Where There's Smoke (32 page)

Chance glanced down at the clothes he wore. “I left some things here. I’ll just take a quick shower first. I stink after being around Vetis.”

Ryder didn’t look like he trusted Chance, but he finally nodded.

“There’s a DVD in the player,” he casually told him, hoping Destiny didn’t change it. “You can watch it while I clean up.”

“Sure, why not, but don’t take too long.” Ryder made himself comfortable on the sofa as Chance turned and left the room.

In other words, Ryder would be timing him. If Chance took too long, he’d check to see if he was okay. That’s what they did, they looked out for each other. They always had.

Chance turned back once before walking out of the room. The title of the XXX-rated movie that Destiny played so she could seduce him flashed across the screen. His lips lifted just slightly as he remembered that night and how proud Destiny had been with her seduction setup.

Chance’s attention moved back to Ryder. Sadness welled inside him. He would miss his friend. He would miss all the nephilim. They were brothers and had been with each other a very long time. But he loved Destiny with all his heart and he couldn’t let her suffer for the rest of eternity, no matter what it cost him.

As soon as he was in the bedroom, he shut the door. Ryder was right, it wouldn’t be easy going to Hell.

He closed his eyes. Nothing happened at first, and he wondered if it would. He clamped his lips together and concentrated.

Air rushed past. Voices came to him, swirling around fast and furious. Chance gritted his teeth. He began to make out the words.

“You are forbidden in this place!”

The wind pummeled his body with such force he was afraid the skin would be shredded from his body, but still he held on.

“I have to go to her.”

“She is dead to you!”

“She gave up everything for her friend.”

“A demon owns her soul! Are you willing to sacrifice yours?”

“Yes!”

The wind volume decreased and there came a deep sigh of air. Chance felt the pain that swirled around him and lowered his head. Who was this being behind the voice? He didn’t know. Chance only wished he hadn’t caused so much sadness in him.

“Then so be it.”

Chance knew he’d crossed over, but at what cost?

The direction of the wind changed once again. Not as strong as before, but just as deadly. He could feel the burning heat as he was sucked farther and farther down into the bowels of the Earth.

He opened his eyes when his feet landed with a thud on the hot ground below. The landing was so jarring that it knocked him to his knees, and the air was so thick it was all he could do to stand straight again.

So this was Hell.
The cave walls were black as night, crying tears of blood. The fires whipped around Chance, shooting up the sides of the cave. Sweat began to bead his forehead. He drew in a breath, the heat burning his lungs, the smell of fire and brimstone so strong it made his stomach churn.

Hell was even more dismal than he’d imagined.

“Now how did I know you would show up here?” Vetis spoke from behind him, then chuckled.

Chance squared his shoulders and faced the demon. “You’re a good guesser?” His words dripped with sarcasm. “Where’s Destiny?”

“Destiny is safe.” Vetis smiled, then added, “For now.”

Chance didn’t let Vetis see the relief he felt. He’d been afraid he might be too late, but he had to slip away from Ryder rather than rush out. He could risk his own life but not that of his friend, and Ryder would have followed. By the time Ryder decided to check on Chance, the bargain would be struck.

“Where is she?” Chance asked once more.

“Locked away. Why, don’t you trust me?”

“No.”

“Then see for yourself.”

Vetis waved his hand and a room appeared before them. Destiny huddled in a corner, tears streaking her face. There were flames all around her, but none touched her skin.

Chance knew with one flick of Vetis’s wrist the flames would start to devour her, very slowly, one inch at a time. When there was nothing left, she would be reborn from the ashes and her torture would start all over again.

The heat from the fire was intense enough that Chance could see she was terrified thinking about what would come next. The demons were good at playing mind games. They loved watching their victims suffer.

Chance reached toward her. He wanted to tell Destiny that everything would be okay, that he wouldn’t let her suffer, but he knew what he looked at was only an illusion. Vetis wouldn’t let him get that close to her.

“Let her go.” Chance’s words dropped like stones on a hard surface.

Vetis waved his arm and the image disappeared. “And what are you willing to exchange for the girl’s soul? She is a beauty, you know, and I really hate to part with something so precious.”

Vetis snapped his fingers and a chair appeared. It was made of volcanic rock and trimmed in gold. He snapped his fingers again and a servant girl, head bowed, appeared with a drink on a silver platter. He took the jewel-encrusted cup.

The servant glanced toward Chance and was rewarded with a casual flick of Vetis’s wrist that shot flames over the girl. She screamed in pain, dropping her platter.

“Enough!” Chance bellowed.

“Oh, I do apologize. Would you like something to drink? The heat can be quite unbearable if one isn’t used to it.”

The girl dropped to the floor, crying for forgiveness.

Vetis chuckled, then doused the girl in water before motioning for her to leave as if he hadn’t done anything at all. The girl kept her head bowed low and rushed away.

“Stop playing your cruel games. What do you want?”

Vetis leaned back in the chair, taking a drink of the cool liquid. “Why, your soul, of course. I’ve waited a long time to get it.”

Chance had known his soul would be the price. “And you’ll let Destiny go free?” he asked.

“I might.”

“What else could you possibly want?” Chance roared.

Vetis threw the cup away. It hit the wall of the cave and bounced to the ground with a loud clank. “I want to beat you. I don’t just want your soul. No, that would be too easy. I want to battle you. I want you to know I’m the victor. We need to finish it!”

