Good Intentions (The Road to Hell Series, Book 1) (10 page)

River

“I imagine you would all be floating around on clouds if things had gone the other way,” he said.

I blinked at him, managing to close my mouth again, but felt it starting to unhinge once more. How did anyone respond to
that
revelation? Humans had ripped a hole into
Hell
? I didn’t like the taste, but I had a feeling I was going to need more wine, so I took a big gulp of it.

“What do you mean humans ripped a hole into Hell? How?”

“Poking around with things they shouldn’t have been. I don’t understand the science behind it, and most of the people who knew exactly what they did to make it occur, are now dead.”

“Did they die in the war?”

“No. They died when they tore open the gateway and a horde of demons slaughtered them.”

I didn’t ask if he was one of those demons; I preferred not to have that answer. “What do you mean? I saw the planes, and I saw the bombs on TV. Another country attacked us.”

“No,” Kobal replied. “No nation attacked another one. Your own government released those bombs in an attempt to stifle what they’d set free in your country. The same bombs were dropped by other countries on the other side of the world. Your country wasn’t alone in their ignorance. Multiple countries were messing around with things they had no business messing around with. The bombs killed some of us but ultimately they didn’t work. Hell absorbed the radiation that didn’t have any effect on us anyway.”

I propped my chin on my hand to keep my mouth closed; it would be a lot easier than trying to figure out a way to relocate my jaw later. I couldn’t comprehend everything he was telling me. My mind spun, and the wine curdled in my stomach.

“Why are you telling me all this?” I whispered.

“You would have learned it all today anyway, if you had agreed to go with the others. It’s part of your first day of training.”

My stomach still felt sour, but I lifted the goblet and downed the contents in one swallow. I hated the tremor in my hand when I set it back on the table, but I couldn’t stop it. “So Luci—ah, Satan is walking the earth right now?”

“Call him Lucifer, I do,” he said with a smile that couldn’t hide his dislike of said demon.

“You said he hated that.”

“He does.”

“I’d prefer not to piss off the king of Hell if I can help it right now.”

Kobal’s fingers tightened on his goblet, and his muscles rippled in such a way that his tattoos appeared to move. “Lucifer is not the king of Hell, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

“But—”

“No, he is not walking the earth right now,” he interrupted brusquely. “He remains in Hell, gathering his troops and trying to figure out a way to free the abominations who have been trapped behind the seals for many millennia. Thankfully, for all of us, he hasn’t been successful at it and won’t be if we can find a way to defeat him. Demons were not meant to walk freely on this earth; there were strict rules set in place for those who did come to earth in the past. However, this is not where we belong, and our battles against Lucifer and his followers, who we call the Craetons, never should have become a war that the human race fought too. Thanks to the actions of humans, there is no longer a choice in this. They upset an intricate balance, existing since the dawn of time, and are now reaping the consequences of their actions.

“All demons enjoy and thrive on agony and vengeance in our own way, but there are those of us who will punish any human they come across. There’s a reason why humans were only able to freely cross the boundaries of Heaven and Hell as souls before. If the Craetons have their way, they will murder or enslave every human they encounter.”

“Why wouldn’t they kill us all?”

“If all humans were to die, there would be no new babies for souls to be born into. We have no way of knowing what would become of those souls. They may simply vanish, which is something no one can risk.”

I blinked at him; my throat was beyond parched as my heart hammered in my chest. “Aren’t souls supposed to last forever?” I croaked out.

“Yes, in a way. A soul’s sentence in Hell depends on their crime or crimes. When their time is up, they’re sent back to Earth to start again, in a new life. The soul would be theirs once again to do what they would with it, a fresh start. They are reborn with no memory of who they had been before. If they were sent back to Hell, they
remembered
.”

He said remembered in such a way it caused goose bumps to erupt on my skin. I didn’t want to know what they remembered.

“The same for Heaven,” he continued. “Souls float around with their harps, or at least that’s what I imagine they do, until all of their loved ones arrive. Once they’re all reunited, those souls have a happy little reunion. Then the oldest of those souls one day are sent back to Earth. However, all souls must go through this transition of life and death.”

“How come souls don’t get to stay in Heaven with their loved ones?”

“That’s just the cycle of our dimensions; it’s the way it has always been. And just because a soul makes it to Heaven once, doesn’t mean they won’t eventually make it to Hell a time or two also. Humans are able to create new souls—you’re the only species who can—but new souls are born into this world every day then make their way to one of our planes. Without this life cycle, we don’t know what could happen, but there is a reason things were balanced the way they were before.”

“I see.” Lifting my necklace, I pulled at the shells lining it, moving them back and forth as I tried to digest his words. I had a feeling that later, I’d probably do a whole lot of banging my head against the wall and maybe some hugging myself, but right now, I felt strangely calm. I must be in shock; that had to be it. Kobal’s gaze went to my necklace, and his forehead wrinkled as he stared at it. Releasing it once more, I leaned toward him. “It seems like all of the religions got at least a piece of it right.”

