by Lillian Grey
"Buy her," Aaliyah almost whispered tenderly and I obeyed, inputting my bank account information into the screen’s system. It said there was an open bid placed on her and the current asking price was five hundred thousand. I placed a bid for an even million. Another bid posted and I countered. The bidding went on like this for about ten minutes, but I won out at five million for the young girl. Aaliyah studied the face of the young girl the whole time. As my account information was being verified, we waited. About twenty minutes later, the girl was brought to the room by a large man in a suit. Aaliyah forgot herself and as soon as the girl was over the threshold of the door, she was at her side. The large man was startled at the speed Aaliyah moved at and he recoiled, dropping the girl’s chain and running down the hall. I moved to the door and shut it. The girl was crying softly, but Aaliyah soothed her and dried the tears. "Calm yourself, dear. You are with family now." The young girl looked up into Aaliyah's green eyes with her blue ones. "No more tears. Your father has paid for his crimes with his life. Killed for the weak man he was and I will take you from this place," she said in disgust and the girl naturally moved from Aaliyah to hide behind me.
"She already knows her place well. Protect her and she will protect you. But I must be the one to change her." Aaliyah moved and had the girl restrained and before she could scream, Aaliyah’s teeth were in her neck, cutting off all attempts to make noise. Slowly, both made their way to the ground and the girl was silent, fear drained from her eyes. She looked to me, I couldn’t place the emotion on her face. "Drink,” commanded Aaliyah as she lowered a bleeding wrist to the girl’s mouth; she obeyed. Still, the girl kept her eyes on me. Then, as the girl’s screams started, the door burst open and a hail of bullets entered the room.
I had never been a fan of guns, they were never personal enough for what I did, not to mention vampire even a day old could dodge the bullets, but a human wasn’t fast enough. I disarmed the man closest to me, relieving him of his weapon before placing bullets in the heads of five other men.
"I have what I want. Now, I will burn this place to the ground for how they have treated her. Pick her up, and watch closely," commanded Aaliyah. She raised her hands above her head and closed her eyes and soon the death rattle reached my ears. It was like the sound of a hundred nails on a chalkboard amplified and enhanced; the sound entered my body as the souls of every man, woman, and child in the building was ripped from their bodies. I tried to shut out the noise physically, but then I felt that I could do it and willed the sound to go away and it did. The room was filled with a bright light all at once. Aaliyah reached for the orb ten times bigger than the small marble sized one I saw her create in Africa. However, she did not crush this one, she drew it into herself and she seemed to glow from within for a moment before almost falling to the ground, but regaining her balance.
"Are you alright?" I asked, moving next to her.
"I am fine. Let us go." She moved and we left the building, a trail of bodies lining the halls. Once outside, I placed the young girl on the ground and looked back at Aaliyah who was staring at the much cleaner side of the building. "Alik, imagine this place burning," she told me, taking my hand in hers. "I want you to feel the heat licking against your skin as you watch the fires of hell consume this cesspit of disgusting animals." Venom filled her voice, but I could feel the heat on my skin and I could see black flame rising up the levels of the building to consume it until it came crashing to the ground. Then the building exploded as windows blew out and flames licked the insides as you heard and smelled all the burning flesh and filth.
"Now it’s time for us to go. We have a lot to do,” Aaliyah said, looking back at the young girl on my back affectionately.
Vanessa Stanton
Chapter 39.0
"Vanessa dear, Vanessa! Can you hear me?" shouted a familiar voice.
"Yes, I can hear you," I replied in my head, what really came out of my mouth I'm not sure.
"Do you know who I am, dear?" asked the voice.
"I would if you told me."
"It’s Lilith, dear. You have a few broken bones and a small amount of internal bleeding. I’m going to need you to drink a little of my blood."
"Why can’t Alik give it to me?" I asked in a daze.
"He is not here right now. I can explain more once you’re yourself. Now here, drink." I felt three warm drops touch my lips. However, this was not like when Alik did this; it was as if raw power flooded my veins. I could feel my body heal itself and it hurt. I couldn’t help but scream. "I’m sorry dear, my blood is a little stronger than Alik’s and I’m a little anxious; that affects the experience, but the pain will go away." I lay there trying to catch my breath for a moment as the pain left and I opened my eyes.
"Alik!" I shouted, snapping up into a sitting position. I saw the penthouse form in front of my eyes.
"Relax dear, you’re fine now so calm down," Lilith soothed.
"Where's Alik? There was a fight. Aaliyah tried to kill me and..."
"I know dear, I know. I’ve already been told everything."
"By who?"
