Kingdoms Of Hell: Vampire Paranormal Romance (Transfusion Book 7)

by Stephanie Hudson

  Now it was time for my first taste of Hell, as Lucius’ soul and new vessel were now in the hands of…

  The Devil.

  Chapter 3

  By the Devil’s Hand

  The sight in front of me quickly left me breathless as my view came into focus because the whole merging into this vision had left me feeling dizzy, even without the entirety of my body being with me. From what I could make out the closest I had been allowed to get to the Hellish scene below was also about as close as I ever wanted to, as right there below me now was none other than the Devil himself!

  Looking down it seemed as though I was perched on some kind of small rock ledge high above what must have been Lucifer’s throne in Hell. It looked as if it was made from the bones of some enormous winged beast, as its spine curled up at least fifteen feet in the air creating the back of the throne. Its ribs had been pulled back and suspended in the centre of the fan of bones was what looked like a black onyx heart with a huge sword embedded at its frozen core.

  Either side of this were the bones of what were once its wings, now swathed in black leathery fabric, like scaled skin. As if the creature had first been skinned upon its death and this had been used to decorate the throne. Its massive boned legs made up the sides of the throne, with its giant clawed feet displayed at the bottom. Its head, however, wasn’t attached to the rest of the skeleton but instead, it was mounted high above on the wall behind. It was obviously a trophy of some kind, maybe some honoured kill of Lucifer’s that he felt proud enough to have a throne made from it. Well, from the size of the thing, then it wouldn’t have been surprising. As I think anyone would have counted it as a skilful victory, seeing as it looked as if it could have been a demonic dragon of some sort.

  And speaking of the Demon that could take claim to that impressive kill, I was now looking down on the large masterful body that filled the throne.

  The Devil.

  I swear, being faced with the two in such a short space of time, I didn’t know which vision had me more breathless, the sight of Jesus dying on the cross or the one that faced me now as Lucifer, King of Kings in Hell, was about to give life to his first son.

  My Vampire King.

  Lucifer sat with his back to me, lounged out and side on, facing a dark, open archway where the walls seemed to be moving as if they were swarming with some kind of demonic parasites. I couldn’t see his face but just his large muscled back clad in black armour that seemed to move with the rest of his body. One moment it was as hard as rock and forming deadly spiked horns and jagged teeth, positioned at his huge shoulders and arms, whilst interlocking plates like scales coated the strong contours of his indestructible looking body. But then, in the next instance, it would all evaporate before clinging to his bare skin like vapour or some spell attached to his very soul. As if a demonic cloud was attracted to his flesh, only managing to stick once he was still enough to do so. That, or it was commanded with a mere thought. This was more likely, as who just stood still in battle?

  I watched as he raised his hand, one gloved in demonic plating that didn’t move like the rest of his armour but stayed in place as he motioned for something to be brought forward. A shadowed figure below approached his throne from behind, one I couldn’t see from where I was situated. But Lucifer didn’t even turn his head to look, which told me that the being must have been considered unimportant, as his massive curled horns didn’t move an inch. Unsurprisingly, they were impressive in their size and most definitely added to the intimidating figure of a God.

  One set of dark red horns looked more ribbed and from what I could see, started from the top of his forehead, with his thick black, reddish hair braided in lines around them in a Viking style. The twists of hair also framed the bases of the smaller horns before they curled back over the top of his head away from a face I couldn’t yet see. The other much larger set were matt black and came out from the shaved sides of his head and stretched outwards past his shoulders before they started to curl back in on themselves, with the glowing tips high above the back of his head.

  But as I said, they didn’t move an inch as the other being approached. No, they simply continued casting dark shadows on the walls and backdrop of crimson material flowing either side of his throne. It was so silky, it looked more like liquid running down the wall…in fact, on greater inspection that was exactly what it was!

  A bloody waterfall.

