Made in Hell 5 Chapter 1

Sorry about the delay! I thought I uploaded some chapters but forgot.

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The wondrous world of the Grimmway greeted me as I casually wandered through the streets that led me home.

The banshees were dancing in a circle in front of their small house, a string of lights had been set up by a few mischievous tinsel fairies, and loud music came from one of the more popular taverns. The sun had already started to set, so it was prime time for the undesirables of Rengfri to visit their favorite places.

Now that Ashe, Sveila, and I felt more comfortable walking around this town, we sometimes chose to enjoy a mysterious brew, but we also liked to hide away and settle down in our manor.

It had been two days since we took down the Church and brought about the gloriously bloody death of the bishop, and I felt like I hadn’t stopped. So much had happened, and in such a short amount of time. The days appeared to blur into one, and I couldn’t tell if something had happened this morning, or the night before.

I’d had a busy day checking on a few dwarves who lived in the Grimmway, but now that that was over, it was time for me to return to my gorgeous women who waited for my arrival.

A coating of golden lights swarmed over the windows of the manor as I arrived home. The sun had already started to set, so I imagined my Red Witch, Sveila, had decided to light the candles with nothing but her powerful mind.

Our maroon manor was settled within the forest of the Grimmway, and the three of us had really made it our home since Ashe and I slaughtered the dark elves who previously owned it.

The comforting scent of meat and potatoes blew through the air as I reached the main door. Before I’d left to meet with the dwarves, Ashe had told me she’d have a feast ready for when I returned, and it was clear my Infernal Huntress had remembered her promise.

I had sampled a lot of mortal food since I arrived here on the surface world, yet nothing tasted as good as bread, meat, and potatoes. Sometimes Ashe prepared white meat whenever the little imp, Gyor, could get his hands on it, but I preferred dark meat anyway. It satisfied a strange urge deep in my gut, and the longer I lived on this surface world, the more I craved the succulent stuff.

“Atticus!” Sveila called out as she ran through from the living room.

The Red Witch wore one of her favorite purple velvet dresses that fell to the floor but showed off her ample breasts. Her purple hair fell over her shoulders in soft waves as her amber eyes glistened, and a brilliant, beautiful smile curled across her red-painted lips.

“Have you been waiting for me?” I asked as I brushed the back of my hands down her slender arms.

“We’re always waiting on you.” Sveila winked. “But the manor never feels the same whenever you’re away.”

“I left at the third hour,” I chuckled.

“And now it’s the seventh!” she giggled. “That’s a long time to be without you.”

“I suppose it is, yes.” I nodded.

“I hate to be the one to break up this sweet reunion,” Ashe said as she skipped over toward us. “But the potatoes are ready, and I hate to leave them in the water for too long.”

“I think the imps are still cleaning the residue off the walls from last time,” I chuckled as I glanced down at my little demon.

“I told them I would do it!” Ashe threw her arms in the air. “But the imps wouldn’t listen to me. And anyway, now we know that potatoes can get very soft if they bathe for too long in the pot.”

Ashe cocked her head to one side, smiled, and then turned on her foot and skipped back into the kitchen. Her silver-blue hair blew behind her, and her blue silk dress lifted up just enough to reveal her bare ass underneath.

I grinned like a heathen at the sight.

I hated my women wearing undergarments.

It meant that an extra layer came between us whenever I desired their bodies more than air.

As Sveila and Ashe brought the food over, I sat in my preferred chair at the head of the table and watched as the meal arrived in front of me. Given the amount of food Ashe had prepared, we must have received a new food supply from Gyor.

The feast was incredible, and the three of us talked and jested about our days as we shoveled thick slices of bread and meat into our mouths. But like always, we gorged ourselves on far too much food, and so we all plodded over the couch to allow the feast to settle.

I let out a deep sigh as I allowed my body to relax against the comfort of the couch, and I opened out my arms to allow my beautiful women to curl into my sides. Ashe was on my left, Sveila was on my right, and the two of them stroked my chest and drew small circles with the tips of their fingers.

That was all I really needed. It was the perfect way to end an eventful few days, and now that I’d found the time to relax, I took advantage of Ashe and Sveila’s gentle touches. All was silent, and for the first time since we’d broken into the church, my mind wasn’t full of constant thoughts.

