Finding Retribution

by Jana LaPelle

  “Love, my son, it’s all about the love in your heart for another soul. Now, let us join the ladies in our midst before we head to the upper levels of this city in the sky. I think I have something that will accessorize your beautiful goddess nicely. Excuse me, I’ll join all of you shortly.” With that my father, Asmodeus breaks away as we make our way out of the cozy den to join the ladies in our midst.

  The ultra-modern sitting room is in shades of white and black. I walk in to see that LJ and my mother are laughing and holding hands, both with slender champagne flutes in their grasp as they peruse a photo album. Poppy is standing over LJ’s shoulder and the three are already thick as thieves, and everything feels right for a moment in time.

  21

  Trying to Shake my Unease

  (Lillie Joanna)

  Don’t get me wrong. With every breath I take, I know that I love him. He’s still a stranger to me, but I love him beyond reason, which is unfathomable to me. So when he steps into the room, all broody and handsome, I all but swoon. He stares me down and for just a moment I forget that we are not alone. I’m mesmerized by his handsome façade. I know that I’m in trouble because, dear God, I can’t form two coherent thoughts when he looks at me like that.

  Poppy is by my side and I smile as I tune into the conversation. All matter of sound comes back to me as I take a deep breath and look about the room at large. We’re supposed to have a quick meal and make our way to the evening party. I have no doubt that all matter of dark fae, underworlders, and humans will be partaking in tonight’s activities. Reaching over and taking Daxell’s hand in my own, I lean in to whisper, “Dax, it’s going to be okay.” Wanting to ease his worry and maybe even my own.

  “Don’t leave my side tonight. Okay?” He studies me for a moment before leaning in to give a tantalizing kiss. His lips linger on my own before softly dragging my lower lip into his mouth to nibble on my flesh. My body vibrates with the need to surrender to him completely, but we have onlookers and an entire evening to navigate.

  Sighing, I pull back and swallow thickly, “Yes. I’ll do whatever you say, but Daxell, I can hold my own.”

  Poppy snickers, “You are so screwed, Lillie. I had no idea that you would cave so utterly and completely … and so quickly.”

  I look over to my dear friend, “Just you wait, Poppy. Just you wait. You will be so blindsided that you will have no idea as to what awaits you when you find your very own kindred.”

  “Well, as you know, my mum did not bond with her kindred, she bonded with her chosen mate. I may follow in her footsteps. My parents are undeniably in love and happy, so I see nothing wrong with how they chose. I may follow in their footsteps.”

  “And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I adore my chosen mates and would not have chosen differently.” Daxell’s mother garners everyone’s attention, “Dinner is growing cold and we need to arrive at Mammon’s gathering shortly, so everyone gather around, we have quite the feast prepared for you tonight.”

  With that, we all dig in. I take Daxell’s hand in my own and squeeze it tightly. He does the same and I can feel the anxiety coming off him in waves. I don’t even taste the food or hear any of the conversations that are going on around me. All I can focus on is Daxell’s anxiety. I lean over and ask in a whisper, “What has you so upset, Dax.”

  “Everything. This whole evening. We’re walking in blind. It’s like a game of poker in Mammon’s house. His house, his rules. We’re being dealt a hand as we arrive. Never a good thing. Right now Mammon has a stacked deck on his side.”

  “Daxell, he’s not that all-powerful.” I blurt out.

  “Lillie Joanna, you have no idea as to what you are talking about. Mammon can make or break us tonight, and I fear that it’s in his arsenal to break us.” Daxell announces for everyone to hear.

  “How can you think that?” I query, still not comprehending why everyone seems to be walking on eggshells.

  His father intervenes, Dez, or Asmodeus as you have it, “Daxell is right. Mammon holds all the cards and you will do well to remember that. He is a greedy bastard and he has an endgame that none of us are privy to. Honestly, Luc was very vague but he sent us here to keep an eye on what he’s up to.”

  “Then we must find him out. We must expose him for what he is.” I demand, my fork stabbing the beef on my china plate in agitation.

  “My dear, he has been exposed since the beginning of time. We all know what drives him. Greed.”

