Date from Hell

by Gareth Vaughn

  “You’re not the kind of guy to back out,” said Kev. “I like that about you.” Kev waited for Archer to respond, but when he didn’t, Kev worried. “Was that the wrong thing to say?”

  “Why are you so afraid of offending me?” Archer smiled a little, shook his head. “You’re a demon. You confuse me, Kev. You shouldn’t give a damn. Heh.”

  Kev didn’t know what to say to that. He flushed with embarrassment or shame, couldn’t look back at Archer. He didn’t normally think much about what he said, unless he was trying to get something, maybe, or had a reason to choose his words carefully. And he wanted Archer to like him like he liked Archer. Shit. He hadn’t fallen for anyone in so long, he wasn’t even sure that was what was happening now, but he feared it. Something was definitely different about how he felt toward Archer.

  “I didn’t tell you to shut up,” said Archer, his tone closer to how it was when giving orders.

  “I said I like you,” said Kev.

  “Meaning?”

  “Look, we’re here.”

  Kev stopped at the bottom before a couple of dinged metal doors, underwhelming after all the stairs. He took out Ira’s keycard and ran it, half expecting it not to take, but the light flashed red, and the door clicked open when he tried the handle. When they entered, black lights flickered on, illuminating a desk with chair, computer terminal, and sign-in sheet. Beyond that, rows and rows of shelves stretched, the vials glowing eerily, their contents dark as individual black holes.

  To Kev’s surprise, Archer snorted. When Kev looked over, he noticed the winged cheeses glowing on Archer’s boxers. He hadn’t thought it was possible for the pants to be more obnoxious.

  “The First Bank of Hell is literally a blood bank,” said Archer.

  “Well, they’re souls.”

  “Souls in blood,” said Archer. “And from the way you act about it, it’s a delicacy. Why are you staring at my crotch?”

  “I’m in awe,” said Kev, then, “I mean—I didn’t think they could get worse.”

  “Oh, shut up. These are great boxers.”

  “I don’t get them.” Kev didn’t like admitting he didn’t understand a joke.

  “They’re great because they’re hideous. You should see my favorite pair.”

  Kev almost said he hoped he never had to, but he wasn’t sure if Archer was suggesting anything by it and he didn’t want to say no if it came back to bite him. He walked forward first, thinking if there was some sort of alarm he wanted to be the one to set it off, but nothing happened. Apparently it wasn’t assumed that anyone would do something so potentially devastating as break into the First Bank of Hell for a soul.

  “You’re going to need your last name for this,” said Kev.

  “Right.” Archer walked down the lines of shelves, peering around. “Are these really all A?”

  “Bet that’s why there were so many steps,” said Kev, pointing to a spiral staircase in the middle of the floor. “Each level must be a different letter.”

  “All the way up to L, then,” said Archer, and went for the stairs.

  Kev followed, eyes drawn to Archer’s ass despite the horrific cheeses. What they’d done on the statue came back to him and his cock responded almost immediately, the smell of Archer’s blood only exciting him faster. Kev wanted to come sometime today, and he wanted to do it with Archer. The desire was almost unbearable. He backed off a few steps.

  “You got quiet,” said Archer when they were at H level. He glanced back, rolled his eyes. “Oh. Go on ahead.”

  Kev swallowed a complaint and kept going while Archer stepped off onto H level to let him by. But Archer’s presence behind him on the stairs didn’t help his erection—it just made him think about Archer looking at his ass, admiring it. Kev hoped it made him hard, too.

  When they reached L level and stepped out into the shelves Archer took the lead again, off down one direction and then the other, searching. Kev hung back, watching Archer move, trying to enjoy it. But he was tense for some reason other than that they were breaking in, beyond being horny. Archer was going to find his soul, and he was going to leave. And Kev didn’t much like that.

  “I don’t understand how these are organized,” said Archer, frowning at Kev. “Get your ass over here and help. What’s with these symbols? This isn’t all Roman alphabet.”

  “Why would it be?” asked Kev.

  “Okay,” said Archer, visibly deflated. “I want to find Lewis.”

  “Lewis. Archer Lewis.” Kev ran it over his tongue, unsettled at the look Archer was giving him. “Uh—probably that way.”

