Chapter 5

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I awoke hours later, but it was still dark. It must’ve always been dark in Hell, I realized. Gaia was staring at me as I opened my eyes. I sat up.

“Did you do a spell while I was asleep?” I asked cautiously. “Of course,” she said. “I told you I was going to do one.”

I was offended. “Why would you do such an unholy act in front of me?” I asked. Gaia shook her head, “it’s not unholy. It’s not holy, but it’s not unholy either.”

I sighed. And the other angels thought I knew nothing. I spoke slowly to explain it to her as if she were a child. That’s how she was acting. “If it’s not holy, God doesn’t like it. So it’s unholy.”

“Not everything is black and white. There’s grey too. And color. I’m not trying to hurt your feelings, but you are ‘colorblind.’” she said in air quotations. “All you see is black and white. Heaven or hell. Your way or the wrong way. There are different colors and shades. Think about life like that.”

It kind of made sense, what she was saying, but there was no proof of it. I was a divine being, but I hadn’t met or heard of other Gods...at all.

“Why would magick and spells be bad anyway?” Gaia asked. I sighed. “It comes from Satan.”

“That would make sense for it to be bad.” Gaia agreed. “If it did come from Satan. Which it doesn’t.”

I sighed. I had been sighing a lot lately. I never got mad. I just got disappointed with ignorant people. “So, if you don’t think it comes from Satan, where do you think it comes from?” I asked.

“It comes from the magick user. Their life source. The energy of life. Magick is just manipulating energy, changing it’s course, shaping it. Different sources of energy make it act differently. Some sources are easy to communicate with, others are more specific and less predictable.” Gaia explained.

“How do you know all this, even if it were true?” I asked.

“I learned it from my coven, and it’s been proven by my own experience.”

I felt weird. If everything she was saying was true, it would turn my whole world upside down. “How do you know it doesn’t come from Satan?” I asked, my last attempt.

“I have faith. Just like you. Just like everyone else. And my religion says it doesn’t. I mean, Christians always bring up the bible to defend their religion. So why shouldn’t I defend myself with my religion? I could ask Satan personally if magick comes from him, if that’d make you feel better.” Gaia said.

I gasped. “You’re going to talk to Satan?” I asked. “He could hurt you!”

Gaia shrugged. “Azazel said he wouldn’t hurt us. If he wanted to hurt us, he already would have.

I gulped. “If that’s what you wish. But I don’t want any part of it.”

“Ok. But you might want to hear what he says for yourself.” Gaia said.

There was awkward silence for a few minutes. Then I asked, “Can I ask you a question about Azazel?” Gaia’s face lit up. “Sure.”

“Ok, well, why does he call me dove? I’m starting to get used to his weird antics, but it’s really out of nowhere.” I said. Gaia chuckled. “I think it’s just a pet name. He’s intrigued by you. The reason why he chose dove, I think, is because you’re an angel. You have wings, and your peaceful, like a dove.”

“So... Azazel likes me?” I asked, disgusted. “I think he might. He’s nicer to you than he’s ever been to any angel. He’s even nicer to you than he is to me. I didn’t know he could be so nice.”

They call that being nice? I gulped. Why would a demon like me, for any other reason but lust? Maybe that’s all it was; he just lusted me.

Gaia noticed my discomfort. “He would never hurt you.” She said.

“He has though. He’s left us alone in Hell, where anything could happen to us.” Gaia cast her eyes down, uncomfortable. “He’s mad. He would never hurt us with his own hand.” I sighed.

Then there came a sound in the front of the abandoned store. Me and Gaia stared at each other, wide-eyed. Gaia put a finger to her mouth to indicate silence.

My heart beat so fast I was sure that the intruder could hear it. Gaia held onto me, trying to create a false sense of safety and security for both of us. Footsteps sounded a few feet away, coming towards us. A tear dripped down my cheek. What would happen if I died in Hell?

The door slammed open and Gaia screamed. A shadow grabbed out a hand and snatched me. I clawed the arm but it was no use. The shadow put another hand on my chest, and my shirt ripped in half.

