CHAPTER 11


 

 

 

THE GATES WERE impenetrable, except to those who belonged. No key, no force had been able to open them in tens of thousands of years but they opened effortlessly at Lilith's approach... and closed swiftly behind her. Several demons stopped to see who had arrived. Seeing the Underlord's ex, then went about their business, secretly enjoying the knowledge that Dis was probably going to catch hell from her for something. It was comforting to know that his life wasn't always fun and games.

As she strolled toward the fiery castle rising majestically above the lower levels of the Underworld, she stopped occasionally to chat with a demon or minion to catch up on the latest gossip. At the entrance of Dis's estate stood Cerberus, his three-headed guard dog. Lilith scratched his ears affectionately, amused at his puppy-like enthusiasm. She had always been fond of the giant beast. His ferocious reputation was well earned, but he was a softie around the demoness. She was one of the few who took the time to play "fetch the demini"with him, a game that terrified the small creatures that scurried through the Underworld, gathering the cast-off possessions of the other inhabitants. Knowing Cerberus would never hurt them, Lilith would grab one and throw it in the air, much to the delight of Dis's watchdog. Catching it in one mouth, he would spit it out and then retrieve it with one of his other mouths before it landed on the ground. Lilith would then pluck it from between his teeth, shake the drool off the demini and send it scurrying into the darkness. One of Cerberus’s heads would smile happily, while the other two looked at the demonish expectantly, hoping another demini would show up.

Dis watched as his ex-wife played with his pet. Eyes gleaming a bright reddish brown, he chuckled when two of the heads curled up their lips playfully while the third stuck out a tongue giving her a quick lick. Almost as old as the Underlord, Cerberus rarely exposed his playful side. It was good to see it now and then. Dis was afraid his oldest companion was beginning to feel his age. Picking up his robe, he slipped it over his shoulders and tied the belt loosely around his waist. He walked into his living room just as Lilith entered through the hall door.

"Don’t you ever knock?" he gruffed, good-naturedly.

"Why? You know I’m here the moment the gates open."

"True, but it would be the polite thing to do."

Lilith snickered.

"As if you ever cared about that."

Shaking his head, he chuckled. Lilith knew him too well.

"So, what is it you think I have done now?" he asked, resorting to his usual placating demeanor. Lilith never visited him unless she thought he had done something wrong.

"Now what makes you say that? Unless you have of course."

"You never come to the Underworld anymore unless you think I've done something. No reason to believe this is a friendly visit."

Lilith smirked. Dis was right. Over the millennia her journeys to his fiery domain had grown fewer and fewer.

"Then there's no reason for me to pretend, is there?"

The dark Underlord laughed and motioned for her to sit. Walking to a small refrigerator, he opened the door and pulled out two chilled bottles of coke.

"Humans would be so appalled to know we drink this stuff," he said, holding up the small plastic bottles, "or that we have ice here."

Handing Lilith one, he tapped his against hers in a toast.

"So. What can I do for you? This isn't about those whores again? I've told you I’m too busy entertaining to take an interest in such trivial matters. I don't have to collect souls anymore. The humans are quite proficient at condemning themselves to damnation. My coffers are overflowing with lost souls."

"So you say."

"Surely you of all people don’t doubt me. You live in their world. Can you honestly say they have gotten any better in the last ten thousand years? All I see is death and destruction in the name of their gods... and then I get blamed for their failings... as if they needed any help with that. Besides, I'll gladly arrange a tour to the belly of my dungeons if you'd like to see for yourself. I may have to expand them if things don't slow down."

Lilith couldn’t argue the point. The newest trend of the religious right becoming more righteous was disturbing but she was sure the pendulum would swing the other way eventually. It always did.

"No. I believe you. Humans are still experimenting with their beliefs. They're a young species but I think they'll learn in time."

Dis snorted.

"You always were an optimist, Lily. Perhaps that's why you are... were my favorite wife. I guess the transformation from human to demon wasn't as complete as I thought. This new breed, however, think they should sacrifice all for the glory of one, whether it is one god or one of their own. That’s their weakness and also why I will always win."

"No, Dis. That’s why you’ll eventually lose. You think nothing of sacrificing everything as long as it makes you happy. Those who follow you do so out of fear, not love. Given a better choice they would abandon you without a second thought."

Dis half-smiled to himself. He wasn’t stupid. There were few demons in the Underworld who weren’t ambitious. Most of the inhabitants would destroy him in less than a heartbeat if they had the guts. The only thing between him and annihilation was his Twin and a few loyal demons. He and his brother were equally powerful. If the Underlord ever lost his throne, the Legion of the Elite and the rest of the demons would have to serve his Twin and life for them would be a different hell... one of righteousness. Even he found the thought revolting. Chuckling at the irony, he looked up and grinned at her. It was satisfying to know that no one in his domain wanted that and therefore no one dared to overthrow him.

