The Gates of Hell
Eric was nicer than I would have thought. He answered all of my questions and pointed out little things on our way to Hell. We had settled in for the night at a motel, and I got to have a bed all to myself. Eric lay on the floor beside the bed. "How far is Hell?" I asked him.
"It's about a two days' journey, but we have a job to do on our way there that will make this trip a bit longer. Not to worry though. Satan told us to keep you from our work until he says so." Eric's voice was soft and sweet unlike Red's or Star's. Deep inside me, I felt something different about him. His patience, niceness, and serenity led me to think that a part of him remained good.
'What kind of job?" I rolled onto my side to look down at him. A slight silent hesitation hung between us.
"A bloody job. I'll leave it at that, Miss Dani. It'll not be your job to complete for a smidgen longer." He closed his eyes for a long moment.
"Can you guys die?" I inquired. This had been a question in the back of my mind since they had sworn on some tunnel thing. I waited and watched as the sides of his mouth turned upward and then he opened his eyes.
"No and yes. We cannot be killed, but we do die off. Usually when someone replaces us, one of us will be sent to walk the Tunnels of the Past for eternity. Satan chooses who will stay or go. I've had my job for fifty years. Star is the newest of our team. I was leader before her, but I let someone slip between my fingers. Master has known me for a long time and gave me a second chance, but not as leader though. I do believe that one of us will be dying off soon. Master's gears are turning in his head and he's writing up a contract of some sort." Eric's snores followed after that phrase and I just lay there thinking.
Contract?
For whom?
Me?
Well, I'll find out when we get there, I suppose.
The rest of the night I lay thinking about Justin. He had passed out after the arrow struck his arm. He looked so vulnerable when I had left. But he was right about Farrah, she had been on her way up the road when Star declared it time to leave. One question haunted my mind though: will he wait for me? Of course he would, I reassured myself. He loves me. With that, I fell asleep and dreamt of Satan.
I was standing in a fiery chamber, but the flames that licked my skin were soft and cold. A man sat upon a silver throne, and he gazed at me with such raw desire it frightened me. I could taste his want in my mouth, thick and sweet. Green eyes pierced through my own blue crystals, and I felt a sudden urge to approach him. After taking one step, I could feel a heat bubbling inside the pit of my stomach. I wanted to puke. This was Satan. This young looking, dark haired boy with wicked green eyes. "Hello Dani," he spoke in a thick creamy voice. If desire had a voice, it would sound like that. "Welcome to Hell." A brown snake slithered out from behind his back, making its way toward me. When it reached my foot, it coiled around and then slid up my leg. The feeling of a tight moving pressure up my leg and settling around my hips caught me off guard. "Do not fear. Grey is not poisonous or deadly in any way. He just wanted to greet you personally, Danielle Night. As did I." Satan stood up from his throne and walked toward me. I saw the cloak that framed his shoulders and revealed a peak of the black shirt and jeans he wore. His feet, though, were pale and bare.
"Why am I here?" my voice quivered.
"I needed to see you in the flesh. Or at least in a dream. I was quickly losing patience with my Blood Spillers. Star is taking her sweet time, because she doesn't much like you. I, on the other hand, very much like you. Spirited, courageous, and selfless. Everything that my Queen should possess. I will be waiting voraciously to answer your questions and see you vis-à-vis in a day. Now, slumber well Danielle."
Everything faded away. I was relieved of the squeezing snake and Satan's caressing gaze. One day left. One day until I really meet him face-to-face. One day to try to escape.
"Wake up, Sunshine." Red pulled the blanket off of my body, and I jolted up in bed.
"Ugh," I said and rolled over, pressing my face into the pillow.
"Get up! Now. Don't make me pull you out of that bed myself, Danielle. Because I sure as hell will." Red's face was flustered and annoyed. His eyebrows crinkled in the middle of his forehead and his bandana was lopsided.
