Love Begins in Hell (The Moon Journals: Part 1) (3 page)

“What?” I screamed. 
My younger sister.  My aunt.  My blood instantly went cold.

“Shhh.  Someone will hear you.”  He clamped his hand over my mouth.  We fell onto the bed in each other’s arms.  He shifted his weight, and probed his body next to mine.  I could see the knives out of the corner of my vision. 
It wouldn’t be difficult to kill him from this vantage point.  Did silver affect demons the way it did werewolves?

“If you want to use those knives, I suggest you go for my heart.  But it won’t do any good.  In a place like this, I lost my heart long ago.  You can’t kill me.  I can’t die.”

How far could I get if I tried to kill this demon?  Was that what he really was?  I couldn’t stand the thought of killing him, even if it didn’t work. 
My heart and soul raged at me. 
Maybe he could be an ally instead.

“Do you promise to help me escape?” I asked the question with as much innocent I could muster for a young lady, a daughter of a Werewolf King surely going mad.  My world was turning into one of kill or be killed. 
Should I kill this demon and be done with it?  Could I kill him despite his proclamations against the latter?

His hands rested on my waist.  I felt his fingertips delicately brush past the curve in my back.  It sent shivers racing up my spine.

“I will help you, Elana,” he whispered.  “I must at least try.”

“What will they do to us if we are caught?”

“Don’t worry about me.  I can handle it, but you.  I’d rather not think about what they’d do to you.”  His voice drifted off, and his light green eyes glazed over.  He turned his attention to my disarrayed dress and gently smoothed the wrinkles away.

“I can fight any demon who gets in my way,” I snapped.

Slowly he moved his hands, giving me a low grunt of disbelief.

As I flattened out the ruffles in my lap, I marveled at how warm his touch was, how satisfying and soothing.  The Wolf flashed a startlingly realization into my mind’s eye. 
Despite his inward struggles, it was obvious that this young man’s allegiance was to a greater good, not the evil permeating in this dark place.  It was clear to see that he was above that.  Dante was a good person, a warrior I had only read about in my aunt’s books, the existence of which was rarely heard of anymore.

As Dante paused near the bed, I asked, “Could you help me find some clothes I can travel in, please?”

“Of course.  I apologize.  You can’t travel in this dress, now can you?  I have to say, however, blue suits you well.”  He chuckled again, this time with a sincerity he had lacked before.  Whisking me off the bed, he headed for the closet, never once letting go of my hand.

“Actually it’s azure, not blue.”

“It’s not the same color?” he asked as he deposited me in front of the doors to the closet.

“Not when it comes to Mori Lou dresses, no,” I clarified.

He arched an eyebrow at me, standing over me.  “Mori who?”

“Never mind,” I replied, quickly realizing Dante was not current with high fashion in Werewolf society.

Then he grew serious and his eyes gleamed a meadow green.  “Do as I say.  Follow my lead and you’ll be home before you know it.  Agreed, Elana?”

“Agreed.”  Hearing his congenial, yet authoritative tone, I gritted my teeth.  I didn’t have any options.

The Journey Begins

Dante led me through a secret door in the closet of his bedroom I was surprised I had not found.  We followed a long staircase down along a cave made of red stone that was hot to the touch.  I felt clumsy and awkward wearing his oversized clothes, which consisted of a dark green jacket, a black long-sleeve shirt I tied into a knot at my waist, matching jeans and boots, and a knit cap he requested I stuff my hair under.  As the delight of smelling his wonderful scent on the articles of clothing washed over me, I tried my best to focus on the steps and stay close behind him so I wouldn’t fall against the wall.  Once the staircase ended, we stood before a four-foot steel door that didn’t seem to have a doorknob.

“How are we going to get through that?” I asked, motioning to him that both of us were taller than four feet.

For some reason, he found my question amusing.  “Like this,” he replied.

Suddenly he vanished before my eyes.  All I could see was an immense cloud of blue smoke.  Then I heard Dante’s voice.  “I’ll open the door from the other side.”

