Hell's Hero Read online

  “Okay, stupid, so where do I sleep?”

  Fate snickered. “Me and my big mouth, right?” He pointed toward a door. “Through that door is a bedroom. It’s yours for as long as you want it.”

  “Why? For what reason?”

  “Why in hell do you always need a reason? Because you need help, dumb ass. Don’t worry. You’ll stay just long enough to find a way to take care of yourself. Hell, you’re a smart guy. You’ll get a job, rent an apartment, and probably get rich. Just don’t forget the little people like me on your way up.”

  “As we already know, I don’t have a very good memory.”

  Fate smiled at his joke. “I’ll remind you. By the way, if you look in the chest, you might find something to sleep in. I’m pretty much beat, so I’m going to hit the sack. Good night.”

  “Is there somewhere I can clean up? I’m pretty much a mess.”

  Fate pointed toward another door. “The bathroom is yours.”

  * * * *

  That night Dante’s dreams were filled with flashes of a room. A room that seemed familiar. There was sort of a feel about the old place, a familiar atmosphere that told him it was an old laboratory that he had been in before. The smell seemed lingering, haunting, especially when coupled with the aging stone walls that looked like something out of an old horror movie. There was a long table that was so crude-looking it reminded him of a stone slab, and above it was a winch that raised the table. As his gaze followed the cable upward, he noticed that a section of the roof opened up, but he wasn’t sure why. In looking around, he saw something that resembled a rabbit-ear antenna, but he somehow knew it was more sophisticated than that. It was what they call a Jacob’s ladder. It had two antennas with arcs of electricity sputtering between them. That’s when he realized, with a feeling of foreboding, what the smell was, and why the roof opened up—to let the smell of burning flesh out.

  In another part of the room were shelves full of glassware such as test tubes, beakers, flasks, some with different colored liquids in them. He also saw a Bunsen burner. Another wall had chains and manacles that must have been used to secure the—what? The thing? The creation? What was the right word? Maybe it was victim. He didn’t know because he didn’t know where he was, and why it was so familiar.

  Against one of the walls was a desk and a computer, and on some peripheral level he thought he saw a file cabinet, and turned to look at it. It was scarred and old, but still in good enough shape to hold squeaking drawers full of records and documentation of all kinds. He couldn’t be sure, though, because it was very ordinary, just something in a corner that was barely noticeable. It wasn’t something that—oh, my God, a form—a monstrous form was sitting at the desk dark and unmoving, until suddenly he leaned forward into the light. What Dante saw was the ugliest face he’d ever seen. The monster’s distorted body and face was hued red, he had curved horns protruding from his forehead, and his teeth were long, sharp, and jutted out at different angles. His eyes burned not only with fire, but evil. Dante might not know who this creature was, but somehow he felt that this…this thing…this…beast that held a twisted implement that resembled a pitchfork had something to do with his creation. As he looked closer, he saw that the three-pronged device was apparently used for inflicting pain, according to the dried blood that clung to the spikes.

  And then at that moment, he noticed that above the creature’s head attached to a wall behind him was a big worn chalkboard filled with drawings and equations. He gasped as he drew in a sharp intake of air when he realized that he could read it. He absolutely knew what all the drawings and equations were.

  They were him!

  Words, numbers, and squiggly lines detailed drawings just how he was created!

  Dante began trembling when his gaze lowered and he looked at the creature—who was looking at him!

  On one hand a repulsion rose up in him, but on the other hand he could feel a deep-seated desire to praise him. It filled his insides, rushed up through him like a fountain. It wanted to bubble out of his mouth, to consume his thoughts. And then he felt his knees weaken as if he was compelled to kneel before this creature, to lay prone before him and worship him. Along with all these new feelings he was having, he suddenly wanted to do his bidding, to kill, destroy, mutilate, tear apart, do ungodly things to people of the Earth. Drink their blood, roll around in it, become covered with their life-giving essence. Dante was about to give way to it, to embrace the evil when he suddenly heard a deep, loud voice that trembled the earth.

