“You know how I told you sometimes I go around towns trying to help other humans escape?”
Alex shook his head. He didn’t remember her telling him that. “So you’re here to help someone escape?”
Natasha didn’t shake or nod her head. She did that thing in between, where you wobble your head, along with your shoulders. “I actually came to persuade someone to run away.”
“Didn’t work, I take it?” Alex said.
Natasha shook her head sadly. “She didn’t want to come. And they caught Katrina.”
Chapter 32
Of course Alex was going to help Natasha and Katrina. He didn’t know how exactly, but he did have some ideas on it. “We need to go back to the inn. There’s a demon there that might be able to help us.”
“A demon?” Natasha’s face crunched. “No demons!”
“She’s different, okay,” Alex said. “I trust her and I need you to trust me too.”
“Demons are evil,” Natasha protested. “It’s in the name. Demon!” she said with flapping hands. “If you trust them, you must be under a spell.” Natasha narrowed her eyes, her face leaned closer to his. “Is it a female demon?” she asked. “They’re the worst. They use magic and make you do horrible sexual things. Has she made you do things sexually?”
Alex took a step back, annoyed. It was hard to dispute what Natasha had said because she was right in part. He was sleeping with Jamana. And the demon Scarlett had used magic to compel his body to move with her command. Then, there was Satani, who also used something similar, so that in her presence, he felt devoted to her.
But it was different with Jamana. She was a demon more in the mould of Melissa, not Scarlett.
“Do you have a plan?” he asked Natasha.
“Yes,” she said fiercely. “We find Katrina, we free her and we kill the demons that captured her.”
“Good plan,” Alex muttered. “So, where is she? Where is Katrina right this moment.”
Natasha shrugged like a sullen child. “They might take her to a prison or something.”
“Let’s go to the prison,” Alex said, nodding coolly, before muttering, “And if she’s not there, we’ll look for her in ‘something’.”
Natasha’s eyes lit up. “You know where the prison is?”
“No,” Alex said flatly.
Natasha’s eyes fell. She looked so sad and vulnerable. Alex placed an arm around her back and pulled her in for a hug.
“It’s going to be okay,” he whispered. “We’ll find Katrina. But you gotta trust me.”
Natasha pressed her head against his chest. She sniffed, then wiped her nose against his shirt. Along with her memories of her life back on earth, it seemed Natasha had forgotten basic manners too. But this wasn’t the time to teach her manners. Alex then remembered he had something else to tell Natasha.
She was one of the first humans he’d come across in hell. Alex had been expecting misty souls, but instead, he came across flesh and blood. When Natasha told him she couldn’t remember a thing beyond her life in hell, Alex assumed that she had been kidnapped and brought down here by the demons.
But all of that was wrong. Back on earth, Natasha was dead. On her way to hell, her soul solidified and became flesh and blood once more. This was her realm now. There would be no taking her back to earth.
He needed to let her know so that she didn’t have false hopes of going back to earth. But Natasha already looked crushed. He would tell her another time.
“Fine. Let's use the help of this demon of yours,” Natasha said, as she raised her head and stared up at him.
“Thanks,” Alex smiled down at her. “If you give her a chance, I think you might like her.”
“So it is a her?” Natasha asked, a brow raised.
Alex ignored the look and instead stepped back to examine Natasha’s clothes. “You have to blend in as we walk back,” he told her. “Get rid of the cloak.”
Natasha did as she was told and took off the cloak. Underneath, she wore the grey patchwork tunic that he remembered. That look would not work in a demon city. None of the humans in Riverie dressed like her. The demons were probably still out there, looking for her. Dressed the way she was would raise suspicion.
“You gotta dress better,” he told her. “You have to look sexier.”
Natasha frowned. “I’m not sexy enough for you? I don’t remember you complaining when I took your cock inside me.”
“Not what I meant,” Alex muttered. “But you’ve seen the girls walking around here. They’re all dressed wearing barely any clothing.”
“Oh, shall I just be naked, then?”
“That would help actually,” Alex said.
Natasha’s frown deepened. “I’m not going to let any scum demons see me naked!”
Alex raised his hands in frustration. “Fine, let’s go half way.” He took a step towards her and placed his hands on the collar of her tunic. With a simple tug, he tore it apart in half, down the middle.
Natasha whacked him on the head. “You just tore my dress,” she growled.
“I’ll get you another one,” he muttered as he pulled the torn dress off her, leaving her completely naked.
“How is this half way?” Natasha asked, as she hit him on the head once more.
“Stop hitting me,” Alex muttered. “I’m not finished yet.”
With the now torn tunic in his hand, he tore it further into two strips of cloth. Alex tied one around Natasha’s chest, making sure to cover her nipples, but leaving some under boob showing.
With the other piece of cloth, he wrapped it around her waist. Then he stepped back to admire his work.
“Is it sexy enough for you now?” Natasha asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Turn around,” Alex told her. Natasha did turn around. “Lean forward and arch your back.” Again, Natasha did lean forward and arch her back, showing off her curvy ass, barely covered in the cloth. “Perfect,” Alex grinned.
