at least some people go let me rest now no be say I be no wan upload na circumstances oooo....

Did Alethia just noticed she had lost the ring? And nice update, those last two.

I only read the last part of the story. proud of myself

Evold:
I only read the last part of the story. proud of myself

lolz

Alethia?” Lacy gasped as she rushed over to her, taking her arm and walking her to the sofa.

“What’s wrong?” Alethia blinked and shook her head as if to re-load her batteries. “Where are they?” She grabbed hold of Lacy’s arms, her desperation, causing Lacy’s heart to race with concern. “Evo and Michael, where are they?”

“They left about an hour ago, I think. Alethia, Evo is performing a ritual that will let them enter Hell. I’m so s−”

“Where? Where are they performing the ritual?” Her unusual caramel colored eyes were wide, staring right into Lacy’s.

“They were going to Michael’s apartment at the university.”

“We have to stop them.”Lacy instantly felt nauseous. The fact that Alethia’s usual calm had abandoned her was a huge cause for concern. “Why. . . Alethia, what’s wrong?

“The ring. . . Shit. He can’t use it. There will be terrible consequences if either one of them try.”

“What? The ring that you gave to Evo? What consequences?”

“I didn’t give it to him. He took it from me.”


“What consequences, Alethia?” Now Lacy was the one who was frantic.The deity’s shoulders slumped as she began to explain, talking so fast Lacy could only just understand her. “It was created by my father and only he can decide who can use it. It was designed in such a way that if it happened to fall into the wrong hands it would—” She paused mid sentence.

“What? Alethia, tell me please.”


“If Michael or Evo use that ring. . . instead of trapping the demon they are wielding it on, it will reverse the process.”

“Annnd?” That didn’t sound good.

“By trapping the person who uses it instead.”

Lacy’s breath left her lungs in a rush and she suddenly felt quite dizzy. “Oh. My. God! We have to stop them.”

She rushed to get into her coat and scarf, shoved her warm camel skin boots on her feet and grabbed her car keys. As she headed for the front door, she was stopped in mid-stride as Alethia grabbed her arm.

“There’s no time for that. We’ll have to go my way.” She took hold of Lacy’s upper arms, wrapping her hands around her tightly. “Hold onto my arms. And your stomach.”

“My stomach, why?” Lacy asked as she placed her hands tentatively on Alethia’s arms in the same way.

“Because you’re probably about to lose it. Humans don’t usually cope well with this. Now hold tight.” Before she could respond, Lacy was being swept into a swirling black mist, suddenly losing all sense of where she was. The disorientating rush of dizziness that consumed her in the next moment was sickening. No wonder Alethia said to hold on to her stomach. She honestly felt like she was about to throw up her whole insides not just her stomach. The feeling was much worse than last time. Probably because last time she’d been so preoccupied with everything that had gone on she hadn’t noticed. Just as she felt she was about to pass out, the swirling began to slow and the darkness that surrounded her a moment ago began to fade. Alethia came into view and Lacy realized she was still gripping onto her arms for dear life. White and blue painted walls began to appear either side of them and when the last bit of gray haze had disappeared, she recognized where they were: standing in the corridor outside Michael’s front door Alethia helped her regain her balance.

“Feeling okay?” she asked, still holding on as if to make sure Lacy was okay.

Lacy waited a moment before answering. “Yeah. Actually, I feel fine.”

Alethia shrugged her shoulders. “You’re stronger than you look.” She smiled slightly, but then it quickly disappeared and she turned to face the apartment door. “I couldn’t get us inside. He must have spelled it with something.”

Lacy didn’t care and rapped her knuckles on the door. “Michael! Michael, are you in there?” No answer. She knocked again, harder this time; still no answer. “Oh, no! They must have done the ritual already.”

Alethia grabbed Lacy’s shoulder and pulled her back from the door. “Allow me.” She crossed her arms over each other in front of her chest and bowed her head, eyes closed. After a couple of seconds Michael’s door flew open.

Shit! She was good to have around in situations like this. They both walked into the living room where a pile of unusual looking items was scattered around the coffee table, including what looked like a bowl with blood in it and another with what appeared to be burnt ashes.

Lacy went cold.

She wasn’t usually one for cursing, but with a trembling voice she said,

“Alethia, what the Bleep are we going to do?”

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

It wasn’t the blood soaked walls of the many caves, nor was it the horrific, blood curdling screams in the distance that made Michael’s skin crawl as he remembered his torturous time in the pit. No, it was the stomach churning stench of burning flesh that was at the forefront of his memories. The familiarity of that alone was why he felt as uncomfortable as he did at that moment. Both men made their way down a long tunnel cut through a large rock formation that they’d suddenly appeared in front of after completing the ritual−which was downright weird by the way.

It hadn’t been as bad for Michael, but how Evo had managed to endure the pain−which he could only imagine−of slicing his own flesh and then stuffing his wound full of the pasty blood and ash mixture, all the while chanting strange sounding words, was unimaginable. It was only when he cauterized the sliced flesh back together with that strange looking wand that his buddy screamed like a bitch.

Couldn’t blame the guy though.

“Man, this is some freaky shit,” Evo said as he walked a few steps ahead with a burning torch that he’d grabbed at the entrance of the tunnel. He was passing it over the seeping walls inspecting every inch of them with the light from the flame. “I don’t even want to know what that shit is.” His nose curled up at the sight of some black ooze that was about to drip down from above him.

He moved his body out of the way just in time.

Michael hadn’t known what to expect before they’d arrived. His memories of his time in Hell were very limited, but he was pretty sure he hadn’t been given a grand tour of the place. No, instead he’d been locked away somewhere and forced to endure things that even the devil himself would have squirmed at.

He stayed behind his friend, eyes scanning the shadows, as they continued deeper into the tunnel. Evo had his not-so-demon friendly knife in his right hand, ready to stick it into anything that came near, while Michael had stuck to the regular type, but he’d opted for one in each hand.

It was too damn quiet.

The distant screams had quietened down the further into the cave they’d gotten, and apart from dripping sounds and the occasional curse from Evo, there was deadly silence. Michael didn’t like it at all. Neither one of them had a clue how to find Lucifer, or what dangers they were heading for, but Michael was prepared for anything and had a feeling that the evil bastard, if he didn’t already, would know he was here soon enough.

The silence was unnerving.

After Michael and Evo argued the toss about which way they should go when they reached an intersection of tunnels−straight on, right or left−they ended up taking a right and it wasn’t long until they found a small archway in the rock. As they cautiously entered what looked like a dark cavern, bizarrely, and in the blink of an eye, they found themselves in a room that was almost. . .

normal. Aside from the fact that the walls were nearly black with dirt, as well as the worn floorboards and the remains of old furniture, the room looked familiar.

“The Bleep?” Michael heard Evo say as they both stood in the middle of the room. It was like they’d just stepped through a portal that had led them straight out of the pit and. . .

Wait. Michael had been here before. As he looked closer he realized why the interior looked so dirty: it was the remnants of a fire and now he could even smell it, the harsh scent of the charred surroundings began to sting the back of his nose and throat. But where was this place?

As he walked out of the door that had now replaced the archway they’d both just come through he gasped, awash with confusion at the fact that he hadn’t returned back to the cave. Instead, he was in a hallway that was much more of the same: blackened walls with burnt out pictures hanging up on them. A strange pull was leading him down towards three doors at the end: two on the left and one on the right. It was the one on the right that he went to.

“Hey, Mike. Wait up,” he heard his buddy call out as he placed his hand on the door handle. Dread hummed through every inch of Michael’s body, yet he didn’t know why. All he knew was that something terrible waited for him on the other side of that door.

“Uh. I’m not so sure that’s a good−”

He didn’t wait for Evo to finish. He turned the handle and opened the door, but as he did, the realization of where he was, nearly had him face planting on the ground. He grabbed hold of the door jamb for a second before catching his breath. Then he noticed something on top of the burnt bed over the other end of the room. In the next second he heard a pained roar rip through the room and soon realized it was coming from his own lungs.

“NO!” he screamed as he ran towards the bed where the charred remains of a female form lay upon the blackened mattress. He grabbed the body and cradled it knowing exactly who it was.