"And that’s the beauty of it, isn't it? Who here wants my job? I’m the only thing that stands between my brother and them... and there isn’t one demon or minion that wants to give up what they have here for his paradise."

He was right. The older demons still remembered a time when the Twin reigned supreme. Life had been peaceful, too peaceful. The inhabitants were encouraged to read prose, write virtuous parables about those they admired and meditate on ways to better improve their existence. Sex was not that way, nor an option in his world, but it was essential to the demons. Their lives had been... boring.

"You’re probably right, but that’s not why I’m here."

"I didn’t imagine it was, my dear. So, what is it this time?"

"It’s about our child."

"Your child. I disowned her the day she was banished." To Dis, his daughter was a closed subject. "Now, unless you wish to discuss something else, I have guests to entertain."

"They can wait until I’m done... and you can sit down and discuss this with me. The other option is for me to go into your bedroom and tell everyone in there that the party is over... and I really don’t think you want that."

His laughter was like the deep rumble of a waterfall.

"No. I definitely don’t want you mixing with my guests. They are already afraid of you. I’ve only managed to get them back under control after your last visit."

"Good! You need a little disrespect now and then. It keeps your head from exploding. We both know how big it has gotten in the last few years."

"Lily, if I didn’t care so much for you, I’d banish you myself."

"You’d try... but enough of the banter. I want to talk about you about the Child."

Sighing Dis adjusted his robe and leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs. Bare-footed, he reached down to flick a piece of yarn off a polished cloven hoof.

"You still haven't given yourself feet. How come?"

Raising one hoof in the air, he turned it back and forth, admiring its smooth, glossy shape.

"Why should I after all of this time? I find them interesting. Besides, ordinary feet would be soooo boring, don't you think?"

Lilith had to agree. Even she enjoyed the aesthetics of them, not to mention the unusual clicking noise they made when he walked. It was unique to him and a few demons carrying his bloodline.

"Anyway, why bring her up after all of these years," he asked, switching back to her original topic. "She’s where she belongs. You knew the terms of her banishment and agreed. What was done can’t be undone."

"I don’t believe that... especially now."

"And what's so different about now?"

"She and I talk."

"Talk?" he asked, straightening in his chair, showing the more serious side of his nature. "Talk how?"

"I don’t know how."

"When did this start?"

"Not long ago. I don’t know how we do it but we do it."

"How do you know it’s she?"

"How could I not know? She's my child, Dis."

"You bore her, Lily, but that's all. So don't go getting all sentimental and motherly now. She should never have been conceived and you know it."

"And is that really the point, now? She's our daughter... my daughter. Maybe I didn't know what to do with her when she was born, but you did. Instead, you took her from me and gave her away."

"For you own good and hers. It was the right thing to do and I'm not going to sit here and argue with you over something that happened that long ago," growled Dis, angrily. The vessels in his neck pulsed visibly... a sure sign he was beginning to lose his temper.

"You're right," agreed Lilith. "It was a long time ago and it's done... but this is now and we've changed... all of us."

"Not all, my dear. Maybe you are willing to forgive her, but I'm not. She forfeited any consideration when she broke the rules and betrayed us. The Great Battle was painful for everyone but we had reconciled our differences with my brother. Angels and demons were just starting to get along again. Then she came along and broke the truce. Our lives were changed forever."

"She was only a child, Dis."

Rising to his feet, Dis walked onto the balcony overlooking the Underworld. Before him burned the eternal fires of Hell, their flames dancing gracefully between the buildings as far as the eye could see. He enjoyed their flickering colors in much the same way humans found trees and forests pleasing.

"A child, yes... but she was our child... my child. She knew the rules but ignored them. Besides, her actions were not those of a child... and the chaos she caused was inexcusable. Look!" he commanded, motioning toward the scene in front of him. "Once we lived in peace with my brother's people. Maybe he and they didn’t approve of our ways but there was no animosity after the terms of the Truce were agreed upon. We had put our differences aside. As beautiful as this land is, it lacks the color we once had when we were as one."

"I know. Remember, I helped write the Truce."

"Yes. All the more reason why this discussion shouldn't even be taking place. You of all people know what was lost and the price we still pay for her indiscretion. Had she not pissed off my brother, we would have harmony here. Humans would be living blissful lives and my Twin and I would be having silly arguments over his latest experiments. She got what she deserved."

"And what about us?"

Dis frowned.

"Us?"

