“I don’t pay you to tell me how demons gossip about me.”
“You don’t pay me at all,” said Killian. “You threatened to send me back to Hell if I didn’t help.”
“Toh-may-toh, toh-mah-toh. Just think of it as a motivational tool,” I said. “I need to know the players in this game.”
“Seems you already do,” said Killian. “How did you know to go after Kimaris? And if you went up against Iblis, how are the two of you both still alive?”
“Stories for another day. Did you find out anything about Lust?”
That was the name of a nightclub on Rush Street, owned by Asmodeus. Since he’d gone missing, his loyal minions had been trying to keep up appearances and pretended that nothing was wrong. But that position wasn’t going to last long. It was already growing more tenuous by the day.
“There’s someone new in charge,” said Killian. “Someone who was able to convince Asmodeus’ people to stand down, hand over the entire operation.”
That fit with what Kimaris had told me before I’d killed him. And the disturbances in the veil Whitey talked about. A big, bad demon had come to town. One strong enough to get Asmodeus’ crew to risk defying their master. That was no small feat.
“This new boss is running Lust?”
Killian nodded. “From what I hear, set up shop in Asmodeus’ old office. But hasn’t met very many people. Just the top lieutenants.”
Asmodeus would hold meetings all through the night, making deals with people, doing favors for them in exchange for their souls. If this new player wasn’t doing that, what were they up to? I had to know more.
“I heard a story about when the demon turned up,” said Killian. “Seems some people weren’t so keen on it. There was a challenge by one of Asmodeus’ top lieutenants. Ended up with a sigil carved into his forehead to trap him in his host body and is now kept as a torture toy.”
“This guy sounds pretty tough,” I said.
“This girl,” said Killian.
I raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”
Killian gave a nod. “The demon who took over Lust and Asmodeus’ crew? Her name is Lilith.”
I was mid-smoke when Killian mentioned Lilith’s name. It caught me off-guard, and I started coughing. I hit my chest with my fist and then flicked the cigarette away before turning to him.
“Lilith?” I asked. “The Lilith?”
“What, did I stutter or something?” asked Killian. “Yeah, Lilith. Why, what’s the big deal?”
“You don’t know who she is? You’re a demon and you’ve never heard of Lilith?”
Killian shrugged. “I was kinda busy downstairs, what with the never-ending, soul-searing torture. Didn’t actually have a lot of time to mingle with other demons.”
I leaned against the hood again. “There are a lot of myths and legends about Lilith, stretching across regions and faiths. But one of the most prevailing theories is that Lilith was Adam’s wife.”
Killian scrunched his brow. “But I thought Eve—”
“She came later,” I said. “Lilith was created at the same time as Adam, and from the same dirt. But she refused to be subservient to him and she left. That’s when she met one of the fallen angels and they hooked up. That was the start of the cambions. The angels—the righteous ones, that is—killed Lilith for her transgression. She went downstairs and became the first human to be corrupted by Hell.”
“So, she’s a pretty big deal, is what you’re saying.”
I rolled my eyes. “Y’think?”
Lilith had managed to escape Hell. Most of the records about her life and death were sketchy at best, a mix of folklore and fact. I’d read about her when I was with the Sons of Solomon, always wanted to know more. How could I not? It was because of her that cambions existed—that I existed.
And now, for probably the first time ever, she was walking around on Earth. Asmodeus’ disappearance had definitely created a big enough void if someone as deep in Hell as her clawed her way to the surface.
“Get in the car,” I said.
“W-what?” asked Killian. “Where are we going?”
“To Lust.”
Killian held up his arms and protested. “Whoa, no. No fucking way am I going back there, especially not with you!”
“I said get in the car, and I don’t like repeating myself.”
“You just said Lilith is a big deal!”
“Exactly, which is why we have to get out to the club now.”
“Are you insane?”
I shrugged. “It’s been suggested.”