“Michael. No! Don’t touch it.”

It was Lacy’s house they were in. That’s why it was so familiar. Only it wasn’t the same neatly decorated place he was comfortable in−the place he’d had a hard job leaving before he’d done the ritual−no, there wasn’t a thing that hadn’t been destroyed by fire, including. . . NO! Not while she’d slept.

“Lacy. Please, God. No. . . NO!” he heard himself say as he rocked back and forth with her burnt body in his arms.

She was dead. Lacy was dead.

Her precious, soft, alabaster skin was now black and blistered.

He felt something trying to pull him away from her, strong arms, trying to pry his own from her body.

“Michael, you have to let go of her. It’s not real. . . None of this is real.”

He heard his friend’s words, but couldn’t process them; didn’t matter. He didn’t care. All he knew in that moment was heartache. His Lacy had died in such a horrific way and he hadn’t been there to save her. Oh, no. NO! Why didn’t I just stay with her? I could have saved her. A distant voice pulled him from his inner torment and he realized he was crying. Shit. Why her?

“Michael. . . Michael. Listen to me. Hey.” He managed to lift his eyes to his friend who was now leaning over Lacy’s body and had gotten right up in his face. “This is not real,” Evo said again. Michael just stared into his hazel eyes, which were now frantically piercing his own. “You have to let go of her. Now!”

When Michael looked back down at Lacy he tried to will what little strength he had to believe what his friend was saying. But she was real. He held her tightly to him. She felt as real as. . .

He couldn’t fathom what happened next.

Lacy’s head slowly turned towards him. Her eyes suddenly opened wide, shocking the hell out of him as she looked directly at him. “Bleep!” he yelled as he threw her body away from him and jumped up from the bed.

He heard Evo’s gasp.

Completely dumbfounded at what he was witnessing, Michael began to back away at the same time that the charred body rose up onto its knees and began to crawl towards the end of the bed. She reached out one arm to him. “Michael.

Help me!” she rasped.

Evo was right. This wasn’t Lacy. He continued to walk backwards; joining his friend−whose mouth was now hanging wide open−over the other side of the room.

She slowly climbed down from the bed and straightened, bright white eyes−a stark contrast to her blackened skin−bore into his as she walked towards them.

“Jesus. Fucking. Christ.” Evo said in a shaky voice beside him. “We have to get out of here.”

They both turned towards the door, but as Michael grabbed for the handle he was grabbed by his arm. He turned his head to see the corpse had latched onto him and was trying to drag him backwards. It was working too. He tried to prize her away, but she was strong and continued to pull. Her grip got harder and she managed to tug his body back a few feet. Just as he thought his flesh would be pulled from his arm, Evo swung something at her head, connecting with it and nearly knocking it clean off her shoulders. The body lost its grip on Michael and slumped to the floor.

“Weird, crispy bitch!” Evo growled as he threw the now broken lamp base to the floor. “Let’s go.”

This time they both made it out of the door and as Michael began to pull it closed, he paused and looked back catching sight of the body trying to drag itself across the floor towards the exit. He slammed it shut and they both leaned against the wall across from each other gasping for breath. Michael looked at Evo whose look of disbelief must have mirrored his own. “What the. . . ” he swallowed hard, “what the Bleep just happened?”

It took a minute for Evo to reply as he crouched over, both hands on the tops of his thighs, fighting for breath. “It’s this place fucking with us.”

“Yeah? No shit.”

“I’ve got a feeling that won’t be the only time something like that happens.”

As Michael tried to shift the disturbing vision of what he’d first thought was Lacy from his mind, something began to happen. Their surroundings switched from the dingy burnt out hallway to the seeping walls of the cave that they’d been in prior to their altercation. Evo leapt up from his lean against the wall. A quick shiver ran through him as he looked back over his shoulder with disgust at what had returned. “Let’s go,” was all he said, brushing both of his shoulders as he walked off towards the darkness.

this is the main reason I don't post most of the time...... you guys ain't supportive at all..... Its so disheartening

Good to be back, i've been off.. . Good work boss.. . Enjoying everybit...

Keep the good piece coming bro.. Am with u 100% .. . Nice work

Happy new month famz i wish us the very best of what this month has got to offer..... there shall be no casualty in our family this remaining months of the year..... Amen!!!

OP una well done.

Preciousbouy:
Happy new month famz i wish us the very best of what this month has got to offer..... there shall be no casualty in our family this remaining months of the year..... Amen!!!

Wish you same boss

You’re doing great op �
Happy new month �

OP ur story is so captivating. Am luvin it. more ink to ur pen. HAPPY NEW MONTH.

Continuation

* * *

One thing Michael realized was that in Hell there was no sense of time. He had no idea how long it had taken him and Evo to get from the tedious caverns of the mountain to where they were now, but what he did know was the fire he could see lighting up the crimson sky ahead couldn’t mean anything good. The mountain was now long behind them and thankfully so was that awful nightmare they’d found themselves in. They were out in the open now, walking through a clearing that was surrounded by tall blackened trees, the dark woodland seemingly out of place amongst the crimson landscape. Every so often Michael would notice, through his peripheral, things moving through the underbrush.

He knew they were getting closer to danger as the demonic cries that filled the air began to sting his ears once again as they increased in volume. He felt a profound disquiet wash over him as he began to imagine the cause of those screams, knowing that at one time his voice would have carried through the air in extreme agony just as those were now. He pushed it aside, refusing to let the memories from that time overcome him, locking them away deep into his subconscious just like he always did.

He couldn’t afford any distractions at a time like this. No matter how tough his recollections were, nor how vivid those memories became, he had to stay focused for both of their sakes.

A deep, ear-splitting howl pulled him back from his thoughts and he immediately saw Evo’s body stiffen; the big guy’s sudden change in stance said he was on high alert as he too must have sensed that something was about to happen.

Michael could feel the ground begin to vibrate and his eyes darted around trying to get a visual on whatever it was that was about to attack them. Shit! The noise was coming from all around them: one minute to their left, the next in front, then from behind. Whatever it was was moving fast, toying with them, and all the while keeping out of view.

Suddenly a dark, formless shape rushed by Michael causing him to duck down low. He saw Evo do the same as another flew by him, but he wasn’t quick enough. “Shit!” Evo exclaimed as his hand went to a fresh wound on his cheek. It didn’t look like it had sliced him but. . . was that a burn? “What the f−”

Michael noticed more heading straight towards them. As soon as one of the black demons got close, on instinct Evo sliced at it with his knife. The demon squealed and sparks flew off it as soon as the blade connected. Evo raised his eyebrows at Michael, clearly surprised by the fact that he’d wounded it, all be it temporary. But temporary was better than nothing right now.
Then Michael remembered the ring. Alethia’s ring was supposed to capture demons somehow.

He felt a small whisper of hope at the thought of maybe getting out of this situation

“Evo, the ring.”

His friend threw a smirk his way after Michael had reminded him that he probably held the key to ending the onslaught, but when Evo looked back at Michael, his face had paled and he had an odd expression. “Evo. What’s the delay? Use the ring.”

“That might be a little difficult,” he shot back just before ducking out of the way of a demon.

“What are you talking about?”

He raised his hand to Michael and wiggled his pinky finger. “I don’t have it.” As it didn’t resize like it had for Alethia, the only finger that had been small enough to wear it was empty.

The ring was gone.

Shit! Not only were they screwed right now, but even if they did somehow manage to survive the attack, he wasn’t sure Evo would survive Alethia when she found out he’d lost the damn thing.

It was Michael’s turn to duck out of the way this time and when he looked back at his friend, who was now in a panic, eyes scanning the dusty floor, he. . .

“EVO!” Michael cried, warning him just in time. A demon was heading straight for him and two more were on its tail. Evo managed to slice that one too, but Michael had no such knife and watched as the other two demons changed course and were now headed straight for him instead. Oh, Bleep!

Evo darted in front of him, slicing one of the demons before rolling on the ground, but the other went straight after Michael. Knowing that the knives he had would do nothing, he put his arm up to protect himself and cursed out loud as the demon connected and flew off as quickly.

