“What are you talking about?” Lilith asked, taken aback by the woman’s vehemence.
“Let me just hazard a wild guess about how your life has gone so far. I know you’re young, but that just gives less to summarize,” Daemonia said, sashaying off to the side, into what Lilith could now see was a kitchenette. “When you first woke, you were ignorant, so you followed the directions of the AI that you mentioned, going through training programs. That’s all well and good, since you didn’t have any other sense of direction. When you met Morgan and Warden, though… that’s when things changed. I don’t know much of the specifics, but there are lots of reports talking about it, which gives something of a timeline. You then began hanging out with them, and started to do what they suggested. You might have convinced them to change plans slightly, but whenever they gave advice, you listened, and went along with what they wanted. Isn’t that right?”
“I… how did you know that?” Lilith asked, taken aback. As she watched, the heroine began mixing salad in a bowl, with several bowls holding a variety of nuts, berries, and other things next to it.
“It was obvious, Lilith.” Daemonia replied, clicking her tongue as she shook her head slowly. “You’re a submissive when it comes to your personality. Likely an introvert as well, which is ironic with your powers. That submissive streak is exactly why I’m so concerned about you.”
“Submissive? Well, I suppose I don’t really like being in charge,” Lilith ventured, a little unsettled by Daemonia’s explanation. She wasn’t entirely sure she agreed, but she had to admit that there might be something to it. She hadn’t exactly wanted to run her company, even if she’d been able to.
“Ah, but that’s the other half of the problem. You’re also ignorant, Lilith,” Daemonia said, pouring the nuts into the salad, and at the same time her tail reached out to open the fridge, snaking in to retrieve a bottle of dressing. “That personality trait also extends to other things, like sex. Even if I tried to avoid it, I’d end up overwhelming you. Normally you’d probably bounce back afterward, but with having lost your lovers, you’re lonely. I could see that on Sunday, which is why I backed off. If you go into a relationship, any relationship, without knowing what sort of position you’re in… you’re likely going to jump into it just for the companionship, whether or not you’re actually compatible with them. And that will likely lead to you, your partner, or both of you getting hurt. Rebound relationships can be incredibly messy, and usually not in the good way.”
Lilith couldn’t help a bit of a blush, and she wasn’t entirely certain why. It was that Daemonia seemed to know far more about her and her relationship with Gina and Rachel than she’d expected, Lilith realized. The woman speaking so frankly about sex was slightly disconcerting as well, but Lilith hadn’t ever understood why people were so hesitant to talk about it. She simply knew it was a touchy subject, and avoided it.
That didn’t help her, though, and she frowned, thinking for a few seconds as Daemonia finished adding dressing and the berries to the salad, mixing it thoroughly before slipping the dressing back into the fridge.
“How are you so certain about this? Morgan and Warden could come back,” Lilith finally said, looking at the salad closely to distract herself from the hollowness she felt inside. She wasn’t sure about the nuts or berries being mixed into it. “And you seem to be awfully certain about me.”
“Lying to yourself isn’t healthy, Lilith,” Daemonia replied calmly, picking up the salad bowl in one hand, and taking it over to the table, where she deposited it gently. “If you truly believed that, you wouldn’t look so pained whenever you said their names. Regarding you, though… I’m sorry, but I’ve seen plenty of people like you over the years. They might not have possessed your powers or other advantages, but at your core you’re still human, with all the weaknesses and strengths that implies. Besides, I was part of the sex industry for a good five years before my awakening, and that takes all types.”
Lilith stopped, then sighed and shrugged, giving up on protesting as she looked at the table, then asked, “If you say so. What are you making, anyway?”
“Cocktail sausages wrapped in pastry dough, a nice salad, and sparkling cider,” Daemonia replied instantly, and at Lilith’s startled look, she grinned. “What, did you think I’d buy an entire cabinet of seasonings for a trip that’s going to last only a week? I could’ve ordered from the restaurant, but I’d rather keep this more… intimate. Besides, I like sausages.”
