Of Salvation and Sin

Of Salvation and Sin
Chapter One

The buzz of my phone woke me up.

"Hello" I answered without emotion.

"Seraphina?" A familiar deep distraught voice choked out. I refrain from asking how he acquired my number because I get the same story every time. Instead I wait for him to continue talking without saying a word. "Look, I know you told me not to call again and I'm sorry for that but it's bad this time." I hold my laugh in because every time he calls it's always the same story, always bad and he's always sorry. We went through hell together, he chose to let it rule his life I chose to leave it behind and in doing so I had to leave him behind.

"It's him" he choked out, breaking my train of thought. "Seraphina?" He asked again and this time I answered

"What do you mean it's him?" Heavy breathing came from the other end of the call.

"It's him" he says again. The hair on the back of my neck stood up and a rush of fear rippled through me. He was talking about the demon that had been our own personal hell for years. He was a monster and not just in the things he did to us and others but in the literal meaning. "I was out, you know and ya well there was this car, way too fancy for the place that just pulled up. I backed away and hide behind one of the trash cans and the back window rolled down, Seraphina it was him." Casper continued bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Were you high?" I asked keeping my tone neutral

"Sera-"

I cut him off before he could make up some excuse. "Were you high?"

"Ya but-"

"You were high on god knows what, you could have imagined the entire thing. Now listen, don't call me again you made your decision years ago and it's yours to live with. I will not let you drag me down as well, goodbye." I heard him try to speak but I hung up before he had the chance.

The physical and mental torture took a toll on both of us, it would anyone. But for Cas he was just a soft soul not born or made for the world that dragged him in. He was a demon but a good man that chose to live amongst the humans and learn their ways. He wanted to take his knowledge back to his world to try and teach them that humans weren't just evil.

But unfortunately when he came to the last witches to learn their ways they didn't let him leave. I was only eight at the time but had suffered through things no soul should. He became like an older brother to me and together we suffered along side each other for years. He turned to human drugs and magic highs when we finally were free. I couldn't go down that road with him or save him because I had been just as lost in the world.

It wasn't until I sat my phone down on the night stand that I realized my nails had been tightly digging into my thigh. I moved my hand away and tiny drops of blood started forming where my nails pierced into my soft skin.

Taking a deep breath I wiped it away and slipped out of bed because there was no way I'd be sleeping after that. I grabbed the gun from under my pillow and sat it on my night stand. Ever since I lost my magic I've had to learn to use guns for my protection. It was a learning curve for sure and a gun isn't very helpful in a magic fight but it's all I had now.

There was only a few hours until I had to go to work so I decided to just get ready early and leave. My apartment was small but it was mine. I had the bare minimum as I had never been allowed to have anything personal or any type of decoration so when I finally was able to do so I didn't see a reason for it. The build was old brick and five stories high, my apartment sat at the top but not much of a view as the buildings around it were all taller.

The bathroom tile was ice cold on my bare feet as I moved to the old mirror that hung above my sink. I was met with my reflection, my hair in a knot on top of my head resembled a snow ball, my empty ice eyes always sat in a glare. I pulled the rubber band from my hair as it fell into long waves down my back, my makeup was subtle black eyeliner made into a cat eye look and for the final touch a fake smile.

I worked nights as a bartender at a local club called The Underground it was ran by vampires and succubi and makes for a convenient feeding spot for them. I always tried to get a nap in before I had to leave but tonight that was interrupted.

Grabbing my bag I headed out the door of my apartment building and into the cold winter evening. I loved this time of year when the rain and snow would come to town and people would decorate their homes. I had always thought the city looked beautiful covered in twinkling lights. I had only ever seen them when I was out on an assignment but I would take a few minutes to observe them and the families inside their homes. Often times I would picture myself in their place and what it would be like to have something so seemingly normal.