“Bleep! That burns,” he gasped, surprised by the pain as he quickly inspected his arm. He could see his pink flesh under his coat where the demon had burned right through. He made a quick mental note not to let one of those things touch him again as he was now aware that he could feel physical pain down here.

The demons were playing with them. He knew that they could attack properly whenever they wanted to and then neither of them stood a chance.

Evo must have read his mind. “We haven’t a hope of defeating these things, Mike,” he shouted between slices. Michael continued to duck out of the way by his side. “My knife seems to be stunning them momentarily, but that’s about it.

"We’re screwed here, buddy.”

He knew Evo was right. Michael couldn’t see a way out of this. Evo was managing to keep the demons away from both of them at the moment but for how long?

“Uh. . . Mike?”

Shit. Three more had just joined the party.

Instead of swooping down on them like the others were, the new additions begun to fly around them and to their surprise the rest joined them. The five demons circled them in the air. Now Michael was able to see them properly, noticing their skull-like features and the black mist that represented their bodies just like the demon he’d seen at the university, the one which had possessed Nina and then moved on to Jake.

They began to move faster until they appeared to merge into one, forming a black ring around them as they stood as prey in the center.

“I don’t like this.” Evo shouted over the wind that was now hurtling around them. “What do we do now? Can’t you do that shit you did at Lacy’s house−whatever the hell that was−and get us out of this?”

“I don’t even know what happened, let alone how to make it happen again.”

“Well. . . great. We’re going to die. I mean, I am anyway. You’re already dead.”

“I don’t need a reminder.”

Just then, a deafening screech tore through the air and immediately the demons began to scatter, leaving Evo and Michael perplexed in the silence that followed. Only the eerie quiet didn’t last long.

Another screech. Closer this time.

Michael and Evo now stood back to back in the middle of the clearing, both with weapons held out in front of them, ready for anything. At least he though they were until what he saw emerge from the black trees right in front of him made him think again. He took an unnecessary deep breath in anticipation of

what was about to happen.

Thanks for the update... Getting more interesting Fire on blo..

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE Continue

* * *

“Uh. . . okay, more trouble,” his friend said. Michael threw a quick glance over his shoulder to see that Evo was facing the same thing. Then he heard a movement off to the side and saw another of the large beings, dressed in black robes and on horseback, stalking towards them.

The horses let out a loud screech.

“We mean no trouble,” Michael shouted to the robed figure in front of him.

“We’re here to speak with Lucifer.”

A deep laugh resonated right through to Michael’s very core. “You”−he looked at Evo−“secured trouble when you trespassed into this realm.” The horseman then turned his gaze to Michael. “You, however, should never have left.”

Michael swallowed hard at the horseman’s recognition, but all he could do was hold out his knives and, keeping his gaze fixed onto the one who seemed to be in charge, he slowly crouched to the floor letting the horsemen know that he didn’t want any trouble. He nodded to Evo to do the same, but his stubborn friend didn’t look too impressed about it. He knew Evo wouldn’t be happy letting go of his knife−hell, he was so fond of the thing he’d all but given it a name−but they needed to show that they weren’t the aggressor. He lay both weapons down on the dusty floor and returned to his position just as slowly.

He saw Evo eyeballing his blade on the floor, ready to grab it at any chance he got should shit start to go down. Good job the horseman didn’t know what that knife could do, their lack of concern over it showed that they had no idea, or else the chances of Evo retrieving it would have been slim to none.

The demon in front of him began to look impatient.

“We’re just here to speak with Lucifer,” Michael repeated.

All they got back in reply was a deep wheezy laugh.

“We have information for him about a mutual enemy. I think he would be interested in what we have to propose.” The fact that a proposition didn’t actually exist, and that Michael and Evo had no idea what they were going to say to the powerful fallen angel, remained unsaid.

Michael saw Evo change his stance so that his legs were wider apart; so wide, in fact, that he looked quite uncomfortable. His face was stoic but Michael sensed something was off with him.

The demon was silent as it assessed them both. It glanced at the weapons on the floor. “You may retrieve your metal; they are of little use to you down here.

Michael didn’t agree.

As both men crouched to grab their knives, the reason for Evo’s strange behavior was revealed: After he’d picked up his knife, pulled up his trouser leg and replaced it into his ankle strap, Michael saw him retrieve something from under his boot. Evo clamped his fist tightly, then his mouth curled up slightly at one side in a grin meant only for Michael’s eyes.

He’d found the ring.

No sooner had they stood up than they both found themselves restrained by two horsemen who had dismounted their horses and now had each of them in a tight headlock facing their leader awaiting instructions.

The demon remained silent, black eyes bearing into them in turn as it seemed like it was deciding on a course of action. Michael stared at the demon whose face was almost skeleton-like. Its pasty diaphanous skin was almost nonexistent over the bones that it covered. Michael’s composure began to dissipate the longer they faced the creature as he sensed something bad was about to happen. Was it now that he would finally meet his fate? Was this the end of the road for him and Evo?

When the horseman began to move towards them, Michael slowly closed his eyes. A vision flashed in his mind, Lacy, almost as clear as if she were standing in front of him. He held on to it for a moment before inhaling a deep breath and opening his eyes again. When he did, a large, black robed, skeletal hand came crashing down towards him. Just before it made contact, Michael flashed a look to his friend who was calling out his name with a look of sheer terror on his face. When the horseman struck, it was the last thing Michael remembered before everything went black.

* * *

A deep laugh penetrated Michael’s ears as he roused from unconsciousness. Feeling like he’d been the unfortunate one at the bottom of a huddle during a football game, he managed to open his eyes to see his friend lying unconscious−at least, that’s what he hoped he was−on the rocky ground next to him. As well as Evo, Michael was also on his stomach. He began to pull his body up and when he was on his knees, he got a good look at his surroundings.

Black.

All around him was black: black clouds in a black sky, black rock underneath them leading to a cliff face to his right and what he guessed was a sheer drop to his left. They were on the edge of a mountain, wind howling through the air, sending piercing chills right through Michael’s skin. He was about to assist his friend when he froze, sensing something powerful. They weren’t alone, there was something behind him and he almost didn’t want to turn around. But he did.

Slowly.

Then, what Michael saw was inconceivable.

Impossible!

It had to be his mind playing tricks on him again; pushing him into a memory from his life in order to confuse him. But, like the vision of Lacy’s charred body, the female standing in front of him looked very real.

She couldn’t be real.

Could she?

“Jessica?”

Evo is such a brave man. Proud to share four letters with him but who is Jessica?

I hope Michael will return from hell and save beautiful LACY

*** Continuation ***
The brown haired woman whom he once knew was being flanked by two of the horsemen. Not being able to judge their size while they’d surrounded him and Evo earlier, he was surprised to see the sheer magnitude of the demons as they faced him now minus their horses.

“Ah yes, about that. . . not my real name.”

“Where’s Lucifer? It was him I requested to speak with.”

The woman’s mouth turned up at the side as she leered at him with dark brown eyes. “He’s unavailable right now. And will be for the foreseeable future.”

What?

Michael got to his feet and faced them. The more this was playing out in front of him, the harder he found it to trust his own mind. Lucifer was gone?

Where? Jess was here? No. It just couldn’t be happening. “This isn’t real.

You’re not real. It’s this place. . . it’s messing with my head again.” He threw a quick glance at Evo who was still unconscious, but was relieved to notice a slight movement in his back. He was still alive. Thank God. But why was he still face-planted on the floor?

“Afraid not. I’m very real. As real as the last time you saw me. The night we spent together.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Jess looked strange. She hadn’t really changed from what he could remember, but there was something about the way she was regarding him. She looked arrogant, cocky, a trait that was never a part of her demeanor when she’d worked for him. That was one of the reasons he was refusing to believe it was really her.

She began to walk towards him as she answered. “Oh, silly me. I almost forgot. The suppression.”

“What. . .

Suddenly, Michael gripped his head as memories began to fill his mind; a whirlwind of images flying through his head like a video on fast forward: both he and Jessica laughing together at the office, sitting opposite each other in a restaurant, walking through the park, her arm linked through his. They were affectionate towards each other. Still gripping both sides of his head, he paused when he realized the memory of his old self that followed wasn’t a familiar one. Jack stood with Jess in front of the fireplace in his apartment. He thought she looked particularly nice that evening. Her brown hair was up in a neat chignon at the top of her head with a few wispy strands framing her face. Her knee length, blue dress hugged her figure in a way that would attract any man’s attention if they’d been out in public, but tonight it was for his eyes only.

