Insatiable (Inferno Games #3)

10. The Hellbeast

10

THE HELLBEAST

QUINN

S itting next to Dade at the banquet had my nerves in a knot. He’d held my hand the whole time, even though I haven’t spoken to him for almost a week. He’s still holding my hand as we exit the Earthery. It feels like everything is normal but it isn’t. It can’t be. He doesn’t want me to go to the lower level and I don’t want to be without Jenny. We are at an impasse and it feels like everything I had been clinging onto is falling away, even as I still cling onto Dade’s hand.

“If I’d eaten one more thing, I’d be waddling,” I say to Dade, trying to lighten the mood as we step into the elevator. I’m still unsure of what to say if he asks me to go to his room. I’ve missed him this week more than I care to admit. It’s weird how dark my life has felt without my dark king bringing me light.

I reach for the up button, but Dade’s hand closes around mine, halting me. My breath catches in my throat as he turns to face me, his gaze intense and piercing. His eyes lock onto mine with a heat that makes my insides melt. Everything about Dade is overwhelming, but it’s this look—this electrifying intensity—that leaves me breathless and off-kilter. Every. Single. Time.

He slowly pulls a marble from his pocket, the key to accessing the lower levels, and holds it up for me to see.

“You’ve changed your mind?” I ask, hardly daring to feel hopeful. I spent the last week trying to figure out how to get to the lower levels without him or the marble. The only thing that stopped me from stealing it when he slept was the fact that I couldn’t do that to him. I need to get to Jenny, but the thought of going down into the bowels of Hell without Dade is a thought that terrifies me more than anything. It’s not the demons that might attack or all the untold horrors that I might find, but the hole in my heart I’d create if I left him. And now, I can hardly believe it, but he’s changed his mind.

“Seeing those people swinging there, watching us eat while they starved, reminded me that this is not a place I want to end up,” he growls, his voice low and rough. His black eyes lock onto mine, burning with intensity. “But more importantly, it’s not a place I want you to end up.”

He shoves the marble into the hole next to the button on the elevator, his movements sharp, then cups my face in his hands. His grip is firm, almost desperate, as if he’s holding on to something slipping away. I look up into those haunted, beautiful eyes of his, and it’s like falling in love with him all over again—only harder, deeper.

“I don’t want to be with you knowing your heart is still broken over Jenny,” he whispers roughly. “I want you to feel whole, and that will never happen unless we find her.”

I kiss him, flinging my arms around him in a surge of raw emotion just as the elevator begins its descent. The heat between us is undeniable, but beneath it, a wave of panic begins to swell. Juliette and Rowena flash in my mind—what if we actually make it out? What if we leave them behind?

My thoughts spiral as the elevator hurtles downward, the tension tightening in my chest. Then the soft ping of the elevator doors pulls me back to the present, and my stomach drops. Fear courses through me, sharp and cold, as the doors slide open to reveal whatever awaits us.

Dade takes my hand and the marble that has popped back out of the hole and together we step out into the corridor. It’s ominously quiet, which should be a blessing, but the memories of all the things that have happened to us down here, the most recent only being last week, haunt me still.

“We know the way to the main elevator,” he says, pulling off his black shirt that I know covers the tattooed map of the underbelly of Hell. My fear has always been that each tower is built differently and the map I tattooed on Dade’s back will become useless, but as we begin to walk, a sense of familiarity washes over me. I know most of the way by memory without having to look at the map, but it doesn’t stop me running my fingers over the black ink on his skin. The corridors leading through the lower levels are eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the upper levels. Dade and I move swiftly, his tattooed back guiding us through the maze of passageways. As we delve deeper into the bowels of Hell, the air thickens with a sense of foreboding. I clutch Dade's hand tightly, drawing strength from him. We walk for hours, stopping every so often to consult the map. I’m tired and bloated from eating so much food. “We probably should have done this tomorrow morning,” I sigh, leaning against one of the gray walls. Suddenly, a low, guttural growl echoes through the corridor, causing us both to freeze in our tracks. Dade's grip on my hand tightens as he scans our surroundings, his eyes narrowing with focus. Without a word, he steers us down a narrow side passage. We emerge into a vast chamber bathed in an otherworldly glow. The source of the glow becomes apparent as we step further into the chamber. Luminous crystals jut out from the walls, casting an ethereal light that illuminates the cavernous space with a mesmerizing shimmer. Dade's eyes widen in awe, his usual stoic demeanor momentarily faltering at the sight before us. But our moment of wonderment is short-lived as a hulking figure stirs in the shadows across the chamber. A massive creature, its form twisted and contorted, slowly emerges into the light. Its eyes gleam with a malevolent intelligence, locking onto us with a predatory gaze. Dade positions himself in front of me, shielding me from the creature's advancing presence. The creature lets out a primal roar, sending shockwaves through the chamber as it charges towards us. Dade braces himself, his stance solid and unwavering. I try to pull him back, but he remains steadfast. He’s lost it! The monster is at least twice his size. My panic increases as the creature's monstrous form looms closer, its massive claws scraping against the stone floor with a menacing growl. Its eyes, filled with a malevolent intelligence, never waver from us, fixating on Dade and me with a predatory intensity. I can feel the heat of its breath, thick with malice, as it closes the distance between us. With a thunderous roar, the creature launches itself forward, its massive frame hurtling through the air with terrifying speed. Dade's reflexes are swift, as he ducks in front of me, shielding me from the monstrous beast. I use the opportunity to grab one of Dade’s wings and pull him back out into the corridor as the beast is hurled back because of the chains holding him to the far wall.

