah."

  "I love you."

  I smiled. "Yeah. Me too."

  We walked.

  And walked.

  Finally, even I had to admit that we were going nowhere fast. Crap. I'd been hoping that we could just stroll out of the Caverns, and then I could poof him back Above. But even though I still had my demonic powers (and no way was I looking a gift hellhound in the mouth), I couldn't just bamf us out of the cave. (I'd tried. It had given me a killer headache and a mad desire to burst into showtunes, but it hadn't gotten us out of the cavern.)

  Time for Plan B.

  After changing my flashlight into a kerosene lantern and placing it on a large rock, I slid the bracelet off my wrist and offered it to Paul.

  He eyed it skeptically. "It doesn't really go with my outfit."

  "Take it," I said. "It's the Rope of Hecate you bought for me. It'll get you back home."

  He blinked once, twice, then said, "Once more, for those of us slow on the uptake."

  I explained about Caitlin and the peddler, and how the Hecate was watching me. "The witch wanted me to have the bracelet," I concluded, "and went out of her way to explain how it was a tie to life. Put it on, sweetie, so you can go home."

  After a pregnant pause, he said, "You're kidding, right?"

  "Paul…"

  He shook his head. "Even if I believed that your jewelry would be an express train out of here, if you think I'm abandoning you, you're insane."

  He was the third person (well, entity) to call me crazy in the span of a few hours. It was starting to piss me off. "It's not like you'd be leaving me in the middle of nowhere. This is my stomping ground. I was raised on stuff like this."

  "Yeah, and I grew up playing Dungeons and Dragons, so I know a thing or two about underground passages. I'm not leaving you, period."

  I frowned at him. "Will you quit the White Knight thing already?"

  "In D&D, we were called paladins."

  "Damn it all," I said, stomping my hoof, "I'm not joking."

  "No, but you're cute when you pitch a fit. Even when you look like something out of Paradise Lost."

  I counted to ten, decided not to morph him into a salamander. "I can get my way out of here and find my way back home. But I can't do that if I'm also looking out for you."

  "So this whole time we've been walking in the dark," he said, doing an impressive Bambi-eyes, "that was you looking out for me?"

  I stomped my hoof again. He had no business poking fun at me when I was trying to be all self-sacrificing. It ruined the mood. "What do I have to do to get you to trust me?"

  He pulled me close, stared into my green cat's eyes. "Hon, this isn't about trust. You're asking me to leave you here, in the dark, alone. How can I do that? I'm supposed to protect you."

  "There's no supposed to here, love." I plucked the flashlight from his grasp and tossed it to the rock-strewn ground. Taking his hands in mine, I said, "You're not a cop here. You're not even my lover here. Here, you're just another soul. Take the bracelet and go back to the real world, where you're my man. Go back, and wait for me."

  "No."

  "Please! Paul, I'm begging you." I dropped to my knees, pleading with my body and my words. "Do this for me."

  "Get up, Jess." He gently pulled me to my hooves "Hon, I can't leave you. It's not right. I'm sorry, but I won't do it."

  "For once in your stubborn life, don't be a White Knight. Don't do the right thing. Do the best thing, for you and for us. Please," I said, "trust me."

  "I do trust you, Jess." He traced his fingers down my cheek, his calloused fingers soft against the leather of my flesh. "I do. More than ever. You came to Hell to free me. How can you think even for a minute that I would do anything less? I'm not leaving you here, Jesse."

  I blew out a frustrated sigh. "You are so damn infuriating."

  "This from the woman who went out to a strip club after I asked her not to."

  "You didn't ask, you told. And don't change the subject." I rested my head against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around my shoulders. "I was going to move out, you know," I whispered. "After our fight, I thought we were done."

  He said nothing for a moment, just held me close
as he stroked my shoulder. It felt nice. I closed my eyes, listened to his heart beating in his chest, the sound working its music into my body.

  "I'm so sorry about that," he said, breaking the silence. "God, it feels like forever ago. It was stupid, Jess. I'm sorry I hurt you."

  "Me too, love." I hugged him tight. "Me too."

  "Is this the part where we kiss and make up?"

  I looked up at him, saw the love sparkling in his eyes. Bless me, I felt like I could fly. "You bet. Wait, hang on a sec." I let my power wash over me, turning me once again into Jesse Harris, human, sister of a rather annoying know-it-all witch.

  "Stop."

