Smoldered Flames: Part I of the Edonia Series
Chapter 1

Cumulus clouds glide by as I stand in a field of bluegrass. Cool air gently caressing my skin and gem colored flowers sway with the wind surrounding me in comfort. A willow tree stands off in the distance, and if by intuition, I’m drawn towards something swaying easily back and forth within its strong longer limbs. As I inch closer towards it, I realize how ginormous the willow tree actually is. Standing strong at seventy feet it easily holds a lady, who I mistakenly thought was an object, as she swings in serenity.

She turns towards me with a small smile and a nod. “Good you made it, but we don’t have long-”

“Where are we?” I interrupt. “What is this place?”

She shakes her head. “Things never change, do they? You are just like her.” Giving a small giggle she leaps onto the soft grass with quiet grace. She towers over me by six inches, dark black curls bound in a halo hairstyle, with skin the color of a beautiful deep umbre. “Listen carefully for what I’m about to tell you-”

Splash!

I gasp for breath as I rise from where I lay. Cold water soaks through my clothing and the bed as I blindly reach for my chest, only to find that my hands are bound in light silver colored cuffs. Streaks of white like broken glass give off a frosty glow. My clothes are in tattered rags and a horrid stench assaults my nose. Looking around with dim eyesight, I find myself surrounded by cold stone.

A small scuffle of footsteps echo along the stone walls. Goosebumps ran along my arms with the feeling of being watched.

“Hello?” I call out to the dark cell.

Nothing responds as the scuffling creeps closer towards my line of sight.

Suddenly a rush of ice laces through my veins, making me nearly scream in agony. Alarm bells sound in the back of my mind while the quiet mystery reveals a tall slim man. He wears a toothy grin on his thin, pale face while holding a small metal bucket.

“Who are you?” I ask, backing away from his sudden appearance. I risk a quick glance behind the creep and notice a metal door opened slightly ajar.

“Master shall be most pleased,” he says.

“What master? Where the hell am I?” I demanded, my confusion evident.

A sense of disconnect overpowers my mind. There was something I was supposed to know, but the thought escapes me.

Weird, but I can’t think of that right now.

So instead, I try to focus on a way out of here. I attempt to stand, but faster than my mind could focus, the thin man rushes towards me. He tackles me back down on the dank bedding beneath me. His cold hands grip my wrists above my head while his rank breath feels like it’s singed my eyebrows off.

“Where do you think you’re going? You cannot leave or the master will not be pleased,” he said, his dull brown eyes holding a maniacal gleam.

Kicking him off proved useless. He was oddly strong for someone of his stature. So, I attempt to do the next best thing. I bit his nose.

He howls in pain while blood pours down his face. Some of his blood rains down on my smiling face as satisfaction thrums through me. That satisfaction is cut short when the bastard strikes me. Before I could retaliate again, he wraps his slimy hands around my throat.

“That’s enough.” A soft, but commanding voice says.

Another stranger walks in with silent grace. He was tall but lean, unlike the lanky one still currently at my throat.

Oh my, I think to myself while taking in his full appearance.

What a gorgeous specimen he is. His coal black hair was pulled back into a bun. I wonder what he’d look like with it loosely framing his handsome face. His eyes held an otherworldly dark red hue. It was perhaps the darkest shade of red I’ve ever laid eyes on. They were the color of blood. I refuse to think such a thing is possible.

The silence after his entrance was suffocating. So I decided to break the silence, my words are chopped. “What the fuck are you staring at?”

“Release her, Hargis. Or else.” The stranger warned.

The hand around my throat tightens.

The tall stranger walks in the cell’s doorway. “You do remember the last time you disobeyed a direct order from your master, yes?” he asked in a honeyed tone laced with venom.

Hargis takes a slow gulp before releasing me. He drops me like a sack of potatoes as I take deep, gasping breaths. I wipe the blood from my face and realize my eyesight isn’t dim. I can see the strangers clearly in my right eye, but my left holds no image. With a sinking feeling I’ve come to the realization that I’m half blind.

