Prologue
Not many of you who read this will have been to hell and back. In fact no one has been to hell and returned to tell the tale. I can't promise that none of this is true, actually I shouldn't be writing this, but I trust you humans to believe that this is only what it appears to be, a story. So here goes.
My name is Evelyn Ashburn and my father is the devil.
Before you judge me and say "oh she's the devils daughter she must be evil." Just listen to my story.
"Eve!" Isa yelled through the bathroom door. "Come on we only have so much time to get you ready!"
I wrapped a towel around my head and opened the door. There stood my brothers and sisters.
My father has 666 children. Of them, there are 6 who are girls, the rest are boys. My sisters and I are the most adored things in all of hell. Can't say why, sure we're beautiful and kinder than our father but we are dangerous.
"Ugh!" My brother Errol scoffed. "What are we going to do with your hair? Azula! Please get the dryer we need to have this dry for what I plan to do with it."
My sister Azula grabbed the machine, holding the end of the cord with one hand and the handle in the other. Her eyes lit up and sparks flew from her fingertips, powering the hair dryer that she set to work on my hair.
Each daughter of Satan is blessed with a gift, if you can call it that. One of the six terrors of hell fire, ice, acid, lightning, poison, and the touch of death.
"Mortain can you pick out something for her to wear?" Errol asked. "I need to work on her face."
Mortain nodded and started going through my large stone wardrobe.
My eldest sister is Mortain. She is gifted with the touch of death, the most powerful of the six terrors and self explanatory. One touch and you will die, slow, quick, whatever way she chooses. The sweetest way to die from her is a kiss, the name kiss of death came from her. She is solemn, tall, dark hair, skin so pale you would think she is dead. Her eyes are black pits of knowledge wisdom. Easily the wisest of all of us. She is my teacher, the person I got to with all of my questions. Tonight she was wearing a slim black number that touched the floor. Her black hair was free and strait down her back. The long sleeves, rounded neckline, and hem were encrusted with diamonds.
Yes, real freaking diamonds.
"Virus, help Mortain, make sure it's not depressing."
Virus laughed. "Sure thing Errol."
"Why would I pick something depressing?" Mortain drawled.
Everyone laughed at that.
My second eldest sister is Virasa. We just call her Virus. She has the gift of poison. One touch, scratch or kiss, and she can inject any poison into your system, killing you in any of a thousand ways. She is also skilled with potions, she is our healer, whenever I cot a cut or a scrape she healed me and patched me up, like all of our other sisters. She is my role model, more like my mother than any of them, she is plumper than the rest of us, more curvy and pear shaped, she has thick auburn hair, poison green eyes that are kind and loving and sun browned skin the color of honey, though she rarely goes up to the surface. Tonight she was wearing a flowing green dress the same color as her eyes, it was shorter and ended just past her knees, accenting her wide hips and large breasts. It had thick straps and sparkled with tiny emeralds. Her hair was curled in big soft ringlets.
"Her hair is done Errol." Azula crowed excitedly. Releasing the smoking machine. Most electric machines tended to do that after a while of her pure electricity flowing through its cables.
My third sister is Azula. She is gifted with lightning, through her eyes and fingertips she can shoot bolts of golden lightning. Her gift is the most like mine, she helps me practice and control my own gift. Azula is thin, short from her Peruvian mother, long straight golden hair, mocha skin and golden eyes, bony cheekbones, all of her features are at sharp angles making her look a bit scary, but I love her all the same. She is the more explosive sister, she gets angry more than any of us at the slightest jab. Impatient with everyone except me. But she is the fun sister as well, full of energy and can't ever stand still. She was wearing a short, tight dress of pure gold cloth, strapless, and just long enough to cover her, but it did expose her lovely chest and shoulders and dainty legs. Her hair was also left loose down her back, we couldn't get her to sit still for much more than that.
"Fabulous!" Errol cheered. "Now Isa you take over her makeup, I'm sure you can manage."
