Forgotten Memories

by Candis Vargo

  Chapter 28

  I wanted to get as close as I could to see him. I needed to be closer; I needed to see there was hope left in his eyes. I tried to move around the stones I was hiding behind when the demon abruptly stood up and looked in my direction. I froze and my heart thumped erratically.

  “You!” His voice sounded more like one of a beast than of a man as it seemed to make the stones beneath my feet tremble.

  Fuck! I thought.

  “Come here. Do not make me drag you,” he said in a much calmer tone.

  I didn’t know what was going to happen next but I didn’t really care. Maybe he was going to chain me back down and make me suffer all over again. I didn’t know how long I was going to stay down here and I sure as fuck didn’t want to waste it chained and helpless. Either way I had to make my way over to this demon. Things could go horribly wrong if I didn’t. Then again, they could go horribly wrong if I did.

  I stepped out from behind the stone and slowly made my way over to where the demon stood. I stepped over every stream of blood I could because it was revolting. I knew souls could suffer, but I had no idea that they could bleed too. I slipped and caught my balance as I stepped into one of the streams of blood. As the blood splattered up high enough to hit my face, I prayed that none of it belonged to Chace.

  It wasn’t until I was standing in front of the demon that I noticed how bad Chace really was. I looked upon him, trying to take in every detail of him without losing my strength. His wings lacked over half of their feathers. The few feathers that were left turned pitch black. My heart sank as I saw him on his knees with everyone else, chained at his wrists. His clothes were tattered and filled with blood. He was covered in gashes that I wanted so much to mend.

  I tried to get a look into his eyes, to see some sort of hope left in them. He just kept staring at the ground so I couldn’t even see the eyes of the man I loved. The demon noticed and said, “This is the one? This is the one you came for?” He walked over and stood by Chace.

  “You wish to see his eyes?” he asked as he grabbed Chace by his hair and jerked up his head.

  My determination grew. I didn’t know if it was because of how ruthless demons where and Chace’s soul didn’t deserve to be treated like that or if it was because of what I saw in his eyes. What I didn’t see was more like it.

  They were dark and hollow. He was empty. I could no longer see the world through his eyes like I used to. They didn’t peer into my soul and send waves of emotion to me through them. They were empty. He must have been surrounded in blackness like I was when I first arrived here, reliving every guilt he had.

  He couldn’t see me. He couldn’t see my soul, my pain, or even my love for him. He heard nothing and saw nothing. I remembered him saying that he did some stupid things in his life, stupid things that he would regret forever. I wondered if that is what he was feeling in the darkness that overtook him. He didn’t deserve this. He deserved better.

  “What is it you want with him? You have sent yourself here with the Soul Dagger I presume. You reek of the filth of Leviathan and he was the most recent one to have it. So tell me, what is it you want with this one? Whatever it is you have managed to free yourself from your binds for it,” the demon said with a cunning voice.

  “I want him back,” I said with fierceness. I had no place left in me for sorrow or agony. I was determined and fierce. I wanted my lover back.

  “Did you think you could just walk down here and get him back? It does not work like that my dear,” the beast laughed.

  “No. I know there will be a price to pay,” I said, remembering what Gram had told me. I was ready to pay that price, whatever it may be. “So you just tell me what it is and I will comply.” My hands clenched into fists at my side.

  “Interesting,” he said as he released Chace’s hair. I winced as I watched Chace’s head collapse down. “Lucky for you Lucifer is tending to Leviathan today. He might not have been so, shall we say, kind. Luckily for you I specialize in the prices people pay.” He gave me a wicked grin as he straightened out his black tux which looked brand new. I don’t know how often demons go out into the world but this one looked like he tried to keep up with appearances.

  “What kind of demon are you?” I asked. I didn’t care about the price or whatever he may be hiding behind his smile. I was going to pay the price; I just wanted to know what he was. Since Leviathan, I wanted as much information I could get about the demons that were going to be in my life.

  “I am an Imp,” he said as though he was proud.

  I remembered skimming a page about Imps in one of the books Em and I borrowed from Gram. Imps were the simplest, meanest, and the trickiest of all demons. They were the servants of all demon kind. They were more or less their solders to do their bidding for them and collect souls one way or another.

  Imps work for the full demons and they are used mostly to make contracts with Hell. If someone sells their soul, they seek out an Imp. I didn’t know the full price I was going to have to pay but I soon realized that it meant a contract with Hell.

  He must have noticed my change in posture as I straightened my back and lifted my head higher.

  “So you’ve heard of me? I will take that as a compliment,” he said, looking conceited as he straightened out his back.

  “Yes I have. Tell me the price I need to pay.” I wanted to avoid any riddles and just do what I came here to do. My heart stayed a steady beat as I looked at Chace again. I was going to pay whatever price I needed to pay to end his suffering.

  “That all depends on what exactly it is that you seek.”

  “I want his soul returned. I want Chace to come back. I know it can be done because he was an immortal, so his soul is able to come back. I want his soul to be returned to us. Out of Hell.” I felt rage build up inside of me as I said those words.