“Did you visit the undesirables we freed from the church today, Sveila?” Ashe asked as she adjusted her position against my chest.

“I did,” the Red Witch replied. Her voice was as soft as velvet, and every word appeared to melt as soon as they left her lips.

“They’re all doing amazingly well,” Sveila continued. “My potion and the treatment they received from the mermaids has done a wonderful job, and most of them have even managed to leave the cove.”

“Good,” I said. “And how many of them still require the mermaids’ care?”

“A handful, so that’s nothing compared to how it was a couple days ago,” Sveila said with the makings of a smile on her golden skin. “The witch has created a stick to assist her in walking, and the sylph who had lost her wing is slowly learning to fly without it.”

“I’m pleased to hear that,” I replied.

“Me, too,” Ashe added. “The prisoners were in such a state, I even feared some of them wouldn’t make it out alive.”

“That’s what I thought, too.” Sveila nodded against my side. “I’d never seen anything like it.”

We knew the Church were up to something in that sacred fucking building of theirs, and once we’d slaughtered the Blessed, I knew the priests and the bishop were our next targets. During my time in Rengfri, I’d been made well aware of the Church’s hold on this place, and how they captured undesirables, but I wouldn’t stand for that shit.

I knew better than anyone when and why punishments should be delivered to anyone. As a demon, it was my very purpose to handle that sort of thing, and I could plainly see that the Church had been taking too many liberties with their punishments here.

So it was up to me to rescue those innocent creatures.

Fortunately, I’d had the help of the werewolves and the mermaids to keep a close eye on the Church as things escalated, and they’d managed to bring secret information to me in time for me to fully address the situation.

I’d never forget the look in the bishop’s eyes as we interrupted his wicked plans, and the sound of his blood curdling scream as I ended his life. The religious men had been in the middle of a ritual when we broke down the doors, and they were summoning their own Holy King to help rid the world of all undesirables. When we’d caught them deep in the basement of the church, the men had four naked, terrified elves crouched on the cold ground. Their skin was marked with red, bloody marks, and the men whipped the elves as the bishop repeated his pathetic words.

When it was finally time for us to announce our arrival, we didn’t hold back.

Ashe, Sveila, and I thoroughly delivered the punishment these men deserved. And no matter how much the leading bastard pleaded for his life and begged for me to change my mind, I didn’t listen. The bishop deserved to die for his sins, and that was exactly what I gave him.

A fucking reckoning.

Once the holy men had been dealt with, the three of us broke open every cell, and we’d managed to release the thirty-seven prisoners who were kept there. I came across a variety of creatures, which included the elves, a goblin, sylphs, and even a Green Witch. Every single one of them looked close to death, and it surprised me they hadn’t perished in those cells. An elf had the tip of his ear sliced off, and the witch had a crushed leg.

We assisted the wounded prisoners toward reaching the mermaids’ cove, and Sveila had spent nearly all her time there over the last two days. The Red Witch loved to treat those who needed it, so it only felt right that she followed these creatures during their journey to recovery.

“Atticus, have there been any more sightings of the angel?” Ashe asked a minute later.

A hint of rage instantly ignited in my chest at the reminder. Then the memory washed over me of the angel’s piercing golden eyes watching me as she perched on the turrets of the church, and I ground my jaw.

Not only did we have the undesirables to think about, but another threat had arrived in Rengfri, and it infuriated me that the little bitch thought she could fly down into my world. However, like with the bishop, I’d make the angel regret even thinking about destroying our peace.

“No,” I growled. “But I have the minions out there doing their job, so I don’t think it’ll be long before the angel appears again.”

“Do you think she’s left?” Sveila suggested.

“No, she’s still here,” I replied. “The werewolves caught on to a fresh scent trail just this morning, so I don’t think she’ll leave any time soon.”

“Yeah, I can still smell the little bitch,” Ashe snickered. “Damn, she smells disgusting!”

“But delicious at the same time.” I smirked. “The worst kind of evil. Pure, angelic evil. It makes me sick.”

“See, I still wish I could smell these creatures as well as you do,” Sveila replied. “But if someone smells like that, then I don’t think I want to smell this particular creature.”

“It comes with its advantages and disadvantages, I guess.” Ashe shrugged against my side. “But enough about her scent, what do you want to do with this angel?”