"By me," came a deep musical voice, then a man who seemed to be in his late 40's stepped forward. He had a full brown bushy beard and was built like an athlete. His eyes were a cold black that was nothing like any vampire’s that I had seen: there were no pupils, just dark pits. "I’m Lucifer. I'm pretty sure you’ve heard of me."
"You’re…"
"The devil, bringer of darkness, ultimate evil; they will all work."
"It’s not that; it’s just that you look so human."
"What? Were you expecting a little red man with a tail and a pitch fork?"
"Something in that area, yes."
"Well, no. I look no different than you when I want to. My ethereal form would have you naked, throwing yourself at me."
"It's just your eyes…"
"Oh, I’m sorry." He rubbed his eyes and they turned into a warm amber gold that reminded me of a fire. "Better?"
"Much. But what happened to Alik; why is he not here?"
"Because he is with her; it’s a shame that she found such a powerful one, too. We might not be able to stop her and that’ll be a problem," he said as he sat down.
"Stop her from what?"
"Regaining her power."
"I don’t understand."
"I thought you told me she was smart," he directed at Lilith, who didn’t respond.
"I’m not stupid, but I am human. I didn’t even know vampires existed a year ago. So I’m still learning," I shot back, annoyed.
"Okay, fine. You’ve heard the story these vampire like to tell, how I was kicked out of Hell once for attempting to stop an all out war between Heaven and Hell?"
"I do," I said still confused.
"Well, in what position would that have left Aaliyah?"
"Devil..."
“You are quick."
"The thing is that this is all speculation. I haven’t seen Aaliyah in a long time. I know she not only hates me, but Eden as well, and I’d want me dead if I had done what I did to her to myself. Hell have seen no fury like a woman scorned."
"Well, what is stopping her."
"Information, I would have to guess. She also has very few followers, which is her biggest problem."
"She has the entire vampire race,” I pointed out.
"No, she doesn’t. Not yet," Lilith spoke up. "Vampire work on fear and power, Aaliyah, to most, is just a name we Elders spout to glorify our own power to most but the oldest. The vampire fear my power the most out of the Elders, but all it will take is Aaliyah killing the few who oppose her first before they all kneel at her feet. Ario and Ayara, as well, lend her their support, making her climb to power easier.”
”I see it as we have two choices, we can delay her rise by killing Ario and Ayara. Or I assume as she has stolen one of yours that you wish Aaliyah dead, which is the only sure way to keep things as they are?" asked Lucifer.
"Don’t you have the backing of
a demon army?" I asked.
"No," he said, taking a long sigh. "The day I cast Aaliyah into that little box guarded by that spirit Pandora, I was labeled a traitor to my people and forced out as I was weak from fighting Aaliyah. It was a long time before they stopped their search for her and elected a new Devil in my place. Since then, Hell has stayed silent, content with its new leader and power of its realm."
"Oh, I’m sorry," and I was. He sounded so defeated when he said that.
"I’m over it. I have a comfortable existence on the earth and so long as I do not bother the humans too much, Eden leaves me alone as well. I haven't had a problem until now, and of my two options, I see killing Aaliyah as the only viable one. It’s what I should have done in the first place." He then turned to Lilith, “And your son is the only one who knows where she is."
"I haven’t been able to contact him or track his phone." Lilith looked lost.
"Well if you do find him, let me know,” said Lucifer, standing and stretching. "I have a God to track down.”
"Wait, what about me?" I shouted.
"And what about the vampire?" Lilith asked as she looked up.
"I don’t really care. I would have been content to let you rot at that dock, little girl; your soul would be feeding the empire of Hell," he said to me. “I felt Lilith would be more talkative with you still alive, however, she is a broken woman now. As for the vampire, I don’t care. Let them do their thing so long as the humans are still around. I like the humans more."
"What about Alik?" I asked.
"My only target is Aaliyah, but if he stands with her, I will kill him as well," he said bluntly, retaking his seat. "I wanted to know what it is he does, his combat skills, especially how dedicated he is to Aaliyah. Has she taught him anything? And things like that."
“My son is unmatched in our world with a sword. It leaves him very suited to being an assassin of sorts. Maybe a contract killer would be a better description, but he works exclusively for me. He can kill anyone or anything, I would say he is second only to Aaliyah and me in speed, but that could have changed. I haven’t sparred with him in a long time, but last time we fought seriously, he injured my leg easily without taking any more damage than a light cut to the cheek. He will not die easily. I taught him all I learned from Aaliyah and you know how she fights,” Lilith recited mechanically, but there was some pride in there as well.
“Is that what she meant by ‘she could be better’, that you did not teach June anything?” I asked.
“Yes, I wasn’t going to pass that to another; I knew Aaliyah would come back someday and take one of them from me, but despite that, I began to love them. June is a skilled assassin like her brother, but not his equal in any standing. June is a negotiator as I have trained her to be. She is meant to lead, not kill, that is Alik's job.”