When Jess had started working for Jack’s company she’d immediately caught his eye. She was a pleasure to look at−attractive in a classic film star kind of way−but she knew it too. He honestly never saw himself dating her though. He enjoyed the harmless flirtation from her and would often reciprocate, but he wasn’t ready for any kind of relationship, even a casual one. So he was surprised that he’d actually enjoyed her company over the last couple of weeks.

After much repartee, mostly from Jess, he finally asked her out on a date. Jack took her to The Delauney, a swanky brasserie up town, figuring it would be the kind of place she’d be into even though he didn’t much care for the pretentiousness. Afterwards, they went for drinks in a more understated bar down the street. They chatted, they laughed and then Jack dropped Jess off home with nothing more than a good night kiss. This happened many more times over the coming weeks.

At Jack’s penthouse suite at The Cincinnati on a chilly October evening, Jess reached up and clinked her wine glass against his whiskey glass.

“To us,” she said warmly

Even though he didn’t really think there was officially an ‘us’, he smiled and took a sip from his glass. She took it from him and placed it with hers on top of the fireplace. He noticed a gleam in her eye as she stepped into him. They’d kissed a few times, but even though she’d hinted, they’d gone no further. But maybe that would change tonight. He was a man after all. Without a word she placed both of her hands on his chest and leaned in to kiss him. He bent his head slightly, meeting her lips with his and slowly sliding his hands around her waist, feeling the curve of her back through the soft material of her dress. Their kiss intensified and he enjoyed it. For the first time, he’d begun to feel aroused by her, imagining her naked in his bed and willing to take things further. He pulled her body closer into his and felt her slight gasp against his lips.

He was just about to move with her over to the sofa, when he began to sway a little, nearly losing his footing. He abruptly broke their kiss and steadied himself by gripping onto the fireplace. He must have gotten carried away, though his head had never spun from kissing a woman before.

“Jack? Are you okay?”

Her voice sounded strangely distant. The room was spinning uncontrollably now, like he’d stepped onto a carousel that was on warp speed, everything rushing past him in a blur of color and light. He struggled to hold himself up and felt himself falling, bringing the ornaments from the fireplace with him as he hit the floor.

What the hell was wrong with him?

He found it hard to speak, but he tried, reaching out to the blurry blue figure that he saw crouched before him.

“Help. . . me. . . ” he managed to say, his voice weak.

“I am helping you Jack. It’s for your own good. You’ll see.”

Distant. . . Her voice was so distant. What did she mean? Did she do this?

He blinked his eyes tightly over and over in an attempt to clear his vision but it was no use. He was struggling to hang on to consciousness.

The last thing he saw before he went lights-out was Jess’s face right in front of his. . . smiling.

When the events of his final day on earth finished playing out, the pain began to subside and all Michael could do was stare at the woman in front of him.

“We didn’t do. . . anything, right?” He didn’t know why it was relevant, but felt the need to ask anyway.

“Oh, no. You were far too incoherent for that, unfortunately. The drugs that I slipped into your drink made sure of that. They did make it easier to smother you to death though.”

The realization of what had actually happened that evening made his legs weak and he fell to his knees, playing what he’d just been allowed to remember over and over again in his mind. He’d had no recollection of any of it yet now, it was so vivid it was like it had only happened moments ago.

“You killed me? Why? Did someone make you do it?”

Her scornful laugh tugged at his patience. “WHY, JESS?”

Suddenly her face turned serious. “It was our only chance to get you down here without any resistance.”

“Our? Who put you up to this?”

“Jack I−”

“Don’t call me that!” he snapped, “Jack doesn’t exist anymore.” The sound of his other name coming from her lips made him angry.

She tipped her head to the side. “Very well. Nobody put me up to this.

Killing you was all my idea. It was always part of the plan.”

“What plan? You need to explain what the Bleep is going on here Jess and fast. And what the hell’s wrong with him?” He looked at Evo before rising back up to his feet. The weakness he’d felt just moments before had now been replaced by rage. His whole body was vibrating with a need to grip the woman in front of him−if that’s what she was−around the throat and shake the explanation right out of her. He guessed her guards had sensed it too as they looked visibly anxious and moved closer to her.

Jess threw up her hand to halt them and they responded straight away by retreating back to their posts, clearly showing that she was the one in control right now. She looked down at his friend and then back to him.

“I’m just keeping him quiet. He’ll stay that way until I see fit to wake him.

It’s only you who I am interested in having this conversation with.”

“You’re keeping him quiet? How?”

She didn’t answer, but she had a look on her face that he couldn’t quite place.

Michael began to pace back and forth on the rocky ledge; his patience

wearing thinner by the minute. He didn’t know how much longer he could keep

himself under control but was sure if Jess didn’t start talking, he was going to

do something he probably wouldn’t walk away from. Not the way those guards

were now looking at him anyway. Things couldn’t get any more bleeped up. His

friend was in some kind of unconscious state on the floor next to him; his ex

Michael began to pace back and forth on the rocky ledge; his patience wearing thinner by the minute. He didn’t know how much longer he could keep himself under control but was sure if Jess didn’t start talking, he was going to do something he probably wouldn’t walk away from. Not the way those guards were now looking at him anyway. Things couldn’t get any more bleeped up. His friend was in some kind of unconscious state on the floor next to him; his ex girlfriend was standing in front of him in a place that she shouldn’t even know existed, and the more angry he was becoming, the stranger his whole body felt, like there was a bomb inside of him ticking down to the moment of detonation.

He wasn’t sure why he felt that way or what would happen when it reached zero, but it was very close.

“You need to calm him down,” one of the guards said to Jess with a voice that was deep enough to vibrate through the very rock they were standing on.

That caused Michael to stop and face them. He saw something in Jess’s eyes —uncertainty may be?—and wondered if his own eyes had changed like they normally did when he was angry. Maybe that had thrown her off. Whatever it was, she was definitely showing a little vulnerability, which Michael was happy to see.

“She needs to start talking,” he shot back at the guard.

She didn’t.

Instead, she closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath. Within an instant her form began to change right in front of his eyes. He watched in disbelief as the woman turned from the pretty, slender brunette, whom he’d had a brief fling with, to a naked, bald, pale skinned creature with pointed ears and long pointed claws at the end of each finger.

Michael couldn’t believe what was standing in front of him. “You’re a shifter.” Not a question; an obvious observation born from encountering one or two during his time as a hunter.

“I can be whatever you want me to be,” she said before her form began to change again, but this time, as Michael watched the pale demon’s figure wriggle and distort, his breath caught the instant he recognized who was appearing in front of him. “Perhaps you’d like me better like this.”

Lacy

The bitch had turned herself into Lacy. She even mimicked her voice.

He bit down on his teeth to try and keep inside the whirlwind of emotions he was suddenly consumed with; anger winning over the hurt and the guilt he felt for dragging Lacy into this mess. She stalked towards him and for a moment, when she reached up and gently touched his cheek, he allowed himself to imagine that she was real, that all of this had been a crazy dream and he was waking up to her affections and a normal life; the only way he’d allow himself to be with her.

No!

He inhaled sharply and gripped her wrist, pulling her hand away from his face and shoving her back away from him, not allowing himself to think that it was Lacy he’d just been rough with. “Get away from me, now!” he spat.

“Oh, sweetie. . . you were so much more fun when we were dating.” She smirked and quickly changed herself back to Jess, much to his chagrin, while returning to her guards. It was getting harder to look at her knowing that he’d been close to her and that her deception had caused his current situation.

He’d never known such loathing.

“That’s enough Nhang!” a familiar voice projected across the open space that lay behind the guards. As Michael waited, and the three figures standing in front of him swung their heads around, two more horsemen had appeared from the darkness and were riding towards them. Michael then saw that there was another behind them. He looked at the third horseman in disgust as the familiar demon came into view. All three were now riding in a row. Two guards either side of Varesh. They pulled up next to the cliff face to the left of where Michael was standing and all three demons quickly dismounted. The two guards tied up their horses, then one of them took the reins from Varesh who left them attending the animals.

