Made in Hell 5 Chapter 4

It felt like eons since I’d last held the black fairy twins in my hands, and I wanted nothing more than for them to return to the manor with us. Madame Nyra was incredibly protective of her “darlings,” but perhaps the offer to become my captain could work as a bribe to get her to release Lux and Lixiss into my care.

But I always had to be the smartest one in the room when it came to Madame Nyra. She didn’t have an issue looking a demon in the eye, which was often a sign that I had to be cautious around someone. She had agreed to my terms in the past, and she had assisted me when I needed it, but I also had to be sure her own agenda didn’t interfere with my own.

The feisty fairy knew exactly what to do and say when she wanted to get her own way, especially if it was for her own gratification.

However, the offer to essentially run the Shadow Quarters and keep everything in check was something I knew she wanted. She wanted to have the power that came with sitting above everyone else, and as long as her fairies were safe, then it was definitely something she’d consider.

“Ooh, I like this new fruit,” Ashe said suddenly. “It’s quite spicy.”

My huntress was trying the orange I’d bought from the half-goblin, and every time she threw a piece into her mouth, she would wince like the fruit was hurting her.

“Spicy?” Sveila frowned as she removed the skin from her own orange. “I think you mean sharp. Oranges can be quite sour, but they’re normally very sweet and delicious.”

“The skin didn’t taste sweet and delicious,” Ashe snickered. “I thought I was going to be sick.”

“That’s because you’re not meant to eat the skin,” Sveila laughed. “You don’t bite into it like an apple.”

“Is that the same for most fruits?” I asked. “Because I prefer my food ready to go without having to prepare them first.”

“There are some you have to peel first, but most fruits can be thrown into your mouth as they are,” Sveila replied. “But there are also some that come with stems, like the core of an apple, so you wouldn’t really want to eat them.”

“That sounds like far too much information for us to remember,” Ashe giggled. “But you should try it, Atticus. I think you’ll like an orange.”

Ashe pulled apart the orange to retrieve a single section, but then as she handed it over to me, I noticed something strange about her fingertips.

“What’s happened to your fingers?” I asked.

Ashe dropped the orange like it was molten lava, and she let out a loud gasp as she stared at her hands.

The black, soot-like substance on her fingertips had started to clear, and her icy pale skin poked through like the sun on a cloudy day.

“What the fuck?” Ashe frowned.

My demon lover searched her arms and thighs, I assumed to see if the soot had cleared anywhere else, but it was just her fingers.

“Do you think the effect is wearing off?” she asked.

“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I don’t know how long it’s meant to last for.”

“Maybe it’s the orange?” Sveila suggested. “Perhaps the acidity in the juice fights against the angel’s spell?”

“So I have to bathe in acid to clear my skin?” Ashe snorted. “Wonderful.”

“Well, let’s see,” Sveila said as she picked up the abandoned piece of fruit.

No one said a word as the Red Witch squashed the singular piece between her fingers, and then she rubbed the juices and pulp against Ashe’s arm.

“Now we’ll wait and see if anything happens,” she said as she licked the juices off her fingers.

“Why do you think it’s the acidity?” I asked.

“I’m not sure…” Sveila mumbled. “But I think I heard something once that if acid and alkali are added together, then they cancel each other out. Things like soap, or a product used for cleaning and bathing, are often alkaline, so what if the angel was trying to clean you, Ashe?”

“I bathe every day.” The demon scowled.

I quickly caught on to what Sveila was trying to say, but I could tell that Ashe took longer to work it out.

“I don’t think she means it like that,” I said. “To the angel, she’s purified and free from sin, whereas demons are considered to be at the opposite end of the scale. It’s clear the Holy Light would have killed you if you hadn’t managed to free yourself, and now you’re left looking like this. But maybe, in order to remove the effects of a purified power, you need to use the opposite?”

“Aaah.” Ashe smirked. “I get what you mean now. But surely it’s too easy if I just bathe in orange juice? Mortal magic and potions aren’t strong enough to fight off angel magic, we already know that, so there has to be more to it.”