“I got out of Hell because I wanted to avoid demons like Lilith, and now—”
I was getting tired of his bitching. I drew my gun and aimed it at his head. His face was overtaken with fear. “We have a deal, Killian. You do what I say, when I say it, and I don’t send your ass back to Hell. So get in the car, now.”
Killian took a deep breath and then shook his head. He walked around the car and got in through the passenger side. I climbed into the driver’s seat and started the car up.
“You’re a real asshole, you know that?”
I nodded. “Part of my charm.”
I dropped Killian off a few blocks away from the club. I wanted him there, keeping an eye out as I moved about inside, but didn’t want anyone to see us arrive together. He was still valuable to me as a snitch, and I wasn’t about to throw that opportunity away.
After dropping him off, I pulled up in front of Lust and climbed out of my car. I tossed the keys to the valet. “Be careful with her,” I told him. “If there’s a dent in the car, there’s a dent in your ass.”
He nodded, trying to avoid staring at my eyes, and got into the car. I stuck my hands into the pockets of my jeans and walked up to the front entrance, ignoring the line of people waiting to get in. The bouncer lowered his clipboard and stared hard at me, his eyes flashing yellow. I squinted as I studied his face.
“I know you, don’t I?” I asked.
“You set me on fire,” he said with growl.
I snickered. “You’ll have to be more specific, kid. I’ve set a lot of people on fire. But demons? Lighting them up gets me particularly aroused.”
He jerked his thumb towards the club’s entrance behind him. “You’re not settin’ foot in here. Not after last time.”
He took a menacing step towards me. I rolled my eyes and looked him over from head to toe, then met his gaze. “You sure you wanna do this, big man? It’s not gonna end pretty.”
“I ain’t afraid of a half-breed son of a whore.” He jabbed his finger against my chest.
I shrugged. “Just remember, I gave you the choice.” I grabbed his finger and twisted it backwards, snapping it.
The bouncer grunted and pulled his hand back. He coiled his other arm, telegraphing the punch coming my way. I stepped to the side as the punch came towards me and grabbed his arm. With a quick movement, I pulled it behind his back and pushed on it. He tried to resist, and his demonic strength was nothing to scoff at.
But I was stronger.
His arm cracked, and this time, he screamed. I kicked his leg and brought him down to one knee, then moved around in front of him. I looked at the line of would-be clubbers, who were staring at me in horror. I just smiled at them, feeling the power building up in my body. No doubt my eyes had started glowing, because several of them ran off.
I looked back down at the bouncer and held up my hand. My fingers snapped, and a flame appeared. I waved it in front of his face and he stared at it in horror, his eyes never able to move from the fire.
“You know what this is, don’t you?” I asked.
“H-H-H—”
I gave a nod. “That’s right, hellfire. Bet it feels even worse getting set on fire with this stuff, don’t you?”
He didn’t answer. Before he had a chance to, the doors opened. A woman stood there in a short skirt and low-cut shirt, her blond hair spilling over her shoulders. One thing I noticed was that her skin was extremely pale.
“Luther Cross,” she said. “There’s someone who’d like to have a word with you.”
I gave the bouncer another look and punched him, dropping him to the pavement. Stepped over his body and then approached the woman. She wasn’t a demon, but as I studied her, I could sense a familiarity. Cambions were the first monsters on Earth, and some of them had evolved into different types of monsters. Like her.
“Since when does a vampire work for a demon?” I asked. “Thought most demons were racist assholes.”
She shrugged. “Strange times, I guess. I’m Lydia, by the way.”
“Pleasure.” I gave her a smile. She returned it, but I got the sense it was more out of politeness than actual interest. Shame, too.
“Shall we? The boss is waiting.”
“Just give me a sec.” I turned away from Lydia and looked at the bouncer again. I held out my hand and said, “Ignis.”
The bouncer screamed as he caught on fire. Hey, he had it coming. And besides, he should be grateful I didn’t use the hellfire.
“Now I’m ready,” I said as I turned back to her.