Natasha glared at him, then stuck her tongue out. Alex walked up to her and gave her bottom a gentle but firm smack. “Come on, let’s go and find my demon.”
Chapter 33
Natasha walked beside Alex as they left the deserted alleyway and made their way back to the main road. Alex could tell she was uncomfortable. Natasha wasn’t used to walking around wearing two bits of clothing, each tied with a knot at the back. Nor did she enjoy walking so exposed amongst demons. He could tell she was fighting her instincts to flee.
The demons didn’t glance at her much. They did have their eyes on him though. But again, none said anything, and when Alex met eyes that stared for too long, regardless of the size of the demon, those eyes looked away.
Alex had one worry about his plan. And it was that he wouldn’t be able to find his way back to the inn. The houses were made of red stone and had very little distinguishing features. The streets all looked the same too. There were no flashy shop signs, or even any street signs or door numbers. He wondered how letters were delivered in hell.
But to his great relief, it turned out he was heading in the right direction, because as he turned around a corner, he almost crashed into Jamana.
“Alex,” she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. “I’ve been running around looking for you!”
“Hey… I missed you too, I guess,” he said with a smile. “I was only gone for a few minutes…”
Jamana released her grip on him and smiled bashfully. “I just thought you might have gotten into trouble because… you know… I just didn’t want you to-” she stopped; her cheeks darkened. “You’re fine, so that’s great!”
“I am fine,” Alex said. “Jamana, meet Natasha,” he introduced the two to each other.
“Natasha,” Jamana said with eyes sparkling. “She’s pretty,” the demon said to him. “What an unusual name for a human. It’s very nice to meet you.”
Alex didn’t think it was an unusual name at all. But he supposed Jamana was used to humans being called On
e and Two. On that basis, Natasha would sound very strange.
Natasha wasn’t as welcoming as Jamana. She stared at the demon frostily. Alex could tell she was holding back on saying something probably not so nice. He decided to move things along before they had a chance to go downhill.
“Which way is the inn?” he asked.
Despite being here in Riverie an equal period of time as he had been, Jamana knew her way around much better. A brisk five-minute walk later, and they were back in his room at the inn on the second. Actually, he had two rooms on that floor. A room for himself, and a room for the girls to share. It wasn’t Alex’s idea to take a room for himself, and one for the three girls, but that was how it had been. In reality, they most likely would have spent the night in the one bed in his room, as they had been doing for as long as they’d been together.
For now though, One and Two were in the other room, and for that, Alex was grateful. He knew what they were planning to do was illegal. What with being in hell and all, Alex didn’t want to think about what the punishment could be if they were caught. The less One and Two knew about it, the better.
“Nice room,” Natasha said wistfully.
It actually wasn’t that nice a room. It did have a four-poster bed, a table and a settee pressed against the wall, but it was much smaller than the room he’d had back in Katarnak. The single window in the room was also smaller. The torches that flamed off the two sconces weren’t as bright either. The room was dim, as was the narrow staircase and corridor they’d just walked through.
Alex sat on the settee, and after staring at it awhile, Natasha joined him.
“You’re the human the demons were chasing,” Jamana said, once they were inside and the door was closed.
Natasha sprung to her feet, her eyes narrow. “How do you know that?” she asked. “Who have you been speaking to? Are you with them?”
Alex placed a hand on Natasha’s shoulder and pulled her back down onto the settee. “Relax,” he told her. “Jamana was with me when you ran past us.” He turned to Jamana. “We need your help,” he said. “It might be dangerous, and of course, I’ll understand if you say no.”
“I’ll help,” Jamana said quickly and eagerly.
Alex told Jamana what had happened. How Natasha and Katrina had come to help persuade humans to escape, but in the process, Katrina had been caught. They were planning on freeing her. Alex wondered if she knew where Katrina might be, if she could ask around for a local prison, or a holding place for humans awaiting trial.
“There’s no need to ask around,” Jamana said. “I already know where she is.”
Chapter 34
It turned out whatever happened to humans that escaped and were caught again, happened in a very public setting. Katrina would be in the town square, Jamana said. Every human that tried to escape was taken to the town square where they were tied down. Their punishment was public to serve as a deterrent for any other human thinking about escaping.
Natasha wanted to head out straight away, but Jamana said she needed a bath and a change of clothing.
“If we’re going into the town square, you really need to look like a human slave,” Jamana said. “Right now you look hot, but you also look like you’ve been living in a cave.”
Natasha stared daggers at the demon, but Jamana didn’t seem to notice at all as she stepped behind the girl and undid the knot around Natasha’s back. The piece of cloth hit the ground and revealed Natasha’s breasts.
Jamana took them in her hands and squeezed. “Perky breasts,” she announced. “Not too big, not too small. I hear that’s fashionable in some places.”
Natasha’s tanned skin was growing visibly darker. Alex wasn’t sure if it was in anger or if the girl was suddenly shy. It might have been both. Again, Jamana didn’t notice. Instead, she took off the piece of cloth around Natasha’s waist and then came to stand beside Alex.
“What do you think?” she asked.
“Uh, think about what?” Alex asked, suddenly a little uncomfortable himself.
“She’s cute, but she needs a shower and new clothes. Her hair needs to be combed too,” Jamana said.
