I was home. Of my own accord, of my own free will. I had finally come home.
My body was light, unburdened by all the flesh and blood required in the human world. Buoyed by magic and freed from the weight of Earth’s gravity.
Hell was freedom; at least, it was always meant to be. That was what we’d fought for. We would not be ruled by gods, we would not be subjugated to the rules and whims of any deity. The rules we had in Hell — and there were very few — were sacred, but they were sparing.
The air rippled as we stepped through the gates, thrumming like a plucked harp string. The pale grass rustled, brushing against my fingertips like the softest feathers. Everly gasped as we passed the gates, the new world around her coming into focus. A forest of gnarled trees, with long knotted branches that stretched low to the ground, spread out before us. Their bark was the color of ice, and deep green vines sprouting clear berries in tiny clusters coiled up the trunks.
Everly’s steps slowed, her eyes wide with wonder as she looked around. “Oh…my god…”
She stopped walking entirely when she spotted a tiny fluffy creature scuttling up one of the trees. Eyeballs lined its back on little stalks, looking in every direction at once as it quickly hid itself among the leaves.
I allowed the nervous creature to climb onto my hand. It had suckered feet that stuck to my skin, and I brought it close so Everly could see. Her eyes were bright with wonder, her smile so wide it was like she had forgotten entirely why we were here.
Honestly, I hoped she had. I treasured every little moment of unbridled happiness I saw in her. Happiness that had been denied to her for so long.
“We call them pips,” I said, as she watched the little creature crawl along my arm. “Just be careful not to scare it. If they’re startled —”
But Everly reached her hand out to pet the creature a bit too quickly. It vanished, leaving behind a sparkling golden cloud that made Everly begin to sneeze uncontrollably.
“I tried to warn you.” I chuckled as she doubled over, leaning her hand against a tree as she continued to sneeze.
Once she’d recovered, I took her hand and said, “Hold tight.”
Her fingers squeezed around mine, and I teleported, pulling her with me. By the time we touched the ground again, the sky was overcast and the sound of crashing waves filled the air. The ground beneath our feet was shining black rock, dotted with large crystalline structures the color of emeralds. Everly’s mouth gaped open as she stared over the cliffside, where the waves of the Black Sea churned and crashed far below.
Gargantuan trees rose out of the sea, their trunks covered in green crystals that matched the same dark color of their massive leaves. Their roots reached all the way to the sea floor, creating a home for the numerous creatures that lived below the waves.
Everly’s voice was breathless with disbelief. “Callum, it’s beautiful.”
It had been so long I’d almost forgotten, but it truly was. As we watched the waves, a spined iridescent fin rose above the water, glistening in the sun before the massive serpent beneath plunged back into the depths. Everly’s breath stuttered, silent as she took it all in.
I kept waiting for the pain to return. The memories, the grief. But when I looked at her, the ache inside me couldn’t grow into agony.
“Turn around,” I said. “There’s more to see.”
Her eyes were wide as she turned and saw Dantalion for the first time. The High City towered over the rocky plains, its towers formed of black stone crawling with dark green vines. The Onyx Citadel rose above it all, shrouded in clouds and fog, its windows glowing with warm light.
“Can we go closer?” she gasped. “Can we go into the city?”
With a smile, I took her hand again and teleported us to the main boulevard.
Pale gray stones paved the road, bordered by tall willow-like trees that blossomed with bloodred flowers. Demons and human spirits lounged outside cafes, sipping liquors and herbal concoctions, the sounds of laughter and boisterous conversation echoing amongst the towering buildings. The shops here offered numerous things for trade: rare and uncommon plants, gems and jewelry, garments, furnishings, art, even beasts.
“Money” didn’t have a purpose here. We used it only for our expeditions to the human world. Amongst our own kind, there was no reason for any of us to go without something we needed. Hell was a massive and bountiful place, and we were better off when we looked out for each other. What good was freedom if it was reserved only for those privileged enough to attain it?
Everly’s head was on a swivel, trying to take in everything at once. As we walked, taking our time, it wasn’t long before other demons took notice. A human soul in Hell was not unusual at all — there were plenty of mortal souls here, living out their eternity alongside us. But a witch’s soul in Hell was rare, and Everly’s scent was bright with life.
It swiftly attracted interest.
Claws shuffled and wings perked up. Horned heads craned up curiously to watch us pass. Whispers rippled up and down the street.
A witch in Hell?
A living witch?
Who’s that with her?
He’s an old one, isn’t he?
“Callum. That’s Callum.”
We paused, my hand tugging Everly to a halt at the sound of a familiar voice. A demon was standing in the cavernous opening of a nearby tavern, staring at me with black eyes that sparkled with glittering gold. She looked different now — of course she did, it had been so long. She’d grown horns but no wings, her dark hair grown long enough to brush the ground, her tattoos bright and colorful although they’d once been only black and gray.
“Kimaris.” My voice struggled to form her name. She came closer, hesitantly, just a few steps at a time.
“You came home,” she said. She laughed softly, her eyes moving to Everly. “I can’t believe it. You really…you found your witch.”