"Yes. Are we so blameless?"

"If you were asking me this about the Great Battle, I would say no. We both knew it was a just war. In this, however, I say yes."

"Well, I disagree. Listen, Dis, I’m not here to defend her actions. What she did was horribly wrong and every living thing suffers because of it. There's no going back, but you and I, we took no interest in her. We abandoned her and expected her to follow our rules unquestioningly. Did you know it was your own demons who poisoned her mind?"

Dis shrugged. The conversation was making him uncomfortable... a feeling he didn’t like.

"I suspected as much."

"And you did nothing to punish them? Why?"

"It would have served no purpose. By the time I found out who else was involved, the Child was in the Netherworld, the truce was broken and we needed every demon we had to balance the odds. It was a matter of survival."

"You banish your own daughter to an eternity of loneliness and yet you do nothing to those who betrayed you?"

"Our daughter," corrected Dis unconsciously. "And like I said, I needed them. We had already lost too many. I owed it to my people to protect those who were left. Now, I really am growing tired of this discussion. What is it you want of me, Lily?"

"I want her freed."

"Impossible. The Netherworld was a one way ticket then and it still is now. Nothing has changed. Once she passed through that door, for all intents and purposes she no longer existed."

"I don’t believe it. If that were so, she couldn’t communicate with me."

"Exactly! So I would say you're imagining those talks. For some reason, you're suddenly feeling guilty and your mind is playing tricks."

"Don’t be an ass! That's ridiculous and you know it. She's as real as you and I."

Knowing it was useless to argue with his ex once her mind was made up, Dis decided on a different approach.

"OK. Let's say you're right. What do you want me to do about it?"

"Tell me how to release her?"

"There is no way!"

"When she was banished, you said she wouldn’t be able to talk to anyone, either... but she talks to me. If you're wrong about that, then there has to be a way to return her."

"Trust me, Lily, if I knew I'd tell you just to get you off my back, but if you figure it out, let me know. In fact, my complete resources are at your disposal. Consider it my contribution to your theory. Feel free to make use of anyone or anything in the Underworld. Now, do you mind if I get back to my guests? I think they've waited long enough for the party to begin."

Lilith recognized Dis had reached the limits of his patience. Although she wasn’t afraid of him, she didn’t want to alienate him either... and besides, she had gotten what she wanted... his permission to free the Child. Without it, even if she found a solution, there would be no place for their daughter to live. With that problem resolved, the only thing left was to discover a way to free her from her prison.

"Thank you, Dis. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me and accept your offer. Just one more thing, if you don't mind."

Sighing, the red giant rolled his eyes and looked at her distrustfully.

"Quit that!" admonished Lilith. "You can be such a baby! Agra has sent you a soul she wants given special attention."

"Really. She hasn’t actively participated in that practice for over a thousand years, although Sanarixs came close to losing his a while back. What’s so special about this one?"

"He tried to kill one of her whores."

"And for that she’s out of retirement? She must be getting soft," he snorted.

Lilith shrugged.

"Well, the least I can do is accommodate her wishes. It's good to see she still has it in her. Tell her I’ll let the Erinyes have him. They have a special knack for punishing the dead." (Erinyes are the furies or the righteous fury, originally they were in a way similar to angels, especially when it came to vengeance for crimes committed against women).

The demoness smiled. These three sisters had perfected the art of torture. As the demonesses of vengeance, they were even feared by the inhabitants of the Underworld. Only Dis's promise to provide them with an inexhaustible source of victims kept them satisfied enough not to seek subjects from his realm. Whips were their favorite tools, although they had many devices at their disposal. Eternity with them wasn’t necessarily the worst thing, but it came close.

"That will work! She'll be pleased. Now I must be on my way. Thanks again."

"I'll always have time for you, Lily. Are you sure you don’t want to join me? It would be like old times and relieve some stress."

"I doubt it. Demon orgies don’t interest me anymore."

"I’m sorry to hear that... as will be my guests. Forgive my manners for not escorting you out of the Underworld but my guests are waiting. You understand."

Leaning down, he kissed her gently on the cheek, removed his robe and walked away, his hooves clicking lightly on the hard floors. Lilith watched him disappear into the bedroom. She still admired his physique. He was magnificent.

*  *  *

"Yes, he is! Even though he is my Father, I can’t deny his attractiveness," observed the Child, breaking into her thoughts.

"There’s nothing wrong in appreciating beauty. Do you see and hear everything I see or think?"