"You said 'hell.' That's funny!" I laughed and then straightened up.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. C'mon, Sunshine." Red yanked me up and started pushing me toward the bathroom. "Get ready. You have five minutes, then I'm going to have'ta come in after you and drag you out if you ain't done. So go, time's ticking."
"You will do no such thing!" I screamed as I stumbled into the bathroom and locked the door. I walked to the sink and scrubbed my face, and then I drenched my hair and scrubbed the roots with the travel-size shampoo that was on the counter. When I lifted my head, I saw my reflection in the mirror. I had black patches beneath my eyes and my dried lips sagged.
I turned around right into Red then looked at the door, which was still locked. How did he get in?
"I'm a Blood Spiller, if Satan wanted us to give people privacy he would have kept us human. Now, let's go." Red grabbed my shoulder and pushed me into the door. I unlocked it and we both plowed out of the bathroom. Eric sat on the edge of one bed while sharpening a knife. I didn't see Star anywhere, and now that I think about it: I hadn't remembered her in the room all night.
"Where's Star?" I questioned.
"She went and took care of business, but she'll meet us at the gate," Red answered.
"Oh, why wasn't I informed?" Eric stood up and pointed the knife at Red.
"You were staying with the girl regardless, Eric. Star wouldn't have let you go kill and deport our PI since you failed the last time."
"Which is all the more reason it should've been me to kill that bastard! He murdered four little girls and ate their eyes. Pardon me if I stayed to help the survivor instead of watch him kill her."
"What do you mean kill your PI?" I was entirely confused. What did these Blood Spillers really do? "What is your job?" I demanded.
"Well, someone's not been too truthful with'ya, huh?" Red chuckled. "We kill people and bring them to Hell. That is why we are Blood Spillers. We literally spill human blood. Interesting huh?" Red's voice had dropped and he stared at me. "Satan would've had us kill you, but he wants you alive and well. Something's goin' on with him. Them light bulbs are blinking like crazy above his head. Maybe he'll kill you himself." Red grabbed his jacket from the desk, and Eric tucked away his knife. "Let's get going, now. We'll be in Hell by tonight."
Our walk was quiet and long. My calves burned with internal fire, and my stomach heaved with hunger. Blood Spillers must not eat, because they didn't stop for food after the tree house yesterday. Nor did they go to breakfast at the motel this morning. "Could we please stop and eat? I'm starving back here, and my legs are aching." I didn't stop walking, though, because if I did stop, there was no way I'd start up again.
"That's right, you're human. You have to eat every day." Eric stated, intrigued. "Red, she needs food. She won't be able to keep up with us without it."
"Damn, I thought we'd make it to Hell without any stops." Red protested. "Fine, we'll hit up a gas station or something. You just walk in and grab what you want, let me take care of the cost." Red had a mischievous grin that caused me to shiver from the inside-out in pain.
"What are you going to use to pay?" I queried.
"Blood." That was the extent of our conversation.
It was about an hour before we actually came across a Citgo on the side of the road. The grass was unruly and green. All of the greasy pumps had plastic bags covering them, and only one looked useable. Eric strode through the doors first, hands deep in the pockets of his pants. I watched as he circled the aisles and then headed for the restroom.
I entered the old run-down gas station next.
The silver door handle rumbled beneath my hand when I pulled to open the door. My feet immediately walked toward the Starbucks chilled coffees and then to the chip aisle. I refused to look back when I heard a shriek and something plummet to the floor. There was a slight slick noise and then silence shrouded the station.
"You got your food?" Red asked.
"Yeah, I do." I didn't want to turn around and look at him.
"Let's go, Danielle Night. Satan awaits. He sent us a portal. I guess he knew that you'd not want to walk much more. He's rarely ever this considerate." So I tried to maneuver around Red without looking at him, but my efforts failed epically. "Dani, just walk to the bathroom." Red's hand clamped my shoulder and pushed me forward. I gazed at his fingers and drying blood clotted between his nails. What the hell was I thinking? I knew what he'd done. That was their job: killing people. I opened the bathroom door and saw Eric standing on the threshold of a stairwell that descended into a bleak darkness.
