Sinner City: Satan's Manor

By Kyah Harpyr Poe

What would happen if, over time, Hell went civilized? What if the demons, sinners, imps, and fallen angels wanted a second chance? Another chance to live. And what would happen if Hell's heirs to the throne were blamed for their queen's death? And if it went unanswered? When the royals of Hell form sides, who's responsible for this new civilization?

This young-adult mystery is an LBGTQ literary fiction that follows the protagonists: Sinister the weasel, Azlo the sinner, and the Prince of Hell, Jasper. Each of which has different ideas and opinions, all the while Hell tends to fall deeper into chaos. They're accompanied by a wide variety of characters who have different relations to the protagonists. This specifies down to friends, partners, family, and acquaintances. Whether or not they have the same opinions, they'll have to work together and communicate, so Hell can evolve into something better. Although, disagreements may unfold into a complete rupture.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9798887630885

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Prologue: 1

Prologue: 2

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

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Epilogue

About the Author

cover.jpg

Sinner City

Satan's Manor

Kyah Harpyr Poe

Copyright © 2023 Kyah Harpyr Poe

All rights reserved

First Edition

NEWMAN SPRINGS PUBLISHING

320 Broad Street

Red Bank, NJ 07701

First originally published by Newman Springs Publishing 2023

ISBN 979-8-88763-087-8 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88763-088-5 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Shout-out to all the heathens

Prologue

1

916 Years Before

It happened on a rather nice day in Hell. The king, Lucifer, walked past the dining room window. The brightest light peered through, coming from the opening to Heaven. He walked through a corridor and into a hall.

He had white skin, red hair, and big red horns, along with dark dusty wings and black eyes with red pupils. He wore a suit and tie, along with black leather pants and loafers.

Through the right corridor, he saw Henry. Henry was his middle child of seven, three of which had already moved out. Henry was his favourite and one of the few he enjoyed listening to. He was settled down on a lounge chair next to a bookshelf reading. That appeared to be the only thing this room was used for.

Henry had dark grey skin with red and blue eyes. Two light grey horns, a tail tipped by a metal barb, and messy dark grey hair. He sat comfortably in trousers and a red turtleneck sweater.

Hello, Henry, Lucifer said.

It wasn't unusual to greet someone in the manor that way. The place was too big to see everyone daily.

Hi. Henry glanced at the camera in the room. Have you seen Francis at all? He smirked.

Francis? Why would he want to see Francis? Francis was Lucifer's youngest child next to his twin Francine. He also happened to be his least favourite.

Why do you want to see Francis?

Hmm, I don't know, he just hasn't been around recently. Henry frowned. I don't know what he's been up to.

Who cares what he's been up to? Lucifer said, and then he heard footsteps coming from the room in front of him. Francis stepped through the door, but only Henry noticed. Francis was about out of the room when Henry said something.

Francis, what are you doing? he said, making Lucifer turn to him.

Francis, I didn't see you there. He cut Francis off before he said something. He hated him because he knew one day, his intelligence would be used for any inconvenience. He was only twelve years old, but he was the only one of his children with his abilities. He had picked up shape-shifting from his father.

I know, Lucifer, he said, then looked back at Henry. I was about to go to my room when I heard Mum screaming. I believe it was frustration. I heard Evelyn, so they must have been on the phone. That's why I didn't go in.

Evelyn was their sister.

Suddenly, they heard a shriek of anger come from maybe two rooms over.

I'll go see her, Lucifer said and swept by Francis.

Like she's gonna want to see you, Francis grumbled.

He walked across the room and into a large room with a wall of glass. Out the window, the red sky peered over the city of blood and fire. As he was walking, he about tripped over something before hearing Fuck! He shot his view downward to see Sinister, the talking weasel. Lucifer created him from a pit of fire. Specifically for Lilith's sister, but she died around three years ago. Leaving the weasel with him. Pretty much like his eighth child.