  Archer stalked off the way he pointed and Kev trailed after him. He didn’t know if he should apologize or shut up or what, but he didn’t want Archer to be upset with him. Kev settled on giving him the equivalent information.

  “I’m Mooney.”

  “Fuck you, Kev, don’t tell me that.” Archer sounded distressed. “I don’t want to—this look right?”

  Kev peered at the plaque on the end of the shelving unit and shrugged.

  “Maybe the next shelf down,” he said, and stuck close to Archer as they moved between the sinister looking vials. “I always thought Kevin Mooney was a boring name.”

  Archer stopped, glanced back at him. Kev couldn’t read his expression.

  “Oh, that’s your name?” He blinked, turned back. “Of course it is. This looks like something I can read.”

  He stopped at the space between this shelf and the next to look at the plaque briefly. Kev’s stomach tightened. Too late he realized Archer would have taken much longer on his own to track down the correct shelf if Kev had just pretended not to know the various other characters. But they were here, now, and Kev would be more conscious of milking the last bit of time they had together.

  “More people sell their souls than I figured,” said Archer, running his finger through the air as he looked for the vial with his name. “It’s terrifying.”

  “You said it was arousing.”

  “That too.” Archer paused, frowning, as his eyes reached the top of the shelf, then he went back to the middle where he’d started and worked his way down. “Still. You’d think it’s not worth it.”

  “It was worth it for you,” said Kev. “Even though we both know your brother’s just going to die someday anyway.”

  Archer bit his lip but didn’t say anything. Kev clenched his teeth briefly—this was not how he wanted their last moments together to be. He needed to smooth it over.

  “And I thought by giving over my soul I was saving it.” Kev paused, breathed out. “Thing is, we all know there’s nothing worth it. Not really. It’s just…up against your fears, sometimes you’ll do anything not to lose.”

  “Are you speaking for yourself, Kev?”

  “I’d sell it again, right now, right here,” said Kev, and swallowed, and waited for a response, but Archer had found what he was looking for and seemed to be conveniently ignoring him.

  “Here. Two from the bottom,” said Archer, and reached for the vial.

  * * * *

  “Wait,” said Kev, and placed his hand on Archer’s.

  The touch stung, Kev’s rough palm over Archer’s raw knuckles. When Archer turned to glare at him, Kev’s face was very close to his. The demon breathed out hard and warm over Archer’s skin, eyes wide and dilated.

  “Asshole,” said Archer. He pulled his hand away. “The fuck is it? You want my blood so bad?”

  Kev swallowed, turned his hand over. His eyes ran over the smears of blood on his hand hungrily, but then he clenched it closed, and looked up at Archer. Kev’s eyes were painfully intense, but Archer had enough experience making uncomfortable eye contact and he didn’t look away.

  “Nothing else we did tripped an alarm,” said Kev at last.

  “And this would,” said Archer. He didn’t bother removing any of the irritation or skepticism from his voice. “You know this how?”

  “It’s Hell.” Kev swallowed hard. “It’d make you th
ink you had it, and then…I mean, there’s a guy out there who’s been pushing this boulder up a hill for an eternity at least—”

  “Okay,” said Archer. That was enough for him. “Obviously the last thing I want to do is screw this up right at the end here. You have any suggestions?”

  “Prep the summoning—or I guess reverse-summoning—spell first,” said Kev. He looked sad more than ravenous now. “Then if you pull your soul off the shelf and trip an alarm, you can get away before security shows up.” He couldn’t meet Archer’s gaze any more. “You’ll need blood for the circle.”

  “I have it.” It was flowing through Archer’s veins. “Will you help me translate this?”

  Kev nodded.

  “Thanks.” Archer pulled the book out, Kev’s doubt filling him with questions. “This isn’t going to undo my deal with Ira, is it? I don’t want to get back to Earth and find Ryan’s…”

  “I don’t know. I’m sorry, Archer. I don’t know if anyone’s ever done this. I collect souls and I don’t think this would affect your brother, but I just don’t know.”

  Archer considered a moment. It sounded like there was a good chance he could keep his brother and his soul. At any rate, he figured he had to take it, and if he got back and found Ryan was in danger again, he could try to make another deal. He nodded.

