by Laurèn Lee
“Stay close,” Liam warned.
“Yes, master,” Adriel replied sarcastically.
“Watch it.”
The two demons approached the main hall of Hell, where chaos emerged before their very red eyes. Dozens of demons clawed at each other, shrill cries of anguish and yelps reverberating around the room and bouncing off the tall stone ceilings. There seemed to be no end in sight to the madness.
“What the—” Adriel said.
“And so it begins.”
“What’s beginning?” Adriel asked, his jaw still dropped.
“They’ve already begun to take sides,” Liam replied gleefully.
“Explain.”
“See, there can’t be two Kings of Hell.”
“Obviously,” Adriel cut him off.
Ignoring the interruption, Liam continued, “The intelligent demons will now follow me, while the sad excuse for demons will continue to follow Lucifer at the cost of their own demise.”
“A demon war?”
“Essentially, yes.”
“This is insane! We’ll kill each other until there’s no more of us left!”
“No, no. Of course not. See, my followers will be allowed to have a taste of my power, making the others exponentially more vulnerable.”
“You really are evil, aren’t you?” A black stone embedded on a silver setting on Liam’s middle finger caught Adriel’s eye. He’d seen that ring before, but where?
“Why yes, I am.”
A few feet away, two burly demons wrestled to the death. Both were broken and bleeding. Both attempted to outwit the other while both died a little more each second. Adriel’s crimson eyes bugged out of his head at the madness before him. It was demon versus demon. No longer were they a united front. Now, civil war consumed them. It was the old regime versus the new.
From across the room, a parade of she-demons marched toward Liam with their googly eyes and hair-twirling escapades. They appeared ready to pounce, but in a way that led Adriel to believe there may be an orgy in the near future.
“Liam! Liam! You’re our king!” they chanted.
The she-demons circled Liam within seconds, fighting each other to caress his skin and sculpted body. They moaned in ecstasy as he touched them in return, only they didn’t realize he was trying to push them away rather than embrace their gesture of devotion.
Adriel took that moment as the perfect opportunity to escape. Liam wouldn’t be able to hinder the girls long enough to catch him. With one last glance toward Liam, Adriel fled the depths of Hell and sprinted toward the gates that would lead him back to the cold, but welcomed surface of planet Earth.
4
Adriel landed on the dusty gravel inside the cemetery. He half-expected to see Charlotte, Mary Elizabeth and Cyndy waiting for him, but he remembered the time difference between Earth and and Hell. He assumed he’d been in Hell for only a few hours, but that could mean weeks had passed in human time. He hoped the girls weren’t too worried about him. After all, their plan worked, and his powers were restored.
More than anything, though, he wished to hold Charlotte in his arms. Where was she at this moment? Adriel’s heart fluttered at the thought of kissing her and taking off her clothes. He needed to find her as soon as demonly possible.
He glanced back at the Gates of Hell and hoped the she-demons would occupy Liam’s time long enough for him to evade his wrath again. At least for a little while. Adriel sprinted toward the Hairy Dog, but dread filled his veins as he approached the dilapidated bar.
Half the bar was missing, and the rest continued to smoke and sizzle before him. Someone set the building on fire, and Adriel couldn’t imagine any part was salvageable.
What the— he said to himself, awestruck.
He stepped over heaping piles of burned lumber and avoided the shards of glass that poked through the mounds of destruction and decay. A thought struck him then: what if the fire turned deadly? Was Charlotte still alive? Did Mary Elizabeth make it out okay? And Cyndy? Adriel’s heart panged with distress for his dear friend. This bar meant everything to her. What would she do now?
Adriel stepped around the destruction and found one single bottle of liquor that hadn’t been smashed to pieces: a bottle of Jack Daniels. He tossed the bottle from hand to hand before he nodded and opened the cap with ease. He held the bottle over his head and poured the amber liquid down his throat. Only half the bottle remained, but Adriel finished every last drop. Fury overwhelmed him then, and he tossed the bottle against the last standing wall like a pitcher on opening day. The bottle smashed into the surface of the wall and shattered with an ear-splitting crash.
