Safe Haven: Born In Hell Book 1 Read online

  Safe Haven: Born in Hell #1

  Copyright © 2019 by Bella Claire

  Cover designer: Nichole Witholder, Rainy Day Artwork

  Developmental editing: Madison Ryan, Merfire Ministrations

  Line editor: Michelle Hoffman, Michelle’s edits

  Proofreader: Missy Stewart, Ms. Correct All’s Editing and Proofreading Services

  Formatting: Kaila Duff, Duffette Literary Services

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Dedication

  To my husband and kids, who inspire me each and every day to be the best I can be. I love you with all my heart.

  Also, to everyone who has supported me and helped me along my journey so I could accomplish my dream. Thank you.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  The torches sporadically placed around the brimstone walls steadily flickered, casting shadows across my unlucky demon. With his head hung low in silent prayer, he begged for his life.

  “Please stop, Master, I’ll do anything.” His chains rattled against the wall as he struggled to break free. The light reflected off of his scales, giving him an iridescent look.

  Every day at dawn, I walked into the cells and decided which prisoner would face my wrath and settle my blood lust. I didn't give a shit what they'd done, the punishment would be the same either way.

  “I think I’ll have to pass. This is going to bring me so much pleasure.” I smiled devilishly just imagining the pain I was about to inflict. Each day, I looked forward to inflicting internal torment upon those who had dared betray or displease me.

  In fact, just looking at me the wrong way would get you a one-way ticket to one of my cells. Torturing was one of the few things that brought me any joy these days. The look of desperation that fell upon the faces of my victims when they knew their lives were about to be over, was pure bliss to me.

  “Please, my Lord, I swear I will never try to steal from you again,” the man pleaded again, revealing his crime.

  So, he tried to steal my from me. Of all the fallen and demons that dwelled in the underworld, he had tried to steal from me. He should have known better. This will be even sweeter now that I know his crime.

  “Playtime is over,” I sneered, calling forth my power. With a flick of my hand, the skin around the demon’s wrists started to tear away from his muscles, peeling upwards toward the shoulders of his lizard-like body. The sound of his skin as it was torn from his arms echoed loudly throughout the dungeon, only fading under his screams, making me clap with excitement. How exquisite! The days when I was able to spend time playing in this small brimstone room always warmed my cold heart.

  I threw my head back and laughed hysterically as he pleaded over and over again for me to spare his miserable little life. He leaned forward and struggled against the chains that bound his hands. The awful rawness of his skin chafed against the cold metal as he struggled, his suffering only adding to my delight.

  I was so focused on the demon chained to the stone wall, screaming in agony, that I didn’t hear Rimmon, my second in command, stride in until the heavy dungeon door slammed shut behind him.

  The fallen angel stood tall and proud as he addressed me, only a slight twitch in his cheek giving away his nervousness. He stood with his hands behind his back and his head bowed respectfully. His voice was strained as he straightened his shoulders. “Master, there has been news from above. One of the fallen may have gotten some important information from an angel.”

  I turned to face him fully, narrowing my eyes at him. I was annoyed for having been interrupted, but I had to admit I was curious at what terrible things the news might bring to stave off my boredom.

  “I’ll finish up here. Have my council meet us in the Grand Hall.” I waved my hand to dismiss him. I wasn’t surprised when he darted out in a hurry, adopting a mask of calm boredom as he hurriedly walked away.

  Glancing back toward the demon, I frowned. Looked like it was turning out to be his lucky day. I’d just have to pull another demon, or maybe a fallen, from their cell later on to make up for ending this session early.

  “Are you ready for the real fun to start?” I asked, letting some of my power seep through, showing what I was truly capable of. The feeling of the dark demonic energy burned just behind my skin, itching to get out. “Luckily for you, there isn’t enough time to watch you bleed to death slowly like I wanted, but I do have another brilliant idea.”

  I lashed out with my power, the dark fiery rage of my will slamming into him. His vibrant sky-blue scales ripped from his body with such force that they landed on the floor with a wet smack as they fell in fleshy chunks. The boldness of his bone and muscle was almost satisfying enough to forgive Rimmon. The demon’s screams faded to whispered murmurs, making it hard to hear his pleas as his head hung low.

  Blood dripped from his toes to form a growing pool at his feet. He’d made quite the mess of my dungeon. The old stone walls shone with a fresh coat of splattered blood, while the floor was slick with it. His scales were scattered throughout sticking to everything they made contact with. The room fell silent with the exception of the demon’s shallow breaths. I wanted to watch the life fade from his eyes, but I knew my pets were getting hungry.

  “Come in!” I hollered to the servant I knew was waiting outside. “Before he takes his final breath, I want you to throw him into the pits and feed him to the hellhounds. Don’t forget to take the skin, the extra protein will be good for them.” The servant’s lips tilted into a forced smile, showing off his rotting and broken teeth as he bowed his head in compliance.

