Pandora’s POV

I can’t believe they locked me away in this basement. And tied to a goddamn chair. At least I hope Vengeance was going to hold his word and I’ll be sent back to Hell, before I see his goddamn face. Something told me that wasn’t going to happen.

And where on earth had they taken the angel? That was a good question, but that wasn’t any of my concerns. I figured she’d put me through more trouble than she was worth if I decided to take her on the band-wagon.

I raised my head to look around the room. It was dark, they didn’t even have the decency to turn on the lights, although there was a small window next to what seemed like a chained off door that lead outside. The moon was shining in, letting me get familiar with my surroundings. The room was large and filled with a couple of shelves and a few old pieces of furniture. As I fixed my gaze on the small window, trying to figure if I could squeeze through the small space, I heard those same broken ribs in my side crack as they healed back together. Was about time. To think I only landed a single punch... such a disgrace.

Heavy footsteps sounded behind the door, before the lock clicked and the door flung open, letting in a dim light as Vengeance pushed the angel inside.

„Christ, bring me the other chair,” He commanded, holding the angel by her arms, as I looked at them with an amused frown.

„And who said all chivalry is dead?” I smirked, hearing the second chair land right behind my back. „Hey, Christ, while you’re at it, can you bring me a pillow? This chair is awfully uncomfortable.”

Just seconds later Johnny Christ’s face was a single inch from mine, „Not a chance in Hell, demon.” Demon... That sounded so harsh, almost like he was trying to insult me. Vengeance brought the angel who was whispering something under her breath in her foreign language and by the sound of it, he threw her on the chair. She let out a small whimper. I bet that hurt.

„Please, I haven’t done anything wrong...” She begged in a quiet whisper. I just rolled my eyes. Like I rolled so hard I think I rolled them to another universe.

„I simply love when you guys beg,” I could hear the smirk in Vengeance’s voice even without having to look at him.

„You guys?” I laughed, „She’s a fallen, just like you...” I forgot to add ‘once had been’, but that would’ve ruined the joke, „So that means if you’d develop some sick schizophrenia in reverse and started begging yourself... tell me, would it feel as masturbatory as this moment?”

A sharp slap to my face was no surprise. Frankly – I hardly felt it. My hair had shielded me off the bastard, falling straight in front of my face. „I take that as a ‘no’...” I mused, before his hand took my face and forcefully lifted it up so I could look in his bright greens.

For quite the moment he kept gazing over me. „You know... I never understood what he saw in you.” What? Probably the fact that I could beat mostly everyone’s ass bare handed. The fact that I was being held in this basement was just because I was bored and I knew Gates – or whatever he went by these days – had something my boss would be very interested in and would pay me generously.

„Besides my good looks and my unflinching ability to listen to Duran Duran?” I smiled sweetly, seeing how his eyes angrily narrowed when he realized there was nothing he could do that would actually make me take him seriously. He was a joke. In all actuality right now he was considered a mere demon like mua, but he didn’t want to admit it. Even little Christ was still a full pledged fallen, when this one right here – a bitter demon, who had lost all his power. „Do I turn you on?” I wiggled my eyebrows, „’cause I swear we’re having a moment here and if you don’t pull out your—„

His hand cut me off as he hit my, making my head fall to the side. I started laughing. Fuck, this was fun. „You will shut your dirty mouth, demon!” He hissed at me.

„You know... that makes two of us.” I raised my head up and sent him a bloody smile. Christ actually had to pull him out of the room. The heavy metal doors closed shut again, leaving me with the angel behind my back. „Man... he’s one bitter son of a bitch...” I laughed.

„Are you insane?” I heard the beautiful voice ask from behind me. „How can you talk to them like that?”

„Well, what else is there left to do?” I shrugged, inspecting the room once again, trying to figure out what’s the easiest way to get out of here.

„Uhmm, you could say absolutely nothing. Like me.” She suggested.

„So I guess that’s why you’re back so soon...” I mused, looking down on myself to see the rope going across my stomach. She had met him. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious. „How was it? I mean what’s your first impression of him?”

„Well... he was really polite... and... and charming.” She answered thoughtfully as I did my best to reach for the bobby pin I knew I had put in my pocket, before I left my house. Better safe than sorry.

„It sounds like you liked him,” I carefully pulled out the pin and unfolded it, before trying to find the lock on my handcuffs.

„He is an angel,” She said it like it was magically supposed to make me understand how this world was spinning. Frankly I didn’t. He stopped being an angel a long time ago.

„But then again – you’re tied to a chair.” I sneered, turning the bobby pin very gently so it wouldn’t break. And click. I was free. The angel remained silent. So I had hurt her feelings. „hey, what’s your name, angel?”

„Why?” She questioned as the handcuffs hit the concrete floor and I could finally move freely.

„Well, we’re stuck here together so I think we could at least hit the first base.”

„I honestly don’t understand you eighty percent of the time you talk,” She sounded probably as confused as Vengeance will feel when he learns that his least favorite demon has escaped this moldy basement. „But I’m Enepsigos.”

En... what? God... these angels with their names. „A bit of a tongue twister, huh,” I mused as I undid the shitty knot Christ had put together, before I went to free my legs. „How about we call you... call you... hmm... Do you know any human names, En-ene—„

„Enepsigos.” She said simply. „Of course I do. I’ve met humans before.”

