Made in Hell Chapter 8 (Sex scene)

After stalking the vampire, we’d managed to find a place to stay in the mystical village in the oak grove. It was an inn beyond the marketplace, but this one was far more expensive and cleaner than the others we’d stayed at so far. It was fifty pieces for one night, but the dwarf who owned the place had spent a lot of time making it all look nice. It didn’t smell of mold and waste, and the thick, off-white candles lining the tables and shelves gave the rented space a warmer feel.

Our room had layers and layers of velvet curtains lining the walls, and the windows were clean while the bed was piled with more velvet blankets in all colors and designs. There was even a bathing tub in the corner that was already filled for us by the time we finished paying, and within five minutes of entering the room, I was basking in the feel of the clear, clean water while Ashe curled up between my naked thighs.

It was clear the demon woman only had one thing in mind though, since she couldn’t stop trailing her nails along my naked body and admiring every chiseled inch of me. While I washed her off with the soap near the tub, Ashe lovingly stroked my dick like it was her favorite pet, and when both of us were clean, she all but threw me onto the velvety bed.

I didn’t protest in the slightest, but I handily turned the tables on her.

In a matter of seconds, I had the little fiend under my control with her legs hooked up on my shoulders, and I drove my cock into her soaked pussy again and again while we both moaned each other’s names. My demon lover bit on her plump bottom lip so hard, she broke the skin, and the whole time I fucked her, she massaged her breasts with both hands and pinched her glittery nipples while she whimpered with delight.

Ashe’s silver hair was strewn messily around her on the mattress, and whenever her pink eyes caught mine, I thought I was going to lose it there and then. The demon woman was sinfully beautiful and absolutely starving for my attention, and the sight of her nakedly writhing while I pounded my cock into her was what finally caused me to explode.

The demon shrieked like a woman possessed while I flooded her body with my hot cum, but I didn’t stop fucking her until we each climaxed four more times and she was leaking my seed out of her pink pussy lips like a babbling brook.

Then she curled up like a kitten against my chest, and our tongues tangled with each other for what felt like an hour before she was finally satiated.

Every inch of me was buzzing with satisfaction when I slipped into a heavy sleep, and the last thing I recalled was Ashe sliding her fingers along my spent cock while she softly muttered about how much she loved fucking me and taking my warm sperm deep in her pussy.

I woke up with her still cuddled against me with my dick still in her hand, and I grinned at the sun-flecked ceiling.

As much as I wanted to lavish all my attention on the beautiful demon woman, I had other things on my mind from the moment my eyes opened.

The dealing we’d witnessed the vampire take part in last night was strange, but interesting at the same time. He clearly knew how to get around with the king’s guards nearby, and he didn’t seem to think twice about the Church. This setup was exactly what we would need if we ever wanted to get on board a vessel and leave the port without issue.

This made me think about his dealings in general, and knowing he worked in an illegal trade gave me a few ideas. There were plenty of beings I’d preyed on over the years who were part of larger crime syndicates, and I’d been around enough of them to know they always had hierarchies of their own.

Somewhere in that hierarchy were the beings in charge of managing shipments of their illegal goods, and shipments often involved vessels.

Which meant finding our way into any hierarchy of this kind could solve all our problems. It would place us beyond the eyes of the king’s guards, provide pieces to support ourselves for the time being, and possibly lead to safe passage from the harbor that seemed to be overrun with Church officials.

“Good morning,” Ashe yawned as she stretched her arms over her head.

“Good morning.” I smiled.

Ashe sat up in the bed, and her silver hair rippled down her back in neat locks. I couldn’t help myself as I twirled one soft tendril around my finger, and when I gently tugged, the demon moaned and curled up against me again.

“So, what’s on the agenda today?” she sighed as I ran my fingers down the satin skin of her bare shoulder.

It was almost like Ashe could read my mind and knew exactly what I’d been thinking about.

“I think we need to find a syndicate to help us leave this place,” I explained.

“We are a crime syndicate,” Ashe snickered, and I smirked as I trailed my fingers from her shoulder down to her spine.