The bar isn't but a few blocks from my apartment and despite leaving the life I use to live I still liked to keep an eye on the supernatural and considering the bar is built on the only portal in this world it's a good place to watch out for anything coming into it. Especially when they all think I'm just a human, well I might as well have been since the day I lost my magic.

The club was packed, it's packed every night of the week really since that's when vamps and succubi are most active and look to feed. The humans don't even realize the danger they are in or why they come here late at night on a weekday when they have work early in the morning or why they fly halfway around the world just to come to this club.

Their addicts whether or not they even realize it they come here to get off and lose themselves in the orgasm and release they can't receive anywhere else in the human word. While having the potential to be extremely deadly the club is very strict, rule breakers are met with nothing less than death. Humans are treated kindly or at least that's the only memory they'll have once they leave. The human workers are strictly off limits. It's a statement to see if supernaturals can work along side them without eating them.

More and more are coming to this side of the portal and the leaders of Dyztirium are frantically trying to find a way for their people to live amongst humans without destroying them or becoming known to them. They'd like to close the portal all together but that's not happening not now that the last witches are dead.

Dyztirium has magic, a lot of it because it's where magic was born but witches had the ability to draw this words natural magic to them. They kept the portal under control and now without them everyone is on edge. The worst is this world wouldn't stand a chance against the monsters that lived in Dyztirium.

I cut through the ally to sneak in the back and against the wall there's a man with his eyes closed, varying moans of pain and pleasure coming from him. A woman crouched down in front of him as a slight glowing came from where her lips wrapped around his dick. She was taking from his soul to feed. Another woman stood next to him with her hand on the side of his face. She appeared to be kissing he's neck but she most certainly was feeding from him as well. The man was in a state of euphoria from the high of the magic they were pushing into him. In the morning he'd remember it as the best night of his life completely unaware he was feed from.

When I entered the club the tingling of magic I always felt from the creatures washed over me. It was refreshing to be able to feel it whether it was my magic or not it was just good to feel, it was one of the reason I refused to leave this place.

The day I lost my magic a piece of me died and I haven't been able to fill the gapping hole inside since, at least here I could feel something.

I put my belongings in my locker as Roslin came in, she was dressed in skimpy sequence lingerie that fit her bountiful body perfectly. She's a succubus and one of the many dancers at the club. Her hair was a burnt fire red that flowed just below her shoulders. She trained me when I first started here as a cleaner because I wasn't old enough to bartend or really work here at all. I mostly stayed in the back and came during closing. We connected instantly and she became my first female friend.

"Seraphina beautiful as ever my girl" she stated with a teasing tone playing with a strand of my hair.

"Roslin how is it out there?" I asked knowing the answer already.

"Busy as ever, Lazarus is on a roll tonight, he's got something up his ass and not in a fun way." She huffed dropping my hair.

I smiled at her joke, Lazarus was the keeper here at Underground, he was in charge of things this side of the portal and yes I still find a vampire named Lazarus comical. He was old and powerful, I had no clue exactly how old but I had never seen a single person dare challenge him and every female and even some males would very obviously try to bed him. He was very well known as a seductress around here. But for him to have been put as head this side of the portal he had to be ancient and trusted by someone.

"Stay away from Lazarus, ok got it." I joked giving Roslin a smile before leaving the locker room.

I knew by the atmosphere that something was off as soon as I walked in. The music was blaring as usual, the bar was packed, the dancers were dancing and feeding but there was a sense of uneasy about the place.

The club was very elegant the lights usually tinted everything in red. The main floor was open for dancing with cages sitting on platforms that some of the dancers would preform in. Black leather booths and tables lined the walls around the large room. The upstairs was for VIP and had private booths that over looked the dance floor but usually if someone was up there they definitely weren't watching the dance floor.

I pushed through the crowd full of moans and made it behind the bar. Liam one of the other bartenders greeted me with a beautiful smile.

"Seraphina!" He shouted over the music.