She’s met humans before? Well, as hard as it was to believe, but her word is her bond as they say. „So is there any human name you like? Something that stands out?”

The angel was quiet for a moment. „Yes.” She answered, but didn’t say anything else.

„Well?” I stopped in my tracks to look back over my shoulder to see her sitting perfectly still. „What is it?”

„Oh, did you want to hear it?” No, I... I really didn’t. I don’t. I asked just because. Of course I did fucking want to hear it. „It’s Tempest.”

Tempest? Sounds like a grandma name to me, but hey, she probably is really old, but then again, she seemed very naive. Quite honestly, never in my day I had met an angel (and yes, I’ve met a couple) that was this gullible. Maybe she wasn’t ancient after all. „Okay.” I twitched my shoulders, „What the hell - let’s call you Tempest.”

„So, speaking of hell... You’ve really been there?” Her head turned to the side right as I had finally freed my legs and stood up. What was that? Curiosity? Well, we all know how the saying goes – curiosity killed the cat. „What’s it like?”

„It’s dark.” I replied as I wagered if I should untie her. If I did in fact untie her, I should bring her along and that wasn’t something I was willing to do. I sighed, knowing I will fucking untie her, because I’m a good demon now. I took a deep breath and walked up to her. A deep crease formed between my eyebrows, when I realized that only her hands had been tied and they hadn’t been tied behind her back. She was holding them in her lap. „So... they tell you to sit and you... sit.”

She looked up at me, „I didn’t want them to become violent again, so I obeyed.”

„Oh for the love of—„ I bent down and untied the knot, freeing her hands. „They’re violent by nature, trust me... I know.” I decided to hold on to the rope as I straightened myself, „You’re not here to sit still and look pretty.” I started, before taking a pause, thinking how to explain so she would understand, „You’re here to please whatever kink Gates will come up with.”

A slight glimpse of fear sparkled up in her eyes.

„Fun, right?” I flashed her my pearly whites as I moved to the chained up door and reached out for the heavy chain, making it light up even before I was able to touch it. It burned with a blue flame. I shook my head. Did he honestly think these cheap gimmicks would work on me? Think again. I slid one of ends of the rope I was holding behind the flaming chain and steadied my healed boot against the metal door as I tightened my grip at the either end of the rope.

„Wh-what are you doing?” Tempest sounded somewhere between scared and ready to facepalm herself.

„Breaking us—„ I started pulling the rope towards myself, making the chain come flying past me as it broke out of the hooks it was attached to, „—outta here. See?” I turned to face the angel with a victory grin, „nearly free.”

Her wide eyes shifted between me and the flaming chain which was now on the floor. „H-how did you do it?”

„You really think they tied you up with a simple rope?” I retorted as I walked up the first step to inspect the lock of the door. „They use these ropes down in Hell to hold the damned in place while they burn them. I don’t know what it’s made of, but they all have this distinctive smell.”

When I looked back at her over my shoulder I saw her nod in understanding. I guess the girl finally started to trust that I wasn’t a complete headcase and I may know a thing or two.

„While I figure how to get this door open, can you take a look over the place and check if you can find a really old looking book?” I really doubted he’d keep the grimoire in the basement, but who knew? Was worth a try.

As I kept inspecting the look which didn’t seem the one you’d be able to pick, Tempest spoke up, „Is this the one?”

I shot her a quick frown, before I returned to the door. „What does it say?”

„There’s some odd symbol’s engraved in it. I’ve never seen them before.”

„It has to have either a Leviathan Cross or the sigil of the Devil.” I explained and just moments later she was beside me holding a book in leather covers.

„Is any of these the one?” She pointed out to the symbols, which in fact were both of them. Well I’ll be damned. The sigil was in the very center guarded by a dragon, which had the Leviathan Cross in his forehead. That’s the one. That’s Gates’ grimoire. He held the grimoire in the same place where he held his prisoners... Man, was he dumb.

„Yup,” I popped the ‘p’, before I stepped back to march towards the heavy looking armchair. „Okay, step aside, love.” She did in fact take a single step aside. Really. Why did she take everything so literally? It was a matter of seconds before the armchair went flying towards the door, breaking it open. By then I strongly believed Tempest thought I was insane in the brain. Maybe I was, maybe I wasn’t, who knew anymore. „Angels first.” I motioned for her to walk up those steps to freedom.

Heavy footsteps were heard behind the other door. Well. Shit.

I rushed towards our exit as I ushered her up, „I suggest you run. As quick as you can. ” She nodded and before I could say anything else she disappeared. Just like that. „And don’t lose the... grimoire.”

I shook my head and as soon as I placed my foot on the first step, the other door busted open. All I could see before I decided this was as good time as any to ditch this boring party was Vengeance rushing in the room, followed with a very relaxed Shadows and... Synyster Gates.

His posture remained very calm, even when Vengeance threw himself at me. All he did was smirk and give a small nod as if greeting a long lost friend.

As soon as I was outside, I kicked the door shut and ran as fast as I could.

I ran and ran and ran until I realized I had stopped outside the Johnny’s Saloon.

A drink it is then.

Notes