Now what? he wondered.
While they all organized a well-devised plan for Adriel’s descent into Hell, they never bothered to discuss what would happen when he resurfaced. Adriel kicked a chair across what was left of the bar and howled at the sky. He had no idea where to look for Charlotte—if she was even still alive.
As Adriel left the Hairy Dog, a white mist sped eerily toward him. The mist blocked out the sun and engulfed him within seconds. The particles made his skin tingle, and a warming sensation spread across his body.
“Adriel,” an angelic voice whispered.
“Hello?” Adriel called back. “Who’s there?”
He could no longer see his surroundings. Instead, it seemed as though he was trapped inside the friendliest tornado to ever exist.
“Adriel, come to us,” the voice sang. “We are here for you.”
“Who’s here for me? What’s going on?” Adriel’s heart thudded in his chest. He waved his arms madly around him like a blind man searching for the door.
Without warning, a sucking sensation overcame him, and Adriel was convinced a very large vacuum scooped him up and out of midair. He flew through the universe, and his body reacted like he was on a rollercoaster through space. As his body tightened, Adriel thought someone was pulling him through a very small straw. He waited for his bones to break from the constriction.
Everything went black, and Adriel wondered if this was the journey to death, a final death. With a hard thud, Adriel landed on his back, and the sucking and flying sensations ceased at once. His head throbbed, and his blood pumped rapidly within his veins.
Barely able to open his eyes, Adriel moaned in agony. The landing knocked him out for a moment, and his head was exploding with pain.
“Adriel?” a voice called, echoing around the room, or wherever Adriel managed to wind up. He groaned, still unable to open his eyes.
“Adriel, it’s me, Charlotte.”
The sound of her name heightened his senses, and it took all his strength to shake him out of his trance.
“Charlotte?”
“Yes! It’s me!”
Adriel squinted, and a mess of blonde hair covering a woman’s face came into view. It was definitely the woman he wanted to see more than anyone else in the world.
“It’s you,” he whispered.
“It’s you,” she replied. “I was so worried about you. It’s been over a week. We thought you might never come back.”
Charlotte choked back a sob and knelt beside Adriel. She brushed his hair out of his face and gently leaned down to kiss his forehead.
“Where am I?” he asked.
“We’re at that hotel room. Remember? Mary Elizabeth’s secret place.”
Adriel nodded, and his surroundings cleared up. The fog disappeared.
“I thought demons couldn’t find this place.”
“They can’t. That’s why Mary Elizabeth had to bring you here through a vortex.”
“Do me a favor?”
“Anything,” Charlotte offered.
“Never bring me somewhere through a vortex again.”
Charlotte giggled and helped him sit up. The room remained unchanged, as lavish and ostentatious as before. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, and the plush carpet provided a comforting welcome to Adriel.
“Where is everyone?” he pressed nervously.
&
nbsp; “Mary Elizabeth is resting. She said it wasn’t an easy task to bring you here.”
“And, Cyndy? I saw the bar. Is she okay?”
“She’s fine. She’s in another room in this very hotel, actually. But, I’d give her some space. She’s still pissed off about the bar.”
Adriel nodded and stretched his arms over his head. The whiskey seemed to leave his body during his flight because he felt completely sober.
“What happened to the bar?”
“We don’t know for sure, but we think one of Liam’s henchman torched it.”
Charlotte stood and strode into the room’s kitchen to fetch a glass of water. Adriel heaved himself up and managed to fall back onto the fluffy king-sized bed. His body sank into the mattress, and for the first time in a while, he felt at ease and comfortable.
“Here, have a few sips.”
Adriel accepted the glass of water and finished it in one gulp.
Charlotte sat beside him on the bed and pulled her knees to her chest. “So, what happened down there?”
“I don’t really want to talk about it right now, Char. I’m exhausted.”