“What the hell was that thing?” I heave out, my heart pounding with each breath.

Dade shakes his head, his expression grim. “Did you see the door behind it? That’s the way out.”

I stare at the creature, still straining against its chains, then at the wall behind it. I hope Dade is wrong, but of course, he’s not. Right behind the monstrous figure is a door.

“There wasn’t a door like this in Lust,” I say, my voice tinged with disbelief.

“There wasn’t a monster like this either,” Dade replies, his gaze steady. “But it tells us one thing.”

“What’s that?” I ask, a shiver running down my spine.

“It tells us that they are on to us. From now on we can expect to have our every move watched. If they don’t know how we get down here now, we can assume they’ll find out. We need to figure out how to fight it sooner rather than later.”

Fear grips my heart. Jenny is down here somewhere. All the times we’ve been down in the underbelly of the towers, it felt terrifying, but I always had hope that we’d find her. When we found the elevator in the last tower, I could almost taste freedom, but now, if Dade is right and this monster is here just for us, then we’ll never find her… not unless we win the games and get through the next three circles. I pull out my Hell Cell and snap a photo of the massive growling beast.

Dade raises an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”

“I’m not risking your life just to get to a door. If you’re right and that… whatever it is, was put here just for our benefit, I think it’s safe to assume it likes to eat humans.

“Giving up, Valentine?”

I shake my head, the determination in my chest burning hotter. “Never. But I’m giving up for today. I have a plan. One that won’t have us ending up as monster food.” I tug at his arm, pulling him back from the edge. “Come on.”

I take Dade’s hand in mine and guide my reluctant hero from the chamber. We sneak back through the corridors, but there’s no need for our stealth. No other monsters or demons jump out at us. I guess the demons thought the monster was enough.

Once upstairs, I say a swift goodbye to Dade and head to the canteen. The giant window is projecting images of milkshakes which would usually have my stomach grumbling if not for the fact I’ve just eaten half my weight in food. I need to speak to Twila. I have no idea where Twila and Hades sleep, but I’m guessing they have a room down in the dungeon somewhere. They both know we can get down there thanks to Hades saving us last time, but I have no wish to roam the corridors looking for them. Luckily, I spot them straight away, sitting at one of the tables. In front of each of them is an elaborate milkshake, similar to the ones on the big screen. One of the emaciated residents of this circle sits at the next table, not hiding the desperate desire for a sip of their milkshakes. It’s perverse and sick and I can’t watch his drooling, so I turn my eyes back to Twila, hating myself for ignoring the man nearby after eating such a scrumptious meal. My stomach rumbles in agreement.

“Hey Quinn, What’s up?”

Twila looks as ravishing as ever. Being in Hell has never suited anyone like it does her. She’s wearing a tightly boned black corset which hoists her boobs right up and, looking down, it seems she’s gone for tight leather pants instead of her usual black lacy skirts.

“Nothing really,” I finally answer, trying to think of a way to start a conversation. Then I remember Juliette begging me to get her food from the demon levels—which I didn’t. Not that Hades would care about Juliette’s hunger. He might care about Ro’s, though. I pull a conversation starter from my tired brain. “I’m just glad to have got through to the next trial. I was wondering if I could ask you both something?”

“We can’t tell you anything about the next trial, Quinn,” Hades cautions.

I shake my head. “It’s not about that. I was wondering if either of you know what happened to Noémi? I mean. She was the person that tried bringing down the games, right?”

Hades eyes me suspiciously. “She was dealt with by his highest majesty, Satan. You will not have to worry about her any longer.”

This is interesting information. She sabotaged the games which took her right where she wanted to be, where we all want to—it gave her an audience with Satan himself. However much the thought of that sends shivers down my spine, we all must pass him if we ever want to get out of here, and Noémi somehow managed to fast track her way there.

I’m learning a lot though I’m not sure how helpful this information is. Sure, Noémi probably got an audience with Satan, but he probably reduced her to ash, or whatever it is that infernal deities do to demons that go against him. Now that I have Hades’ attention, another question pops into my head.

“You know that Noémi made Rowena pregnant, right?”

Hades quirks a brow. “I believe that was actually another of your ranks. Mr. Felix Barclay if I’m not mistaken.” He glances across at Twila, who nods her head in affirmation.

“Yeah, well Felix and her definitely bumped uglies, but that’s not my point. She’s pregnant.”

