Lilith: Eden's Planetary Princess (The Michael Archives Book 1)

by Robinson, C. E.

  “I don’t believe you,” Guard1 snapped.

  “And besides, how would you even know if you did betray Karol?” Marije continued. “Irrespective of what you do, she always acts as if you betrayed her. How many times have you been beaten for doing nothing?”

  The door to the hallway was open, and they heard voices approaching.

  Marije stared at Guard1. “Well, you had better start to figure things out pretty soon. Here they come.”

  “Who?”

  “Colonel Doulmahel and General Pesagniya. There will probably be others too.” Marije stepped back. She looked back and forth between the two guards. “Let me give you one piece of advice. You will not be forced to answer any questions. And they will not torture you. They won’t even slap you around. But,” Marije’s eyes narrowed, “if you decide to answer a question, make sure it’s the truth. The Valkyrie really have a thing about that. And I promise you this. If you lie to them, they’ll really make the rest of your life miserable.”

  In walked Colonel Doulmahel, General Pesagniya, Nurse Emily Rowe, the tough-looking Melchizedek Master Sergeant, and some unknown someone in black leathers and a face-obscuring mask, armed to the teeth with weapons.

  Master Sergeant R. Sardiniel approached the bars and glared at Guard1. “The word is ‘Angel’,” she said, just above a whisper. “Now sit down and be polite and respectful. I promise you, you don’t want me to come back later and pay you a visit. Do you understand?” She turned and joined Marije who was leaning against the back wall.

  Guard1 and Guard2 found their chairs as the other four sat down. “As you probably know by now, my name is Josephine Doulmahel. I am Eden’s Theatre commander.” She gestured to each individual as she introduced them. “This is General David Pesagniya. This is Nurse Emily Rowe. And this is a representative from Oceania Guard Services, Captain Brigettie Sachiel,” she said as she held her hand toward the individual in black leathers.

  Colonel Doulmahel studied her prisoners. “I find it rather de-personalizing to call you Guard1 and Guard2. Do you have other names?”

  Guard2 spoke up. “Yes we do. This is Andria and my name is Grase.”

  News to me, Marije thought to herself. But I guess every mother gives a baby a name.

  “A pleasure to meet the both of you,” Josephine replied. “I’m sure you’re worried about your masters. Both are well and recovering from their surgeries. It was necessary to amputate Karol’s right arm above the elbow and her left leg above the knee. As for Eros. There was a lot of necrotic tissue, so more extensive surgeries were required. But now, she’s going to be fine.”

  “Not surprising after Marije attacked her so viciously,” Guard1 said reflexively.

  Marije rolled her eyes.

  “You caught us off-guard. You would have never defeated us if it had been a fair fight,” Guard1 added bitterly, for if there was anything Andria hated, it was to be defeated in a fistfight by anyone, let alone a weakling like Marije. “Why are we the only ones behind bars anyway when a traitor like her is free? You should know you can never trust her. Once a traitor, always a traitor.”

  “For Marije, there can never anymore be fair fights in the way you understand them,” General Pesagniya said calmly. “She has now come under my gaze. She is now protected by powerful forces,”

  “Why do you lie like that,” Andria said angrily. “Do you think we’re children?”

  “Really?” Pesagniya said, cocking his head and studying them. “You don’t believe me?”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Fine then. I’ll prove it. As Supernaphim of The Infinite Mother, I give you my word that I will set you free to go wherever you wish, if you are able to defeat Marije. And you can take Karol and Eros with you.”

  A strange, mystical expression came across Pesagniya’s face as he raised his hands, as if to control the Ether.

  Immediately, Master Sergeant Sardiniel walked over, unlocked the door to the cell, and threw it open. Surprisingly, there was no reaction on Marije’s face. In fact, she turned her back to them and held her arms up in the air.

  “If I were you,” the Master Sergeant said quietly, “I would stay in those chairs. Do not tempt fate.”

  “Oh shut the fuck up,” Andria yelled, as she stood.

  Pesagniya moved his left hand and instantly, an invisible force smashed across the left side of Andria’s face, crashing her to the floor. It stunned her for a moment, but she quickly recovered. “Are you just going to sit there?” she shouted to Grase.

