1. Sadie

Sadie

Can an innocent soul escape Hell unscathed?

Sadie's innocence was lost long before being dragged into the bowels of Hell. The demons did not torment her soul so much as the hope Lucien brought her only for it to be snatched away, leaving her to wither like a grape left on the vine in the harsh sun.

"I love you Sadie Winters," he whispered.

A burning trail of hot tears rolled down Sadie's cheeks faster than Lucien could kiss them away. Her poisoned heart was nothing more than a gaping, festering wound—even now that it beat in time with his.

Regardless of the anger and hurt bubbling within her, she was desperate for him to soothe her. Her head and heart spun in a dizzying dance, leaving her confused. How many times had he ushered her into the next realm of Hell as she bled out in his arms.

Yes, she was in love with a monster. He'd warned her who he was before taking her virginity, but she was naive enough to believe they could have a beautiful future. Unfortunately, his ominous warnings came to fruition as more of herself was lost to that darkness. When his hand squeezed her neck, choking the life out of her as his claws dug into her body, she gave herself to the torment.

"Sadie died a long time ago," she admitted softly.

"That's not true," he murmured. "You are my miracle."

Tallulah never existed. Every memory she had of the young woman's life was false. It was an identity designed in Hell to push her beyond her limits. Now, they were forced to face an ugly truth.

"You left me in Hell, Lucien," she sobbed. "Why?"

She was drowning in the sorrow of her broken heart, even though she was in his arms. The helplessness she felt would continue to haunt her.

"I'm sorry."

Sadie laughed bitterly at his words as hysteria bubbled in her gut. He's sorry ? She'd lost everything and all he could offer was sorry. Her head became too heavy to remain safely on her shoulders. The emotional weight would've dragged her down if Lucien's strong arms hadn't lent their strength.

More than anything, Sadie longed to return home, but that word had lost its meaning. The quaint little village in which she'd grown up no longer existed. Her friends: Hilde and Beatrice had long since passed causing her grief. A twisted sense of compassion remained in her soul for her mother and Constance—who were also lost.

Sadly, there was nowhere she called home with Lucien. That alone seemed to be a sudden travesty. The thought of returning to Hell with him made her stomach ache with such severity she felt like she would vomit. The realization that they didn't belong together became clear.

Even if she recovered from losing Lucien, losing her child was the piece of her heart and soul that would never heal. How many times had she heard the cries of her newborn in Hell without being able to find him? She dreamt of holding a swaddled infant only to have it run through her fingers like sand, nothing more than a simple mirage.

Sadie wanted to tear her hair out from the root as she howled like a beast. She wanted to take a knife and run it along the veins in her arms and watch the blood flow from her body like a river into the ground, drowning the pain. Lucien brought her back by stabbing her in the heart once more.

The knife in her heart set her body ablaze. Every beat was excruciating. She spluttered as she tried to speak and blood bubbled from her lips. Every nerve ending was on fire as the memories returned. Sadie's life flashed before her eyes.

She recalled meeting the mysterious and handsome prince for the first time on the lane. He caressed her wounded cheek, removing the sting she'd felt. She was enthralled as she watched him suck a drop of blood from his thumb. He promised to send for her and she was thrilled when a maid from the castle arrived on her doorstep.

However, when she arrived at the castle, she was locked in Lord Cain's chambers becoming his plaything. Somehow, she'd forgotten the crazed look in his eyes and the mutilation of her body. She could vividly smell the burning flesh on her ass as he branded her like cattle.

She mourned the loss of Beatrice who she'd grown close to as her only friend as she was confined to the castle. Sadie felt close to her because she was as kind and welcoming as her cousin, Hilde.

When Lucien revealed his true nature, Sadie didn't perceive him as a wolf. She knew better now. He was a predator, whispering sweet nothings to a maiden, convincing her to spread her legs. And she had, in gusto.

One night with Lucien hadn't been enough. She selfishly wanted more, and when he promised her eternity, she willingly gave him her soul.

Would she have changed her mind if she knew what the future held for her? The loss of her innocent child and 500 years in Hell.

Nothing was left for Sadie, and wallowing in self-pity seemed like a wonderful distraction—as The Society's invitation burned in her hand. She had no choice but to accept it and move forward. Soon, she would enter Hell as a guest and appear before Satan.

Burning shame of how she comported herself through the trials in hell consumed her. Sadie disappeared, only to become someone else. She'd lost sight of everything important. Or had she?

Lucien whispered to her, trying to save her from being hunted in the fairgrounds. She was the failure, not him. Centuries of torment and exhaustion had left her too weak to resist carnal urges. And now she was ruined—by Lucien and Hell.

Sadie hadn't left Hell unscathed. Now she had to figure out how to reconcile herself.

Lucien led her to an apartment in the city. Her head swiveled as she watched strange, flameless torches burn so bright that they obscured every twinkling star in the night sky. Strange metal carriages hurried down a smooth lane as the men driving them hollered at each other out of the windows.

"They're cars," Lucien explained. "No one rides horses or carriages anymore."

Sadie shrugged, attempting to act nonchalant. She could only recall riding in a carriage a few times and walking suited her just fine. When the tires suddenly screeched and the honking resumed, she covered her ears in fright.

"It's okay, Sadie. You'll get used to it."

She didn't want to get used to this strange new world. She wanted to go back home. Time passed differently in Hell. She felt like an eternity had passed, yet it could've been minutes. The world forgot about her and continued to evolve. A simple maiden had no place in this modern metropolis.

They walked up the few steps to her apartment that Lucien referred to as a Brownstone because of the color of the exterior sandstone. He placed a key into a lock and turned it with ease before turning the knob and pushing the door inward.

Sadie gasped as she took in the interior. The floor wasn't packed dirt, strewn with straw, or made of stone, but polished wood. The walls were smooth and painted white. In the kitchen, there were appliances that he explained with care. He pointed out something called a stove which would create a cooking fire to boil water. The humming refrigerator was designed to keep fresh food from rotting. The freezer turned water from the faucet into ice to make a drink cold. No matter how he explained it, she was awed.

"It's like magic!" she exclaimed, watching the water swirl around the toilet bowl in fascination. "No more chamberpots!"

"You haven't seen the bedroom yet."

He took her hand and led her down the short hall to a closed door. He opened it with a flourish to reveal a queen-sized bed. A small nightstand with a lamp was on the side closest to the window. There was a small dresser and a generous closet full of modern clothes.

"I purchased everything you'll need," he explained.

Lucien sat on the bed and gestured for her to join him. The mattress was softer than any other she'd slept on before.

"I don't understand, Lucien. Why am I here? What do you want from me?"

"We're meant to be, Sadie."

His words did nothing to soothe her soul. She didn't have the energy function in the modern world. Sadie wanted nothing more than to curl up and close her eyes, hoping it was a bad dream. Inside, she knew this was no illusion nor a falsely imposed memory. She was living in a new hell.

"Has it really been 500 years?"

"Hell has ten circles—seven of these correlate with a deadly sin—pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. The trials are not necessarily met in order. There is no construct of time in a plane that is infinite. Do you understand?

"When we bound ourselves, there was no other way to save you but to have you endure the trials of hell. Can you forgive me?"

He wanted her forgiveness, but was she ready?

"I can't promise you forgiveness, but I am ready to listen."

It was the most honest thing she could offer him.

"Thank you, Sadie."

She shook her head as he leaned in to kiss her.

"I'd like you to leave. I need some time, Lucien."

The devastation in his eyes made her pause. But the truth in her words couldn't be ignored. She needed to discover who she was without Lucien.