Hello everyone! I have been away for a short while spending time with family and focusing on writing my story, particularly this installment. I have also been having some health issues that have kept me from sleeping or focusing as well as I should, so it took me a little longer to write this. Thanks to everyone who checked in on me while I was away. I know I am way behind on reading, but promise I will be working hard to catch up. Finally, here is the fourteenth installment of the story. Hope everyone enjoys this anticipated chapter. Let me know your thoughts. Thank you and have a great memorial weekend! 
I must still be dreaming, I thought, closing my eyes again in disbelief.
“Come on, Lilith, wake up.” I said quietly to myself, opening one eye slowly, then the other. To my dismay, the same strange environment surrounded me. Shocked, I had awakened in a large and luxurious black canopy bed, laying in the midst of blood red silk sheets. There were little red roses carved along the length of the four corner posts. Sheer black curtains hung loose from the canopy, flowing with haunting fluidity around the bed.
My confusion quickly turned to fear as I realized this was not a dream, but reality.
Where am I? How did I get here? Little by little my memory came back to me. A male angel with dark blue wings and amber eyes had appeared and said he would be replacing the two angels of comfort until they returned. He had said his name was Lucious, and I recalled my feelings of unease as he reached down for me and pulled me into his arms. He had not had the same gentle feel as the other angels. He carried himself with an air of authority, his presence strong and commanding. I heard him speak in an unknown tongue, after which the world went black.
Had the the angel brought me to this place? Why would he? I am certain that Uriel would not have wanted him to take me away from our home. My chest ached from the memory of my archangel, and I wished so much that he was here. The pain of his absence was an enormous, heavy load and I would be so relieved to have him back with me.
Slowly I sat up and looked around the room I was in. I had this strange, sinking feeling of being trapped, locked up like a caged animal. My eyes searched for any clues that would tell me where I was. I could see a bathing pool in an adjoining room from here and a full length mirror on the opposite wall. There was a large armoire, an exquisite vanity set, and a small, antique table with a pull out drawer, and a golden oil lamp sat on top. Onyx fire sconces lined the walls and provided ample light. I soon realized that the only way in or out of here was through a large stone door that I hoped would be unlocked. Curious to see if it was locked or not, I got out of the bed and stood to my feet. My eyes grew wide when I looked down and saw what I had on.
I was wearing a long, sheer dress with black designs that left little to the imagination. The see through material was strapless and fit snugly, clinging to my every line and curve. Patterns of webbed, black silk barely covered my breasts, starting from their outsides and reaching to just over my nipples. The black silk continued down in a vertical strip of intricate patterns on both sides of my body, leaving the rest of my upper body exposed down to my bikini line. There, it mercifully reached across and expanded down and around to cover up my intimate places, thinning back out as it trailed down the remaining length of the dress. Thigh length, side splits exposed my legs as I walked, topping it all off for good measure.
My jaw dropped open as I gawked at the skimpy material, my cheeks flushing red hot in my embarrassment and anger. How had I got this on me? Surely I was not expected to wear this!
“What the hell?’ I wondered out loud, but before I could throw a fit I heard a booming knock on the door. It swung open on it’s own to reveal a large hooded figure on the other side. I was so frightened my legs almost gave out from under me.
“The master desires your company and is expecting you. Follow me.” it said in a low, gravely voice. Without it being said, it was clear to me that I was not being given a choice. As much as I hated the thought of going anywhere with the menacing figure, not a fiber in me rushed to my defense or dared to defy it. Not only that, but his ‘master’ would surely tell me where I was and when I would be returning home.
I took a deep breath and started toward the door before I lost my nerve. My legs feeling heavy as lead, I followed behind as the hooded figure led me through a number of passageways and down a flight of stoney stairs. Everything was made of stone and it reminded me of the caves I had visited as a girl on a field trip with my school. Were we underground? A shiver ran through me as the thought crossed my mind. We continued walking, our steps lighted by the fire sconces along the walls.Finally we came to the end of a corridor that opened up into a large, spacious area. Thousands of candles were perfectly spaced in ledges all around the walls, casting a bright, warm glow in the room.
My eyes were drawn to a small waterfall pouring out from a large crevice in the rock wall, maybe ten to twelve feet up. A long passage had been grooved out for the water to travel by, which led to the center of the room where it collected into a basin made of rock, forming a pool. The rock was a glassy black material which reminded me of the volcanic rock, obsidian. It appeared as though it had been one very large stone, hollowed out and then seemingly chunked and chiseled strategically all around the outside. It was breathtaking, amazing to see how it behaved much like a diamond, the light bringing out and capturing it’s radiance, reflecting back the natural flecks of rainbow colors within it. It was mesmerizing as it twinkled brilliantly, a dark diamond boasting in it’s shining splendor. There were roses of every kind and color, with slightly more crimson, deep purple and coral hues. They began growing by the waterfall, traveling along the water passageway, and on to the basin where clusters of the multicolored beauties grew all around it’s base.