“I mean a surface world syndicate,” I clarified. “That vampire is running an illegal blood dealing operation, and he’s worked it out so nothing seems to touch him. That’s what we need, and what I want for you. No worries about being snatched by king’s guards… no worries about the Blessed rooting us out. We could find a place for ourselves here if we play our cards right.”

“A place among the blood suckers?” the demon woman groaned. “It’s so degrading.”

“No, someone other than the vampire.”

“Good,” she agreed. “Mortal blood really isn’t my thing if it’s not spilling all over the pavement.”

I let out a quiet laugh at her defensive nature, and while I hadn’t expected her to fight my decision at all, it amused me that she could be so particular in our circumstances.

“We also won’t be looking for a place within a syndicate, so much as one we can conquer for ourselves,” I continued.

Ashe sat up and looked at me when she heard this. “You mean… we get to steal one?”

“‘Steal’ makes it sound easy,” I snorted. “No, we’re going to have to do some research and find the ideal setup. Someone who is already established enough that we’re walking into a decent situation, but not so established that we’ll get too much backlash for conquering their organization.”

“Hmm…” the demon woman mused. “This sounds fun.”

“It could be,” I agreed.

“I enjoy the idea of you gaining subordinates in this world,” Ashe added and fluttered her silver eyelashes. “You should be the master of these pathetic mortals.”

“I don’t mind the idea at all,” I chuckled. “Just so long as we get what we need at the end of all this.”

“But how are we going to find a syndicate for ourselves?” Ashe asked. “I mean, who can we really trust in this area to tell us what we need to know?”

She made a good point. There wasn’t a way for us to truly trust someone, especially with a plan as potentially suicidal as ours. Any one of the beings who walked the streets of this city could have a connection with the Church, and even if they didn’t, they could easily sell us out and receive a hefty award for doing so.

“There has to be someone around here who can offer us some information,” I pointed out. “The tinsel fairy from yesterday seemed to know a lot about the inner workings of the Shadow Quarters.”

“Not that I’m eager to see her obnoxious smile again, but let’s hope we can find her,” Ashe sighed. “Tinsel fairies keep themselves hidden until they actually have the need to go out, but if something doesn’t interest them, then they’re almost impossible to track down.”

“It’s a good place to start, at least,” I decided. “For now, let’s get cleaned up, look around the village for some better information, and keep our eyes out for a pair of white wings. I saw a few other tinsel fairies flying around yesterday when we first got here, but I’d rather find the same one to speak with about this. Their kind are tricky.”

Ashe tucked a velvet blanket around herself to pop her head out into the corridor, and in only a few minutes, the dwarf who owned the place arrived with a few others to refill our bathing water. It turned out there was a drain in the bottom that ran who knew where, and after telling the dwarf we preferred colder water in our baths, the work went quickly.

I left the velvety bed, pulled Ashe’s blanket from her, and stepped into the tub, and then my demon woman decided to wash me this time. The chilled water sent shivers down my spine but also rejuvenated my tired body at the same time. My long, black hair stuck to my skin more than it normally did, but it didn’t feel as awful as normal. It was almost a satisfying feeling to have the water drench my skin and take the salty sweat of last night’s sex with it.

Ashe let me watch her bathe while she languidly trailed soap all over her silvery body, and a satiated smile curled on her plump lips while she saw how much I enjoyed the view.

“Aah,” the demon woman sighed. “Who would have thought that cold water would make everything feel so much better?”

“I know,” I replied as I drenched my head again. “I bet some mortals say the same about the Hellscape.”

Ashe chuckled at the thought. “The ones who enter are already dead upon arrival, but it is always fun to watch them being reborn as one of our own. Some of them take to the fires so naturally.”

“Others, not so much,” I said. “Do… do you remember anything of your past life?”

“Sometimes,” she said, but the far away look in her pink eyes made me think she didn’t want to speak about it.

“Ahhh…”

“How about you?” she asked. “They say only the most powerful remember anything.”

“Bits and pieces,” I said. “I remember driving a large machine called a ‘Volkswagon’ and playing a musical instrument with strings.”