  Grase jumped up. Pesagniya’s eyes widened as he cocked his head and subtly moved his right hand. Grase was tossed aside as if she were weightless. By then, Andria was back on her feet. She had taken only one step toward Marije when Pesagniya shifted his attention back and she felt two powerful forces shove against her shoulders so hard she flew backward in the air, hitting the back wall, then collapsing on the toilet.

  But Andria was tough. She again tried to take a step toward Marije. A harsh pain hit her stomach, and she was again knocked down to the toilet.

  Marije looked over her shoulder. “I’m waiting. Haven’t got all day.”

  Grase recovered and took one step toward Marije. She was immediately thrown to her cot. Andria stood again. Instantly, an unseen force smacked her against the other side of her face, crashing her to the floor.

  “It’s the same problem with any good bodyguard,” Brigettie, the guard in black leathers leaned over and whispered to Pesagniya. “The drive to protect overwhelms the intellect.”

  “I’m getting tired of waiting out here,” Marije called over her shoulder. She turned around to face Andria and Grase, then calmly walked over and leaned against the far wall. Master Sergeant Sardiniel joined her.

  Andria scrambled from the floor. Something grabbed each hand, pulled her over, and sat her back down on the toilet again, pulling her arms out to each side and twisting her hands into wrist locks. For a couple of seconds, she struggled. She looked at Marije who was grinning and Master Sergeant Sardiniel who was smirking. Josephine Doulmahel and David Pesagniya wore small, pleasant, unconcerned smiles. The individual in black leathers was shaking her head — Andria was almost able to see her grinning beneath the mask. But Nurse Emily Rowe’s expression was pained. Andria figured that Nurse Rowe simply did not like violence.

  Andria closed her eyes and made one more attempt to stand. She finally figured out what was happening. She opened her eyes and relaxed. “I yield,” she said quietly. Her hands were immediately released. She turned to her right, and then to her left squinting. “It’s flawless. I had no idea such camouflage existed.”

  Brigettie turned her head to Marije. “You were right, Marije. She’s pretty smart. You have no idea how long it takes some to catch on.”

  David looked at Andria. “Got ya, didn’t I?”

  “Yes, you did,” Andria said, chuckling. “Yes, you did.”

  Both Andria and Grase felt invisible hands help them up and then let go. Andria felt a little tap on her shoulder. She quickly leapt and tried to grab. She felt another little tap and leapt in the other direction — each time capturing nothing but air. “They’re pretty fast, too,” she said, as she and Grase sat in their chairs again. “So you really were following us since Carolina Isle?”

  “Yes, we were,” Pesagniya said calmly. And well before then, too.

  “Now, please. Enough games. Let us speak rationally,” Josephine began with her smooth, elegant voice. “From Oceania, when you’re ready, we will transfer you to one of our prison worlds. But first, we will allow you to see that Karol and Eros are unharmed. If you insist, we will also allow you to meet with them personally. But I think it best if they have no idea what has become of you.

  “Understanding them as I do, if they see you are alive and unharmed, their need for revenge will transfer to you for not sacrificing yourselves. Your paths will be complicated enough without having to always look over your shoulders wondering if Karol has somehow escaped us and has sent a
n assassin for you. Let them keep all their ire directed toward the Valkyrie. We are accustomed to the Pharisees’ never-ending lust for revenge.”

  Josephine paused. “The only real question that remains is which particular prison world. There are real differences between them, and which one we send you to will depend on what goals you want to accomplish.”

  “Freedom?” Andria said, with only a touch of sarcasm.

  “And you think you were free on Glamoria?” Marije fired back. “You felt free while serving a disturbed creature like Karol?”

  “Well, anyway,” Josephine continued. “We will allow you to consider these things. We wish you well and a pleasant goodnight.”

  Everyone stood and filed out except for Marije and Master Sergeant R. Sardiniel. Marije walked forward and stopped in front of them while Sardiniel locked the cell door and joined Marije.

  “The way it works here is very simple,” Marije said. “The more you show you can be trusted to control your passions, the greater freedom and privileges you will receive.” Marije smiled politely, gave a respectful bow to each, then turned and walked out.