  "What's wrong?"

  "You don't have to do that." He motioned to my face, my body. My human shell. "You don't have to hide what you think you are."

  I smiled, feeling melancholy and proud and so much in love. "Sweetie, you've been through a lot today. I mean, we broke tip, you got seduced and killed, then you went to Hell. Now you're coming to grips with your girlfriend being a bona fide demon. Ex-demon. Whatever I am. Too much shock is bad for you."

  "What's it going to do, kill me?" He smiled, squeezed my shoulder. "Jess, I love you, whatever you look like. You don't have to hide yourself from me."

  I wanted to cheer and cry and laugh all at once. "I'm not, love. Think of it as me playing dress-up."

  "Jess…"

  I shushed him with a kiss. His mouth parted, and our tongues touched, connected, rolled together. I gripped him tightly, pulled his torso against my breasts as the kiss deepened. His hands roamed down my back, tripped down my spine and cupped my ass, squeezed. Yum.

  He broke the kiss, whispered in my ear: "Please tell me that there's nothing chasing us, that we're really alone and have all the time in the world."

  "Endless Caverns," I said, "remember? All we have is time."

  "Just checking."

  Then his mouth was on my earlobe, sucking the sensitive skin until I moaned. He worked his way down my neck, traced the outline of my collarbone with his tongue. I took his head in my hands, lifted him back up to kiss him again, mashing his lips against mine, showing him with my mouth how much I wanted him inside of me. His rod pushed against his jeans, pressed against my belly, thick with need, announcing his want for me in return.

  We moved together, our bodies finding a shared rhythm as our hips danced in slow circles. My fingers trailed down his chest, found his nipples and rubbed them, flicked them until they were erect beneath my touch. He ummmed, the sound muffled by our tongues and teeth.

  Yes, love. I know.

  My hands moved down his torso, brushing over his firm stomach, pausing at his jeans. Even with thousands of years of experience under my belt, I still needed two hands to unfasten his pants and yank them and his underwear down his thighs. His rod saluted my efforts.

  Ooh. Ten hut, soldier.

  I ran my hand over the thatch of kinky hair just above his engorged penis, traced the V of his groin. Then my fingers danced over his tip, and he quivered beneath my touch. Feeling him want me so much nearly brought me to orgasm by itself—bless me, I loved making him feel so good. Speaking of which…

  Taking his erection in my hand, I squeezed gently, feeling him throb. Paul moaned into my mouth as I kissed him harder. I stroked him slowly, up to his tip and down to his pubic hair, and back again, rocking my hips with the movement.

  One of his hands left my ass, reached behind and under me. Between my legs he found me hot and moist, ready for him. He pressed inside of me, and I gasped as he stroked my nub. My body tensed, a coil ready to spring. Wait, not yet…

  Biting my lip, I moved his hand away from my lips, stopped stroking his shaft.

  "Love?" His breath tickled my neck. "Everything okay?"

  "Yes, just have to…"

  I stopped speaking and instead threw my concentration into creating a futon mattress resting over the jagged ground. Couldn't have the rocks slicing our tender mortal flesh. Once the makeshift bed was in place, we tumbled onto it, our hands already latching onto each other's sex. I rolled him onto his back, then slid my body down his. His erection rubbed against my belly, between my boobs, against my lips. Opening wide, I swallowed him down.

  His hands clamped down on my head, but I didn't need his direction to know he wanted me to go faster. And I did, sucking him, pressing my tongue against his cock and fondling his balls with my hand. His groans grew louder, encouraging me to take him even deeper. Yes, love, yes—all for you…

  Then he moaned, "Stop, please, I want us to come together."

  As my White Knight commanded.

  With one last kiss on the tip of his shaft, I crawled up the length of his body and mounted him. He thrust himself inside of me, speared me, pierced my core. Limbs entwined, we pumped, me riding him and him bucking up to meet me, our bodies slapping time. Heat pulsed in my groin, my breasts, my thighs; I moved faster, took him deeper, felt liquid fire coursing through my blood as my body tightened, tightened—

  Paul cried out, his body arching up and up—

  —and I screamed in pure pleasure as the orgasm crashed through me—

  —and he ejaculated inside of me, our juices mixing like a sex cocktail.