  I followed the liquid to the source above and saw two giant gargoyle heads. Both had their snarling mouths held open by thick chains the width of my thighs, attached to stone nostrils and fixed to the jagged rock ceiling above. It also looked as if Lucifer’s palace had been carved out of part of the mountain, which instantly made me think of Lucius’ German home, Blood Rock.

  Gods, but if I hadn’t been able to feel the ghost of my body, I would have raised a fist to my mouth.

  “My all Masterful Lord, are you sure this is wise?” The voice of a servant said, one that was still hidden in the shadows.

  “Are you questioning me, Ba‘al Zəbû, because I think you know what becomes of those that do?” Lucifer said in a dangerously serious tone that spoke of nothing but deadly calm. Even I swallowed hard, which was strange, as it was as if my reactions were being mirrored in real time back at the Temple. But then I also had to wonder where I had heard that name before?

  “I would never be so bold, Sire,” was his reply to this obvious threat.

  “Nor so reckless and daring,” Lucifer added, and I watched as he tapped a few wicked taloned claws against the boned throne, making a particular sound that had me wondering if the bones had turned to stone upon the death of the creature.

  “I merely meant to ask if the obsession with the girl is worth it?” At this, two things happened simultaneously. The first was lightning fast as the shadowed armour suddenly formed a cloak full of demonic clawed hands. These were all reaching out from his back like angry souls trying to grab the one who dared speak of a girl Lucifer obviously felt a strong connection to. At the same time, a low and very threatening sound came from deep within Lucifer’s chest and it was by far one of the scariest sounds I had ever heard in my entire life! Even the shadowed figure I could barely see seemed to close in on himself, trying in vain to retreat from his master’s wrath.

  “You are lucky your senses are intact enough, for if you had spoken her name, one I have forbidden to pass through the lips of all in my Kingdom, then you would have lost your tongue before finding your head nailed to my fucking wall! Now, do not question me again!” he growled, crushing the bone armrest in his fist, until it crumbled into dust.

  “Now, bring him to me!” Lucifer shouted out his order, whilst gaining his feet, and I watched utterly horrified as the near naked body of Lucius was being brought forward, after he had first been nailed to a cross so as to experience his own Crucifixion. Well, at the very least it looked like the body of who would soon become Lucius had been dead first, unlike Jesus Christ who hadn’t received the same privilege.

  “Gods, no.” I hissed and the sound entered the past like a shadowed whisper, one Lucifer tensed at, doing so now as if he had heard it for himself. But that was impossible…wasn’t it?

  His shadowed armour vibrated around his flesh slightly as if this was a reaction to hearing me before they then calmed. I held what felt like my breath back in the Temple until I thought it was safe to let it out again, thankful the tense moment had passed. Then I continued to watch in utter horror as demonic minions scurried around the floor as they dragged the upturned cross closer.

  They looked like large plucked, featherless chickens with the heads of snarling skinless dogs all snapping tiny rows of sharp teeth at each other. The chains some had in their mouths dripped with thick saliva, slapping on the floor in pools of drool before they were quickly sucked up by even smaller creatures. These were centipede like insects with bodies the size of rats and hundreds of tall legs that stood at least a foot off the ground. They were also about the length o
f my arm and made a chilling sound as they scuttled across the stone floor.

  The movement of the cross stopped and when it did, all the creatures stopped with it, as if frozen by their master’s will. The body of Lucius had been flipped upside down on the cross, creating the sign for the antichrist, with his head closer to the ground along with his outstretched arms nailed to the crude wooden structure. Lucifer clapped his hands, obviously delighted with the view or maybe just a way to get the creatures to leave as they all scattered at once, making him feel the need to kick one as it hurried past.

  “Piss off cretins, be gone with you now!” he said as they all ran out of sight, especially after seeing their comrade being kicked so hard, he hit the side of the arched wall that Lucius on the cross had just emerged from. The moving darkness covered the dog sized creature in seconds as an unseen swarm devoured him, leaving only his bones as evidence. His bones fell from the wall with a snap, shattering on impact when they hit the ground, telling me that even the walls of this place were deadly!