The weasel frowned at him, immediately running past. Lucifer continued to the room where he would find his wife. He gazed out the window upon the city while walking forward. Then he found the room the shriek came from. He couldn't hear anything anymore, so before entering, he knocked politely and, after a few times, entered. That was when he saw his beautiful love, dangling from her wrist, sixteen bullets pierced through her flesh. In shock, he stared as the blood dripped from her white peacoat. Lucifer shouted in disbelief and began crying.

He couldn't help but stare at her smooth maroon skin. After one or two droplets of blood fell, there was nothing left inside her. He gazed into her ruby eyes, taking one last glance. Her black and white hair dangled with her, mocking him. He wished to touch her freckled face once more, but it'd bring back too many memories.

Who the Hell did such a thing?

The queen of Hell was dead, and the only suspects were her children. Almost immediately, Lucifer bolted to the next room to find the security system. His hands shook while pressing the buttons needed to see past footage.

When minutes had passed, he got the library, balcony, and the greenhouse all to play on screen. What he saw horrified him: Henry shot and carved her organs out. He tied her to the ceiling while standing in the pool made from her blood.

Something didn't sit right with Lucifer. Why would Henry do this to him? This had to be the work of his shape-shifting son Francis.

His children and Sinister all bolted in at the sound of his terror. Tears began to fall from Sinister, Francis, and his other son Raymond's eyes, but not Henry or his daughter Francine. Both of them never had a great relationship with her, but Henry would never do this to Lucifer. Francis though…Lucifer stormed in front of him.

Why'd you do it!

Prologue

2

Two Months Before

Too bad the sky was grey. It darkened their mind before they met their work establishment. The rain fell from the clouds like a humble man's house pipeage. It burned the flesh of the demons, but they'd never die.

Too bad the massacre came sooner than they thought that October. The saints left blood and bodies every few steps, along with an imp's spilt organs next to their front door. They kicked aside a kidney and wondered how their work partners hadn't gotten to it already.

Jay snapped open the door. Not locked. There had to be someone here somewhere. They dropped their duffel bag by the door and looked around.

Brook! Winnie! they called.

As expected, an imp dropped her head through a trapdoor in the ceiling.

Hey! she said, her face covered in black dirt. Eventually, they heard another coming to them from the hallway on the left.

There's a day-old rib cage outside the door, they told the one hanging from the ceiling, Winnie.

Eh, yeah, I know. But I don't find imps very tasteful. She groaned and licked her forearm. Wanna know what I'm working on? she asked.

Sure.

They sighed and let her rampage back into her hole in the ceiling. While she was gone, they looked at the other imp, Brook.

Hello there! They smiled happily and brought her into their arms for an embrace.

Brook smiled in delight. She's been really excited for you to come around. She's confident this new formula will work.

Oh, really? Jay let her return to the ground when they heard Winnie rumble back through the passage.

She came back out with a cardboard box. This time, she dropped down to her feet. She held the box for them to look inside. Bombs. Tiny drop-off bombs. She held one of them in her hand up to them and carried the box on her other forearm.

Fifteen-foot range. Throw, drop, hide, whatever. And they don't only off demons, they're saint slayers too, she teased.

Pfft, please, you did not test those yesterday at the massacre, they corrected her.

Yeah? But I put our latest information into the serum and I came up with the perfect formula to finally be able to fight back. She smiled. Just come on, she said and led them into another room with a table of weapons. She was gonna take them to the back outside where she could sample some.

Wait up. I have some weapons I want to test too, Brook called to her.

She stopped and waited for her to grab a rifle, machete, and some bottles of acid. Then she kicked open the door to the back room open with her hoof. They hopped down the steps into the nasty room. It didn't have any flooring and practically no walls, just the wooden supports. Other than that, it had a load of failed experiments and trash on the ground no one should've been walking through.

She kicked open the other door leading outside and failed. Aw shit. She huffed and flipped the lock. Why do you even lock this one?

She planted her hooves into it again. This time, it worked. She jumped down to the yard. Their building was the last on the block and stopped a road so they had plenty of space out back. The area was burnt up and destroyed. Winnie set up a dummy in the back and prepared her bomb. She picked out one she specifically made for testing. It only had a five-foot radius. The dummies were secure logs of wood with a bunch of saint skin nailed into them.