Hargis laughs joyously. The mysterious man takes out a short whip that glints in the dark cell. He silently pulls back the short thick whip.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The mystery man metes out the punishment in quick sessions. Hargis’ knees buckle before giving out.

“I’m sorry sir! No more! Please!” He begs.

There is no remorse in the other man’s eyes as he bends down at Hargis’ level.

“You will not lay a filthy hand on her, mongrel,” seethes the handsome stranger. Picking up the lanky stranger, the mystery man throws him near me. “Now handle the prisoner with the notion that you represent the Broderwick household ”

Bleeding, Hargis tries to grab my bicep. My feet kick out at and aim at his knee. I hear a crack and a grunt as he stumbles a little. In one quick motion, he kneels to my level before striking me again. I’m left with a burning sensation while he succeeds in hauling my ass.

The asshole hauls me to my feet and out of the cell. Again, I try to yank my arm out of his grasp, but his iron grip prevents my attempts. Hargis laughs again. It’s actually more of a loud and obnoxious cackle than a laugh. He drags me through the dark, dank hallways with the handsome stranger bringing up the rear. My muddled mind can’t process where I’m being taken to as we traverse the maze-like hallways.

“Where are you taking me?” I demanded, attempting to pull away again, nearly falling in the process.

“For your sake, it’s best to stay silent,” said the mysterious man as he seemed to glide in front of us before continuing, “You will only make it worse for yourself.”

Hargis’ laugh released a rank-like smell from his mouth, insulting my nose. “I can’t wait till they’ve spat out your bones and give ’em to the dogs for lunch!” His brittle laugh echoes in my mind as we reach a light at the end of the dark tunnel.

Cliché, I know.

We come across two doors. They seem to be made for giants. The handsome stranger opens two gigantic doors with ease and inside is a bigger room. I’m suddenly pushed onto hard concrete, nearly hitting my head in the process.

I try jumping to my feet. “What the fuck gives?! Who the fuck gave you permission to manhandle a woman?” I protest.

Thin lips spread into a predatory grin as his left foot aims for my face, but just before he gets the chance, I quickly place my chained wrists over his lower leg, and with a quick yank and twist, he’s on the floor with a loud crack. He groans, reaching for a small black pole-like object, pointing in my direction. I panic, quickly try and stand on my own two feet again before he does something drastic.

Someone behind me clears their throat. Following the sound, I see there’s more to this shithole than I thought.

Well alright, I thought, taking in the scene in front of me.

A gigantic circular window depicting scenes of bloodshed and glory, bare down in cheery sunbeams, but the faces in front of me don’t. Eight faces stare at me in a mix of wonder, resentment, curiosity, and genuine disgust. They sit behind an enormous stone court bench shaped in a half-circle with me in the middle. I guess I’m the star of the show.

I sigh, trying to stand once more, when all of a sudden I hear a whoosh then pain shoots from behind my knees and below. I cry out as this asshole hits me and commands, “Sit!”

Turning back around, I see Hargis’ eyes are wild and filled with madness while he aims to smite again.

Oops, I guess I’ve made him mad this time. So of course I don’t obey. Quickly raising his baton to the side, he prepares to aim true.

“Oh, enough, Hargis! Somebody, please take the toy away from him.” I follow the voice of a strikingly beautiful man sitting on the bench beside an equally beautiful woman.

The attractive man from before snags Hargis’ baton-like pole away from him before beating him with it.

Whirling around, I see two gods sitting a few feet from me. They give off an otherworldly appearance with slightly huge eyes and high arched eyebrows. The goddess carries an aura of calm as her silver-blue eyes gaze hits my own dark brown one. She wears a head crown similar to Lord of the Rings Galadriel’s iron crown, but instead of iron claws, her crown is shaped like that of a royal stag’s antlers with a bluish silver gem nestled in the middle. Her hair shines with a dark blue hue in the sunlight and her skin a nice milky color. She is dressed in a midnight blue gossamer dress.

The man next to her is of a different color entirely. Olive green eyes bright that held childlike mischief with equally olive skin. He wears fine fabrics of royal orange and rich greens. The godlike man wears a golden headpiece consisting of leaves, and his full lips are filled with a boyish grin.