“Strange,” she muttered. “Do you remember what you might have done to join our ranks?”

“No,” I said. “There was a woman… at least I remember loving her. I think she got hurt and… well… I can get angry when someone hurts my women. That much I do remember. Maybe that was why I became a demon. I have no clear memory of what exactly occurred.”

“I try not to think too much of it,” she said quietly. “I prefer my life now. Here. With you. The time we are together brings me joy.”

“I feel the same,” I agreed as I smiled at her.

We continued to wash our bodies until both of us were squeaky clean and rejuvenated, and then we slipped back into our new clothes. My damp hair soaked through the clothing, and even though the water felt incredible, there was something less than charming about the feeling of damp clothes against my skin. I guessed it was the same thing with fire. The heat was warm and welcoming, but too much of it had the opposite effect.

I might need to consider chopping off my longer hair if only to avoid the clammy feeling of it against my neck.

I filled my pants pockets with coins, and then Ashe and I both chose a weapon before we left our room. I slipped one of the strange onyx blades of the gorgons into my belt, but Ashe decided to bring her still-bloody glaive with her.

“So, where is the best place to start?” Ashe asked as we headed out the door of the inn.

“Well, any criminals with an admirable setup in this area will have to be quite cunning in order to keep up their game,” I pointed out. “Port of Rengfri is too large and too corrupt for just any idiot to slip around guards and Church officials. Our targets will have to be smart enough to do so properly, otherwise, we’ll be walking into a situation that’s already worse than we’re in right now.”

“I agree.” Ashe nodded. “But we’re not at that level here yet, and it’ll show.”

“Exactly,” I agreed. “One wrong move nosing around in the wrong areas, or drawing too much attention to ourselves could disrupt the status quo. We have to approach this right to avoid ending up in deep shit among these locals. The Shadow Quarters are all we have going for us.”

“We shouldn’t ask around right in this area just yet,” Ashe muttered as we passed a group of bleary-eyed half-orcs. “If that vampire lives down here, we should ask somewhere with less connection to this village. Somewhere they won’t mind speaking a little louder about the dealings here.”

“Yeah, I think that’s the best place to start,” I said. “Let’s head back out toward the farther edges of the Shadow Quarters, to the area where we met the tinsel fairy, but we need to keep a low profile all the same.”

“I can do that,” she said firmly.

“Really?” I laughed and eyed the bloody glaive strapped to her back. “Alright then.”

“I’ve helped you blend in, have I not?” Ashe asked. “This blue dress is much more in keeping with surface world style.”

“Yeah, but if someone pisses you off, please don’t tear out their jugular.” I winked.

Ashe stared down at her fingers that could have turned into silver, venomous claws if she wanted them to, and then she sent me a sultry smile.

“I love using these beauties,” she sighed blissfully.

“Exactly my point.” I grinned. “Only when I say you can, understood?”

“Fair enough,” Ashe agreed.

We passed through the crowded marketplace, between the circles of wagons and shacks, and beyond the first fire pit we’d seen yesterday. The last few burning embers in the fire pit glowed a strange shade of purple, but there were no banshees in sight, and it was much quieter around here than it had been yesterday. I had a feeling the calm wouldn’t last long, though. The locals were emerging from their wagons and gathering in the lanes, and it probably wouldn’t have been long before the music began to play and the dancing started again.

We climbed the grassy hill and then followed the alleyways and back streets of the Shadow Quarters, and eventually, we walked out into the lanes Ashe had once chased me down with her Hellhounds.

“So, how do we decide who we can trust…” Ashe mused and looked around the less busy streets. “Normally, I’d say we could terrorize any of these creatons into telling us what we want to know, but I’m assuming…”

“We aren’t taking the same approaches as we did in the Hellscape,” I finished for her. “There’s a hierarchy around here, and finding out who we can trust is as important as finding out who to avoid for the time being. If we go around terrorizing just anyone, we’ll only end up in a more difficult position.”

“Then we’ll use our noses.” Ashe flashed me a predatory smile. “Whoever smells the richest and most vile will clearly be higher up in this area.”