Natasha’s face grew red with anger. “My girlfriend's life is in danger, and you’re talking about dollifying me up?” she growled.
Jamana nodded. “You need to look the part of a sexual slave if you don’t want to attract attention.”
“Sexual slave?” Natasha said, so angry, her body was visibly shaking.
Again, Jamana didn’t seem to notice, or if she did, she didn’t care. She took Natasha by the hand and led the still naked girl out into the corridor. Alex collapsed onto the settee and waited for the girls to return. They did so about half an hour later.
“What do you think?” Jamana asked, as she presented Natasha.
Natasha’s hair had been washed. It no longer resembled a bird’s nest. The dirt marks from her face had been washed away too, and Jamana had applied make-up on the girl. Alex could see the subtle pink lipstick. Natasha’s face seemed sharper too.
For clothes, Jamana had decided against the two sheets of satin, one against the breasts, the other against the hips. Instead, Natasha wore a short leather skirt. It accentuated her legs, making them look longer, and her ass, making it seem curvier. It was fitted with a top that looked like Jamana had cut it to expose more of the midriff, and even some under boob. In addition to that, there were two holes in the chest area that left Natasha’s small pink nipples exposed.
“So, what do you think?” Jamana repeated.
Alex didn’t quite know how to respond. Natasha stood awkwardly, her legs entwined, she stared at him with slightly reddened cheeks. “Do you like it?”
“Of course,” Alex said quickly. “I think it’s great. I really like the…”
“The nipple holes?” Jamana squeezed Natasha’s breasts, causing the nipples to press against the cut holes. “I did this all myself, you know,” she smiled widely.
Alex didn’t have difficulty in believing that Jamana designed the outfit herself.
Chapter 35
Before they left, Jamana had one final thing to do for Natasha’s outfit. She’d procured chains, at the tips of which were nipple clamps. She attached those to Natasha’s exposed nipples and gave the chain to Alex.
Alex’s eyes widened in horror. But surprisingly, neither girl listened to his protestations. The more Natasha looked like a sex slave, the less attention she would receive. And they needed to blend in as much as possible, Jamana said. Which would be difficult to begin with because Alex was a famous human. Natasha was in agreement. She knew the importance of a good disguise. Her focus was on getting Katrina out, and she would do whatever it took to make that happen.
So they left the inn with Alex holding a chain in one hand. A chain that was attached to Natasha’s nipples. As advised by Jamana, Natasha walked a few feet behind him. Jamana walked by his side. There was a step to her stride and a wide smile on her face.
Jamana was excited by all of this. The girl was beginning to develop a sense for adventure.
The red sky had darkened to a maroon colour when they set off, signalling the start of the night. There were fewer demons on the roads. Those that they did pass had eyes only for Alex. They didn’t even spare a glance for the woman walking behind him, being led by a chain attached to her nipples with clamps.
Alex was getting a little tired of the attention. He wondered if this was what celebrities felt like, and why some of them reacted like nutters when a camera was shoved in their faces, or under their skirts.
Jamana led the way as they headed for the town square. The girl seemed to have a natural sense of direction. As they came closer, Alex heard a sudden scream. It was followed by growls and howls. Alex glanced back at Natasha; his eyes wide. She stared back at him with worry.
They picked up their pace as they walked through the dark dusty roads. As they turned a corner, the town square came into view. A few demons had gathered there. They stood with fl
aming torches in hand as they stared at the human.
It was Katrina.
At the centre of the square was a circle made of black stone, a definite distinction from the red rock that surrounded it. In the centre of the circled stones of black was a large pole. A demon’s head sculpted from iron was attached to its top.
Katrina was tied to the pole. She was naked. Her arms were bound behind her and tied to the pole. Her legs were spread apart with a metal bar manacled to her ankles. That bar was then pulled over her head and attached to the pole, leaving her body compressed with her legs in the air and her ass and pussy exposed.
Her bare skin had nasty red marks all over it. Not a single part of it had been spared. Not her breasts, not her pussy or even her little rosebud.
A demon stood over Katrina, a whip in hand. He struck her across the thighs. Katrina screamed, and the demons howled in enjoyment as another nasty red line appeared on her skin.
Alex gritted his teeth in anger.
The demon that whipped Natasha turned to face the crowd, laughing maniacally.
“Pikes…” Alex whispered.
The demon that whipped Katrina was Pikes.
Alex was about to jump into the black stoned circle and slice Pikes head off when Jamana took his hand in hers and pulled. Alex looked down at her, questioningly.
“We need a plan,” she whispered in his ear.
“I have a plan,” Alex growled. “I’m going to kill Pikes, then cut those bonds and free Katrina.”
“I like that plan,” Natasha said eagerly. “It’s a good plan.” She pointed at the demon with the whip in his hand. “Is he Pikes? I’ve heard the name before…”
But Jamana wasn’t so easily convinced. She continued to tug at Alex’s hand. He relented and followed her out. When they were earshot away from the other demons, Alex pulled his hand free and stared with narrowed eyes at Jamana.
The Devil's Apprentice: Book 2: Descent to Hell Page 18