I felt lust all around me, but the feeling didn’t penetrate into my soul. All I felt was fear.

I screamed for God, although I already knew he had no control in Hell. The demon reached for the middle of my bra with one hand, groping me with the other. I stopped fighting, and fell limp and numb in his arms.

There was a whirlwind of commotion, but I was too numb to care. The demon stopped groping me, and then I couldn’t feel him at all. “No one touches my dove!” I heard Azazel growl, and then there was a spray of warm liquid on my face. I didn’t even care enough to wipe it off my face or wonder what it was.

“Take her out,” Azazel instructed. Gaia pulled me by my arm, and my two legs moved on their own.

“Clariana?” Gaia asked worriedly. “Clariana!” I didn’t answer. I could barely comprehend what she was saying; my mind was turned off.

“Azazel!” Gaia screamed. Azazel appeared in front of me. He looked worried. “She’s starting to awaken,” he said finally, sounding resigned. I had no clue what he was talking about, but I didn’t care anyway.

“She’s broken,” Gaia was crying. Azazel shook his head. “No. She is being fixed.” Azazel then reached and took off his shirt, hard muscles rippling like water. He then threw it over my head so my chest wasn’t visible to everyone.

Red eyes stared into mine.“Dove, I am sorry. I got frustrated when you two kept pestering me. I didn’t want to let you know why you are truly down here. I knew it would hurt you. I don’t like hurting people who have not hurt me. I want to punish, not hurt unnecessarily.

I stared at nothing. I knew why I was in Hell. To be converted to their side. So yes, I was hurt. I wanted to be loved, not hated and lusted over. I didn’t want to be an object for men’s hands. I didn’t want to be a receptacle for other people’s anger.

“What I said earlier about converting you… I was just eluding you to the truth. I knew you would believe me,, so that’s why I said it. To be honest, I don’t give a s**t what you want to do with your life, as long as you don’t pressure me about it, and shove it down my throat. So I don’t care enough to convert you to the dark side… even if we do have cookies.” Gaia giggled, then quited.

“So then why are we here?” she asked. Azazel became serious again. He sighed. “This is what I didn’t want to say, because I knew how it would affect you, but… demons are raiding earth. They are looking for weak or enemy demons and their acquaintances. Also any angels.”

A rubber-band snapped inside of me. I was alive again. “A’lial!” I screamed.

Azazel rushed to slap a hand over my mouth. Gaia covered her ears. Angel screams were known to be loud and shrill.

“Who is A’lial?” Azazel asked, grunting in pain. A tear dripped down my face. “My betrothed.” I said against his hand. He froze, and took his hand away. “I didn’t hear you clearly. Your what?”

“My betrothed,” I groaned. I knew he had heard me clearly the first time. “He’s going to be killed. We have to go back to earth!” I was panicking.

“We can’t! We will be killed instantly. Demons are guarding Limbo, the world between earth and hell. I’m sorry Clariana.” He sounded like he truly meant it.

“We have to warn them! They’ll be caught off guard. I can’t lose them!” I began crying in earnest. Azazel sighed and looked at Gaia.

“What?” Gaia asked. Then she understood whatever Azazel was trying to communicate. “No. Azazel, no, I can’t! I’m a witch! They’d never believe something that comes from a witch!”

I was confused. “What’s going on?” I asked. Gaia looked at me, shock still evident on her face from earlier. “Azazel wants me to send your angel companions a message. Via spell, I might add. It won’t work.”

I thought for a minute. “The only thing they will listen to is something that comes from God.” Azazel and Gaia nodded, resigned. “Or from another angel.”

Gaia stared wide eyed with understanding. “You could send them a message. Then her face fell. “But you wouldn’t want to do a spell. Back to square one then.”

“But I’ll do something that comes from God!” I said excitedly. Gaia and Azazel looked at me with confusion. “Our visions come from God!” I explained. “They’re like dreams, but for angels. If I show them a vision, then they’ll know it’s true!” Now Gaia was excited. Azazel still had a neutral face. I realized he didn’t care one way or another.

