Chapter 43: Lucifer's Love

awake and listen
all of god's children
for the fleeting rapture of joy
and the heavens confess
to joy and of bliss
but the moment of truth
lies hidden in shadow
for true evil it seems
is not just a dream
called forth from the ether of dusk
but molded to man
ever wan and unplanned
embroidered in his tarnished husk
now bring out hell's choir
to chant to the pyre
of depravity spiraling ever higher
beware of this night
and stay hidden from sight
for lucifer's love burns bright with desire
as all soon shall know
both above and below
that lilith's lust unchained
shall bring earth its bane

Nyasia A. Maire © 2007

The creature's words mocked him and Erik allowed himself a moment before answering.

"Well, it seems to me that I cannot dare trust you either way. That no matter what I choose, I can do naught but lose."

The man hefted the unconscious body of his beloved into his arms and he walked to the room's armoire. He gazed into the mirror that hung on the wall above it and appeared to study his face. The creature crept closer to the man, her hand hesitantly reaching to touch him. He drew away slightly and turned to look at her as she came into view in the mirror. Erik suppressed a gasp of horror as the mirror revealed the true face of Lilith and he quickly averted his eyes from the reflection to look upon the Lilith/Christine thing next to him. Using all of the control that he had learned during the last four months, he steadied his voice and continued his conversation with the demoness.

"You seem to offer me your hand in partnership. Am I to act as your consort here on earth?"

Her smirk grew wider and she replied with a shrug of her shoulder.

"Hmmm ... I suppose. You are a most passionate lover as I have witnessed in your couplings with the woman you hold in your arms. I suppose I could find someone better, but I could do much worse. I can always train you. That could prove an entertaining diversion for a time. I could show you how to live up to your full potential, for Erik you could be so much more than a lowly architect. You have a gift lying dormant within you and I could help you set it free. Between your brilliant mind and my twisted imagination, we could create such magnificent tortures. Why, Erik, you could become my Angel of Death. I think I would find that most amusing, at least for a little while. You must remember that I bore easily, so do not take my current favor as permanently granted. I am a demanding mistress."

"If I agree to your terms, which as of this moment, I have not, I shall most definitely keep everything you have said very much in the front of my mind. So, if I agree to give you Christine's body, will you be free to roam the earth? Will you be able to come and go wherever and whenever you please? Why is it that in Christine, you have found the one human that can set you free? Why Christine? Surely, there must be others. If I allow you to have her, you shall truly become earth's queen. All of the world shall be yours and everyone in it shall worship you or suffer whatever consequences you see fit."

Erik braced himself for the horrific sight that he knew occupied the mirror and then looked back to watch the hideous hag's reflection as it moved closer to him. He thought that he saw the mirror begin to darken, to turn a smoky red at the edges. He hid the smirk that threatened to spread across his lips.

"Lilith, is that what you intend? Do you intend to forever leave your cave and establish yourself here as queen of all mortals? I would think that your demonic consort would be most displeased at this turn of events."

"So many questions ... you need not trouble your pretty little head over such weighty matters, Erik. Suffice it to say that once I inhabit Christine's corporeal form, Lucifer shall hold no power over me. Fool! He contents himself to rule only the ninth level of hell. I have always told him that the mortal realm holds the promise of so much more, but he refuses to listen. Well, soon there will be little he can do, but to sit on his throne and watch me as I rule the Earth!"

She chuckled softly.

"All men shall fall down to their knees and worship me. I shall control their lives as easily as a puppeteer pulls the strings of his puppets. All mortals shall live to please me. It will be wonderful, a devilish dance of the damned!"

Erik felt stunned when Lilith/Christine actually giggled, but his shock soon gave way to disgust. The demoness snaked out her hand to caress Erik's face and he snapped his head away from her.

"Just think, Erik, as soon as you release your hold on that body, your face will be whole and handsome. We can rule together! Just think of the fun we shall have. All of those that wronged you in the past, we can incinerate them with a thought or, if it pleases you more, they shall become fly dung. Whatever you like ... just give me the girl and I shall take form and substance here at last!"

Suddenly, fumes reeking of sulphur assailed his nostrils and Erik felt his mind slow as if bogged down in a mire of quicksand. He clutched Christine's limp form closer to his chest, choked and frantically backed away from the heat emanating from the room's mirror. He retreated to sit on Gustave's bed, next to the body of the man he had come to respect so very much and prayed that his inspiration did not damn him and Christine to the ninth level of hell.

"Oh no," Lilith whimpered. "What have you done, Erik?"

"Done?" He whispered. "I did nothing, Madame. I merely allowed your husband to take note of your intentions to leave him."

"You are nothing to him, you stupid man! He shall kill you and that woman you hold so dear and I shall simply go back to my cave and wait for another."