  “Then why can’t we do something about it!” I demand.

  “We cannot because we simply have no idea as to what he’s working on. He has become too powerful and even Lucifer is having problems restraining him.” Levi imparts. “Ever since the veil between the realms was weakened and we’ve had access to The Mortal Realm he has continued to gain power.

  “Then The Underworld is in danger of falling to Mammon?” I ask. That thought is unimaginable.

  “Yes. Everything is in flux right now, The Underworld could possibly be under new management if Mammon gets his way.” Levi responds.

  “Seriously?! That can’t happen.”

  Poppy is on my left and Daxell on my right, both take my hands to steady me. For all the love of pixie dust in Faerie, this is a nightmare. My head is spinning, and I can’t help but wonder how things have gotten so bad and no one seems to have any clue, not even The Horde King. Why is it that Tarron is not aware of what is happening? Then again he is only The Horde King, he rules the dark fae. Could it be possible that the dark fae is aligning with Mammon? I can’t believe that would be the case?

  Before I can voice my concerns, everyone breaks away from the evening meal and Asmodeus joins Daxell and myself with Seraphina on his arm. He has a large black leather embossed jewelry box in his hands, the crest is not one I recognize. He smiles and hands the box over to Daxell and then says to me, “We would be honored if you would consent to wear our House colors this evening. It is very important that Mammon understands that you are spoken for, not that it will deter him from seeking you out if he so desires. This will let everyone know in attendance that you have been accepted into our House. Seraphina picked this out ages ago, in the hopes that one-day Daxell would be able to give this to his mate, his true mate. Daxell, will you do the honors?”

  Dax looks down at the box in his hands and slowly opens the hinged lid. From here I can’t see what is in the box. Seraphina leans in, “It’s meant to be worn with a black evening gown to showcase the gemstones. What do you think?”

  “Thank you mother, it’s perfect.” He leans down to kiss her cheek and then turns to me, “LJ, I would be honored if you would accept this gift and represent the House of Lust and Envy.” He turns the box around and I can’t tear my eyes away from the most unusual gemstone that I’ve ever seen. The dark brilliant green of the stone showcases a deep red all wrapped up in a teardrop multifaceted cut which looks to be about six carats in size. The earrings were cut from the same vein and though they are about half the size of the necklace, their brilliance is just beautiful.

  “The stones are stunning.”

  Poppy leans over for a look-see, and exclaims, “Those are the most beautiful bloodstones that I have ever seen. Wherever did you find them?”

  Seraphina smiles, “The raw stone was a gift from Lucifer when I bonded with these two dashing males. The jeweler is exceptionally gifted. He was able to make quite a few beautiful gemstones out of the original raw stone. I saved these three stones and had them set and saved them for Daxell to give to his mate. So, yes, Poppy, it’s the purest bloodstone that anyone has ever seen.”

  I’m in awe. The bloodstones that I’ve seen aunt Lexie work with have never had this clarity. I can feel the powerful healing majic coming off the stones in the box, trying to connect with my healing energy. I reach out to touch the powerful stones and ask, “Do you feel their energy like I do?”

  “No, my dear, but I had hoped that you would, given your parentage. I’m no majic user, but you are.
What do you feel?” Seraphina asks.

  “I feel pure healing energy and … it’s counteracting the negative energy in this place. I’m not sure that I can accept this gift.” I hesitate before continuing, “It’s too much, these stones are extremely valuable.” My fingers linger over the stones, it’s as if they are calling to me.

  “Yes and that is why you must wear them tonight. After tonight, they will belong to you and you alone. You may not be a witch but you are a powerful goddess. There may come a time when these stones will be useful. Go on, Lillie, try them on.” She urges. All the while my fingers have been gently caressing the stones that have been calling to me since I laid eyes on them.

  Smiling, I look up and meet Seraphina’s eyes, “Okay, I accept.” I look over to Dax and he looks relieved.

  “May I?” His voice is all growly and deep.

  “Please,” I turn and lift my hair away from my neck and he quickly fastens the delicate-looking chain around my neck and the large teardrop stone feels right at home nestled between my breasts. The earrings are next and I turn to ask, “So how do I look?”

