Fuckers should have read the small print on that one, I thought with a grimace as I looked down at what had become of them. And why, because their brother had damned them to this life when Publius committed the sin of killing his sister upon his return to the city. This was because not everyone welcomed him home as a hero. Camilla, his sister, had been engaged to one of the Alban triplets. Meaning that the moment she saw her brother’s spoils of war over his shoulder, a cloak she had woven as a gift to her beloved, one now covered in his blood, she cursed him in a fit of anger and grief. She cried out his name and proclaimed that no Roman woman should mourn Rome's fallen enemies and in return, Publius killed his sister on the spot.
For his crime he was condemned to death, however due to his recent victory, he used the Roman tradition of allowing the condemned to appeal their sentences to the populace. This was naturally to end in his advantage, seeing as he had just done Rome a great service in his victory against the enemy. Therefore he cheated death.
However, no one cheated the Devil.
Which meant that when he did eventually die shortly after, due to unknown circumstances I could very well put down to the Devil’s hand, Lucifer was right there ready to take possession of all three souls. He even had their bodies at the ready, and trials of his abomination began. Now if there had been any before them, I had no idea, I simply knew that what was left of the Horatii triplets was currently at my mercy. At my mercy and close to being thrown back into Hell to face the wrath of their maker once more.
For reasons unknown to anyone but our joint father of Hell, the three weren’t destroyed after this failure but instead the Fates intervened and awarded them Keepers of The Tree of Souls. But seeing as the sins of one damned them all, it was made so as not one could live without the other. For their punishment became dependency, seeing as they had failed to depend on one another in the Afterlife. A decision that ultimately led to their Hellish demise.
Now just look at the heroes of Rome, I thought with a sneer.
“Now tell me, Horatii…where is my Queen?!” I growled this last part of my demand taking note of their pained sound at being reminded of who they once were. It was no doubt a name they hadn’t heard in over two thousand years, unless of course Lucifer himself was ever in the mood to play tormentor and pay his failed attempt a visit. Sinful, jealous brothers who the Fates had strangely deemed worthy enough to be bestowed a new name of Keepers of Three. This for reasons that would no doubt never be known to me.
“The gateway to Hell is forever changing.”
“It is fated where she will be.”
“Muhuss…”
“Don’t fucking bother saying a word, cretin!” I snapped shutting up the one with his brother’s hand in his mouth having no fucking patience for it! But of course I didn’t, my girl had stepped through the fucking portal believing that I would simply be stepping through it right after her. Foolishly doing so thinking all she had to do was wait for me on the other side. She had no idea that the Tree’s portal into Hell didn’t work like that. In fact, most gateways into Hell didn’t unless they were in the Temple of Janus. It was what made the Temple so important to our world and it was also why not everyone had been granted the good fortune of being allowed to enter it. Power was key, that and the hard to come by Janus Coin.
No, you had to earn that rite of passage…I thought this on looking down at my demonic hand that had ripped away the leather that once concealed it the moment she stepped from my sight. And now she was in fucking Hell, no doubt wondering where the fuck I was!
I am coming for you, my Queen.
“You may not know the destination, but you do know which realm of Hell she was transported…I know you fucking do!” I threatened and to emphasise this point, I pushed their combined heads closer to the swirling abyss of crimson fire. An ominous sight that looked like an eternal hole of oblivion. Of course, this was only a glimpse as to what awaited anyone foolish enough to enter through it and think that they could conquer its Hellish world by simply surviving it.
A foolish mortal like Amelia.
Fuck! But how could she even hope to endure such a place?! There was no time to waste, which was why my grip tightened and I pushed further, watching as all limbs tensed and tried in vain to scramble away. So, I kicked out again, forcing the Keepers mangled torso closer to the floor and dragged them the last few inches until they believed I had truly lost myself to madness.
“No, you can’t…Lucifer…!”
“He will kill you…You mustn’t!”
“Ffffobthin!” This was when I lifted them up close enough so I could whisper to the second head, the one who still had the use of his ears. Then I said in a dangerous tone…
“He can fucking try!” Then I grabbed one of the wrists that was free enough from the mangled body and to prove my point I held it out, forcing it into the portal. I did this knowing it wouldn’t last long being imprisoned between the two worlds.
“AAAHHH!”
“NNNOOOO!”
“GGGRRAAAGH!”
“Now tell me, what fucking realm took her?!” I barked at them the second I pulled it back, ignoring the stench of burnt flesh from what was left of their meaty hand. I let them go and watched with a sliver of satisfaction at the way they cowed back away from me. But the sight of them scrambling was only wasting my time and stoked the fury inside of me,
“TELL ME!” I roared making them flinch as one.
“She is on the edges of your realm.”
“The Kingdom of Blood and Death.”
“Ssshth othnkn yyyonn.” I frowned at the one unable to speak and cocked my head his way.
“He said that she is searching for you,” the brother said in response to my silent order and the moment he said it, I couldn’t help but flinch myself, doing so enough to close my eyes as the pain of that statement lanced through me. My girl was looking for me and I was fucking here! I let my anger snake through me, feeling the demon side of me rippling against my skin at the thought of what could be happening right now.