“Kill her.” I let out a dark laugh. “She’ll soon regret hanging around here and following my every step. But I’ll need to wait for her to attack before I do anything officially.”

“You won’t be able to kill her now?” Sveila asked.

“No, unfortunately not,” I replied. “As much as it pains me to admit it, the angel is clever, and she knows how to hunt and hide from me. Her kind are naturally the optimum opponent for demons. Just as we are for them. This needs to be handled carefully. We need to set a trap or catch her off guard in order to do it.”

“Do you think we can?” The witch frowned.

“Of course,” I said with certainty. “I have the werewolves and mermaids keeping an eye on Rengfri to keep tabs on the fallout since we took down the Church. But it’s also their job to tell me if they catch the scent of the angel again, too.”

“And has there been any fallout?” Ashe queried as she sat up on the couch.

The demon’s silver-blue hair glistened in the moonlight, and she glanced at me with her gorgeous pink and black eyes.

“Nothing so far,” I said with a slight smile. “The Church followers are probably too fucking scared to even start anything.”

The Church came with many dirty followers, but it was my mission to have them see who their real leader was. I was in charge of Rengfri now, and those worshippers would get what they deserved if they even thought about bowing down at the feet of their Holy King.

“They’re aware of the powers you hold.” Sveila sat up and stroked my arm with one hand. “These followers know you’re far stronger than they could ever be, and if you managed to kill the bishop so easily, then you’ll be able to do the same to them without question.”

“Exactly.” I nodded. “Plus, with the minions’ assistance, those motherfuckers won’t be able to step a toe out of line without either the werewolves or the mermaids catching on.”

“You’ve certainly addressed everything in the last couple days,” Ashe purred with pride.

“Yeah, it’s been a lot,” I snorted.

I’d spent the last two days meeting with various people to discuss the fallout, or other plans in the making, but my efforts had been worth it.

I’d met with the orcs to talk about the production of the brew, thunderclap, that the orcs created within the forest of the Grimmway. It was more of a one-sided conversation, seeing as the orcs didn’t speak my language that well, but I got the point across. As soon as things settled down, I wanted to get back into the business and see what could be done with the thunderclap, but also the tavern previously owned by a group of gorgons.

I had a lot of history with those scaly, green bitches. They hated Ashe and I ever since we killed their sisters at Medusa’s Palace in the outskirts of the Shadow Quarters. But now we had killed more of them, and I had taken over their tavern, so I felt pretty good about myself.

And my money-making prospects.

The orb mining business I ran with the imps also created a wonderful income, and I’d lost count of the number of gold pieces that sat inside this manor we lived in. But I knew the addition of the tavern would bring along even more wealth and bags of pieces. My mouth even salivated at the thought of watching the sacks of money come pouring in.

But as well as the orb mining was going, I still wanted to look for the right person to take over managing the business from me. I was a fucking busy demon, and I wanted to outsource as much of the management details as possible so I could focus on fucking my women and schemeing against the holy fuckers of this world.

I still thought the tabaxi would be the perfect person to do that, but I didn’t jump into any decisions until I was absolutely certain. The business wouldn’t be where it was without the imps’ assistance, so it only felt right to find someone who’d give them the care and guidance they deserved.

“I have an idea.” Ashe broke me from my thoughts as she jumped up from the couch.

Her blue silk dress swirled around her thighs and then settled against her icy pale skin. Ashe had a cheeky grin on her face, and that expression always excited me. I knew my demon lover was up to something, and I couldn’t wait to find out what it was.

“Why do I have a bad feeling about this?” Sveila smirked, and her amber eyes twinkled.

“Hey, it’s not that bad,” Ashe snickered. “I was going to ask if the minions are out just now?”

“I think so, yes.” I nodded. “The werewolves said they’d head out every night, as long as they’re not hunting.”

“Excellent.” Ashe grinned. “In that case, I think you and I, Atticus, should head out and hunt for the angel ourselves. Our sense of smell is ten times better than theirs, so if they’ve caught on to something, we’ll surely be able to follow it.”

“Tonight?” I asked.

“Yes, tonight.” She nodded. “If the precious angel thinks she can catch us first, then she’s got another thing coming.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Sveila replied. “Especially with the werewolves’ assistance.”