Chance felt as if he’d been hit in the stomach and all the wind knocked out of him. He drew in a deep breath and chose his next words carefully.

“Of course you would like to battle here.” He swung his arm wide. “You would have the advantage. We both know your powers are greater than mine when you’re in Hell. It wouldn’t be a fair fight unless we’re above ground, but if that’s what it would take for you to let Destiny go, then so be it. I don’t give a damn.”

“The fight will be fair!” Vetis’s voice echoed in the chamber. “We will meet as equals, but it’s my skill that will give me the advantage, nothing more. Then your soul will be mine! Are you ready to burn in Hell for all eternity over a woman?”

“Who says I’ll lose?”

Vetis took a step toward him and Chance thought he might have pushed him too far. Demons weren’t known to play by the rules, even when they were their rules.

“Then choose a neutral place,” he told the demon.

Vetis smiled, his eyes showing a measure of victory already. “The place the four of you created. What did you call it? The Old West? Your retreat? Immortals playing Cowboys and Indians. You defeated holograms, but can you defeat the real thing?” Vetis gloated.

The demon was craftier than Chance had guessed. They thought they were safe at the place they created. Were they just as vulnerable on the ranch? At their apartments? Or had hiding in plain sight confused the demons?

“Another decade and I would have discovered the other places where you hide.”

Chance breathed a sigh of relief. The others would be safe, no matter what happened to him. “Then let the battle begin, but first let Destiny go. I want her freed.”

Vetis studied Chance, then shrugged. “It matters naught to me. I’ve never cared that much for her. I didn’t want you to have her, though.”

“Why not?”

Vetis curled his lip. “You’ve never guessed. It amazes me that the nephilim can be so clueless.” He laughed. “But then, none of the angels who sired nephilim have ever cared for their offspring. Your father never warned you about me.”

As hot and suffocating as the air around him was, Chance felt a cold chill ripple over him. “What do you know about our fathers?”

“I know everything about them, especially yours. He is, after all, my brother.”

Chance cringed at the thought of this vile creature being his uncle. “You lie!”

“Not about this, nephew. My brother and I chose different paths.” He spat on the ground, then glared at Chance. “We could have ruled the world together, conquered anyone who stood in our way. Together we would have been invincible.”

Vetis’s eyes were wild as his gaze bounced off the cave walls, as though he searched for something that was not there.

“Everything was at our fingertips,” he continued, and with each word his voice became more shrill. “Anything we could have ever imagined would have been ours for the taking. But the demons didn’t want just one brother. It was a package deal.” He began to pace.

Chance waited for him to continue. He had to know the whole story and he knew Vetis would tell him.

“They cast me into the fires of Hell. I stayed there for more than a century.”

His body shook as he turned back to Chance, but it was as if he looked at someone else.

“Can you even imagine the pain I suffered because you denied me, brother? The burning fires that tore off my flesh? But now I have your son!” His head turned upward, his maniacal laughter filling the room.

Chance didn’t dare breathe as he waited for the demon’s tirade to end. It didn’t take long. The wild gleam left his eyes and his shoulders slumped.

He frowned, looking back at Chance once more. “I loved my brother dearly, but he destroyed the bond between us,” Vetis continued, squaring his shoulders and glaring at Chance. “Now I will destroy his son. My brother will feel a measure of the pain I’ve had to live with.”

This was exactly the opportunity Chance needed. “Free the girl first.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then there will be no battle.”

“I could kill you now.”

Chance shrugged. “You could.”

Vetis frowned.

Chance pushed his point home. “You’ll lose if we fight. You do realize I’m younger and stronger.”

Vetis growled, but waved his arm. “She’s at the place the four of you created. Are you done making demands?”

“Let it begin.”

Chance closed his eyes. The air pressed against him on all sides. Coils of fire whipped around him as if they would keep him in Hell. For a moment he wondered if Vetis might have lied and this was a mind game. Chance wouldn’t put it past him.

But as before, he heard the voice but couldn’t make out the words this time. The sound was soothing. His fears were immediately calmed.

Once again, Chance felt the ground beneath his feet. He opened his eyes at the same time that he was knocked off his feet by a force that slammed into his chest.

“I thought you’d be better than this.” Vetis stood nearby in demon form. “At least make the battle interesting and try to fight back.” He smirked as he stood on cloven hooves, his arms flapping up and down as if he might fly away, but he only taunted.

“Do you think to scare me with your ugly-ass demon form?”

Vetis glowered, his anger building.

Chance didn’t give the demon time to think about what he should try next. He came to his feet, charging toward Vetis with a roar.

Vetis was taken off guard. The demon didn’t move quite fast enough. Chance barreled into him. Vetis expelled a whoosh of air and was sent tumbling back.

The demon recovered quickly and moved to a safer distance. “Did you think that would hurt me?” Vetis spat, but he was breathing hard. “I’ve endured much more than you could ever deliver!” He reared his arm back and released a ball of flame. Chance barely moved out of the way in time; even so the fire scorched his skin, the acrid smell stung his nostrils.

The demon ran into the woods, darting behind a tree. Chance followed.

“You charge into the woods like an enraged bull. Do you think to beat me with brute force?” he called out. “You won’t win because you think with your heart rather than your head. Your father was the same way. He gave up all the riches of the world for his idealistic views.”

“At least he believed in something. What do you believe in?”

“Winning.”

Vetis’s words came from the right. Chance darted, then swerved as another ball of flame shot toward him. It smashed against a tree, instantly burning it to the ground until only ashes remained.