Page 27 of Hell-Bound (Pacts of the Infernal #1)

At first, I hated her.

“She forced me to see the parts of myself that I had locked away and buried deep.

“She stabbed at the sensitive parts in my own soul.

“In due course, I was taken in by her after so many years of refusing to lend my power.

“Her request was simple: forget.

“Forget long enough to redeem herself.

“Live without the torturous memories haunting every waking moment.

“I had to help her the way I could never help myself.

“I thought about her and her journey on The Mortal Plane constantly, and yet I knew, deep down, that she would return to me. We are too connected, and neither can be forgiven.

“Azur! Now is not the time to—”

“As much as you’d like to show off for me again, darling,”

he said with a wink.

“this is purely practical. We need to swim across the lake, and though your skin is immune to fire, your clothes certainly are not.”

“Why can’t we just fly over? Or teleport?”

she asked, sounding more whiny than she’d intended.

He sighed dramatically.

“Would that I could, but the ceiling is too low. I’d end up dropping you in the lava, and it’s too far to teleport safely with the amount of magic I have.”

He was right. The ceiling was only about five feet higher than the magma lake.

Ren was mentally unprepared for the moment that Azur pulled off his tunic.

“She tried to keep her expression neutral.

“His body was glistening with sweat from the heat, and she had to bite her tongue to keep her mouth from falling open.

“He then began to slip off his trousers, and Ren prayed that he couldn’t feel her lust building.

“Do you need help?”

he asked, noticing her hesitance.

“I could oblige, but I’d hate to get you all bothered before we complete our mission.”

He gave her a false sympathetic look.

“Only you could be so crass after fighting a dragon.”

She huffed, pulling off her shirt and trousers.

Ren was not one for insecurity.

“Even her new scars didn’t bother her.

“Yet, standing there facing Azur made her feel completely exposed.

“It was intimate in a way that even their sexual encounters hadn’t been.

“They stood there for a beat, taking each other in.

“Her nipples hardened despite the warm air as she gave herself a moment to appreciate Azur’s powerful legs.

“When her eyes finally trailed up his body and to his face, she realized he hadn’t been scanning her body as she had been.

“His eyes were soft, and his face was pensive.

He lifted a hesitant hand and reached for Ren’s abdomen, right where the scars had sewn her back together.

“She didn’t recoil but rather breathed in deep—her breasts rising and falling.

“His hand lightly brushed the new red skin, a deep contrast to her usually pale complexion.

“The touch raised every hair on her body, and she closed her eyes briefly to savor the sensation.

“I hope you always remember, if you remember nothing else, that you are an exquisite creature,”

Azur said, suddenly serious.

“You are a warrior and a musician. Capable of commanding armies and souls.”

He smiled to himself.

“I hope these scars remind you that you are valiant—a survivor—and so much more than the things of your past.

“We carry scars, you and I, but for you, they don’t define you.

“I am…envious.”

She was stunned.

“His words were so tender and wholly incomprehensible.

“Before she could think of a response, he turned from her, folded their clothes, and tucked them and her piccolo under his arm before confidently stepping into the lake.

If it hadn’t been for the shocking way the lava flowed around him, she would have probably stood there, motionless, for several hours contemplating the significance of his words.

“Before, the opinion of the god of evil wouldn’t have meant anything to her.

“But his actions, as he had explained them, weren’t altogether evil nor altogether good.

“That felt too simplistic. There was a line there, a line Ren wasn’t sure she completely saw or understood. And who was she to decide where the line was, anyway?

She watched as the liquid fire coalesced and began to harden around his body before breaking away with his slow movements.

“This might be more difficult than I’d initially anticipated,”

he said with a grunt.

“you might not be able to make it across without help.”

Oh, fuck that.

True, it looked as if he was wading through thick mud, but she was too proud, and he was too smug for that.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine,”

she responded as she slowly entered the thick pool.

While undeniably hot, the magma didn’t burn away at her body. She couldn’t say it was exactly comfortable—more like the hottest bath she could imagine. The worst part, however, was the difficulty she had lifting her legs. When she tried to move them through the pool, the magma began to solidify around her legs and mold to her body. She forced herself forward, only able to move a foot at a time.