"So this is it? This will take us to Hell? How far do we have to go before we get to wherever it is we are going?" I couldn't hide the distaste in my voice.
"Well, that's about five minutes. And I don't really like to count feet, so let's just say it's less than a mile." Eric held out his hand to me and I grabbed it. He led me down the narrow stairs until we stepped onto flat ground. I stared at the walls that smelled like iron and looked a shade of painted crimson. These walls were not painted, and it took me less than a second to deduce that. They dripped with blood. Fresh and old, the thick stuff spilled down the walls and collected in the drains that ran down the floor of the tunnels where the walls met the floors.
I saw a figure holding a torch approach us. The shadow cast against the bloodied walls had wisps of hair that reached its back and then I knew instantly: it was Star. "Hello, Danielle. Welcome to Hell. Leave us, boys." Eric raised my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles, and then he followed off after Red. I looked down at Star's hands and suprisedly noticed they didn't hold a bow, but rather something folded and on top of that, boots. "These are yours. You must be swift and get dressed; Master does not like to wait very long." I nodded and took the clothing from her, looked around, and I met her eyes once more. "You are looking for a place to dress? Well, there is no dressing room. You have a dark secluded hall, and I will return in five minutes." She turned on her heels and strutted back the way she came.
I looked around, and then after I concluded it was clear I got dressed. I unfolded the material she had given me: a black leather jumper. My eyes narrowed at the sight of it. I didn't much care for it, but I shrugged it on after I discarded my clothes. I zipped up the front, and looked down at the boots that I had placed at my feet. They were a pair of black Doc Martens, and inside the left boot was a belt. I pulled it out of the boot and looked closely at the intricate design that adorned the outside. Yellow swirls and teardrops formed a pattern on the crimson belt. The belt buckle was a silver car seat buckle, and after I snapped it on it rested right below my hidden navel.
"Are you done yet? I've been watching you examine every piece of clothing I gave you." Star made me jump. I turned around and saw her watching me intently. "Put your boots on and let's go," she stalked up to me, kneeled, and picked up a boot. "Left," she commanded. I gave her my left foot, and she tied the boot on tight to it and then we repeated.
I had followed Star farther down the tunnel until we came to a large silver gate. It glimmered and shined with a red radiance. Star pressed a code into the lock on the wall beside the gate, and then she smacked my ass and pushed me through. I stumbled to the ground, and heard a gentle chuckle echo off the walls. My head lifted and I found myself staring at the bones and shackles that adorned the walls. In the middle of the room, no less than ten feet from me, stood a handsome dark-haired guy. He wore a mahogany button up shirt and a nice pair of tight dark blue jeans.
"So, where's Satan?" I asked the guy. His smile spread from cheek-to-cheek, and he burst out laughing. "I'm not joking."
"I know, and that's why it's so hilarious! Danielle Night," he cleared his throat, "welcome to my kingdom!" He motioned behind him to the silver throne that I had completely overlooked. "It is so nice to meet you in the flesh," he took three long strides and grasped my hand.
A warmth flooded deep in the pit of my stomach. His fingers caressed my palm and a fire lit up in me. I stepped closer to him, and he gave me a sly smile. Releasing my hand, he motioned for me to follow him. I felt everything inside me go cold all at once. Something weird was going on.
"Indeed, something weird is happening, Dani. Your true feelings are coming out. You belong with me, and your body knows it. You see, I brought you here because you are to be my Queen. Though you do not mentally love me yet, you will eventually. You will realize who you truly belong to after you've completed the multiple tasks before you can become my Queen." His emerald eyes bore down on me, and I found myself walking toward him. His eyes widened and I fell to the ground. "You are mine to control, Danielle. And if you do not accept your fate, you will never see your family again. My trolls promised you they wouldn't hurt them, but I didn't. One look in my eyes and they will die in an instant. So heed this warning, and do not stray from me." I struggled to get to my feet, but I could feel gravity working against me. "No, I must have you sign in blood to this contract. And if I let you up, I've no clue what you may do." He slid down from his throne and pulled a scroll from his back pocket. "Will you sign?"