  “Noooooo!”

  The voice was so loud in his head that it knocked Dante loose from his dream and he woke up gasping, fighting against the memory of the ugly, horned head and evil face in his dream, and what he was about to do.

  “Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God!” he yelled.

  Suddenly the door burst open and Fate ran in. “What the hell is wrong?”

  “I…I saw…him.”

  “Saw who?” He looked around. “Where is he?”

  “N-No, not here. My dreams. I saw him in my dreams.”

  Fate exhaled a big sigh of relief. “Damn, Dante, I thought you were being attacked again. It was a nightmare, that’s all.”

  “No, Fate, it wasn’t just a nightmare, it was something out of my past. Something I remembered.”

  “Well, what was it? Tell me about it.”

  “I was in a…I don’t know what it was. A laboratory somewhere. It must have been his laboratory,” Dante whispered.

  “Whose laboratory, Dante, you’re not making sense.”

  “He must have…” His words faded when he remembered the manacles, and brought his hands forward. His eyes widened when he saw the pale impression of something that must have circled his wrists at one time—like manacles. “Oh, my God!” He looked up at Fate. “Don’t you see? I must have been…I must have been…” Suddenly a feeling of fear filled Dante, and he began to shake visibly.

  Fate grabbed him and hugged him tight. “It’s going to be all right, Dante. You’re fine. You’re here with me, and he can’t get to you, okay?”

  When Dante’s breathing seemed to calm down a little, and he became more relaxed, Fate let him go, and said, “Are you all right now?”

  “I…I think so,” Dante answered.

  “Come on, you can sleep with me tonight.”

  Dante jerked himself away. “I’m not a baby, Fate. I’ll be all right. Just…Just go back to bed.”

  “Then I’ll sleep with you.”

  Dante looked at him, and when their eyes met he looked away quickly. “That’s probably not a good idea.”

  “Why?” Fate asked.

  “If you can’t figure it out, I’m not going to explain it to you.”

  “Look, Dante, I’m not stupid,” Fate whispered. “Hell, I know what you mean, but this is something we’ll have to talk about later. Right now there are more important things for us to think about.”

  “I guess you’re right. I know I’ve given you a hard time, but I want to thank you for being here,” Dante said. “I…I don’t know what…”

  “Shhh,” Fate whispered. “I’m here for you, Dante, and I’ll always be…” When their eyes met, his words faded.

  “Damn, you don’t make it easy for a guy, do you?” Dante whispered.

  “It’s not easy for me either, Dante. I’ve wanted you since…”

  “Oh, God,” Dante whispered against Fate’s mouth when their lips met. “Oh, my God, I…” And then suddenly he broke loose. “I…I c-can’t.”

  “What’s wrong? Why?”

  “We need to talk.”

  “I know what that means. What’s wrong, don’t I…”

  “I…I’m…I’m different, Fate,” Dante said quickly. “I’m not like you. I come from…somewhere else.”

  “We all come from somewhere,” Fate said. “I come from a little place in New Orleans.”

  “You don’t understand. I’m…” He turned away, rubbin
g his hand down his face. “Don’t you see? I’m…not human. I’ve been created from a…” He looked up at Fate. “Do you remember earlier when we were arguing, and we talked about me being a robot?”

  “Yeah, but we were only…”

  “I know, but…well, I didn’t realize then how close to the truth we were. And now after that dream it all makes sense. I met someone that night that told me I had been created from…well…he called me a zombie.”

  “You’re not a zombie, Dante.”

  “Fate, I’m trying to tell you that I’m not from Earth, I’m from under the earth. I’m from Hell!”

  “My God, do you hear yourself?”

  “I’ve got proof! In that dream I saw the formula, the friggin’ blueprint, the measurements of ingredients that was put into me.” He extended his arm and pointed to the veins. “This is not blood, it’s friggin’ sulfur. That’s why I smell of sulfur most of the time, and coal dust seems to drift out of my pores. I took a friggin’ shower, trying to get rid of the smell of sulfur, but it’s still there. These fuckin’ tattoos on my chest and arms, who put them there? I didn’t. Look at the decoration of flames! Evil words no normal person would have cut into their skin. Don’t you see? All this is ingrained into me. It’s part of my makeup. I’ll never be anything else.”