"Maybe two daughters would have been a better idea." I said.
"Aaliyah does not discriminate against females when it comes to her choice in lover. I learn that long ago."
"What has Aaliyah taught him then?" asked Lucifer again.
"One thing that had him scared," I said, remembering our conversation."Aaliyah had him pull the soul out of a vampire that threatened to kill me. He said it scared him because it felt so good that he wanted to do it over and over again.“ Lucifier’s expression was guarded and I couldn't tell what he was thinking. "You can’t kill Alik; this isn’t his fault,” I finally shouted at Lucifer. He did not respond.
I was frozen, trying to ingest what losing Alik completely meant. Being human suddenly felt like being weak and stupid. When Lucifer did speak, he addressed Lilith, continuing to ask her questions. Then I remembered Sam had been following us, was she all right? I reached into my pocket for my cell phone, hoping she would forgive me for ditching her.
"Sam, is that you?" I asked in relief.
"Hey Nessa, what’s up?" I could hear music in the background.
"I’m just calling to apologize for ditching you."
"Oh, I figured you and Alik wanted to be alone."
"What’s that noise in the background?"
"Oh, I’m at a rave. I met up with some street racers and we came to this party." Here I am feeling bad for leaving her and she’s enjoying a party.
"Okay, cool then. Call me when you get home, okay?"
"Alright, have fun you two." I could hear her smile. "Who is up for Jell-O body shots?!" I heard her shout before the line clicked. Sam would at least be away from all of this.
I listened for a moment to what Lucifer and Lilith were talking about, and then I made up my mind "Okay, so where are we going?" I asked Lucifer, cutting into their conversation.
"We?" Lucifer laughed, pouring himself a glass of brandy. "There is no ‘we’. What help can you be in any of this? You’re human, after all."
"That doesn’t matter; you’re not leaving me out of this."
"Lucifer, we can’t leave her out; she’s too much a part of this,"Lilith said.
"You seem to be including yourself in this as well, why?"
"Do you intend to search the world alone? I’m guessing you can’t find her whenever you wish or you would have found her when she first awoke and was weak," Lilith pointed out smugly, seeming a little more herself.
"You think you know a lot, don’t you?" Lucifer retorted, narrowing his eyes a little.
“I will find my son even if it means going through Aaliyah. You try and leave us out of this and we will have no other choice but to go around you.”
"Vampire have no children. It’s these titles: son, daughter, wife, and husband that’s causing problems."
"Alik is my son no matter what and Vanessa I already consider my daughter. I will make sure it stays that way."
"Fine, it seems like it will be more trouble than good to leave you out of this. Circle the wagons then. Do vampire recognize human phrases? Only your most trusted, don’t include your other Elder friends; they are still loyal to her. In the meantime, little girl," Lucifer looked to me, "we are going to Jamaica."
"Now you want to bring me?"
"How else will I stay in contact with the vampire? And even if Alik is with Aaliyah, his hesitation when it comes to killing you will be my chance to act and subdue or kill him myself," he said as if I should have known this.
“How will we travel? By magic?”
“Do you want to come along or not?” It felt that he was dodging the question, but he was my best chance at seeing Alik again, and I wasn’t going to push him.
Soon after that, I was back in Alik’s car with the Devil on my way to an airport to head to Jamaica where we would find God, apparently. How my life changed so fast to get me here, I did not know. Then I thought about my mom and how she would take this. I took my phone out and dialed.
"Hey mom, I’m not going to be home tonight.”
"Really? Not at all?"
"Maybe for a while, actually."
“Are you going to be safe where you are going?"
"Yes," I lied.
"Perfect, maybe I can get your father in the mood tonight."
"Oh mom, come on. I don’t want to know about that."
"Hey, if you’re going to get some, why can’t I?”
"Mother!"
"Whatever, you go have your fun and I will have mine. Just make sure to call from time to time. Bye, sweetie."
"Bye, mom." My own mother rushed me off the phone.
I clicked the phone and stuck it back into my pocket and closed my eyes. I felt my heart rate; it was much faster than normal and I was breathing too fast. It felt like I was having a mild panic attack. Focusing on the engine’s rhythm, I calmed myself, and then my heartbeat and breathing slowed.
"How did you do that?" asked Lucifer.
"Do what?"
"Calm yourself like that, I thought you were going to pass out on me or something."
"It’s a trick Alik taught me.
"You really love him, don’t you,” he asked, and his tone changed. At Lilith’s place, h
e had a cold demeanor when he used the word love, and now it was much kinder.
"Yes, more than my own life… What about you and Aaliyah?"
"That was another time and place." The cold demeanor returned.