She refused to look at Azur, who had stopped his own progress to watch her strain through.

“Just let me know when you’re ready to give up, Elfy!”

he said, finally turning to continue his trudge.

Her muscles strained as she kicked each leg out with all her might. The trek became more difficult as the magma reached her torso, for she could no longer use the momentum of her hips to push her forward and had to rely on pumping her arms.

By this time, Azur had made his way across the lake and was casually picking off dried bits of lava from his skin. She tried to focus on her goal rather than his toned back.

Droplets of perspiration were flowing free down Ren’s body, but she spurred herself on, now over halfway across.

Azur dressed lazily, not even glancing back to see her clumsy movements.

Ren’s body was tired, muscles screaming, but she refused to give up—spite being the powerful motivator that it was.

When she finally stepped onto the bank, she shamelessly fell forward onto the cool ground. She lay there, completely naked, gulping down full breaths.

Azur leaned over, his body shadowing hers.

“Ah yes, this position seems familiar. You looked very similar last night, if I do recall.”

She shot him a menacing look before picking herself up and dressing.

“How much further?”

she asked, trying to keep her breathing steady lest he know how exhausted she was.

“Just a few hours walk from here.”

She groaned.

“Walking is worse than the dragon.”

He let out a low snigger.

“Don’t be slothful, my darling,”

he said, winking.

Despite her protests, the hike was easy going, if a little sweltering, and Ren wondered if her fingers would start to prune from the constant perspiration.

As they walked, it occurred to Ren that this might be the last few hours she would have with Azur. Soon she would return to her family, her plane. A place where Azur could never follow. And she imagined inner-planar travel wasn’t as easy as booking a six-week trip across the oceans. Besides, she wasn’t sure what coming back even meant. She and Azur weren’t exactly friends, and she couldn’t see herself calling upon him for what—tea time?

Yet, Ren felt her heart split apart. One side of it felt an immediate panic at the idea of leaving The Hells. Leaving meant attempting to accept the life Renata had created—going back to her parents, her tavern, and trying to reconcile with Nephele. It meant abandoning any life that she could have created here for herself.

How Absurd! What kind of life could you truly have in The Hells?

Ren couldn’t help but glance at Azur, who looked as if he was lost in thought.

So this might be it. This was her last chance to talk to the Devil who had taken possession of her soul. There was only one question she could think to ask him. A question that she felt like, if she had the answer to, she could move on with more peace.

“Azur? What’s it like to,”

she licked her lips, suddenly nervous.

“to be in love?”

She realized, blushing, how deeply personal the question was, but she had to know. Had to understand if going back to Nephele would be worth the risk.

The Devil stopped mid-stride and turned to her. Azur opened his mouth to say something and contemplated a moment before his words came out.

“I am the god of hate, Ren. Not love.”

“But I know that you loved him—Ahdan. You—told me, yourself!”

she sputtered.

Azur resumed walking. He was silent for so many heartbeats that Ren feared she’d upset him.

“I think perhaps you know just as much about love as I do,”

he said finally, with a small laugh.

“But if I had to answer, I’d say that being in love is different depending on who you are and who you are in love with,”

he said thoughtfully.

“Ahdan liked to say that love was invented in my realm.”

He smiled, suddenly wistful.

“Ridiculous, I know. He said love was envious. Desiring your partner and wanting them to desire you back. Gluttonous and greedy since you can never spend enough time with that person once you’ve truly fallen for them. Slothful because there is nothing more tantalizing than a lazy, lust-filled day never leaving the bedroom. It can be proud because that person can make you feel so worthy that someone that amazing has decided, above all others, to love you. And sometimes, in your worst moments, no one can make you feel more angry, more wrathful, than the person you have surrendered yourself to completely.

“I’m not sure if any of that is the best, most ideal love. Perhaps love should be pure—innocent and uncomplicated. But you’ve asked The King of the Damned, and I can’t imagine anything other than love in this way. I can’t run from what I am, even in love.”