  “If an alarm trips, what will you do?”

  “I can probably get out in time,” said Kev.

  His nervous smile said otherwise to Archer. Archer ran over what they’d done—that Kev had used his keycard and there was probably a record of that, and that he’d stolen Ira’s, too. If Kev could probably get out in time, he’d probably also get caught later. He had to know that.

  “You’d do this for me?” asked Archer. When Kev shrugged, Archer felt he had to offer the demon something. “How can I thank you? You’re risking your existence.”

  “Don’t remind me.” Kev reached out for Archer’s hand and Archer let him take it, his hands gentle this time. “All I want—no, all I’m asking—kiss me.”

  “You want a kiss for putting your soul in eternal danger.” Archer could barely believe this. Kev wasn’t even asking for blood. “Really?”

  “I want you to kiss me like you first did, in my room,” said Kev. He didn’t look at Archer, but he toyed with his fingers in slow motions. “I want to feel that tenderness again. I didn’t think I still could, until you…This entire time I’ve been with you, even out in the depravity and overindulgence, I just felt…different. More like my old self. Maybe more like my real self.” He breathed out in a little half-laugh. “It’s ridiculous. I’m a filthy, horny demon. But it’s like there’s something still a little human about me when I’m with you. So that’s what I want. To really feel it one last time. Uh, before you go, I mean.”

  “That’s not what you mean,” said Archer. It was forward, confronting Kev with his approaching destruction. The demon released Archer’s hand.

  “I asked you not to remind me,” whispered Kev.

  Archer immediately felt like shit. He reached out, tilted Kev’s face toward him. Kev’s eyes were wet, but he blinked hard and cleared them. The demon let Archer draw their faces, their lips together, let Archer set the slow pace. He kissed Kev once, gently, and pulled back.

  “Sorry about that,” he said, and leaned in to kiss Kev again.

  Kev responded this time, melted into Archer’s lead and returned the tenderness. Archer hadn’t been expecting that and his pulse jumped. Archer ran his fingers back along Kev’s jaw, into his hair, rubbed at his skull. When Kev moaned, Archer ate it up, kissed him again. Kev had only asked for one. Archer was going to give him as many as he could.

  At some point they turned, faced each other. Making out was turning Archer on, and he could see Kev was as hard as he was. For now, nobody knew they were here. For now, they could kiss as long as they wanted, no one watching or leering, waiting to pounce. Just the two of them together on the smooth, warm floor, darkness around them apart from the soft glow of the black lights bouncing off the white lids on the soul vials. Archer toyed with Kev’s hair, traced a hand down the side of the demon’s collared neck.

  Kev sat there, eyes closed, responding to Archer’s touch. When Archer trailed his hand down Kev’s arm, up Kev’s side, the demon shuddered. Archer lowered him to the floor, kept kissing him. This was beyond what Kev had asked for, so far beyond his request, and Archer didn’t care. He didn’t want to stop now that he’d started. He liked Kev a lot, liked the feel of Kev beneath his fingers, lips.

  Archer knew he should be more concerned about his soul, sitting there on the shelf behind them, calling to him. But there was time, he needed there to be time. He couldn’t leave Kev yet.

  “Archer,” breathed Kev when Archer pulled away.

  He kissed Kev’s throat instead of responding, stubbly and vulnerable. Kev stopped complaining, surrendered to Archer in a way that was different from before. Earlier he’d been following orders, enjoying Archer’s commands. Now he seemed to relax, really relax, as Archer caressed his skin, kissed the hollow of his neck.

  “How does that feel?” asked Archer.

  “Oh, God,” said Kev, and it didn’t seem funny this time.

  “I don’t have to stop yet,” said Archer, and kissed his way lower. He ran a hand across Kev’s thigh but didn’t touch his cock.

  “Don’t. Please.”

  Archer felt Kev’s hand in his hair as he kissed lower, across Kev’s stomach. The touch was light, more Kev’s fingers running through Archer’s hair, feeling him, than guiding him anywhere. Archer parted Kev’s legs a few inches, passed a featherlight touch over the sensitive skin of Kev’s inner thighs. Kev’s cock jumped as Archer’s fingers briefly moved to the base of Kev’s ass, then he pulled away and surged up to kiss Kev again. The demon met his lips more needily, so Archer added his tongue.