  Like a swarm of fucking, demonic piranhas!

  He then walked towards his prize, still keeping his back to me and as the shadowed armour lagged behind, he ended up showing me more muscles than I ever thought possible on a living being! But then again, this was Lucifer we were talking about and he was the God of Hell… and well, right now he looked every inch of it.

  “Oh, but how I have waited for one such as he!” Lucifer said as his armour turned now to that of a living cloak, one that shuddered and vibrated in response to its master’s pleasure.

  “For a man to renounce his faith just on the cusp of being granted eternal life. A life bestowed onto him as an Angel for what was asked of him from the Son of God…ironic then, don’t you think, as now he will now become my son…The son of a very different God,” Lucifer said making the one named Ba‘al Zəbû nod, before agreeing,

  “Yes, my masterful Lordship, he is perfect.” Lucifer scoffed before saying,

  “Not yet he isn’t, but he soon will be. For it is time I created my first son, one born directly from the blood of my heart, for it is time to breed new life upon the world” He paused and stepped closer tapping a claw over Lucius’ heart before declaring,

  “…and you, my boy, will one day be King of all those beneath you!” After this he took hold of the wood at the top where Lucius’ feet were nailed to the cross, one over the other. He then yanked hard and the whole crucifix spun, until Lucius was now back to being upright.

  “Now it is time to unite your soul with your new vessel and for this birth of new royal blood to be consumed, I will first need your heart to beat once more.” After this a bright blinding light erupted from within Lucifer’s chest and it flowed out of him and directly into the vessel. I gasped in awe at what I was yet again being made to witness, as Lucifer obviously had the ability to contain Judas’ soul within him. This being at the ready until he had a vessel to release it into and the body of the man who had betrayed him Lucifer obviously saw as a fitting choice.

  The second it flowed into him, Lucius gulped back a deep and large breath, one as if he had just emerged from drowning in an ocean of blood…

  But where had that thought come from?

  “Ah, I am so proud, look at the strength of him, for he does not emerge screaming as the others did.” I frowned wondering what others Lucifer spoke of…had he tried this before and failed?

  “Yes, he is strong my, Lord King,” the shadowed figure of Ba‘al Zəbû said, agreeing with whatever Lucifer would say.

  “And he will be handsome too, for once he has my blood inside him how could he not be?” Lucifer said like…well, almost like a proud father. And the Devil was right, as it was the image of Lucius but not quite as I knew him. Almost like a dulled down version, for he wasn’t as strikingly handsome as I knew him to be. He didn’t yet have the light of sand in his hair or the grey blue in his striking eyes. His skin did not look as if it had been bathed in moonlight and his body was not yet that of a strong and powerful being, with the muscles that spoke of both in abundance.

  Not yet anyway.

  “Awake now, for you are Judas no more!” Lucifer said with pride again coating his masterful words. Lucius opened his eyes at the command, taking one look at all that was happening. But it was strange, as despite all that faced him now, Lucifer was right, he should have woken up screaming. But instead, it was as if he knew. As if by the last words spoken and forced from his dying lips, he knew this was where his fate would lead him. Meaning that this right now was Judas merely accepting that fate.

  His bravery was utterly astounding.

  To the point it took my breath away, telling me that even before Lucifer made him into a God in his own right, Judas was both fearless and strong. I knew this when he looked around him, towards his nailed arms before commenting dryly,

  “A fitting punishment it would seem.” Lucius then looked down at the rest of himself and winced only slightly at the pain of moving when he tugged on the crude hellish nails embedded in his flesh, ones that held him prisoner to the cross. The weight should have torn straight through his flesh but there were multiple nails along his arms also. But the second he breathed new life once more, it was obvious that his heart too was back to pounding in his chest, for his nailed flesh had started to bleed.

  “Well, so far I am fucking impressed!” Lucifer said clapping his large hands in enjoyment.