I thought over Ashe’s suggestion for a brief second before I gave her an answer. I had to make sure we didn’t jump into anything without thinking it over first. The angel was stronger than other threats the three of us had been up against, so it wasn’t as easy as looking away and ignoring the gorgons or the incubi.

I certainly felt confident that Ashe and I were powerful enough to defeat the angel, but one mistake could be deadly.

“I think that might work,” I replied with a thoughtful nod. “Not only do we have the help from the minions, but I also remember how the angel smelled when we first encountered her, so I’d be able to tell it’s her instantly.”

“Me, too,” Ashe said. “I understand how busy you’ve been, Atticus. None of us have stopped since the battle against the Church. But I really think we should try and get as close to this little bitch as possible.”

“You also don’t know how much time you have,” Sveila added. “The angel could be planning to attack as the sun rises tomorrow.”

“You’re right.” I nodded. “The angel clearly isn’t going anywhere soon, but I want to get there first. I also want to make it my mission to see the life leave her angelic eyes.”

“Eurgh,” Ashe gagged playfully. “The word ‘angelic’ makes me sick.”

“Fuck, I love it when you say things like that,” Sveila said as she fluttered her dark eyelashes.

“It’s what I love about Atticus the most,” Ashe added as she skipped back toward the couch. “You protect your women with your life, but you have the darkest soul, and nothing turns me on more than that. Part of me hopes the angel is listening in on our conversation right now, because I want her to know what’s coming for her.”

“She’ll need more than just her Holy King to get her out of this one,” Sveila snickered.

“That’s what happens when you worship the Holy King.” I shrugged. “But it’s too late now, because soon we’ll all be celebrating as we clip the angel’s wings straight from her back.”

“Oooh!” Ashe squealed. “Maybe Iris could create another dress for me, but I want it dark yet shiny… Like smoke, ash, and molten gold! The color of the angel’s blood as it spills from her lifeless body!”

“Do you think the little elf could make a matching one for me, too?” Sveila queried with an evil shine in her amber eyes.

“You know Iris would do anything for us.” I smirked. “She would happily make an outfit for everyone in the Grimmway if we asked her to.”

“It could be part of the celebration,” Ashe said as she clapped her hands excitedly. “If anyone wishes to attend the death of the angel, then they must turn up wearing Iris’ attire in order to enter.”

“It could be a banquet to celebrate the recent events,” the Red Witch suggested. “Everyone must honor Atticus and thank him for ridding us of the evils of the Church, as well as killing the angel at the same time.”

“I cannot wait,” Ashe giggled. “I can imagine the lights and music already! I’ll enjoy so many tankards of dragon’s breaths that evening! Ooh, and imagine if I came across a sword that matched the outfit! Ah, it’ll be the perfect combination!”

“Don’t get too excited, my little demon,” I said as I placed a kiss against Ashe’s silver-blue hair. “We have to find and kill the angel first.”

“But Atticus, when it comes to mortal banquets and events, you never can be too prepared,” she replied. “I have all the confidence in the surface world that you’ll slaughter that little bitch, so the Grimmway will need to be notified and ready for your return.”

“Just as long as we have time to ourselves.” Sveila licked her plump lips seductively. “Because there’s something I much prefer over watching a group of snorting trolls collapse in front of the tavern.”

“Trust me,” I growled as I slipped my hand through her rich, purple hair. “We’ll have plenty of opportunities when it comes to that.”

I pulled the Red Witch against me, and then as our lips fused together, her tongue slipped against mine in a sign of dominance.

Everything about my women made me crazy for them, whether it was their soft skin against mine, or the delectable scent of their arousal every time I was near them. But I knew that in some ways, they held more power and control than I did. I desired them more than existence itself. Every little sinful thing they did each day made me crave them more, and the more they relied on me to care for them, the tighter my hold on them became.

I would do anything for them, and I would kill anyone who even dared to try and hurt them.

Which was exactly why I knew Ashe, Sveila, and I needed to leave the manor before the sun appeared again. I couldn’t allow anyone as dangerous and menacing as the angel to be within touching distance of my women.

Once Sveila and I reluctantly pulled apart, I spent another five minutes holding my women close to my body, and it took every ounce of my energy not to fuck them against every surface in the manor. But I had all the time in the world to fuck and worship Ashe and Sveila once the angel received the same punishment as the bishop.

