The hallway seemed to stretch on for miles as they walked. Her steps were brisk, putting her a few feet ahead of her mother. The five inch heels of her black stilettos clicked against the dark tile. God, she felt like a freaking skyscraper! The small, translucent lace panties that showed off her long stems didn't exactly make her feel any more comfortable. People always said she had the legs of a model. Right now she wished those legs would turn her around and start running. But alas, she was stuck with her mother following a Rage demon down the massive corridor to the bedchamber where she would spend her first night. With a cannibalistic prince, no less. An idea that put a scowl on her lovely face.
The tight waist of the bustier didn't help her mood, either. Jet black with red velvet laces up the sides and back, it crushed her ribs and pushed her breasts up to her chin. She hated it. Her mother had laced the damn thing too tight. She couldn't quite catch her breath in it, making her feel like she was drowning. She would give it some credit, however. As uncomfortable as it was, at least it made her small chest seem larger.
She crossed her arms over the bodice, uncomfortable with showing this much skin. The thin black robe that railed behind her like a cape was the only thing she was given to make her feel more comfortable. It didn't help much, but it was something. She'd never been comfortable with her body, much less her sexuality. Her mother, in all her infinite wisdom, had miraculously forgotten to explain to her the dynamics of sex. She learned most of her information about human anatomy from playing with her dolls.
"Why didn't you tell me one of them was a cannibal?" She looked back at her mother, scowling.
"It's not my place to tell you which prince to choose. That is a choice
you
have to make." Her mother made an apologetic face.
"You could have at least warned me what he was before I went out there and picked him!" She whipped her head back, glaring at the back of the Rage demon in front of her.
"Would you have wanted me to tell you which was the necrophile, too?"
She screeched to a halt, wheeling to face her mother. Her mouth gaped open. "Which one was that?!"
"The blonde one on the far left. He kept winking at you."
A shiver of revulsion shot through her. Cannibal or necrophile?
One that kills you and eats you or one that kills you then sleeps with you?
She didn't know which could be worse. "You wouldn't have actually let me sleep with
him,
would you?" She gave her mother a frantic look.
Her mother shook her head. "I wouldn't have had a choice. We must follow Hell's rules."
"Fuck the damn rules!" She shouted. "Those stupid laws are going to get me stuck here with a cannibal price or a necrophile or God knows what else!"
"Kara, we have to play their game. Remember that you could be killed for not obeying the laws." Her mother's voice was condescending, making her mood even more foul.
"And I could ask a Greed demon to devour you." She muttered the thought under her breath.
"I'm just trying to help, sweetheart." She felts her mother's hand on her shoulder, a sad excuse for comfort.
"You're doing a horrible job." She shrugged, trying to break contact with her mother.
The hand slid from her shoulder. Staring straight ahead, she watched out of the corner of her eye as her mother hung her head. She sighed inwardly. She didn't like being so harsh with her mother, but it was her mother who brought her here in the first place. If she had just kept her at home, the demons would have eventually found her, but it probably would have been after she'd graduated college. Her mother's strict following of rules had made Kara erupt more than once. This just happened to be the Mount Vesuvius of explosions.
The hallway turned, leading to a dead end of blood-stained bricks covered in carvings of tortured souls. At the end of the hall stood an enormous door carved with scenes of Cerberus devouring the souls of those damned to Hell for their gluttony. The bricks that outlined the door were covered in scenes depicting the lower circles of Hell.
Oh, this was going to be fantastic.
The Rage demon pounded on the door, signaling their arrival to those on the other side. She pulled the thin robe round her, trying to hide her form from prying eyes. A deep rumbling voice called them to enter. She dropped her hands to her sides, defeated. No chance of going back now
Her mother's hand rubbed her back. "I'm sure he'll go easy on you."
She looked at her mother, desperation in her eyes. "You think so?"
Her mother gave her a cheery smile. "Oh, come on. He can't be
that
bad."
"But you said he was a cannibal. What if he decides to eat me?" Her eyes were wide with worry.
Her mother giggled at her fear. "Well, he might. That depends on what you want."
Kara's eyes nearly popped out of her skull. "What?!"
Her mother, seeing her face, quickly attempted some damage control. "No! No! Not like
that
, Kara! He won't actually devour you. He'll just..."
Kara's face softened for a moment, a look of confusion crossing her features. That confusion was replaced by a look of understanding, then absolute horror. She blushed furiously, her eyes darting to the floor.
The door swung open. Darian, the young prince she had chosen earlier, was standing in the middle of a cavernous room with his father at his side. He was wearing nothing but a pair of black jeans. His muscular chest and abdomen had been cleaned and painted a deep gold. The same gold paint shimmered on his strong arms. His chiseled face was upturned, eyes closed, his breathing slow. A thin, whip-like tail -where did
that
come from?!- snapped back and forth furiously.
The enormous demon crossed the room with thunderous steps, placing his hands on his son's shoulders. "Remember, Darian. She is
not
food."