Ren thought for a moment.

“Maybe it can take parts of both. I could do without thinking I’ll have a love with wrath, to be honest.”

Azur laughed softly.

“Fair enough.”

The final chamber was the first they had entered, and it was free of lava pits. The only light was shining from a complex carving on the stone floor. Upon closer inspection, the red light made a five-pointed pentagram.

“Before we can enter the final chamber, Someone has to temporarily surrender their powers. It’s the only way The Ultimate Truth will appear upon the dais,”

he said, walking to the center.

“No one who enters should have the power of the gods. It’s a brilliant precaution to make sure no one can destroy it,”

he said smugly.

“Oh yes, very clever, Mighty God of The Hells,”

she said, rolling her eyes.

“You are clever for noticing!”

Ren watched as Azur crouched down and touched the ancient carvings. A gust of wind began to fiercely blow from the pentagram, Azur’s dark curls lashing around his face. He closed his eyes and bared his teeth.

He looks like he is in pain.

A white light emerged from the pentagram and wrapped itself around Azur’s body. The light curled and danced elegantly, but Azur continued to look anguished. His wings began to tremble, and Ren watched as they wilted, like two black petals, before falling off his back. Tears were now running down Azur’s face, and he let out a dissonant yell as his horns splintered, crumbling to the ground. Azur’s body convulsed—his godly form dying. The light was sucking every unholy cell from his body, and each little death reflected on his face.

Ren suddenly felt a burning on her neck. She reached up with a start. Pulling her hand back, she saw a smear of red. Her brand. While she hadn’t thought about it since the night of the party, she suddenly felt exposed and insecure without it.

As soon as it came, the light blinked out.

Ren had to squint against the unexpected change in light, but ran in his direction despite her temporary blindness. Once her vision cleared, she could see that he was still crouched, yet his body hung completely limp.

She dropped to her knees and lifted his head.

“Azur! Are you okay?”

She gasped. This was not the god she had come to know.

Still beautiful, but his eyes, usually iridescent like fire, were a dark shade of brown. His ears looked Human, and she could see through his agonized expression that his teeth had dulled.

“No. I’m…really not,”

he winced, struggling to stand, all pretense cast aside.

Ren could only imagine how much he hurt—not just physically. He was The King of Pride and Envy. He now stood in front of her, appearing completely Mortal. She wasn’t sure if he was Human, as that wasn’t one of his creations, but he wasn’t totally Devil either. She felt the intense desire to comfort him for his loss. A loss of self and identity. She understood this, at least. But she didn’t know what to say—her lack of interpersonal skills haunted her once more.

What do you say to a god who just became Mortal?

He strode off, advancing to the far wall.

“Let’s get you home, Elfy,”

he said without meeting her eyes.

They heard a deafening scrape against stone as the two massive doors swung wide.

They entered, approaching a long stone bridge over a massive magma pool, which ended in a platform with a tall dais. The room was silent except for the clicking of their boots and the slight simmering of the flames below. Shadows shifted across the room as the fire burst and bubbled, making it difficult to distinguish different shapes. It was for this reason that it took the two a moment to realize that a figure was kneeling at the end of the bridge.

Leo.

Ren bolted to his form and grabbed the scruff of his neck.

“Where the fuck are my parents, you sack of shit!”

she yelled, shaking him.

Every muscle in his body was trembling. Tears streaked his dusty face. He did not look at her—his face jerking back and forth, searching.

“Renata—I had to, he wouldn’t—I couldn’t—”

“Where are they?”

she bellowed, pulling out the dagger and positioning it at his throat.

“Yes. Yes!”

Leo exclaimed, excitement filling his face as he finally met her eyes.

“Kill me, please,”

he squeaked.

“It will be nothing compared to—now that I have—I failed him! failed him!”

Ren hesitated, trying to make sense of his words, but kept her dagger poised to carve him open.

“Ren, wait.”

Azur’s eyes darted around the room.

“He shouldn’t be here. No one should be here.”

From behind the dais, a figure emerged. His face was transformed, but it was indisputably the same being.

Nainaur.