"Liam how are they tipping you today?" I asked raising my brows at him, he made amazing tips we both knew it, the ladies love him and the men, well they want to be him. He's tall, muscular and beautiful, his hair is a dirty blonde and his eyes look like liquid honey, his skin is warm looking for being a vamp and his personality was always inviting and kind. He had been another person I had gotten close to in my four years of working here.

"Oh ya know looks like I can make rent" he joked still smiling at me without missing a beat of the drink orders he was making.

I fell into the rhythm of work quickly making drink orders and scaring off rude customers. Liam always got a kick out of it probably because my physical appearance wasn't the most threatening. I was on the shorter side but would still stick up to men easily twice my size. Our other bartender Leah was a sweet girl, naive but she had a good spirt. She pawned after Liam hard completely unaware that he wasn't human and forbidden from messing with her at all because she was a human employee.

It still made for good entertainment even if it was kind of sad. He was always very kind to her as well but we'd laugh about it at the end of the day. He couldn't tell me why he really denied her advances because I wasn't technically suppose to know about their existence or rules. He'd always just say he didn't see her that way and maybe he actually didn't either way it made for some awkward moments.

We worked together like a well oiled machine regardless and if Liam was any indication of how the creatures of Dyztirium could work along side humans it was a bright future. But that wasn't practical because Liam was a sweet soul and the monsters they had in their word wanted blood and death.

It wasn't long into the night when Lazarus finally appeared, he was elegant and moved without sound. His presence was felt before you seen him like his predator body wasn't quite enough to contain it all. His skin was olive and hair dark, his sharp features while handsome were menacing looking. I could imagine the things he's seen and pain he's conflicted thorough his life. He's not someone you would want to go head to head with. He always came off very comedic but the look in his eyes is far from what he portrays.

"Liam I need you to gather the others and meet me in my office." He spoke quiet barely audible above the music, no hint of his usual joking manner. Liams features harden and he gave a slight nod and like that Lazarus was gone as fast as he had came.

I knew something was off from the moment I sat foot in here and this just confirmed it. Liam left without so much as a glance at me or Leah. We were packed with orders and Leah hadn't even noticed Liam had left. I'd feel bad for leaving her to deal with the bar alone but I'd share some of my tips with her at the end to make up for it. Right now my curiosity was getting the better of me.

"Leah I'm sorry but I have to use the restroom right now I'll be back in a minute." I said coming up behind her as she made orders. She was taller and had a thicker body that looked good in every cute outfit she wore. Her hair was brown with highlights that she usually kept in a braid at work.

"You and Liam both owe me, it's a mad house tonight." She answered back without taking her eyes away from the job she was doing. Shaking drinks to mix them and pouring alcohol in shot glasses as people waved at the bar trying to get service.

As I left a few of the customers made some pained noises because now there was only a single bartender to take on the never ending orders and they'd be stuck waiting even longer.

Pushing through the crowd was a task all in itself. Bodies on bodies and the air was thick with hormones and magic. The club was full of feeding creatures and their oblivious human partners.

I eventually made it to the hallway that lead to his office, it was empty and dimly lit. I moved down the long hallway as the music slowly faded away the further I got down it. The walls were dark with an old style gothic wallpaper and thick carved wood trimming.

I listened to Lazarus and Liam outside of the office door. Sneaking up on vampires wasn't easy without a way to silence your steps and breathe but luckily they were too focused on whatever they were talking about. There were multiple other voices that I didn't recognize and I could barely make out what was being said.

The door looked like it was made of a heavy wood maybe not of this world, symbols that I recognized as being witch carved in every inch of it.

They were serious suppression wards like whatever was in this room was meant to be kept weak. Which isn't surprising at all considering the things that could be kept inside were probably ancient and dangerous. The witches had been very interested in the secrets that could be in this club but they never brought me in with them or sent me in separately. I found it odd but didn't question it.

