Chapter 7 - Pride
PerseusI had already seen Lilith once today when Lucifer had stopped her on the sidewalk, too curious for his own good to keep his distance from such a beautiful and familiar face; Lilith's beauty was what had enraptured us the first time we came across the goddess of chaos and destruction. But this Lilith looked even more, captivating up close than the Lilith we once knew.She was almost a spitting image of the snake who almost ruined me. If it weren't for the missing beauty mark on her upper lip, I would have thought it was Lilith herself.Though we all knew it wasn't possible, not after what we did to her once Lucifer ripped out her heart all those centuries ago, it still stuck a cord to see this woman before me. Ripping out female hearts had actually become Lucifer's preferred method of killing when he was through with one of his play toys.Lucifer, who always seemed to lust after emotionally unavailable females, was a savage son of a bitch compared to the rest of us when it came time to lead the lamb to the slaughter. He always insisted that he wanted one last chance to play with the hearts of his victims before damming them to hell.He was as twisted as he was handsome. It was his curse, just as mine was, to always strive to be the best and have the best, from good looks to the nicest clothes and women; I had to have it all. Or at least I did until I found myself lusting after a woman who used my Pride against me to get what she wanted.I looked down at Lilith, her emerald green eyes practically glowing in the neon lights. Her cheeks were flushed from the alcohol she had consumed, making her alabaster skin look even paler. It took everything in me not to kill her where she stood, but I forced myself to relax and gave her an easy smile instead.Lilith wasn't the goddess of our past; she was just a human girl who had the misfortune of looking like the toxic bitch from hell. Though that didn't stop the adrenaline from pumping through my veins at the thought of destroying her life just the same. And with Lucifer out of the picture for the evening, I got the first crack at making her suffer.I stuck my hands in my pocket and waited for Lilith to move. She gave her friend one last glance before pushing off the wall and making her way toward my room. My magic would conjure up whatever it was Lilith desired.It was how all our rooms worked.I followed Lilith into the dark hallway. The music from the club slowly faded, replaced with the sound of Carnival music. I watched her closely as we stepped through the Pride entrance, the red silken drapes separating as we passed through them to reveal a room full of carnival games.Lilith looked around the room before giving me a questioning look."This was not what I expected, especially not from someone with your..." She trailed off, looking at the room again. The corner of my mouth tipped upwards."With my?" I prompted. She let out a soft laugh, and a strange sensation filled me, one I didn't like at all."Well, you look incredibly stuck up. I would have never guessed you had a thing for carnival games." My jaw tensed at her insult, but I forced myself to relax, not wanting to spoil the mood before our night had even begun."You know what they say about judging a book by its cover." I mused, and Lilith gave me a cheeky grin, revealing a beautiful smile. If she was anyone else, I was sure I would have claimed her as my next soul, but I knew even if she wasn't our Lilith, she was still a dangerous woman to get entangled with."Ahh, yes, it is true, isn't it." Her eyes lingered on me a little longer than necessary before she looked away again."So, what do we say we change the deal a little? If I win three carnival games, you let me off the hook, and I get to visit the other rooms at my own leisure. But, If I don't, then you get to keep me for however long you wish." I didn't usually change my deals, but considering how Lilith couldn't possibly win when I had my own tricks and magic up my sleeve, I allowed it. "I guess I'll permit it." I drawled, earning a laugh."Okay, well, since you are the one who claimed this room to be the best, how about you pick the first game," Lilith suggested. Of course, I already knew the game I wanted to play, but I didn't expect Lilith to hand over my win so easily. "That's a dangerous offer, Lilith. Are you sure you want to gamble any chances of gaining an advantage away?" Lilith shrugged, causing a lock of her hair to fall forward, awakening a long-forgotten memory.~~~The sound of the waves crashing against the rock walls filled the cavern. The black water was warm against my skin as I stood in the middle of the lake. The night sky shined brightly above us and made Lilith look even more like a goddess than she already was.Lilith looked up at me, her eyes stopping my black heart. She gave me a soft smile full of want and desire as she took a step toward me and then another and another until our naked flesh was against one another, sending a wave of need and lust through me.Her presence alone made me high, but her touch, it left me absolutely breathless. She trailed her fingers down my chest. Her lips parted ever so slightly, begging to be kissed, owned, and bruised in all the best ways."You always were my favourite, Perseus." She whispered into my ear, her hot breath