Lucien got out of bed with an enthusiastic spring in his step. He was scheduled to torture a soul. Since his rise in the legion's ranks, he only had to torture a few souls once a decade or so and the task wouldn't normally give him such delight. A new soul arrived about a month ago, causing a commotion amongst the lesser demons. He would beg for forgiveness from the almighty upstairs one minute, and then boast of his conquests the next, describing in detail how he would penetrate his young victim's small bodies, making them scream for their mummies. He had the audacity to tell all who would listen, how he left them bleeding and broken while he took his pleasure.
A truly sick mind, the type Lucien had no leniency for at all. Yes, he had killed hundreds himself to strip them of their power, but most were rotten anyway and they had all been capable of putting up a decent fight. This new soul picked on defenceless children, eventually killing them for his own amusement when he tired of them. This was possibly the one thing Lucien would miss if he were ever freed from here - the torment of souls such as this one.
He entered the gates of Hell waving in greeting to Marshal and Damien, the gatekeepers, and virtually skipped his way to his assigned section. "Damn but it's hot in here today." He smiled his snake-fanged smile at the man in front of him, who had been given a solid form for his soul. "Let's start with the basics shall we? What's your name?" He didn't give the man time to answer before pushing a rusted steel knife into his thigh and twisted it. He withdrew the knife and asked again, "What's your name?" Down came the knife to bring about the agonized screams of the man before him. "I'm sorry," Lucien chuckled. "I didn't hear you. Someone was screaming in my ear."
The man continued to scream obscenities between his pants and trying to catch the breath that he no longer needed. "Arggghh, George. My name is George."
Another blow came, this time with Lucien's boot attached. It sank into the soft flesh of George's wounded leg. Lucien called for hell fire to sear the flesh from George's bones. His face and eyes were left intact so he could watch his body reconstruct. Lucien repeated his call for fire, using the flame to warm the knife blade as George's flesh reformed. He cut a thin ribbon of flesh from George's abdomen to test the blade's sharpness, peeling it away slowly to expose sinew and muscle - skinning him.
"Since you are so fond of little girls, George, I'm going to make you one." He took hold of George's penis and started sawing at it with the blunt knife. "Do you recall the name of your first, George?"
"Yes," George hissed through clenched teeth. "Please demon, have mercy. I couldn't stop myself," he begged.
"Did you really try, George? Or were you having too much fun? Now, do share the name of your first. You have been so forthcoming with so many other details already."
"Twins," he gasped as Lucien jerked the knife again, sawing to and fro. "Nieces," he wheezed, sagging forward. The ropes binding his wrists dug into his flesh, keeping him upright.
"I want names, George."
"Please. Can't think," he pleaded in agony.
"You can't think of the names of your nieces? Did they mean so little?" Lucien asked, removing the knife to pick a piece of flesh from it. "Nothing more than a temporary release, huh George?"
George wheezed through the pain as the sawing commenced again. "Adrianne," he squealed with anguish. "Callie."
Lucien stopped sawing to seek confirmation. "The Williams girls?"
George paled even more as a look of recognition crossed the demon's face. "Yes," he whispered.
Lucien's eyes took on a glazed look a moment before pure rage came over him. He began to tremble. The edge of the knife was thrust to George's throat – pressed hard enough against his adam's apple to prevent him talking. "I'm going to make sure you suffer every day for the rest of eternity. You will suffer every one of those days for what you have taken from the innocent children you have harmed." He took hold of George's penis again and with one swipe, he cut it from his body.
He felt a tug on his mind at that moment. Someone was calling his name - summoning him actually. He had no choice but to go to her. Not that he didn't want to see the beautiful and intriguing Miss Williams again, but it was going to spoil his fun.
"Marcus?" Lucien called to the lesser demon behind him. "Would you mind taking over for a time? I fear I'm needed elsewhere." He stuffed the prize in his hand so far into George's mouth that he started choking on it. "Let him choke," he told Marcus as he went to remove it. He grabbed George by the throat and squeezed, making George turn his head so he would look Lucien in the eye. "I shouldn't be too long. Marcus here is going to keep you entertained until I return."
