Chapter 24: Kevin

I wake up slowly. Lifting my arms up to stretch, I feel the sore muscles, my well-used dick giving a twinge in protest to the friction against the sheets.

Huh. The last thing I remember was that hot as fuck succubus riding my face as she deep-throated me like a pro. I must have taken a nap after, and Lana's going to smother me with my pillow.

Wait, sheets? Why is there a pillow, how am I in a bed? Opening my eyes in alarm, I see that I'm also in my room. How the fuck did I get home? I don't remember getting here. Lana must have taken me home… somehow. Fuck.

I shoot out of bed, see that I slept in my leathers, and waste no time bursting out of my room and sprinting in the direction of the wing she sleeps in.

Hearing voices in the atrium, I poke my head through an archway to see Maalik, Daniel, Ramel, and Corson in conversation over a sheet of paper.

"Well, Romeo's awake," Corson snickers.

I speak through the lump in my throat to ask, "Where's Lana?"

"Now he cares," Ramel grits out.

"The archdemon Ashtaroth has her," Daniel supplies.

"What?" I gape at them, my gaze stopping on Maalik who's still holding the letter. I silently beg him to tell me this is all a joke, a little harmless retribution for Lana having to drag my ass home.

"You stumbled home walking like a cowboy, completely addled and pale," Maalik says.

"We presumed you were attacked and Lana taken," Daniel adds. "This letter confirms it."

A heavy weight sinks into my stomach and I flush, unable to look at them. I can't hide this. I fucked up and my friend and team leader is paying the price. "I, uh… I went to the succubus willingly," I confess.

Corson scoffs. "Well, I guess you learned not to put your dick over your team members, didn't you kid?"

I want to die.

Daniel walks up to me and grabs my shoulders. "It does not matter, Kevin. Being elsewhere likely saved your life," he says kindly, as always. I don't deserve the kindness.

"Maybe I could have done something…" My voice is pathetic and lost.

Ramel snorts. "You would have done something against what is likely to be the oldest archdemon in Hell?"

I squeeze my fists. There has to be something we can do. "What does the letter say?" I ask Maalik, nodding at the paper.

"Only that he has her, unharmed, and that we should consider your safe return a gesture of goodwill," he explains, and Corson laughs.

"She's going to return bowlegged and dehydrated."

"I didn't know he still cared to fuck anything, with how old he is." Ramel's voice is full of mockery. "Can he still get it up, you think?" he adds.

"This isn't a joke!" I yell. "She's in an archdemon's stronghold! We need to do something!"

Maalik shakes his head, "While we could likely manage to kill a good deal of his army, even all of us together are no match for him. It would end with us decimated and Lana still in the same circumstances."

"I do not believe he will kill her," Daniel adds. "He seems to be fixated on her, for whatever reason. He came to her aid twice."

"What if she's alive but doesn't want to be?" I snarl, and Daniel bows his head. "Whatever." I turn towards the armory. "If you're cowards, I'll go get her alone."

"Don't be foolish!" Ramel grabs my arm. "You will only get yourself killed!"

"Let him go," Maalik says, quieter than normal.

"Excuse me?" Daniel gasps at him.

"We can't imprison him."

But I'm already leaving, not caring to hear them finish the argument.

I arm myself and take some provisions from the kitchen. I'm not completely crazy, I know it's going to take me all day to reach the gates of his fortress.

No one tries to stop me as I leave Purgatory to find my friend.