  I was proud of my work today. Torturing the lower levels of Hell always soothed my dark soul and brought purpose to my long life.

  After I walked through the winding passageway to the Grand Hall, I heard the voices behind the heavy doors whispering their concerns about why I’d called this meeting. Little did they know, I’d yet to figure out the reason. All I knew was that it had better be good or someone would be paying the price for wasting my time.

  I sat on my throne made of various bones from creatures and humans, the room falling silent as they took in the sight of me. I could feel the blood drying on my long black cloak as I moved to get comfortable.

  I picked a patch of fleshy scales from my raven black hair and flicked it into the crowd, amused as the closest demon flinched. “Greetings, my loyal companions!”

  Unexpectedly, a female fallen sauntered her way to my throne. She took a bow, causing her long charcoal hair to spill out in front of her. She rose up with a confidence that intrigued me.

  “Lord Lucifer, I am ashamed to admit that I have been in relations with an angel of God.” She lowered her head but immediately lifted it, determined not to show any fear. Well, well, well. She was smarter than she looked.

  “Go on . . .” I encouraged, already bored with this encounter.

&nbs
p; After a pause, she met my midnight-black eyes and continued, “I have ended it and hope you will forgive me, my king. I’m willing to make it up to you in any way and have come to give you the news of God’s Child as a sign of my loyalty.” As she finished, her voice quivered, letting me know she wasn’t as confident as she presented herself to be. I moved uncomfortably in my throne as I went over her confession.

  “God has many creations. What makes you think this one is important enough to grant you mercy for breaking our laws?” The woman shifted under the intensity of my gaze, trying to bring herself to speak. I stood slowly, making sure she knew to pick her next words wisely. I had other things to worry about than some sad excuse of a creation from God.

  “Lord, this is a child not created by God, but born from a union between God and a mortal woman. It’s rumored that she has the power to seal off Hell forever.” She shuffled her hands nervously as she finished.

  This spiked my interest causing me to stand up straighter. “God had sex with a human!” Laughter burst from my lips. My, my, how the mighty have fallen and the tables have turned. “Tell me about this child.”

  “The only thing the angel was willing to share with me was that her name was Haven Smoke, and she lives above on earth, in a place called Virginia. He didn’t fully trust me, so I wasn’t able to acquire more. I apologize.” She bowed her head in shame.

  I sat there and pondered the news I had just received. “That’s . . . interesting. If there’s any truth to what you say, then there’s only one solution to this problem. The girl must die. Rimmon, summon my sons.”

  “Yes, Master,” Rimmon replied, then strode out of the Great Hall with purpose.

  I didn’t know how God was able to impregnate a woman, and frankly, I didn’t care how or why. What disgusted me was the fact that the almighty God had committed one of his own sins, lowering himself to procreate with a human of all things. He could banish his angels to Hell for crimes much lesser than that, yet he still sits in the seat of power. What bullshit. I will destroy everyone and everything in my path if that’s what it takes, and I will certainly take my time killing his beloved daughter to prove that.

  I was vaguely aware of the slight stinging sensation in my hand, and I quickly realized my fingernails had dug into my palms, causing blood to splatter on the fabric of my pants. I suddenly remembered the fallen in front of me and narrowed my eyes on her.

  “What’s your name?” I questioned the female fallen, causing her to pick her head back up. She wavered slightly when I addressed her. She must have been a strong one to be able to withstand my powerful gaze for this long. It was always the strong ones who thought they could get away with everything, which made killing them a much more triumphant victory.

  “Zaria, my Lord.” She bowed again, no doubt trying to push for mercy and get on my good side. It might have worked if I actually had a good side.

  “Thank you, Zaria, for your information. It was very helpful and will be dealt with immediately. Such a shame I can’t take you to bed with me. I have a feeling we could have made some magic together.” A wicked smile spread across my face as I watched her eyes bulge with the knowledge of what was to come.

  A cracking sound was heard throughout the room as both her legs buckled in an unnatural way, sending her body spiraling to the floor. A chorus of gasps rose around the room, adding to the menacing laughter that escaped my mouth. I waved to the servants by the door, spurring them into action. They quickly hustled over, grabbed her underneath her arms, and began to drag her away as she sobbed in pain.

  “Chain her in the dungeon, and once I’m done, the hounds can have her. They will be excited to get some dessert after their dinner,” I called out to the servants just before they exited the room.

  The day was turning out far more exciting than I had hoped for.

  "How are we supposed to keep her safe when we know what's coming for her? Actually, an even better question would be how can we keep our asses from getting burned?" Worry laced Tank’s tone, his face set in a perturbed expression I had yet to witness.

