by Kyoko M
Jordan frowned. “Hey, back off. It’s our lives. We can do whatever the hell we want, thank you very much.”
Belial massaged the bridge of his nose. “After all that you two idiots have been through, you’d rather do this than have sex one last time? Are you insane?”
He paused, as if finally noticing that she was sitting in my lap. A smirk slithered across his lips. “Then again, maybe you were just waiting for me. If you’re going to go out with a bang, I can assure you I put the ‘devil’ in ‘Devil’s Threesome.’”
He’d aimed the last comment at me. Jordan closed her eyes and shook her head as I carefully deposited her on the couch. I marched towards him. He stood his ground as I halted less than a foot away. I leaned in until we were a few inches apart.
“Let’s do it.”
Belial’s eyes went so wide that his pupils looked like pinpricks in comparison. I swept my shirt off in one smooth motion and let it drop to the floor. He stared at me with his mouth slightly open and reflexively stepped back as I kept coming for him. He bumped into the wall behind him and I placed one hand on it beside his head, offering him the most lustful smile I could summon.
“Is that a no, archdemon?”
He cleared his throat, still speechless, covering the lower half of his face with one large hand. If I wasn’t mistaken, he was blushing. Ha.
I cocked my head to the side. “Pity. I always thought you were kind of cute.”
With that, I turned, scooped up my shirt, and pulled it back on. Jordan sat curled up on the couch shaking violently with silent laughter. She gave me a high five as I returned to her side, her gaze still fixed on Belial, who looked like I’d hit him between the eyes with a sledgehammer.
He came around after a second or two, tugging at his collar as if he were hot. “Where…in the hell…did that come from?”
I crossed my arms and sat on the arm of the couch. “Oh, Belial. The things you don’t know about me could fill an encyclopedia.”
The archdemon cleared his throat a second time. “Clearly. What were we doing again? Oh, yes, of course. We’re going to Hell.”
The elevator dinged as soon as the final word left his mouth. I tensed, standing up to anticipate a fight, but then the doors opened to reveal Myra, Avriel, and Faust. Myra had an automatic shotgun resting on one of her muscular shoulders. Avriel had a medium-sized blue ceramic bowl, a can of salt, and an Uzi. Faust had a thick brown book with yellowed pages and worn edges. Ace the hellhound brought up the rear, his crimson eyes sweeping the place for any signs of trouble.
“Ah, right on schedule,” Belial said. “Welcome to my humble abode.”
“What the hell is going on?” Jordan demanded.
“Your lovely roommate called me not long after you left.”
Jordan whirled on Myra. “I thought we already discussed this. You guys can’t have anything to do with what we’re attempting.”
Myra regarded her with an indignant look. “If you really think we’re going to let you sacrifice yourselves on your own, you’ve been smoking some good shit. Last time I checked, we’re a team. You two dumbasses get so caught up in your little love bubble that you forget we’re your friends. Maybe you’ve resigned yourselves to stay trapped in Hell for all eternity, but we haven’t.”
“Myra—”
“Say my name all you want, babe. We’re helping. End of story. Right, boys?”
Avriel and Faust both nodded. I cast a sidelong glance at Belial as my suspicions arose. “Why did you tell them where we were? I thought you didn’t want them here.”
“Myra persuaded me that it would be more beneficial with them along because they can prepare you for what you’re about to encounter. Plus, you’ll need someone to watch over your bodies while your souls are absent.”
Jordan held up one hand. “Wait…am I missing something here?”
Faust pushed up his glasses. “You won’t be walking into Hell, Jordan. There is no way that your body could possibly handle the stress. We’re going to have to separate your soul from your body and send you through the gates. Same with Michael.”
“Are you saying you have to kill us?” she asked.
He shook his head. “The information Belial gave me led me to a spell that will allow you to leave your body without dying. It’s similar to what the angels do when they ascend to the astral plane or to Heaven.”
“How long does it last?”