“Ok, so show them a vision,” Gaia said. My excitement seeped away. “I thought you could show me how.”

Gaia’s face wrinkled as she frowned. “How would I know?” she wondered.

I shrugged, disappointed. “Don’t you know how to communicate to people in dreams? It wouldn’t be a spell. It’d come from God.” Gaia looked at Azazel. Azazel snorted.

“Um, sure. Ok.” She glanced at Azazel again; it was almost like they were sharing a secret that they didn’t want me to know. “We would have to put you in a trance. I will lead you. You’ll find A’lial’s spirit and communicate with it. It would have to be while he’s asleep, though.”

I nodded. “Ok, let’s do this. What time is it, Azazel?” I asked.

“It was 10:00 am when I came in to drag that guy off you. It might be 10:30 or 11:00 by now.”

I shivered, remembering the feeling of that guy’s hands. “What happened to him, anyway?” I asked, looking around nervously.

Azazel glanced at Gaia. They did that a lot, like I was a child or something. Frustration boiled in me. “I am not a child!” I exclaimed. Gaia and Azazel’s jaws dropped in shock as I started yelling. “Every being treats me like I understand nothing. God, angels, demons, even humans! I’m tired of it! Just tell me straight up.” I was even shocked by my own rising voice.

“We’re just trying to protect you.” Gaia explained carefully and sympathetically.

“Just tell me straight up, please! I don’t want to be ignorant about anything anymore!”

“I think she needs to see Lucifer.” Azazel whispered to Gaia. Gaia nodded. “She’s seeking “forbidden” knowledge.

Azazel sighed. “Alright, I’ll let you know the answer to your question. I slaughtered the demon.”

I had already guessed that, but hearing him confirm it brought a weird creepy feeling along my skin. “And what happened to the body?” I asked.

Azazel looked uncomfortable. “There wasn’t much left of the body,” he said, looking down. I shivered with disgust and fear bile rising to my throat.

“And what happened with the rest of the body?” I feared the answer. There was silence, then, “I absorbed it.”

I puked. Gaia held my hair back silently, and Azazel sighed, a hand over his face.

“Why?!” I finally asked when I was done. Azazel looked up at me. He looked sick and pale. “It’s how I get energy. There are three ways I get energy,” he said, listing them off with his fingers. “Absorbing other demons I kill, using my wrath, and...torturing other demons. I’m the Devil of the city of Wrath. I’m the one to torture demons of Wrath.”

I shivered. Gaia’s face was set in determination. “Let’s just worry about how we’re going to give this vision,” she said. “Azazel, we need to get somewhere safe, then I need you to get supplies for me. Where can we go?”

Azazel nodded. “We can go to my chambers in the city of wrath. What supplies do you need?” he asked.

Gaia thought. “Something to play music on. Do you have that in hell?” she asked. Azazel nodded. “It mostly plays satanic music, but I could get something on it from earth if I hack it.”

“Great. And then I would need dried herbs and crystals.” Gaia said. “I could get that from a satanic witch I know.” Azazel said. “She lives in the city of pride. The cities are in a circle, with Lucifer’s lair in the middle. We would need to go counter-clockwise to get to the city of Wrath quicker. I can drop you two off with my...er...roommate, then I will head out to the city of pride, which is two cities away from wrath. It will be night on earth by the time I get home.”

“Great. But, just who is your little roommate?” Gaia asked with narrow eyes. She was jealous. Azazel laughed. “Don’t worry your pretty little head. It’s a man. He’s my favorite demon. Also, he’s the only one I trust to babysit you, besides Lucifer.”

“Don’t you mean friend?” I asked. “I don’t have friends.” Azazel said. I gasped. “That must be so lonely and sad!” I said, frowning. I instantly felt sorry for him. He didn’t seem upset by it though. “You have friends? I doubt it.” Azazel said.

“All angels are my friends. We all get along. We all look after each other.” Whoever heard of a friendless angel?

“That’s called acquaintances, not friends. Pfft.” Azazel laughed in my face. That hurt. He was right. Angels were acquaintances. Friendly acquaintances, but still, acquaintances.