“Good thinking,” I agreed. “And in my experience, not everyone in the Shadow Quarters is even evil. Some of them are just slumming to get by and trying to avoid getting nabbed by the Church. If they don’t have anything to hide, they don’t have any reason to lie to us. So, let’s say, if they don’t reek of death and cruelty, then they’re probably the best place to start.”

The two of us started strolling along the muddy lanes, and I kept my eye out for a decent starting place. The half-elf who had sold me weapons the other day had a hint of innocence to him, but I needed more than that. If he provided the service of arming beings in the Shadow Quarters, he could know anybody, and he could have the ability to disclose our plans to the higher-ups around here.

“If only that bloody fairy was here,” Ashe whispered under her breath as we strolled past a group of pissed off dwarves with black eyes and bruises. “Anyone around here could be the wrong type to ask.”

“I know,” I sighed.

The main lane broke off into separate streets just ahead, and some of the streets held a few shops, like where I’d gotten the weapons. Other streets held rickety houses all packed in close together, and more inns similar to the ones we’d stayed in briefly up here. All of the buildings looked the same for the most part, and were wooden, run-down, and ancient, so it wasn’t easy to tell the difference between a rich and poor area from looks alone. What we needed to find was the lower area of town, though, where the poorer merchants were more likely to hang out. It was highly unlikely the poor in a place like the Shadow Quarters would have the means of conducting business with the more well-to-do crime syndicates.

“Let’s try down here,” Ashe said suddenly. “It smells fresher. Almost innocent, don’t you think?”

“Hmm.” I breathed deeply, and the breeze coming from the slim, shadowy street to our left did smell more like hunger and hopelessness than anything else. “Yes, this could be promising.”

We wandered down the winding alley to see what sat on the other side, and it opened out onto another courtyard, but this one was much smaller than the main one near the rusted sign post. The windows of several buildings were smashed in, or missing all together, and there was a broken sign on the ground that appeared to have been previously hung onto an iron frame. Even though we couldn’t tell a huge difference between the various buildings, or whether this area used to be a marketplace at one point, there was definitely a sense of poverty in the air.

I doubted we’d come across any smartly dressed vampires conducting business here.

“I think you’ve hit a gold mine,” I said with a smile.

“I know.” Ashe shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m just that brilliant.”

“Okay, don’t get too ahead of yourself,” I snorted. “We don’t know if this is the place, yet.”

“I am eager to please you, Atticus.” Ashe sent me a sweet smile, and then continued to search.

I laughed silently to myself before I followed on behind her. She peered into the broken windows to get a view of what was inside and continued to walk when nothing caught her interest.

Then a rickety door opened from the other side of the courtyard, and I looked over to watch as a female dwarf left the building with something bundled up in her arms. Her wild ginger hair was tied into thick braids that bunched around her shoulders, and her round body was clothed in an olive green top and a beige skirt. She looked over at me when she left the house, but then scurried away to continue with whatever task she was in the process of completing.

The small well the dwarf stopped at had moss clinging to it, and it was clear the mechanics of it hadn’t been touched in ages. The dwarf pulled up a bucket of water and then began to dunk in the clothing that she had in her arms. Once her arms were free, I noticed just how muscular they were, and I could see how strong she was by how easily she completed her task.

The dwarven woman struck me as a hardworking and sturdy little thing, and I nudged Ashe in the arm.

“Come on,” I said under my breath. “Let’s see if she’ll talk.”

The dwarf had clearly noticed our presence, but when she saw us walking in her direction, she paid us no attention and continued washing. Her small body was hunched over the bucket of clothes, and her ginger braids slightly swung in the air in front of her while she scowled at her work.

“Excuse me,” I said in my most polite human voice.

“Leave me be,” she whispered harshly.

“We don’t mean any harm.”

“And we’re not looking to cause trouble,” Ashe added, and I was pleased to hear there wasn’t a scrap of her demon voice in her throat.

The dwarf woman glanced over briefly, but she didn’t have the ability or the cruel nature to look us directly in the eye. I knew she was the right one to talk to from that action alone, and I didn’t need to rely on my sense of smell to work it out.