“Was that really necessary?” she asked.
I glanced back and shrugged, watching as other demons were rushing to put out their flaming co-worker. “Necessary? No. But fun? Definitely.”
Lydia looped her arm around mine and escorted me into the club.
11
Lust hadn’t changed a bit from the last time I was in here. Asmodeus’ crew did a good job of keeping up appearances. Lydia led me by the arm across the first level, past the main dance floor. The five levels above each were balconies that wrapped around, allowing people to observe the main floor.
The music boomed and lights flashed. The dance floor was packed with men and women drunkenly dancing and grabbing each other. Others stood off to the sides, some trying to have conversations despite the overbearing beat, and the booze flowed freely.
Lydia escorted me to the stairs and we began climbing. The music was a bit softer in the stairwell, so it was easier for us to share a few words as we ascended.
“So, what makes a vampire work for a demon, anyway?” I asked.
She smiled with lips so red, they were a stark contrast to her blond hair and pale skin. “I come here a lot. Find a guy—or girl—get ’em liquored up, turn on the charm and rev their engines, then take them into the bathroom and have my way with them.”
“So, what happened?”
“I got carried away,” she said. “Had a bit too much to drink. Started drawing attention right around the time when the new boss showed up. The demons caught me and brought me before her, but she said she thought she could use me. And that was that.”
We arrived at the sixth floor and Lydia led me past the bar and towards a room with a velvet rope in front of the door with two demons standing guard. The yellow eyes on both flashed when they saw me, but Lydia held up her hand to try and prevent things from getting out of control.
“It’s okay,” she said. “The boss wants to have a word with him.”
One of the bouncers went inside the room to see if the story checked out. Seemed like it had, because when he returned, he nodded and unhooked the rope. The other bouncer opened the door and held it open for us as Lydia escorted me inside.
This room also didn’t seem to have changed much after I the last time I was here. There was still a private bar with a bartender, and the windows still overlooked the club, with couches and chairs arranged in front for viewing. In the center and towards the back was a large chair, almost like a throne, which was where Asmodeus used to sit.
But Asmodeus wasn’t the one in the chair anymore. Now, it was a woman with long, red hair. She stared at me with bright, yellow eyes and offered a smile with her crimson lips. She wore a tight, red dress that ended about mid-thigh and molded itself to every curve on her body.
“Well, well, well, isn’t this my lucky day,” she said. “I’m new in the city and already I have the chance to meet a celebrity.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “So, I’m a celebrity now?”
“You could say that.” She held out her hand, palm facing down. “I’m Lilith, by the way.”
“I know exactly who you are, Lilith.” I gently took her fingers in my hand and bent down to place a kiss on her knuckles.
Lilith turned to Lydia. “Thank you for bringing him. That’s all for now. And check on Todd.”
“Who’s that?” I asked.
“The bouncer you set on fire,” said Lydia. She patted my shoulder. “Nice chatting with you.”
Normally, when a girl like Lydia left the room, I couldn’t turn away. But this time, I wasn’t capable of tearing my eyes away from Lilith. The legends about her had always described her as sexually wanton. Whether or not that was true, she definitely had an energy about her.
“So, I’m famous, huh? That’s something coming from the first human to be turned into a demon.”
“I look good for my age, don’t I?” she asked. “And maybe ‘famous’ isn’t quite the right word.”
“Infamous?”
She chuckled. “That’s more like it. Care for a drink?”
I nodded, and she signaled the bartender, then led us both to the sitting area. I settled into a large, leather recliner and Lilith chose the couch, leaning into the spot where the side and back met, draping her arms along the top of the couch.
The bartender came over with a tray holding two drinks. Both looked like whiskey on the rocks. I took one and she, the other. I sniffed the whiskey before I took a drink and was surprised to note the familiar smoky aroma. A sip confirmed it was definitely Laphroaig.
“How’d you know my poison?” I asked.
“I’ve made it a point to learn as much about you as I can.”