Faust and Avriel exchanged worried glances. The latter cleared his throat. “Two hours.”
“What happens after that?” I asked.
“The body slips into a coma, and eventually…dies.”
Jordan let out a thready giggle of pure frustration. “Well, of course. Otherwise, it would be too easy.”
“We should begin,” Belial said, taking a seat.
Jordan and I curled up on the love seat opposite his while Myra, Avriel, and Faust headed for the couch. Ace yawned and stretched out by my feet, his bushy tail thumping the carpet every so often.
“I have explained to Jordan before that time is suspended in Hell,” Belial said. “Years can go by and it’s only days in the world above. However, it’s that much more dangerous because it’s impossible to tell when events are happening in the real world. We will have to find a way to mark the passage of time while there, or Jordan’s soul will remain trapped. And stubborn as her husband is, if she doesn’t come back, I doubt he’ll willingly leave her there. Does your spell say anything that may help, scholar?”
“Jordan’s soul will have what looks like a golden rope,” Faust said. “As time passes, the rope unravels thread by thread. When the last one disappears, that means the body can no longer sustain itself without the soul. She’ll be able to tell when she’s fading. Still, she won’t be invulnerable. If her soul is torn apart in Hell, the soul tether won’t regenerate and she can’t leave.”
“What about the Marriage of the Souls?” she asked. “Shouldn’t demons be burned if they try to touch me like up here on Earth?”
“Unfortunately, no,” Belial answered. “Hell has a power higher than the single contract you made with Michael by marrying him.”
Avriel jumped in after him. “It will also be imperative that we protect your body during this journey. If any demons catch wind of your plan, they will try to kill you and trap you there. That is why we did this here instead of at the safe house.”
“Precisely right,” the demon agreed. “Now then, listen carefully, because what happens in our future travels will determine our success or failure.”
Over the course of the next few minutes, Belial gave us the low down on what to expect on our journey through Hell before turning his attention to Faust. “Good doctor, what does your spell require in order to work?”
“Your blood and theirs, mixed together. We’ll have to make a circle out of salt and then the blood.”
Belial shot a sly look at Jordan. “Well, as long as you gather it from me the way you did last time. It may have angered me, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen you do.”
“Oh, now I’m definitely going to stab you again.”
He chuckled. “I look forward to it.”
“So here’s the plan for now,” I said, interrupting their squabble. “We’ll head to the basement and begin the spell. Avriel, you return to the safe house and recover Gabriel’s body. Faust, you will stay near the circle and watch over our bodies. Myra, you and Ace will be the sentries. If there is an attack, you defend him. If he’s using the spell that I believe he is, he’ll have to maintain a verbal chant to keep Jordan’s spirit connected to her body. Any separation there and she’ll be as good as dead. If all else fails…”
I glanced at my wife, squeezing her hand. “…at least we died trying.”
A somber bout of silence descended. Then, Ace raised his head and let out a resounding, “Woof!”
I grinned and reached down enough to ruffle his ears.
“Well said, mutt.”
“So, who’s going to do it?”
Three hands immediately raised—Faust’s, mine, and Myra’s. Jordan smirked and shook her head. “I don’t think gathering Belial’s blood is a three-person activity, people.”
I leered at her. “I can think of a way to make it so.”
Somewhere behind me the demon said, “I heard that.”
She bit her bottom lip, hiding a smile. “Ro-sham-bo?”
“Do we have to? Can’t we all just grab a limb and cut?” Myra suggested.
“Depends on the limb, darling,” Belial purred, creeping up behind her. His hands hovered near her waist and she spoke without turning around.
“Touch me and I’ll make you a woman while you’re unconscious.”
“Promise?”
Jordan glared. “Belial. Finish drawing the circle.”
He dropped his arms and scowled. “Always business with you people.”
He returned to where he’d been drawing the sigils on the basement floor with salt. Jordan gestured towards the three of us. “Best two out of three.”