"I'm hurt that you would ever doubt me." My favorite sister said playfully as she started smearing and puffing the fancy makeup on my face.
My fourth oldest sister is also my best friend. Ignisa, the Acid princess. One touch will melt your skin like butter in a pan. She is my girlfriend, the person I tell all of my secrets, the one who I have the most fun with, we play pranks together, laugh, braid each other's hair like giggly human girls. She is tall, slim, yellow eyes, black skin from her African mother, but wild red hair like fire. Sure the combination of colors is a bit odd but she is beautiful like all of us. The was wearing a deep blue dress that wrapped around her neck and led down, dipping into her ample cleavage a bit and exposing her back down to her waist. It hugged her slim waist and swirled out at the hips, flowing down to stop at her knees. Her red hair was carefully pinned up in curls.
"Done, Errol." Isa chirped. "She is gorgeous."
I laughed. "Of course I am! How could I not be with my wonderful family helping me?"
"Here, Errol." Virus sang. "We found the dress."
"Perfect!" Errol cried. "I'm done with her hair, you girls put it on, but mess up her hair and I'll murder you all!"
Isa snorted. "He wishes." But they were still careful helping me into my dress.
When I was ready they called my brothers back in and we turned to my last sister.
"Can you make us a mirror dear?" Virus asked kindly.
Glacien grunted and set to work, building a chilly ice frame with a smooth glassy surface that reflected back to us.
Glacien. The sister closest in age to me but as different as fire and ice. My sister is literally the Ice princess. Snow and ice come out of her hands and she can blow out a roaring bonfire with nice icy breath. She makes blizzards, freezes towns and humans into ice sculptures for her room. I would call her evil but it's not true, Papa doesn't allow her to do that, it would be too suspicious. She is icy pale, her skin is always freezing to the touch, white hair and cold blue eyes, tall and slim, she is the only sister who does not adore me. She likes me well enough but she is jealous of me. Tonight she was wearing a long sleeved light blue dress that sparkled and shimmered like snow, cutting down her back to her waist. It started a light blue at her shoulders but gradually turned white as it traveled down her slim curvy frame. Her hair was braided to the side and glitter covered her eyes and cheeks. She looked like an evil ice queen.
I looked in the mirror and smiled.
I am Evelyn Phoenixborn, Princess of Fire, and the sixth daughter of Satan, but everyone calls me Eve. I am five feet tall, I have soft dark skin from my Indian mother, long black hair to my waist because no one could bear to cut the shiny locks. I have a heart shaped face, high cheekbones, slim eyebrows and long curled lashes that frame my large amber eyes. Eyes that glow red when I get angry. A curvy body and small little feet that make me a bit clumsy. I run at an unusually hot temperature, and I can make fire shoot from my hands. When I was younger and just coming into my powers I would sneeze and burst into flames like a living bonfire.
Glacien had to hose me down with ice like a fire extinguisher. She enjoyed that very much.
But tonight I was gorgeous. My hair was curled and braided in an elaborate style that framed my face, the dress I was wearing was fire. It was strapless with a sweetheart neckline, the tight satin bodice was red, sparkling with blood red rubies, the skirt flowed down unevenly to the left, waves of multicolored silk layered it making it look like the many colors of flame, orange, pink, red, scarlett, and yellow.
I giggled and spun, the skirt flared and looked like I was on fire. It was beautiful.
"Oh! Look at her!" Errol gasped, fanning himself like a premadonna. "She's so beautiful! I think I'm gonna cry."
"Get a hold of yourself man." Erik laughed, slapping him on the back. "Even all done up and pretty she's still our little dragon." Erik poked me in the side as he grinned and I smacked him away.
Edmund took my hand and twirled me around, a soft smile on his face. Then he stopped me and tilted my chin up pressing a kiss to my forehead. "You are incredibly lovely, bella fiamma."