  “You look like you belong with me. Remember, don’t leave my side. That goes for you too, Poppy.” Daxell says. Then, before I’m ready to head onward and upward to Mammon’s den of sin, I find myself being pulled along, up to a party that is seriously off the hook. The moment that we walked into the enormous space we are surrounded by all matter of people. The humans are mundane compared to the variety of the fae folk that is represented here this evening, light and dark fae alike, mingling in the crowd. The music can barely be heard above all the chattering and polite conversation.

  As with any event, the elite hold themselves slightly apart from the rest and The Underworlders are no different here. It would appear that here in this city the elite comes from Luc’s realm and has found favor with Mammon. The distinction is very clear. To one side I see a rather pretty young human female fawning over a large red-skinned imp. His ebony horns are impressive in size. The look on his face is one of disdain as the pretty young woman runs her hands over his bare chest seductively. Her brazen attention is merely endured as he bares his sharp teeth when her fingers wander too low. Quickly he grabs her wrist in his talon clawed hand and gently pushes her away. Narrowing my eyes, I watch as he gently places the young woman back over the invisible line that she crossed. The imp looks up and catches me staring at him. I tighten my grip on Daxell’s arm as we pass him by, and he inclines his head in acknowledgment of Daxell and in turn, me. Glancing back over at the young woman, I notice that she looks somewhat unstable as though she were under the influence of a drug or alcohol or maybe even a spell. She stumbles away as the partygoers make room for us to pass. On a far wall to the right, there is a long bar being tended by humans and they are serving up all matter of refreshments. Above the bar, a black leather whip is clearly on display and above the whip in bold black letters is the word Vengeance. The display is beautiful with its silver background all backlit and outlined in an electric neon blue. It’s very eye-catching and suddenly I wonder, could it be? The Morrígan had a whip she called Vengeance. Could it be hers?

  As soon as I come to the realization that I could actually be looking at the whip the bitch used on my father, the mood of the party changes for me. I’m thankful that we took Cara back down to our suite. I’m not sure how she would fare here, now that the party has officially gotten underway. The music is jamming and everyone has begun to dance as if their lives depend on it. Daxell has pulled me into the protection of his arms, sheltering me from all the illicit acts of heavy petting and all the bumping and grinding taking place in Mammon’s den of iniquity. He whispers into my ear, “Lillie, we can go. We have time to figure out what is going on here. Mammon will make his grand appearance shortly.”

  “No, Daxell, we need information.” Shaking my head, I indicate the back wall, “Did you see the whip above the bar?”

  “I only have eyes for you, Lillie.” Daxell pulls me closer. Over his shoulder I see Poppy and she’s found a handsome blonde satyr to dance with. The apple definitely doesn’t fall far from the tree.

  “Well, we have work to do, demon boy. Come on, we need to mingle.”

  “Honey cheeks, I don’t think that is a good idea. You promised you would stay by my side tonight.” He growls.

  “And I will, but Daxell, you have to let me out of your grasp long enough to see if I hear or see anything that could help us figure out who is leading the New Raven Order. We have to discover what is going on here. I promise that I will not go very far and I will make my way back to you when Mammon makes his entrance.”

  “No, LJ, you will stay by my side,” his demon demands, I can see he’s on the verge of shifting.

  “Both of you need to settle down. We’ve got this. I just want to go check out Vengeance. That whip is legendary. I’ll be back before you know it and I’ll be within eyesight. No harm, no foul.” I lean in and press a sweet, cool, kiss to his lips and without waiting for his answer, I turn and disappear into the crowd. Then I bound toward the whip with one last glance over my shoulder, I see Daxell’s concerned face before something garners his attention and he turns away from me.

  In a matter of moments, I find myself surrounded by bodies gyrating to the beat of the hypnotic music. The bloodstone hangs heavy against my breast and begins to warm against my bare flesh. The mob seems to be pushing in on me and I turn to glare at the male behind me before he can invade my personal space. He backs away and once again I set my gaze on the prize at hand. In mid-stride, the music lowers a couple of notches and a beautiful lilting and compelling voice announces, “Let’s all pay a very warm welcome to our benefactor tonight. Rapa-City’s very own Maximus, also known as Mammon, prince of The Underworld… and head of the House of Greed!”

