The cries ofthe damned greeted us when we arrived in Hell, a cacophony of moans so mournful they made my teeth involuntarily clench together. With any luck, Therese would have a little frog brain that couldn’t process what she was seeing, so she wouldn’t be traumatized for the rest of her life.
Hell was made up of several realms, perhaps infinite realms, populated by demons and the souls of the damned. But how it manifested, so far as I could tell, depended completely on who entered. Before Samuel had become a regular escort, I’d had the privilege of entering with several other demons; the hellscapes they brought me through ranged from a forest of sentient trees that moaned every time the wind rustled their razor-blade leaves to a crowded courtroom where no one was able to plead their case or escape their fate no matter how they tried. Samuel, it seemed, preferred a more traditional form of Hell, perhaps speaking to his lack of imagination.
The place stank of sulfur so strongly I had to breathe through my mouth to avoid gagging. I knew from past experience that I would get used to it, but between that and how interminably hot it was, it was a wonder I didn’t faint outright.
The small room we stood in was lit by torchlight. The flickering shadows making the rough-hewn stone walls appear to writhe with intelligence.
“Much better,” Samuel said, stretching. “How I hate the surface world. So drafty.”
“You could always put some clothes on,” I suggested.Or skin.
Samuel only stared at me. I expected if he had eyelids, he would have blinked. Did his eyes ever get itchy and dry? They must, down in this infernal heat.
“This way,” Samuel said a moment later, and I followed him into a well-lit tunnel just wide enough for the two of us to walk side-by-side. I was saved from his extended company by a girl who stepped into our path.
“I’ll take it from here, Samuel,” she said, waving him off. “Shoo, now.”
Samuel didn’t balk at the command, nor the condescension, but rather walked away without another word, leaving me alone with her.
The girl appeared fourteen, but as I’d known her for several decades, that was clearly not the case. She was very thin, with straight blonde hair that fell just past her shoulders, brushing the top of the slip of a black dress she wore. Her skin was pale but flushed. For all intents and purposes, she looked like a normal human girl, down to the striking green eyes. But when she opened her mouth, all illusions flew out the window, for her teeth were long and sharp.
“It’s good to see you again, Abigail,” I said cheerfully, trying not to stare at her teeth. Although they did look rather tasty.
Abigail began walking up the corridor without checking to ensure I followed, but of course I did. “You know how it is around here. When Father summons you, word travels fast. I swear, demons are worse than church gossips.” Father. She was referring to Lucifer, of course, the only remaining of the original fallen angels.
The fallen angels had killed each other off over the years, squabbling over power and territory in Hell, until even Lucifer had been forced to kill his own mate. That would have been Abigail’s mother, leaving this strange girl the only other fallen angel in existence.
We passed gaps in the wall that allowed a view of a vast cavern beyond. The cries of agony were louder here, and I peered down at the unfortunate souls below. Some were being shoved into vats of bubbling yellow liquid, skin melting from their bones upon contact, while others were being forced to carry boulders or be whipped by green-skinned demons who resembled lizards. Demons, of course, were the weaker offspring of fallen angels and humans, but still powerful enough to create witches, after all, with their magic. Though they hadn’t been able tocontainthe witches in Hell. But I wouldn’t be around if not for demons, so I supposed I should be thankful, even if I found them rather unsavory for the most part.
I shuddered, wondering how many of the souls I’d fetched for Lucifer were tortured here now, or in another such cavern. I peered up at the ceiling of the cave and felt a chill run through me. The entirety of the ceiling at first seemed open to the black sky overhead, but it was shifting ever so slightly. And amid its inky depths, hundreds of eyes peered at the scene below. As I watched, one eye trained on me, and I looked away quickly. I’d felt a hunger in that gaze that was unsettling at best. God’s angels allegedly had many eyes like that, back in the day. But those were just stories handed down, and this was clearly a demon. God would want nothing to do with what happened down here, nor my kind. He left even humans to fend for themselves. So as far as I was concerned, Lucifer was doing more for anyone than God had in millennia. Even if the Devil was as self-serving as they came.
“There are rumblings of a very important client,” Abigail said conversationally as we walked. “I’m sure that’s what you’re here for. Another soul to collect, I take it?”
“I would assume so,” I said.
“Hmmm. Don’t you ever grow weary of being Father’s lackey?” Abigail glanced back at me. “You strike me as someone who has more to offer. The life of a bounty hunter is no life.”
I wasn’t sure what she was driving at, or if she was merely curious. “I don’t have much choice. I am in Lucifer’s debt. I’m just grateful I’m near its end.” I blinked. “Of course, the honor of your company would be worth any visit to Hell.”
Abigail snorted. “This rats’ nest? Truly? How many days does it take to wash the stench off when you leave this place?”
I considered. I did have to take several baths with a special tincture my mother had created to remove the sulfur smell. It had a tendency to linger.
“Father could at least have the decency to have you escorted through a less unsavory dimension.” Abigail sighed. “But you’ve met Samuel. I do hope your time working for Father hasn’t been without its rewards.”
I smiled noncommittally. I wouldn’t say I’d enjoyed a moment of being in Lucifer’s service.
Before long, Abigail led me to an intimidating door that seemed fashioned entirely of human bones. Grinning skulls stared back at me from their places and seemed to shift ever so slightly. I tried not to give them too much thought, but they made me wonder if they could bealivelike that.
“And here we are,” Abigail said as we approached. The door opened and she followed me inside. We passed an open stone chamber decked out in red velvet tapestries and rugs, making for a long dining table set with a feast of every conceivable delicacy. There were golden turkeys, platters of cheese, succulent grapes, and melons. And yet, no one was in the room, save the man who sat upon a throne behind the table.
The man looked up as I approached, and my heart leapt at his beauty. Blond hair, blue eyes, cheekbones seemingly cut from marble…. Gods, he was handsome. The devil really did use it to his advantage. As if sensing my traitorous heart stuttering for him, a lazy smile crossed his face, and he stretched lackadaisically before getting to his feet and descending the five steps to the table to greet us. He rounded the table, and the blood pumped through my veins a little quicker as he drew near, the scent of honey and incense rolling off of him in delectable waves.
Lucifer met my eyes as a wicked smile crossed his face. “Callum,” Lucifer said, and I hated how much I enjoyed hearing my name fall from his lips. “Such a pleasure.”
I could see very clearly that he knew the effect he had on me—had on everyone, really—but I couldn’t help my reaction. It was as if I were under a love spell. Perhaps I was. “The pleasure’s all mine,” I offered.
Lucifer chuckled, as if I’d said something witty and hadn’t merely spoken the truth. “My dependable, competent little soldier. Such a good bargain, you were.” He slapped me lightly on the cheek and winked at me. “You don’t know how happy you make me.”