  Archer didn’t particularly want to leave Kev here to his doom, and definitely wasn’t going to ask Kev to do it unfulfilled.

  “Let me fuck you?” he asked against Kev’s lips.

  “Yes,” said the demon, eyes still closed.

  Archer kept kissing him, then slowly turned him over on the floor, pulled his hair back to kiss his jaw over his shoulder. Kev sighed, went where Archer moved him, leaned into Archer’s touch when Archer rubbed Kev’s back, massaged his ass. Kev’s body felt good, skin softer than Archer would expect of a demon. Archer was hard, and hot, and enjoying himself more than he probably should. He leaned down and kissed Kev’s lower back, then parted his cheeks. He spat on Kev’s asshole, then left it there and leaned up to Kev’s face again.

  The demon accepted the fingers Archer offered, sucked them like a cock. Archer slid his free hand in his boxers and stroked himself along his shaft in time to Kev’s motions, letting himself build closer and closer to orgasm, releasing himself before he got too far. He pulled his fingers from Kev’s mouth, retreated down to Kev’s ass again.

  The first finger, then the second, entered easily. Kev was clearly used to taking more than a couple of fingers, and Archer figured he could give Kev everything if he wanted, but that wasn’t what he was going for. Instead, he placed his free hand on Kev’s hip, pulled him up to rest on hands and knees. Kev was good at being guided. Archer pulled the demon back on his fingers, burying them as far as they could go up Kev’s ass. Kev moaned.

  “Yes,” said Kev, word barely audible.

  Archer moved his fingers in and out, thrusting gently, Kev rocking against him. When Archer found the right spot, Kev groaned; Archer began to work it, rub it. He spat on his other hand then and took hold of Kev’s cock.

  Kev let out a noise that spiked Archer’s pulse. Archer pressed against Kev’s side, stroking him, forcing him back onto Archer’s fingers with every motion. Kev moved with Archer, his breathing growing steadily louder. When he leaned his head toward the floor, Archer knew he was close, could imagine how his balls were straining against the harness.

  And then he’d pus
hed Kev too far, and Kev’s back stiffened. He let out a raw cry and his ass clenched hard around Archer’s fingers as he came, several powerful bursts over the floor. Archer kept at him, pumping him dry, until he whined and begged.

  “Archer, please.”

  When Archer released him, he collapsed on the floor, moaning, eyes squeezed shut. Archer slid to the side, pulled down his boxers, and took hold of himself again. His gaze travelled from the splash of come across the floor, glowing brightly under the black lights, up to Kev’s face. Kev panted, mouth parted, and Archer watched, the sight of Kev so satisfied tipping him over. He came between his fingers, kept stroking until the orgasm was all out of him, then leaned back on a hand to catch his own breath.

  “Oh,” said Kev after several minutes. “Oh, I needed that.”

  “Glad I could give it,” said Archer.

  Kev rolled onto his side, looked over at Archer. He grinned at the demon, aware how good he must look, leaning back against the shelves, legs parted, pants dangling off one ankle. He was still letting his breath even out.

  “Almost sad to leave,” said Archer.

  Something shining in Kev’s eyes faded.

  “I’ll miss you while I can,” said the demon.

  Archer felt sick. He didn’t want to leave like this, suddenly didn’t think he could. He liked Kev too much. It wouldn’t even be simpler if he knew Kev could keep going as a demon, and it certainly wasn’t bearable knowing he’d be caught and punished for this. Somehow, in the span of a few hours, maybe a day, Kev had become someone Archer couldn’t let expire.

  He needed to figure out what to do about it, and fast.

  * * * *

  It was unfair to feel this good and yet so awful. It completely immobilized Kev, made his mind simply shut off. He wanted to stay existing here in this space that smelled of sex and blood and just focus on the connection he felt with Archer. He knew everything was ending, and now that he was spent and would have to be moving again, his limbs seemed too tired to work. He stared at his come across the tile, glowing, a confession for all other demons to see.