Love Begins in Hell (The Moon Journals: Part 1) Read online

  I attempted to soften my insistence. “I’m sorry. Please then.”

  “Don’t apologize. Let’s keep this on a level playing field. I’ll treat you as an equal, and you treat me as one. Okay?”

  His confidence was infectious. He didn’t have the disposition of a demon at all. My aunt had said they were horrible creatures with no feeling, no remorse, and no compassion for others.

  “Fair enough,” I whispered, only realizing a second later that I had not fully enunciated the words. Clearly this young man had not kidnapped me so why was I in his presence? Did he know who had kidnapped me? Maybe he could lead me to the person? Equals? Why would he say we were equals? My father, the Werewolf King, certainly didn’t think like that. Dante’s words and actions of kindness and hospitality thoroughly confused me. As a sign of good faith, I placed the weapons down before me on the bed, noticing in passing the letter ‘D’ carved into the blade of each knife.

  “A beauty like no other. So beautiful. Calm yourself. Calm yourself, my sweet. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.”

  “I’m sorry? What did you say?”

  Dante repeated his words for my benefit. “A beauty like no other. So beautiful. Calm yourself. Calm yourself, my sweet. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.”

  No demon would know how to practice Wolfen Magic,” I replied. I observed his new nervousness. His mood had shifted, and he refused to look at me as he continued to scratch at the table.

  “I’m not a demon. I’m a warrior.” He glanced at the ceiling, looking again at the lighted design of the dragon. “I thought we covered that?” His tone was very gentle even though I saw the muscles in his jaw twitch a few times.

  “Dante, the protector, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” I curtsied, trying to appear more of a lady than I felt as well as lighten the mood.

  The intensity of his serious face vanished, and he laughed as he stood up from the table. Watching his contentment was like observing Zeus shower the Earth with the Northern Lights when he was in a good disposition. It immediately put me at ease.

  “My mother is a sorceress, so yes I dabble in the Magics. And I bet I know more about Wolfen Magic than you do,” Dante bragged.

  “That’s probably true. I know nothing about magic. Only my wolf sense guides me.”

  “Perhaps I can teach you some.” His smile was radiant, confident, and proud. His demeanor changed frequently. Was there such a thing as a moody demon, I wondered.

  When he turned and looked directly at me, my heart splintered into a million pieces as I witnessed the expression on his face. Despite my confusion, I returned a half-heatedly crooked smile in his direction from across the room as my mouth fell open slightly, instantly forgetting why I was there. I was speechless to do otherwise. This boy demon was a vision of sheer beauty, and he wanted to help me. Moreover, he instantly trusted me. A person he didn’t know. A werewolf. He trusted me. Dante seemed like a young man wanting to become a dragon shape-shifter who already understood and wanted to be honest, loyal, and trustworthy. A person like no other. His confidence reminded me of my grandfather’s steadfast devotion to protecting the pack, something my father had not acquired according to my aunt.

  Within seconds, Dante’s dark, broody stare had transformed to a delightful, glorious appearance. That essence of light came from his heart. From what my aunt had told me, no demon could fake real concern for another. They didn’t possess it. This young man who looked a few years older than me. Nineteen. Maybe twenty. Dante, as he was called, could be a real warrior, despite his ancestry. A young man, and a developing warrior. All in one. No trace of a demon at all. I couldn’t form a single word to respond. The attraction I felt pooling up in the pit of my stomach was undeniable. But how could this be? And more importantly, why? Why would I feel an instant attraction to a different species? I instantly realized I couldn’t kill him. I couldn’t think straight. Actually I couldn’t think at all. I simply returned his gaze, letting myself be taken in by his eyes.

  Our silence intensified as I studied him. He returned my gaze without shame, looking into my very soul it seemed.

  Dante was tall with a well-toned physique, long arms and legs. He defined every square inch of his clothing perfectly – like a warrior – as he stood there watching me in his black fitted T-shirt, faded blue jeans, and bulky leather boots. None of that should have registered with me as I continued to watch him, but it did. His facial expression said it all. It was a familiar fondness as if he had known me all his life, unashamed and comforting as if I were a friend who had popped in for a visit. Despite myself, I wanted to run and jump in his arms, smothering his handsome, rugged face with kisses. He sealed my fate with his eyes. No one had ever looked at me with such desire. It overwhelmed, and I knew my life would never be the same from that day forward.

  Before I realized it, he crossed the room. In my disoriented mood, I let him pick me up and set me on his bed in front of him. To my astonishment, he knelt before me, brushing away the remaining knives to the center of the bed behind me. He let his hands linger on the ruffles of my dress, just about at my knees. Immediately rushes of warmth radiated in every direction along my upper thighs and lower legs. I swallowed hard, trying to dispose of my immediate attraction for him. Wolf, what has happened to me?

  The curse of true love.

  “I know we just met, and this is the worst way to meet someone…” The rich timbre of Dante’s voice surprised me. “But you seem like a nice, pleasant person, and I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you. Elana, I’ll get you out of here. That I can promise you, but this is a strange and dangerous place. At all times, I want you to promise; you will stay by my side. No matter what you see or hear. Do you understand?”

  I nodded, swallowing again as I attempted to not roll my eyes at the polite command in his instructions. “I’ve been around,” I challenged. “Where am I exactly?” I asked, knowing already what the answer may be.

  “I doubt you have been to a place like this. You are in Hell, the land of the demons. You probably guessed that.”

  I nodded.

  “Our land is controlled by six demons, one who is Lord Lucifer. He kidnapped you, and he’ll put you in the games where you will be hunted and killed, preferably by him or one of his brothers. He has a wall of trophies in his study featuring many of your species.”

  “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 ca
n 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.

  Chapter 3

  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?”