Hell's Revenge (13 page)

Lilith snatched her back and I closed my eyes as more tears leaked. “I hope you die a painful death.”

Lilith cackled. “You wish. But don’t worry, I’ve arranged something special for you.

Azazel was most insistent he get to play with you.” I doubted Azazel would get the chance. I’d lost so much blood and I could feel the chill creeping in me.
I guess I’m not immortal after all.
So much for good genes.

Blackness sucked at me and filled with despair, I let it pull me in.

Wake.

The insistent message repeated over and over until with a groan Auric sat up.

Memory of the betrayal wiped the last lingering traces of the sleep drug from his system.

Auric leaned over to shake the still slumbering David only to release an agonized groan at what he saw beyond him.

“Muri,” he whispered.

Lying still as a corpse, Muriel had reappeared, dressed only in a bloody sheet. Auric scrambled to her side and clasped her cold hand in his, the wail in him breaking free.

“No!” He screamed his denial to the sky, the world, to all who would listen. A groggy David stumbled to his knees beside him, and joined him howling his own grief.

“Holy fuck, you trying to kill her with your goddamned caterwauling?” Auric sucked in a breath and clenched his fists. “She’s dead.”

“Almost,” Teivel announced dropping to his knees on her other side. “And unless I get some blood into her soon, she definitely will be.” Hope fluttered in his breast and Auric took another look at her and, for confirmation, looked within himself. He found the connection that bound them together, soul to soul.

She lived if by a tendril. “I’ll call Lucifer to heal her.”

“No time,” Teivel announced taking out a sharp blade and slicing it across his wrist.

Auric wanted to protest—
how can I let that foul thing taint her with his blood—
but he couldn’t let her die. “Do it.”

Teivel shot him a sardonic smirk as if to say there never was any doubt and pressed his wrist to her lips. Muriel didn’t move, not even to swallow. The vamp used his other hand to draw back the sheet and Auric gasped in horror at the mess on her stomach.

Someone had ripped her open, but for what?

Teivel dripped his wound over Muriel’s, the dark drops spattering like a crimson shower and, more unbelievably, healing her. Before Auric’s eyes, the skin pulled together, knitting itself in a macabre fashion he couldn’t look away from.

Teivel again press his wrist to Muriel’s mouth and this time, Auric saw movement. A reflexive swallow, then another. Soon she sucked at Teivel but Auric didn’t stop her, how could he when the bloom in her cheeks returned.

When Teivel pulled his arm away abruptly and Muriel mewled in loss, David growled.

Auric went to ask why he’d stopped when Teivel put a finger to his lips. “The blood is drawing them. We must leave now. Call a portal. I can’t. My power is bound to my blood and I’ve given her too much.”

David shifted and faced outward from them, snarling at the encroaching shadows.

Auric scooped Muriel up, wincing when her face contorted, her wounds still not fully healed.

He called forth a portal, one as close as possible to Lucifer’s castle. He stepped through just in time. Monsters leapt from the jungle with slavering jaws, dark eyes and hungry expressions. David and Teivel leapt through the portal and Auric slammed it shut, glad to leave that forsaken place.

He held Muriel as carefully as possible as he strode to the castle, David bounding ahead to give warning.

He caught movement and looked down to see her lashes fluttering. She finally wrenched them open and he saw the relief in her eyes when she perceived him. “Auric,” she whispered. “You saved me.”

Auric’s jaw tightened. “I wish I could take the credit, but it wasn’t me.”

“The baby…”

“What?”

“Did you save our daughter, too?”

At the blank look on his face, she let out a small wail and passed out again.

Just what the fuck happened to her. And what baby is she talking about?

*

I feared opening my eyes even if the agonizing pain was gone. The last thing I recalled, I’d hovered on the threshold of life, left for dead. I remembered Azazel leering at me, detailing what he intended to do to my body. But … Azazel died or was severely injured. Or had I dreamed the staff of wood that emerged from his chest, staking him like a vampire. And then the smell of spring grass and sunshine. Mother? Had she come to save me or did my inner desire to have her care cause me to imagine she’d come to my rescue? My mind moved sluggishly, my memories covered in a haze that pushed at me to forget. Like that would happen.

