Desire becomes Her

Chapter 2

2

Addison yawned, trying to stave off the boredom and not nod off.  She sat beside Lucian, a trophy.  Dressed in a black slim line that cut off at her knees, 4 inch heels and her hair done up in a fancy twist, Diamonds around her neck and at her ears.  The only thing out of place was the bruise over her right cheek bone and dark spots on her arm where fingers had dug into the muscle and skin and left marks.  They were at a meeting.  All the sins, all seven of them were sat around a table and discussing their business, their progress. It was almost as if they acted like a syndicate, a business.  This was nothing like the stories she had been told growing up. The ones she had listened to at least.  They were all there, Beside Lucian,  Satan, Mammon, Belphegor, Leviathan, Beelzebub (Wrath, Greed, Sloth, Envy, Gluttony) and heading the table, Pride; Lucifer himself. 

She had seen him before, in glances, between door cracks as he and Lucian argued over one thing or another; usually her.  Lucifer had been the one to win her for him; some of her actions, as well as Lucian's often upset the Morning Star.   He looked very baroque; his hair was black, Steel blue eyes, and a long slender nose.  His face was oval shaped with a strong but narrow jaw.  He was handsome and fearsome at the same time. 

Though as the meeting went on she observed the other sins; they all dressed similarly, suits tailored the few women, Mammon, and Leviathan in similar dresses. Envy had blonde hair, and green eyes, they matched her dress.  A pretty face, but her nose was slightly upturned and gave her a bit of an elfish look.  Greed had long, curly brown hair down to her rear end in a long braid. Grey eyes somewhat disturbing as she looked around and glared at Addison.  She was covered in jewelry.  Rings on her fingers, necklaces, earrings. Her dress red, a tiara mingled in her curly hair. 

Gluttony was a large man, pudgy around the neck with bloated cheeks and eyes set deep into his fat face. Fingers like little sausages on the ends of puffy hands. His belly large and round; Overindulgence was obviously something he took pride in.  Sloth was a slight man, pale and gaunt.  His hair was shaggy, and dirty.  Too long and falling out of place as he tried to keep it swiped over his head and out of his face.  He sat casually, with his feet up on the table and yawning. His tie was undone, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar; this was too much work for him.  

Wrath, the one everyone referred to as Satan, was a big man, with a scowl on his face.  His hair was red and cropped short to his head.  He had a scar that ran down through his left eye, which was a milky white; blind.  He was muscular, his neck thick and running into huge shoulders. He also wore a suit, which he looked out of place in.  

So these were the Sins. These were who ruled the layers of Hell and toyed with the human race.

She felt his hand on her knee, his thumb slowly running over the curve and he looked at her, smiled a little and then went back to listening.  She really didn't know what was going on, but then again, Addison had never been the business type, she was just there as a show piece. The meeting went on for a little over an hour, and when they were finished, they all departed and headed to another room.

There were others there, lots of them and she clung to Lucian as they walked through a door into a small ball room.  Bar set up in a corner, lighting low but tasteful, a small band playing soft music.  She could smell humid air and jasmine coming through open double doors that went out to a large balcony.  "Who are all these people?"

"Clients, people who owe us, people we have business arrangements with."  He spoke quietly in her ear as they walked toward the open doors and fresh air.  

"People you own, in other words." When she looked out onto the street, leaning over the ornate metal railing she realized they were in New Orleans, in the Old French Quarter.  People crowded the street, the smell of Cajun spices mingled with the sweet floral perfume of the jasmine crawling up the trellis on the side of the building.  She could feel his hands on her bare shoulders, moving slowly down her arms to her hands as he kissed her neck.  She titled her head to one side, exposing the sweet spot he often went after. Closing her eyes, a worried expression on her face, lips pursed to keep her from enjoying it.

"Yes."  She turned to face him, and he could see her disappointment.  He touched her cheek, where she was was bruised and swollen. "I'm sorry I let that happen."

"No you're not.  If you were sorry, really sorry, it would never have happened."  He grabbed her arm, where finger prints already marked her skin and she winced and wiggled her arm out of his grasp.

"Knocking around the trophy again, Asmodeus?  What did I tell you about that?" Lucifer took a sip of his drink, a grin on his face; Addison’s eyes widened and she stopped moving.  Lucian let her arm go, and turned around. 

"What did I say about calling me that?"  Asmodeus was Lucian's demon name, his official name after he fell but he had never liked it and kept a name that was closer to his angelic name; Luciah (loo-chi-ah).

"You told me you didn't like it. And I think I told you not to knock her around anymore.  Elohim and I have a deal.  She isn't harmed, and you get to keep her." His smile disappeared as quickly as it had come and he took another sip of his drink, eyes peering over at Addison and she felt her skin rise in goose bumps. A little grin appeared on his face, he enjoyed making her nervous.

