Falling Hard Ch 00

THIS STORY CONTAINS DESCRIPTIVE VIOLENCE, hard language, disturbing behavior, and other potentially offensive matter, and is not intended for readers who are easily offended. Sex is included, but those looking purely for sexual stimulation will not enjoy this story.

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Virta struggled through the darkness. She was bound in heavy chains and each step was harder to take than the last. Had she really thought at one time that walking was fun? That was before she was captured and forced to march down this huge maze of tunnels.

That was before she ended up in Hell.

She thought Hell would be really hot, but it was actually quite cold, at least this part of it. She shivered. The small top and skirt she wore, as breezy as they felt in Earth's summer sun, provided nothing against the chill down here.

The guards dragged her and the other captives down a dark, dank corridor, with sconces of fire lighting the way. Ominous shadows moved on the walls. She could hear anguished screams. What souls were enduring suffering down here? What had they done? Was she about to join them? And, where the hell was this place, exactly?

"So this is Hell," she muttered under her breath. Her worst nightmare had become a reality after all.

She heard a chuckle behind her and glanced back to see who it was. A man quickly moved up to walk at her side.

"Hey there. Name's Andrew," said the demon. His human body looked to be in its early 20's. "You can call me Andy."

Andy was the same height as Virta, with sandy blond hair that stuck out in different directions, and blue eyes that looked as if they missed nothing. He was on the thin side, and had a few bruises and cuts on his face.

"What do you want?" she hissed.

"Testy are we?" he said. "And no, this ain't Hell, not exactly. Think of this as a temporary holding grounds, a type of detention center for the real thing."

"What are you talking about? It seems like Hell to me. It gets worse?"

He shrugged.

"You're Virta, right?"

She didn't answer. How did he know her name?

His smile was mischievous.

So, another damned mind reader. Everyone but me has some kind of power, she thought with a roll of her eyes.

"It's nice to meet you, Virta. I only wish it was under better circumstances; somewhere with a better climate. The lighting's not bad though. And you're already chained. Just need a bed..."

His voice was quirky, with humorous undertones that might have been endearing in some other place. Here, in Hell, it just got on Virta's nerves.

She glared as she saw his eyes traveling the lines of her clothing. She knew he was getting an eyeful with the cold chill puckering her nipples through the thin, clingy top. Her bare legs entertained his gaze for a while before he finally worked his way back up to her angry eyes.

"Don't talk to me if you don't have anything useful to say." Her voice was harsh, but she didn't care.

Virta almost tripped, but managed to keep going as the pull on her chains increased.

Andy gestured toward the big, brawny guards. "At least we know where they're taking us."

She narrowed her eyes. "We do? Where ARE they taking us?"

"What, you don't even know the basics? Didn't pay any attention in your classes?"

She ignored the way he was shaking his head at her.

"Why are you in here?" she snarled.

"We'll get to that. But I find it far more interesting why YOU'RE in here. I heard the guards talking. I know their language."

He flashed her a smug smile. "You're the one that signed that contract, right? Gave the demon your soul? I mean, sorry kid, but that was just... SO dumb!"

He seemed to rethink his remarks from the look on her face, because he hastily added on, "Hey at least you bypassed the Mines, too. It could always be worse."

Virta didn't speak for a moment, just kept moving along, trying to get her thoughts together.

"I deserve this, though" she muttered. "I'm not innocent. The people who end up here had to have disobeyed... sins, evil, betrayal... right? I mean, what's good, what's bad? And who decides these things?"

Andy smiled. "Going philosophical? Won't be the first person down here to do that."

Virta was quiet again. She felt sick to her stomach from anxiety, from the utter hopelessness of her situation.

She was thirsty; her tongue felt like it had swollen up and was sticking to the roof of her mouth. Nobody would give her any water. The guards had ignored her requests.

Virta clenched her eyes shut as though she could block out the visions of what was in store: more torture that probably made Medic's methods look quaint, even charming.

Despite the cold, she was exerting herself on the brisk walk, and salty sweat beaded on her face and around her lips. She could taste it.

Thoughts of Athan went through her mind: his black, demonic eyes; his full lips on hers and on every inch of her body; her fingers running through his tousled dark hair, his hands caressing her with skillful touches; their bodies pressed together...

It made the ache in her heart that much worse. She missed him terribly.

Things had definitely not gone according to plan up there. It had happened quickly, and not at all like she'd imagined. Instead, she'd just looked on helplessly as her demon boyfriend was apprehended by his worst enemy and she was dragged into Hell.

That last glimpse she'd had of Athan, he was being taken away by the General. What were they doing to him? Was he even alive? No, she couldn't think of that.

But another terrible thought went through her mind: what if this was Athan's contingency plan? Maybe he'd put in orders for her to be taken away if she didn't follow through on her end of things. Maybe he thought she'd betrayed him in the end.

Athan was efficient, and she was just a loose end that he'd want to tie up before he left.

She lifted her eyes.

It was hopeless. She was trapped here forever.