“I suppose I don’t need a date, except that there’s…security in numbers. You go without at least one partner, anybody and everybody will claim your ass. And I’ve been single the last few times.”
“Demons will really respect my authority?” Archer found that hard to believe.
“Sure.” Kev shrugged. “It’s humiliating for me to take commands from you, they’ll like participating.”
“Great,” said Archer. He scowled. “What if I hand your ass over?”
“It’s yours to do with as you will,” said Kev. When Archer glanced at his steadily hardening cock, Kev followed his line of sight, looked up, and grinned awkwardly. “I might get off a little on it.” He paused. “This doesn’t bother you, does it?”
“I’ve seen cock before, Kev.” Archer smiled a little. This demon was a mess, one moment refusing safewords, the next checking in with Archer’s comfort. Definitely he was unpopular down here with other demons. Archer almost felt sorry for him. “And I’m sitting here in my boxers.”
And he was getting hard, too, seeing Kev was into it. The idea of being able to call all the shots did have its allure. Knowing Kev was into it helped.
“Anything in particular you want?”
Kev answered that with a grin.
“Okay,” said Archer. “Then we can talk about my soul again. Is the spell to get me back to Earth in that book of yours?”
“Sure,” said Kev, getting to his feet again and retrieving the book. “I bet 1001 Simple Summoning Circles for Everyday Evils should have one in it. I don’t think I’d screw it up. It’s bound to be something similar to what you’d use to summon a demon…” He flipped through the pages. “Here.”
Archer took the book, looked it over. He couldn’t read the language, but the circle symbol was very much like what he’d used several nights earlier, just a few differences. He could probably do it himself when the time came. He closed the book and tucked it in a pouch that came with the leather belt.
“You’re going to try a summoning spell from inside the First Bank of Hell?” asked Kev. His eyes were wide.
“You want to come back through the reveling to here? Aren’t demons sensitive to the presence of souls?”
“Yes,” said Kev, and looked away. “You’d get torn apart. But there are wards…”
“Good thing we have a book of spells, then,” said Archer. “When does this party start?”
He couldn’t tell whether it already had. Time felt off to him here, and the noise from outside the window had grown since they’d started talking. There were more torches passing by in the gloom, too, that he could tell. He had a knife at his belt—probably for edgeplay, though he had no interest in that—but he checked to make sure it was secure anyway. Even if it was foolish to take a swipe at a demon, Archer felt more confident knowing he had a weapon. And he wouldn’t want to lose it if he needed more of his blood to send himself back home.
“Well, we could probably go out now…” Kev trailed off, squinted at the window. “There’s a lot of feasting and drinking before it really gets started. When you hear the gongs, that’s the true beginning of the festivities. I normally wait. You can be fined if you’re caught in the streets ahead of time—shirking duties. And I suck at making soul deals, so I’m an easy target…one year I was reported.”
“Well, shit,” said Archer. “What were you fined?”
“Half my savings, and I was sent to the bed of a high-ranking demon for a fortnight.” He caught Archer’s expression, shrugged. “Better than the fields.”
“This place blows.”
“It’s Hell,” said Kev. “What did you expect?”
Archer hadn’t really thought too much about it until now. It hadn’t really been something real, anyway, not in the way anything else was. Kev himself was probably making the place seem a lot safer than it really was. Archer would have to watch himself, probably be a little hard on Kev when giving orders. Assert a dominant position.
“And you’re sure the other demons will be all right with me?”
“Tell me what to do like you have been and you’ll be fine.” Kev paused, grinned. “What, afraid?”
“Analyzing.”
“Well, I wouldn’t blame you. When I first got here—”
“Shut up,” said Archer, and Kev went silent. Archer felt immediately guilty. Kev had been about to share something, and Archer had dismissed the demon because he didn’t want to hear about whatever terrible abuse had happened to Kev his first day in Hell. He didn’t want to take it back and look like he was scared, though, so he didn’t. “I didn’t get much sleep before you dragged me down here. I’m going to nap.”
Kev nodded but said nothing. When Archer curled up on the fur he heard the demon moving away to a corner somewhere. He closed his eyes and tried to doze.