The suggestive waggle of Daemonia’s eyebrows with her last sentence, along with her smirk, caused Lilith to blush, and she coughed, turning away, flustered despite herself.
“I thought you were trying to avoid that sort of thing,” Lilith told her, clearing her throat as she tried to think, but was having a rather hard time under the circumstances.
“No, I’m trying to teach you a valuable lesson, Lilith,” Daemonia replied, audibly moving closer, and a couple of seconds later a pair of warm hands rested on Lilith’s shoulders, prompting her to stiffen. The heroine continued after a moment, speaking kindly. “You haven’t been taught many valuable lessons due to your upbringing, if we can even call it that. You lack a great deal of knowledge, particularly regarding relationships… though if I’m being fair, most people manage to completely fuck up relationships. If they didn’t, there wouldn’t be so many divorces.”
“I… well, I guess that’s the one advantage of things happening how they did,” Lilith said, blinking rapidly as heat welled up in her eyes. As the first tear trickled down her cheek, she reached up to hold one of Daemonia’s hands as she continued, her voice trembling. “It… it wasn’t long ago that I was looking at rings, you know? I was trying to figure things out. I wanted to handle things right… and then it fell apart. Amber admitted it. She said that she deliberately forced me together with them, just so they’d keep me safe and she wouldn’t have to. Then she made them betray me to teach me a lesson. I… I can’t imagine them coming back. Not after that.”
Daemonia didn’t reply immediately, her fingers tightening marginally for just a moment, then they relaxed again. A moment later the woman leaned in to give Lilith a tight hug from behind, which was surprisingly comforting, especially when the woman’s wings wrapped around Lilith, giving a much more expansive hug than she’d anticipated.
“That’s even worse than what I thought had happened. No wonder you’re so hurt,” Daemonia murmured compassionately. “I can’t blame them, but what was done to you… ah, I wish she was in arm’s reach. I’d teach her a lesson she’d never forget.”
“I’d think that would be more dangerous for you,” Lilith replied, her voice and emotions steadying slowly.
“Wrong. I may not be as powerful in any single field as a more specialized class S, but my powers are much, much broader than what most possess. Unless she had an absolutely overwhelming amount of firepower, I could beat her into a pulp,” Daemonia replied, finally pulling away. “I’m a jack of all trades, when it comes to superpowers. Many people may say that makes me worse than masters of one, but I think they’re full of shit. Except for someone like Destiny, who’s faster, tougher, and stronger than me, I can hit the weak points of most of the others and wreck them.”
Lilith laughed in response, turning to face the woman as she opened her mouth, but at that moment the timer on the oven began beeping.
“Ah, that’s our signal! Now, no business stuff or any of that over dinner,” Daemonia said, pointing a finger at Lilith as she added, grinning. “That said, once you’re safe to seduce, I’ll have you know that I will be back. I don’t care if you have anywhere between none and twenty lovers. Or more, if it comes to that.”
“I…” Lilith began, only to be interrupted.
“No arguing. I’m doing it, whether you like it or not. Now, I have sausages to deal with,” Daemonia said firmly, her tail wrapping around the oven handle and opening it to reveal a couple dozen tiny sausages wrapped in golden-brown dough resting on parchment paper.
<
br /> Lilith just watched as she pulled the tray out bare-handed, then couldn’t help a laugh. She had no idea how to deal with Daemonia.
Chapter 24
Wednesday, August 27th, 2031
Paragon City Arms, Paragon City
Despite its simplicity, the meal had been quite good. Lilith wasn’t sure she liked the salad, as the nuts and berries had added elements that she wasn’t used to, and the sparkling cider didn’t really mesh with the sausages, but she wasn’t going to complain. It’d been simple, filling, and Daemonia was rather entertaining when she wanted to be. Now the heroine was lounging lazily on a sofa, her feet over one end, and Lilith was in a comfortable chair, occasionally sipping at more of the cider.