The three of us stayed quiet as Sveila rubbed the orange mess away from Ashe’s arm, but unlike her fingertips, the blotches on Ashe’s arm were as still as black as night.

“It’s probably because your arm is a much larger area than your fingers,” Sveila said. “And you’re right, there will be more to it than just using oranges, but at least we know where to start. If acid, or citric acid, is used in the healing process, then that’s something to think about.”

“Madame Nyra might know something about it,” I replied. “Either that, or we can talk to Garrik and Elora. But we’ll clear your skin, I promise you that.”

The half-elf, Elora, knew everything about magical weapons and spells. She had almost been like Sveila’s mentor when the Red Witch needed to free the souls of her family from an amulet.

Ashe and I would have struggled when we first arrived in the Port of Rengfri if it wasn’t for Garrik and Elora’s help and assistance, and they had started to feel like our friends.

Garrik also owned our favorite weapon shop in the Shadow Quarters, so Ashe and Sveila always came up with new reasons to go visit him, and it always ended in us adding new mortal weaponry to our impressive collection.

It was incredible what these beings on the surface world could come up with when they were thinking deviously.

“I’m sort of getting used to the color now, but I want to go into the next fight just as strong as I already am,” Ashe said suddenly. “So if the angel has weakened me, then we need to find a cure.”

“That’s the right attitude to have.” Sveila smiled.

“We also don’t want you to have any issues with your strength.” I smirked. “You’re almost as strong as I am without these marks on your skin.”

“Almost as strong?” Ashe repeated with the makings of a grin on her face. “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not.”

“It definitely is,” I said reassuringly. “But if you’re both done eating, then we can head off to see Madame Nyra now, and then go from there.”

Sveila and Ashe were both keen on the idea, and they both wanted to see Lux and Lixiss as much as I did. So once Sveila had eaten the last of her orange, they cleaned up the mess on the table, and then we left the manor.

“We’re going to speak to Madame Nyra,” I said to the orcs outside. “We plan to be back before the sun sets, but like before, I want you to come and search for us if that doesn’t happen.”

“Yes, Atticus.” Oglzum nodded.

“Thank you,” I replied.

From the position of the sun in the sky, I could tell it was somewhere in the afternoon, perhaps the first or second hour, so we had several hours before the sun disappeared for the day.

I didn’t know how long we were going to be with Madame Nyra for, or whether the black fairies were going to trick us into staying longer. But either way, as long as everything went according to plan, I saw no reason why we wouldn’t be back before nightfall.

But when it came to the black fairies, I never knew what was going to happen.

At least I had Ashe and Sveila with me to keep the fairies away if they refused to let me leave.

“I love this time of day,” Sveila said as she pressed herself against me. “The way the sun lights up the leaves on the trees, everyone is happy…”

“Well, they’re happy until someone pisses them off,” Ashe snorted.

“And when it comes to the goblins, it doesn’t take much to annoy them,” I added.

“Okay, everyone is somewhat happy,” Sveila giggled.

The walk through the Grimmway was uneventful, and any passersby either nodded their heads in our direction, or they walked straight past us as if we weren’t even there.

Once we had entered the Shadow Quarters, we wandered through one of the alleyways that took us to the grand forest that surrounded this district. That particular section of the forest led us toward the mermaids’ cove, and I hoped it wouldn’t be long before I got to see the mermaids again.

Although it had only been a few days since I was last there, I craved to be with the leader, Naia, as much as I craved to be with Ashe, Sveila, and the black fairy twins.

The primal, demonic side of me became difficult to control when my women were involved.

But as we reached the entrance to the forest, we turned left and walked down the side street in the direction of the black fairy coven. Medusa’s Palace was straight ahead of us, and I’d always remember the fun we’d had killing gorgons within the ruins of that place.

Further down the street we turned onto, right at the very end, was Pixie Lane. A lot of our time had been spent in that area, especially when Sveila used to collect pieces for the bastard priest, but we’d had a lot of fun there, too.