* * * *
Kev tried to get a little rest curled in the corner, but he didn’t sleep well. He never did, really. When the gongs sounded, Archer rose like he was waking up from a sleep where he hadn’t been tossing and turning for the past few hours. Kev didn’t say anything about it. He still found it difficult to rest here so he could hardly fault a first-timer for it. Yawning, Archer picked up the cloak from the floor and put it on.
“Kev,” he said.
Kev went to him, waiting for an order, instructions. For a moment Archer looked like he’d ask what Kev wanted, then he motioned with a hand.
“Turn around. Hands behind your back.”
Kev’s heart raced as Archer bound his wrists together, then extended the chain to his collar. By the time Archer had finished and grabbed the end of the chain in his hand, Kev was half hard. He licked his lips. He was going to enjoy this Helloween much more than the last, even if it might end with his soul obliterated.
At this point, the thought of that made it hotter. Not only was Archer ordering him around, he was having Kev risk his very soul. No demon had ever demanded so much of Kev.
Just when he was prepared to be marched out into the street for all to see, all to gawk at his erection and his shame, Archer put a hand on Kev’s shoulder and turned him around to face him. There was something gentle in Archer’s expression, maybe something grateful. When Kev tilted his eyes downward, Archer put a hand under Kev’s chin and forced him to look up.
“Thanks for this,” said Archer, words nearly a whisper. “I’m not going to forget it.”
“Unless your soul’s destroyed,” said Kev.
It was a shitty thing to say. Archer leaned in and kissed him anyway, a gentle kiss, with feeling. Kev had forgotten what tenderness felt like, was something he hadn’t experienced in years, and when Archer pulled back he surged forward. Kev wanted more. Some old emotion seemed to claw at him from within, and he wanted Archer’s lips again. Needed them.
“Calm down, we’re going,” said Archer, pushing Kev back.
He thought Kev was just horny. He didn’t understand. Kev wanted to say something but couldn’t, and in a moment Kev found himself leading Archer to the door, then down the three steps into the street. Kev’s heart ached. He suddenly didn’t want to be here among filthy demons. He’d skip the celebrations this year altogether if it meant he could spend the time with Archer.
“They never mention how bad it smells here,” said Archer.
He gave Kev a shove forward and they entered the already half-full street. Kev shook himself, tried to pull himself together. What was he thinking, wanting some sort of loving encounter with a soulless human? It was very un-demon of him. It was like the man he used to be was awakening, and Kev couldn’t let it. Not if he wanted to keep himself out of trouble once Archer had left again. He forced the kiss from his mind and thought about the taste of Archer’s blood on Ira’s lips instead. Intoxicating, exhilarating…
One of the passing demons looked Kev up and down and sneered broadly before stalking away to grab another demon, probably his partner.
“If I gave you to everyone who looked at you like that, how long would yo
ur ass last?” asked Archer.
“Oh, God,” said Kev. His ass clenched of its own volition at the thought.
“Funny. I doubt he’ll be saving you here.”
“None of us are actually sure he even exists.” Kev let his eyes wander along the people on the street as he set an easygoing pace that wouldn’t get them where they were going fast, but did afford them the cover of seeming like they were only here for the party. “Some of us think if there’s Hell, there must be a Heaven, even if no one’s ever seen an angel.”
“I don’t believe in strict binaries,” said Archer then, “Stop chatting so much. Nobody else is.”
Kev shut up, excited. He kept trying to look back at Archer but whenever he did Archer yanked the chain and shoved him. About halfway down the block, Archer seemed to remember he had a whip, and the next time Kev tried to glance at the human he received a strike to the ass that made him yelp.
“Keep moving,” said Archer.
Kev swallowed and obeyed, but his exclamation had drawn attention to them. Several interested demons circled, a few Kev knew from run-ins around deals. They wore various costumes, from sultry to torturous, and their eyes consumed him so hungrily he could practically feel them.
“Piece of meat this year, are you?” asked Deathkiss. She cocked an eyebrow back at Archer. “Tethered to a human. Pathetic.”