Lilith.
The whisper of her name in my mind reminded me of that foul bitch and of my grievous loss. My hands moved of their own accord to cup my flat stomach. I pressed down hoping to feel that burgeoning hardness, that sign of life, before the nightmare began. My flesh sank without resistance. I tore the sheet from me and inspected my bare stomach, the large T, an angry red scar that would always remind me of my failure.

Tears leaked from the corners of my eyes but before I could begin to wail, strong arms, familiar arms, came around me, holding me tight.

Auric. My angel. I hadn’t died after all, even if a part me thought I deserved to. I clung to him, sobbing.
Now that he’s here, he’ll help me make things right. He’ll find our
baby.
He crushed me to him tighter as he feathered kisses across the top of my head, murmuring sweet nothings.

“Muri, oh Muri.” The anguish in his tone made me cry harder. I’d almost lost him, and in return, he almost lost me. I knew how hard that would hit him. I meant everything to him—the other half of his soul, his prize for choosing damnation. I feared to contemplate what would have happened had I failed to survive.

“I’m alive, Auric,” I whispered back. “You saved me. But our baby—” I choked and he went still. “She’s gone, Auric. Lilith took our child.” Auric leaned me back and his green eyes peered at me intently. “What are you talking about? What child? Who’s Lilith?”

Cold dread gripped me. “You can’t have forgotten.” My voice faltered at the expression on his face. “How could you have forgotten I was pregnant? Don’t you recall?

It’s one of the reasons I was so pissed at my mother, because she wanted our child.”

“You don’t know who your mother is. Nobody does.”

My mouth open into an “O” of surprise. “Of course I know who she is. She interrupted our dinner with my father and told me I was pregnant.” Auric shook his head in denial. “You’re not making any sense. Perhaps you need to rest.”

A flurry of motion distracted me and I saw David rush into the room, only to get hip checked by my father who dove on me with suspiciously bright eyes.

“Muriel!” He clasped me to him tightly and I hugged my father back. Daddy would fix things.

“You need to find Lucinda,” I begged.

“Who’s Lucinda?” he asked in a careful tone.

“My daughter, your granddaughter. Lilith took her and I think my mother knows where she is.”

Stillness reigned in the room and my dad pulled away from me. Three pairs of eyes watched me, confusion apparent in their depths. A chill settled on me. “No,” I whispered, then more loudly. “Not you, too. How can none of you remember?”

“You’ve been through a traumatizing event,” Auric placated.

My despair sloughed away in the face of their amnesia. “Don’t you fucking bullshit me. There is nothing wrong with my mind. It’s you who need to get yours checked.” I started yelling, angry they couldn’t remember. “After everything I went through—” A prick in my arm made turn my head wildly to the side where I caught Nefertiti withdrawing a syringe.

“No, we have to save her…”

Even though I fought the pull of the drugs they dragged me down. I lacked the strength and magic to fight it—for now.

“I’m sorry, Muri. We’ll make you better,” I heard Auric murmur, his voice choked.

But he didn’t understand. Nothing would be better until I ripped that bitch Lilith’s head from her shoulders and took back what was mine.

“Mommy.”

The childish voice and demand in the tone made me whirl. There she sat, high up on
the branch of a tree, her bare feet dangling, her brown hair caught up in pig tails. But it
wasn’t her normal appearance that caught me or the fact she looked just like me in
miniature. Her eyes, they swirled like a wave tossed ocean, green to blue, blue to green
with specks of brown.

“Who are you?” I asked the question even as part of me dared hope. Older than
expected with her toddler size, but not out of the realm of possibility given the many
planes of existence.

The child giggled. “Oh, mommy. You’re so silly.”

“Lucinda.” I breathed her name, fearing to break the mirage.

My little girl beamed at me. “I miss you, mommy,” she announced, her exuberance
paling for a moment. “And my daddies.”

“Tell me where you are. I’ll come get you.” I’d fight to get her back. No one would
take me unaware again even if I had to take fifty more lovers to power my magic.

“It’s a secret.” The little girl held her finger up to her lips and gave an exaggerated
shhh.

“I miss you, baby,” I whispered, the tears choking my throat.

One moment she sat in the tree, the next she hugged my legs. I dropped to my knees
and held her toddler body against mine, my tears brimming.

Lucinda pulled from my grasp and shot a nervous look over her shoulder. “She’s
coming.”