“Fine. Whatever. Gaia’s my friend then.” Gaia smiled and blushed. “Aww, thats cute. Now kiss.” Azazel said, laughing evilly. Gaia elbowed him in the side. “She said friend, you pervert.”

“Isn’t that what girlfriends do?” Azazel said. “Friend. A friend that’s a girl.” Gaia corrected. “I bet you’d like it the other way though. You’re wondering what it would be like to scissor with an angel.” Azazel laughed evilly again.

“Shut up, you dick.” Gaia said, hiding her blushing face. “Umm, I’m pretty sure my dick isn’t talking.” Azazel said, laughing. I didn’t understand most of what they were saying. “Umm, why would I kiss her? She’s a girl.” I said. “Girls only kiss boys.”

“Not all girls,” Azael said, still laughing. “Some girls like girls the same way some girls like guys. Gaia likes girls and guys.”

I turned my befuddled gaze to Gaia. “You want to kiss me?” I asked. Gaia blushed even harder. “No. You’re not really my type. But, you’re most likely someone’s type,” she said, making an exaggerated glance at Azazel. Azazel ignored her.

“You’re the one who makes me wear angel wings in roleplay, and act all innocent.” Gaia added, talking to Azazel. Azazel finally looked at her. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Can we just head off to the city of Wrath? Please? Thank you.” He grabbed Gaia around the waist, threw her over his shoulder, and flew. She screamed. I leapt after him.

(8,110 words)

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It took us three hours, approximately one hour over each city, and we flew fast. We past over the whole city of Lust, Envy, and then Greed. We also had to stop and drop at each of the city gates. It was exhausting, especially since Hell was so draining. Finally, as we flew over the center of the city of Wrath, we slowed and dropped to a large tower.

There was an electric gate and three sets of doors that Azazel had several different locks for. Azazel simply explained that he “had a lot of enemies.” We finally got into his “chambers.” It had a very modern feel with a gothic touch. There was black and silver everywhere, with a bit of red. I didn’t see any white anywhere.

We met up with a man who was wearing a trench coat, but somehow he looked cleaned up and formal. His long hair was styled back and slick, and his red eyes weren’t as red as Azazel’s. They looked more like rust than blood.

“Azazel!” the demon looked surprised and excited. “Long time no see. Who are these beautiful women with you?” When he finally got a closer look at me, though, he choked.

Azazel chuckled. “I’m putting them in your care, Abbadon.” Azazel then became serious as Abbadon’s eyes turned black. “And I especially want you to look after this one.” He put his hand atop my head. “If anyone dares lay a finger on her, I want you to tell me so I can destroy them. I’ll know either way. And then I’ll absorb them. Understand?” Azazel asked. He was truly terrifying the demon. He must not have been his friend. Friends didn’t do that to each other.

Abbadon gulped as his eyes became red again. “Sure thing, Azazel. Hey, my man, where are you going anyway?” He asked, lightening up. Azazel smacked his palm into his back. I flinched; it looked like it hurt. “Going to Ashira’s. Need a few things. I’ll be back in a couple hours.” Abbadon stared wide eyed. “Wow. Only you could handle that wild b***h.” I flinched at the horrible word.

“I have handled that wild b***h. It was fun.” Azazel said with a wink and a smirk. Abbadon shook his head in disbelief. Then Azazel walked out the door.

Abbadon cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. “Uh, so, who wants absinthe?” he asked. Gaia gagged. “Only demons,” she whispered. “What’s absinthe?” I asked.

Abbadon blushed. “Yeah, actually, I have no idea why I asked that. It’s the only thing to drink; it’s Azazel’s favorite alcohol. Sorry.” I was confused. “You don’t have tap water? A sink?” I asked.

Abbadon choked. “Whatever comes out of that sink on any given day, is something you would not want to drink.” I became confused. But when I thought harder, I realized that Hell probably didn’t have the luxuries of Earth.

“Ok, so, if there’s nothing to drink, can you just show us our bedrooms?” I asked.

