Hidden Hallows

I hear something loud crash behind us before several more screams are heard. I can no longer tell if someone is actually screaming or if it"s the h.e.l.l hounds but I no longer care. My side starts cramping as I run for my life but when I start to see lights, I feel something like hope flare up in me.

I hope with everything in me that it"s the city Kian was talking about but we"re still too far away for me to make it out. I want to ask Kian but I can"t speak. All my energy and focus is on keeping up with his pace. I know it"s not as fast as he can run. He"s running slower for me...

He suddenly yells "When I tell you to jump, I want you to jump as far as you can!" Jump!? I can barely keep running!! He tightens his hold on my hand and suddenly picks up the pace, nearly dragging me as something much larger than a h.e.l.l hound starts running after us.

Desperate, I yell out "Why can"t we use our h.e.l.lfire on them!?" Kian keeps running as he says "Even if we manage to kill it, we"ll be basically announcing where we are and more will come." I grit my teeth and turn back to look. MISTAKE! It was a mistake!!!

I don"t know what that is and I don"t want to know!! It"s freakishly long arms and legs... its upside-down face! It was plenty enough for me! I speed up and run right along with Kian as I try to mentally erase what I just saw chasing after us.

Kian suddenly yells out "Three, two, ONE!!" I have no idea why I"m jumping but I jump like my life depends on it and fly. When I look down, I see an eerie glowing river of somekind below us. My stomach flips and right before we land on the other side, Kian says "Brace yourself!"

We hit hard and roll a couple of times before coming to a complete stop. Instead of getting up, I continue to lay on the ground and struggle to catch my breath. Kian quickly walks over and pulls me back up, causing me to cry out in protest.

"Just let them have me! I"ve had it! I"m tired and I can no longer even feel my legs!!" I say as Kian starts dragging me over to a large slate building of somekind. He unlocks the door and drags me in before shutting it back and locking it. I collapse onto my a.s.s and struggle to breathe.

He says "Stay still" and walks over to the back. I don"t think he has anything to worry about... My a.s.s isn"t moving if I can help it. He starts grabbing things before coming back over with clothes. "Put these on, quickly." I look at the black clothes with confusion and struggle to change out of my sweat-soaked jeans.

It"s a skirt? I slip it on and start struggling with the top. I look up to Kian and say "I don"t understand how this works..." He turns to face me and gives me a sheepish smile before walking over and showing me.

I look up at him with a glare. He lifts his hands and says "It"s just the clothes they wear in the city. If we want to blend in, we need to dress like them." I grit my teeth and say "Turn around." Kian turns around and starts working on something that looks like bags but it"s hard to tell with everything being in black and white.

I reach up and slip my bra off before slipping the black cloth around my b.o.o.bs and around my neck. It"s almost like a halter top and in a way... it seems to cover more than my bra. It"s a slight improvement.

Kian burns my old clothes before saying "Let"s go." He reaches out and takes my hand, leading me back outside and to the back. There, tied up against a tree is a skeletal horse. I slow my steps a little but Kian says "It"s okay, I promise."

I follow him over as he quickly straps the bags onto the horse before lifting me up and helping me on. It feels... odd but the saddle makes it possible. He quickly climbs on behind me and says "Now to the city" The horse takes off and before I know it, the light I saw before turns into more.

It felt like a beacon of hope... knowing that I"ll be out of the wastelands and away from the creepy, h.e.l.lish things there. After a few hours, we finally make it to the city entrance. Kian walks the horse over to a horse stall of somekind before untying our bags and helping me down. He pays a short demon before saying something and walking over to me.

He then takes my hand and says "Stay close and don"t speak." I nod my head and allow Kian to walk us into the city. A few large Demons watch us and few others enter but they don"t try to stop us or say anything.

Once inside, everything changes... I look up in awe but Kian quickly pushes my head back down and whispers "Don"t act like it"s the first time your seeing this. Once we make it to the safe house, I"ll explain everything to you."

I bite my lip and try to keep my eyes level but it was kinda hard to do. They literally have skysc.r.a.pers like we do!! Only, they were made out of that same slate rock that I saw back in those villages and they don"t seem to have any windows.

Green fire in tall lamps light up the streets as demons walk back and forth. Businesses are busy with customers and they seem to have a bar or... club!? At every corner!! As we pa.s.s one of the bars, I feel a hand slide up my skirt!

I jump a little and turn to find an attractive couple eyeing me like I"m a piece of cake. The male and female demons look drunk or... on drugs? Do they have drugs down here!? Kian quickly reaches out and grabs the guy"s hand with a growl. "Don"t touch her," Kian warns in a low growl that even has my skin crawling.

The female reaches out and runs her hand up Kian"s chest with a purr. "Calm down pretty boy, we just want to have a little fun. Do you two want to join us?" This time I reach out and grab her hand as I growl "Don"t touch him..."

Kian bares his teeth at the two and says "The lady has spoken." He pushes the guy"s hand away as I release the woman. He then pulls me close and wraps his hand around my bare waist, causing me to tense a little before walking us away. It"s only then that I realize I was speaking another language... The demon language.