Never, I thought at him. That wrought a smirk to his lips.
"What else will you tell me, Danielle Night? Go to Hell, perhaps?" he cackled, and bent down next to me. "You will sign it, even if I have to coax you into it." He laid his hand on the side of my face. The heat rushed back into me, and then I realized what it was: lust. Lust was a dangerous feeling, and if Satan was making me feel this way then he was going to get his way no matter how much my mouth protested. My body won't be mine at all. "Yes, you are absolutely right. The question is, though, will you fight it? Now that you know the end results will be the same, what are you going to choose?" I chose to fight it. I pushed his hand away from my face, but he caught mine and lifted it to his mouth. My shallow breaths ignored my reluctant thoughts. His tongue flicked out and licked my middle finger. I moaned and shut my mouth tight. My throat still produced muted noises as he put his mouth over it and bit gently. He released my hand that now had a bloody finger. The bastard pricked it! "I'm no bastard, just a fallen angel, my sweet." He pushed my shoulder back, and I collapsed flat on the floor.
"What are you going to do, Satan?" I spat at him.
"Well, let's play a game. Danielle, what is the thing you most fear to happen to you? Hmm? I bet I can guess. You answer me with just a simple yes or no." Satan's eyes burned with green fire. "Remember, I can read your mind! So if you lie to me, I will know. Are you up for it?"
"You will not break me. I will do nothing, no matter what you think." I waited for him to do his worst, and he just knelt over me and smiled.
"We will see, Danielle Night!" With that, he snapped a finger. I couldn't see beyond my peripheral vision or even my boobs. "How about eight-legged arachnids?" I felt multiple pressures creeping on the leather. A tousle of my hair and then on my neck really did me in. Spiders. No, I'm not afraid of spiders. I used to have a pet spider whose name was Wilbur. Inspired by the pig from that movie with the spider. "Well, you're not afraid of spiders." Satan looked down at me and blinked. The spiders disappeared. "So then what do you fear? Snakes, perhaps?" I remembered the dream that he had greeted me with. The pressure around my waist returned, and a slight hiss made me breathe in deeply.
"What's his name?" I asked.
"Spear. And neither are you afraid of him." Satan read my mind and then looked at me, perplexed. "What are you afraid of? Maybe not things. What about this?" He slid his hand across my stomach, and I gulped. Lust filled me again, and I couldn't stay still. My belly convulsed beneath his fingers. This was my fear. I could not control anything my body did. "And I've found it. You feared exactly what I started with." He slid a leg over me and straddled me as I lay helpless on the cold stone of the floor. My entire body filled with fire.
A trail of heat fled down the side of my face as he traced a path with his hand and rested above my breasts. My back arched when he pulled the zipper down an inch or so and leaned his face to my neck. "Give in to me," he whispered into my ear.
Yes, yes! "No," I gritted.
"But your body speaks a different story, Dani. What'll it be?" He kissed the crook of my neck and then right above where he'd pulled the zipper to. I said nothing, and he bit the silver zipper and yanked it down well past my cleavage. His tongue swooped between the crevice of my boobs, and I couldn't hold in my feelings any longer.
"Uhhhhnnn," I moaned. My hips lifted continuously as he opened the rest of the leather jumper. I let my hands slide into his hair and pulled his mouth over mine before it devoured my skin with flames. "Yes, I'll be your Queen! I'll be your Queen! Stop teasing me!" He pulled away and shot me a crooked grin.
"Ah, now you've realized your duty." With a bite of my finger, he reopened the wound that had clotted. In his hands, he held out the scroll. "Sign on the line, Danielle Night. Promise to be my Queen when all is done."
So I did. I signed the scroll right on the black line at the bottom.