“Oh yes. Since you’re acquaintances of Azazel’s, you’re probably going to be here awhile. Sorry, but you and Gaia have to sleep in the same bed. It’s large! So don’t worry. There’s only one extra bed. You two have plenty of clothes too, ranging from all sizes and styles. They come from many of Azazel’s... visitors. You and Gaia can decorate the room however you want. Just...don’t paint the walls.”

We walked down three sets of hallways to get to a closed door which he opened. Our room, of course, was black, with red sensual sheets, and stainless steel furniture; a vanity and an end table. I would have to get used to it.

Then Abbadon opened a huge walk in closet, almost half the size of the room, which was already huge. Of course all the clothes were black. I groaned. Abbadon laughed and looked sympathetic, but he was the one who was wearing a long black leather trench coat.

But it was Gaia’s paradise. She ran inside, ran her hand along dresses and shirts, pulled out ones she liked, put it in front of her, and looked in the mirror. I looked at Abbadon in horror. “I’m going to have to wear these clothes, aren’t I?”

He smiled. “Sorry sweetheart, but clothes only come in black and red here in Hell.”

“Not even purple?” I asked. He shrugged. “Maybe dark purple. Go check. Oh, and tell Gaia the intimates are in the dresser.”

I went deeper inside the closet, and told Gaia. “Oh yay!” She jumped up and down like it was christmas morning. “What are intimates?” I asked. “I’ll show you.” Gaia said excitedly.

She opened the first drawer of the dresser. It was underwear. “Boring,” Gaia said to the first pair. It was thin and lacy, but still normal underwear. “Period underwear,” she said, throwing out another. “Ooh, a V-string! I think I’ll wear this.” Gaia tossed something that barely resembled underwear to the side to try on later.

“What do you want to wear?” Gaia asked. “Umm, I think I just want to go to sleep until it’s time to give the vision.” I said. Gaia got a strange glint in her eye. “I know the perfect thing for you.”

Gaia picked up the thin, lacy underwear, and then showed it to me. “This is the most covering that they have in here, and you won’t be able to wear those panties you have on forever. I’ll find you a top.” The way she said top made me shiver in fear.

“You probably want to get out of Azazel’s shirt, don’t you?” Gaia asked, head first in a drawer. I looked down at Azazel’s black shirt. It was a little large width wise, and it hung past my waist.

“Actually I can just wear this to bed.” I said. “I have these pajama pants from when Azazel kidnapped me, so I’m all good to go.”

“Gaia smiled mischievously. “Fine. But I think those pajama pants are probably dirty too. Take these panties and go change in the bathroom.” She pointed to the adjoining bathroom.

When I walked out of the closet and headed for the bathroom, Abbadon called out, “Promise me you won’t drink the water. It’s poisonous.” I shivered. “Ok,” I responded.

I came out of the bathroom feeling exposed. All I had on was Azazel’s shirt and the apparently see-through panties. Gaia looked at my panties, stared with wide eyes, then glared at me.

“Oh come on! Angels don’t have pubic hair? That’s bullshit!” Gaia exclaimed. Abbadon turned toward us. He looked at me, then choked. “Oh Hell,” He said, eyes slowly turning black. Gaia glared at him. “You must’ve forgotten what Azazel said.” She threatened.

Abbadon shook his head. “I won’t do anything,” he said in a choked voice, then ran out of the room.

Gaia glared at him as he left, then turned to me. “You do look hot,” she admitted. I blushed. “Can I have some pants? Shorts at least? It’s cold.”

Gaia shrugged. “Sorry, I didn’t see any. That blanket looks warm though,” she said. I walked over to the bed and cautiously picked up the comforter as if beetles would fly out from under it. You never knew in Hell. Then I lowered my weakened body down onto it. Gaia tucked me in, and kissed my head. “Good night little fae,” she said. I was too tired to ever wonder what that meant. Then I was gone to the world of sleep.

Author's Note

As a writer, i want to know the good, the bad, and the ugly of my writing. So there is no need to sugarcoat your reviews. Be brutal, be ruthless.