“We’ll pay you,” I offered as I considered her tattered clothes.

I hadn’t intended on bribing someone for information, but it looked as though the dwarf’s interest had piqued now. Her hands paused in their work for a moment, and then they continued what they were doing.

“How much?” the dwarf asked.

I shrugged. “Ten pieces.”

“What is it you need from me?” she questioned.

Ashe and I sat down on the wall of the well so it wouldn’t feel like we were towering over the small woman, and also so I could speak quieter and keep my words away from any eavesdroppers.

“We’re looking for… less legal products,” I carefully began. “Things you won’t find in the marketplaces. Do you know of anyone around here who could supply things of that nature?”

“Do you realize where you’re standing right now?” she asked with a quiet but harsh laugh. “The Shadow Quarters isn’t known for its peace and tranquility, and certainly not for obeying the laws.”

“Yes, I know that,” I sighed. “But we aren’t from this particular area, so point us in the right direction.”

The dwarven woman pursed her lips while she worked a little faster, but then she sighed.

“There’s a group of vampires in the trees of the Grimmway,” she said with an arm pointed behind me. “You’ll catch them selling off vials of blood all around Rengfri. Go on, get out of here.”

“We aren’t looking for blood,” Ashe said with some disgust. “We’re not animals.”

The dwarven woman seemed surprised to hear this, and she spared Ashe half a glance while her scowl faded a little.

“Do you know of any other… organizations?” Ashe tried in a more polite tone.

“I’m sorry, I don’t,” the dwarf replied with a sigh. “My family and I keep to ourselves, so that’s all I can tell you.”

“Okay, thank you.” I counted out ten pieces from my pocket and then dropped them on the well beside the woman. She hastily grabbed them up, but as I stood to leave, she cleared her throat.

“You might try that house over there,” the dwarf said and pointed to a house two down from where we were sitting. “The man inside might be able to tell you more than I can.”

Ashe slipped her hand into my pocket and then dropped another two pieces onto the well for the dwarf’s honesty, and I appreciated the gesture. The dwarf certainly didn’t have to let us bribe her, and while she smelled of fear, I didn’t sense any scheming sort of energy from her.

We headed down the lane toward the rickety house the dwarf had shown us, and I leaned closer to Ashe once we were out of earshot.

“I’m guessing the Grimmway is the district of the city at the bottom of the hill,” I muttered.

“Yes, I’ll try to keep track of all the places anyone mentions,” she whispered back.

I nodded my thanks and then knocked lightly against the wood of the door. Almost a full minute of silence passed before I heard some scuffling on the other side, and when the door opened with a painful creak, I couldn’t see who was on the other side until the sun painted some light over their face.

The being had the head of a dragon, but stood on two hind legs with curled talons that tapped off the wooden floorboards as he stepped forward. I had only met a kobold a few times before, and this one matched how the others had looked almost to a tee. He had red, scaly skin that ran from head to toe, a thick tail that swung slowly behind him, and beady black eyes that seemed to track everything in his surroundings all at once.

“What do you want?” the kobold spoke through spiked teeth. A long pink tongue flickered through the two front teeth.

“We were hoping to get information,” I repeated the same words I had said to the dwarf. “We wish you no harm, and we’ll pay you for your words.”

Beside me, Ashe dug into my pants for another handful of pieces to show the kobold we weren’t jesting, and I twitched when her nails grazed my dick by accident. I had a feeling she was enjoying the fact I was carrying all the goods today, and I tried to keep a straight face while the kobold cocked a scaly eyebrow at us.

Then he looked up and down the street before speaking again.

“Who do you work with?” he snarled.

“We work for ourselves,” I replied.

“Bollocks,” he spat through his teeth. “Showin’ up on my stoop and shelling out money? I tell you what, if you work for that nasty Church, then you can be on your way. I’ve got no one to sell to you filthy leeches, and even if I did, I’d tell ye’ to fuck off.”

“Look,” Ashe cut in and pointed directly to her eyes, but the kobold only managed to look into them for about ten seconds. “Do you really think we would work with those fucking idiots?”