“They did, but anything or anyone that is 100 percent certain they’re right, is bound to be wrong.”

I couldn’t help but smile over his words. “Probably. So, if Heaven gets harps—”

“I’m not sure about that, but it’s the way I always pictured those bastards.”

My eyebrows shot up; apparently, the animosity between Heaven and Hell was real too. “Okay, so maybe no harps, but something with fluffy bunnies. What happens to the souls who go to Hell?”

“Angels and demons feed on souls in different ways, without them we will all starve and die. Demons inflict pain on a soul when they feed on them. I much prefer a fresh soul; there’s more vitality in them. They are more satisfying. Other, lower-level demons aren’t so picky and are used to having the leftovers from the more powerful demons, such as myself.”

Now I had a full-on shiver running through my body. “If you’re not in Hell now, how are you feeding?”

“Demons weren’t the only things set free from Hell. Some souls have remained in Hell, but though you may not be able to see them, many souls are also free now. They’re not being punished in all the ways they should be, but we’re still able to feed from them.”

“How often do you do that?”

“Once a week.”

It was all so strangely different. I’d almost believe I was dreaming if it hadn’t been the longest and most realistic dream of all time. “And you breathe our air?” I asked as I watched his chest rise and fall with his breath.

“We do,” he replied. “The planes were all an extension of each other until the humans caused this disruption. We are similar to humans in many ways except we are stronger, faster, and our senses are more heightened. We also do not get sick and cannot catch your diseases.”

“Why are you helping us with this?”

“I want my life back, we all do, and so do all of you. Lucifer must be destroyed, and as much as I don’t like it, your kind may be able to help us with that. We must work together in order to put wrongs to right, no matter how much I’d rather kill most of you myself sometimes.”

Wasn’t that a delightfully fun thing to learn about the demon sitting across from me? My eyes raked over him again, but despite his words, I still felt no apprehension toward this lethal creature. Folding my arms over my chest, I leaned back in my seat. “What were humans trying to accomplish when they tore into Hell instead?”

“They were working with governments on the other side of the world—”

“You said that before, so those countries weren’t bombed either by China and Russia like we were told?”

“No, and the civilians there were told your country is the one that bombed the countries destroyed over there. Whatever they were doing tore open an unnatural gateway into Hell on both sides of the earth. At the time, there were many nations working on the project, which ultimately destroyed everything you’ve ever known. And no, there is no giant hole going all the way through the center of the earth. Think of it as an open hole to another dimension. One opening is on this side, in what you used to call Kansas, and the other is in Hungary. The gates connect to each other. They opened at the same time and we’re counting on them closing simultaneously.”

I rubbed at my temples as I tried to assimilate everything he was telling me with everything I’d
known
to be true these past thirteen years.

“Why would they do such a thing?” I mumbled.

“Men trying to play at being God,” he replied simply. “Unfortunately, they got far more than they bargained for. Mac has informed me they were trying to do something good by expanding the universe to offer other opportunities to your increasingly overrun planet.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at his words. At first, it started as a giggle, but then I was holding my stomach before progressing into a full-on, uncontainable body laugh. His head tilted as he studied me like I was some kind of strange creature. Perhaps, I was.

“What is so funny?” he inquired.

“The old saying…” I got out in between bursts of laughter.

“What old saying?”

“The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Who knew it would ever come true?”

Perhaps it was the wine, but I slapped my hand on the table as I laughed loudly. He continued to study me, but I heard him chuckle too.

Kobal

I twirled the goblet in my fingers as I watched her across the way. The lantern and candlelight danced over her raven hair, causing her thick, wavy locks to shimmer in the red and orange hues cast by the flames. Her amethyst eyes sparkled, tears actually escaped them as her musical laughter continued to resonate through the air. I couldn’t help but chuckle with her as she wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Oh,” she said with a shake of her head that caused her hair to fall in waves around her pretty face.

My eyes latched onto the scar above her right eyebrow. How had she received it? I dismissed the question. I didn’t care what had happened to her before coming here. All that concerned me was the possibility I might be able to use her to get what I wanted. To claim the only thing I’d ever coveted since I was born.

“I don’t know why that made me laugh so much. It must be the wine,” she said with another giggle.

Leaning forward, I took hold of her goblet and poured her another glass. I didn’t know what it was about this little human, but I found myself actually enjoying her company. Pushing the goblet toward her, I watched as she lifted it and took a sip. Her nose wrinkled again, but she didn’t make the same disgusted face she had with her first sip. Her lips, stained by the wine, had become a deep red color, and I found my gaze riveted to them when she pulled the goblet away from her mouth.

