alleyways, they reached a window identical to all the others except that it was unoccupied. Nothing but a red glow was visible inside. At R immon’s touch the door opened. He gestured for J ohn to enter.
J ohn’s trust wavered momentarily as he pictured himself trapped as a working girl for all eternity, but the idea was too silly for him to truly fear.
S tepping into the dense red light, J ohn found himself in a V ictorian study full of leather chairs, dusty books, and unwieldy furniture. The study was exactly the sort S herlock Holmes would nest in, but the figure behind the desk didn’t begin to resemble the famous detective.
This demon’s skin was the hue of black cherries. His ample body was stuffed into a tacky, houndstooth-pa erned suit, the collar of the white shirt underneath as large and wide as a palm leaf. B elow two fat horns and above a considerable double chin was a stern face, its three eyes glaring at him as he entered. J ohn recounted to be sure.
There, in the middle of the usual two and beneath the crease of a brow, was one extra eye.
He realized he was staring and quickly averted his gaze. O ccupying one of the two chairs before the desk was Dante. The succubus assigned to entertain him, Delilah, stood against one wall with a bored expression. R immon instructed J ohn that he should sit before moving to join her.
“Have fun last night?” Dante whispered like an excited school boy.
J ohn ignored him, oddly feeling as though he’d been called to the principal’s office.
That would make Dante the best friend who always dragged him into trouble. J ohn put on his best innocent expression, just in case, and waited for the Archduke to address him, as Rimmon had coached.
Asmoday examined him a moment longer, his three eyes moving independently of each other. “I trust you have found Hell to your liking?” he grumbled, his voice deep.
“Very much so,” J ohn answered. “You have been a gracious host. R immon in particular should be commended as a very capable companion.” Asmoday nodded as if satisfied. “And yet, despite your enjoyable evening, you doubt Hell’s pleasures will satisfy you in the long run?” John hesitated.
“You have nothing to fear from me,” Asmoday assured him. “Honesty is highly valued, even in the pit. I n fact, I think you will find that more truth is spoken here than in any other realm. I f I may be as direct with you as I hope you will be with me, I believe we can be of great service to each other.”
Here we go, John thought.
“You are not content here because you don’t belong here, M r. G rey. This begs the question of which realm you are suited to, for there are many more than just Heaven and Hell. I can provide you with an opportunity that will allow you to travel to many of these realms. I have no doubt that by doing so, you will eventually find your proper place in the grand scheme of things.”
Asmoday smiled, which took J ohn aback since his teeth were as black as onyx. L i le wisps of shadow curled away from each pointed tooth, giving the impression that Asmoday was exhaling black smoke. The demonic chompers were meant to intimidate as much as the words were meant to soothe, but J ohn wouldn’t let himself be cowed.
“Your concern for me is touching,” he replied, “but I don’t see anything to prevent me from travelling on my own. W hatever errands you had in mind for me are surely better trusted to one of Hell’s own.”
Asmoday’s middle eye turned to glare at R immon. J ohn hoped this wasn’t ge ing him into trouble, but he had no intention of being played like the devil’s fiddle.
“Look, just tell me what you want,” John said in the form of a truce.
The Archduke leaned back in his chair and snapped his fingers. Delilah rushed over and popped a cigar in his mouth, lighting it with a flame that burned directly from her finger. Asmoday allowed himself a few puffs while studying J ohn. W hen he spoke again, all sophistication
J ohn’s trust wavered momentarily as he pictured himself trapped as a working girl for all eternity, but the idea was too silly for him to truly fear.
S tepping into the dense red light, J ohn found himself in a V ictorian study full of leather chairs, dusty books, and unwieldy furniture. The study was exactly the sort S herlock Holmes would nest in, but the figure behind the desk didn’t begin to resemble the famous detective.
This demon’s skin was the hue of black cherries. His ample body was stuffed into a tacky, houndstooth-pa erned suit, the collar of the white shirt underneath as large and wide as a palm leaf. B elow two fat horns and above a considerable double chin was a stern face, its three eyes glaring at him as he entered. J ohn recounted to be sure.
There, in the middle of the usual two and beneath the crease of a brow, was one extra eye.
He realized he was staring and quickly averted his gaze. O ccupying one of the two chairs before the desk was Dante. The succubus assigned to entertain him, Delilah, stood against one wall with a bored expression. R immon instructed J ohn that he should sit before moving to join her.
“Have fun last night?” Dante whispered like an excited school boy.
J ohn ignored him, oddly feeling as though he’d been called to the principal’s office.
That would make Dante the best friend who always dragged him into trouble. J ohn put on his best innocent expression, just in case, and waited for the Archduke to address him, as Rimmon had coached.
Asmoday examined him a moment longer, his three eyes moving independently of each other. “I trust you have found Hell to your liking?” he grumbled, his voice deep.
“Very much so,” J ohn answered. “You have been a gracious host. R immon in particular should be commended as a very capable companion.” Asmoday nodded as if satisfied. “And yet, despite your enjoyable evening, you doubt Hell’s pleasures will satisfy you in the long run?” John hesitated.
“You have nothing to fear from me,” Asmoday assured him. “Honesty is highly valued, even in the pit. I n fact, I think you will find that more truth is spoken here than in any other realm. I f I may be as direct with you as I hope you will be with me, I believe we can be of great service to each other.”
Here we go, John thought.
“You are not content here because you don’t belong here, M r. G rey. This begs the question of which realm you are suited to, for there are many more than just Heaven and Hell. I can provide you with an opportunity that will allow you to travel to many of these realms. I have no doubt that by doing so, you will eventually find your proper place in the grand scheme of things.”
Asmoday smiled, which took J ohn aback since his teeth were as black as onyx. L i le wisps of shadow curled away from each pointed tooth, giving the impression that Asmoday was exhaling black smoke. The demonic chompers were meant to intimidate as much as the words were meant to soothe, but J ohn wouldn’t let himself be cowed.
“Your concern for me is touching,” he replied, “but I don’t see anything to prevent me from travelling on my own. W hatever errands you had in mind for me are surely better trusted to one of Hell’s own.”
Asmoday’s middle eye turned to glare at R immon. J ohn hoped this wasn’t ge ing him into trouble, but he had no intention of being played like the devil’s fiddle.
“Look, just tell me what you want,” John said in the form of a truce.
The Archduke leaned back in his chair and snapped his fingers. Delilah rushed over and popped a cigar in his mouth, lighting it with a flame that burned directly from her finger. Asmoday allowed himself a few puffs while studying J ohn. W hen he spoke again, all sophistication
Similar Books