When the door flew open, he stood there, fully clothed in his long black trench coat, T-shirt, jeans, and leather boots like nothing had happened.

“Now that’s some trick.”

“I’ve got a few up my sleeve.”  He locked the door, checking the hinges and making sure all the corners of it remained secure.  I admired his tall, lean stature in the dim light.  As I glanced around to see where the light source was coming from, I realized it was from a red moon that peeked out occasionally from behind dark clouds.

“I’ve never seen a red moon,” I commented, not really expecting a reply.

“I wouldn’t expect so.  We’re near the center of the Earth.”  He paused for a moment and studied me.  “Have you been to the center of the Earth?”

“No,” I replied.

“We’re going to get going.  Have your eyes adjusted yet?”

“Almost.  Why?” I asked.

He nodded.  “We have a long distance to cover quickly.  I want to make sure you can keep up.”

“I can keep up, fanger.”  My father’s blind arrogance immediately flared up in me, a trait I instantly regretted showing off.  I bit down on my lips as I wished I had not called him the negative ‘F’ word for demon or any other supertural who sported fangs.

Dante’s pleasant disposition turned dark.  Momentarily, I took a step backwards, waiting to see what he’d do next.  Being low on energy, I’d be unable to summon the Wolf in a moment’s notice if he attacked me.

“Let’s get something straight, Elana,” he said.

“I meant no offense,” I offered gently, hoping to derail a fight. 
I needed this guy on my side.

He sighed loudly and took my hands in his.  The warmth of his touch startled me and I felt that spark again.  I studied his hands enveloping mine for a moment.  In the low light, I couldn’t see the details of his wonderful long fingers, but I felt the strength, the raw energy charging through them.  I was helpless to move as he towered over me and held me in his clutches.  For a fleeting moment, fear surfaced in the back of my throat.  I wanted to scream, yank my hands away, even if I didn’t flee with both of them.  I wanted to tell this guy I needed no one’s help, especially his.  I was on a mission.  I had to find my sister and aunt.  And yet, I couldn’t move.  His presence overwhelmed me.  His touch soothed me.  His brooding stare mesmerized me.  He was the essence of the Legend of Divine Dragon Warriors I had read about, the stories my aunt had shared with me as a child.  The Divine Dragon Warriors were a select group of shape-shifting individuals who fought for justice.  My aunt had favored all supernatural creatures that fought for the well-being of others, not the demons who only understood pain, torture, and death.  Dante was different.  In the short time I had known him, I already understood that.  Aunt Elizabeth’s words filtered through my mind.
  “We have a lot to learn from them as well, Elana.”

When he spoke, Dante’s voice flooded my sense again.  “I know we don’t have much time, so I’d like to ask for your respect.  I actually need your help.  If you want to get out of here, I would expect you’d want to help me, right?”

“I was rude.  I shouldn’t have…”  Dante cut me off, continuing his dialogue.

“Yes, I’m a fanger, but there is a difference between me and the demons here.  Some people here fight for good, not evil.  I fight for good.  You must understand that now.  Just because you are from the Garden doesn’t mean you are the only one fighting for good.  We’re here, in the trenches every day, fighting for our salvation and yours, for the humanity of our worlds.  If the demons ever find their way to the surface and extinguish the light on Earth, it’ll be all over.  Surely you can understand that, Elana?”

Hearing his declarations of justice astounded me.  I had found an ally and I understood his concerns only too well.  He didn’t know it, but we were on the same side. 
He’s one of us,
I told the Wolf.  My heart exploded a second time.  Each time he addressed me by my name, it collapsed my very soul.  This guy who I had known for as many hours as I could count on one hand spoke to me as an equal.  Me, the kidnapped victim.  Me, the werewolf seeking my relatives.  I wasn’t as innocent as I wanted Dante to believe.  And he wasn’t as haughty as I wanted to presume him to be.  Few joys existed for me since my sister and aunt had gone missing.  We were all in trouble because of my father’s new wife.  His heart grew darker by the day because of her, and I knew I had to stop it.  It was true, what my aunt had said to me the last time I saw her.  He’d follow my stepmother to a very dark place if someone did not stop them.  And that would mean war.  My world wasn’t so different from his.  Perhaps the Moon Goddess did have a plan for me after all, as my aunt had said.