Though temporarily distracted by the enchantment before me, it did nothing to lift the dread and unease that weighed so heavily on my soul. I redirected my attention and continued to look around the room. My eyes stopped to rest on a long, elegant banquet table that was set for two to dine at one end. Six candles burned in a golden, arched candle holder against a black and gold vase of freshly picked red roses. My heart skipped a beat as I began to wonder about the reason I was brought here, for it looked as though this angel was in no hurry to get me home. In fact, it seemed quite the opposite. My cheeks blazed red hot once again as I fumed over the inappropriate attire I had been given to wear, but I resisted, refusing to let myself feel humiliated.
There was a surge of energy in the room as the angel named Lucious appeared at the head of the table. Hearing a sound behind me I turned to see the hooded figure exiting the room, leaving the two of us alone. My emotions stormed angrily in my chest and my heart began to pound, anger and fear warring against me for control.
“Good evening, my lady.” he said with a smirk. “I assume you slept well in your quarters, yes?”
I crossed my arms over my chest, unimpressed. “I would have slept better in my own bed.”I said, challenging him.
He pretended not to hear and continued on without missing a beat. “Come, Lilith. Sit and dine with me a while.”
As long as I’m here, I may as well humor him and discover what his true motives are. I had questions he needed to answer, and he better have good reason for bringing me here.
As I began to make my way toward him he made no attempt to hide his lust from me. His eyes roamed greedily over my scantily clothed body, slowly licking his lips in approval. I swallowed down my pride and anger, keeping my head held high.
“I trust you like the dress I picked out for you.” he said as I came to a stop before him, sliding his gaze over my body one last time before staring into my eyes.
“Apparently not as much as you do.” I said dryly, staring back at him. I would fight to hold my ground and I refused to let him intimidate me. It seemed my answer amused him for he threw his head back and laughed out loud. “Indeed.” he said, smiling as he pulled out my chair. “Sit with me, Lilith.” He waited for me to obey.
“I can seat myself, thank you.” I said curtly, brows furrowed.
The smile immediately left his face. “It is not wise to provoke me, woman. Nevertheless, suit yourself.” he said sitting down in his own chair at the head of the table. I reluctantly sat down and slid the chair as close to the table as possible, trying to hide as much of my body as I could from his lustful, wandering eyes.
Before I could even ask him my first question, he stopped me. “All I ask is that you eat and drink with me before you begin prying for information. Afterwards I will give you all the answers you seek.” Just then another hooded servant brought out our dinners. After the servant left us, my eyes were drawn to the mysterious golden goblet before me. As I admired it’s ancient beauty, it began to fill itself up with a dark red liquid that I guessed was wine.
“Are you doing that?” I asked as I stared at the goblet dumbfounded.
He answered in a hypnotic voice. “Yes.”
I became oddly fascinated by the goblet, drawn in by it’s enchantment. I was suddenly eager to taste of it’s contents, to savor the alluring red wine. I could see him watching me intently from the corner of my eye as I lifted the goblet to my lips. The seductive fragrance wafted under my nose and I paused to breath in the exotic aroma before taking a drink. It was smooth and sweet as it washed down the back of my throat, but it had an almost bitter, slightly metallic aftertaste. After a few more swallows I began to feel light headed. “What’s in this stuff?” I mumbled, but he did not answer me.
My body surged with an electric kind of heat that worked it’s way through my insides and loosened my tense muscles. My thoughts became fuzzy as I drifted into a euphoric state of being, my desires unfurling, my defenses falling away. I could hear my own voice shouting with worry and alarm somewhere in the depths of my mind, but the intense high I was experiencing quickly drowned it out. I looked down at an empty plate. When had I eaten it?
“Lilith.” I heard my name whispered sweetly in my ear.
“Hmmmmm?” I replied dreamily.
“Look at me.” a gentle voice said to me.
“Uriel?” I asked expectantly, my heart thrumming excitedly at the possibility.
I heard a loud roar and felt large hands grip my shoulders too tightly. It was enough to stun me, causing me to come out of my stupor, at least enough to focus on the form before me. Lucious was inches from my face, his hands squeezing my shoulders as he stared at me with a wild eyed, angry expression, though I could not understand why. Suddenly, I heard a whooshing sound as my back was slammed against a wall. He pressed his body onto mine and bent his head to kiss me briefly before lifting me off of my feet to seat me on a rocky ledge. He pushed my legs apart and moved to stand between them, leaning in towards me until I could feel the warmth of his breath against my face.