  Suddenly Fate turned and ran out of the room while Dante watched, wondering where he was going. A short time later he returned with a kitchen knife in his hand.

  As Fate stood there with the knife waving, he said, “Let’s just see what you’re made of.”

  Before Dante knew what was happening, Fate swung it, and cut his upper arm. “Owww!”

  The two men looked down at the cut as it oozed blood down his arm, making Fate’s lips stretch into a big smile. “You see that? It’s friggin’ red. If that’s sulfur, I’ll eat it.”

  “It might look like blood, and it might even taste like blood, but it’s got the stink of hell all over it. I still stand by what I said. I’m a fuckin’ hell hound, created by…”

  “Created by who? What?”

  “He’s a man of many names, that’s all I know, and each of these names mean something. Right now they’re all jumbled up in my head, so I’m not sure which one rules me. I won’t find out until my knees are bent.”

  “Until your knees are bent? What does that mean?” Fate was silent for a moment, and then softly whispered, “Oh, my God. That means he wants you to kneel before him in worship.”

  “I know. It happened in my dream…or it almost happened.”

  “It almost happened?”

  “Yes. I seemed to be under this…this creature’s power, compelled to commit to him when I heard a booming voice reverberating all over the laboratory. ‘Nooooo!’ it shouted. The word went clear through me, echoing over and over again. At that moment something happened that…I don’t know, it was as if suddenly everything came to a stop, and I woke up.”

  “That means you’re still a free agent,” Fate began as he rushed around to find something to patch Dante up with.

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means that you don’t belong to anyone. From what you’ve told me, that shout…or whatever it was came at exactly the right time. It pre…oh, my God, do you know what might have happened? It might have broken you away from Hell for all time. It was a rescue. I mean, look at what happened. When you heard it, it wasn’t just some shout, it was powerful. So powerful it seized you, and pulled you out of your dream. That’s when you woke up.”

  “You believe me, now? You weren’t buying it before, what happened?”

  “Well…I don’t know. Everything you describe is so precise. This creature, the laboratory…everything. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, but I promise you this…if you’re leading me down the garden path I’ll have your head on a platter, but if you’re telling me the truth we’ve got some work to do.”

  “Oh, God,” Dante whispered, and sat down on the edge of the bed. “You may be right, but who?”

  “Who the hell do you think?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “For being as smart as you are, I can’t believe you don’t understand. All right, let me explain it this way. The God of Heaven has just snatched you out of Hell, my friend.”

  While Fate was talking, Dante got stuck on a phrase he couldn’t get past…the God of Heaven…the God of Heaven…the God of Heaven… and looked at Fate as if he were speaking in a foreign language.

  Fate noticed the way Dante was looking at him. “Do you understand?”

  “Are you speaking English? Hell, Fate, you can talk until you’re blue in the face and it changes nothing. I’m still made of sulfur, brimstone and fire. How could you care about someone like me, Fate? I’m a friggin’ freak.”

  “God, Dante, I don’t give a fuckin’ damn what you are, or what that is running around in your veins. I still think it’s nothing but blood, and if it’s mixed up with a little fire and brimstone, so what? I can get used to that.”

  “You ought to throw me out, Fate,” Dante whispered.

  “Yeah, well, you know how stupid I am. Slow on the uptake, I always have been.”

  “No complaints here,” Dante said as their lips met in a hungry kiss. “Oh, yes. Oh, God, yes,” Dante whispered breathlessly as the two of them sank toward the bed.

  Their voices faded as their bodies moved against each other. Their cocks grew big and hard, one against the other, and their hips began moving to a natural rhythm. Muffled whimpers and guttural moans came out in expressions of ecstasy as they filtered through the shadowed room.