Deciding to make a bold statement and seek Dante’s affection, I pushed my body into his.  At first, our clasped hands rested just above my shoulders, but I found my way into the side of his neck, letting my head rest there.  Dante was several inches taller than me at my stature of 5’ 6”.  Then just as quickly as he had gathered my hands in his earlier, he wrapped his arms about mine.  His moves were faster than my vision could understand.  I relied on feeling his touch instead. 
His embrace felt too right to be wrong
, I told myself.

When he finally spoke, Dante’s voice was only a whisper, but crisp and clear.  “If I can do this, if I can get you out of here, I’ll have saved at least one person.  I couldn’t save the others, but maybe you, Elana, you will be my salvation.”

My entire body went rigid in his arms.  “What do you mean?”

“This is part of the demons’ game.  It’s the hunt that entices them.  When Lucifer brings an unsuspecting person here, he sets a new path for them across this wasteland.  If they fail to make it to the next level, they die.  We have to get to the river before they find us.”

“How do you know he’s after us?”  I asked as I looked into his glistening green eyes.

“Trust me.  I know.  In his mind, the Season of the Games has already begun.  And if he has realized you aren’t in my rooms which I suspect he has…”  His voice trailed off as he looked out across the dark horizon.  A great struggled raged in his soul.  For a long time, he remained silent.

Then finally, he embraced me again.  “Not this time.  He won’t succeed this time.”

The moment I felt his hand on the back of my neck, I moaned quietly.  The emotions in me rose to the surface.  I couldn’t control it.  And I couldn’t deny it.  I had found love in the most unlikely place, at the most unlikely time.  I remained frozen in Dante’s grasp.  If my freedom was at the hands of this demon, so be it.  If it meant losing my heart to him in the process, so be it.  I wanted to spend eternities being in this young man’s arms.  Forever.

Elana, think with your head.  This demon is the enemy too.  We must destroy them all.

For the first time in my life, I ignored the Wolf.

“I’m sorry about before.  I didn’t realize my words would hurt you, Dante.  Please forgive me.”  I swallowed down the Wolf’s words as I recognized the fact that my priorities were quickly changing.

Dante’s arms tightened closer around me.  “Just because I live among demons doesn’t mean I will stay a demon.  Haven’t you wanted to better yourself or be someone different?”

“I like who I am, Dante.”

“A wolf girl in a frilly dress?”

I considered his insult.  Maybe I was a snotty brat.  That’s what my stepmother called me.  But I didn’t care what others thought.  I was fine with who I was.  “I like being a werewolf.  Thank you very much.  I can’t think of what else I’d want to be.  A vampire?”  I sighed loudly, more for Dante’s benefit and not my own.  The idea of me having to change for someone infuriated me and I refused to do it.

“If war comes, you’ll have to think about more than your dresses and parties.  That’s all I’m saying.”

I nodded, holding back a line of more insults.  Now was not the time.  “If you can help me escape, I’ll be in your debt,” I stated.

Pulling away from me as he gazed into my eyes, he tucked a portion of my long blonde bangs under my cap again.  He searched my face for answers.  A million problems seemed to be knotted up behind his eyes.  His brows drew together in an agonized expression.  “You don’t owe me anything.  This is between me and Lucifer, not you.  These games must end now.  I know that now.  He’ll never stop unless someone steps in.”

His discourse didn’t seem directed at me.

“I can say that I only wish we had met under more favorable circumstances because I fear that when you leave you will be taking my heart with you,” he added.

Tears rose in my eyes and I pressed my face into his chest.  “I’ll keep it safe, Dante.  I promise.  But first I must tell you something.”  After realizing he had just handed his heart over to me, I decided to come clean and tell him everything.  My charade of the silly party girl was wearing thin and my emotions were all over the place.
 Would Dante understand?