Page 24 of Trust the Fall
FRICTION
The red-tinged walls of the cavernous room give me chills, even in my current stupor. Chains and other torture devices hang from the rock walls, only adding to the creep factor. This is Hell, the homeland of suffering, so I shouldn’t be surprised. But seeing it up close drives the point home and increases my revulsion.
At the front of the room is a raised dais with opulent gold-and-burgundy wingback chairs. Nolda is perched in the one positioned in the center, looking like the king atop his throne.
Except it’s all wrong.
Nolda isn’t worthy to be king.
Not even king of Hell.
He screams amateur, even wearing his true demon skin. Without his handsome disguise, he is off-putting to be sure, but no less than any other lowly demon. In the hierarchy of scare factor, he’s a solid five-point-oh. In other words, lame.
He doesn’t exude authority, which is key to holding the allegiance of the demons the master of Hell must rule over. If anything, he looks comical in the overly large chair that dwarfs him. And even more so next to the far more frightening demons seated next to him. No, he won’t rule. These higher demons will fight him after it’s all said and done to take control for themselves. It’ll be a never-ending war between the creatures of the damned.
On the right is a werewolf, who looks seconds away from lunging from the chair to snatch up something in front of him that I can’t see. Thick drool runs down his jowls as he licks a pointed canine.
To the left is a beast with two massive horns protruding from his head. His skin is a sickly yellow that appears to have been melted on one side. These two high demons are truly terrifying. I have no idea who they are, but they exude more power than Nolda, and I wonder why they’re lowering themselves to sit beside him. What’s in it for them?
Nolda stands, smiling at me from across the room as he raises his hand. The room goes silent. He motions toward me and my demonic entourage. “Our entertainment for this evening has arrived.”
The women holding my chains tug, dragging me toward the front. I’m pushed onto my knees, off to the side of the raised dais, facing out toward the tables lining the room.
In front of me, four others are seated on chairs chained to the floors. Three men and a woman who are definitely not demons.
It’s clear that two are brothers. Both have the same facial structure. Chiseled jawlines, straight, Greek-like noses, and blond hair. One sports a darker shade than the other. The man directly in front of Nolda—the angrier, fiercer looking of the two—fights against his restraints.
“Why the fuck are you holding us here, Nolda?” the man barks. “You gave me your word that I only needed to escort my brother to the door, and I could leave.”
“Well... plans changed, Julian. I needed you here.”
“I will kill you when I get loose from these chains.” He bares his teeth, and that’s when I notice the elongated canines.
Vampire.
The wolf next to Nolda growls, and the horned-demon bellows in amusement.
“Brother, don’t waste your threats. They’ll fall on deaf ears here.”
“Yes, Julian. Listen to Lawrence. Although... he’s the one who got you both in this mess. Perhaps you should aim those threats at him.”
The man referenced as Julian cuts a glare at Nolda before turning his anger on his brother.
“He’s got a point, Law,” he grinds out. “If we get out of here, it won’t be Maggie you need to hide from. I’ll help her disembowel you.”
The threat isn’t serious—it’s clear in the way Law rolls his eyes. These brothers have an affection for each other. I can feel it wafting off them. But I also feel their anger. It’s palpable. Strong. These are not human men.
“What exactly are you two doing here?” Law asks the couple seated next to him.
A middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair, handsome but otherwise seemingly inconsequential in comparison to the well-dressed vampires beside him, remains quiet.
“Can’t you cast some spell and whisk us out of here?” Law asks, sounding annoyed.
“The witches’ power is useless here. I have a friend who’s made sure of it.”
Witches and vampires... interesting.
The warlock sits next to an equally plain-looking woman I’m assuming is a witch too. They’re almost purposely understated, as though they were hoping to go unnoticed. They missed the mark. Anything less than demonic isn’t going unseen here.