“Who?” I asked.

She didn’t answer; instead, she threw her arms about my neck and plastered a wet
kiss to my cheek before running off into the mists of my dream.

I woke with tears running down my cheeks which I quickly wiped with resolve. My daughter lived and I didn’t care how many people didn’t believe me. I was going to get her back, by myself if needed.

And Lucinda had given me a clue where to start.

Time to pay mommy dearest a call. It was past time for Mother Earth to meet the mommy from Hell and boy was I pissed.

First though, I’d need to fill up my magic tank.

Some would ask how could I think of sex at a time like this? Easily, for several reasons. One, the parasite, known as my power, hungered for it and back in the land of the conscious I could feel it calling to my lovers, calling for the aid it needed to replenish itself. The energy it needed for me to cause the havoc I so adored.

And second, I needed sex. I needed the close contact with my lovers, the reaffirmation that I lived, that I could prevail and I wasn’t alone.

The door sprang open and Auric stalked in, David on his heels. Before they could slam the door shut, a third entered and my eyes widened to see the vampire who’d kissed me.

Auric whirled and gave the vamp a hard stare.

The fanged one shrugged. “The blood I gave her binds us. Her magic calls to me and I must answer.”

“What’s he talking about?” What blood? I didn’t recall swapping fluids with the vamp, our kiss not having progressed that far. Just what had occurred while I lay passed out?

David who’d crawled up onto the bed, stripping his shirt as he came, answered.

“Teivel was with us when we went into the wilds looking for you. When you suddenly reappeared on the brink of death, he gave you his blood to keep you alive. We had no choice.”

I told my hungry magic to shut up for a second and with crossed arms, demanded they tell me everything.

I listened as they recounted their journey into the dangerous jungles of Hell, the attacks, my sudden reappearance, and the way the vampire had saved my life—and bound us for as long as I lived.

It occurred to me to throw him out. I had my hands full with two lovers, but even if I ignored my hunger for the cold power he promised, I needed every advantage I could get to save my daughter. I wasn’t above using him for my own purpose even if Auric got mad at me for it. The saying it was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission applied here. And I was really good at asking for forgiveness on my knees with my cheeks hollowed.

“He stays.” I announced, and while David took it with his usual grin and shrug, Auric’s body bristled.

“You can’t mean to invite this dead thing to our bed.” I hated to hurt my love, the other half of my soul, but I wouldn’t forsake the child born of that love. “I love you, Auric, nothing will ever change that. After all, I managed to find a way to love David without diminishing what I have with you. I don’t love Teivel, which isn’t to say I might not eventually, but I need what he can give my magic.” Auric’s expression darkened. “You still think that hallucination about the baby is real.”

“I don’t think, I know. And once I’m all charged up, I’ll prove it to you.” I spoke with confidence even if I didn’t know how I’d accomplish it.

Teivel’s triumphant smirk aimed at Auric annoyed me. The fact I needed him didn’t give him the right to slight my consort and first love. “You can stay, but no touching me.

You haven’t earned that privilege yet.” That wiped his grin. I just hoped I could hold true to my word given my parasite seethed inside me, eager to replenish itself.

I beckoned Auric to me, letting the sheet fall. He fought it, not wanting to give in.

But my magic wasn’t pulling any punches. I
hungered.

I leaned back as David plucked at one of my offered nipples, his latching mouth making me arch with a sigh of pleasure. “I need you Auric,” I whispered.

A second mouth attached itself on to my other pebbled berry and I moaned. Auric hadn’t been able to resist, thank Hell. I needed him. I twined my fingers into their hair and held them to me, my body already coming alive under their expert touch.

My eyes caught those of the vampire and I licked my lips. Despite my demand he not touch, I couldn’t deny his allure. His dark sensuality which called to me.

Strip.
I didn’t speak the word aloud, but as if he heard my mental command, his fingers went to the buttons of his shirt. He peeled it from his torso revealing a lean, muscled chest of alabaster. His jeans hung love on his hips, the vee of his muscles dipping below the waistband.
More. Show me more.
His eyes glinted with mischief as he obeyed, his hands drifting to his jeans and unbuttoning them in a slow reveal that transfixed me. My lovers, sensing my distraction, bit my nubs, making me cry out and flooding my pussy with wet heat.