I got down on my hands and knees to try and listen from the small slit at the bottom. Normally I would just take my loss but something about this was just too off to ignore. Just as I leaned down I felt it, the voices inside the room went silent and the small slit at the bottom of the door started to glow an angry red.

The symbols on the door lit up in a beautiful show of changing colors as it shook. The floor grew cold under my hands and knees as it rumbled below me like it would open up and swallow me whole. The wall along the room began to light up with more suppressing wards. Something was happening in that room and whatever it was had immense power to set off all these wards.

The moment the shaking and symbols died down my skin was flushed with heat like I had been placed in front of an open fire. My hands stuck to the floor like they weighed too much for me to carry. The cold ground was an angry contrast to the heat coming from my body.

My mind knew I needed to run, it screamed at my muscles to move but nothing happened. Sweat was starting to bead up all over my body as my hair stuck to my face. Whatever was behind that door was powerful. It's magic was fear inducing and almost hurt to be around, probably would have if I hadn't been craving to fill the void left in me from mine being ripped away.

The air was heavy and tasted of sweet spices that I couldn't place. I had no magic to push away the magic that was suffocating me. I fell victim to it's presence. A magic capable of doing this without trying is not something this world can handle. This is the kind of magic people fight wars to obtain.

Voices came from the room but I still couldn't make anything out that was being said. My throat had slowly closed off like the magic was choking me on purpose. My lungs begged for oxygen but the pressure wasn't subsiding. I coughed from the need to try and expel it like I had been drowning.

The door flew open in front of me as I gasped for the little air that was allowed in. Eyes made of molten amber held mine and the magic surrounding me grew hotter.

My skin was tingling as if little fires burned all over my body. The gapping hole left in me from my magic being gone began to fill as my heart began to race. Everything around me slowed down as my fingers itched to feel my own missing magic.

When I managed to observe the keeper of the molten eyes it was clear he wasn't made to sign treaties, he was made of war. His features sharp and deadly. His hair was black, so black it almost looked like a void lightly shaping his face extinguishing any light it touched. His jaw was clinched shut. Eyes slanted like he was watching every movement I made and counting every beat of my pounding heart.

He was ready to kill at any moment and he would, I knew that look in his eyes as they grew from burning amber to a dark smoldering rage. It was feral and wanted blood. I had wore that same look my whole life. His broad shoulders only emphasized by the very human styled suite he wore just as dark as his demeanor. He was tall, taller than Liam that I knew stood at 6'5.

He was observing me as much as I was him. It felt like he was taking me apart with just his stare. His eyes locked on my now very exposed cleavage that my shirt had fell away from when I leaned over on the floor. His stare was debilitating.

A clearing of the throat tore my eyes from him to Lazarus. "Seraphina, while I must say you look very flattering on your knees I would like an explanation." He said in a comical tone but I could see worry? In his dark eyes or maybe I was just magic high.

I had no explanation, the truth would get me killed but lying would get me killed too. Every creature whatever they all were, were now focused on me. Listening to my heart, my blood, every twitch and expression, hell maybe even my thoughts. To them I was just a nosey human and to me they would appear as just human if I hadn't known better.

Curiosity and that fucking cat. Something drew my eyes past all of them to what I assumed was the portal that the witches had been in charge of closing. It beat like a heart behind them, I'd heard stories from the witches of what it looked like but they didn't do it justice. It was beautiful and inviting, watching it pulse was calming and for a moment I forgot the situation I was in. If this thing swallowed our world at least it would be a beautiful death.

"She can see it?" A deep voice asked questionably.

"That's impossible she's just a human." A familiar voice answered.

My eyes were transfixed on the portal and I couldn't pull them away from it. The magic grew hotter around me and the air heavier. As my heart pounded in sync with portal that swirled like an ocean of beautiful color.

"Now" a growl cut through the air and like a slap to the face the hot magic that was surrounding me was ripped away at the same time and a pained noise escaped my lips barely audible but not missed by the men in the room.