The Beloved Fire

  “I’m sorry Blake.”

  She reached up just as he yanked back on her, but it was too late. Her reflection reached out grabbing her hand and pulled her into the mirrored doorway. It was only than she saw her reflections face break into a deadly smile with daggered teeth that she knew she’d been tricked, and the weird trance she was in, broke. Only then did she realize how screwed she was.

  Blake’s screams of fear rang through her ears as the reflection melted away and the feeling of falling took over. Her bedroom world melted away from her as she fell in pitch darkness. She couldn’t even scream, though there was nothing but fear in her. So much so that she couldn’t breathe. Really there was no air in her to scream. What was happening? She closed her eyes waiting for the never-ending fall that would end her life and not a second later she landed hard on her side, onto a slick crimson colored marble floor.

  The heat was the first thing Mikayla noticed making it hard to breathe on top of the fact that she felt like she broke a few ribs. Even though the red marble tiles reflected flames somewhere up ahead, the marble was cool to the touch, only the air was hot. Somewhere up above her was a huge black chandelier, which looked to be made from bones, by the reflection she saw on the tiles. Mikayla righted herself holding her ribs, while she got her first look at where her reflection brought her.

  In front of her, was an aisle, decorated on both sides with black marble statues and at the end was a huge platform where a beautiful, dangerous looking woman sat that made the hairs on her arms stand straight. Her skin was bone white, but her hair was even more so. Her eyes pitch-black, which matched the crown on her head. Blood ran in trickles down her exposed skin. A lot of it coming from her mouth, and the blood was also the color of her lips. Mikayla shivered in immediate fear. The woman looked amused as she watched Mikayla stand, the sharp pain of her broken ribs stabbing her side.

  “I’m Queen Eiseth, if you were wondering.” The queen purred as she got up from her throne and shooed away her naked man servants. The one on her right had been feeding her what looked like organs, whether they were human, or animal Mikayla didn’t know or want to know, but it explained why blood covered her. She obviously was a messy eater. The guy to the queens left held a huge black fan.

  The queen slowly made her way down the stairs heading towards Mikayla, and the closer she got the more features Mikayla could take in. If this was what her reflection was running from, she understood why. This lady was nothing but fear in a bottle. She wore a black strapless, snake-skin dress that trailed behind her. It almost seemed to slither behind her as she walked, like it was alive.

  “Do you know what quarter you currently inhabit?”

  Mikayla had no idea, but she had a feeling she was about to find out. “No.” Why hadn’t Blake gone after her? She glanced up wondering if Blake was going to come crashing down from the black void like she had.

  “No your majesty!” The queen barked, going from sounding wise and calm, to furious in a matter of seconds. Mikayla snapped her attention back to her. It was only until the queen had sauntered down all the steps that Mikayla noticed the flames of a fire licking the throne where the queen once sat.

  “Revenge is such a sweet word. Revenge.” The queen said finishing with a satisfied look. “Revennggge. Just the word brings me goose bumps, excitement, and a tingly sensation, a certain pleasure no male has ever been able to give me.” She paused to laugh. “It is this quarter, my domain, my specialty, that it’s served, and it’s called revenge.” It seemed like this lady had given this speech more than once. Either that or she just liked to hear herself talk, if Mikayla wasn’t so scared, she’d almost be annoyed by this queen’s smug face.

  Mikayla took in the queen, watching with interest as she talked and noticed all her teeth were filed into thin spikes, just like her reflection showed before it melted away. It almost made the queen sound like a slithering snake when she talked. She wondered if she was related to Andronomean or if all demonesses possessed that trait.

  Queen Eiseth stopped her advancing at a black statue trailing her finger down the arm of the man and for the first time Mikayla noticed the statues were more than just statues, but real live people. The body of the man was stiff and covered in a black silk, making him look like a marble statue, but at closer glance she could see the eyes move. They moved frantically, as if they were scared. She held in a shocked breath. The guy who the queen stopped by to feel was trapped in a knelt down position grabbing at his face as one side was almost completely melted off leaving nothing more than bone, muscle and a very naked eyeball.