Brook looked up at Jay again. She handed all the weapons she was holding to them. Can you test those? I'm gonna set up some dummies.

Jay nodded.

Winnie aimed with her tongue out and threw a bomb at the skin-covered log. Not even an inch away, it blew it into the air, leaving the ground torn to bits. Jay was focused on fixing their hair in the rain. They'd been in Hell long enough to let it reach their ankles.

Ha! Works! she exclaimed.

You still don't know that. What damage did it leave on the saint's skin? Jay asked her. She ran up to the log that had been set on fire.

Jay continued to her side. The log burned while the skin on top continued not to heal. Jay's eyes widened. Usually, saint skin healed so they couldn't feel pain, let alone did it normally let their skin get damaged at all, even after it wasn't attached to them. Right now though, the skin was shrivelled and burnt.

Hmm, congratulations, they celebrated. Brook stood suddenly when she heard those words and ran over to them.

Congratulations? We found out the formula to kill saints! Winnie threw her hands to her head. Do you know how much a demon would pay for one of these? Hundreds of coins!

Maybe ten coins, Jay said. Currency around here was nothing but silver coins the size of a bottle cap. A demon only had fifty to sixty of them in their wallet on average. Things like a beer might cost three or cigarettes might cost five.

Yeah, well, it's still something to celebrate about. She shrugged. Test yours, she said and set up a few more dummies.

Jay went to the first one with some acid. They placed a few droplets on the skin. It burned through, but it could've done better. They used the second acid on the same dummy; it didn't make it through all the layers of skin. The third was the best: burned all the way through and leaked to the bottom of the log; the fourth was better than the first.

All do damage, but I'm not gonna use the first two, they answered her. She'd gotten another dummy up. She went to build a third, but they stopped her. I only need one, thanks.

They proceed to take out their machete and slice down the front where the acid hadn't already done damage. They used the same formula on all of them, so just as they expected, it cut right through.

The machete is the best one yet, they said to her; she smiled. On second thought, can you set up a dummy for bullets?

She nodded and grabbed a log with a gap in the centre. In it, she nailed five layers of full skin while sitting on the ground. The gap consisted of nothing but skin for them to shoot through.

When they did, it went all the way through. Jay, Brook, and Winnie smiled at each other, each excited. Winnie bounced up from the ground and spun around in the rain.

Whoo! she exclaimed. Finally! We found the formula!

Jay laughed and felt just as excited as she was. They couldn't feel the boiling rain anymore. They focused on the imp as she swung her bright red hair around in the sky. She had to push her giant round glasses back onto her nose before she ran toward them.

Brook shook up and down out of happiness. She jumped and crashed into their chest. Winnie ran into them as well, pushing them to the ground as they hugged both the imps, they'd all known what this would mean to Hell. They finally had a way to stop the unfair fighting. Finally.

Chapter 1

The burning Hell light flashed right through the apartment window, awaking the small creature inside. He sat upon his hard shredded couch, tired and shaky. He was temporarily living in an apartment on the side of a small bar. The grass was dead and a black leafless tree grew beside it.

Sinister was an orange weasel with dark eyes and a tail made of fire. He wore a little drawstring bag around his neck. He lived in Hell and had been there for a few hundred years. He was born there and had never seen anything but it. The cold was a dream he knew little about and never went to the frozen circles of Hell to experience.

Sinister was very close with the king of Hell, Lucifer. He created the weasel out of a pit of fire. He also gave Sinister a job. He interviewed new people joining Hell and led them to their ring of the netherworld. Of course, there were too many for only him, so many other Hell creatures also had the job.

He sat watching his alarm clock tick closer to its freak-out time. The bright-ass light woke him up before it did. When it rang, he gently pressed the snooze button and got ready for work. He turned on the faucet, washed his face in the dirty black water, then combed his fur, and blew his tail into a bright fire.