Erik, Edmund, and Errol. All about the same age, tall, movie star hot, and have glowing red eyes. My brothers are like girlfriends to me in a boy way, they take care of me and have been there for me all of my life. They have been assigned to me to guard me day and night. The only way I can tell them apart is through their hair and personalities.
Erik is the shorter of the three (if six foot five can be considered short), with black hair, dark African skin, and is the happy fun one. He cracks jokes and is always ready to make me laugh.
Edmund is the more protective, he cares more about my being safe than happy. He has brown hair, creamy skin, and is the tallest. He is Italian and calls me a lot of pet names, like bella fiamma, which means beautiful flame. He wants me to be happy but would rather me be safe first.
Errol is gay. No way around it. Middle hight, blonde hair, bronzed skin, and a gorgeous smile. He is a total cowboy too, southern accent strait from Louisiana, but gay as a fairy. He helps Isa braid my hair and takes me shopping and helps me with outfits. He is very emotional and so happy go lucky that it's adorable.
My sisters each have three brothers who guard them, I don't see them as much, but I don't doubt they are there.
"It is time to go." Mortain intoned. Her smile and slightly brighter eyes was the only thing that showed her excitement.
I took one last look at my childhood room. The walls were a soft rose, a large fireplace of white marble laced with silver dominated the far wall, it was big enough for me to lay in (trust me I would know. I have to when I get injured). On the right wall was my great four poster bed, draped with pink and rose drapes and a red satin bedspread. My floors were pink marble and my wardrobe and dresser were made of white marble. The left wall had a white vanity with an oval mirror that my sisters had draped with red silk. And a door that lead to my pink marble bathroom.
I really hate pink.
I turned away without another look.
We walked down the halls of my fathers' castle. It was a long procession. Me and my brothers, my sisters led the way in order of age. Putting me at last. Each of us was surrounded by our brother guards. One in front and two in back. Edmund had my front and Erik and Errol were behind me.
The halls had tall vaulted ceilings encrusted with all colors of gemstones and crystals. We were in the west wing. The whole wing of the castle housed all 666 children of Satan. The east wing held the damned souls from the mortal realm. Held in various torture rooms, some were worse than others. Some were no more uncomfortable than a human prison cell. No food was given because they are souls. Souls don't need food. The north wing was for all of our fathers concubines, those women don't matter because they die as soon as they give birth to my reincarnated brothers.
My brothers cannot die. They do die, but are reborn from one of the concubines with full memories, they grow quickly. Immediately after birth the boys are put in acceleration chambers of some odd kind of fluid for two days and it grows them back to their normal selves.
Yeah it's gross but that's life.
Most of my brothers are fighting in the war. The daemon angel war. Those slimy angels trapped my fathers daemons in another place called Ether and are constantly fighting us. My brothers are generals of the hundreds of thousands of daemons.
But for tonight all of my brothers were here.
The walk to the great hall was about a mile. I was glad Errol had put me in my tiny red silk flats with little rubies on them. The walk was tiring but I never complained.
We arrived at the great hall on time. The hall was massive. The size of a football stadium and so tall you couldn't see the ceiling. The floor was polished obsidian so shiny that everyone was reflected down with perfect clarity. The walls were a glowing red stone and beside them were thick stone pillars that were black save for the polished diamonds embedded into the surface. Between each pillar there was a portrait of Papa, my brothers, or my sisters. There were a few of me as well. At the middle of the hall against the east wall was a giant dais of obsidian, on it sat seven chairs. The middle one was a large throne of red stone trimmed in obsidian, on which sat my father.
My father....how do I explain my father. Tall dark and handsome? Yeah that sums it up pretty well. He was tall, about seven feet, and a mop of long black hair fell to his shoulders. He had glowing red eyes and pale skin, a blindingly white smile and a pointed black goatee. Tonight he was wearing an all red suit with a black tie.
All of my brothers were wearing black suits with red ties, except for those who guard the princesses. They were wearing suits to match the dress of their assigned sister. Edmund, Erik and Errol were wearing black suits and pants, with red shirts, amber waistcoats, and black bow ties.