  “These spots are reserved for my most deserving subjects. This here is my once upon a time most loyal advisor, Nero. You see each realm, I like to call them quarters, of hell can choose their staff and counsel. He wasn’t the evilest thing I’d seen, but I thought the stunt with burning Rome was charming, so I took him in. Whether or not he really committed the crimes cast against him, I do not care, but since he landed himself here it was only safe to say that he did commit those crimes.” She paused to give a brief chuckle while she played with his naked eyeball; it was enough to make Mikayla’s stomach churn.

  “It wasn’t until the little shit thought he could outsmart me and kill me that I decided to add him to my collection. I love revenge, so I thought an appropriate revenge to bestow upon Nero for his betrayal, would be to set him on fire.” The queen barely got out her last word before she was laughing hysterically, while holding herself up on Nero’s shoulder. “But I didn’t want to stop there, every week I unleash him just to see how far he can run before I set him on fire again!” She finished laughing wiping at some blood that had flew from her mouth onto the good side of his face. “I watch him burn just long enough to keep his mortal flesh on, and then I encase him again.” She breathed out a heavy sigh turning from him and continued her walk towards Mikayla.

  “I have the countess Elizabeth Bathory up by my throne, we’re good friends, along with some other most amusing mortals, Attila the Hun, Hitler. Anyways, I like the ones that kill for fun, we get along the best.” The queen was now a statue away from Mikayla, and upon seeing her so close she now noticed the queen held a knife, not just any knife but a butcher knife. Mikayla stilled her fear locking her muscles and even swallowing was a chore from her heightened fear.

  “I believe it is your turn to be added to the collection. I must say, you will probably be my most popular exhibit. You know, being the dark lord’s favorite and supposedly the greatest queen hell has ever seen or will ever see. I not only hate you for your popularity, but also for you killing my sister.”

  The queen held the knife in her red dagger like nails playing with it like it was no big deal as Mikayla’s fought not to hyperventilate. She also couldn’t tell if her nails were originally red from nail polish, or from being stained that way with her eating habits; not that it mattered, the queen was going to kill her. Mikayla would be the revenge for the queen’s sister.

  Before the queen could even take another step, a great swooshing sound came as Anock fell from above landing hard and fast in a crouched position in front of Mikayla. His landing cracking the red title underneath him as a great boom echoed through the hall. Mikayla already felt like she couldn’t breathe but upon seeing Anock fall from the sky, she felt a different kind of breathless. Hope trickled through the tremble of fear she felt.

  “How dare you threaten your future queen!” Anock roared in a thick demonic voice reaching back putting a protective arm in front of Mikayla. His deadly stare never lifted from his wicked opponent.

  The queen flinched and stood up straighter. “How dare you think you can talk to an actual queen like that?” She hissed back.

  Blake appeared by Mikayla’s side making her jump, and she suppressed the yelp of pain from jolting her ribs. He reached out and grabbed her arm holding her in place before she could get too far from him or Anock. Anock looked back at Blake and Mikayla before looking back to the queen. “There will be no revenge sought
for your sister against the new queen. You do not want to get on my bad side.” He growled, his demonic nature showing through his angelic one. Mikayla had never heard or seen his demonic side before, but it put her on edge.

  The queen laughed hard at this throwing down the knife as she put her hands on her chest. “Oh. Oh, no please little prince of hell, please do not hurt me.” She mocked.

  Anock breathed hard clenching his fists. She realized that Anock was scared and it spiked her fear, it was all around them growing in the air.

  Blake noticing the situation leaned over, whispering in Mikayla’s ear. “Okay hulk, it would be a good time for you to get mad.”

  Before Mikayla could answer back or even process a response Anock looked back, looking straight at Mikayla showing her for the first time his fear; it made him look human, and vulnerable. “No! Stay back! Blake go get the twins! Mikayla stay calm.” She would have rolled her eyes at being told to stay calm, but seeing how someone like Anock was afraid, all she could do was stare.