After that, he walked past the table next to his door to swipe a couple of coins for breakfast from the bar next door. He stood in the elevator leading him to the bottom of the building. Once the door was opened, he saw a large lobby room with a demon asleep at the counter. Sinister quietly passed by the exit, and the bell rang when it hit the door, waking the sleeping demon.

He vanished through the wooden door quickly before they said anything. The outside was bright, dead trees were burning, blood filled the sewer drains, and people were screaming with weapons and fighting for fun. The cracked path had liquor bottles and cigarette packs spilt all over.

He pushed open the shattered glass door to the bar open, then a pile of wood and nails fell beside him. Inside, he was facing a counter with one man sitting down and a woman behind it. Its floor was dusty, and there were dining booths on both sides. Sinister jumped onto a chair next to a familiar man.

Good morning, Sinister!

When he looked over the guy had on a red and white suit, red pants, a red top hat with a black ribbon, white gloves, and black fancy shoes. His face was grey, he had natural white short fluffy hair, a black devil tail, and he had two red twisted devil horns.

Morning, Jasper. Sinister frowned. He had nothing against Lucifer's son, he was just tired.

You'll be happier after your coffee, Jasper said, then picked up his liquor bottle. How's work been?

We've been getting a lot of Sloth, Lust, and Pride sinners…like normal. He gave up his desire to talk, and the lady at the counter stepped over to him.

Why, Sinister, I figure you want the usual?

He nodded at her, and she left to a further side of the counter.

They sat in silence for a lovely peaceful moment. The woman walked back over, holding an iced black coffee with cream. He lifted his head as she placed it in front of him, and he took it into his paws. He felt Jasper's eyes on him so slowly turned in his direction.

What? Sinister asked him.

So I planned a party this evening. It's celebrating my elder brother's hell day. A hell day might've been multiple things. It could've been the day a sinner joined Hell, but specifically for royal demons who were born in Hell, it was the day they moved to the ring they were assigned. Our other five siblings will be there and, of course, lots more people. Do you want to come? Jasper turned his body to face Sinister on his stool.

Which brother? What ring? Where? When? Sinister said and faced him with a sip of coffee.

Prince Henry of the Envy ring. Fatal Harbour, 8:00 p.m.

Like Jasper, Henry was a prince. They were two of King Lucifer's sons. He had five and two daughters. From an early age, they were destined to live their lives in certain rings. Jasper, for instance, was given Gluttony to do as he pleased. Henry was the next ring up, Envy. It wasn't just the seven heirs to Lucifer's throne who were ordered to live their lives in a single place. They just lived in the rings. The heirs had cousins who lived in circles. The circles were located in between, above, and below each ring. From underneath the lowest ring, Sloth, was the Treachery circle. All the way to the top of the Wrath ring, which had two circles above it, first, was Violence, and then Limbo topped everything.

Henry? You haven't spoken to him in ages. He killed Lilith? Will Lucifer be there? he asked. He wanted to talk to him anyway.

I don't know. You'd better get on the train at 5:00 p.m. if you aren't going to take the royal tracks, he answered.

Sinister didn't even live in the Gluttony ring; he was just there now and then to visit Jasper. He lived in the Lust ring, which was two rings up. Envy was in between.

Yeah, I can come. Going there would get me closer to home, Sinister spoke in between the last sips of his coffee.

Ah, that means you're leaving soon, Jasper croaked. He spun back toward the counter and placed three coins. Sinister did the same but with two coins.

Yeah, I've been here for weeks, and if I'm going to the party, I might as well. You've got other people to keep you company. Like Azlo, Rita, and Jackie, Sinister objected.

Well, Jackie's in rehab, Rita's missing, and Azlo doesn't like me and lives on the other side of this ring, the prince spoke with hints of regret.

Get more friends dude, Sinister said while hopping down to leave. Look, I'll see you tomorrow, might even have something from work to report. Later, piggie, Sinister said and stepped out the door.