  I wanted his suffering to be gone and him to be freed from this horrible place. I understood all too well why the Fallen were in search of earning their way back to Heaven. There were people in the world I would wish this kind of suffering on but Chace wasn’t one of them.

  The Imp stood there for a brief moment and looked like he was contemplating what to do next. I tried my hardest not to look at the two naked women near me that were still going at it. The Imp looked over toward the woman and said, “Lovers be gone,” as he made as shooing motion with his hand. I watched as the two naked women walked together to a spot on the solid floor and bent down on their knees. It took only a moment before the heavy chains appeared on their wrists.

  A moment later the Imp said, “Here.” He held his hands out toward me leaving it open with his palm facing up. Once his hand was out in front of him a flame appeared in his palm and quickly diminished. In place of the flame was a sheet of paper.

  The contract I thought. That was the contract that sealed Chace’s fate and would free him as soon as I signed it.

  “Read this and then you will sign at the bottom,” he said as he held out the contract to me.

  There was no hesitation for me. I reached out and grabbed the contract from the Imps hand. I began to read as fast as I could. I didn’t know how much time I had left down here so I needed to hurry.

  ‘The Fallen Angel, Chace, the lover of Karmalita, the Pixie Princess, shall be freed upon one condition following a signature. The Fallen Angels soul shall be returned upon agreement with the Pixie Princess to live as a Succubus following the Succubus regulations. The Pixie Princess wishes the release of the Fallen Angel out of love. Only if the specified Fallen Angel and the soon to be Succubus find their way to one another and can truly be together with openness of love shall this contract cease to exist.

  The Succubus must continue to fulfill her obligation as a Succubus no matter the outcome of such events. This contract was prepared and formed by Kemonte, Imp of Higher Demon Alachi.’

  There were lines on the bottom for both of our signatures. I didn’t understand some of the contract but I wasn’t going to let that sto
p me. I didn’t’ understand why they would waste their time with making me a Succubus for only a few moments before Chace and I could be together again. Stupid I thought to myself.

  “Give me the pen,” I said as I held out my hand.

  I was taken back when he walked over to Chace and pulled out one of the few feathers he had left. I wasn’t surprised when Chace didn’t even flinch, let alone notice what happened. I was furious. I just wanted this Imp to hurry up so I could get Chace out of here, away from everything…all of the suffering and abuse. The Imp held out the feather to me and I reached out to grab it. As soon as my hand was opened he sliced my palm with his fingernail. I jerked my hand back and clenched it back into a fist.

  “What the fuck!” I yelled at him.

  Holding out a black bowl he said, “Do not waist it. Put it in this if you plan to sign the contract.”

  I did as he said and grabbed the bowl. I began to let my blood flow down my hand and into it. Slowly my blood stopped as my cut began to heal. He took the bowl from my hands and handed me the feather. I didn’t know if I trusted him enough to grab for it again but I had no choice. I hastily grabbed the feather…Chace’s feather, and held it close to me.

  He held out the bowl and told me to dip the feather in there to sign with it. I should have figured Hells contracts would be of blood. I dipped the tip of the feather into my blood and scribbled my signature on the contract. The only thing the Imp had to do was place a drop of his blood on the bottom for his signature. I began to wonder why I couldn’t just do that too when I noticed his blood wasn’t red like mine. His blood was black. I watched as the darkness of his blood seeped over into my signature. Soon, my blood signature was just as black as his blood. I realized that was what sealed my transformation, as well as my fate.

  Once my blood was the same darkness as his, I thought I would feel some sort of transformation within myself. I thought I would turn into a Succubus right then. I didn’t. The only thing that transformed was Chace.

  Chapter 29

  I watched in awe as the chains that bound Chace to the stone ground released. He began to come alert as I filled up with hope. I kept watching him as he began to look around. He was having a hard time standing up and I thought about how much pain he must be feeling throughout his body and even his wings. Even in his weakened state he managed to let his strength surpass as he stood up. It wasn’t until he was standing up that I noticed how alert he was. He looked at me as though he was taken aback. I smiled as he blinked a few times like he was trying to clear his vision and make sure I really was here.

  “You have one minute,” the Imp said. He looked as though he was bored with us as he sat back down in his chair.

  I walked over to Chace and touched his face. God it felt so nice to feel the warmth of his skin again. When I looked in his eyes I was able to see all of the hopes and wonder within them. He was back. I felt more relieved than I ever had. I had finally done something right.

  Chace reached up and placed his hands on my face just like I had done with him. “Karma,” he said with a quick breath.

  “Yes. It’s me Chace. It’s me.” I felt a tear of joy roll down my face as the recognition of me flashed in his eyes.

  It took a split second for him to realize we were both in Hell. “What are you doing? Why are you here?” he asked swiftly.

  “I came to get you back. I couldn’t let you stay down here. You are free Chace. You are free.” I hugged him as tight as I could. I wanted to feel his body next to mine. I began kissing his neck and moved to his cheek. It didn’t take long before I was finally able to feel the warmth and softness of his lips against mine again.

  It felt so right. I was finally able to be with him again. Soon we would both be out of Hell and back into the lives we both lost when he was sent here.

  “Time is up,” the Imp said. “Off you go.”