Had to admit I was flattered, especially as I’d spent a lot of time studying the legends about Lilith. But I had to keep things professional. I had a deal with Iblis and that meant getting rid of the competition. Which now included Lilith herself. I felt the weight of the gun in the shoulder holster under my leather jacket, tempted to draw it right now. But I held back.
“Why’d you invite me up here?” I asked.
“You’ve become the subject of a lot of talk downstairs. With the recent vacancy on the Infernal Court, Asmodeus’ territory is kind of in a free-for-all. I thought I’d take advantage of his absence and come upstairs for a bit.”
“When was the last time you were up here?”
“When I was still human,” she said.
That was interesting. As one of the earliest demons, Lilith would’ve grown very powerful over the years, sucking up the energies of Hell. She could have easily come upstairs if she chose to.
“Why wait so long?” I finally asked.
“I was trapped,” she said. “A spell that kept me bound to Hell. But now, it’s been lifted.”
“That sounds like pretty powerful magic to work for all that time,” I said.
“More power than you can imagine. The Hell Lords only pull out those toys for the demons they really don’t want slithering topside.”
“How’d you earn that distinction?” I asked.
“Politics,” she said. “When Heaven and Hell sat down for a ceasefire, I was one of Heaven’s conditions. They actually wanted to take me prisoner themselves, but Hell managed to convince them that I could be confined there.”
“Then why’d the spell suddenly disappear?” And then, it hit me. “Asmodeus. He’s the one who cast the spell that trapped you there.”
She nodded. “But now, he’s gone, and the spell’s been lifted. I can only assume that means he’s dead. And now, everything that was once his will be mine.”
I sipped my drink and shifted in the chair. “Sure you wanna do that? It’s one thing to escape, but what you’re talking about is pretty high-profile. I’m guessing the Hell Lords won’t be too happy about it. And then there’s the angels.”
She smiled before taking a sip of her drink. “I appreciat
e the concern, but I’m a big girl, Luther.”
“Then how do I fit into all of this?” I asked.
Lilith leaned forward and set her glass on the coffee table in front of the couch. She looked at me. “Listen, let’s just cut the crap, okay? I know you’re working with Iblis to eliminate the competition, and I know you were with Asmodeus when he disappeared in Purgatory.”
I scoffed, then laughed. “Think you spent too long in Hell huffing that sulfur. I don’t know anything about Asmodeus or Iblis, and I’ve never been to Purgatory before.”
“Luther, this will all be a lot more pleasant if you don’t treat me like an idiot, okay?”
Didn’t know where she was getting her intel from, but she was hitting the mark pretty close, and that made me nervous. Reaching for the gun seemed more and more like a real possibility. Or seeing if I could summon up enough hellfire to deep-fry her ass.
“You’re pretty good at hiding your emotions. Probably a hell of a poker player,” she said. “But your eyes never lie. You and I both know I’m right.”
“Say you are,” I said. “What’s all of this have to do with me?”
“People are talking about you after that stunt you pulled in Englewood, and then when you hit Kimaris’ crew. I know Iblis snatched you away when you attacked his men, and then immediately after, you decide to go after Kimaris. Not exactly rocket science.”
“Who’s Kimaris?” I asked.
She sighed. “Cute. But I’ve got someone inside the police department who gave me the witness descriptions. They match you to a T. That was some pretty rough stuff in there. You’ve gone after demons before, but never like that. So, what’s with the change? Why are you going all out for Iblis?”
There wasn’t any use in trying to lie. Lilith could clearly see right through anything I came up with. So, I figured might as well come clean and see where the chips fell. “Okay, you got me. Iblis and I have an arrangement.”
“You help him eliminate the competition and what do you get in return?” she asked.
“Money,” I said. “And an end to the war.”
“Afraid your precious humans will get caught in the crossfire?” Lilith shook her head. “I don’t think that’s it. Like I said, I’ve heard a lot about you, Luther. I know you’re after something.”
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