“The little maggot’s little maggot likes it,” said Sloan. “You know what we do with maggots?”
“Crush ‘em,” said a demon Kev didn’t know.
Several other demons leaned in, leering, and Archer yanked on the chain, pulling Kev back so hard he choked. The whip struck Kev across the ass again, and again, and his eyes watered.
“I told you not to strut,” said Archer, and he sounded legitimately pissed. “Bastard. Like I want all this attention.” Another strike from the whip. “Now everyone wants a piece of you.”
Kev swallowed, not sure he should respond, so he opted for staying silent. The demons continued to circle with their ravenous expressions, curious to see what Archer would do. It was rare a demon would let a human own them like this and Kev figured they were equally interested in seeing whether Archer was up for the task.
“On your knees,” said Archer, and snapped the whip through the air to punctuate the order. “Now.”
Kev complied, sank to the hot, crusty street. One of his knees set down in something wet, but he couldn’t move his head to look. Two of the demons were playing with their cocks, and Deathkiss ran a long, pointed tongue across her bottom lip and teeth.
“Always knew Kev would let a human get the better of him,” said Sloan.
“You are?” asked Archer. He managed to sound both unimpressed and irritated.
Kev’s cock twitched in response. Damn, Archer really hadn’t been joking when he said he wasn’t afraid. That itself was hot, and more than that, the fact that Kev had no idea what Archer would do with him. He had a pretty good guess what another demon might turn him over for at this point, but Archer was standing very, very close to Kev’s ass. One of his feet was planted firmly between Kev’s legs, Archer’s knee in his back. It didn’t seem likely he’d hand Kev’s ass over.
“Sloan, asshole,” said Sloan, and leaned in to sneer at Archer. “A demon you can’t chain.”
“Sloan,” said Archer. “Soldier. Warrior. Your name suits you. I doubt you could be chained. You and I, we’re the sort who do the chaining.”
“That so,” said Sloan, but Kev could tell the demon liked Archer.
“If you’re the master of this demon, let us have him then,” said one of the other circling demons.
“And you are?” asked Archer.
“Bilelust. No one chains me.”
To Kev’s surprise, Archer scoffed. While Bilelust wasn’t as dominant a presence in the group as Deathkiss or Sloan, he was still a demon, still dangerous, and Archer had to know that.
“Go fuck yourself,” said Archer.
The other demons whooped in amusement, and Kev could see even from this angle the corner of Sloan’s mouth had turned up. Bilelust sputtered and stalked away, several other demons trailing him, off in search of easier targets to screw around with. Archer had the attention of all the remaining demons, and a few others who’d wandered over to watch.
“You, you, and you,” said Archer, pointing to Sloan, Deathkiss, and a third demon with a wide cock that curved to the left. “Can have him. The rest of you get the fuck out of here or watch, but hands off.”
“Wait,” said Kev, but Archer ignored him and grabbed a fistful of his hair, yanked Kev’s head back.
“Behave yourself,” said Archer, tapping Kev’s back with the whip. “And don’t come.”
With his head pulled back this far, Kev could see Archer. He searched for Archer’s eyes, met them, saw something glittering in them he didn’t have time to think about. Deathkiss had sidled over, the demon the other two deferred to in the group of them, and grabbed Kev’s jaw. Her grip was tight; her nails dug in so hard, Kev felt something warm run down his chin that had to be his own blood. Then she parted his lips, leaned in, and covered his mouth with hers. Her tongue, thinner and longer than Ira’s had been, snaked down his throat, and she pinched his nose shut. Kev endured, his stomach flopping, his cock confused, and when she finally pulled back he gasped air in loudly.
“Weak, isn’t he,” she said, looking him up and down.
“Why do you think I’m only letting three of you on him,” said Archer. “Don’t want to break him this early on.”
Deathkiss dropped to her knees and took Kev’s hard cock in hand. He groaned, concerned about stopping himself from coming, and then Sloan’s cock was at Kev’s lips. Archer held Kev’s head in place by his hair as Sloan began having his way with Kev’s mouth, while Deathkiss clamped her lips around the head of Kev’s cock. Kev’s blood pounded fiercely in his veins, his wrists strained against the restraints, and he gagged on Sloan’s cock as Deathkiss’s tongue entered him. She forced it almost halfway up his shaft before his stretched slit wouldn’t take any more.