"No, not everything. Most of the time I can see and hear you and them... all of them ... but I can’t touch anyone. It’s like looking at the world through a two-way mirror... so close but untouchable... and, of course, after so much time no one knows I ever existed... well, almost no one. You and Father think of me occasionally even though you disowned me thousands of years ago. Humans can be difficult to hear. Demons are the easiest but I’ve found trying to listen to everyone too confusing. Hearing billions of thoughts is overwhelming, even for me, so I only focus on those I think important. The others serve no purpose unless I sense trouble."

"It must be very lonely!"

"Lonely? I've always been alone. Perhaps I was too harsh in judging you. After all, you had no idea of what pregnancy was or let alone knowing about raising a child. I knew you were miserable. Father could have helped you understand, but he didn't want to deal with a child. It would have interfered with his relationship with you, so he arranged for demons to nurse and care for me. You accepted his decision and explanations without question. That hurt!"

There was nothing Lilith could say about her daughter's revelation. Everything was true.

"Anyway, knowing this and believing that Adam was behind everything bad that had happened to you and then hearing how much he loved Eve, well... I hated him for being happy."

"Adam wouldn't have known how to care for you any more than I did. At least Dis knew what was happening," interjected Lilith.

"I know that now, but I’m a lot older... and wiser. Poor Adam! He didn’t deserve my hatred. I still blame him for your banishment from Paradise and always will, but it was Eve that I wronged the most. Eve... innocent, naïve, trusting... the perfect wife... the perfect victim."

"Eve wasn’t a victim. She was happy. That’s why we left her alone. Do you think I would have left her with him if she hadn’t been the perfect mate for him or if he had misused her? As much as I disliked his attitude toward me, I never wanted him to suffer. Her innocence protected them. They were safe from the sorrows I experienced in the Great Battle... the losses both sides suffered. We knew pain. Eve didn’t and that's how I wanted it."

"I know but that didn't make any difference. I heard the stories, whispers spoken quietly amongst the minions of the Underworld. In the beginning I thought I wasn’t meant to hear them. Of course later I found out it was all a ploy... a way of manipulating me into serving their vindictive little minds. It started as a subtle campaign to poison my mind. They knew you and Father had no patience for gossip, particularly if it pertained to you and him so they made sure only I heard."

"Why didn’t you tell me? I could have stopped the gossip."

"Tell you! Do you think I would really ask you? You barely knew I existed or cared once Father turned me over to his nursemaids."

*  *  *

The Child was right. When Dis carried the infant from her bed, Lilith was relieved. The crying had made her uncomfortable. His assurance that the child would be properly cared for was enough. It was easier to believe him than question the strange emotions she was experiencing.

"They weren't so bad. It was a long time ago."

"Too long."

The mental shrug showed the Child’s indifference. She continued as if she hadn’t heard the remark.

"Like I said before, they called you Adam's whore. I was furious. I knew it wasn't true but I did believe Adam tried to make you subservient to him... and I thought ‘How dare he treat my mother like that... to humiliate you and then cast you from Paradise.’ For him to think he was better than you was pure arrogance. You were equals, made from the same dust at the same time. I couldn't believe The Twin created you to service Adam and for him to think otherwise was pure arrogance... and for the Twin to allow it was unforgivable. I knew he was unreachable so I decided to target Adam."

"By corrupting Eve?"

"Yes."

"I don’t understand. What did you think you would gain?"

"Satisfaction! He would be devastated."

"And were you satisfied?"

"Yes... at the time I was ecstatic... but it didn't last. When you and Father found out what I had done and banished me to the Netherworld, I found my success bittersweet. I heard the other demons laughing at me... and their thoughts. It was quite a revelation to suddenly realize you had been used."

"And yet you refuse to tell me who they are."

"Like I said before, it serves no purpose after all this time?"

"I don’t know. For what they did, I think they deserve some sort of punishment."

"They may have sought revenge for imagined wrongs, Mother, but it was I who did the deeds."

"True, but you were young. They knew better."

"As did I."

"That’s not the point and you know it. THEY used your innocence by deliberately distorting the truth. Nothing you can say will change that."

The Child didn't wish to argue with her mother, particularly over those who had deceived her. There would come a time. Putting the thought aside, she decided it would be easier to just agree with Lilith for the moment.

"I suppose. They made sure I overhead their gossip. I noticed their secretive looks but didn’t think much about them. As your daughter and the Underlord, I never suspected anyone would dare lie to me. They played on my ego by telling me I had the potential to be as powerful as Father... maybe more so because I had the blood of both Father and the Twin. I believed them. They nicknamed me the Demon Child. I thought it was a compliment."

"Dis and I had heard this nickname for you. We thought it was because of some mischief you had been up to or a reference about us."

"Well, there’s that, too. I did manage to make a few demons’ lives a little more exciting."