Various smaller lanes fed off this long street, and the black fairy manor hid at the end of one of those lanes.

Madame Nyra’s manor was situated in between two other houses, and the forest continued to wrap around them on all sides. It would have been incredibly easy to miss Madame Nyra’s home if we didn’t know what we were looking for, because the entire building was covered in a magical, protective veil. It looked like there was nothing built between the two other houses, and the black fairies had to drop the veil in order for someone to enter.

However, because I was familiar with the fairies, I didn’t need to have an appointment to meet with Madame Nyra. As soon as the fairies saw us outside, they would drop the veil and allow us entrance.

“I hope they recognize me with this skin,” Ashe muttered as we stood in the seemingly open area of land.

“They wouldn’t be able to miss your eyes,” I replied.

“No one can,” Sveila giggled. “Apart from Atticus’, I’ve never seen eyes as incredible as yours before.”

“I know, they are quite wonderful.” Ashe smirked as she waved one hand in front of her face.

Before any of us could say anything, the air in front of us began to turn almost silky in texture, and a gray shimmer swirled around as it sparkled in the sunlight. A large black manor home quickly came into view in front of us, and a black fairy was spotted resting against the black iron gate that suddenly appeared in front of us.

“Hello Atticus,” the fairy giggled as she nibbled on one of her black-painted fingernails. “What a lovely surprise it is to see you here today…”

The fairy’s gauzy, black wings vibrated and buzzed in the wind behind her. Her silver hair ran down to her hips, and her entire outfit had been made from scraps of black material. A thin sheet of leather just about covered her perky breasts, but she used silk to cover her ass, and a piece of thin lace tied the two garments together.

The fairy stood there for a brief second, and then she unlocked the gate and allowed us to enter.

“Is Madame Nyra in her office?” I asked as we walked up the gated yard.

“You mean you’re not here to see Lux and Lixiss?” the fairy gasped sarcastically. “Why, my sisters will be so disappointed to hear that.”

“I need to speak to Madame Nyra first,” I replied.

“But maybe we can see the twins once we’re done.” Ashe’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “You know we can’t visit this place without seeing them.”

“It was my intention.” I winked at my demon lover.

“Good, because my sisters would be–”

“Prinna,” a familiar voice said from the doorway. “Are you inviting our guests inside, my darling?”

Madame Nyra came into view in the doorway of the black house with a curled smile on her red lips. She was much older than the rest of the fairies inside the manor, and this showed in her ragged wings and the gray roots that slithered across her dark hair.

“Of course, Madame Nyra,” Prinna replied. “Please, come this way.”

Everyone must have known why we were there, so Madame Nyra walked us down the deep-purple corridor that led to her office. A few more black fairies had settled themselves on the velvet chairs along the way, and they all gave us a coy smile as we passed them.

The interior of the manor always caught our attention, and I knew Ashe loved coming here just to experience the dark atmosphere. Well-used candles were sitting on dusty shelves with a selection of spider webs keeping them in place. Dried up wax fell down the walls, and more dust had settled on the wooden floorboards.

The corridor and Madame Nyra’s office were separated by a velvet green curtain, and the black fairy held back the makeshift door as she motioned for us to go inside. A second matching curtain ran behind Nyra’s oak desk, but I didn’t know what she kept hidden behind there.

“My darling…” Madame Nyra said softly as she took her seat. “Ashe, what have you done to yourself?”

“Oh, this?” Ashe held up her hands and snorted. “We had an incident with an angel, and now she’s covered me in this shit.”

“We were actually hoping you might be able to help with that,” I said as we took our own seats opposite the black fairy.

“But that’s not really why you came here, is it?” Madame Nyra smirked. “You cannot fool me, Atticus. I know you far too well now.”

“You’re right, it’s not.” I shrugged. “But I want to discuss this first, and then we can get onto the real reason why we’re here.”

Madame Nyra sighed, and then she reached across the desk as she took Ashe’s hand in her own. With gentle touches, Nyra ran her fingers across the demon’s skin, but a frown stayed etched between her black eyebrows the entire time.