As I imagined my women in various positions, a thought came to mind.

There was a high chance we could encounter the angel throughout our trek this evening, and if that happened, I wouldn’t want Sveila to be anywhere near us. When an angel and a demon clashed, anything could happen. Buildings could be knocked to the ground, or entire towns and villages could be destroyed. Sveila was mortal, and if she was to get involved in a fight like that, there was a high chance she wouldn’t make it out alive.

My veins sparked with protective fury at the idea, and I felt my hand tighten its hold around the tiny cinch of the witch’s waist.

“Sveila,” I said as that thought simmered down. “I think it’s best that you stay here this evening. There is no way of knowing what will happen if we come across the angel, and I need to make sure you’re safe.”

“I understand,” Sveila replied as she gave me a soft smile. “I had already planned to stay here.”

“You had?” I asked.

“Of course.” She nodded. “Witches and angels don’t have the same sort of feud like you and Ashe do. I realize it’s something I’ve probably never witnessed in my life, nor would I want to be a part of it if it’s as dangerous as you said before.”

“It is extremely dangerous,” I agreed. “And because of that, while you’re alone in the house, I believe it’s best that we have guards here to keep watch.”

“Whatever you think is best, Atticus.” Sveila smiled.

“I just think it’s safer.” I shrugged. “We could be miles away trying to hunt that disgusting little angel, so she could take that opportunity to come here. We don’t know what sick shit an angel might try. You wouldn’t even know she’s outside until she unleashes her powers upon you, so I think we’d all feel better knowing we had guards watching over you.”

“Like who?” the Red Witch asked. “The werewolves?”

“Perhaps the werewolves, or maybe some orcs,” I replied. “But they’ll need to be strong enough to hold her off while you fight as well, and someone who can do the job properly. If I chose a few orcs to keep watch, then one of them can also track me down should an attack take place.”

“Of course,” Sveila said. “I’ll always follow your judgment.”

“But we’ll make sure to tell you everything that happens,” Ashe giggled.

“I’ll be excited to hear all about it.” The Red Witch smirked. “Especially if she meets her demise.”

“Which is the plan.” I nodded my head once.

We remained on the couch for a further few minutes, but then as the moon slowly hit the middle of the sky, I knew it was time for us to leave. The angel would want to stalk during the nighttime hours, their kind knew that all the most evil beings were running rampant in the dark of night, so the longer we left it, the less time we’d have to find her.

I slipped a purple velvet jacket on over my black pants and white shirt, whereas Ashe decided to change into an entirely new dress, so I stood by the main door as I waited on the little demon to come back downstairs again. The jacket I wore used to belong to a dark elf when they lived here before we rightfully took over the manor. Yet I was thankful that the velvet had lost the gut-churning stench that used to cover every surface.

Everything about those dark elves made my recent feast want to reappear.

Fortunately, I didn’t have to think about them for too long before I heard light footfalls coming from the floor above. Then Ashe skipped down the stairs with the brightest smile on her face and her favorite dagger in her right hand.

The new silk dress was silver with a black corset over top, and black lace around the cupped sleeves. According to the little demon, it was a special occasion, so she required a special dress.

Ashe would have spent the rest of her life in a dress shop if she had the chance, and I certainly didn’t complain whenever she came home with a new outfit, especially when she tried it on for me.

She also spent a lot of time browsing and purchasing new weapons, even though her hell powers were enough to keep her safe. But if my sinful huntress wanted to have a crossbow slung over one shoulder, then I was not going to put a stop to that. She looked sexy as hell stroking her newest favorite weapon with her pale fingers.

“What do you think?” Ashe asked as she spun around on her foot. “Is this appropriate to hunt down an angelic angel?”

Her silver-blue hair had been tied into two neat plaits, and her black leather boots were practically a second skin all the way up to her knees. She looked delectable, and it was extremely hard to keep my hands away, especially when I noticed the slither of skin between her boots and the hem of her dress.

“You look good enough to eat,” I said as I sauntered toward her. “Perhaps I’ll do exactly that when we get home.”

Then I grabbed Ashe by the waist and pulled her close against me. My cock hardened against the zipper of my pants, and I had to remind myself of what we were doing, and why we were leaving the manor.