  “Dragon balls and troll turds, I’m supposed to be back at Daxell’s side for this,” I mutter to myself as I change course, Vengeance will have to wait till later. It’s at that moment that I realize that the bloodstone has grown so warm it’s almost become uncomfortable against my breasts. I finger it absently as I begin to push back through the crowd.

  Most of the party-goers are taller than me. Shocker. Even in five-inch heels. I can just barely make out Dax through the throng of people assembled here, and he does not look happy. He’s being pulled away from me by several large intense reptilian looking demons. My need to get to him has just increased by leaps and bounds. He’s being forced to appear before Mammon. All the Underworlders are. The highest-ranking members of this court are directed to kneel before their higher-ranking prince, with the exception of Asmodeus, Levi, and one other that appear to be equals in this realm, but they acknowledge that this is Mammon’s domain. The glamour the fallen prince wears changes from the handsome Egyptian looking male before us, who’s beautifully tanned, with gleaming black hair slicked back into a ponytail fastened at the nape of his neck, to a handsome looking businessman in a beautifully cut suit with his hair still slicked back and confined to hang down his back. Mama and Da’s account of him from their Underworld adventures is fairly spot-on. Good god, this male loves the spotlight and preens under the attention of all who gather here. No wonder he fell from grace. Sighing, I push through the crowd determined to get back to Daxell.

  All eyes are on the showman that is Mammon as he takes his seat on a throne that is now in the spotlight, something that I had not registered from before. It sits at least four or five steps above the main level of this room. The throne itself is enormous and I watch in fascination as Mammon or Maximus, whatever the hell he is going by here in The Mortal Realm, grows in stature to accommodate his overstated golden throne. The crowd goes wild as he gestures for a dark raven beauty with alabaster skin to grace his side. She climbs the steps gracefully and curtsies before her prince, her head ever so slightly bowed as he takes her outstretched hand and raises it to his lips to graze a kiss across her knuckles, demonstrating to everyone here that she has found favor in his sight. She st
ands and turns to look out over the chamber, her eyes seem to glow a pale grey and her midnight black hair seems to ride air currents that are not in the room. The ebony lace dress is provocative and hugs her slender form. She seems to meld to his side as she demonstrates for all to see that she is staking her claim on the fallen prince. Her gaze moves from his to look out over the room and for one intense moment, she appears to lock on to my gaze. Her facial expression remains stoic until her gaze lands on me, and then her lips twitch upwards into a rather sinister smile. Damn, but the fine hairs on the back of my neck seem to stand on end.

  It’s then that I renew my efforts to move back toward Daxell, I’m more than halfway there when I feel a pinprick at the side of my neck. My hand swats at the offending spot. Suddenly, my vision starts to fade around the edges and I stumble to a halt as my senses begin to swim. What the hell? The bloodstone at my breast feels uncomfortably warm and I feel my knees begin to buckle. Strong arms wrap around me from behind holding me up as my sight bleeds to darkness around the edges. I feel helpless. I can’t even speak. I feel as if I’m just a doll being handled by some unknown force. It’s then that I feel a bracelet being attached to my wrist and for just a split second I feel the weight of a thousand souls weighing down on me. Souls that are screaming for redemption, souls that are not worthy, souls that require my intervention before everything goes quiet. I slowly begin to sink into a beautiful oblivion that has been forced on me.

  I never should have left Daxell’s side, and with that realization, I find that the darkness is suffocating as I embrace my fate.

  22

  She’s Infuriating

  (Daxell)

  And just like that she dances out of my grasp. Can she not follow simple directions? What the fuck was she thinking? I watch as she slides in and out of the patrons here and there as she puts distance between us. Hellfire and brimstone! She does not understand that we are not yet bound, so my allegiance falls to the prince of The Underworld that is about to make his entrance here. I’m a Duke, not a prince, and I must bow down to his royal pain in my ass. Even if that is the last thing that I want to do.