fanning across my neck. I licked my lips with anticipation, my Pride swelling in my chest at her compliment. Out of all of my brothers, she chose me.She pressed her lips softly against my neck, leaving a fiery trail of heat along my skin. Her hardened nipples brushed against my skin, sending a shiver through me."You will serve me well." She purred before I could question what she had meant; her lips were on mine. All questions faded from my mind, and the need to sate the sexual craving Lilith had set a blaze within me after months of taunting took over. I lifted Lilith up, her legs wrapping around my waist on instinct, my length rubbing up against her ass.But before I could truly enjoy her naked flesh being against mine, a sharp pain flared up my spine, pulling me out of my lust-filled haze as I started back at Lilith in confusion. My eyes widened as I took in her satisfied smirk. And the pain spread into my chest. I looked down to find a black spike poking through my chest, right through my heart.I tried to breathe, but I couldn't. Lilith moved away from me, her smile only widening as she took in my pained expression."You indeed are as pathetic as they say, Persues. A few compliments here, a few praises there, and I had you eating out of my hand like a sick little puppy. If I knew killing you would be this easy, I would have done it centuries ago."Lilith mused, her tone bored. I fell to my knees, the water rising to my neck as I struggled to stay above water.Lilith stepped towards me, placing her lips against mine one last time, her wet hair falling around us like a curtain before she pulled away again."It's a pity I couldn't keep you around, Perseus. You would have been one hell of a lay, but I have a Kingdom to take over, and you're just in my way. Please do me a favour and kiss Winston for me when you see him." Lilith said, sending my pride one last blow before she pushed my head underwater, leaving me to drown and die. But as I slowly sunk to the bottom of the lake, the stars and moon faded from sight. I made one last vow. That when I was reborn, Lilith was going to fucking wish she never crossed me.~~~I blinked away the memory, my chest suddenly feeling like it was on fire."Call me naive, but I'd rather go in blind. Nothing fun ever happens when you get a head start." She said with a shrug. I cleared my throat, pushing the awful memory aside."If you insist, but just so we're clear, I did offer, and you declined. So only you can be held accountable for whatever transpires here.""And what makes you so sure you'll win?" Lilith asked, arching a brow. I gave her a cunning smile."Because I always get what I want, Lilith. And tonight, that's you."Chapter 8 - Sore Loser LilithI felt like I was in a lucid dream; maybe it was from all the alcohol I consumed or from the lack of sleep I got while being here, but I swore I felt magic in the air. It felt like static electricity as it brushed against my skin, making my hairs stand on end. The carnival music filled my ears, and as we stepped through the red curtains, I had to pinch myself to make sure it was all real. All sorts of games were laid out before us, from bottle toss to fishing for ducks. It wasn't at all what I was expecting, especially not when Perseus had said that this room was the best. I had my doubts, but as I looked over at the ring toss, one of my all-time favourite games, I had to give him this. Pride was on the top of the list as over-the-top and most exciting. My blood was practically vibrating with excitement until Persues looked at me with those blue eyes, eyes that seemed to be made up of sins, and a glint of excitement flashed across them. Maybe I was na
Chapter 9 - Twilight Zone LilithSamuel reached out for my wrist, gripping it tightly so he didn't lose me to the crowd that swarmed us when we exited the tunnel leading out of the room of Pride. I didn't fight him as he weaved us through the sweat-covered bodies; all seemed lost to the music. I hadn't noticed it before, but as I took in the expressions of the people we passed, many of them looked like they were seconds away from passing out from exhaustion. Their skin was so pale, and their movements were sluggish. I swore I saw blood staining one woman's toes as she danced, which could only have happened if she had been stuck in her high heels for days without rest. A body bumped into me, and I was forced to look away from the strange people, moving around the person who was clearly so lost in whatever drugs or alcohol they had been consuming to even notice our encounter. "Where's Kylie?" I shouted over the music. Nothing sounded the same as it did before my head hurt, and I co
Chapter 10 - Deja Vu Lucifer "You idiots," I growled as I stormed into my office. Five of my brothers were seated in front of my desk. The sixth one, Winston, was nowhere to be seen. Typical of the hot-headed asshat. Though, in hindsight, it was better that he wasn't here. Another Lilith related had him rolling with anger, and the chaos he made in his wake wasn't worth the headache right now, not after what had happened last night.I reached my chair, rolling toward my desk and resting my elbows on the surface. The cherry oak table top was handcrafted for me as a form of bribery by one of the souls who was hoping to reduce their sentence. I gladly took the desk and then added an extra three centuries to his five-hundred-century conviction for trying to bribe me into letting him go early.It always brought me great joy to see the hope fade from my victim's eyes. Because of that loss of hope, I had given my brothers strict orders to leave Lilith alone until I returned from my trip. Ev