  Blake gave Mikayla one last worried looked before disappearing into the humid air, leaving Mikayla alone with Anock and Queen Eiseth.

  “You don’t actually believe that garb that you’re in love with this girl?” The queen said walking slowly towards Anock.

  He stood tall and strong, never giving way to her seductive look. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”

  “Your right, I’ll never understand why the dark lord took you in. Love is an outlandish emotion when it comes to the underworld, he of all in the underworld should understand that the best!” Her voice echoed sending chills down Mikayla’s spine.

  “I don’t believe you will ever know what love is, was or ever will be!” He shouted back to her.

  The queen’s head shot up from her concentration that had landed back on the floor to look at Anock in surprise. “Compared to you?” She laughed now at her own statement and it made Mikayla wonder if everyone in hell was this self-amused.

  “I was created an angel of heaven; I was born from love! I’ve been around since the dawn of existence, not only am I infinitely more knowledgeable than some demon-ness created from hate but, I’ve experienced, and learned things you could only aspire to know. Don’t pretend to know anything of me!” Anock said taking a dangerous step forward, which only seemed to amuse the queen.

  “Ah, so the rumors are true.” Eiseth said with a sharp smile.

  Mikayla hated to be a bystander, and even more she hated how close the queen was getting to him, jealousy and a protective nature was starting to push through her fear. Her body felt exhausted and the heat starting up in her quickly died, would she even be able to fight the queen after just recovering?

  Anock gave Mikayla a sideways glance checking on her before shifting his eyes to the queen. “What rumors?”

  “The love that was placed in you grows. It will soon take over your dark heart, you will soon no longer be fit to rule. There’s no room for recovering angels in the underworld. Love is a disgusting thing.”

  “Lies! Don’t play your tricks on me you slippery, malevolent harlot! I’m not one of your subjects, I’m one of your equals!”

  The queen was now an arm-lengths away from Anock as she reached out lightly trailed a sharp fingernail across his bare chest. It burned Mikayla inside, the heat was present now and there was no stopping her if the queen didn’t lay off him.

  “I love it when you talk dirty to me. Come, we will ravish each other and then drink her blood. I can be your queen young Anock of minds.”

  Mikayla held her breath waiting for him to respond to her, would he deny her? He took a step back towards Mikayla his body language answering her inner question before his comment did.

  “The only blood that will be spilled will be yours, after all, how else will we assume power over your sector…my dearest queen.” Anock said, with a devastating smile.

  It was only a split second after that, when the queen jumped in the air floating on top of the train of her dress that now served as a table in the air. Anock jumped up as well using his wings to meet her.

  The queen took no time messing around and lunged out sinking her clawed fingernails in Anock’s upper arms, making him roar out more in frustration then pain as he pushed her hard off of him. Mikayla didn’t realize she screamed until right before the queen was about to sink her teeth into his neck. The scream halted the queen from her attack as she looked straight to Mikayla throwing Anock up against her thrown. She started floating over to Mikayla as she slowly lowered herself to the ground.

  She had a set look of more than revenge, but crazed, murderous ambition to rip everyone apart. If Mikayla couldn’t fight her, how would she ever be able to stand up for herself in hell?

  “You think you’re so much better than me?” The queen asked, landing lightly on her feet, with a satisfied smile. “Go ahead, get mad. I would loovvve for you to try to steal my powers.”

  Anock was slowly getting to his feet, trails of black blood poured out from the holes in his arms. “No!” He yelled, stretching out his wings, standing in a stance ready for an attack. Eiseth wasting no more time leapt the remaining space between her and Mikayla, closing the gap and ignoring Anock completely. Mikayla tried to stay calm, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t control her fear as she shook hard and whimpered out. She could see Anock running for them, but she knew he would never make it time. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to fight, she couldn’t, hear powers were drained.

  Time had slowed and instead of watching the queen, she concentrated on Anock as he raced towards her. Eiseth dug her claw like fingernails into Mikayla’s shoulders, just as she’d done to Anock. Her screams echoed through the fire hall and it was enough for her to turn to and finally look into the queen’s evil snare.