“Starting without me?” Sveila faked a gasp as she left the living room. “As long as I get my own time with Atticus later, then please, take as long as you need.”

“You’ve just had your turn,” Ashe snickered as she ran her hands down my back.

“Now, now,” I said as I pulled Sveila against me, too. “There’s enough of me to go around, so I can pleasure you both at the same time.”

The sweet aroma of their arousals filled the air, and my mouth began to salivate even more.

“As much as I want to feel your love right now,” Ashe said as she stroked my cheek. “We really need to get going. The angel isn’t going to hide forever.”

“You’re right,” I said reluctantly.

“I know.” Ashe smirked. “I always am.”

“Just make sure you’re not away for too long.” Sveila winked. “I don’t think I’ll be able to last with the thoughts you put in my head.”

“I’d say I was sorry, but I’m not.” I winked.

“And neither am I,” Ashe added.

“Perhaps I’ll be able to join you on a mission soon, but I doubt even an orb will help me tonight,” Sveila said.

“I wouldn’t risk it,” I replied as I gently stroked her golden cheek. “For all we know, the angel might have the ability to sniff out a fucking orb, or who’s using one. So unless we’re certain you’ll be safe, it’s best you stay here.”

It didn’t matter if the magical orbs I mined could give Sveila the ability to disappear, create a poisonous smoke, or paralyze her victim. If the angel was more powerful than those orbs, then the Red Witch required something more than just a colorful stone.

“It’s okay, I have more than enough to get on with,” the Red Witch replied. “I want to practice a new spell, but I also might take one last trip to the cove to see how the mermaids are getting on with the last few undesirables.”

Sveila was always working on improving her talents, and Ashe and I had seen a real difference in the Red Witch within the last week.

“If you see Naia, tell her I’ll be down to see them as soon as I can,” I said as I pictured the delicious mermaid with the orange hair. “But I’m grateful for everything they’re doing for us, and also the injured creatures. Also, remember to take the guard with you wherever you go. Like an escort, to make sure someone is always watching your back.”

“Of course, I will.” Sveila nodded.

Once we were ready to go, Ashe and I gave Sveila a delicate kiss on the lips, and then we headed off into the darkness. We’d decided to go without weapons, apart from Ashe’s tiny dagger, because angels weren’t affected by mortal weapons. But we also could use our hell powers to defend ourselves, which would do more damage than any sword.

Ashe had her sharp, venomous claws to torture and murder her victims with, or she could create a shadow to conceal herself entirely. Whereas I preferred my Infernal Tempest or my Infernal Blaze. There was no better feeling than strangling my victim to death with the very might of a hellish storm, or creating a raging fire to consume them.

Anything was possible when it came to Ashe and I, especially when we included Sveila’s own talents and abilities. It was what made us the perfect team.

Ashe and I ran through the streets of the Grimmway as we headed toward the orcs. I knew they would assist me when it came to guarding Sveila, and I didn’t want to get all the way to the werewolves’ home to find out they had gone hunting.

Just as I thought, the orcs were eager to please me, and three of them grunted and snorted as they bobbed their bulbous heads. I gave them a brief rundown of the plan, and I told them not to leave Sveila until Ashe and I returned, to which the orcs agreed and nodded again.

Then once that was sorted out, the orcs had headed off toward the manor, and Ashe and I continued to run in the direction of the Shadow Quarters.

I heard a few residents laughing from one of the nearby taverns, and loud, cheerful music came from one of the buildings, but given the time of night, the majority of the Grimmway had settled down for the evening.

Then we passed through the lit fire beacons that acted as the village entrance, sprinted up the grassy hill, and wandered into the alleys of the Shadow Quarters.

“Oh, fuck,” Ashe gasped as she took in the surroundings. “It’s completely changed!”

The Shadow Quarters was usually deserted by this time of night, and it was seldom that we saw large groups of people wandering around, apart from the ones who were leaving the tavern. But now it was like an entirely different village, and I heard the residents before I saw them.

A relaxed feeling wafted over me, and it was the first time since I’d arrived in the Port of Rengfri that I’d felt such a calming sensation while in the Shadow Quarters.

