A deal
1094 Words
It was warm when her eyes parted. She was clothed in an elegant black gown the style of which she didn't recognize. She sat up slowly and looked around. Was she dreaming? The room was dimly lit by a single raging fire in the far corner, and sparsely adorned with a single oak table at its center. Sitting atop this table was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. He was tall, even sitting, and his bare chest was well-sculpted and peppered with fine dark hair. He was wearing black leather trousers and was barefoot. His dark hair fell in messy tresses around his high-cheeked face. He looked at her with heavy-lidded bored eyes; they were red!
He smiled at her and in a strange foreign accent said, “Oh good, you're awake.”
It took Anuxsous a moment to find her voice, “Who…who are you?”
“That, my dear, is a very good question.” He hopped from the table and sauntered toward her.
“I suppose the closest thing you would know me as is Anubis. To the Danes, I am Hel, to the Greeks I am Hades. In future years I will be known by my true name, Lucifer.”
She stared at him in disbelief, her jaw gaping. She stood awkwardly and bowed, not knowing what else to do.
“I know this is all very overwhelming, My dear.” he sighed at her moving closer to her.
“I am Anuxsous,” she said as humbly as she could.
“I know who you are,” he stated dryly. “Daughter of Narmer sold to the High priest Akeim, we’ll get to that bastard later. Assaulted, accused of murder, and then murdered herself. Powerlust is a funny thing, my dear.”
“So I am dead?”
“Oh, very much so. But I brought you here to make you an offer, My Sweet. You are here for a purpose. I can’t take it all away, but I can help correct it.”
Anuxsous looked at him skeptically, what purpose could she possibly serve if she were dead? He watched her, a smile stretched across his beautiful face.
“You see, Akeim, in all reality is my brother, Michael. His main goal in your world is to corrupt and manipulate the weak and power-hungry.” He growled, his red eyes seething in anger, “I can offer you a way back to the land of the living, but be warned, what I offer is a gift and a curse.”
She watched him walk slowly to a set of shelves she hadn’t noticed before. She was so drawn to him, fascinated by every aspect of the living God before her.
“Explain,” she demanded. “Please.”
“You will walk among the living, but not as one of them.” He started, “You will move in shadow and moonlight.” He reached up to the top shelf and pulled from it a golden, ruby-encrusted goblet.
“Your life shall be eternal, your body a weapon, more venomous than a viper.”
He walked back over to her and reached out with the goblet in his hand, “All you have to do is drink from this.”
She took the goblet from his hand, looked down at the thick red liquid inside, and wrinkled her nose, it smelled foul.
“Do I have to drink it all?”
“No,” he chuckled, “Just a sip will do the trick, I imagine.” He edged closer to her, so much so, she could smell the sweet floral smell of him. It was intoxicating to her senses and she couldn't think properly, he smelled so good.
“Oh, before we proceed, there is someone I want you to meet.” He let out a long melodious whistle. A large white raven fluttered down to them from out of the shadows. As the bird started to land he began to transform into a man. He was as fair as Lucifer was dark. Pale as moonlight, wearing a snow-white outfit, his pale hair was pulled back along his neck. His eyes were of liquid gold and seemed to look through her, not at her. He was handsome in a her to succumb to the pain inside her.
Never looked at the pathetic creature piled in a heap at his feet. Over countless centuries preternatural way.
“Nevermore, my oldest friend,” Lucifer said stroking the other man along his cheek. “Now, your companion. He will be your guide through this long treacherous journey.”
Anuxsous looked down at the liquid in the goblet, this was as overwhelming as it was tempting to her.
“Is this what you want, Anuxsous?” Lucifer asked taking two long fingers and tipping the goblet to her lips.
Her eyes hardened and her nerves steeled as she nodded, taking a sip from the goblet.
The liquid was heavy and tasted metallic as it touched her lips. Her insides ignited as it passed her throat. She screamed in agony as every part of her burned. It took only minutes for
Lucifer had attempted this same experiment and as many times as he had tried he had failed.
“What makes you think this time will be any different?” he wondered aloud, turning to Lucifer.
He looked thoughtfully at the crumpled-up
young woman lying at their feet and chuckled softly at the Raven.
“She is part angel, My Love. A direct gift from my Father himself, and they wasted her.” He said solemnly, “And can’t you feel it Never? Can’t you scent it?”
Never stopped looking at Lucifer and whipped his head toward the woman, catching her scent for the first time. “MATE!” he growled.
Lucifer nodded, “She is our twin flame, Never. Built for us. She is our light and our power’ he stroked the unconscious gir.
“Take her back, Never, guide her through her new hunger, it will be powerful.”
The Raven nodded, and gently scooped her from the ground. He could feel his own fangs unsheath as he nuzzled her neck. The need to mark her was almost overwhelming.
“We cannot mark her, Never, not until her eighteenth birthday. She must be able to scent us as her mates.”
Never nodded and carried her through the veil back into the mortal realm.
Never nodded and carried her through the veil, back to the mortal realm.
- Writer