“Well, I think I deserve an explanation. I spent the last week waiting for you.” Her voice turned sour.
Adriel sighed heavily and closed his eyes. “I got my powers back. Liam is trying to take over Hell, and Lucifer is probably on the run by now.”
“What?” Charlotte screeched. “Liam’s trying to take over Hell? I thought he just wanted to build an army.”
“He is building an army. He’s also persuaded half the demons in Hell to follow him. When I tried to escape, a riot broke out, and the demons were fighting each other. It was an all-out civil war.”
“This is unbelievable. How can there be more than one devil? Seems impossible. Liam can’t be that strong, right?”
“Unfortunately, he is. I saw his powers firsthand. Not even Lucifer has the magic Liam possesses. But, there’s more to the story than I can see right now. There’s no way Liam should be more powerful than the fucking Devil. Something else is happening behind the scenes.”
“But, how did that happen? How did Liam get so powerful?”
“I honestly don’t know, Char. Maybe magic?”
Charlotte scoffed. “Magic? First demons, then angels, now I’m supposed to believe in magic?”
“Anything is possible, and at this point, there’s got to be something or someone helping Liam overpower Lucifer. He couldn’t do this all on his own.”
Silence interrupted the conversation, and Adriel hoped he could try and get some sleep.
“So, you have your powers back? You’re a demon again?”
“Yes,” he began. “The plan worked just as Mary Elizabeth said.”
“So that also means you’re not back to full strength?”
“No, I’m not. I can tell some of my demonhood didn’t return.”
“Well, I personally can’t wait until we overthrow Liam and his nasty little minions. Then you can become human again, and we can finally be together.”
“What?” Adriel choked. “Become human again? Why would I ever do that?”
Charlotte turned to him with venom in her eyes. “What do you mean, ‘Why would you ever do that?’ Don’t you want to be together?”
“Of course, I do.” Adriel sat up and reached for Charlotte’s hand. “But, who says I want to become a human again?”
“You’re kidding, right? This is all a joke?”
Adriel rubbed his temples. “Out with it, Charlotte. What’s the problem?”
“Adriel, I want to get married and have a family someday. I can’t marry a demon, let alone procreate with one!”
“You want to have kids with me?” Adriel asked, taken aback.
“Well, I thought I did. Don’t you?” Charlotte glared at Adriel with hurt etched across her face.
“I don’t think I’m father material, to be honest.”
Charlotte leaped off the bed and paced around the room. “So, what? You just wanted to fuck me and then find someone else?”
“Charlotte, babe. Stop. What are you talking about?”
“What’s the end game here, Adriel? If you don’t want to start a future together, what are we doing here?”
“This is getting out of hand. Can we please take a break and pick this back up after we get some rest?” Adriel asked. He massaged his temples and closed his eyes, taking steady breaths.
“No, Adriel. I don’t want to rest. I want to take down my psycho ex-fiancé. I want to stop more people from being murdered, and I want to live a normal life again. Why can’t you understand that?” Charlotte’s tone was rising.
“I do understand—”
“No, you really don’t,” Charlotte cut him off. “I’m so stupid. I should have seen this coming. Once a demon, always a demon.”
“Charlotte, wait!” Adriel called as Charlotte stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
Adriel groaned and fell back against the down pillows behind him. As soon as he closed his eyes, sleep took hold of him, but not before he pictured Charlotte running off into someone else’s arms. If it was the last thing he did, he couldn’t let her get away that easily.
5
“Liam?” Tori asked, aghast. “What are you doing here?”
Liam pulled Tori up and cupped her thin, heart-shaped face in his hands.
“Tori, love. It’s so good to see you.”
“I’m so confused. What’s going on? Where have you and Charlotte been? Is she okay?” Tori rattled off.
“I’ll explain it all in due time. Shall we go back to your house for a spot of tea?”
“Is Charlotte there? Can I see her? Can I talk to her?” Tori asked, out of breath.