He walked straight over to Jess. . . or Nhang, whatever the hell her name was. “I think you’ve already been far too polite with our guest,” he told her before walking right past her and stopping a few feet away from Michael. Some of his dark, dishevelled hair fell over his face, but Michael could still see those fiery red eyes that were now almost burning him as the demon looked him straight in the eyes.

“I assume you and Nhang have been formally introduced?” Varesh asked without taking his eyes from him. He seemed taller than Michael remembered.

Still, it was hard to judge a creature’s size while you were being hurled against a load of scrap metal and almost disembowelled by a burning hand of Hellfire.

“You took your time,” the female shapeshifter said with annoyance. “I almost gave up on you.”

Varesh looked visibly annoyed at her words. “It was more difficult than you’d imagine getting those vultures to let me out. I ended up having to bribe one or two of them, which was a little insulting. Thanks to that bitch of a friend of his,” he raised his chin towards Michael, “I’m minus fifteen of my soldiers.”

His soldiers?

Michael continued to stare at Varesh, showing him that he wasn’t intimidated even though the demon had to be at least fifty pounds heavier and six to eight inches taller. Michael swept his eyes over him, his black pants were torn in places, like they’d been sliced with a sharp object, and one leg had material bound around the thigh as though a wound had been strapped. His knee-length, leather duster was worn in places and open enough to show thick muscle. The creature in front of him was strong as well as powerful and Michael had felt that power first hand. Still, he wasn’t threatened by him in the slightest.

“And the prisoner?” Nhang (because Michael had decided Jess was too nice a name for her anyway) asked.

“Contained.” Varesh threw her a quick glance over his shoulder, “and uncooperative as would be expected from someone whose kingdom has just crumbled around him.”

Kingdom? That didn’t sound good. “What are you talking about?”

Varesh smirked at him and said, “Let’s just say your little meeting with Lucifer has been postponed.”

Bleep! He’d taken down Lucifer? Michael was suddenly aware that things weren’t going according to plan and that, no matter what, he and Evo had to get out of there. Though how he was going to achieve that remained to be seen. The whole thing had just gotten so much bigger than he’d originally thought. It appeared there was a new king in town and if he was powerful and clever enough to overthrow a legendary ruler, a powerful creature that even the Creator couldn’t control, then, in a word, they were all bleeped.

He glanced down at his buddy again−still breathing. What had she done to him? And what the hell had they gotten themselves into?

Varesh must have seen him and before Michael could register the demon’s movement. . .

“Allow me,” was all he said before throwing out a ball of white light from his palm that shot straight at Evo, the force of which threw his body backwards along the rocky ground.

“NO!” Michael bellowed as he watched in horror as his friend hurled towards the cliff edge but he stopped before he got there. To Michael’s surprise, Evo groaned and shot to his feet holding his head. He took a couple of steps backwards before looking around and realizing the sheer drop that was behind him. He wobbled for a moment, but, to Michael’s relief, immediately rushed away from the edge.

“Shit! What the Bleep?” He turned his attention to the little crowd in front of him, fixed his eyes on Michael and did exactly what Michael was hoping he’d do: shut the hell up. He joined Michael at his side, eyes widened momentarily as if to ask “What the Bleep’s going on man?” but Michael didn’t answer. Instead, he spoke to Varesh.

“What has all of this got to do with me? Why would I be part of this plan?

Why did that bitch kill me?” Michael almost growled that last part as he felt the strange vibration return to his body. At the same time he saw a look of shock that quickly changed to fury in Evo’s eyes.

“You have a lot of questions hunter.” Varesh began to walk away; turning towards Nhang he walked over and stopped at her side. He faced Michael and Evo with a slight grin on his face.

“I’m surprised. Do you know nothing of your heritage?”

“My heritage? What are you talking about?”

Varesh threw a sideways glance at Nhang who spoke quietly. “Looks like he’s been kept in the dark about all of it. Better for us that he doesn’t know.”

It annoyed Michael that his questions were still being ignored. “Why don’t you talk to me and not about me? Doesn’t know what? Start talking.”

“Your questions are of no concern to me. That is a conversation for you and the Creator. I’m not interested in briefing you about something you clearly know nothing about. Now, tell me why you are here. What is it that you wanted to discuss with my dear cousin?”

Cousin?

“It no longer matters. Evo and I have no argument with you. Whatever it is you think you know about me isn’t true. I have nothing to do with this war so just leave me and my friends alone and we will be no bother to you.”

Varesh laughed and Nhang looked at him with a malevolent grin, which infuriated Michael to the point where he had to fight to calm himself down before he acted out what he was now imagining doing to the bastard demon in front of him.

“I’m afraid you’re wrong about that. And our conversation is over.” Varesh waved a hand to the guards behind him then pointed at Michael. “I want him.

Dispose of the other one.” he ordered, then turned to Nhang and the two of them began a quiet conversation as the guards advanced towards Michael and Evo.

“Okay. What do we do now?” Evo asked quietly out of the side of his mouth.

Before Michael had time to answer two of the guards had disappeared into thin air only to reappear behind him, each one grabbing an arm so that he was unable to move. The other two did the same to Evo.

They towered above him. Michael tried to pull free, but their grip was like an iron vice. He watched as the other two guards began to haul Evo away towards the edge of the cliff.

“Uh, Mike. I’m not sure I like where this is heading.” Evo shouted back to him over the howling wind that had suddenly increased in volume and strength.

Neither did Michael. He tried one last time to pull himself free from the iron hands that held him back but it was useless. As he watched his friend being hauled off, he felt his anger rise through his body. Helplessly fighting to free himself, he felt the strange vibration rising up from his legs, through his torso, down his arms to the tips of his fingers. His head and face felt warm and he knew his eyes were probably illuminated now. He closed them and took in a deep breath.

It was hard to register what happened next. In an instant, his head began to sing and he felt a pop as a warm rush of energy appeared to leave his body.

When he opened his eyes again, he was surrounded by a thick, white haze and no longer felt the guard's grip around his arms.

He was free.

Michael heard a distant voice, deep and throaty, calling out. “Stop him!”

Then, before he knew it, he was moving towards the guards that had Evo. He didn’t feel his legs move, nor did he feel he had control over any part of his own body. It was almost like he’d willed himself to go and save his friend and his body was somehow taking him there.

Floating. . . Was he floating?

He was still surrounded by the strange haze as he advanced on the guards who were now standing in front of his friend, crouched and ready for attack. Michael watched as the demons’ eyes changed to crimson and immediately felt an invisible force pushing at him. But whatever the guards were trying to do had no effect. He pushed through the invisible shield and felt it weaken, watching the stunned expressions on the skeletal features that stood before him.

He heard a roar behind him, then felt pressure at his back. He slowly turned his head to see that Varesh had hurled a fireball at him, but as Michael watched it approach, it was like time had suddenly slowed down. Before it reached him, Michael inhaled deeply and curved his back until he was hunched over−like somehow he knew how to stop it. The fireball hissed as the flames dissipated on impact.

Michael looked up again to see the guards repeating their earlier reprisal still with little effect.

“Evo!” he heard himself shout through all the commotion before expelling more of the strange energy from his body which sent the two guards flying through the air. Michael just about registered Evo’s shocked expression before he grabbed him and they both began to run.

Another fireball headed towards them and Michael pushed Evo in front of him to shield him from the onslaught as two more followed. He knew Varesh wasn’t going to let them leave, but he wasn’t about to go down without a fight; even though he wasn’t sure where his fight was coming from. Michael threw Evo to the ground in front of him and crouched over, protecting him as the three balls of fire hit his back one after the other with little effect.

“Are you okay?” He was still covering Evo who seemed a little perplexed as to what was going on.

“I will be when we get out of here.”

Michael pulled Evo to his feet and they continued to run. They headed towards a narrow opening in the cliff face on the other side of the ledge.

Michael glanced back and was surprised to see that they weren’t being followed. The fact that Varesh hadn’t ordered his guards to follow and had just let them run was unsettling. Nonetheless, they continued towards the opening.