  “But never think for a second that you’re not being watched,” Sardiniel added.

  “To create paranoia?” Andria asked seriously.

  “Well,” Sardiniel said, sounding tired as she walked toward the door. “I guess you’ll just have to figure that out like all the rest of us.”

  Later that evening, the outside door to the prison cells opened and a food cart arrived, pushed by the young, cute Valkyrie who had delivered breakfast. To Andria’s surprise, in walked Akriel, the attractive female from the park who had kissed her, patted her on the butt, and then gave her room number to Andria.

  “You know. Considering all the shit you’ve been through in the past week, you should have taken me up on my offer,” Akriel said giving her a wink, then slid one of the five chairs up against the wall where Marije and Sardiniel had been standing.

  “I guess you’re right about that,” Andria replied, feeling a slight energy rush.

  This time the young Valkyrie did not open the little door to slide in the trays. Rather, she pulled out a small folding table from the cart’s lower shelf, unfolded it, and arranged the four chairs around it.

  There were four trays of food on the cart. Rather than placing the trays on the table, the young Valkyrie took the individual plates, utensils, and four thick glass cups, and arranged them in front of the four chairs. She reached down to the bottom shelf again and pulled out a bottle of wine. She opened it and filled the four cups. She reached down again and pulled out a single tall candle, which she placed in the center of the table and lit it. Andria and Grase were so entranced, they did not notice Akriel had unlocked and opened the door to their cell.

  “Well, are you just going to stand there gawking or are you going to join us for supper?” Akriel asked.

  On Glamoria, it was common for jailers to eat lavish, delicious meals in front of starving prisoners. Obviously, this was not the case tonight. Considering how many surprises they had encountered, maybe being invited for supper outside their cell with two jailers should not have been shocking.

  “I’m going to give you both a good spanking if I have to come in there after you,” the young Valkyrie teased, hands on her hips. Andria and Grase obediently walked out of their cell. Akriel and the young Valkyrie pulled out their chairs, inviting them to sit.

  “My name is Ashley, by the way,” the young Valkyrie said, as she picked up her fork, glancing to Grase who was sitting opposite of her, then to Andria on her right.

  “Do you remember my name?” Akriel asked Andria as she picked up her metal fork, and stared at it. In their previous meals, the only eating utensil had been a small wooden spoon. A metal fork was almost as good as a knife.

  “Course I do,” Andria said absentmindedly, as she looked around the room, wondering if there really was a camouflaged someone ready to take her head off if she tried to stab her jailers with the fork. “Your name is Akriel. Your room number is 2357.”

  “Is there something you’re looking for?” Ashley asked.

  “Uh, no, uh, I mean yeah,” Andria said. Then she focused on Akriel. “What’s going on here anyway?”

  “We’re eating supper?” Akriel answered without looking up, taking a gulp of wine.

  “You know what I mean,” Andria replied sharply.

  “What’s she talking about?” Ashley asked Akriel, leaning over, using a whispering tone of voice while speaking loud enough for someone down the hall to hear.

  “She thinks we are setting them up for the kill. That all this is just some game the Valkyrie play to make them let down their defenses, so when we hit them, they’ll be soft and unsuspecting,” Akriel said back loudly in the same whispering voice.

  “Oh, right,” Ashley yelled back, now shouting, as if speaking to someone partially deaf. “So is it time for me to begin asking my tricky questions to get them to beg us to torture them?”

  “Almost,” Akriel shouted back.

  “Are all the Valkyrie insane?” Grase asked.

  “Of course, we are,” Akriel replied flatly. “Anyone who volunteers for service in the system of Satania has to be insane.”

  “Then why do you do it?” Andria asked, picking at her food.

  “Because — we — are — insane?” Ashley asked while speaking slowly, as if talking to a remedial child.

  Ashley and Akriel chuckled.

  After they finished eating, Ashley cleaned up the table, leaving the four glass cups. She reached down to the cart’s bottom shelf and came back with another bottle of wine, opened it, and poured. “This is my favorite Vinho do Porto. You should let it breathe for a few minutes. I hope it isn’t too sweet for two rough and rowdy bodyguards.”