“Let’s just go back to your house, and I’ll tell you everything.”
Tori nodded reluctantly, but her stomach tightened with unease. She looked down and saw her knees bled freely from her fall. She limped the first few steps back toward her house, and Liam followed closely next to her. They walked back in silence as dread filled Tori’s heart, body and mind. Something didn’t feel right; she sensed it in her bones.
After a few minutes, they stalked up the driveway to Tori and Adam’s house. Tori opened the door, anxious to see Adam. She needed him for support and maybe protection, too. However, once she stepped over the threshold, Tori realized an eerie silence inside the four walls of her home.
“Adam?” she called out as Liam stepped inside behind her. He wore a malicious grin, which sent shivers down Tori’s spine. “Babe? I’m home! Liam’s here to see us!”
She hoped the announcement that Adam’s college friend was there to visit would shake him out of his trance, and he would come to greet them. Sometimes, Adam concentrated so deeply on his music or a song he was writing, not even Tori’s attempt at seducing him by strutting around in lingerie caught his attention.
“He was here when I left for my run,” Tori said, biting her lip.
Finally, Liam spoke up. “I don’t think Adam is here anymore.”
Tori turned around. “What do you mean? Where did he go?”
“Well, you see, I sort of, how do you say, killed him?”
The word “killed” slapped Tori across the face. “What?” she blurted.
“I’m so sorry, Tori, but I had to. Yes, I know this seems rather sudden considering we were best friends for so long, but he stood in my way, and I won’t let anything or anyone interfere with my plan.”
Tori, in a manic frenzy, sprinted to the living room where she left Adam before her run. There, Adam lay sprawled across the floor, his throat slit and his eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling. Nausea thrust itself upon Tori, and she dropped to her knees, completely devastated. Tears poured from her eyes as she covered Adam’s bloodied body with hers.
“Adam! Adam! Adam!” she cried uncontrollably.
Liam stood in the doorway with his arms folded across his chest, a dark ring glittering on his finger. His perfectly
pressed suit didn’t have a speckle of blood on it.
“It had to be this way. He wouldn’t have made a good demon, anyway. Too pure of heart,” Liam whispered to himself.
Tori heard Liam’s voice and picked her head up off Adam’s still chest. “You did this to him? You killed him? You were supposed to be his friend!”
“Yes,” he replied matter-of-factly. “Not all friendships are made to last, though.”
Tori’s entire world crashed down around her. Was this a dream? This couldn’t be happening. Did Liam truly kill the love of her life? His best friend?
Without another thought, Tori stood up, covered in blood, and charged toward Liam. She crashed into him, reaching for his throat. She screamed like a wounded animal and thrashed in Liam’s arms. She scratched at his neck as she aimed for his eyes. All the while, Liam cackled devilishly, which only infuriated Tori more.
After a minute, Liam yawned and reached for Tori’s neck. In one smooth gesture, he latched on to her throat and snapped it effortlessly. Tori dropped to the floor without another sound, except for the thump of her body hitting the hardwood floor.
Tori opened her eyes, and her head throbbed with an intensity she never experienced in her life. She stared up at her own ceiling, unaware of what had happened. Did she pass out? Did she have a stroke? Then, she remembered the events which unfolded before she lost consciousness.
Liam, she thought.
Frantically, she sat up and gazed around her living room. Adam’s body no longer laid across the floor, but his blood, which stained the floor, remained untouched. Tori’s heart broke all over again, and tears splashed down her cheeks. She reached for her chest, wondering if she still had a heart after finding her love murdered in their home.
“Ah, finally. You’re awake,” Liam cooed from the corner, hidden in shadows.
“You!” Tori spat. “What did you do to Adam? What did you do to me?”
“What did I do? I saved you, love.”
“Saved me? You knocked me out!”
Liam chuckled and stepped out of the darkness that covered the room. The moon glowed brightly outside, and Tori wondered how long she’d been unconscious.