Michael ushered Evo through the narrow gap first not wanting to take any chances. If they were being followed, then Michael would be the one to fight not his friend. As soon as Evo was through, Michael followed without hesitation.

When they were out of the way of the immediate threat Evo stopped to catch his breath and grabbed Michael’s arm as he went to pass him. “Wait. . . Whoa.

Just stop for a minute, okay?” he panted.

“Not a good idea. We need to keep moving.”

The tunnel they were in was dark, but short enough so that the light shone through from the other side illuminating Evo’s face. He had the oddest look. don’t know what went down with you and those demons before my ass woke up. But what the hell was that?”

Michael feigned innocence. “What?”

“Never mind ‘what?’. . . What just happened to you back there? How the hell did you manage to fight off four huge demons without even touching them, then go and save our asses from an onslaught of hellfire, all without a hair out of place? And who was the tasty broad?”

Michael chose to ignore the last question. He could just imagine Evo’s reaction when he told him he’d dated a shapeshifter, even if it was without him knowing it. He sighed and leaned against the stone wall facing Evo. The sound of dripping water was all that occupied the small space as Michael tried to come up with an answer, but only one thing had entered his mind from the moment the strange power had taken over his body.

“I’m one of them, aren’t I?”

He heard Evo’s breath catch. “Demon?”

“Yes. It’s the only explanation.” The only one he could find anyway. He’d suspected it for a while; ever since the first night he’d met Evo, when his eyes had changed. Since then he’d felt the change but just put it down to him getting used to his body. Then there was what happened in Lacy’s house when they discovered she’d been taken. He’d felt so much power rushing through him back then and it unnerved him.

But why was he so surprised? After all, he’d escaped Hell. Wasn’t it obvious what he was?

Evo surprised him by gripping onto his shoulders hard. “You’re not a fucking demon. There’s no way.” His friend burned him with a look that said “I won’t let that be true.”

He couldn’t blame him for feeling that way. “How could I not be, Evo?

There’s no other way to explain what’s happening to me. I had no control over that back there. It’s just like rage consumed me and took over my body. Like I was just telling myself what I wanted to happen and then it happened without any effort.

“It’s not the first time I’ve thought about this. For the last few months I’ve felt like I was getting stronger. Fighting these creatures has been getting easier.

And now, after what just happened out there, I feel stronger than ever.”

“But, what about your eyes? Why do yours glow white when theirs are blood red? Surely they would be the same.”

Michael shook his head. He had no idea.

Both men were quiet for a moment until Evo dropped his hands from Michael’s shoulders and said, “Well, demon or not, I think that was pretty fucking awesome what you did out there.” He smiled at him reassuringly.

Michael appreciated it. It didn’t make him feel any happier about the situation, but knowing that his friend was trying to make him feel better, he had to smile back. All be it a small one.

“Come on,” Michael said. “We have to find some place safe so we can get out of here.”

They headed for the tunnel’s exit. And as Michael walked on ahead, he tried his best to ignore Evo’s next sentence.

“Now, about that female. . .

nice update i following you guys should always mention me

Varesh imprisoned Lucifer, it seems they are really bleeped.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO


“I can’t sit here like this anymore. I have to be doing something.”

Lacy was feeling far too anxious to be sitting watching the TV. After getting the super to fix Michael’s apartment door, she’d sat and analyzed the items spread out on the coffee table. Some of which made her stomach tense. Then she’d figured she’d see if there was anything to watch so she could at least try and take her mind off of Michael.

It hadn’t worked.

She couldn’t stop her imagination from working overtime as she thought about what both men could be going through right now as she sat and watched trash TV. It wasn’t right.

Alethia had spent most of her time in Michael’s room in a telepathic conversation with her father and other family members in an attempt to sway them to help but it didn’t seem to be working.

The door to the bedroom opened and Alethia walked out shaking her head with a sorrowful look towards Lacy. “They refuse,” she growled out of frustration. She explained how her father had told her that they weren’t about to get involved in a war they weren’t a part of for the sake of two people, one of which was already dead, who had chosen their own path by entering Hell in the first place. Oh, and that Alethia was to stay put. “My father is a stubborn bastard. I’m sorry.”

The disappointment hit Lacy hard, but she knew the deity had tried her hardest. If the gods weren’t willing to help even when one of their own was asking then things were worse than she’d initially thought.

Lacy started pacing around the room. She stopped at the small window and stared out at the students wandering around the university grounds below with books and files tucked under their arms, completely oblivious to what was happening all around them. She let out an exasperated sigh. “I can’t do this. . .

stay cooped up in this apartment waiting. I’m concerned for Evo, of course I am, but what if it’s Michael that uses the ring? I don’t want either of them getting trapped, but Michael. . . ” She swallowed the lump that had cut off her words. She wanted to scream; to shout to anyone who could hear.

Alethia walked up to her and placed her hand on her shoulder. “We’ll find another way. I don’t want anything to happen to them either. Michael is a kind soul and, for your sake, I want to see him return unharmed. Evo. . . Well, I’m kinda fond of the idiot. He reminds me of someone—”

Alethia’s face lit up like she’d just remembered the answer for the million dollar question. She began to rush around the apartment, quickly gathering up her things. She put her coat on and passed Lacy hers.

“Come on, I know someone who could help us.”

Lacy didn’t hesitate. She shoved her arms in her coat and had her purse over her shoulder before she’d even finished putting it on properly. “You do? Who?”

“A last resort,” she said, her brow furrowed so much that she looked like she could’ve been in pain. “But it won’t be easy.”

“What do you mean?”

“I know he’ll be hostile towards me. We kind of fell out years ago.” Alethia placed her hands on Lacy’s elbows indicating what form of transport they would use. Lacy did the same to her.

“Who is he?”

Alethia grinned. “My ex-husband.”


After shifting through the air, which Lacy was now beginning to get a little used to, even though it was still weird, the gray mist dispersed from around them to reveal their surroundings. They were standing on a cobbled street in front of a Georgian looking town house that was nestled in the middle of a row of similar looking buildings. Lacy looked around to see that they were in a wide street lit by ornate, black street lamps, that looked like it was in the middle of. . .

London?

“Are we in London?” she quickly asked Alethia who simply said, “Yes.” As if it was no big deal. All Lacy could do was gawp at her with mouth wide open. It was one thing to shift a few miles away to the other side of town, but to end up on the other side of the Atlantic in just a couple of minutes was completely mind boggling.

“Close your mouth.” Alethia smirked. Lacy snapped it shut just as the deity knocked on the front door.

The house had three stories and five bays, and was in pale red brick with a white stone surround around the black panelled door. It was kept well and the size and location of the building suggested that whoever lived inside certainly wasn’t short of money.

Alethia knocked again and before she’d removed her hand the door swung open; behind it stood a classically handsome looking man. His dark wavy hair was pushed back from a pale face with a chiselled jaw and prominent cheekbones. He was dressed in a white towelling robe and his feet were bare.

Lacy couldn’t help but stare at the man’s deep hazel eyes that were now pinned widely on Alethia as if the guy had seen a ghost. All of a sudden the door slammed shut, leaving the two women staring at the brass knocker.

Alethia huffed. “I told you. . . hostile.”

She knocked again, harder this time. “Jaret! Open the door.” And then again, and again until. . .

It swung open again just enough for a head to appear from behind it. “Go!

Leave you crazy woman,” the man snapped in a strong cockney accent. As he was about to repeat the assault on his own front door, Alethia put her hands up and pushed back to prevent him from shutting them both out again.

“Wait! Jaret, please. I haven’t come to cause any trouble.”

“Then you won’t mind leaving just the same will yer.” He pushed harder on the door, but Alethia—who was surprisingly strong and had now wedged her foot in the way—wasn’t letting up.

“Jeez! I just need to talk,” she said calmly.

Jaret, seeming to admit defeat, pulled back from the door, opened it wide and walked inside without another word.

Lacy looked at Alethia who tipped her head suggesting that she follow her inside.

They walked down a long hallway with a high ceiling edged with decorative moldings. There were paintings hung on the walls, which looked old and expensive: different scenes of valleys and landscapes. At the end of the hallway they turned into a spacious modern kitchen that was bright with pale lemon colored units and dark, granite work tops and lots of stainless steel. Jaret was standing at the counter pouring hot water from the kettle into a mug and stirring it intently−a cigarette hanging from his mouth.

