Demon Tempted (Karmic Lust) (16 page)

****

Clay and the others moved through the Nether, searching the different caves for any signs of the women, and were coming up empty. Most of the demons and angels that frequented the place that they spoke to stated they hadn’t seen any other beings besides demons and angelic beings. Nor had they sensed them in the area.

“He has to have them cloaked somehow. Making it so we can’t detect them but neither can others of our respective kinds,” Clay said in frustration.

“If it were going to be easy, Clay, we’d have found them already,” Salathiel said in a firm voice.

“Sal, could you be any more the bringer of bad news, please?” Samael asked gruffly.

“Someone has to be the one to state the facts,” Sal said in his defense.

The angel was so big that his wings brushed against the cave walls. Some of the tunnels were so tight that they had to move through it single file. They were in one such tunnel at the moment, and moods weren’t the best. Clay felt his frustration building even more and just as he was about to blow, Remie’s hand touched his shoulder and calmed him.

“You guys need to lighten up. We can’t be tearing at each other if we want to get this figured out,” Remiel stated.

“You’re right—thanks, Remie. I’m sorry, Samael and Salathiel. Forgive my ill temper.”

Both males chimed in. “It’s okay, Clay.”

His diplomacy was a reason Remiel was in the group, though it wasn’t the only one. Perhaps being the ‘dream angel’ as some called him really was one of the reasons why he could get someone to calm down as easily as he did. Clay was thankful for him being around. If they fell apart before they even started, all would be for naught.

The men traveled for a few more hours, having completely explored the Nether, and they were now on the descent down towards hell. They were so close to the edge that one could hear shrieking and moaning and the proverbial gnashing of teeth. The path was wider than it had been for a while, so Clay turned to Remie and Sal.

“This is where you two turn back.” He clasped both of their arms tightly.

“You know that if we could go farther, we would,” Remie said solemnly.

“He’s right,” Sal agreed.

Samael walked up beside them and placed his hand on Remie’s shoulder. “Yes, we both know, and we are grateful. Isn’t that correct, Clay?”

“Yes, very true. Truly we can’t thank you enough. It would have taken us forever to go through the Nether. Even though the girls aren’t here, the two of you saved us a massive amount of time,” Clay affirmed with a nod of his head.

“We will keep vigilant above and in the Nether for signs of Lili and Eva,” Salathiel promised.

Clay let go of their arms, and with one last nod, he turned back to descend down into the bowels of hell in search of Eva and Liliana with Samael at his side. He would focus on Eva and think of times past when they were happy together. That would get him through this, and once he found her, he’d make sure she stayed happy. He wasn’t letting her go, no matter what.

Asmoday had finally gotten bored and had left her and Liliana alone. In fact it had been a few days since she’d seen him. He’d done one nice thing though and that was taking off the shackles so they could move about freely. That freedom came with a warning that if they tried to escape there were worse demons on the other side of the bars than he or Vestis. The only demon she came into contact with was the vile Vestis.

The good thing was he seemed to be more interested in Asmoday than he was in harassing her and Lili. She’d heard them on the other side of those magical bars, and she didn’t want to chance it. Least not yet, not until Liliana came back to her and was able to move on her own. One thing it seemed that Asmoday had forgotten—Eva had been a demon too. She knew the place like the back of her hand, and she’d use that to her benefit.

Although she thought Asmoday was crazy in even suggesting that she’d try. It wasn’t an option for Eva as Lili was still out cold from whatever spell that Asmoday had put her under. Speaking of crazy, she wondered how long it would take her to get off her rocker and end up like Asmoday. No, she wouldn’t think like that. Her focus should be on waking Lili up and getting them out of there. Eva sat next to her on the bed and held her hand tightly as she talked to her as if she were awake.

“Remember when we were children and we used to go into our secret hideout that we had in the hills behind the foster home?” She pretended Lili answered with a yes and continued talking.

“Those were the days, yeah? The times when we’d run around catching frogs, snakes and terrifying our foster mother with our tomboyish ways.”

She watched the rise and fall of Lili’s chest, hoping that by talking to her she’d snap out of it. Nothing. It was as if she was sleeping beauty and couldn’t be awakened unless she was kissed. She unfortunately didn’t have the right equipment to be the Prince.

She lay down beside Lili, putting her head on her chest, still holding her hand.

“I’m truly sorry, Lili, for everything. I shouldn’t have ever cursed you in the garden.” Her thoughts turned inward, and once more she found herself in the past as she reminisced about a time gone by.

****

At the Tigris River

She’d gone looking for Lilith and Samael. Tired of playing second fiddle to Lilith when it came to Adam, she’d wanted them to feel her pain and anguish. Eva had come upon them about to make love. She’d been furious. Not only did Lilith have Adam wrapped about her little finger, but she also had the angel Samael.

“I love you, Lilith. I would risk everything to be with you.”
Eva had watched Lilith smile at Samael.

“I love you too, Samael. You have given up so much for me.”

“And he is about to give up so much more.”
They’d both gasped and pulled apart, staring at Eve as she stood above them with her arms across her chest.

“Who’s this female, Samael?”

“I’m Adam’s new wife, Eve. And you must be this Lilith he cannot stop talking about.”
She’d spoken before Samael could interrupt.

“Eve, what are you doing here? Why aren’t you back in Eden with Adam?”
Eva had smirked as Samael had covered their bodies with a robe, as if she hadn’t already seen their nakedness.

“Making sure you both get what you deserve.”
Liliana had clearly looked puzzled, not knowing what was going on.

“What we deserve? Why are you speaking such foolishness? Leave us be, and go back to the Garden of Eden,”
Lilith had dared to order.