Lucien let Callie's command guide him as he travelled up several floors and into another section of the upper levels of the underworld. He came to a stop outside a lesser demon's chambers when he heard a couple of lesser demons talking about some prize. The word 'vampire' was mentioned, catching his attention.
"Are you sure it was the master she called?" asked the first.
"Yes. Now help me hide them somewhere and you can have the little one. The vampire is mine. Do not speak of this to anyone. I do not know how she knows the master, or why she thinks he will help, but I am not risking his wrath to find out," the second replied, yanking open the door to the chamber to reveal Lucien standing on the other side.
"Master!" the second yelped in surprise. "I did not know you were visiting today. How may I be of service to you?" The second voice belonged to Zen, a cunning illusionist and head of one of the many legions under Lucien's command. He pulled the door of his chamber closed behind him as he stepped out into the hall.
"I believe you have something that belongs to me?" Lucien asked, stepping forward to reach for the door. "You should know by now that you cannot hide things from me."
"Master I am afraid you are mistaken. I have nothing of yours in my chamber." Zen hastily created an illusion masking his ally in his room so it would appear empty.
Lucien opened the door to find an empty room, but he knew what the demon was up to and changed his tactics. "My mistake," he said, feigning an apology.
He walked down several corridors, knowing that Zen would follow to make sure he left. He then doubled back, hiding around the last corner to spy on the two as they emerged from the chamber carrying a large chest. They looked up and down suspiciously. Lucien followed them from a distance, keeping to the shadows and ducking into alcoves and doorways when they glanced in his direction.
They finally came to a section of the underworld Lucien had never seen before. The archway he now hid behind served as the entrance to a large cavern that looked like it had been recently carved from the surrounding rock face. There were piles of rubble and dust scattered all around. Lying amongst the debris were two female bodies; one of them he was sure was no older than fifteen. The other was the reason for his impromptu visit. His Callie lay lifeless and pale. Her body was positioned over the younger girl, acting as a shelter.
He readied himself, spranging from his hiding place to take Zen and his companion by surprise. His fist struck Zen's face, sending him careening into the rock pile at the far side of the cavern. His attention focussed on the other lesser who knelt before him.
"Forgive me, Master. I was only doing his bidding." he cowered, with his head bowed.
"Just get out of my sight before I do something you'll regret." Lucien pointed at the arched doorway, sending him on his way with a boot to his behind.
Zen slowly got to his feet and staggered toward the door.
"Where do you think you are going?" Lucien challenged him, stretching out his hand and using his power to hold the demon in place. Zen struggled in an attempt to free himself from his master's powerful grip. Lucien closed his hand slightly and the invisible grip on Zen tightened. He raised his hand so Zen hovered in mid-air. "Now where did you find them?" he asked, pointing to the two girls.
Zen refused to talk. The grip tightened and he blabbed the entire tale. "Far above this cavern is a learning place for witches. My contact on the upper world had reneged on the deal she made with me. I have been collecting the young witches as payment for her bargain. I use my illusion to call upon the students to free a comrade who has been injured within a forbidden room, which, in turn, leads to this chamber. These two came to rescue such a maiden."
"What happened to those other witches? Where are they now?" Lucien demanded.
"I stripped them of their power and fed their remains to the flames," he choked out as Lucien's grip tightened, his temper reaching boiling point.
"You have broken the rules by taking the souls of innocents, Zen. You are herby banished."
Finally hearing all he needed, Lucien clenched his fist, effectively crushing the lesser demon, and sent him back to the flames. Unlike Lucien, he would not re-awaken in his own bed in the morning.
He used his power to pick up both girls and float them through the doorway that led to the surface. He followed behind them as far as he could. At the top of the stone steps, he gently laid Irene down just beyond the entrance. Callie remained floating just in front of him. He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. Not used to denying himself, he bent down and stole a gentle kiss - the sweetest touch of her lips against his own.
"If only I could keep you," he sighed and pushed her forward to join her friend beyond the boundary of his world and hers.