Lucifer’s Daughter(41)

Now, you would think that once people got to Hell, most would choose this route. Why live here, you ask? Odd as it seemed, people having died once tended to be more frightened the second time, knowing that everything they knew, everything they were, would disappear. Well, a lot of them preferred to eke out an existence in the pit, surrounded by friends and family, rather than spin the wheel of chance and end up a nobody in a new body and who-knew-what kind of life.

It drove my dad nuts that more people didn"t jump in, but he never forced anyone unless they disrupted the natural flow of Hell, which, in turn, disrupted my father"s pursuit of pleasure--AKA chasing women. When that happened, the offender was rapidly dropped, usually kicking and screaming, into the abyss; and life, of a sorts, went on.

Eventually, most people did move on. It took a few hundred years sometimes, but by themselves, or sometimes a pair, and even a few times a whole family, would take the plunge, swearing to find each other again in their new lives. And for all we knew, they did.

Bringing my mind back to the task at hand, though, I worried about the choice of location. I didn"t know what would happen if Auric--not quite human, no longer an angel--got tossed into the abyss. Would the abyss be able to make him live again, or would it hold onto this unknown factor, unable to rebirth him, but also unable to set him free?

I would make sure nothing happened. My plan–ensure Auric survived, at all cost.

Quietly approaching the area where the nine circles converged, I pulled out my Hell sword with only the slightest whisper of sound. I crept through the rocky outcropping, emerging onto the stone-strewn ring of dirt which circled the gaping chasm that was the abyss.



There, kneeling at the edge, arms still bound, head bowed, was Auric. I wanted to rush forward and touch him, but if we were both to survive, I needed to keep my wits and follow the training I"d painstakingly gone through. The years and years of instruction had taught one primary lesson--survival.

I walked on cat feet towards Auric; my eyes flicked left and right, searching for motion. I knew Azazel had to be here somewhere. I must have made a small sound, for Auric"s face lifted and, with one good eye--the other being swollen shut--he looked at me, his face stricken.

“Muriel, no,” he croaked. “Go back. It"s a trap.”

“I know,” I said, smiling gently at him while inwardly seething. I could tell he"d put up a valiant fight. His body bled from multiple wounds, and the thick chains that bound him told of his strength, a strength they feared. I wanted to scream at those who"d hurt him, then rip their innards out and watch them as they died.

Bloodthirsty? Damned right. They"d hurt my love. Being my father"s daughter, I would make them pay. And I would enjoy it.

From above, I heard the beating of leathery wings, and down floated Azazel, a cold smile on his demonic face. As if his presence were the signal, other demons crept out of hiding, cutting off my retreat to the rear and penning me in on the sides.

Azazel"s eyes glittered. “About time you showed up, Satan"s whelp. I was beginning to wonder if we needed to send you pictures of your boyfriend to get you to come.”

“I"m here now. Let him go.” I didn"t figure he would, but I had to try.

“Satana,” Azazel spoke to me, shaking his head and finger at me like a naughty child. “Do you really think I"m going to do that? My master is quite interested in this angel. He has plans for him. Painful plans.”

“What do you want?” I asked through gritted teeth.

I heard Auric moan, “No, Mur...” A plea that was cut off when Azazel turned and kicked Auric, hard, in the ribs. Auric didn"t cry out, although I knew he had to be hurting. And that was just one more reason why Azazel would die. Very painfully.

I looked away from Auric and inwardly seethed. I faced Azazel and said again, my voice flecked with ice, “What do you want?”

“My master wants you, willing and docile, in exchange for the life of the angel.”

I knew they planned to kill me. I knew it would probably hurt. But I refused to allow Auric to die for me. I loved him. I would die for him.



“Let us hammer out the terms, first,” I said. I knew better than to just give in without negotiation.

My father was the king of loopholes when it came to promises, and I"d learned well. “I will give myself to your master willingly in exchange for Auric, on the condition that he is transported with no further harm to inside my bar. I will not fight your master, so long as Auric lives and is safe.” It was the best I could do, for Auric and myself.

Azazel pretended to think about it, so I glanced briefly at Auric and saw him shaking his head. I looked away, lest I begin to cry.