Page 34 of Sinful Obsession

“And what are you, my son?” Satan asks, leaning back with an expression of amusement.

“We’re an inevitability, a promise, something that can’t be broken,” I say simply.

“Well said. You’ve done well, Asmodeus. Bringing her back, finding her in that pathetic shell of a place the angels call an institution. It’s no small feat.”

I don’t bother hiding my pride. I’ve earned it. Every crack in the portal is a testament to my success, to the inevitability of Lilith’s return and the chaos she will bring.

“I love this part,” I admit, my voice softer now. “The rediscovery. The chase. The way she’ll look at me when she remembers who she is, who we are. There’s nothing like it.”

“And the angels?” Satan asks, a wicked grin spreading across his face. “Don’t tell me you don’t enjoy sticking it to them every time you bring her back.”

“Of course I do,” I chuckle. “Their desperation is almost as satisfying as the reunion itself.”

Satan leans back, his laughter echoing again. “You’re my son, through and through. But tell me, Asmodeus, how do you plan to give her what she deserves this time? You’ve always been good at bringing her back, but you’ve never been able to keep her. The game always resets, doesn’t it?”

I stiffen, the weight of his words settling over me. He’s right. Every cycle ends the same way—with Lilith torn from me, the portal sealed, and the angels celebrating their hollow victory. And then it begins again, the search, the awakening, the fight to bring her back to me.

“She always finds it endearing,” I say quietly, more to myself than to him. “The way we start over. The way I never stop looking for her.”

Satan hums. “Perhaps. But what if this time is different? What if this time, she decides she’s tired of the game?”

The thought sends a chill through me, one that even the fires of Hell can’t banish. Lilith—my Vienna—she’s not like the others. She never has been. She’s always had a mind of her own, a will as strong as the darkness itself.

“And what if she doesn’t?” I ask, my voice quiet but resolute. “What if she chooses me again?”

Satan’s grin widens. “Then you’ve won. But remember, Asmodeus, the choice is always hers. You may find her, wake her, but you cannot force her hand. That’s what makes this game so deliciously unpredictable.”

I rise from my throne—Lilith’s throne, the weight of his words pressing against my chest. The energy in this place pulsates, flowing more freely as I feel the portal from Briarwood shake, another crack splitting across those stones.

As I step into the shadows, letting the darkness wrap around me like a second skin, I allow myself a moment of hope. Hope that Vienna—my Lilith—will see this cycle for what it is. A reunion, a rebirth, a chance to reclaim the world that was always meant to be ours.

28 – Michael

Ipace behind my desk, my hands clasped tightly behind my back as Gabriel and Raphael sit opposite, their forms rigid and tense. Their usual ethereal calm is gone, replaced by a rare, simmering anxiety.

“It’s happening,” I growl. “The balance is tipping.”

Gabriel tilts his head slightly, his golden eyes narrowing. “Are you certain?”

I slam my hands down on the desk, the sound reverberating through the room. “Of course I’m certain! Do you think I wouldn’t feel it? The portal is cracking—again. And this time, it’s different.”

Raphael leans forward, his expression dark. “We’ve been watching every patient closely. None of them fit the characteristics. The horsemen are contained. They’ve shown no signs of regaining their full power. You even drugged that poor human last night.”

I stop pacing and turn to face them, my jaw pulled tight. “It’s not the horsemen.”

Silence falls, tension so thick that it’s nearly suffocating. Gabriel exchanges a glance with Raphael, his brow furrowing. “It can’t be.”

I take a deep breath, my chest tightening with frustration. “It is. It’s Vienna.”

“Vienna?” Raphael scoffs, his wings shifting slightly, a faint rustle of feathers. “She’s human! She doesn’t have—”

“She’snothuman,” I snap, cutting him off. “Not entirely. Not anymore. Can’t you feel it? The shift in energy, the way her presence warps the balance around her?”

Gabriel’s eyes darken, his voice dropping to a cautious tone. “You’re saying she’s Lilith?”

“SheisLilith,” I reply, my voice cold and steady. “Or rather, she has become her. For centuries, we’ve waited, watching, ensuring that when Lilith resurfaced, we’d be ready to contain her. We have been so careful, retrieving her presence and hiding it back in the mortal realm so that Asmodeus wouldn’t get to her. And yet, here we are. The one thing we didn’t account for—a human body strong enough to house her essence. And now, Asmodeus has found her.”

Raphael slams a fist on the armrest of his chair, his composure breaking. “How is that possible? Lilith has never been human! Her essence should have burned through any mortal form.”

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