I would fucking kill anyone that touched her and rip Hell in two to find her! I would destroy all that Lucifer had built and tear his world apart if I found anything had happened to her! For that was my vow!
I turned around to face the portal, and paused when the Keepers shouted out for me, sickening me with their continued loyalty after what I had done to them. For even now I wanted to do more…much, much more.
“My Lord! The Tree of Souls…”
“She is the key, don’t forget that!”
“Mybbkbdke!”
I snarled, letting my fangs grow again in length at the same time the full change in me swept through my vessel like I was being stroked by the Devil’s hand. A caress that caused a crackle of pain I was not only used to but welcomed as I was about to step back into my natural domain. It was akin to being injected with some kind of demonic serum, as I could feel it surging through my veins as it filtered through to every cell in my body. I clenched my fists and looked back over my shoulder at yet another one of Lucifer’s sickening failures.
Then I told them before stepping into Hell…
“She belongs to me…and as for the Fates…”
“Fate, can go fuck itself!”
8
Bound to Realms
The second I step into Hell I found my first breath one that instantly eased my demon. However, it was a relief that was short lived, as any hope that I would find my Chosen here waiting for me was dead after a quick scan of my surroundings. But then this wasn’t exactly surprising as I knew what Amelia hadn’t known when stepping foolishly into Hell. Firstly, portals into another realm didn’t work like she thought they did and secondly, time passed differently depending on where in Hell you were. It was like time zones when travelling the world, only here it was dependant on the level of Hell you found yourself in.
An hour topside could equal to days here, or even months the deeper you went. It was the same for each of the many rea
lms the supernatural beings that didn’t belong to Hell or Heaven called home. For the fabric of time was an entity all by itself when stepping from one world into another. The realm of the Elementals especially, for this was where most of those that were not quite demon and not quite angel resided. There were many races of creatures that were derived from both sides of Heaven and Hell, creating subspecies whose origins blurred the true lines of descent. Pip for example was an Imp and was known as an Elemental being who descended from the Hell side of life. However, it was obvious to say that she most definitely preferred to live topside with human life than with that of her own kind.
Not that I blamed her, as many parts of their world was like stepping back through time. Or in some realms like being caught in some technological cross over between modern magic and steam power cities of the 17th century. It was also renowned for being as ruthless as Hell itself in some parts, these depending on its ruler of course. It was also a place that demons were naturally unwelcome, vampires included and that was just fucking fine with me! As I had enough shit to deal with in my own world than having to deal with my people crossing over into theirs.
However, that didn’t mean that the crossover didn’t go both ways as many of my people were of an Elemental breed. But seeing as I was far from being racist to these kinds of beings, I often welcomed the loyalty offered, Pip being one of them. Something that quite often offered an interesting addition to my power force, something that I was about to rely heavily on when looking for my girl. But then my rule here was quite different than that of the mortal world. Which was unsurprising really, given that Hell wasn’t exactly an easy place to rule. It also was the reason I was known as the Tyrant King of Blood and Death, a title only earned through brutality as was the nature of Hell. Because down here money didn’t talk, pain did. Pain and death were used like a currency and what you were buying was only ever one thing…Power.
If there was one important thing my demonic father had taught me was that the more powerful beings you ruled over, the stronger you were in that rule. Of course, it wasn’t like mutiny never happened, for in this, Lucifer had learned this lesson more often than not. The worst of which being less than fifteen years ago. He had also proved why it was dangerous to have any weaknesses that anyone may be able to exploit. A hard factor for a being like Lucifer to face, especially when he learnt just how much of a weakness claiming his Chosen One could be. A lesson I myself had learnt, and for a once cold-hearted bastard of a King, finding fear was never easy to face or to conquer. A battle of the heart for a warrior only built for spilling blood on the battlefield and being a bringer of death, wasn’t easily won, for it was mainly a war fought within yourself.
But I had played the selfless act for years and now that I had tasted all that was her, there was no going back. The claim had been made, even though I knew the cause of all her danger was me standing at its chaotic core. Which was why I knew that down here I would have to play things differently if I wanted to reclaim her and keep her safe at the same time. For if my enemies were to discover who she really was to me, then I would only end up putting her in even more danger than she usually was when in the mortal world.
This meant that putting every resource I had down here into trying to find her was going to be tricky seeing as I wanted to keep her true identity from this brutal world. One ripe with enemies not to just my throne but to her father’s also, for she was a Princess to a hated King by many and a Queen to a hated King by even more.
Fuck, but could things get any more complicated?!
It didn’t take me long to realise where I was, and the sight didn’t exactly surprise me. After all, I would forever be drawn to this place and whatever portal I stepped through would have recognised that pull of energy. Which was why I was now stood on the border between the forest and that of my castle in the distance. The colossal dark blue obsidian crystal shards had been risen out of the ground by Lucifer’s army of witches. Those and any mage that had enough magic that it served him enough to keep them around. Gods, but even the word magic was one that I loathed, and the reasons for this ran deeper than my current hatred for the bitch out to destroy me. But being topside for as long as I had then the word just sounded so juvenile compared to the raw and dark power that could be produced, and right in front of me was the proof of that.