“Got the glowing eyes,” the kobold grumbled. “I know ‘em when I see ‘em, and I won’t have none of those holy fuck--”

“The Blessed have gold eyes,” I clarified, and Ashe clicked her tongue in disgust.

“Yeah, and ours won’t force you into confessing all your sins,” she growled. “Quite the opposite.”

The kobold furrowed his scaly brow for a moment, and then he snuck a peak at my eyes as well. I noticed his elongated pupils shrank as the scent of pure fear billowed from him.

“I-Incubi?” he croaked and stepped back.

“What?” Ashe scoffed with insult. “Do you see a single spike on this man’s jawline?”

“Ashe, it’s alright,” I muttered out of the corner of my mouth.

“No it isn’t,” she growled, and I noticed her silver claws starting to creep from her fingernails while she stared the kobold down. “Atticus is far superior to any filthy incubi you could ever come across, and he doesn’t murder people with his cock, he provides the most sinfully glorious pleasure I’ve ever experienced, and I challenge you to show me even one other being on this world who could fuck a girl in such a mind-numbingly--”

I clamped my hand on Ashe’s mouth while the kobold stared uncomfortably, and the demon woman whimpered the tiniest bit at my touch.

I understood the kobold’s concern, especially from what I’d heard in the past. Incubi were demons, but they were demons of sex, depravity, and manipulation, instead of demons of war, magic, and destruction like Ashe and me.

They didn’t serve the Dark King, and they weren’t sent up from the Hellscape like we were. They had their own demon leader, and they’d made a home for themselves on the surface world.

I didn’t like them.

“Ashe… that’s enough,” I informed her. “Sir, I am not an incubi. I have no spikes lining my jaw, and my nails are not blood red, as you can plainly see. I am merely a darker entity attempting to get by. A kind dwarven woman directed me to you, and as we said, we’re willing to pay you for your help.”

The kobold looked up and down the street once more, and I slowly released Ashe’s mouth as I sent her a warning look. The demon woman pursed her lips and remained silent, and the kobold finally let out a grumbling sigh.

“What are ye’ after?” he asked after a moment of silence.

“Just some information to get us by in this area,” I answered.

“What will you pay me?”

“Twelve pieces,” I said.

A gleam flashed over his beady eyes, and it seemed the promise of some money was almost too hard to resist. I wondered how long it had been since this kobold had carried as many pieces in his pocket, and what he had to live off now. Twelve pieces was barely enough for three meals around here, which told me he had been living off very little.

“Okay, follow me,” he sighed and then turned to walk back into his house.

Ashe and I followed the kobold through the small hallway and into a room at the back of the house. There was very little to help explain what the room was used for, but it had a wooden table in the center, and a lantern had been placed on a smaller table at the other side of the room. The windows allowed us to see around the dingy area, but the candle added an extra layer of warmth and light.

Other than this, the place appeared to be empty and covered in dust, and wondered if this kobold even had a place to wash himself or prepare his food.

All three of us took a seat at the center table, and the kobolds’ tail continued to sway behind the back of his chair.

“Tell me why you’re here,” he demanded in a low voice.

I considered my words carefully for a moment, but after seeing the kobold’s reaction when he thought I was an incubi, I decided I could be pretty honest right now. Not only had this creature been furious to think I expected him to sell people off to the Church, but he also seemed to have an issue with the higher-ups in the Shadow Quarters.

“Ultimately, we need to find a way out of Port of Rengfri,” I explained. “Travelling through the forest isn’t exactly ideal for us, so a vessel is our only option.”

“Won’t happen,” the kobold snorted at once. “Church owns the damn docks.”

“Well, maybe we cannot board a vessel so easily,” I allowed, “but this is what we’re intending to work around. There has to be some beings who send shipments through the docks. Beings from this area, whose work is less than legal.”

The kobolt didn’t discount my theory, but he didn’t respond for a moment, either. He picked at the red scales on the back of his hand, and it was hard to tell from the ridges carved over his head, but I was certain I saw a scowl line form between his eyes.