The god-like man answers my question with one of his own. “Yes, why do we waste time investing weaponry on the little men? Honestly Hargis, how many times must we tell you not to play with the prisoners?” He then meets my gaze. He opens his mouth to add something else, but another person takes his place.

The blue-eyed Lady interrupts, “As to answer your question, you are here by found guilty in murdering two Hunters of the law-”

“I’m sorry, what? What, what hunter? What does that entail? How did I even get here? Where am I, exactly?” My eye widened in confusion as I spewed out questions. “I have no memory of blood on my hands, I’m pretty sure I’d remember something like that.”

The Lady’s calming gaze never wavers as I interrupt her. I realize my mistake before feeling my cheeks heat with embarrassment, but I wasn’t going to stand here and listen while someone accuses me of such an unholy thing as killing another being.

Another woman of African descent clears her throat “If this thing doesn’t know its place, it’d be best to send it back to its cage.”

My jaw drops to the floor. I couldn’t believe her! I sputtered out a response “Ex-, exc-, excuse me?!”

“You heard what I said,″ she responded. “You appear incompetent and have little regard for higher authority. You have no sense of formality to the courts. Why waste our time when the evidence is so clear? I have better things to do than entertain the gutter slum.”

“What evidence?” I ask.

A smooth rumble of a voice states casually, “Now Esther, there are laws according to the Courts that even we must uphold. Although I do agree with you, we too, have to be patient with it.”

The audacity these people have is astonishing. I try to keep my mouth shut as they pass judgement. The owner of this voice comes from a man who’s aura screams embodied sex. I could barely concentrate as this sex god coquettishly grins at me. Warning bells sound distantly in my mind as I nearly forget my current predicament. This man was definitely trouble. As I turn my head towards the whirring sound of a chair backing out from the dais, he stands making his way towards me.

He looks at me with lustfully hooded eyes and with a smirk to match, “Excuse our dear Cat Queen, she can be unwelcoming when her hunger is unsatiated. The name is Asmodeus, and you are?”

When her hunger is unsatiated? What does that- shaking my head at the thought, I try to remember something as basic as my name, but I can’t.

I’m speechless, never have I ever, from my limited memory, been approached so directly. He towers over me by nine inches with a halo of auburn hair with auburn eyes to match. His enticing scent tickles my nose as he circles me like a beast of prey. I jump as I hear Asmodeus take a whiff of me from my blind side.

“Do tell the Court what happened to Hunters Marc Wilson and Eric Tyell on the night of Ianuani 11, 5032?” he asked in a tone that asked what the weather forecast would be for the day.

“5032? Hunters? What do you mean?” I asked in response, baffled

He chuckles, leaning forward to whisper, “It’s best not play the dumbass with the amount of shit you’ve dug yourself in, rogue. Just simply tell us what happened and why their bodies were found in such a state that left their families to view closed caskets.”

I turned towards him finally, taking a good look at him, and what I saw made me shake to my very core. Instead of the lustly façade, I saw something sinister in those now black depths. Full of loathing...for me. I couldn’t possibly fathom the idea of me bringing on such hate.

He continues. “Please keep in mind that I and my fellow Executives ask the questions here, so don’t forget your place. Now again, why were the Enforcers found in such a state?”

His repetitive questioning tested my patience. I stood toe to toe with the devil, staring him down heatedly. “Apparently no one has heard of amnesia, because I don’t know how I even got in this shithole!” I yell flusteredly.

The sound of gasps comes from behind me, and I realize there’s an entire audience overseeing the show. Well shit, hello.

Giving a little shake of my head, I grit out another question, “I’m being accused of murder without evidence present. Where is the evidence?”

“Right here.” booms a new voice as I look back to the dais.

He holds me in some form of regard as he raises his hand, palms wide open in a summoning motion. A clear box-like device appears beside the newcomer, who seems shorter than the average man. He wears a scar from the right side of his head leading down towards his right eye.