"I can't break the rules, Quinn. I already know what you are about to ask me," he says sternly. "The baby is unlike anything I've known in Hell," he adds with a deep sigh, looking weary and troubled.

"Don't demons get pregnant?" I ask, trying to understand. "I mean, you all sure seem to fuck a lot."

Next to me, Twila can't contain her laughter at my blunt question.

"Demons don't procreate," Hades states matter-of-factly. "Sex is for carnal pleasure alone. Demons can't get pregnant."

I furrow my brow, processing this new information. "So, where do demons come from?" I lift my hands up into a half shrug. "I mean, there are so many of them. I know they can die, or at least stop existing, but they must come from somewhere in the first place."

Hades answers with a hint of bitterness in his voice, "They are brought into being by His highest majesty, Satan. Only he can produce life in this place of death." He pauses, considering his words carefully. "Everyone you see here that didn't start off as a human was created by Satan and put to work.”

I ponder Hades' words, trying to wrap my mind around the concept of Satan creating life in Hell. It seems so contradictory, life springing forth in a realm defined by death and suffering. But then again, everything about this place defies the natural order.

"So Satan just... conjures demons out of thin air?" I ask, still grappling with the idea.

Hades chuckles darkly. "You have no idea the extent of his powers, Quinn. Creating life, even demonic life, is child's play for him. But enough about that—I already told you I cannot break the rules, not even for your pregnant friend."

I clench my fists in frustration. Rowena is counting on me. I can't let her and her unborn baby starve. On the other hand, asking him for food is probably counted as cheating, even if he is the head of the games. I know I can’t appeal to George’s better nature seeing as he doesn’t have one and Anthura… well, she’d relish the idea of a baby suffering. She’d probably be first in line to buy tickets if suffering was an Olympic event. Then I remember the real reason I was here talking to them.

“Fair enough. I get it. I was wondering if I could borrow your girlfriend for half an hour or so? I know we can’t have a coffee together, but I was hoping we could have a catch up?”

“I am not Twila’s keeper,” Hades mutters, dismissing us with a wave of his giant hand.

A minute later, we’re sitting on one of the canteen benches near the large window screen displaying floating milkshakes, now slightly nauseating to watch after my massive meal earlier. Twila shakes her head as she speaks, her dark hair falling over one eye.

"Seriously, Quinn," she says, exasperated. "Just because he's a demon doesn't mean I'm his slave. I can’t believe you asked for his permission to speak to me alone. Where’s your feminist spirit?"

"Sorry," I reply sheepishly. "He just doesn't strike me as the feminist type."

Twila rolls her eyes. "You know I can't help you either. I cheated once. I can't do it again."

"I'm not asking you to cheat... sort of," I clarify quickly. "I do want your help, though. I was down in the lower levels earlier, and there's a new area. A kind of chamber with a monster in it." I show her the picture I snapped on my Hell Cell.

She looks surprised for a moment before composing herself. "I can't believe you're still going down there. You'll get caught, and next time Hades might not be around to save you."

"I know, but I need a backup plan if I don't make it through the games," I explain earnestly. "I only need to go a few more levels down. We were so close last time."

Twila shifts uncomfortably in her seat. "You think you were close? How do you know?"

"There was an elevator," I reveal with excitement. "I even have a map of how to get to it."

"How did you get a map?" Twila asks, shaking her head in disbelief. "Never mind, I don't want to know. Just because you found an elevator doesn't mean it goes where you want it to go. Satan is a trickster, it could have been a decoy."

I consider this for a moment before responding. "It could be, but I don't think so. It was too hard to find and too heavily guarded. I doubt Satan would go to such lengths just to protect a decoy... which brings me to the favor I want."

"I want to help you, Quinn," Twila assures me. "Believe me, nothing would make me happier than you finding Jenny, but what can I do?"

"I need to know how to get past the monster guarding the door."

Twila sighs. "I have no idea how to do that. My knowledge of Hell extends only to Satan and Hades. Satan is a tricky customer, as I've already told you, and you won't get anything past him. And Hades... well, let's just say he's amazing in bed, but that information won't help you here. I know nothing about hell monsters."

"But you could find out," I persist. "Maybe ask Hades for a romantic stroll around the corridors."

Her face softens a bit. “Seriously, Quinn. Be careful. Hades might enjoy the chaos of these games, but Satan? He won’t hesitate to crush you if he feels threatened.”

“I know,” I murmur, glancing at the screen. "But I can't stop. I need to get Jenny back, Twila. She’s the only family I have left." My voice cracks, and I quickly clear my throat, hoping Twila didn’t notice.

Twila ponders this for a moment, her lips curling into a sly smile. "Hades isn't one for nighttime walks, but I suppose I could convince him by saying I'd like to try something new in bed. Maybe doing it in front of a monster could be fun." She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.

I can't help but laugh at her audacity. "Twila, you are wild, weird, and kind of gross, but I love you."

"Don't let Hades hear you say that," Twila warns with a smirk. "He might drag you in for a threesome."