He drew closer, skimming his nose over the line of my jaw, drawing in a deep breath to take in my scent. He growled and nipped at the spot just below my ear, his teeth grazing over my sensitive skin. I sat so still, afraid to move a muscle. He drew back and lifted his hand to gently run his thumb over my lips. Slowly, he moved down lower, splaying his fingers wide as he glided his hand down and over the curves and planes of my exposed body, finally coming to a stop at the top of my thigh. He hissed in his in his burning desire, his state of arousal overwhelmingly obvious to me.
I was disgusted, my anger flaring as he enjoyed himself at my expense, but when I began to protest, a wave of heady lust washed through me, throwing me off track. I was growing familiar with his tactics, though, and I held on even more tightly to reality. The bastard was trying to seduce me, using his powers to compel me, as if he needed to after bewitching me to drink the wine, which apparently had been laced with a potent aphrodisiac. I hated that my body was in the throes of arousal in his presence, even if it was unbidden, hated that he had an advantage over me, an element of control that was almost impossible to fight. I was breaking out in a sheen of sweat as I fought against his influence of temptation and lust.
An image of Uriel came to my mind, and I found myself feeling anew the gaping hole his absence had left in me. The pain was a stake driven into my heart. I longed for him, for his comforting touch and strength. How I wish he were here to rescue me from this monster. I gritted my teeth together as another wave of lust washed through me. I had to dig deep inside my reservoir of strength to resist it’s powerful urges.
“Lilith.” he said in a fiery, breathless tone. “I want you so bad.” His knuckles turned white from clenching his fist as he spoke. “From the first moment I laid my eyes on you I’ve desired you, but I don’t want to take from you what you can freely give to me.”
Well, he would be waiting an awful long time if he thought that would ever happen.
He grabbed my hand suddenly and placed it over his hard length. My desire unraveled under the compulsion of lust as I felt it pulsing under my hand. I barely managed to conceal the groan that wanted so badly to escape from my lips. He was huge and rock hard, would feel so good filling me up as he slid in and out of my hot core…..I screamed inwardly at the thoughts in my head, trying to regain my grip of sanity. God, what had I ever done to deserve this! I was being tempted by the devil himself, and I feared losing this battle if he continued to insist on having his way with me.
“Please do not fight it, Lilith.” he pleaded as he snaked his hand underneath my dress, trailing a line with his long finger to the V of my thigh. “Let go and give yourself over to your desires. I would very much like to fuck you mindless.” His words were poison, twisting and winding their way around my insides, tempting me shamelessly. He moved his finger over and pressed it against my wet flesh. He smiled, groaning in satisfaction to find me hot and wet with need. The bastard. This was pure hell of the worst kind. Helpless to stop it, I moaned as he slid the tip of his finger inside me, hating myself, hating him and despising this whole damn mess I was in.
He growled seductively before whispering in my ear. “Damn, you are so hot, Lilith. So very beautiful.” He slid in another inch of his finger. “You feel so smooth and tight…I want to bury my cock in your hot little body over and over until you faint from the pleasure of it.” He brought up his other hand to brace the back of my neck. “I can feel how badly you want me, your wet flesh does not lie. Give yourself to me, Lilith, and do not fight it any longer.” he said in earnest as he covered my mouth with his in a blazen kiss, thrusting the entire length of his finger inside me.
Damn my fears and damn him! I said to myself, gaining strength from my panic as it fueled my body with adrenaline. All I wanted to do was escape before it was too late, before the bastard defiled my body any further and stole away my self respect and peace of mind. I bit down into his lip as hard as I could. When he jerked back I slapped him open handed across his face with every ounce of strength I could muster before pulling back my feet and thrusting them out to kick him off of me. “Screw you!” I shouted angrily at him. “Stay away and keep your filthy hands off of me! When Uriel finds me and learns of the way you’ve shamed me, he will take great pleasure in killing you.” I directed all my rage at him as I stared him down, though I was shaking, terrified of the consequences of my actions.
I had barely dazed him but surely succeeded in pissing him off. He roared out loud with a viciousness that vibrated through my chest and shook the walls. The thousands of lit candles flickered and threatened to go out as a gust of energy blasted from his body. He balled his fist tight and raised it up at me, his eyes glowing with crimson red flames. His appearance seemed to flicker back and forth from what I knew him as to an indescribable creature with with black, bat like wings that were lined with razor sharp points along the bottom edges.