“So, what do you think I’m supposed to do?” Lilith asked at last, letting out a sigh. “Yes, both Archon and Spark have indicated their interest in me, which is flattering, but if I’m not supposed to jump into a relationship…”
“Did I say to avoid relationships?” Daemonia asked, her tail flicking back and forth, but she clicked her tongue, grinning as she added. “Archon, though? Oh, that’s a lady who plays hard to get. Though I suspect she’d be much more amenable if I didn’t play into the expectations of a succubus so much. She gets so prickly when people call her an angel. It’s amusing.”
“I think she has good reasons for it,” Lilith replied, frowning. “She’s had people try kidnapping her, or who tried to use her as justification for being terrible.”
“And I awakened when a mob boss decided that he wanted to rape and murder a hot porn star,” Daemonia retorted, giving Lilith a chiding look. “Things like that leave a mark on you, yes, but I don’t let it control my actions. I choose who I am, and everyone who disagrees with that can go fuck themselves. The only thing that changed about me afterward is my appearance, which I can change on a whim if I want to, and my ability to deal with damn near any problem I run into. That part has been more useful than I expected.”
“I… huh. That’s a little like what Bastet told me,” Lilith said, slightly taken aback. “She asked who I was. When I replied, she said that was my name, not who I was, and that I should define myself, before other people defined me for me.”
“Really? A goddess told you that?” Daemonia asked, her eyebrows rising as she shifted to look at Lilith more closely. At Lilith’s nod, she reached up to rub her chin, then shrugged. “Huh. I haven’t had a chance to meet any deities yet. I thought about visiting Greece one of these times, but with how many kids Zeus has left behind, I’m not sure it’s a good idea. Either way, she’s got the right idea if you ask me. You do need to figure out who you are and want to be. Once you have that, it gives you a solid foundation if people try to make you into what they want. It’s easier to say no if you have a good reason for it.”
Lilith nodded in understanding, though she also made a mental note to look up what Daemonia meant about Zeus and children. She suspected she knew, but Lilith didn’t want to jump to conclusions. The suggestion made more sense to Lilith than Bastet’s original comment as well, and at least now she wasn’t in another world.
Leaning back, Lilith turned her gaze to the ceiling, thinking for a few seconds, then murmured, “But what if I don’t know what I want to be?”
“Then you don’t know. Try to figure it out, and keep your mind open to possibilities,” Daemonia replied immediately, smiling broadly as she added in a teasing tone. “Though if you want to try out the more submissive side of things safely, I can introduce you to a few people I trust. I’m not looking for a pet myself, but I have contacts.”
“Ah, no, I don’t think I want that,” Lilith said quickly, blushing brightly.
“Just offering,” Daemonia teased, stretching again, then continued. “Now, circling back to your question. What I’d suggest is that you talk to the people who’re approaching you. Date them, get to know them. Figure out what they want, and ask yourself, is that what you want? Do the two of you fit together? Would your desires clash a lot? For instance, let’s address the two of us. I’m outgoing, flirty, and sleep around a lot. I don’t apologize for that, and chances are that I wouldn’t change even if I got into a committed relationship. I might, but it’s not something that you’d want to rely on. You, on the other hand, are none of those things. I doubt that you’d jump into bed with someone unless they pushed, and only if you liked them at least somewhat. On the surface of things, I doubt we’d work well together, but… there’s a reason they say that opposites attract. I might drag you into things that expanded your worldview, and you might convince me to stay more grounded in the here and now. It might work… but neither of us knows each other well enough to determine that for sure.”
“Ah. That… is sensible,” Lilith agreed after a moment more thought, considering what had been said, even though her cheeks were still a little warm. “You might have a point. I mean, when Em—Spark, I mean, came over, she just asked if we could start dating. That’s what dating is for, right?”
“Precisely. Just don’t let her push you into anything prematurely,” Daemonia agreed. “She’s got a very enthusiastic personality, so she might try to take things too far, too fast. If she starts to, you just need to remember to ask her to slow down. You lost two people who’re important to you in a very bad way, and you need to take time to come to terms with that. If you tell her that, she’ll either respect it, or she won’t. In the latter case, she’s not someone I’d trust in any relationship, let alone a rebounder.”
