A Legacy of the Damned: Daughter of Astaroth

Chapter 28 - Party at Astaroth's

I follow Astaroth's butler, Viktor down the Italian marble staircase.

When we reach Astaroth's palatial basement, he leads me toward a long hallway with arched ceilings and dripping crystal chandeliers. My anxiety level increases.

At the end of the hallway, there's an ominous-looking black wooden door with gold markings that I dread. Beyond that door is Astaroth's true lair. The belly of the underworld.

I swallow a panicky lump in my throat. For a split second, I'm picturing myself running out of the mansion, screaming. Not that I would make it past Viktor if I tried.

Fun fact; Outwardly, Viktor might look like a harmless if somewhat disdainful, thin old gentleman in a distinguished black suit, a white shirt and vest, and a black bow tie. But that's all just a glamour designed to fool the humans' eyes. Viktor is an Abishai, one of hell's creatures. His real form resembles a skinny gargoyle or a reptile with sharp claws, black scaly skin, and a fanged jaw that could crush bones.

But Viktor stops before we reach the end of the hallway and pushes open another door to our left and I almost sigh in relief. The sounds of people talking and laughing and the clangs of cutlery and dishes drift out as soon as the door is opened.

He bows and sweeps his hand toward it, signaling me to proceed.

It's a lunch party of sorts. There are at least twenty people sitting around a big oblong dinner table full of delicious and decadent food. Each of them is attended by their own servers in skimpy outfits.

I can see that most of the guests are humans and they seem to be enjoying themselves immensely. If only they could see the true form of the servers. These are Astaroth's lowly entertainers from the underworld. The bottom feeders. Let's just say that decaying corpses are better-looking and preferable companions than these creatures.

My eyes meet the brooding gaze of my brother, Damien. He's sitting back in his chair, not eating, not talking. He's not expecting me and he's clearly not happy to see me.

My father, however, seems very pleased to see me. Pleased but not surprised. "My daughter, Danica," he says, getting up and suddenly, the whole room hushed.

I sweep my gaze quickly around the table and swallow the bile that rises up my throat at the sight of Mr. Pappalardo. He's sitting a few seats away from Astaroth and his lips are making a wet smacking sound as he chews while leering at me. He makes no attempt to hide a fact that there is a minion crouching under the table at his crotch. How disgusting.

"You've never introduced me to this daughter of yours, Asta," says a man who is sitting next to Damien. "She's stunning. I would very much like to..."

"She's mine!" growls Pappalardo, pounding the table with his beefy fist.

"You're repulsive!" I can't help hissing at him.

Pappalardo laughs as though I just said something funny. "You're going to love me," he sneers. "You're coming home with me tonight and I'm going to make sure that you're worth the price I'm paying for you."

Fury rises inside of me, turning my eyes red. My hands itch to destroy the table and scratch his revolting face.

"Danica!" barks Astaroth and I instantly stand back down. The fire in me dies. "Come with me," he says and like a well-trained dog, I follow him out.

The sound of their voices fades as soon as Viktor closes the door behind us.

Soon, I find myself standing inside Astaroth's office.

The room looks deceivingly normal. It's spacious and there is a big mahogany desk facing the door.

A thick red Persian rug covers the floor and there is a floor-to-ceiling mahogany bookcase filled with leather-bound books on one wall and a mirror next to it. There is a fireplace dominating the opposite wall and above its mahogany mantel is a huge gold-framed painting of Astaroth.