We threw down. Faust won collected the blood from Jordan, then me. Faust went up to Belial just after the demon finished up the last line for the circle. It looked a lot like a protection sigil with swirling patterns, but they were all in hellspeak rather than heavenspeak. I recognized the symbols for death, resurrection, soul, and displacement.
“Arm,” Faust demanded, his voice unnaturally cold.
Belial smirked as he unbuttoned his dress shirt sleeve. “Try not to enjoy this so much, doctor. After all, I am the demon who has agreed to help your friends. I am partially responsible for keeping you alive.”
“And you’re partially responsible for my father being dead. We’re even, monster.”
He made a quick motion across the demon’s forearm. The blood flowed fast. He’d cut pretty deep.
I caught Jordan staring while it dribbled into the bowl. I touched her shoulder and she jumped as if I’d drawn her out of a rather private thought. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” she mumbled, not meeting my gaze. “Sorry. He said it’s like going through withdrawal. It’s just a reflex. It’ll wear off eventually.”
I let out a playfully dramatic sigh, brushing a stray hair away from her forehead. “Great, now I’m married to a junkie. Anything else you need to tell me before we do this, Amador?”
“Yeah. Let’s not and say we did.”
“Hear, hear,” I admitted.
“The circle’s finished,” Faust announced, standing up after following the salt lines with our blood. The circle was about twelve feet in diameter, leaving enough space in the circle for the three of us to lie next to each other.
Jordan started for the circle, but Ace bumped his shoulder against her knee, his red eyes full of an uncertain light. She laughed and knelt before him, scratching underneath his chin. “Hey, don’t worry. I’m too stubborn to die. Plus, I owe you a cow bone when I get back, remember? Be a good boy and help Myra.”
He made a light whimpering sound, but sat back on his haunches after she stood up. Jordan took a deep breath and stepped into the circle first, lying in the middle. I took the spot to her right and Belial took the one to her left. She immediately reached for my hand. I held it tight.
“Remember,” Faust said in a quiet tone, his brown eyes full of worry. “Your soul won’t have long to be there. Keep an eye on the threads. Good luck.”
“Luck?” she snorted. “Come on, we’re going to Hell. You’ve got to have a better send off than that, dude.”
Myra surprised us all by speaking next.
“Waste not a day in vain digression
With resolute, courageous trust
Seize every possible impression,
And make it firmly your possession.”
She’d quoted Faust. Well, of course.
“That’s more like it.” My wife grinned. “See you on the other side.”
I lifted her hand to my lips, kissing her knuckles. “Definitely.”
Faust knelt and opened the ancient text in his hands, reading the Latin inscription in a strong, steady voice. After a minute or so, the blood around us began to glow with an unnatural crimson light. Darkness crept across my vision like a tide washing over the shore.
Once more unto the breach.
God help us all.
CHAPTER THIRTY
JORDAN
I opened my eyes to a darkness that I had never known.
The ground scorched my bare feet. The sky was a swirling mass of ash, cinders, and fire, blowing wildly around the frontier like I was at the eye of a gigantic hurricane. It kicked my hair up into my eyes, obscuring my view of the landscape. I brushed my whipping locks aside, my mouth hanging open as I beheld the desecrated ruins before me.
Hell. I was in Hell.
I stood at the top of a hill. Below me lay the charred remains of bones that stretched towards the distant horizon. Thousands of broken skeletons littered the hillside all the way down into what appeared to be some sort of valley. It had to be at least three or four miles of nothing but the dead.
Heat ate at my skin like acid. It was hotter than a desert, hotter than a furnace, hotter than anything I’d ever felt before. My whole body felt as if someone had doused it in gasoline and lit a match. I had only been in Hell for seconds and I already felt like I’d been here for hours, wasting away in this hideous place.
My eyes darted around, seeking the way out, but then I saw him.
Belial.