  My two brothers and I had been watching Haven for a good three weeks now. We knew her schedule to a T and had learned to tell how she was feeling through her body language.

  We were perched atop a roof across from her and her boyfriend’s apartment waiting for her to grace us with her presence. She wouldn’t be his for much longer if I had anything to do with it.

  The area she lived in seemed to be a nice one. There were bushes cut into perfect circles that outlined every building, and the white vinyl siding seemed to be in good shape. The parking lot was mostly empty except for the few people going in and out, and even they looked well put together. I took comfort in knowing she was in a safe area and didn’t always have to watch her back.

  As Haven walked around the corner, she wore the same lonely expression she’d had every day since the day I first saw her. I looked forward to the day I could make her lonely eyes come to life again. The emotions we were all feeling were starting to get to us. We weren’t used to caring or wanting to help someone and keep them safe. It was new and all-consuming, although Easton would argue with you till he was blue in the face that he was here to do a job and that was it. None of us could explain the feelings we were having toward her.

  Every time my eyes found her, my heart instantly began to beat a little faster I needed her like plants need sunlight or how fish need the ocean. I rubbed my fingers together at the thought of feeling her skin beneath them and became hard just thinking about hearing my name slipping through her luscious lips. I was desperate to belong to her.

  The look on Tank’s face when he finally saw her walking up to her apartment proved to me that he was feeling the same. Love and lust reflected in his eyes, and he unintentionally bit his lip. I could tell Easton did, too, despite the fact that he’d forced himself to mask the emotions he so fiercely wanted to hide. Every time he saw her, his body stiffened, he crossed his arms over his chest, and he rooted himself in place just to resist the urge to go to her. The slight tick in his jaw told me he was fighting a losing battle against himself.

  "That's something we’ll worry about when the time comes. For now, let's see where this journey takes us," I finally replied to Tank, trying to expel the anxiety I’d also been having over this mission.

  There were many ways this scenario could go wrong, considering what we were feeling was forbidden. I like to think I'm the optimist of the group, and watching Haven and the sway of her hips as she walked up the stairs to her home apartment confirmed my thoughts and my desperate need to do the right thing. Whatever that was.

  All I knew was that I had to get to know her even if it was the last thing I did.

  “You like that baby?” Derek asked as he pulled my hair from behind. His tall, slim frame hovered above me while his long fingers dug into my hips. Five years. Five long years of my life wasted if you asked me. Sure, it was great at first with all the romantic dates, sweet cuddles, and awesome sex, but like everything else, it didn’t last long. What seemed like a perfect love story at first, quickly spiraled into disaster. I was basically stuck in this dead-end relationship so I didn’t have to see my drunken foster mom anymore.

  “Oh, yeah, keep going,” I replied almost robotically, as I leaned forward on my elbows, waiting for him to finish. I counted five minutes into it, a whole one minute longer than his usual time. I might as well have made my grocery list while he finished. How did things end up this way?

  I escaped back into my memories. It was my senior year of high school and my foster dad had passed away from a heart attack. He was my hero, my rock, the only person who ever took an interest in me. They kept telling me it was just ‘his time,’ but fuck that. I was devastated.

  The only thing that helped ease the pain was Derek, while my foster mother lost herself to liquor. Things got so bad that she would routinely go on rampages, never missing a chance to make it known that it was my fault he died. It was worse when I’d
come home and she was already drunk, having had the time to wallow in her grief. She’d holler that the stress of taking care of me had stretched his heart too thin and made him worry about me too much. Sometimes, she’d even throw an object or two at me if I was close enough to her. Luckily for me, she was always too drunk to actually have any aim.

  For the most part, I’d tried to be a good daughter. I got good grades, followed curfew, and always tried to be respectful to everyone. I wanted to believe that everything would get better, that she would get better, if I just made myself scarce. That’s when I met Derek. He was a nice guy, a safe kind of guy. He offered everything I wanted on a silver platter, and I was just too desperate and missed the red flags.

  He had been emancipated at sixteen and had his own one-bedroom apartment and a decent job as an auto mechanic. At the time, and while we were still young, we both benefited from having each other there. I cleaned and cooked, taking care of the everyday things while he was at work. Eventually I found a job but still managed to complete the daily chores around the apartment so Derek wouldn’t get upset.

  I felt Derek’s sweaty body stiffen as he released his load with a self-satisfied groan before he fell on top of me and gave my breast a quick squeeze then rolled off the bed. As he stood up, he shot me a wink and ran his hands through his spiked russet-brown hair. “Thanks, baby girl, I’m off to work. I’ll be working late, so I won’t be home till about nine. Maybe we can watch a movie or something.” He shrugged, knowing damn well he would crash as soon as he got in. He bent down and starting digging through a pile of laundry on the floor, tossing clothes everywhere until he found his work overalls.