I had to fight the impulse to lean over the table and drag her toward me when her pink tongue slid out to lick the wine from her lips. Whatever it was about this human, she affected me in more ways than one.

She stopped laughing and lifted her eyes to mine. They sparkled with the wetness of her tears; the sweeping lashes framing them were spiky with water. She wiped at them again before settling back in her chair and studying me with a frown.

“So if you exist on a different plane that humans couldn’t get into, then how did the stories of Heaven and Hell begin?” she asked.

Insightful, inquisitive girl,
I realized. “Some mortals can see things they shouldn’t be able to,” I told her.

“Like me?”

She freely admitted her ability then. “Yes, and it would be interesting to know what you can see.”

Her fingers flicked dismissively beside her head. “
Nothing
of any interest to a demon I assure you, and nothing pertaining to me. I wouldn’t be sitting here if I saw things about myself.”

No, she wouldn’t. She would have fled before they ever showed up on her doorstep. “Some humans can see more than others; they can look past the veils of your plane and see what lies beyond to both dimensions. Some could even communicate with others outside your mortal coil. In Hell, we could see what you were doing on this side, not that we watched often; you mortals are mostly boring.”

She laughed again and sipped at her wine. “I suppose we would be boring to a bunch of demons and Lucifer himself.”

“There were times when I would look through. It helped to give me a better understanding of your world, once demons stopped entering it.”

“Wait…
What
?” she sputtered.

I chuckled again at the bewildered look on her face. I couldn’t recall ever being this amused by another before. “Demons used to cross into your plane, though the gates were closely guarded and monitored by those of
my
kind. The ones who crossed to Earth were to keep our existence a secret. If they somehow slipped up, they were punished ruthlessly and in the most gruesome ways when they returned.”

“Why would they return then?”

“Some didn’t. Some chose to stay on Earth and perish rather than return and live. Others believed they could get away with their indiscretion and no one would know. They were always caught. My kind has always ruled the guardians of the gate.”

“How many guardians of the gate are there?” she asked.

“I was the only one who could open a gate and allow demons to pass back and forth, before you humans went and fucked
that
all up. There are two other sub-guardians who guard the gate along with me.”

I didn’t know what was going on behind those beautiful eyes of hers, but I was struck with the realization that I enjoyed the way she assessed me, the way she had no fear of me. Even those humans I’d bedded on this plane had been nervous, but their desire and curiosity had won out and they’d eagerly come to me to have their curiosity quenched.

“So you can no longer open a gate?”

“I can. Anywhere I choose and I can still close it, but there is little reason for me to do so now that your world is wide open for the taking.”

“You said the demons who remained on Earth perished as if they had a choice in the matter,” she said.

“All demons are immortal—”

“Holy…” She nearly spit out the wine she’d taken a sip of.

Coughing, her hands flew up to her strange necklace again. She ran it through her fingers as she stared at me as if she were trying to figure me out.
Never going to happen, young human.

“Okay, so they were immortal but died on Earth, why?” she asked.

“When demons enter into the mortal realm, we begin to age. We show no adverse effects from it, if we cross back and forth, but if we stay here we will die.”

“So, you are dying now?”

I liked that she sounded displeased by this notion. “No, with a gateway into Hell wide open, we are suffering no ill-consequences from your realm.”

“Fascinating,” she whispered. “Wouldn’t the souls of those demons come back to Hell once they died on Earth?”

“No. Demons don’t have souls like you humans do, just another part of the balancing system.”

She rubbed at her temples again. “So, the people who glimpsed between the veils and who stumbled across demon-folk on Earth spread the word about them after?” she asked.

“They did. Some were condemned and destroyed because of it, others were believed and the word spread.”

“I hate to disappoint you, but I’ve never glimpsed anything beyond this world. I knew who was going to volunteer yesterday, and I also knew one girl’s name. I could often find the hot fishing spots and could see things hidden from me, like my brother under the kitchen sink. I know nothing about other worlds, much less whole other dimensions.”

“Doesn’t mean you’re not who I’m searching for.”

“You’re the one searching for someone?” Her voice took on a razor edge.

“I am.”

All humor vanished from her face; her mouth pursed as her eyes narrowed. Her scar became more visible when her skin paled. “So you’re the reason I was torn away from my family?”

“Yes.”

A muscle jumped in her cheek, and her eyes deepened to an almost plum color. Her head fell into her hand. When she looked at me again, I couldn’t tell if she wanted to leap across the space between us and attack me, or start screaming in frustration. Her hand clamped around her goblet. “Why?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

She stood up so quickly the chair skidded away from her. Her hands fisted and un-fisted as she stalked toward the flap in the tent before freezing and coming back toward me. Stopping before me, she slammed her hand down on the table. Her lack of fear over me both fascinated and irritated me. No one, not even Corson and Bale, were so free and defiant around me.

