Page 18 of Sin of the Saints

“Lilith. I’m Lilith,” she answers hesitantly.

The winged being appears out of the heavy black mist, and her eyes widen in terror. Long bright hair, impressive white wings, a firm and muscled body that radiates an aura so black and dark that she fears she might be swallowed up by it.

“Indeed,” his smile is dark, but hypnotizing as well. “You are she.”

“You know me?” She’d never seen other creatures where she came from, certainly none who look like him.

“I do, and I’d like to know,” he answers, looking up.

Know?She thinks, and her curiosity is roused. “Are there more like you, like me?”

“No, Lilith, there’s just one of you. And now there’s just one of me too.” He focuses on something in the heavens, which seem so far from this place.

She has no idea what he means. “Who are you?”

“I am Hillel.” He continues looking upwards, and she wonders if he misses the High Place as well, from which she had just fallen.I will never miss it,she thinks in her heart.

Lilith approaches him hesitantly, and when he seems unthreatened by her proximity she places her hand on his chest. He turns his sharp gaze to her.

“DidHecast you out as well?” she dares to ask. He doesn’t answer, but Lilith notices the muscles in his jaw tightening as he grinds his teeth. “Then we must seek vengeance upon him together.” Lilith smiles.

“Together,” he repeats the word in awe. He caresses her cheek, his other hand in her hair. “Oh, Lilith. It feels like I’ve waited an eternity. But now I know you were made for me.”

“For you?” she wrinkles her brow.

“Yes, though I walk throughthe valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me2.”

“Let me taste you,” my voice cracks under the assault of Libretto’s fingers between my legs. If I can just reach his vein, I can drain him of his blood and banish him from the realm of Man. If…

At once he yanks himself away from me and slaps me with shocking strength. The bell rings savagely and I wail in pain. My vision goes blurry for a moment, and when it returns he slaps me again. Another ring. I whine and Libretto growls. The damned bell just stokes his fury.

“Ashmedai,” I call his name and he tenses. His eyes are heaving, savage flames.

“I’ve bled enough for you! Now it’s your turn to bleed for me!” He roars, and his hands reach for the zipper of his pants.

I panic, but Lilith’s voice guides me from within, promising that I’ll be alright. With her guidance I raise my hands and fiercewinds rise up around me, cleansing and thickening until I find myself behind a protective wall.

Libretto throws a punch at me and I shut my eyes, waiting for the pain to come. When it doesn’t come, and a terrible roar bursts from his throat, I open my eyes to discover that he can’t touch me.

“How did you do this, Lilith? How did you manipulateHiminto giving you his power?” He points at me, and I’m paralyzed with terror where I sit.

“Stand up, run!”Lilith calls to me, but I’m frozen in this chair. My body won’t respond to Lilith’s commands.

“I-I don’t know…” I answer honestly. Neither I nor Lilith know. This is the first incarnation where she’s held divine powers.What doesHewant from me?My head is awhirl with thoughts.

“Don’t play your tricks on me, or I’ll make you regret it!” He swings his fist in the air, and when he can’t harm me he hurls the table, the jug and the glasses beside it into the far side of the room.

“There’s nothing you can do to hurt me, Ashmedai.” I grin at him arrogantly. Though it’s too soon to gloat, I enjoy seeing his furious expression. It’s my private revenge after everything he did to her, incarnation after incarnation.

“Is that so?” He seems overly pleased. “You’ve lived so long on your own, Lilith, that you’ve forgotten you’re connected to a demoness who, unlike you, has ties of friendship.”

I tense up. He walks to his nightstand, by his bed, and barks an order into the phone. I don’t dare lower my hand, removing the force field I’ve created in front of me. When the door opens and my father walks into the bedroom, my hand begins to tremble.

“Bellcolor,” he says, his gaze downcast.

My nostrils flare. “Would you harm a Council member just to make a point? Because I won’t give myself to you, lowest of the low. Not at any price.”

“That is heresy, Bellcolor, mind your language in the presence of the Head of the Council.” My father’s words hurt me like a dagger stabbed right into my heart.

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