“It’s not a friendly hour to be callin’ on someone,” he mumbled. Of course, Lacy thought, there was a five hour time difference, which meant it would be around one thirty in the morning. “So, talk then.”

Alethia flicked her eyes at Lacy then back to Jaret, who had finished making his coffee and had now turned to face her with cup in hand.

“I need your help,” she muttered quietly and looked down at the floor. From what Lacy knew of her, the goddess was no introvert so it was strange to witness.

“I’m sorry. What was tha’?”

Alethia raised her head, looked Jaret in the eye, and spoke with more resolve this time. “I. . . We need your help.”

Jaret laughed so hard he spilled some of his coffee down the front of his crisp, clean robe. “Shit!” He stuck his cigarette in a nearby ashtray, grabbed a towel and began to scrub the material.

“It’s not funny.” Alethia looked aggravated.

“I disagree,” he said and resumed drinking his coffee.

It was clear to Lacy that the exchange that was taking place may take a while, but nevertheless; she was actually a little amused by what was happening.

“I seem to recall you owe me one,” Alethia said to her ex-husband who was now stubbing out his cigarette. He looked up at her, his dark eyebrows drawn into a deep frown.

“Oh, no. You ain't pullin’ that one on me. You lost that privilege when you burned down me last gaff.”

“Your last ga. . . house was our house, remember.” Alethia corrected.

“Still din’t give you the right to burn it daan.” He crossed his arms in front of him and leaned against the counter waiting for Alethia’s response.

Look, I know you’re upset−”

“Upset?” Jaret interrupted. “Upset is when my ‘orse falls at the final fence. . . YOU burned down me ‘ome.”

She let out a sharp, exasperated exhale. “Look. Can we please not get into this right now?” she asked through almost gritted teeth as she threw a look towards Lacy as if to say “Not in front of present company.”

Jaret also looked at Lacy and his mouth set in a line. “Who is this, anyway?

And what’ya doin’ in London?”

Lacy gave him an uncertain smile.

“This is Lacy Holloway. She’s a friend of mine and the main−and only−reason I’m here.”

Pleased to meet yer. Sorry about the. . . ” He waved his hand between him and Alethia.

“It’s okay,” Lacy replied. As she watched the two of them across the room, she wondered how long they’d been married. Jaret was definitely a looker so she could see why he’d grabbed Alethia’s attention. She also wondered what had happened that was so bad to make Alethia burn his house down and made a mental note not to piss her off.

“Can I get yer some tea? Coffee?” Jaret offered with a hint of a smile. Lacy was sure she saw a slight dimple in his chin.

“No, Thanks.”

“Alethia?” The smile had definitely gone when he asked her.

“Coffee, thanks.” She pulled out a chair from the glass dining table at the end of the room. “Can we sit?”

“Go ‘head,” he said over his shoulder as he began filling up the kettle.

After they’d all sat down and fresh coffee was on the table, Alethia began to explain the situation to Jaret, who, for some reason, seemed to have perked up at the mention of Hell. She explained that if either Michael or Evo used her father’s ring they would be trapped in a place that no one would be able to get to. She wasn’t even sure where the demons went that got captured by the ring, only that they never returned.
They never returned?

All of a sudden, after the new information that Alethia had casually dropped into their conversation, Lacy felt the air in the room become thicker and she found she was struggling to breathe. She knew it was the beginning of one of her infamous panic attacks and didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of the two sat at the table so she made an excuse to use the bathroom. Jaret explained where the one downstairs was. She made it there and managed to lock herself in just in time.

She put the toilet seat down and closed the lid. As soon as she sat down, she bent forward, placing her head between her knees. She tried to usher away the thoughts that she’d so vividly conjured up in her mind of Michael trapped in a dark pit surrounded by feral demons who’d been trapped there for centuries.

The thoughts only added to the lightheadedness she was now experiencing due to over breathing. She tried to slow her breaths down, remembering how Michael had helped her, and after what only felt like a couple of minutes there was a soft knock at the door.

“Lacy. Is everything okay in there?” Alethia’s muted voice sounded through the door.

Lacy was still a little shaky, but the worst had passed. She stood and looked at herself in the mirror; smoothed down her hair and made sure she looked okay before unlocking the door.

“Well, you look fine. I thought we lost you for a minute, though, like you’d sneaked out the back door or something.”

Lacy found that odd. “I just needed to pee.”

“For nearly an hour?”

“What?” No. That couldn’t be right.

Alethia smiled at her. “Look, I know that talking about this whole situation is hard for you. You don’t have to explain.”

She actually couldn’t even if she tried.

“I’m glad though. Jaret and I had a much needed talk while you were gone and thankfully things seem to be okay.” She cocked an eyebrow. “For now anyway.”

Oh, well. Lacy was glad. At least she’d inadvertently helped those two get back to speaking terms.

* * *

Thanks for the update boss... You're tha best. . Abeg mention me in that net update. . TEAMWALKER

Thanks for the update boss... You're tha best. . Abeg mention me in tha net update. . TEAMWALKER

Thanks for the update boss... You're tha best. . Abeg mention me in tha next update. . TEAMWALKER

what an interesting story line God bless you kip it coming

Now let's prepare for the next flight to hell

********



After they’d decided to rest up at Jaret’s, and they’d both been given a little tour around the house and shown to their separate guest rooms, Lacy was lying in a large, oak, four-poster bed, a small lamp on the sideboard next to her, with the hope of any sleep evading her. Her mind was jumbled with thoughts that weren’t welcome, but it seemed they were set in for the evening. She looked around the large room, noticing the many paintings that filled the walls. Jaret definitely loved his art. There was a mix of subjects from old oils of Edwardian females doing household chores to modern abstracts of color and shapes. It was a strange mix, but they brightened the room which had red painted walls and continued the washed wood flooring that had run through the rest of the house.

After tossing and turning some more, she decided to take a trip to the kitchen to see if Jaret had any cocoa. She put her sweats and T-shirt back on, and made her way out of the room.

She was walking along the landing as quietly as she could so as not to disturb anyone when she saw Alethia stepping out of Jaret’s room up ahead. She contemplated ducking out of the way, but before she could move Alethia looked up and saw her.

Lacy smiled awkwardly as the deity walked towards her. “It’s not what you think. I just gave him something he needed that’s all.”

Lacy felt a little uncomfortable, and really it wasn’t her business, but knew they were about to discuss it anyway. Alethia might as well join her. “I was just going to look for cocoa.”

“Sounds good.”

When they were both sat at the kitchen table with a hot cup of chocolate each and some cookies that Alethia had found, Alethia looked at Lacy, her face was serious. “Look, I don’t know if you’ve realized, but Jaret isn’t human either.”

Lacy hadn’t, but wondered why she felt so surprised. Alethia didn’t look any different to any other humans either and she was getting used to running into otherworldly beings.

“He’s a Cambion.” She looked at Lacy as if she was supposed to know what that was. After obviously noticing that Lacy hadn’t a clue what she was talking about, Alethia began to explain. “A Cambion is a hybrid. Jaret is the offspring of a human and an Incubus.”

Oh. So, at least her list of creatures I’ve met this week was getting longer.

“Wow. Incubus huh? I’ve read about those. Of course, I thought they were just a silly myth then. So they really feed on. . . ?”

Alethia’s brows raised a little. “Yes. But Jaret is only part Incubus so his need isn’t as great as a full breed. He only has to have sex once or twice amonth.

“Oh,” was all Lacy could reply for a moment. “Was that why you. . . ” she tilted her head to the side and Alethia copied the gesture waiting for her to finish her sentence. She didn’t.

“Yes. I asked him for a favor, a big one, so it was the least I could do. He’s going to need to be at full strength for what he’ll be doing shortly, so it’s best to make sure. And unless you were going to offer. . . ”

Lacy winced at that. Alethia laughed. “It was just sex. It meant nothing, to him or to me.”

Even though it was a strange situation, Lacy kind of understood. “What is it?

The favor you’ve asked of him.”