  “No, my boy, this isn’t punishment, this is your reward, your gift of a new life I bestow on you unlike any other,” Lucifer told him making Lucius look wide-eyed and shocked.

  “A gift?” he questioned.

  “Yes, for I am the God of Hell and the one you chose over another with the last of your dying breath.” Lucius looked thoughtful for a moment, lowering his head as if everything started to make sense within him. Then, before Lucifer could question his actions, Lucius raised his head back up and displayed that deadly and knowing grin he was well known for. As his face said it all, for it was all Lucius and soon to be the demon I knew well.

  “Then it looks as though I made the right choice, my Lord God,” Lucius said making the Devil laugh, and as he did, he threw his horned head back and awarded me a slight sight of the smaller row of horns down either side of his forehead.

  “That you did, my Son. Now it is time to make you a God in your own right, for your own Kingdom awaits,” Lucifer told him, making his eyes widen in surprise again, as if he could barely believe this was happening to him.

  Lucifer motioned a hand forward and the cloaked figure, the one named Ba‘al Zəbû, stepped forward, telling me he was also a sizable being and one with hoofed feet and wings that were mainly covered by the cloak he wore. He carried with him a bowl of golden fire and at its core, the spear with the missing tip sat untouched by a single flame. Then Lucifer’s large, clawed hand reached in and grabbed it, making him hiss as it started to burn his skin, sizzling his flesh.

  Once in his hand, he laughed at the possible pain before he turned the blade on himself. I could barely see with only his back facing me, but it looked as though he was using it to cut into himself!

  After he was done, he roared in what could have been as much triumph as it could have been pleasure, which made everything seem to shudder and shake around him from the force of it.

  All but Lucius that was.

  No, because he didn’t even flinch!

  Lucifer dropped the bloody blade back into the bowl of golden flames, one still held by his servant, then he turned back to Lucius who merely asked,

  “Will this hurt?” Lucifer’s tone seemed intrigued and he answered,

  “Yes, it will hurt, enough that you will wish you would die to end the suffering.”

  I had thought this answer might have finally affected him enough to respond in some fearful way, but I was wrong. As Lucius merely nodded and then replied,

  “Good, that way I will know that I am actually alive.” Lucifer seemed impressed by his response and commented
to himself,

  “Then I picked well.”

  After this he turned his own clawed hand in on himself and when it started to disappear, I combined the sight with the sounds of squelching. This told me the Devil had now dug his hand inside his own chest, the one he had used the spear to cut open, in order to try and reach his own beating heart. The thought alone made me want to vomit. Something I might have done had I been in my body and for all I knew, I was in the Temple currently retching.

  After this I gagged again as his heart came into view and I was barely able to make sense of it as he held it in front of him. It was still clearly beating, as black veins and arteries were still attached to the inside of his chest. The heart itself was huge and matched the size of the God of Hell it belonged to.

  It was dripping with a mixture of black and crimson lifeblood, one that seemed thicker than normal human blood. Then I watched as he proceeded to dig a clawed, curled talon deep within one of the heart’s chambers, gathering up his own blood straight from the beating source. This told me that what I was witnessing now wasn’t exactly something Lucifer would have done more than once. Which meant that Lucius had obviously passed the selection process.

  “Now it is time to be reborn, my Son, for with my blood you will be more powerful than all my creatures who walk the Earth…you will be a God and King upon where I must not go. Then one day, you will bring her to me…you will bring me my Queen!” Lucifer shouted before he roared a demonic growl as he dug deeper still, until he had enough blood gathered in his claws. Then he hammered his fist inside Lucius’ chest, cracking straight through his ribcage, meaning this was when he finally got,

  His screams.

  I closed my eyes unable to take in the sight of Lucius’ utter agony and torture in what was him being remade from once a man, now into everything Lucifer had claimed him to be.

  A God amongst men and a King amongst all Vampires.

  Because this was Lucius’ beginning.