Thud.
The people in the pit sneer as they look up at her. As if on cue, they start trying to climb from the pit, their gazes set on Lisa. Realizing what’s about to happen, she screams out as she tries to fight her restraints.
Thud.
Hands begin to crest over the top of the pit as people attempt to pull themselves up. Other hands pull them back down; people trying to climb over people, just to fall back into the pit.
Thud.
Lisa looks over as a beast begins to come into view. Her breath escapes her lungs as she takes in his size.
Thud.
All sound begins to die down as he approaches. He’s as tall, if not taller, than the Empire State Building. His skin is a red tone with black ash smeared across his bare chest. His muscles ripple as he walks towards her.
Thud.
His irises are completely blackened and his snout exhales smoke; the head of a bull and the body of a man, the creature’s horns extend from his head and curl up to a sharp point; black leathered wings extend out from his shoulder blades; his mouth opens and he emits a loud, blood-curdling scream; fire shoots from his lips.
Thud.
He makes his way towards the pit. The demons guarding it back away, cowering in fear. Looking down at the souls inside, smoke emits from his snout and floats down over their bodies. Screams and cries of agony reach a new height and he reaches in, running his hand along their battered bodies. Grabbing as many as he can, he squeezes his palm as if he raw meat were between his fingers. He brings his hand towards his mouth and Lisa screams, closing her eyes.
Thud.
As the beast makes his way closer to her, fear erupts through her. Her heart is racing to the point of explosion. The fear of the execution just before it takes place is a constant in her body now. Her chest heaves as she cries. The beast rises in front of her. She screams as she sees his snout is covered with blackened mucus. His teeth are rotted and his fangs are exposed as his lips pull back in a snarl. He exhales, blows smoke from his nostrils, and everything goes black.
Panic setting in, she strains her eyes in hopes to see again. She screams out as fear consumes her. A piercing pain stabs through her stomach, and claws slash over and over again through her body. She cries out into the darkness. She’s not able to see what will happen next, the moment leading up to the next assault. She knows it’s coming; she can hear it, she can sense it, she can feel its hot breath fan across her mutilated body. She wants to shut down, pass out, and do something. Is she dead? Did Samuel kill her? She must be dead. She’s in Hell.
Chapter 10
Waking up in bed, Alex looks around and takes a deep breath. Grasping his chest from the pain inside it, he sits up. Looking around his bedroom, everything is as it was the night before…his clothes lay across his chair, the bed cover still turned down.
“Lisa…” Her name is a whisper from his lips and he jumps out of bed.
Ripping through the air, he appears inside her condo. The stench of sulfur fills his nose and his hand covers his mouth. His wings extend out as he takes a few steps forward. Demon residue drips from her couch and the front door, the black sludge is smeared across the floor and hallway. Alex closes his eyes as reality sinks in…Samuel has claimed her soul; he has failed. Opening his eyes, pain and anger rip through him. Storming down the hall towards her bedroom, the door opens and Alex’s eyes widen.
Jumping back a step, he whispers, “Lisa?”
He takes a better look at who’s in front of him, the corner of her lips a sneer. “I can be, if that’s what you’d like, Selaphiel.” His hands grasp Lilith’s shoulders, pushing her hard against the wall. She sneers and the white of her eyes bleed black as she glares at him.
Her hands press against Alex’s chest and she shoves him, forcing him off her. “It’s too late, Selaphiel! She’s gone!”
“Lilith.” Alex takes a deep breath. Wanting to gag from her smell, he exhales and moves in close to her face. Seeing Lisa’s soulless body before him darkens his heart. “You shall not have her body for long.” Pushing her aside, he heads back towards the living room.
Closing his eyes, he hears Lilith coming up behind him. “What makes you think she didn’t want it?” Lilith crosses her arms over her chest as she leans against the wall. “She begged him to fuck her!”