I screamed and covered my face as he lunged at me with a balled fist at full strength. I braced myself in preparation for the blow, but his fist landed with a loud crack just inches from my head and into the rock wall. The spot of impact was pulverized and at least a foot deep. The rock crumbled around his steely hand and splintered off in different directions. I knew I would not have survived such a blow.
He withdrew his hand and seemed to escape with only minor scrapes. I was frozen in terror, my body shaking from the whole traumatic experience. It was eerily quite, neither of us saying a word to break the silence. He raised his hand and touched his fingers to his bloody lip where I had bitten him, staring at me with a lethal expression. After a few moments, though, his expression softened a bit.
” I must say,” he began, “that you are stronger than I gave you credit for. I admire your courage.” He gave a smirk and narrowed his eyes at me. “In fact, to be honest I am rather turned on by it.”
Oh God. Not only was he inhumanly strong and prone to fits of violence, but he was completely psycho. I watched him as he crossed his steely arms over his chest.
“Let’s get some things straight, my lady, and out in the open. I am Lucious, Lord of Hades.” He paused to let that shocking little piece of of information settle in my brain. So, I had hauled off and slapped the Lord of Hades? My head was dizzy and I felt faint. I was overloaded, my brain fried and soul weary. I had had all a girl could take already.
As I thought it, he continued. “I have brought you here to be my mate and companion, to sit by my side as queen. You are mine, Lilith.” His eyes bore into mine and seemed to go straight through to my soul, which had grown cold and downcast from his words. I shivered from an unseen chill though the room was plenty warm. “You are never again to speak of Uriel or mention his name in my presence. The sooner you accept the fact you will never see him again, the better off you will be. The wine you drank tonight was the wine of Hades, laced with a small amount of my blood.” I swallowed the bile that rose up in my throat upon hearing those words. “My blood binds you to me, allows you to live as long as I do, and ensures you can never escape me. If you did I could track you no matter where you are. You are bound to me for eternity, and you will eventually grow to love me as the years go by. After all, we have forever together.”
He came to stand before me and reached out to cup my face. I shunned him and moved back so that he could not touch me. For a fleeting moment he seemed angry, but then he smiled. I could not believe his audacity in thinking he could steal me away against my will, from the man and the world I loved, and expect me to ever love him. I was furious, the pain in my soul a vicious sting.
“If I wanted, I could make you crawl, reduce you to begging for my cock to be inside you. It would not be the first time I have taken what I wanted.” I swallowed back another wave of bile, my stomach clenching and queasy. I glared at him in my rage. “That will be the only way you will have me, for I will never want you. I will never willingly go to you.” My heart broke in my chest all over again as my hopes of being with Uriel again were shattered. I would not give the monster the satisfaction of seeing my pain or witnessing my tears.
He tucked a wisp of hair behind my ear. “That is not how I want you. I don’t just want your body, but your heart as well. I will prove my love and show you graciousness, giving you your space and a generous amount of time to come to me. I know that one day you will. My blood will grow stronger in you with the passage of time and you will grow to love me. For a time, I will be satisfied with having you here, knowing you are mine as I wait for you. I only insist that you dine with me every night, for I find it difficult to be away from you for too long.” He bowed his head to me. “Until tomorrow night, my love.” he said before vanishing before me.
A hooded figure appeared and motioned for me to follow. It escorted me to my room and left. As soon as the door was shut I immediately got into the bathing pool and scrubbed myself repeatedly as I wept. I wept with great sorrow, and knew suffering like I had never known before. The pain was so tremendous and relentless that I found myself wishing for death. I mourned my Uriel and for the love we would now never have. I mourned my life and the earth above me. I longed to see the sun, the moon and stars, to lie in my garden with Uriel’s arms around me tight. I had only thought I was in hell before. Now, I literally was. I was terrified and felt hopeless to be saved, helpless to do anything about my turmoil.
When I was through bathing, I dragged myself to the bed, a bed that was not my own, my heart finding no comfort anywhere I turned. I wondered what would happen to me now that the Lord of Hades blood dwelt within my body. I wept long into the night, holding a vision of Uriel’s face in my memory. I did not want to forget a single thing about him.
Hearing my thoughts, I suddenly realized that to be able to bear up under these terrible circumstances, and for the sake of our love, I had to hang on to that small ray of hope that Uriel was alright and that he would find me. I had to believe, had to hold on. I knew how great his love for me was, and that he would not stop until every stone had been turned in search of me. “I love you, Uriel, always and forever, until the end of time. Come and take me away from this hell, my love. Please save me.” My pillow drenched in my tears, I silently sent up a prayer to the heavens and wept myself to exhaustion, the sweet mercy of sleep finally finding me and ushering me to a place of rest.