  “I know you’re the one who’s supposed to save us all, but little girl, if I wanted to be saved, I wouldn’t be in Hell!” Eiseth roared in her face. The queen turned lifting Mikayla up in the air by the nails that dug into her shoulder just as Anock came to a stop in front of them. She knew after seeing the fear in his eyes, her pain would be inevitable.

  “Drop her! Fight me!” Anock yelled, fear and frustration written on his face. She caught the slight tremble of his hands that clenched open and closed at his sides.

  “No, I don’t think I will. This girl is neither dead, nor dying making her red blood something of a delicacy. My sister’s death will be avenged, and you will join me as my king in this realm. There is nothing special about this girl, she has to die!”

  “So what will you make of her?” Anock asked, clearly trying to distract the queen from her attack. Blake followed by Cain and Elijah appeared behind Anock, Blake reminding her more of an avenging angel than Anock with his red piercing eyes. The sight made her sad, black was starting to fill the corner of her eyes, she was about to pass out from the pain, or she was dying; she couldn’t tell.

  The queen only laughed at his remark, squeezing Mikayla harder. “This is for my sister!” She yelled as she brought her pointed teeth down on Mikayla’s neck. There was so much pain at first that Mikayla thought she would black out from that alone, but getting slammed down to the marble tile jolted her awake enough to see Eiseth take a huge bite out of Anock’s shoulder before throwing him to the ground unconscious as well. Mikayla was certain she was going to die, until she saw a knife thud into the back of Eiseth’s head just as she turned to finish her attack.

  The queen gasped out in pain but instead of dropping to the floor she frowned hard as she reached behind her and pulled the knife from the back of her head that made a sickening sound. The knife gleamed with the queen’s black blood as she pulled it out and threw it to the floor. How could someone still be standing after that?

  “How dare you try to harm me?” She turned quickly now to face the three men. Blake stood in the middle holding two more throwing knifes. All of them in one hand and his other hand on a gun that was in a holster at his side. He was back in his black unifo
rm. The twins were at either side of him with red cloaks hanging from their necks with their hoods up almost blocking view of their faces.

  Eiseth started towards them and away from Mikayla but Elijah, that stood to Blake’s right, brought up his outside arm and just like that Eiseth ran into an invisible wall making her stumble backwards and grunt out in pain. She darted to the left, only for it to be Cain’s turn as he brought up his outside arm, making the queen slam into another invisible wall to her left.

  She gathered up her dress now, giving Mikayla a quick glance of frustration before looking back at her attackers. “No matter. I will get to you one way or another.” Just like that she jumped up in the air, to no doubt fly over the invisible wall, but yet again Elijah lifted his outside arm and she flew up hitting an invisible ceiling falling back to the ground. She screamed out a great demonic roar of frustration and as Mikayla laid there bleeding out from her wounds, she knew it was only a matter of time before the queen realized there was only one way to go; towards Mikayla.

  The queen reading Mikayla’s thoughts stomped towards her breathing heavy as her whole body shook with rage from being bested. Mikayla’s whole body felt cold, and weak and even if she wanted to be afraid, she couldn’t. She could feel nothing but emptiness, it almost felt easy to stop breathing. Her breath was extremely slow now, and it was welcoming.

  Cain stopped the queen’s advance on Mikayla by throwing up the last few walls to her invisible cubed prison, making the queen run from wall to wall banging her fist angrily, as she continued her demonic growls.

  “We won’t be able to hold her for too long. How much longer?” Cain asked looking to Blake who just stared ahead past the queen and right into Mikayla’s eyes, almost like instead of speaking to Cain, he was really speaking to her.

  “I need some target practice anyways, let them down.” Blake said ignoring Cain’s question as he continued to stare at Mikayla all the while rotating two knifes by their hilt in his one hand like it was the easiest thing in the world. Stress, and tension was clear on his face, but also from the way his body sweated and tensed every time the queen yelled out, she could tell he was on edge.