  The two hungry men existed only for each other, and as they kissed each other, their tongues licked, sucked, and bit into each other’s flesh, leaving obvious signs of their passion.

  Fate could feel the heat of Dante on his naked skin, but that wasn’t enough. He needed more. He needed to be inside him. He needed to make Dante his own, to make him cry out. But he couldn’t seem to tear himself away from his mouth. They bit and sucked at each other. Their tongues were like weapons fighting to devour each other. He could feel Dante’s fingers tearing into his back like claws. Fate groaned while Dante surrendered to him, he ground his cock against his naked body, and moaned when he felt his cock that was as big and hard as his own.

  And then suddenly Fate thrilled when he heard Dante growl and felt him bite him hard enough to draw blood. Pleasure jolted through Fate. He drank down his fierce need, wanting more, wanting to eat him up. Just when Fate thought he could stand no more, he felt Dante’s legs part, and his knees lift, giving Fate a cozy little cradle between them.

  A beautiful thrill speared through him when he felt their cocks come together again, loving each other. He couldn’t wait another minute. He leaned forward and framed his arms around Dante, steadying himself. “Come on, baby, are you ready? I need this. Give it to me.”

  “I’m ready. Hurry.”

  On Dante’s say-so, Fate reached his hand down and pushed his cock against Dante’s hole. He pushed harder, and harder still, until they were both moaning out their ecstasy in each other’s ears.

  Fate had only just made the first thrust, and followed it with a fierce movement that had them both crying out in passion. With something wild and wonderful moving him, he plunged in and out, reveling in the sensations of a velvety orgasm that he knew was going to explode any moment. And when it did, he reveled in the feeling, and wrapped himself around Dante, clinging to him like a vine as he cried out his name.

  And then Dante came right behind him.

  While the two men clung to each other, Fate looked at Dante’s good looks, and said, “God, I wish I had more to offer you.”

  Dante frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “You’re a babe, Dante—”

  “Don’t say it, okay?” he said, pushing Fate off him. “I don’t want to hear how fuckin’ pretty I am. You’ve been tellin’ me that since day one.”r />
  “It’s true,” Fate began as he rolled away from Dante. “You deserve someone better than me.”

  “Better than you? You dumb ass. I can’t believe you don’t know how hot you are. Damn, I wish I looked like you. Your body is phenomenal, and those eyes, hell, a man could get lost in them.”

  “Yeah, well, I’ve heard all about my kind eyes.”

  “Well, sure, they’re kind, but there’s more to them than that. When you see something you want, they…I don’t know…it’s like they smolder. Hell, you been looking at me with those burning eyes since we first met.”

  “Smolder?” Fate said, surprised. “They smolder?”

  “Yeah. Have you ever watched one of those Wild West shows, and…”

  “You watched Wild West shows? What about your memory?”

  “I don’t know how I know, I just do. That’s one of the mysteries about what we were talking about. I know things, but I don’t know how I know them. It’s like I’ve been programmed…you know, like you program a robot. By the way, I’m not a robot! I refuse to be a fuckin’ robot!”

  “Nobody said you were a robot, besides, robots don’t have blood. So, come on. What about them? My eyes, I mean,” Fate asked.

  Dante looked at Fate suspiciously. “And nothing. I’m not here to feed your fuckin’ ego.”

  “Saying something nice to me isn’t feeding my ego, it’s…” He shrugged.

  “All right, all right. I was going to say that you remind me of a rootin’ tootin’ Wild West star. You swagger when you walk, and there’s a lot of confidence in that swagger.”

  “Awww, you know that’s not true. I’m just average.” He stole a shy look at Dante. “Really? You mean it?”

  “Average, hell. You’ve got personality, charm, and to top it all off, you’ve got a big dollop of sex appeal. Believe me, that’s a lot better than being ‘pretty’ like I’ve been called. What real man wants to be called pretty? Yuck!”

  “Yeah,” Fate said, with a silly grin. “Well, I guess every man has his own cross to bear.”

  “You bastard,” Dante said. “You tricked me into saying all that just to feed your fuckin’ ego.”