Kev groaned, eyes wet. He wanted to collapse, but Archer’s knee placed firmly in his back, Archer’s hand in his hair, kept him in place. The last demon came over, shoved his cock into Kev’s face. He managed to take in both Sloan’s and this other demon’s, Kev’s lips stretching painfully. Deathkiss’s lips formed a playful vacuum around Kev’s head and her tongue moved in and out, thrusting on him like the two demons fucking his face were.
Suddenly, Sloan pulled back, popped his cock out. He toyed with himself as the second demon took Kev hard, free to have him at his own pace. Kev could tell what this demon intended, and in a few minutes his mouth filled with come. He didn’t have the chance to really swallow before the demon retreated and Sloan’s cock was pumping him again. Saliva and come trickled out the corners of Kev’s mouth, and Sloan pulled back again.
“Not going to waste it on you,” he said, and stalked off through the crowd.
Kev gasped, licked his lips, moaned as Deathkiss’s tongue penetrated him again. His scalp ached, even after Archer released him, and he was aware of just how many eyes were watching his humiliation. Just when he thought he couldn’t endure one more second of her tongue up his dick, Deathkiss pulled back, scratched her way up his sides, and bit his nipple.
Kev cried out. She laughed, smacked the side of his head, and stood. Kev knelt there, head down, blinking back the tears in his eyes, and only realized she’d gone to Archer when she spoke.
“Hope to see you around more often, human,” she said.
Archer didn’t reply. He grabbed Kev’s shoulder and hauled him up, the crowd dispersing, off to find their own enjoyment. Kev stumbled forward as Archer shoved him, throat sore, the inside of his cock sore. He hadn’t had anything up there in a long time, and Deathkiss had licked him raw. He groaned as they blended back in with the crowd.
“Problem?” asked Archer.
“You sound happy,” said Kev. He winced
when Archer laughed.
“Apart from that being hot, I got to kiss a demon, so.” He paused. “You glad I didn’t give them your ass?”
“She kissed you?” asked Kev. He didn’t know why that bothered him.
“No. I kissed her.”
“How far did you let her stick her tongue?” asked Kev, his cock twitching in remembrance.
“I used mine.” Archer breathed out in amusement. “I saw hers when she was going at you. No way I was having that down my throat.”
“There’s that at least,” said Kev.
“Stop sounding pissy or shut up,” said Archer.
“Do I get a choice?”
“Not anymore. Be quiet, or I’ll gag you.”
Kev clamped his mouth shut, wary Archer was taking this too far. Too far wasn’t really a thing in Hell, but when it came to Archer, Kev liked remembering the kiss and didn’t want how he felt about it to change. Maybe he was too sentimental. He supposed he had been years ago, but he was a demon now.
There was just something about this Helloween that felt different. Probably it was Archer being there, but Kev worried it was something else. He should be enjoying himself more. He would be enjoying himself more—unlike handing the chains around his throat to another demon, he actually trusted Archer—but there was something too comfortable about the situation that made him uncomfortable.
He licked the last traces of come from the corner of his mouth. He really shouldn’t question anything that was happening.
* * * *
It was like the other demons all knew what had happened a few blocks back already. Archer found it interesting how demons made way for him now, didn’t leer quite so much—at him, at least. Most still made eyes at Kev, but Archer didn’t want to delay any more than he had to. The sooner he could get his soul and leave Hell, the better. He’d already seen some things he’d characterize as coming straight out of a horror story, and as much as he’d had fun back there watching demons have their way with Kev, there were some things he’d rather stay away from.
Kev stayed silent as they walked, though his shoulders and wrists had to be hurting him by now. They’d been out in the crowd well over an hour from what Archer could tell, but what Kev seemed to be whiny about was that kiss Archer had with the demon. As though Kev hadn’t had three demons to himself just before then. Most likely he was pissy because he wanted Archer to smack him around more.
Date from Hell Page 3