"It wasn't my fault.  They just got a little rough with her...” Lucian was not afraid of Lucifer, but he respected the power he held.  If Lucian couldn't keep an eye on Addison, he would place her in a Psychiatric facility in upstate New York until he was finished.  She hated it there; it was where he had initially found her and the violent outbursts she often displayed while there resulted in someone getting hurt.

"Find a new place to put her, will you?  I'm starting to get complaints."  And with that, he turned and walked into the crowd to mingle.

"Asmodeus…"  She grinned a little, leaning on the railing, her arms crossed over her chest.  He turned to look at her.

"Stay here, mingle with the crowd, get yourself a drink, I don't care. I'll come get you when I'm ready."  He walked off, approaching an older man and his younger companion, arms raised as he smiled and boomed the man’s name in greeting.  Hands were shook, backs were slapped and conversation was dealt.

Finding herself at the bar, she knew she was free to get drunk tonight, it was a party after all, they would all be drunk by the end of the night.  And so she ordered a martini and sat down to watch the crowd.  Stabbing an olive with a pick she slid it off with her lips and bit down on it.  The mellow but bitter taste hit her tongue and her nose wrinkled a little in an uncontrollable reaction.  She washed it down with the combination of Gin and Vermouth and wondered why such an awful drink appealed to her. It gave her horrible hangovers, but she ordered another one anyway.

She had dazed off watching the crowd of people, vision fuzzy as she took another sip of her drink.  The music was so deafening in her ears she didn't realize that the Devil had come up to stand beside her.  "Dance?"  He held out his hand and she felt she had no choice. 

His skin didn't burn her like Lucian's did; it was warm, and soft.  It was very human. He was charming, and swept her over the dance floor with the other occupants, and spoke with her quietly, pressing his hand in the small of her back as they moved.  "He treats you okay I trust?"

"Like you would care," She gave out a huff of a laugh and looked over his shoulder at the others around her. People staring, wondering who this woman was that was dancing with the devil.

"Oh, I do care.  I do.  You are far, far too important to be harmed... to a certain point.  Though I have to agree with Lucian on some things.  You do need to get your behavior under control."

"Under control?  What exactly do I need to control?"

"Everything.  Your attitude for one.  If he has to put you away, you need to behave yourself.  He's been pulled out of more than one meeting to fetch you.  I don't like it.  No more drugs if he takes you to a club."

"Oh come on.  That's what clubs are for."  She said the words slyly, mouth pulling into a smile as he spun her around.  "So, why New Orleans?"

"Class Darling.  These people have manners, they know hospitality."   He ran his finger over the open hole in her right wrist.  The quarter sized hole that ran right through both arms missed everything but the other side. "These really are quite ugly.  You should have covered them up."

"He didn't want the gauze drawing attention.  Much easier to cover them with jewelry for something like this."

"I don't see why.  Everybody knows who you are here with. Attention will be drawn no matter what he dresses you in."  His eyes set on Leviathan and he gave a bit of a smirk. "I'd watch out for Levi, Dear.  She's giving you awful looks right now."     The music stopped and they parted a few inches, stopped to clap for the band and she looked to Lucifer again. He just gave her a charming smile and walked away.

Before she could walk away, Lucian swept her up, pulling her close as the lights dimmed a little.  The bands rhythm slowed and she gave out a sigh she didn't even know she was holding in.  "I really am sorry, but I really can't guarantee you'll remember what's going on when you get there."  She looked away from him.  "You may as well enjoy the party, Addy.  It was put on to enjoy."  She let herself lay her weight on him as they danced; the palm of his hand burning into hers; the sting was satisfying.

She took the advice, she enjoyed the rest of the night.  She drank until she was loose enough to make conversation, to mingle and laugh.  These events were not her thing, but she was slowly beginning to adjust herself to high society life.  

.....

Sitting up in bed, thick soft sheets pulled up around her knees, her arms were draped over her legs, watching the darkness play tricks with her vision.  She felt his hand on her back, running up the scars that marked her, the same marks the flail left on Christ’s back.   She lay down, and looked at him through the darkness.  "I'm done, Lucian, I'm tired."

"You're done when I'm done.  And I'm not done. " 

"My heard hurts."

"You drank too much." An answer for everything.  He kissed down her collar bone and between her breasts.  His hand ran down her body and between her legs. She didn’t fight with him; she had learned the hard way it was best to let him do as he wanted. Biting her lip, she squeezed her eyes shut, trying her best not to enjoy what he did with her. She had learned to suppress all her feelings over the last year.  It was the only way she could deal with who she was with and what he did to her.