Alethia took a sip from her mug and placed it down on the table in front of her. “Because of what Jaret is—his father being full Incubus—he can enter Hell, however, and whenever, he pleases. No one bats an eyelid down there as long as he doesn’t cause any trouble. His father still resides down there somewhere and Jaret’s been trying to find him since he was old enough to transport himself there. He once told me how he hated it though. He tried to explain, thankfully without too much detail, how gruesome it is. How some of the macabre things that go on down there would disturb even the strongest of minds. It took some convincing, but he agreed to go and look for Michael and Evo in exchange for something.”

Lacy felt a whisper of hope rise from her stomach into her chest. They’d gone from no chance of warning Michael and Evo about using the ring to there being an actual half demon willing to help them. There was still a worry that either of them could have already used it by now, but she hoped and prayed that wasn’t the case. She noticed Alethia looking a little perturbed and remembered that there was to be an exchange for Jaret’s help.

“What is it that he wants in return, Alethia?”

The goddess rolled her eyes. “He wants to call on me once a month.”

“Oh. I see. I’m sorry.”

Alethia straightened her shoulders. “Don’t be. It could have been worse. I burnt down his house remember. I think I’ve gotten off lightly. Besides, in no way was sex anything to do with our breakup,” she smirked. “He was always very good at that.”

Lacy laughed. She got the feeling that Alethia would be using him once a month just as much as he would be using her. “I bet Evo won’t be too happy about the two of you.”

Alethia frowned. “What’s it got to do with him?”

“Well, didn’t you two spend some. . . time together last night?”

The deity’s amber eyes widened. “Yes. He came to my hotel room, but we didn’t do that.”

“Oh. I thought that−”

“You think I’d sleep with that womanizing jerk? Lacy, I do have some morals. I may have just had sex with Jaret, but it’s not like we haven’t done it before. He was my husband after all. And it was for a good cause. But Evo. . .

Lacy felt terrible, but to be fair, it wasn’t exactly her fault. He’d made it seem that way. “I’m sorry it’s just that. . . Evo made out that he seduced the ring from you.”

Alethia nearly choked in her cocoa before pulling the mug away from her mouth. “Oh please. He may think he’s that good in bed, but let me tell you. . .

anyone who says they are, usually aren’t. Self praise is no recommendation. No, Evo didn’t seduce the ring from me, he damn well stole it. He must have drugged me or spelled me or something, though I’ve no idea how. I’m a goddess for God’s sake.” She let out a soft laugh. “I was warned about him, but didn’t really take it seriously. That guy knows everything about everything. I’ll never underestimate him again, that’s for sure. You wait till I see him. . . ” The humor disappeared from her face the moment she’d said those words. She looked over the table at Lacy. “Jaret will find them. I’m sure of it.”

Lacy didn’t speak through fear of breaking down. They had to. And Jaret was the only chance they had.

After an hour chatting about nothing in particular, Lacy realized how much fun Alethia was. This was the first time she’d spoken to her casually and her sense of humor surprised Lacy. She’d been very serious since Lacy had met her, which was understandable given the circumstances. She’d appeared as old as her years−however many that was−but now she seemed a lot younger, more relaxed and playful.

They both looked at each other as they heard the thud of bare footsteps coming down the hall.

“Talk of the demon. . . ” Alethia whispered and gave a little wink. The kitchen door opened and in walked Jaret scrubbing his hand through his dark brown hair until it was a scruffy mess nested on top of his head but it didn’t make him any less good looking. He had nothing but pajama bottoms on, hanging low on his hips and Lacy struggled to look away from his bare torso.

He was all muscle. Defined in a way only fitness models were. Alethia caught her staring and her face pulled into a teasing smile. Lacy lowered her eyes; feeling a little embarrassed she began to curl the corner of the black, woven place mat that was laid out in front of her. Well, how could she not look? She appreciated beauty just like any other woman. Stop right now. She ordered herself.

She sensed him walk right past them. “No point in me tryin’a get any shut eye with you pair is there?” His voice was a little husky.

Alethia answered. “Don’t be grumpy. It’s not like you need it.”

When Lacy brought her eyes back up, she stifled a gasp. Jaret was standing over by the coffee machine facing away from them and a huge tattoo covered his entire back. It was a colorless masterpiece. Like something Michelangelo himself would have produced. She saw Alethia had noticed her awe and she twisted herself around to look at him. “Ah, yes. Jaret likes to show off his art.

It’s his pride and joy.”

“Who is that?” Lacy asked of the large female figure dressed in a short toga with armor over her shoulders and knees. She was jumping in the air with a long spear in her hand and was poised as if ready to plunge it straight into the strange looking creature that was cowering on the ground below her. It looked like some kind of battle scene. There were dark thunderous clouds in the background which made the whole thing look eerie somehow. It was beautifully chaotic.

Jaret didn’t answer. He just shrugged his shoulder, which suggested he wasn’t really interested.

“Jaret’s mother was human. She was attacked by a demon that became obsessed with her and eventually raped her after possessing the body of someone she trusted; a man who was her friend and colleague from work.

Anyway, long story short, after having Jaret, she spent a lot of her time in and out of psychiatric hospitals because she was never able to deal with what happened. Jaret fought for her. He tried to help her as best he could, but in the end she killed herself.”

Lacy’s hand pressed over her heart as she gasped a little. “I’m so sorry.”

Jaret walked over to the table with his coffee and sat down next to Alethia.

He pushed her arm and rolled his eyes at her. “You tryin’a depress the poor girl?” He turned to Lacy. “It was a long time ago. Anyway, she’s in a better place than she ever was down ‘ere.”

Alethia continued as Jaret sipped his coffee. “The female on his back is his mother depicted as an angel, a warrior of the Creator about to kill the demon that raped her.”

“One day it will be me.” Jaret said with narrowed eyes. He looked like he was imagining that day. He blinked and then looked at Lacy.

“So, what is it that your fella’s arfter down there?” he asked.

Her fella? She wasn’t sure that he was hers. Lacy didn’t correct him.

“Apparently he and Lucifer have a mutual enemy.”

“Why would he be so stupid to even try and talk with that evil barstard? Clearly dying the first time wasn't enough for ‘im, eh?”

Lacy winced at that. Alethia slapped his arm.

“Well. . . it’s true,” he continued. “Lucifer don’t just talk. He’s not someone who takes appointments. He tortures first, talks arfter.”

Lacy lowered her gaze. “Yes. I would imagine that’s true,” she said quietly.

That’s exactly why she didn’t want Michael to go.

“Then you’ll know what ‘im and ‘is friend’ll be up against when ‘e get’s there then.”

“Jaret. She doesn’t need reminding. None of us do.” Alethia’s dark brows drew tight. “All we need to know from you is what you intend to do to help them. Because you’re going to help them, aren’t you?” Not a question by the sound of her gritted teeth. “Or you’re going to pay me back for our little rumble in the worst way I can think of.”

Jaret laughed. “Oh, Alethia. . . Yer know ‘ow sexy I find yer when yer threaten me.”

The goddess huffed. “Jaret!”

“Babe, yer know I’m only messin’ wiv yer.” He put a serious face on “All I can do is go daan there an’ look for ‘em. . . arsk around. But ya know ‘ow received my presence is when I visit that place. Not well.”

Alethia nodded her head and looked at Lacy. “Because he’s a half breed.

He’s considered an enemy by most,” she explained.

Jaret smiled. “I’ve never caused any trouble, so most just ignore me.”

“Why would you go there at all?” Lacy couldn’t help asking. If it was such a horrible place, why would anyone choose to go there? Michael didn’t exactly choose. He felt he had no other option. But Jaret. . . surely he wouldn’t choose to go there at all. Especially as it was one of Hell’s demons that hurt his mother.

“Debt collecting mostly. I’ve won a few decent ‘ands in poker an’ those barstard demon’s don’t like payin’ up. And I hope one day I’ll find my father daan there.” He sank the rest of his coffee and got up from the table, grabbing the other two mugs and walking to the sink.

Lacy mouthed poker to Alethia with a questioning glance. Alethia shrugged and rolled her eyes, “don’t ask” written all over her face.

Jaret placed the mugs in the basin and began to walk towards the door. “I’m gonna grab a shower then I’ll be off.”


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