“Have you seen that before?” I asked.

“I’ve heard of it,” the black fairy mumbled. “And this is all over your body?”

“Pretty much.” Ashe nodded. “There’s less on my stomach and back, but only because I was wearing a dress when the angel attacked us.”

“We have a feeling that acid or citric acid might work, but we don’t know,” Sveila added. “The marks seemed to vanish when Ashe was eating an orange, but we’d also need to include a potion that’s strong enough to fight against the angel’s powers.”

“I would also like to wake up in the morning and see that it’s gone,” Ashe snickered. “But none of us know anything about curing, so it’s hard to tell.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t know that much about potions and cures,” Madame Nyra said as she let go of Ashe’s hand. “As you’re all aware, I’m more into various beings and creatures. However, I have heard of angel powers before, and the effect they can have on people. And… Now, I don’t want to scare you, but you’d want to find a cure as quickly as you can.”

“What?” Ashe’s eye bulged. “Why?”

“This is due to the angel’s Holy Light, am I right?” Madame Nyra asked, to which we all nodded. “The Holy Light is an angel’s strongest power, and they use it to hold their target in place as they slowly burn their bodies. Purifying, and all that. The black marks are a side effect of that process, and should the angel return before you find a cure, then… Basically, it would be much easier for her to kill you.”

A growl rippled through my throat.

“So it does weaken her?” Sveila asked.

“Yes.” Nyra nodded. “Imagine the Holy Light is a fire, and as it swarms over an object, it slowly burns and destroys that item. It’s the same with our bodies. Now that Ashe has these marks, there’s less for the fire to work through, so the process won’t take as long, and that’s why you desperately need to find a cure. I think including an acidic liquid could work, but I wouldn’t know what else to add with it.”

“Well, that’s just fucking great,” Ashe sighed as she slumped in her seat. “Now what are we going to do?”

“We’ll find a cure,” I said with certainty. “And I won’t stop until you’re healed.”

“Not even a damn angel can get the better of me.” Ashe smirked.

“That’s the right attitude to have,” I said as my anger simmered down. “The angel might think you’re at a disadvantage, but we’re going to prove her wrong.”

“That reminds me,” Madame Nyra said as she leaned back in her chair. “Tell me more about this angel. Did she appear after the battle against the Church?”

“Yes, she–”

Before I could finish my sentence, the curtain behind Madame Nyra opened, and my two favorite twins skipped into the room as their black wings fluttered behind them.

“We apologize for the intrusion, Madame Nyra,” Lux giggled.

“But we couldn’t stay away,” Lixiss added.

“I should have known you two were going to come in,” Nyra said as she turned in her seat slightly. “But my darlings, what have I told you?”

“To always knock before we enter?” Lux asked.

“Exactly.” Their mother figure smiled. “You cannot just barge in here.”

“But how are we to stay away when Atticus, Ashe, and Sveila are here?” Lixiss asked. “We don’t have the time to knock.”

“Okay, okay, come on in.” Madame Nyra rolled her eyes playfully as she let out a light sigh.

The twins squealed as they skipped toward us, and then Lux jumped onto my lap while Lixiss sat with Ashe. I noticed how Lixiss played with Sveila’s hair with one hand, almost like they couldn’t bear sitting there without being able to touch all three of us.

Lux fitted so perfectly on my lap, and my arms automatically locked themselves around her tiny waist.

The only way I could tell the twins apart was by the tiny freckle underneath Lux’s left eye, but apart from that, they were completely identical.

Their skin was a luscious light-brown in color, their gray eyes were large and full of constant expressions, and their long dark hair fell over the front of their shoulders to stop it from getting in the way of their wings.

The mouthwatering scent of their arousal danced through the air like light billows of smoke as it drifted from a candle. Lux and Lixiss needed me, they desired to have me, and it was my mission to give them everything they wanted.

“Back to the conversation at hand,” Madame Nyra continued once the twins were settled. “You were talking about the angel?”