  Chace and I both looked at him confused. “Wait,” Chace said. “What did you have to do? What did you have to do to get me out?”

  “She sold her soul,” the Imp said for me. Chace looked at me with concern. The imp snapped his fingers and Chace disappeared from my arms and my sight. I was worried and relieved at the same time. I knew he wasn’t in Hell anymore, for that, I was happy.

  That was when the transformation within me began. My body rippled and began having spasms. I was being jolted from the inside out. I thought it would have hurt but it didn’t. I didn’t feel anything but wonder. By the time I tried to understand what was happening to me it was over. I looked at the Imp with curiosity.

  “Welcome my new Succubus,” he said. “When you return you will have one day before I send someone to teach you the ways of a Succubus and begin your work.”

  This was it. I was a Succubus. I didn’t understand why he still thought there was a point for me to be one when I was going to be able to be with Chace as soon as I left here.

  “Why? Do you really think we won’t be together once I am returned too?”

  The Imp smiled slyly as he said, “You did your research my little Succubus, but not nearly enough. You asked for his soul returned and which it was. But the souls of the Fallen Angels do not return to your earth plane as you had hoped. When they leave Hell, they return back to God.”

  I didn’t realize it. I didn’t know. I should have known. Chace was going to go back to heaven. I should have been happy about that but I wasn’t. My heart sank at the thought of it. I had a brief moment of hope that he would still be able to be with me somehow when the Imp started to talk again.

  “When his soul is returned to Heaven, it is the same as a soul of a mortal being reborn,” he said as he held his hands out to his sides. “Their memories are forgotten. Just like any mortal would not remember a past life an Angel does not remember their experiences of their time on the earth.”

  My stomach turned as I fought back my rage. I was going to have to live as a Succubus for eternity. I didn’t know how an Angel would be able to spend time on earth to find the one he had loved. Even if he found me, would he still love me? He was an Angel once again, no longer fallen. And now I was a Demon.

  I began to feel dizzy. I thought I had accomplished what I came here to do. In a way I did but in a way I failed. Chace was finally out of Hell but he was also out of my life. I realized I had to spend eternity sucking the life out of hopeless souls to send them to the one place I hated. I had to send them to the place I worked my ass off to get Chace out of. I would suck the life away from mortals with them selling their soul to Hell. At least they wouldn’t know what they were doing. I knew what I was doing when I signed the contract, I just didn’t read between the lines.

  I should have known something was wrong. My heart shattered and my world darkened. I didn’t know if I wanted to be satisfied with myself now that Chace was finally free or if I wanted to hate myself for what I did. It seemed as though this was my destiny all along. All of the hurt and sorrow I have dealt with through out my life seemed like it was to prepare me for this moment in time.

  I wanted to cry but I couldn’t because it felt like I was out of tears. I should have screamed in rage at the Imp for tricking me in such a way but I didn’t. I knew I had to deal with the same heartache I knew all too well on my own. I wasn’t going to let it show, especially to this bastard of an Imp. I swallowed my agonizing pain and let my face turn to stone.

  “Okay,” I said. I couldn’t think of anything else to say, I was just ready to leave. I needed to get out of here. Maybe Em would be able to help me. I knew the Coven would be able to enjoy my powers now that I no longer had a use for them. I just hoped my father wouldn’t be too disappointed in me. I didn’t want everyone in my life to turn their backs to me and want absolutely nothing to do with me anymore. I knew I was going to pay a price. This was one price I would have to deal with.

  The Imp looked around and smiled. He acted as though he was listening to something. Whatever it was, I couldn’t hear it.

  He cocked his head to the side a
nd said, “Well isn’t that just fabulous. It seems you still have a few more minutes left down here. It also seems like we have some entertainment for you whilst you wait.”

  He walked over to one of the walls built out of souls on the castle and ran his hand down it. A mirror appeared and I walked over to it, thinking he wanted me to see the difference in my appearance. There wasn’t one. I hadn’t changed; I looked the same as before.

  The Imp spoke something under his breath that I couldn’t hear. All at once there was a rippling across the mirror as images began to appear in front of me. It was some place in the woods I haven’t seen before. It looked like the images zoomed out so I could get a better look. I still didn’t recognize the place but I recognized the people.

  I saw the Coven standing in front of an old decaying house with Em standing beside them. Behind the Coven I saw Roland standing with his fangs out, like he was ready to attack. My father was there beside Roland with a face of stone. Once I saw Molly I felt a spark of relief that she was still alive but it vanished once I understood where they were. They were at the line between the Holy and the Unholy. They must think they’re going to get me back from Hell. I never told them I would return on my own.

  I listened as I heard the bitch that took my powers try to conger up the elements. I couldn’t stop myself from laughing at her. She tried as many times as she could but none of the elements would go to her. Somehow I knew that the elements could tell she stole the powers and would not answer her call.

  Em went ahead and recited the spell to open the portal. Everyone that was there watched in bewilderment as the portal appeared. There wasn’t any swirling or lights. Instead it looked like the air had split in half on the porch of that old rickety house. It took only a brief moment before a demon stepped out. It seemed like I was seeing a lot of them lately.