Lilith nodded, smiling as she asked. “What about Archon? I mean, she asked if I was dating Spark, and when I said no, she kissed me on the cheek.”
“Did she? Tsk, she must have been feeling very forward,” Daemonia said, her smile so wide it vaguely reminded Lilith of a predator. “Oh, I’m going to have to tease her the next time we’re in private… which will probably be never, if she has anything to say about it. In her case, I suspect that’s as close to an offer to date you that you’re ever going to get. Despite her poise and confidence, our dear angel has locked herself away from the world for a large part of her life, and she has no better idea than you do when it comes to interacting with others. You’ll probably have to take charge of that one if you want it to go anywhere.”
“Right. That… well, it explains a little of the conversation,” Lilith murmured.
For a few more seconds the room was quiet, and Lilith wasn’t sure what was going to happen. There wasn’t much sound from outside, Lilith realized belatedly, which probably meant the room had better sound-proofing than she’d realized.
“That’s it for the main subject. Now it’s on to part two!” Daemonia said at last, springing to her feet so suddenly that Lilith practically jumped out of her chair in surprise.
“Um, what?” Lilith asked, looking up at the woman who was now grinning down at her, a decidedly dangerous glint in her eyes.
“I managed to pin you far too easily on Sunday. How often have you had to fight someone who’s stronger than you?” Daemonia asked, flexing her fingers experimentally.
“Uh, once? I went up against Doctor Johnson’s assistant, Eve,” Lilith replied slowly, growing even more nervous now.
“And how did you fare?” the heroine asked.
“I won. By attaching my teleporter to her when she had me pinned to a wall, and teleporting her into a room with defensive weapons which Circe used to destroy her,” Lilith explained.
“Hm, you cheated. Well done, but you can’t rely on that. Get up.” Daemonia said firmly, beckoning Lilith. “I’m going to teach you how to defend yourself against someone who’s both stronger and faster than you. It’ll likely hurt, but that’s the price of learning.”
Lilith stared at her, then slowly stood, protesting weakly. “Do we really have to? We just ate!”
“And how many attackers are going to care if you just had a meal?” Daemonia challenged.
Lilith didn’t have a response for that, and she sighed, settling in for what she suspected was going to be a di
fficult lesson. At least this time she knew that it was coming, so she should be able to give a better accounting than she had before.
Eden Manor, Glendale
“I need a bath,” Lilith groaned, almost limping through the door into the kitchen, fumbling with the lights as she did so. Almost all of her muscles were aching, or at least that was how it felt, and she was somewhat startled that she could even walk after what Daemonia had put her through.
She’d thought that knowing that Daemonia was coming would make things easier, but Lilith couldn’t have been more wrong. Lilith hadn’t realized just how much faster than her the heroine was, and Daemonia was also very experienced when it came to restraining people. She knew exactly how to grab someone in a way that made it incredibly difficult for them to escape, and coupled with her strength, Lilith was more likely to hurt herself than to escape one of her holds.
Fortunately, the lessons hadn’t been intended as an exercise in futility, as Daemonia had been trying to teach Lilith, and she’d walked her through some techniques on how to escape various holds and the like. Daemonia had also freely admitted that Lilith’s chances of pulling them off weren’t good if she was going up against high-end Class A supers or above, but unlikely was better than nonexistent.
Eventually they’d wrapped up and Daemonia had sent her off, reiterating her promise that she’d be back, which Lilith found faintly unnerving. She thought she liked Daemonia, but there was something about her that was just unsettling. It was probably just how forward the woman was, and she didn’t mince words most of the time.
“Still, she had some good points,” Lilith murmured, thinking about her week so far, and she let out a soft sigh as she untied her shoelaces and removed her shoes. She wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted to do, but… the least she could do was to get something done. But first, she wanted to set up the bath.
Queen's Journey (Lilith's Shadow Book 5) Page 16