  Ashley reached into the small pouch strapped around her waist and produced a pipe, a bag, and several slivers of wood. “The dreaded and dangerous Soma herb,” she dramatically said, rocking her head back and forth, as she stuffed the pipe. She put one of the slivers of wood in the candle flame, lit the pipe, and handed it to Akriel.

  Akriel took a puff. “It causes the illusion of free will, you know.” She handed it to Andria.

  Andria held the pipe for a moment and stared at it. “I have never smoked any before,” Andria said. “ On Glamoria, it’s banned. A medicinal herb you can grow in your own backyard brings no profits to the Pharisees. Possession will win you a conversation with the Cardinals. I would’ve never considered such a thing.” But maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ll never have to see a Pharisee again. As many Angels as I’ve seen smoking this past week, doubt it’s that toxic. So what the heck.

  “Well, if you don’t hurry up and take a puff pretty soon, it’ll be out, and you’ll lose your chance,” Ashley replied.

  Andria brought the tip of the pipe to her lips and took a small puff, followed by a long inhale.

  “Done like a pro,” Ashley said.

  Andria offered the pipe to Ashley, but Ashley gestured toward Grase. Grase took the pipe and puffed on it. “Until now, I’d never smoked either,” Grase said dryly, then took a couple more puffs. “Did you know that amongst the Pharisees, it is said that the Soma herb gives one the illusion of free…”

  “The best illusion there is,” Ashley said back cheerfully, enjoying Grase’s dry sense of humor. She took the pipe and stirred the ash to see if anything was left. She dumped the ash on one of the empty trays, refilled, lit it, and took a few puffs herself, then handed it to Akriel.

  Time slipped by as they said little, smoking the Soma herb and drinking the sweet Vinho do Porto.

  The empty pipe again made its way back to Ashley, but she did not fill it. She looked at the faces around her, all of them quite relaxed. Ashley saw the way Akriel and Andria were looking at each other. “There’s something else the Soma herb does.”

  “What’s that?” Andria distractedly asked.

  “It’ll make an otherwise rational girl want to kiss a kitty,” Ashl
ey said matter-of-factly.

  Andria burst out laughing. “What a disaster that would be.”

  “Yep,” Ashley continued, as if explaining something complicated. “It’s even happened to me. Just sitting around smoking and drinking with some of my girlfriends, thinking that I like boys, then POW, all of a sudden, there I am, kissing a kitty.”

  Sex was not a topic Ashley cared much about, but she and Akriel were searching for ways to connect with the two guards. Andria and Grase’s background files had little information about their sexual preferences, but the files did reveal they were honest, reliable, and hard workers, characteristics compatible with the Valkyrie. Even if there was only a small chance these two could be saved, Ashley and Akriel had to try. They knew it would be a waste of time to debate the relative merits of serving King Joshua vs. Goddess Lakshmi, so sex seemed as good a topic as any.

  Akriel stood, walked around the cart, and came back with another bottle of Vinho do Porto. She pulled the cork, then poured the Porto around the table. Clearly, Ashley was losing her coordination, so Akriel took over Soma and pipe control. A few minutes later, there was a light bang as Ashley’s head hit the table. Akriel looked over to her sweet, passed-out friend. She stood, gently scooped Ashley up in her arms, walked into the cell, and laid her down on Grase’s cot.

  “No kitty kissing for that little one tonight,” Grase said with a laugh as Akriel came back and sat down. She reached over and refilled the pipe, lit it, and took a long draw. She offered it to Grase. Grase held up her hand and shook her head no. She offered it to Andria and Andria took it.

  “Well, it’s a little known fact that I, too am a master kitty kisser,” Akriel proclaimed. “And I was taught by the highest, almighty grand-master in the Creation.”

  “Yeah? Well then. Who would that be?” Andria asked skeptically.

  “Excuse me,” Grase mumbled as she slowly stood. “I’m sure this is all very fascinating for you two lesbos, but I think I’ve heard enough for tonight.” Grase slowly walked to the cell door using the bars to support herself, then staggered to her cot, fell over, and passed out beside Ashley.