Chapter 11 - Obsession Lilith I lay on my bed staring up at the ceiling, the dome-shaped chandelier casting shadows on my walls. The sound of people talking and light music had now faded to nothing, the funeral reception ending just over a couple of hours ago. My cheeks now aching from the constant smile I had to force on my face whenever someone came to speak to me. Even though the day went smoother than I had hoped, I couldn't shake the feeling that the nightmare from last night wasn't actually a nightmare. Too many things didn't add up, like how I knew who Lucifer was even though I had never met him before or how I constantly felt like someone was watching me. I also couldn't shake the annoying sense of Deja vu that had rooted itself in the back of my mind. As time slowly ticked on, I found myself questioning more and more things. And all the answers pointed back to the one thing I dreaded more than anything: that once I closed my eyes and fell asleep, I would wake up to relive
Chapter 12 - PreyLilith My stomach turned, my blood running cold, as sweat beaded down the back of my neck. I sprung from my bed, my hand covering my mouth as I ripped open my door, barely dodging my dad as I made a beeline for the bathroom. The door slammed behind me, and I slipped up the toilet seat, throwing up whatever was left in my stomach from the night before. The world felt like it was spinning on its axis as I continued to dry heave. I pushed off the toilet, my back pressing against the cold wall as I slid to the floor. I tuned out my father as he banged on the door, demanding I answer him. His voice was laced with concern, but I was too disoriented to answer.How was this happening?How was I here again?I had to leave, get out of Teivel as fast as possible. Though a small part of me wanted to laugh at the thought that this was another trick planned by Eve like she was still somehow fucking with me from the afterlife. My mind was filled with the images of Perseus with
Chapter 13 - Nightshade Lilith Sleep clung to me how frost clings to the grass on a cold November morning. My brain felt sluggish as I slowly tried to piece together the events that happened before I fell asleep. I didn't remember falling asleep, I didn't remember anything, actually, and that had my heart thumping a frantic beat against my ribcage. Slowly, my sense returned to me, a burning sensation flaring through my shoulders the closer I got to consciousness. I forced my arms to move, seeking relief from the discomfort, but was met with resistance and the faint sound of metal rattling. Panic gripped my heart, squeezing it tightly as I slowly peeled my eyes open, raking in the horror before me. A large mirror was placed in front of me. I looked at my reflection; my arms were chained above my head, and my legs were connected to chains secured to the concrete floor. The smell of bleach and soil burned by noise forced me to breathe through my mouth. I turned my head to the side,
Chapter 14 - Power Samuel I had always been the most cautious out of the seven of us. I stood in the back of rooms during parties, lurking in the shadows. Watching and learning, I was a social outcast, always reading and studying. Some deemed me lazy and unreliable, but I begged to differ. Those people were fools because it was when no one thought anyone was watching that they revealed their true selves. It was how I gained secrets and the upper hand in the underworld. Lucifer and Winston may be one of the top princes in Hell for their cutthroat ways, but I was at the top for my ability to claim secrets and blackmail, unlike any other. I was as cunning as I was invisible. It had worked for me well all these centuries. It was what also saved me from the wrath that was Lilith and made me one of her closest allies in Hell, that was until she decided to kill my brothers and take the crown for herself.Her betrayal was why I had supplied Lucifer with the information he needed to kill h
Chapter 15 - Fraud LilithI gasped, shooting up from the bed I was now lying on. Long gone were the chains and the cold concrete room that smelt of bleach and damp earth. My heart pounded in my chest as I greedily inhaled the air around me. I frantically searched my body for bloody wounds coming up empty. I felt no pain but knew without a shadow of a doubt that what I had experienced was real. 'Maybe you're dead.' The voice in my head suggested. And as I scanned the new shirt and leggings I was wearing before moving my attention to the unfamiliar room I had been placed in; I was starting to think I might be. But if I was dead, then how could I still feel my heart beating in my chest? With a shaky breath, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed. The room didn't smell like a hospital, and no harsh chemicals or the feeling of death clung to the air. Instead, warmth enveloped my bare skin, and the smell of fresh snow and lemons greeted me. I took in the large bay windows. A large fore