See You in Hell

Ritual

Ash leaned back on the obsidian cross. He never once broke eye contact with Christine. He knew how nervous she was, but she wasn't letting it show. Her hand wasn't even shaking as she picked up the dagger. Although the room was filled with high-ranking demons from the palace, Christine was only focused on Ash. Christine raised her hand, but hesitated.

"I knew she couldn't do it." Xantha muttered to Kerik from the balcony.

"Just look at me," Ash whispered, "It's okay."

Christine nodded. She brought the dagger to Ash's chest.

"It's okay," Ash repeated.

Christine's hand kept moving, even though her mind was telling her to stop. It was like she wasn't even doing it, as if she were possessed by an unstoppable force.

Ash didn't flinch as the searing hot knife cut into his skin between his scars, through layers of flesh and bone. He kept focused on Christine.

Christine didn't look down at Ash's open chest cavity. She reached down into his chest and felt for his heart. It was sticky and wet, but the muscle felt soft, like the raw meat Christine had been eating as practice.

"It's okay," Ash whispered again. "It's yours. It's always been yours."

Christine took it. Ash's eyes went black again, and rolled back in his head. He was out cold. She took a bite, blood rushing into her mouth and running down her chin. It only tasted like raw beef heart, except that it was burning hot on her tongue. She swallowed the blood in her mouth and went for a second bite. A larger bite, her teeth tore through the flesh like knives. By the third bite, Christine realized her hands had claws, her fingers had turned black, and her teeth were fangs. She continued eating, enjoying every bite of Ash's heart she had. She hadn't felt this hungry in her entire life. She couldn't get enough. And the heart tasted incredible to her.

When she'd finished, Ash's father spoke loudly in Latin.

Christine responded without thinking, and Ash opened his eyes. His chest was sealed again.

He looked at Christine with wide black eyes, and saw that she had a pair to match. He smiled breathlessly.

"You did it."

"I told you she was the one," Brinny nodded.

"Yes," Christine knew it wasn't appropriate to kiss Ash in front of everyone, so she refrained. She felt different. Ravenous, to say the least. She wanted blood. "My love?"

Ash took Christine's hand and stood up fully, wiping the blood from her chin.

"Father," he nodded, "Mother. Everyone. Thank you for coming."

Brinny smiled at Ash, and exited the room. Lucifer nodded and left behind her. Everyone filed out, and Christine followed Ash down the stone hallway to his chambers. She wanted more blood, and he seemed to know that without her telling him. As soon as they were in Ash's chambers, he pulled a bottle out of the kitchen cabinet and gave it to her.

"Drink this."

"Oh," Christine uncorked the blood wine and took a long drink. "Is this human?"

"No, it's demon blood." Ash swiped at the black blood dripping down her chin with his finger, then licked it off.

"I thought you didn't drink blood." Christine breathed heavily in between sips.

"I said don't drink human blood." Ash clarified. "And I don't. I don't like the aftertaste."

"Here I was thinking you respected humans," Christine laughed. She finished off the bottle, throwing it aside. It shattered on the floor, and Ash picked up a large shard of glass.

"Don't make a mess in my kitchen," he told her.

"I'm hungry." Christine pleaded. "More."

"Oh, mellilla," Ash smiled, "You look good in black."

Using the glass shard to cut his hand open, Ash offered it to Christine. "I'm yours, my princess."

"Mm," Christine sucked the blood from his hand. A hunger came over her like never before, and she didn't want to stop. When he started feeling weak, Ash pulled his hand away from her mouth and she pouted at him.

"Mellilla," Ash said, "You've been through a lot tonight. You should rest."

"Hush," Christine told him. "I don't want to rest. I want you."

"Oh?" Ash smiled.

Christine gazed into Ash's eyes, her own black orbs reflecting his unspoken thoughts. She could feel his desire for her, and it was intoxicating. She took his hand and led him to the large four-poster bed, the heavy drapes fluttering in the vague breeze that seemed to emanate from the very walls of the ancient chamber.

Ash laid Christine gently down, kissing her passionately as his hands roamed her body. She groaned in pleasure as his fingers found her sensitive spots, sending shivers down her spine. He was powerful, and utterly captivating as he didn't have to hold back anymore.

Christine arched her back, feeling the arousal building within her. She was no longer the quiet, unsure woman she had been when she first arrived at this foreign realm. Now, she knew she belonged here, with Ash. And she wanted to explore every aspect of their newfound connection. She wanted to eat him. Christine's ears twitched, and her hearing heightened.

"What's that noise?" she asked.

"Probably someone being tortured," Ash shrugged. He laid next to her on the bed.

Christine paused, feeling the demonic energy coursing through her veins. She'd never felt this powerful. She didn't give a shit about whoever was being tortured in the palace dungeon, even though she could hear their screams through the stone walls.

"Oh. Can we eat them?" she asked, still feeling the ravenous hunger flowing through her.

"You want fresh blood?" Ash smiled. She was so cute in his eyes.

"Yes."

"I'll be right back," Ash said. He disappeared through the door to the chamber, leaving Christine to wonder where he'd gone. In a few moments, Ash returned. The screams had stopped, Christine noticed. Ash was holding a bleeding, beating heart in his clawed hand.

"It's fresh," he told her. "Eat quick."

"Mm," Christine grunted, taking the heart from his hands and bringing it to her mouth. The flesh was delicious. "You want some?"

"Sure," Ash smiled. He tore half of the heart away from the part Christine was holding, and indulged in it.

The two of them enjoyed the feast in silence, their eyes locked on each other. Christine felt her own heart race with excitement as Ash fed her the heart, every bite making her feel more and more powerful. The change had awakened something within her, something ancient and primal that had been lying dormant for centuries.

As they finished the meal, the two of them lay there, panting and exhausted from the ecstasy that had overtaken them. Ash's hand traced the lines of Christine's neck, his lips lingering on the skin.

"You taste like fire, Mellilla. You're mine now," Ash whispered, his voice thick with lust. "As much as I am yours."

Christine didn't respond, her mind still reeling from the intensity of the encounter. She had never felt so alive, so possessed by another being. And yet, it felt like home. She was home.