“Oh, I will be going back, but not before I do what I came here to do. That would be imparting a gift to you that will ensure my happiness and give me much pleasure.”

“Eve, stop before things get out of hand.”
She’d heard Samael’s warning, but she hadn’t been scared of him. His words had only fueled the fire of her anger.

“What will you do, Fallen? That’s right, Samael, you will not do anything. You’ve been left bereft of your power for the choices you’ve made. So what’ll you do?”
Eve had laughed in spite of the anger she felt coming off Samael in waves. He wasn’t going to stop her. She would continue on her path. It had been the choice she was destined to make. She couldn’t hesitate, and she’d had to see it through.

“I curse you both.”
She’d heard Lilith gasp and watched as she pressed herself against Samael. Finish this, Eve, she’d told herself.
“I curse you, Samael, to be doomed to walk this Earth with knowledge of who you were and the awareness of the love you have for Lilith.”

“Is that all, Eve? That isn’t a curse; it’s what’s already in place,”
Samael had taunted.

“Oh, don’t rush me. I’ve only just begun.”
A wicked grin on her face, she waited for a moment as she saw Samael trying to soothe Lilith.

“Now let’s see. Where was I? Oh, yes. You, Samael, will know Lilith and love Lilith throughout eternity. All the same, she will never know you. You can’t remind her either. The knowledge of what she has done has to come from her.”
She’d giggled and then looked directly at Lilith.
“And you, dear, get the worst of it. You will not know who you are, and Samael can’t tell you. You will die, and every time you die, you will come back and be that much further from the truth. This curse will last until you remember your name and what you did to me.”

The tears that had fallen from Lilith’s eyes had actually given her pause for a moment. She’d wondered if she’d done the right thing. Again that voice in her head whispered that she’d come too far. She needed to finish what she’d started, and she was right to be doing so.

“Why are you doing this? What did I do to you?”

“Do you know how hard it is to live with a man who doesn’t love you? Who pines after another woman and compares everything you do to what she did? No, you don’t, because everyone wants Lilith! Lilith even had an angel choose to fall just for the pleasure of being between her thighs. I was the one taken from his rib, made to be his. The perfect fit for him and yet he pines for you!”

“You must be mistaken! Stop this! Go back to him, please, Eve. This is madness!” Eve had ignored Lilith’s pleading back then.

“Oh, I am going back, but I’ll not stop it. The curse stands.” She’d laughed, though even to her own ears it had sounded hollow.

“Eve, no good will come of this,”
Samael had warned her once more as he held his crying Lilith.

“Maybe you’re right, but I feel better already.”

****

Present time Asmoday’s jail cell

She’d been such a bitch. It was no wonder Liliana didn’t have much to do with her once she found out the truth, and she really couldn’t blame her. That was just one example of the dirty shit she’d done to Liliana. The worst of it truly, as it had begun the vicious cycle.

She whispered softly against Liliana’s chest the words that she should have uttered long ago. “I’m sorry, Lili, truly sorry, and I know I have a long way to prove it. But I will prove it to you.”

She could hear the steady beat of Liliana’s heart, and it was soothing music to her ears. Every beat of that very human heart reminded her that it wasn’t over yet. Asmoday hadn’t won as long as their hearts still beat.

If she got them out of this—no, change that.
When
she got them out of this, she’d do whatever it took to show Lili and Samael that she was sorry. The life that she’d led up until she’d been changed to human was a travesty, a complete sham of a life. She wanted to be with Clay and to enjoy what she hadn’t before. No more plotting so much that she didn’t have time to enjoy life. If she were given another chance after this, she’d make the most of it.

So much time spent being greedy and wanting what someone else had. Where had that gotten her? It had taken her on the track to nowhere and fast. On the outside things had seemed great, but in truth if she looked inside of herself she’d hated what she’d become. It wasn’t being a demon that was the bad thing, for all demons played a part in the way life flowed.

It was the things that she’d done knowingly to her sister and to Samael. There were so many things that she missed out on because of her choices. Kamuel was right, too long had she listened to the snake. Epiphany of epiphanies, she now knew that snake in the grass had always been Asmoday and unless she made her stand this time, it would just continue to go on and on.

“You’re going to lay on me all night?”

Lili! She sat up and took in Liliana’s face. She didn’t seem any worse for wear at all.

“How are you doing? Are you okay?” She touched her face, felt her forehead to make sure she didn’t feel hot. Lili batted her hands away.

“Of course I’m fine. Still seem to be stuck in this godforsaken place with you. But I’m fine. I feel more rested than I ever have in my life.”

“You’ve been out for a while.”

“How long’s a while?”

Eva didn’t really want to tell her, but she couldn’t lie to her. That was one of the issues Lili had with her before. Lies.
The telling of lies damaged their relationship, and the kind of dishonesties that slipped so easily off one’s tongue always caused so much pain that perhaps there was no return. The amount of pain she’d caused Lili was mind boggling, and she could see why she found it so hard to believe that she loved her. She did, but she was just a bitch when it came to jealousy, a mistrust that she was finding out she shouldn’t have even had.

“A few days. But I’ve been keeping watch over you and no one’s bothered you.”

“No one’s bothered me?” Lili placed emphasis on the ‘no one’. “You mean a demon hasn’t touched me? ‘Cause this isn’t home anymore, even I can see that.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I mean. I have a confession to make.”

Lili smirked. “Oh? What would that be?” She’d crossed her arms over her chest.

She wouldn’t let this escalate into something that it wasn’t, so she let the snide remark pass and finished what she was saying.

“I’ve been having dreams for quite a while. Dreams of a snake, a demon and the like, and I fear it’s my fault this has happened. I should have told Clay. Shit, I should have told either you or Samael. But I thought I could handle this all on my own.”