“I swore I would,” I said. And then, in a flash, she’d crossed the distance between us to embrace me.
The painful memories bloomed, before wilting away. Kimaris gripped the nape of my neck, and I hers, our claws digging in enough to draw blood as we pressed our foreheads together.
“I thought you must have died,” she said. “Killed on one of your hunts.”
“If the gods couldn’t kill me in Hell, Kim, they certainly can’t kill me on Earth,” I said, as we drew back from each other. Everly watched, smiling politely but also obviously confused. Kimaris turned to her, opening her arms for an embrace but then quickly catching herself.
“Ah, right. Human.” She chuckled, extending her hand instead. Everly shook her hand and smiled sheepishly before opening her arms in acceptance of an embrace. Kimaris wrapped her arms around her, lifting Everly entirely off her feet as she said excitedly, “We all thought he was mad for chasing you! But you’re real! Ha!” She set Everly back on her feet but paused for a moment, staring at my witch as she sniffed the air. “Your scent, it’s…” Kimaris glanced at me, a question I couldn’t read in her gaze. But she quickly looked away again, shaking her head with a chuckle. “That’s a lot of magic you carry, love. A bit overwhelming.”
“Tell me about it,” Everly said with a jokingly dramatic sigh.
Kim laughed again, motioning for us to follow her. “Come, please, have a drink with me. It’s been far too long.”
“A God that’s being worshiped? Lucifer’s balls, that’s a bold one to pursue, Callum. Even with a witch at your side.”
Kimaris took a long drink from her glass, draining it before she raised it in the air so the bartender could see. The human behind the bar gave her a nod before muddling some herbs in a glass, then pouring ruby-red liquid on top.
“Thanks, Willi,” she said as he brought the beverage over to our table. The tavern was dimly lit, comfortable and cool. Day or night, places like this would be full of demons, drinking, socializing, fucking.
Everly kept getting distracted by the fact that demons liked to fuck in the open, like the three playmates in the opposite corner from us. She was trying so hard not to stare, but her reddened cheeks and quickened heart rate told me she kept sneaking looks in their direction.
“But you finally decided to do things properly, eh?” Kimaris said. “Asking the council for their blessing?”
“It’s time I buried the grudge,” I said, sipping my drink. Hell’s liquor was far more powerful than anything that could be found on Earth, and I relished the burn as it went down. I’d warned Everly to sip her drink slowly, but she hiccupped and giggled after taking another gulp.
“Does Lucifer know about her?” Kimaris said, looking at Everly pointedly. When I nodded, she frowned. “But does he know that she’s…” Her eyes darted between us.
“Inexperienced?” Everly said, finishing Kim’s sentence. “He wasn’t happy about me, but I’m sure he knows. Doesn’t he, Callum?”
Kimaris lowered her eyes, and I had the strange feeling that wasn’t the word she was going to say. But I didn’t push it.
“Lucifer will be fine,” I said. “Paimon and Bael will support our endeavor, without a doubt. And Lucifer won’t go against both of them.”
Kimaris leaned back in her chair, nodding her head. It was good to see her after so long, to see her healthy and happy. When I left Hell, she’d still barely been speaking.
The war took its toll on all who survived it.
“Well, I wish you luck,” she said, raising her glass. “Personally, there’s not a bargain in the world that would make me face one of those damned gods again. Not even for a thousand witch’s souls.”
“It’s not for a bargain,” I said. My hand trailed up Everly’s thigh and she smiled at me. Her eyes were soft, tipsiness already taking its hold on her. “This is my last hunt. When It’s dead, I want peace.”
Kimaris reached over, easing Everly’s glass away from the edge of the table as my witch leaned her head against my shoulder. “I think that may be enough for you, love. You don’t want to overdo it.” She winked and drained the glass herself.
She was right, of course. Dusk was only just beginning to fall, and Hell truly came alive at night. Everly couldn’t enjoy it if she passed out drunk.
“What’s the plan for the night then?” Kimaris said. “Surely, some revelry is in order before you go chat with the council. Although, I imagine you’ll cause quite a stir wherever you go.”
“Somewhere we can get a bit of privacy to enjoy ourselves,” I said, and Everly nodded eagerly. Even with me accompanying her, the presence of a witch made demons nervous. The ones here in the tavern were doing well to mind their business, but taking her somewhere crowded might draw more attention to her than she was ready for.
“You should go to the hot spring caverns,” Kimaris suggested. “Used to be one of your favorite haunts, didn’t it? They’ve changed since you’ve last been there; pretty damn luxurious now.” She looked at Everly, giving her a wink. “The walk down the cliffside can be a bit frightening, but it’s well worth it.”
“I’m not afraid,” Everly said. “Soaking in a hot spring sounds amazing.”
Even sitting right next to me, she was still too far away for my taste. Hauling her onto my lap, I possessively buried my face against her neck, making it clear to every demon around that she belonged to me.
Keeping my voice low in her ear, I growled, “We’ll be doing more than soaking, I assure you of that, darling.”