Lilith felt the smirk and chuckled. She and Dis had received several complaints about her but thought it was youthful exuberance. Besides, demons were always complaining about something and demon children were expected to be mischievous.

"So we heard."

"I can imagine. Actually, I intended it that way. I thought if I created enough trouble, one of you would take an interest. I even trespassed into Paradise a few times thinking that someone would tell you. That’s when I first saw Adam. He was very handsome."

"Yes he was."

"He was also arrogant... or at least that’s how he seemed at the time. Eve was constantly waiting on him as if he were some type of lord. I have to admit I never saw or heard Adam giving her orders but it was obvious he enjoyed the attention. He would tease her or ask her to get him things as if she were his personal servant. I found the whole situation disgusting. I knew you would never have allowed him to manipulate you that way. Even Father treaded softly around you."

"Dis knew better... and he’d have grown bored with a woman who never challenged him."

"That's true. Anyway, corrupting Eve was easier than I thought. The irony was I was able use both Adam and the Twin to achieve my goal. After enlisting the aid of several demons, I managed to sneak into Paradise and spy on the happy couple. It sickened me to see Eve with Adam. Often she would bring him luscious fruits from nearby orchards and place them next to him as he reclined near the lake. Adam always smiled and thanked her but I thought it was just symbolic. Sometimes he would toss a few pieces of fruit into the lake and tell her it didn’t taste right. Eve would jump up and go find some replacement fruits. Adam never seemed to notice the work he caused by throwing the fruit away. I thought she was degrading herself and decided it was time to teach him a lesson. That’s when I came up with my plan."

A knock on her office door interrupted them.

"Come on in, Kali."

"Can we continue this later?"

"No problem. I’m not going anywhere."

Kali walked in looking somewhat flustered and a little sheepish.

"Hey boss. Just reminding you I need the night off. Cammie wants to take me somewhere."

"You two are really serious about each other, aren’t you?" Lilith commented.

"I’ve waited a thousand years for her to realize I love her. I guess she’s finally starting to believe it’s real."

"I’m glad. Go and have some fun. Besides, I’ve hired a couple of extra girls. The place has grown so much we need the help. It’ll give all of us a little breathing room."

"That’s great! Anyone we know?"

"If you mean Yemaya and Dakota, the answer is no."

Kali looked disappointed. Once she had realized Cammie wasn't interested in Dakota, she had decided she liked the human.

"Damn. They’d have been good for business and they fit right in."

"In your dreams. Those two have enough to do without getting involved with a bunch of demons and whores."

"Well a girl can hope. So who are these girls?"

"Jouvart and Mudada."

Kali choked as if she had inhaled something awful.

"You've got to be kidding me! Why do you want those two? The last thing we need are demons who specialize in sexuality and lewd behavior," she said, sounding thoroughly disgusted.

"Oh, please. This from 'the' Destroyer! You’ve managed to mellow some over the millennia. They probably have too."

"Lilith! Have you watched any television lately... or picked up a magazine? They're worse than ever! Half the planet is fornicating and the other half is bitching about it and moral values... as if they were acting any different. We both know all of them are closet fuckers."

"Really, Kali. You can’t blame Jouvart or Mudada for that. Even they don’t have the power to influence people whose moral convictions are pure."

"Oh... well, now, there’s a word you can apply nowadays."

"My point exactly. Besides, they’ve promised to behave at the club... and I seriously doubt they would want to piss you or Agra off."

"Yeah... or you. Well, since you’ve already hired them, I guess I’ll just wait and see. Jouvart will certainly be popular with the girls. The demoness of sexuality should fit right in. As for Mudada, some will probably enjoy her lewd jokes as long as she keeps them tame."

Lilith chuckled. Mudada knew more jokes than anyone she had ever met. Most were popular amongst demons but she doubted the clientele at the bar would be as impressed. They didn’t have the same sense of humor as the Underworld inhabitants.

"We’ll see. Now, if you’re taking the night off, you might as well get a move on it. I’m sure Cammie is getting impatient."

"Yeah. Call me, though, if there’s a problem."

When Kali left, Lilith decided to get some rest before opening for the evening. Although sleep wasn’t necessary for the demoness, it was something she enjoyed whenever the opportunity arose. Occasionally she would dream, but never like humans. There were never clear images or events... just colors moving slowly across her vision accompanied by music... beautiful, soothing music flowing gently through her mind, wonderfully relaxing but never any that she could remember or duplicate once she awakened. Perhaps that was why her dreams were so special. She suspected they were the residual effects from her creation and the time spent in Paradise. Being transformed into a demoness couldn’t change the circumstances of her birth only those of her existence.