This was my gift, the Devil had said that every King needs a castle and just as much as I was Lucifer’s greatest accomplishment, my castle needed to make that statement and to all I was destined to rule over. Personally, I fucking hated the charade and every fucked up part that came with my rule in Hell. Of course, I had joked on many occasions with Amelia about my palace here but looking at it now and I couldn’t help but wonder what she would have thought should she be standing next to me. I mean it wasn’t exactly the ‘welcome home, honey’ one would have hoped to present to their intended Queen but then again, I wasn’t exactly your poster boy for a conventional relationship.
I turned and looked back at the Forest of Echoes, known as such due to the unique rock formations that are scattered throughout the land. These cluster of rocks created an amplified effect which meant that voices carried throughout the forest, undeterred by the trees that should have prevented most of it from travelling that far.
No, instead it created a warped, ricochet effect making those that were new to these parts believe they were surrounded or that the forest was alive with the voices that were actually their own. Of course, if you weren’t far from the rocks then those voices could be heard with more clarity. But that was by the by, for there weren’t many that ventured too far in Hell from what they were comfortable with. All but the bounty hunters who had to be fearless to choose such a profession in this dark realm. But then again, it was one that paid well for there were always those who were escaping the wrath of some Lord or King. As for Lucifer, the King of Kings, well then no one escaped him, other than that of his own Queen soon after she was first brought to Hell. And I should know seeing as I was the fucker charged with delivering her!
At the time I didn’t know which emotion Lucifer felt more, being utterly enraged or being shockingly impressed. However, that was one time where he broke all his own rules and actually went to the mortal realm to retrieve her himself. This was a time I had no choice but to remember, seeing as I was the unlucky fuck who was charged with ruling in his place for a short time, one unfortunately not short enough.
But that was then, and this was now, for it seemed the tables had turned and I was the one now hunting my Chosen One…yet a-fucking-gain! Honestly, at this rate I was half tempted put a leash around the girl’s neck so she couldn’t wander too far, seeing as she couldn’t be trusted not to make foolish mistakes!
Gods, I was fucking furious with her!
It seemed to have been one after another since seeing her that day at the museum and the only one I had approved of had been when she tricked Dante and slipped past his surveillance. Because that had been the only one that had brought her directly to me and what marked the end of years of self-induced torture. Of course, everything after that point had been a combination of street smarts, dumb fucking luck, bad judgement, and even worse rash decisions made on the backs of heightened emotions. Emotional minds, which if you asked me were the worst fucking time a person could make decisions ruled by fear, pain or heartache.
Cold, hard, and calculated was what made a person survive in my world, and Amelia was none of those things. Yet, here she was, in a place she had only read about in books. Books that right now would have been useful for only one thing, keeping warm when needing to start a fire! Because even though in the mortal world she had been on the run, this was far from needing to be street smart and savvy. And despite needing to give her credit where credit was due, for she had not only managed to escape me, but she had done so without getting herself hunted down by those that wished to use her against me…This was a different league of survival.
Fuck me, but thinking back to when she had
even gone up against a gangster and his gun happy band of fuckwits was a discovery that had made me proud. And to have even come out of it with the boss actually respecting her, was nothing short of impressive…of course, he had been at the wrong end of the barrel at the time. But like me, respect had to be shown to anyone who had the ability to get the better of someone that high up on the food chain. For they only got there by slaying their enemies and getting the better of anyone who had stood in their way. And this was without taking into account her being a gorgeous, unsuspecting woman dressed like a flight attendant speeding through the doors in a stolen Ferrari.
My little Hell on wheels.
I shook these thoughts from my head and released my wings knowing time was of the essence, and what I needed to do next I wanted to get done and out of the fucking way, quickly. It was time to reclaim my throne and use my title to its fullest, something that had to start first with a meeting with my second in command. The one I had appointed to rule in my absence.
But then again, he was the only one that ever could.
I landed with much more force than was necessary, cracking the stone beneath me and making those who worked at the castle run in fear the moment they saw me.
“Looks like not a lot has changed then,” I muttered to myself as I entered my ostentatious throne room that was stark white marble and lengths of crimson displaying my sigil. The grand hall was mostly empty, which wasn’t surprising considering there was no particular reason for my second in command to hold court. Of course, when news got out of my return, the place would be packed with those both curious and those too afraid of not appearing and showing their loyalty to their King or fearing my famous wrath.
Truth was, even though my demon side was at home here, it had to be said that when living topside in the mortal realm, that side of me was far calmer than when down here. I think it was because there was always some threat. Some edge to be forced to walk along, even in my own kingdom and down here, it was razor sharp and usually came with teeth waiting for the opportunity to skin into both your flesh and your position.
Eyes Of Crimson : Vampire Paranormal Romance (Transfusion Saga Book 8) Page 8