Sinister walked into the building with advertisements all over. It was giant and attached to a train station different from the main one. This train station was faster and took them to Hell Central.

Hell Central was an old adaptation used to plan out the sinner's crimes and where they should be placed for a proper punishment. Nowadays, it became a habit—something that wasn't really necessary anymore but carried on. Anyone was able to move to another ring or circle, and Hell wasn't really made for punishment anymore, not since the queen was killed.

After sinners died, they were dragged out of the limbo circle by reapers to find their place in Hell. Sinister had only ever been to the limbo circle once. It was a monochrome place with little surface. The singular town there was small and cold. On top of the dirt that looked so dark, you'd be afraid. It was a void. No grass grew, but that was where a very small group of demons settled. The majority of that circle were lakes filled with gasoline. That was where the sinners were dragged from on boats.

He walked through the hall leading up to the train station until he stopped by the guard.

Name? He held a clipboard full of all the people who worked there's names. They were the only demons allowed to travel to Hell Central.

Sinister, he said, then the guy moved out of his way, unblocking the sight of the train. It was smaller than any other, made to fit about a few thousand people unlike the ones travelling from pit to pit. Luckily for him, the train hadn't left yet and he didn't have to wait.

He jumped inside and began walking to his usual seat. His usual seat was closer to the window and next to someone named Azlo. They were Jasper's friend, but he knew them too. They hadn't shown up yet, since they went to the next stop to get picked up.

The train door closed and the wheels began to roll as Sinister stared out the window. They sped past the rest of the city and into the next and the next. It went by quick enough to barely recognize them. Then it stopped. It jerked all the demons forward. He heard the fallen angel a seat over gag as he'd been drinking some tea in a paper coffee container. His four eyes shot open and alerted the female imp next to him. They appeared at the next stop. Another city in Gluttony. There were seven trains all headed to Hell Central at that time, one for each ring.

Sinister sat up after being flung. He waited for Azlo to enter, but they were normally late. They were a small imp about three and a half feet taller than Sinister, and Jasper was one foot taller than them. Most imps once lived a life, but others were born in Hell; Azlo had lived a life. They usually wore a black peacoat, black pants, and a paperboy hat. Their skin was white and their hair was white with black and white striped horns tilted forward. They had bright red eyes and a deep scar on the back of their neck.

He felt drowsy and went limp back in the chair. He stared back out the window, and only dead trees reached in the dark red sky. Some were on fire.

Sinister closed his eyes and the slumber took him away, his thoughts possessed by the make-believe of his mind.

Chapter 2

Azlo slipped away from the guard of the train station while they dealt with another demon. They had almost been left this time and had to run and jump inside while the door closed.

The feeling of the moving train when they walked felt like an unpleasant treadmill. Eventually, they saw the seat Sinister had fallen asleep in and carefully sat beside him. Right then, they hit a broken chunk in the rails, forcing Sinister up.

Damn it! he groaned with an unhappy frown. He then looked at Azlo without a hint of mixture in his expression. Then it went calm as if he'd thought of something. He settled back into a comfortable position. Jasper's hosting a party tonight to celebrate Prince Henry's hell day. He'd probably be thrilled if you came. It's being hosted in Fatal Harbor in the Envy ring, he said, and with the sudden comment, Sinister probably thought Azlo had been there a lot longer.

Jasper's weird, Azlo said, then put their hooves on the chair in front of them. They then lit a cigarette and held their arms behind their heads.

Whatever. Are you coming or not?

Sure, they lied. I'm heading that direction anyway. Will Prince Francis be there?

Francis? Why, never mind, I don't care, Sinister said. The Lust ring was where he lived so he was confused to hear Azlo was heading there. Especially since Sinister lived there. Why would the prince want to see some imp?

First off, that's rude, second off, I don't have to tell a weasel anything. Azlo smiled.

I'm a demon weasel created by the almighty Lucifer…so shut up, he snapped, then the train began to slow down.

Azlo jumped down quickly and without saying anything. They bounced in front of a taller demon almost seven feet taller than them. Azlo ran to the door like they always did to get out as soon as possible.