Papa stood up. "My daughters!" His voice was honey smooth. "Girls please come sit." He looked at me. "Evelyn, come here child." I walked up the obsidian steps after my sisters and knelt before the devil.
"Look at me my dear."
I looked up and smiled, unable to keep a strait face.
"Ah, you have become a woman in so little time Evelyn. It saddens me to see that you are no longer a child, but my heart warms to see how beautiful you have grown." He let me rise and I wobbled a bit, but he caught me. A large grin on his face, "and how graceful you have become."
I blushed at that while Erik snickered silently behind his hand. Edmund whacked him upside the head without a break in his composure.
"Today you become a woman, and take your place among your sisters." He lead me to a chair on the far right. It was a small, little girls' chair made of cherrywood and cushioned with pink pillows of satin.
I frowned at the childish chair. My sisters each had a chair that resembled them. Mortain's was cast iron and silver. Virus's was solid emerald and gold. Azula's was made of copper, a great conductor of electricity, she liked to use it as a torture chair. Isa's was a mixed blend of solid sapphires and opals. I don't know how they did that but I was looking right at it. Glacien's was made of ice, naturally.
I turned to my father. "Papa? This is a little girls chair."
He laughed uproariously. "Indeed it is my child. What do you feel needs to be done to this chair?"
It needs to be burned. I thought, but I didn't want to offend Papa.
He smiled knowingly. "Go on, Evelyn."
I looked to my brothers.
Edmund nodded encouragement, Erik gave me a thumbs up, and Errol had a smile on his face a mile wide.
Oh what the hell. I thought, I could feel my eyes glow red and I torched the silly pink chair with my gift. The flames roared so high and hot that a human would have been killed.
Papa laughed, and put an arm around my shoulders. "Well done Evelyn, well done!"
The flames soon dissipated and in its place was a beautiful amber and obsidian chair.
I grinned. "Now that's better."
Papa smiled at me, pride shining in his red eyes. "Have a seat my daughter." He said with a flourish.
I sat in the chair, it was surprisingly comfy for stone.
Then my brothers came up with two boxes. Erik held a gaudy pink box, Errol held a smooth red and black box, and Edmund knelt at my feet.
"Sister," he said reverently, his head bowed. "We have watched you from infancy, guarded you, protected you, played with you, and done what's best for you all through your childhood." Edmund took the horrid pink box from Erik and opened it. It was empty. Edmund took off my shoes one after the other and placed them in the box.
"Today we watch as you leave childhood behind and us with it. Letting innocence burn away like fog on a sunny day." Erik said seriously, a first for him, as he lit the pink box with my child shoes in them.
Errol brought forth the red and black box and opened it. Revealing a pair of strappy red heels, delicate and beautiful, the thin straps dotted with rubies and orange crystals that lit up like fire.
Edmund stood and backed up as Errol expertly placed the shoes on me, and said, "We ask that you let us swear ourselves to guard you again as a woman, not a child."
Once the shoes were on all three brothers knelt before me.
I stood. "Do you swear to be my sworn brothers?" I asked.
"I do." They said together.
"Do you swear to love me, protect me, and be there for me until the end of time?"
"I do."
"Do you swear to vanquish my enemies, keep my secrets and protect my heart?"
"I do."
"Then I accept your vows and name you my Brother Guard. Rise and stand beside me."
My brothers took their places around me. Errol on my left, Erik on my right, and Edmund behind me.
Papa came towards me. Stood next to me and looked out over the crowd of his sons. "People of Hell, my subjects, my prisoners and my children. I give you Princess Evelyn Phoenixborn, the princess of fire, and the sixth daughter of Satan!"
Everyone cheered and clapped as I took my seat and Papa took his.
Best birthday ever. I thought.
Hey guys! I am very excited for this book and all of your wonderful feedback (JK no one gives me any) so I hope you comment on any wonderful or horrid things you see in my book. Even if you hate it please please PLEASE tell me why!
Thanks :)