  Tangled together, we murmured thank yous and whispered words known only by lovers sharing a climax. Basking in the afterglow of sex, I ran my hands through Paul's hair, enjoying the feel of the curling strands around my fingers. He stretched out beside me, luxuriating in my touch and making contented sounds as I played. Eyes closed, he smiled at me.

  I loved his sounds. I loved making him feel good.

  I loved him.

  Soon his head nodded to the side. The long day of death and afterlife had finally caught up with him. Good. He needed rest. I watched him until I was sure he was truly asleep. Then I slowly unclasped the golden bracelet from my wrist.

  A sad smile on my face, I gently lifted Paul's arm and wrapped the jewelry around his wrist. His eyelids fluttered open just as I lined up the clasp.

  I kissed his lips, then whispered, "Goodbye, love. I'll see you soon."

  His mouth opened, probably to protest. I snapped the clasp closed before he could speak.

  The Rope of Hecate glowed—and Paul vanished, his voice calling my name. It echoed in the empty passage of the Endless Caverns until it, like Paul, disappeared.

  Chapter 19

  Hell

  One down.

  I stood, shaking off the post-lovemaking soporific dregs. As much as I wanted to curl up and sleep, I didn't have the luxury. Despite what I'd told Paul, there was a Big Bad Evil out there, waiting for me. Every second I delayed was another that Lillith would use to plot something particularly spiteful and nasty. My own fault; I should have listened to Daun and killed her.

  You're not a killer, Jesse. Even when you were a demon, you weren't all about death, doom, and damnation.

  Well, maybe the damnation part. And, you know, the death thing.

  I felt Peaches shrug. Semantics. You've always cared for others, even here in Hell. That's why you actually have friends, here in the place where friendship is scorned.

  I also seem to have a growing list of enemies.

  One that will keep getting longer if you don't start culling the list, one way or another.

  What, so you're encouraging me to be all about the vengeance?

  If not you, then someone. Otherwise, you may have a very short ride on the mortal coil.

  Dandy. My conscience wanted me to hire my very own demon killers.

  Hey, Peaches said, at least one of its should be thinking about your continued survival.

  So, what, should I place a personal ad? Wanted: Demon Hunter? Maybe take a stroll into Van Helsings 'R Us?

  Peaches muttered a slew of curses that nearly set my hair on fire.

  Running my hands over my body, I worked my magic to clothe myself in the outfit from my fantasy, enjoying the feeling of the silk wrapping itself around me, girding me, hiding yet flaunting my body. My
human body. Whatever I once had been, now I was a mortal. And it was as a mortal that I would help free Meg.

  You're insane.

  I sighed. Et tu, Peaches?

  Meg's a Fury. You really think she could be forced into doing anything she doesn't want to do?

  She has a warped sense of duty. If she thinks she deserves punishment, she'll allow herself to be punished.

  So maybe you should leave it alone. If it's what she wants, who are you to tell her otherwise?

  I'm her friend.

  She left you to die.

  I know. But I love her still.

  Humans, Peaches snorted, disgusted. You guys are really fucked up in the head.

  I knew that too. Sighing, I pinched the bridge of my nose, wondering if the knocking in my brain was Peaches throwing a temper tantrum or if I was on the verge of a migraine. I lowered my hand and lifted my chin. Enough of the mental Damned If You Do thing. Time to get moving, before I lost my nerve.

  What I'd said to Paul before was true: in Hell, we take our names seriously. If someone speaks the name of an entity residing in Hell, that entity will hear the speaker, even if it's just a background voice nearly lost in the flotsam of nefarious whisperings. Whether that entity would choose to address (or torture) the speaker was another story. Three times, I decided: speaking her name three times would be enough to get her attention.

  "Alecto Erinyes," I called out. "You asked me to go to Hell to save your sister. Alecto Erinyes, I'm here, in Hell. Alecto Erinyes, she who was Jezebel is waiting for you."

  In my mind, a presence stirred, a serpent uncoiling. Jesse Harris. Jezebel. You've come to do as I've asked?

  Yes.

  You've come freely, and of your own will?

  Yes.

  You've come to free Megaera?

  Yes.

  Then Come to me.

  The Endless Caverns winked out, and in a blink I was somewhere else. I immediately shielded my face, but not before the brightest of lights dazzled my eyes, momentarily blinding me. Hazard of being summoned by one of the seven most powerful entities in the Universe: sometimes that power shone through, dwarfing everything else.

  Crap. I hated dealing with über-powerful entities without my sunglasses.