The newcomer’s voice booms across the courtroom. “This here holds hair and nail follicles taken from one of the victims. It was then spelled to locate the perpetrator, in this case you. You walk a thin line rogue, I’d choose my next words carefully.”

I’m stunned at this point. “I don’t understand what’s going on, but I want a lawyer. I have rights too, ya’ know.”

They look at me as if I’ve grown two heads while the audience behind me snorts and laughs.

“Woulda’ just look at this. The murderess whore asking for help in her defense?” One of the audience mocked.

“Sweetheart you’re lucky they’re even giving you a fair trial. Ha! Had it been me, I’d have executed you myself!” says a slightly slurred voice from my right.

I turn and see another short man, and crack a smile with a wink for good measure. As I watch him stand, he appears a great deal shorter than me. A tall metal gate keeps the crowd safe from prisoners. A soldier stands between the gate and the little irate man as he fixes his mouth to spit on the floor. With a grunt, he returns to his seat. I guess he’s satisfied for the moment. I watch before turning back to the ones that hold my fate in their hands.

“Please continue, Phosphorus.” said the short judge.

“Will do, Hrothgar,” says the demon

Asmodeus circles me again, this time his shoulder brushes against my left shoulder making me jump slightly. I feel a tingling in my thoracic region slowly lowering into my lower abdomen, and then into my pelvic region. As the sensation settles in that region, it grows warmer until I squirm with a strange need for release. It seems the more I squirm, the hotter the sensation in my… Oh my...

Oh, my! I lock eyes with this.. this demon and I see once again his eyes are black, but with desire. He continues to walk in and out of my line of sight as my craving worsens. I want him. I want to ravish him! My insatiable appetite blinded me so much that I didn’t see the five-pointed star with myself at its center. Glaring at him, I try to speak, only to hear myself mewl like a fucking cat in heat.

Fuck, what has he done to me?! “I...I haven’t done anything!” I gasp out in pained pleasure “Oh! Will you cut it out?! Why the anguishing torture?” I protest through the sexual torment.

Asmodeus looks me up and down with a dark smirk, “You don’t know the meaning of true torture, love. Answer truly and the Heat of Desire will be reduced. Now, what are you?”

The Heat of Desire?

The heated sensation I felt in my core is ignored by the small poking to the back of my head that circulates to the frontal lobe. A blood-curdling scream comes out as a digging sensation begins at the aforementioned location of my mind. I realize too late that the scream is coming from me. The pain is unbearable and laughter surrounds me as I fall to my knees in an ungraceful heap. My bound hands come up to my head as my screams turn into banshee cries as the Devil digs, digs, digs in my head, searching for God-knows-what.

“I have nothing! Nothing! No answers to give you! Why are you doing this?! Arghhhhhhh!” I screech.

I’ve been driven to madness with the sensual heat radiating in my core and the drilling sensation occurring in my head. My body bends into fetal position as Asmodeus takes pleasure in his perversed torment.

“Ha ha! Give in now, love, will you? You only have to confess and we can move along with the trial.” That voice, why does it sound familiar? Subconscious thoughts race to the forefront of my mind as well:

A hungry wall of engulfing flames.

Abysmal laughter emanating around me...

A wall of fire appears in my line of sight. The brightly lit flames seem to gravitate towards my inner being until the flames fade to a dark abyss. My body seems to react before I can, because immediately I begin to shake from what feels like fear. I take a step back, observing the view before me. It’s an eye. One gigantic eye staring hauntingly back at me. I let out another scream as the drilling sensation comes with a vengeance.

"Don’t think you can just cowardly conceal yourself from me, it’ll only make things worse.” The flaming walls seem to focus solely on me as I back up into a wall. As I observe closer, it’s an eye, A wickedly auburn eye gleams at me as I hear laughter.

Suddenly, a light shines through the nightmare.

Come child, an angelic voice whispers, take my hand.

Heavenly iridescent light sears through the darkness that encased the Demon. His screams of agony echo around my mind as I reach for the stranger’s hand.

You’re safe now…

Close your eyes.

I fall into a blissful slumber with a slight heated pulsation still in my lower region…

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