More undesirables filled the streets because they could leave their homes without fear of getting caught by the Church. Even the questionable human residents didn’t seem as terrified by Ashe and I as we passed them. It tended to be that they took one look at our glowing eyes, screamed, and ran in the opposite direction.

That no longer happened, and it felt pretty fucking good to know we were the reason for all of this.

And that everyone knew it.

“It’s been like this since we took down the Church, but it began shortly after the Blessed were slaughtered.” I smirked.

“I mean, I’m sure we’ll still get a few fucking cowards,” Ashe snorted. “And I’m almost certain I caught on to the scent of tension and anger from that house we just passed.”

“You’re right, we did.” I nodded. “Like we discussed with Sveila, not everyone is pleased with what we did, and I’m sure there’s a lot of tension among mortal homes, but as long as they don’t start an uprising, then I’ll leave them alone for now.”

Ashe and I let out a dark chuckle, yet we both knew I was being deadly serious.

At least when it came to those who lived outside the Shadow Quarters and the Grimmway.

Those human motherfuckers meant nothing to me,  so if they still mourned the death of their fucking Church, then I wouldn’t hesitate to end their damn lives with a single twist of my wrist. Some of their homes were made with thatched roofs, and my fingertips were itching to start a fire.

The two of us were still laughing as we ran across the cobblestone roads of the Shadow Quarters, but then we quieted down as we reached the streets of the main city and finally got to Newhall.

Newhall was the home of the Church, and where the Blessed’s headquarters used to be. The angel could be anywhere, but something told me she’d wanted to be as close to her fucking Holy King as possible.

So the church was the best place to start.

The scent of deceit and evil was still incredibly strong in the air, and the ghastly stench of the Church and the holy followers coated every surface I passed. It was clear in the air, on the grass, and against brick walls, and I even smelled it on wooden sign posts.

I knew the smell wouldn’t linger forever, and I’d look back in a few years to come and remember this moment, but it was still torturous for now. The aroma gave me the urge to kill every holy fucker who crossed my path, and the more evil someone smelled, the harder it became to keep my powerful hands away from them.

But then as Ashe and I neared the abandoned church, I caught on to a different smell altogether.

The rancid scent of pure, angelic evil.

I knew it.

“She’s in here,” I whispered to Ashe as I motioned toward the Church.

“I just caught that, too,” Ashe replied with a grin.

We took slow, careful steps toward the main door of the building, and then I placed my ear against the wood to get a better understanding of what was going on inside. I couldn’t hear anyone talking, or the sound of movement, but the angel’s noticeable scent was so strong that I knew for certain she was hiding around there.

“Maybe she wants to be closer to her Holy King,” Ashe snickered into one hand.

“It’s like you could read my mind,” I replied. “But like Sveila said, she’ll need more than him to save her now.”

My demon lover and I stayed quiet as we continued to survey the area. There was no way for us to tell whether the angel was inside the church, or hiding in the darkness surrounding it somewhere, but I knew we were going to come across her sooner or later.

“I say we go inside,” I said. “Check the place out, maybe get a clue as to where this angel is, and then go from there.”

“Of course,” Ashe replied. “You know I’ll always follow you.”

“I do.” I smirked.

Then I grabbed a hold of the gold door handle and twisted it slowly to the right, but the door was locked. I certainly hadn’t bothered to lock the damn door when we were done with the bishop and his men, so I knew it had to have been the angel.

Either that, or my minions decided to lock the door during their evening scouting sessions. But no one gave a fuck whether anyone entered the church or not.

Instead of thinking too much about the locked door, I simply slammed my shoulder against the solid wood until the door gave way, and it finally opened on the third attempt.

The door slammed open, and an echoed screech vibrated through the air. A chilled breeze whistled past my skin, and all I could smell was the musty scent of ancient items and the angel. I didn’t catch on to the scent of any humans, and the smell wasn’t strong enough to be more than one angel, so at least I knew we didn’t have two of those bitches following us around.

“Let’s take a look,” I said as I pointed further into the church.

But Ashe never had the opportunity to reply.

Because the second those words left my lips, the angel suddenly dropped from one of the high beams above us. She landed in the center of the walkway between the wooden pews, and the look of fury on her face told me two things:

The angel had been waiting for us, and she wasn’t going to allow us to leave this church alive.