“Yes.” I nodded. “As soon as we finished with the Church, and we’d saved the undesirables, we noticed the angel in the sky. The bishop had been in the middle of calling upon his Holy King when the attack took place, so we believe the angel responded to that call.”

“Ew,” Lux said as she scratched the back of my neck with her nails. “Angels are nothing but trouble.”

“She should have stayed in the Heavenly Glade where she belongs,” Lixiss replied.

“Which is exactly why we’re trying to stop her,” I said.

“Well, I want you to know how pleased everyone is that the Church has been dealt with,” Madame Nyra said with a small smile. “I watched the hunt against The Blessed from my very window, and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing when a passerby told me about the bishop.”

“It was the right thing to do.” I shrugged.

“Yes, but it’s because you did it,” she replied. “That’s what everyone is pleased about. I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things from the nearby residents, and I know every undesirable feels the same way I do. We’re safe now, and that’s all down to you.”

“I suppose we’re not completely in the clear, because we still have to deal with the angel,” Ashe spoke up. “But I’m confident we’re going to get her holy ass before it’s too late.”

“And given everything you’ve done for us, I hope you know we’ll all help in any way we can.” Madame Nyra nodded her head once.

It was the perfect opportunity to bring up the questions that seemed to burn a hole in my brain. I needed to know if Madame Nyra would take on the role of watching over the Shadow Quarters to report back to me, but I also needed to have the fairy twins safe within my care at the manor.

However, I didn’t want Lux and Lixiss to overhear my plan, just in case Madame Nyra rejected the offer. So in order to have the conversation in private, I had to think of a way to get them out of the room.

“Do you think you could do us a favor?” I asked as I kissed Lux on the cheek and stroked Lixiss’ hair.

“Of course.” Lux ran the tip of her tongue across her red lips. “You know you never need to ask us twice, Atticus.”

“What is it you’d like us to do?” Lixiss asked.

“Do you think you could make us some drinks?” I queried. “It’s been a busy morning, so we could really use a refreshment.”

“Yes, certainly!” the black fairy twin exclaimed as she jumped off my lap.

“We’ve been trying to perfect a drink recently, so we’d love to know what you think of it,” Lixiss added.

“You know I’d enjoy anything you’d make for me.” I smirked.

“Try not to miss us too much,” Lux giggled as the twins linked arms and ran from the room.

A heavy silence covered the office as the twins’ footsteps echoed down the corridor.

“Why do I have the feeling you wanted them to leave the room?” Madame Nyra frowned.

“Is that what you think?” I asked.

“Atticus, my dear, I know you all too well these days.” She smirked. “So, what is it you want to talk about while my darlings are out of earshot?”

I leaned forward and rested my elbows against the desk. Madame Nyra stared directly into my bright, violet eyes. She never once looked away, nor did she wince as I inched closer.

“I need to start an army,” I said.

“You’ve already got one.” She frowned.

“Yes, but I need a bigger one,” I explained. “I have a feeling that this is just the beginning. Any fight against the angel will likely open up the wrath of the Heavenly Glade, and then there will be more of those little bitches to kill. Even though Ashe and I are strong enough to kill one angel by herself, we’ll need an army to hold off any of her backup angels before the city is swarmed. We’d need our own backup, and that’s where the army comes in, but that’s also where you come in.”

Madame Nyra didn’t say anything, but she pursed her lips in a way that made me think she had already caught on to my plan.

“Before we brutally murdered the incubi, they were in charge of this place,” I continued. “Obviously, I’m expected to fill that role, and I intend to. But Ashe, Sveila, and I are going to be far too busy to handle all the minor everyday tasks involved. Which is why we think you should be the one to do that for me.”

“Me?” Madame Nyra pointed to herself.

“You.” I nodded. “Are you up for it?”

“Yes, yes, of course!” She smiled. “As long as my darlings are safe and protected, you know that I’d love nothing more than to oversee the whole of the Shadow Quarters.”

“Good.” I grinned. “But in exchange for my allowing you to take over the village, there is something I want in return…”

“Okay…” the black fairy sighed.