He was at least six inches taller than his human form, but that was by far the least terrifying change. He stood solid and unbending in the howling gale, his eyes closed. His skin was still alabaster and his hair was still midnight black, but he was more than handsome. He was glorious. All of the small imperfections in his human body seemed to have been wiped away. His lips were fuller, his nose was a perfect slope, his cheekbones were smooth as marble, and his eyelashes were like black lace. His hair was not shoulder length, but so long that the ends of it brushed against the back of his knees.
He no longer wore a burgundy dress shirt and slacks, but a long, black robe that I realized was a kimono. The inner lining of the haori was blood red, as was the obi tied at his waist to hold it together. Intricate patterns and swirls of white and red were woven into the edges of the sleeves. The garment gaped openly across his muscular chest, but I saw that same huge void from collarbone to navel that I’d seen when I drank his blood. The sleeves were so long that they hung near his knees. There was a katana tied to his waist, the one I’d seen in his home not a day ago.
His black wings stretched wide across his broad back, each over six feet long from tip to shoulder. The feathers’ ends were singed and glowed like hot coals, eternally burning as a sign of his damnation.
Then, Belial opened his eyes and looked straight at me.
His sensuous lips parted. “Sweet little one. Come to me.”
All at once, an overwhelming tidal wave of fear hit my body. His alien eyes filled my vision. Monster. He was a monster and he was going to devour me whole.
Run, a voice inside my head whispered. Run. Run, run, run.
Then, it became all I could hear in my ears.
RUN.
RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN AWAY.
I screamed, clapping both hands over my ears as the deafening voice reverberated through my skull. I stumbled and nearly fell, but I forced my legs to hold my weight as I raced down the hill of bones, tears streaking down my cheeks, instantly dried by the heat.
RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN HE’LL CATCH YOU AND SWALLOW YOU WHOLE IF YOU DON’T RUN. RUN FASTER.
“I can’t!” I shouted to the voice. “He’s going to get me.”
HIDE. HIDE HIDE HIDE HIDE OR HE’LL FIND YOU AND TEAR YOU APART.
I searched the barren wasteland for anything, sliding down the hill and hitting the bottom hard. A stray femur slashed a wound open on my forehead. I lay on my stomach, moaning in pain, coughing up the dirt and ash that
had clogged my lungs when I fell. Blood oozed down my skin, nearly dripping into my eyes.
I spotted a small cave. It couldn’t have been more than big enough to fit a person and a half, but I didn’t care. I had to hide. Hide from the monster.
I threw myself into the enclosed space as fast as I could, clutching my knees to my chest to make myself a smaller target. Then I listened.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch. He was coming. Oh God, he was searching for me.
“Sweet little one,” the archdemon breathed. “You don’t have to hide from me. Listen to the sound of my voice. Let it guide you. Come to me. Embrace me.”
I shook my head frantically, covering my ears to the silken words creeping through the darkness. I blinked away tears, staring paralyzed at the mouth of the cave and praying that he wouldn’t find me.
“I offer you only comfort. I will not hurt you, my pet. Come to me. Come to your master. I will protect you. I will save you. Trust me.”
The bones beside my cave rolled and bounced downhill. Oh God, he was here. He was going to find me. He was going to find me and devour me and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
The voice in my head quit hollering for me to hide. It fell silent, and then told me, Go. Go to him. If you want to survive, you must become his.
“No,” I whispered, clutching my knees to my chest until it hurt. “I can’t. He’ll make me his slave.”
Better to be on the right hand of the devil than in his path, the voice reminded me. Maybe it was right. I couldn’t hide forever. If I wanted to live, I had no choice.
Just then, Belial knelt and peeked inside the cave. I hid my face, trembling from head to toe at the very sight of him.
“Jordan. Jordan Amador. My love. Come to me.”
“Never,” I said in a tiny voice. “I’ll never come to you.”
I heard the dirt and the bones stirring. His hot breath fell across my neck, against my ear. His voice was sweeter than honey and chocolate mixed together to create some unholy audible elixir.