When she leaned closer to me, her enticing scent assailed me. She smelled like the earth, of fresh spring rain and flowers in bloom. I had been on this dimension for thirteen years, and the various scents, both good and bad, had become one of my favorite things about it. Since I’d been here, I had almost forgotten the burnt smell of brimstone, and the coppery aroma of blood that permeated Hell.

I inhaled her aroma, taking it into me. Highly attuned to all scents, I knew hers would be one I’d never forget. My fangs pricked as blood rushed into my dick and I swelled against my pants. She looked like she was about to throttle me. All I wanted was to drag her into my lap and tear the clothing from her body so I could sink myself into her and have her scent all over me.

“If it’s not me, this person you’re searching for, will you allow me to go back?” she demanded, pulling me from images of her body working over mine. “I understand why volunteers are kept here and not allowed to return after what you’ve told me, but what of me? I would never tell anyone what I’ve learned here, and my brothers need me.”

I found myself unwilling to shatter the glimmer of hope I saw within her pleading, amethyst eyes, but I had no choice but to deny her.

“That cannot be allowed.”

She didn’t cry, didn’t start screaming and carrying on. She simply stood there and stared at me before turning away. I knew she intended to leave here and not look back. Something inside me couldn’t allow that. She didn’t make it two steps before I loosely seized hold of her wrist and tugged her back around.

“If you tell anyone I said this, it will not happen, but perhaps in the future, there can be a supervised visitation with your brothers,” I said to her.

I didn’t know if it was an idea I would ever be able to make a reality, but I couldn’t stand seeing such misery in her eyes. There were demons I cared for and would try to make happy, but never had I considered trying to please a human.

The callouses on her palm and the nicks on her fingers brushed over my skin when her small hand covered mine and she squeezed. She’d done no training in camp yet, but she already had working hands. What had her life been like before this?

I don’t care what it was like; all that matters now is if she is the progeny.
I told myself this, but I still found myself intrigued by her.

“On my life, I would never say a word,” she vowed. “Why would you do that for me?”

I released her, unwilling to touch her any longer. She rattled my resolve in a way no other had done in all my fifteen hundred and sixty-two years. I didn’t entirely trust myself to keep touching her, didn’t trust myself to let her leave here without knowing what those plump, reddened lips tasted like.

“Despite popular belief, we are not all evil. We have needs, and we can be incredibly cruel if necessary, but we aren’t inherently evil. We are simply a means to an end. No creature, demon or otherwise, is completely evil.”

“What about Hitler?” she asked.

“That one is debatable.” This time, the smile she gave me caused her eyes to twinkle. She sat back down into her chair. “I’m not promising you anything, you know.”

“I know, but something,
any
thing, is better than the solid wall of nothing I’ve met for the past two days.”

“Understandable.”

“So, what exactly happened on your side when the humans cut into your world?”

“Hell broke loose.”

She gave a small laugh as she drew her feet up onto the chair and hugged her legs to her chest. “So you’ve said. I know what happened on this side, we watched it unfold on TV, but what about you? Where were you? What did it look like?”

“I was right where the gateway opened,” I told her. “At first, it was only this small beam of light piercing through the veil between our worlds. Normally, for us to see into your world, we had to go to the oracle.” At her furrowed brow, I expanded on this. “It’s a lake of fire deep in the bowels of Hell where we could look upon your world if we wanted to. Few made the journey, as the lake was also the central source of all the heat in Hell.”

“Oh,” she murmured.

“When the humans tore through the veil, I was with the rest of the higher-level or arch-demons.”

“Much cooler where you were?” she quipped.

“It was, but even if I’d been near it, the heat of the lake has no effect on me.”

“Why is that?” she asked.

“Maybe one day we will have that conversation.” Her eyes burned with annoyance, but I continued before she could speak. “When the first pinhole of light showed through, I was drawn to it. Bale and Corson followed me. They are here with me in this camp and are also my seconds-in-command. Looking through the hole, we could see into your world, but unlike when we looked into the oracle, we couldn’t get a full view of different places in your world. All we could see was a street and a building on the other side.

“Then it exploded. The force of the blast threw many of the higher-level demons into the lower-level pits. That was the first war we fought. The lower-level demons mistakenly assumed us weakened by the blast, and though some of us perished in the ensuing battle, more of them did.”

“I see,” she murmured. “What is the difference between a high-level and a low-level demon?”

“High-levels are all born in Hell, lower-levels are souls who were so hideous they were never allowed to leave Hell again. Hell forged them into twisted monstrosities that fed off our leftovers.”

“So they’re the vultures of Hell.”

“Yes. They also all possess some kind of deformed, animalistic appearance. They are physically strong, and because higher-level demons don’t breed often, they outnumber us, but they are weaker than us and they have no powers. All of them are on Lucifer’s side.”