I glanced behind me quickly to look at the curtain, and then I looked back at Madame Nyra.

“I want Lux and Lixiss,” I said. “I want them to live with us in my manor.”

“Again with Lux and Lixiss,” Madame Nyra sighed and shook her head, but I quickly stepped in.

“I have done nothing but help you, Nyra,” I reminded the woman. “I have treated your darlings exceptionally well… and you know they desire nothing more than to be in my care. These are my terms, and they’re not changing.”

The black fairy thought for a moment, and she tapped her nails against the desk as she glanced around the room.

“Okay,” she said after a short pause. “I will agree to your terms… But I have a few of my own.”

A stern expression crossed my face.

That wasn’t part of the plan, but I was willing to listen to them.

“If it’s pieces that you’re after, I’ll give you whatever you want,” I replied. “Lux and Lixiss are certainly worth any price you could place on them.”

Madame Nyra loved receiving sacks of gold pieces, and it was often the perfect bribe if I wanted something from her.

“I will not ask for money for my darlings,” she replied with a slight bite to her tone. “But I will ask that they visit me regularly. I’m confident that you can care for them, Atticus, but they will always be my darlings, and I cannot let that go.”

“Sure.” I shrugged. “They can visit you whenever they want, but they will always return to me at the end of the day.”

“In that case…” Madame Nyra paused as she sat up straighter in her seat. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

Ashe and Sveila giggled and squealed beside me, and I couldn’t clear the grin that appeared on my face.

I had exactly what I wanted, and I knew I had received the better side of that bargain.

Lux and Lixiss returned to the room a few minutes later, and it was almost like nothing had even happened. I wanted to tell them to pack a bag, but I also wanted to keep the news a secret for a few more days. I felt like it was best to catch them off guard, and to surprise them with the news when they were caught unaware.

“This looks wonderful,” Sveila said as the twins handed over three tankards. “What’s it called?”

“We haven’t thought of a name yet,” Lux replied as she returned to her rightful place on my lap. “But let us know if you have any suggestions.”

A light, white foam bubbled over the lip of the tankard, but the drink inside it was a mix between blue and green. At first the drink had almost a floral scent, like the flowers I came across in the forest, but the flavors didn’t match the scent at all. It tasted bitter, almost like dragon’s breath, but there was a second flavor I couldn’t quite identify.

“Is that raspberry I can taste?” Sveila asked.

I didn’t know if I’d tried raspberries, so I wasn’t sure if that was the flavor on my tongue or not.

“Close.” Lixiss smiled. “They’re black raspberries.”

The drink left a fiery heat in my mouth after I had swallowed it, and part of me wondered if fire would shoot from me like a dragon if I dared to part my lips.

“It’s so good,” Ashe groaned. “I really like it.”

“Thank you!” Lux replied happily. “Do you think it needs any changes?”

“Maybe some more of those raspberry things,” I said. “But that’s just what I think.”

“We can add some more, sure.” Lixiss nodded. “It’s still a work in progress, so you can try the finished product when we’re happy with it.”

“I can’t wait to try it again.” I smiled at my beautiful twins.

“My darlings are incredibly skillful,” Madame Nyra said sweetly.

“Oh, I’m aware of their skills.” I smirked.

Especially when it came to the skills they brought to the bedroom.

The women then started a gentle conversation about the new dresses Ashe and Sveila had ordered that morning, and I sat back and enjoyed the drink while I played with Lux’s silky hair. The twins were interested to see the dresses, and Madame Nyra smiled like she was also eager to see the creations. But I was more interested for her to start her new job.

I could tell that the Shadow Quarters were about to change completely now that Madame Nyra was in charge, and I was eager to see her begin her new role.

But there was something else I still needed to sort out.

If the tabaxi agreed to take over the mining business, then that meant the manor would soon belong to him.

So I had someone leading the Shadow Quarters, and I potentially had someone taking care of the imps. But with the twins soon coming home with me, then we would need to find a new place to live.

A much bigger and decadent place.