“What’s this got to do with me?” he finally mumbled.

“We’re looking to get out of here quickly and quietly, without drawing too much attention from anyone. Incubi, Church, or otherwise.”

“Shame,” the kobold growled with a slight sneer. “I’d do anything to see those fucking incubi pay for things they have done. If your escape could somehow involve bringing them to their knees, then I’d be happy to watch. You’re both clearly strong enough, and those eyes… those eyes prove you might just be able to--”

“We aren’t looking to get involved,” I informed him, but Ashe placed her hand on my arm as she studied his scaly face.

“What have the incubi done?” she asked curiously.

“What have they not done?” the kobold retorted. “I lived a grand life before they came into power, and now look at me. I don’t even know who I am anymore.”

“You were sent to this part of town?” Ashe guessed. “Exiled?”

“I didn’t have an option.” He shrugged his red, muscular shoulders. “They saw my powers and abilities as too weak to complete the tasks they set out. Offered me grunt work, and I refused the degrading shit. My kind weren’t meant to bow to those dirty bastards, so I was forced to give up everything I owned, and even my weapons. They threw me to the streets like an unwanted dog, and I’ve been here ever since.”

“How long ago was that?” I asked.

“Too many years to remember,” he replied.

“And the others around here?” I continued. “The dwarf woman and her family? They all had the same experience?”

“The exact same.” The kobold nodded his giant head. “We are wary of creatures like yourselves because we only know pain and suffering from the beings with the glowing eyes. We keep quiet, work through our days, and then repeat the cycle the next morning.”

His description sounded an awful lot like the Hellscape. If a demon couldn’t prove their strength to a Lord Captain, or anyone who worked under the thumb of the Dark King, then they’d be quickly shunned away. Missions on the surface worlds were only set out for the greatest of hunters, and a void could become very small, very quickly, if you weren’t needed for a task. The majority of demons who were shunned away rarely lived much longer than a few months. They would be the last to feast, with no soul hunting to keep their spirits burning, either. Their bodies would give out before they had the time or the chance to replenish their energy, and I could understand why this kobold had been so eager to earn a measly twelve coins from us.

He was desperate, and judging by his sunken-in stomach, he was starving in this dejected area of the Shadow Quarters.

“Your dwarf neighbor told us about the vampires who lurk in the Grimmway,” Ashe spoke up. “We were hoping you could perhaps tell us of others who conduct similar work around Rengfri. Especially the ones who can slip under the watchful eyes of the guards and the Church. We’re not looking to deal with blood-suckers, or the incubi, but any others who come to mind could help us on our way.”

The kobold took some more time to think. He tapped his clawed fingers on the wood of the table, and the rhythmic sound echoed all around the empty room.

“A small group of gorgons reside in the palace at the other end of the Shadow Quarters.” The kobold shrugged. “They are known to have connections with the harbor, so they could be your best bet.”

Fuck.

If only we hadn’t gone and killed them, they could have been useful to us. Their weapons came in handy, but that was about it.

“Do you know how many gorgons reside there?” I asked.

“I don’t.” He shook his head. “Last I heard there were five of them, but they constantly come and go, so there’s no way of knowing the exact number.”

Even if there were more gorgons than the three we defeated, it would have been too risky if we showed our face in the palace. It was possible they could have worked out who killed the three, and Ashe and I wouldn’t only have the Blessed to worry about in this area.

“Unfortunately, the gorgons aren’t a good option for us,” Ashe said and casually cleared her throat. “We don’t… get along well.”

“Not surprised,” the kobold chuckled as he looked at Ashe. “They’re some ornery bitches and don’t like women who are better looking.”

“And mine is.” I smirked. “Is there anyone else you can think of?”

“I don’t like to get involved in the darkness myself, but I do know someone who can help you,” he responded. “It wouldn’t be good for me to be spotted walking with you out in the streets, but I can give you directions to find them.”

“Thank you.” I smiled. “You have been of great help.”