The tallest building in all of Hell stood before them. It was a tall cylinder made mainly of bricks. Azlo skittered out behind a mothlike demon. She hovered down the side of the train when they noticed a strange scarf she had covering her mouth. No one wears scarves in Hell, they thought.

They moved along with a bunch of other demons toward the elevator. At some point, it detected the right number of demons and shot upward at lightning speed. The door quickly opened up to the floor Gluttony demons worked. Azlo split from a third of the demons, then found their room and stepped inside.

On the other side of the room, different elevators were made for anyone who had just died. They waited on the first floor and then were sent up to whoever was ready.

Azlo walked to their desk with nothing but stamps and a pen. They settled into the chair and listened to the elevator begin to burst. They could see sinners shoot through them being sent to the demons above them that were ready.

Then Azlo heard more elevators and one quickly stopped at his room. She slowly walked in with a face full of sweat. Why is it so hot?

Because you're in Hell, darling. Now take a seat in front of me as you read off the list of reasons you're here, Azlo commented and instructed the newcomer.

She took a seat after getting a cup of water from the water dispenser beside the elevator. She pulled out a list she was given downstairs and read it off.

Yuck. She cursed at the Hell water. Um, cheating on my husband and I was an atheist.

'Kay, now you can head back down and show those kind demons your paper. Azlo took her paper and stamped it with the Lust stamp. They spoke with pleasure, and she sloped away with a worn-down face.

They came up one by one till they'd been working for six hours. The building had demons working in it 24/7, but a set of demons only worked six hours.

Azlo sat in their chair for a moment and watched the elevator. It was early and no one had come down yet. That was until Sinister did let him in as a daily routine. Azlo sat up and moved toward it while Sinister played with his tail.

What were you thinking? It's 6:00 p.m., it'd take us too long to get to the party. I thought you had a plan to get us out soon enough, they said, but the weasel kept slapping his fiery tail.

Ah. Not sooner but faster. I very kindly asked Jasper to come to get us. He then slapped his tail in Azlo's direction.

Be careful with that! they snapped. Do you wanna set my peacoat on fire?

Yuh. Sinister smirked and pressed an elevator button. Jasper has a royal train station anyway, so he said it'd be fine.

Suspicious, they said but Sinister kept quiet.

The door opened on the bottom floor. Azlo stepped out first with Sinister right behind him. The elevator immediately shut and zipped upward to gather more demons. Azlo let Sinister lead them outside to where Jasper was. He was standing in the clearing with a baton and wristwatch.

There you two are. Azlo stopped walking and gave him a confused/disgusted look. Before we leave, is there anywhere you like to go first? We have plenty of time.

Azlo frowned, then Jasper's phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his pant pocket and answered, Hello? You caught one? Well, me and Sinister are out for the Envy party, so we can come. All right, bye. Jasper put back his phone and looked excitedly at Sinister.

He didn't— Sinister scoffed.

He did. Jasper and he smiled at each other as Azlo stood with little care.

Who did what? They sighed, and Jasper didn't wait for a breath.

Lucifer's caught a saint! He bounced, but Azlo couldn't figure out what was so special. A saint could be very useful for the next massacre. Jasper hopped.

Azlo didn't shutter or move and didn't ask how because he knew this prince was going to tell him more than he could question. The saint could be used as a bribe or would be good for an interrogation.

You said we had plenty of time, right, Jasper? Sinister hinted. His tail was swinging back and forth, startling Azlo.

Yes, we do! he said and snatched him to his shoulder. Azlo then followed the two-person parade. Jasper plummeted inside the train with Sinister still hanging on. Then they stepped inside after.

Timilynn, take us to the top ring! he shouted at the lady waiting on the side of the train.

She sighed with a toothpick hanging on the corner of her lip. Azlo greeted her with a simple glance. She smiled at them. The two had been close friends for a while.

The top ring was the Wrath ring where Prince Jack and many other royals lived. It was the nicest and fanciest ring of them all. You