I stood from the table, and then I counted out the twelve pieces I’d promised him. A smile crossed over the kobold’s features as he took in the sight of the large amount of money he now owned. I hoped he managed to get some decent food with those coins, because it was clear he hadn’t experienced the luxury of a good meal in a long time.

“Before you go,” he said suddenly and stood from the table. “I don’t have much, but I appreciate the kindness, so I’d like to offer you both something.”

“We need nothing but your information,” Ashe responded softly.

“Things aren’t the way they used to be around here,” the kobold protested. “Used to be that you could trust a being with a decent trade, and then some.”

The kobold opened up a drawer from the small table in the corner of the room. The contest of the drawer rolled around as it was opened, and then he pulled out one of the items. I couldn’t see what it was that he had in his scaly hand, but then he turned around and handed over two simple objects.

They were thin, and made entirely from brass. I took the objects gingerly from his hand, in case the kobold had other intentions, but he let me take them without any issue. Each brass object had four large circles curved over the top.

“Oh, shit,” Ashe gasped as she took one from me. I hadn’t seen one before, but clearly she had. “Fuck, I love these things. They make crushing faces delightfully easy.”

Ashe slipped her fingers through the four holes, and the brass stopped just at the knuckles of her hand. Then she made a fist with her hand, and it looked like she had four rings on. This was clearly a weapon, and it made me wonder what would happen if I used it along with my hell power.

I couldn’t wait to find out, and I had to admit, Ashe looked fucking incredible with the brass weapon lining her pale knuckles.

“Thank you,” I said to the kobold honestly.

“Like I said, it isn’t much, but I hope you find your way out of here,” he said as we made our way back to the main door of the meager house. “Now, if you follow the road down to your left, you’ll come across a small hut just before the next stand of trees. Tell the owner I sent you, and he’ll give you what you need.”

“We appreciate the information you were able to give us.” I smiled once more before we walked back out into the open.

Then I glanced up and down the street, but it appeared as though we had snuck out unnoticed. I wasn’t sure what would have happened to the kobold if anyone had noticed the interaction, but it wasn’t something I would have wanted to risk after what I’d heard of the incubi’s treatment of beings in this area.

It interested me that the kobold mentioned the gorgons as someone who had connections with the harbor, though. I supposed it must have something to do with their heritage, but I couldn’t help but wonder what they used the port for now. The more time I spent on the surface world, the more curious I was about the mortals who inhabited this place, and I hoped whoever we were going to meet next could offer some insight into the lives of the residents around here.

We followed the muddy, cobblestoned street in the direction we were given, and as we turned the corner at the end of the lane, another line of gnarled trees came into view. They were dark with the shadows of the canopy above, but at the foot of the trees, just like the kobold had said, I saw a wooden hut. It was circular in build, and had a thatched roof on top. Three small steps led up to the main door, and at the side of the steps hung a small iron pot over a pile of wood. The wood was black and grey in some places, like the owner of the hut had used it to make a fire, but then let it smolder out at some point.

I could smell the faint scent of smoke, possibly from the burnt wood, but I noticed I didn’t pick up the scent of any particularly evil entities in the area. Actually, the owner of the hut had a scent more similar to depression and exhaustion.

Just like with the kobold’s house, I climbed the steps and moved to knock on the door, but the thing opened before I could raise my hand. A tabaxi stood tall in the doorway, and he glanced over at Ashe and I in turn with a frown between his orange eyes.

The tabaxi were a race of feline humanoids, and this one in particular stood at least seven feet tall. His entire slender body was covered in spotted fur, and his orange eyes were surrounded by black circles while his large, wide ears stuck out in points on the top of his head. The fur around his jaw and at the tip of his chin had faded to gray and was far paler than the rest of his fur, which was a light yellow with the deep brown spots. This graying made him appear old, but he seemed quite strong for his age. He stood firm on padded feet with black claws gripping the floorboards, and he wore a piece of light blue material tied around his chest and a pair of bright green trousers that stopped above his raised heels.

“You have no reason to be here, demons,” the tabaxi said in a stern voice.

I stared in shock to hear another being recognize me so easily, but before I could respond, the tabaxi moved to shut the door in our faces.