“How beautiful.”
“Not half as beautiful as you,” a low male voice whispered.
Zaybeth turned around and there was Felipe standing behind her.
The butterflies took flight, playfully chasing one another.
“I’ve been waiting for a moment when we could be alone,” he said, sitting beside her. “These three months have been torturous.”
Their lips grew closer and locked into a passionate kiss.
* * *
Lilith rushed back to the chapel, searching for her favorite floral shawl.
“Ah, there you are.” She scooped the scarf off the bench and walked outside, when she heard voices, sounding like Felipe and a woman. Lilith followed their voices to the hanging garden.
* * *
Zaybeth and Felipe continue to kiss hungrily. Felipe’s tongue darted in and around Zaybeth’s eagerly awaiting mouth. He reached behind Zaybeth and unbuttoned her dress, pulling it down until it slipped off her shoulders. She wiggled out of her dress, lying in just her undergarments. Zaybeth reached for Felipe, grabbing at him hungrily.
“Make love to me,” Zaybeth purred.
Felipe smiled. He took off his doublet, and unbuttoned his shirt, taking it off, revealing his six-pack. Breathless and swept away in a whirlwind of passion, Felipe lay on top of Zaybeth and gently kissed her on the top of her forehead, allowing his kisses to move down to the tip of her nose. His tongue trailed to the corner of her mouth and licked the bottom of her lips.
The tip of Felipe’s tongue slipped between Zaybeth’s lips, eagerly finding her tongue. He smiled with his eyes as his mouth claimed hers. He nuzzled the nape of her neck. His cock stiffened at Zaybeth’s mound as she wrapped her legs around him.
Doves fluttered above them and nestled on the top of the trees. The lovers bodies intertwined on the grass below wrapped ardently each other arms.
* * *
Lilith stood behind a large fig tree and watched in horror as she witnessed Felipe lying on top of Zaybeth. Lilith placed her hand on her stomach, touching it affectionately. Tears welled up in her eyes. She had half a mind to confront her cheating husband, but she was too heartbroken to move. Tears began to run unbidden down her cheeks. Not wanting to see anymore, Lilith ran back to the palace, dropping her shawl.
* * *
Felipe reached down to take off his trousers when suddenly he tore himself away from Zaybeth and sat up.
“I can’t,” Felipe bemoaned, while lowering his head down to his knees.
Zaybeth sat up, wrapping her arms around him, kissing his neck.
“Felipe, you must make love to me before your fa...” Zaybeth’s voice trailed off, ashamed to tell Felipe how his father attempted to ravish her.
How could she tell him? What purpose would it serve? If anything, it would only drive a wedge between father and son. Zaybeth was not about to be blamed for any bad blood between them. Zaybeth softly bit down on her lip, clenching her jaw tight as she held her tongue.
“I cannot break my wedding vows to Lilith,” he said, turning to her.
“Are you saying you don’t love me anymore?”
“I’m saying I cannot hurt you or Lilith. Don’t you see? If I make love to you, I will hurt the both of you. I cannot do that.” He cupped her chin. “Zaybeth, you will always have my heart.”
“And what good does it do to have your heart if I cannot have all of you?”
“Zaybeth, this is complicated.”
She looked into his eyes. “God, you’ve fallen in love with her. Haven’t you?”
“No, I’m in love with you.”
“Then prove it. Take my virginity.”
“Your virginity is reserved for your husband.”
“Something you will never be because you will never leave Lilith. Felipe, you don’t understand. I need you to be my first.” She turned to him, grabbling at his chest, hugging him. “Please Felipe, it has to be you.”
“I can’t, Zaybeth. I’m sorry.”
“You took Lilith’s virginity.”
“That was different.”
“Why was it different?” She looked at him for a moment. “Say it. Well, go on, say it.” Zaybeth demanded.
“Zaybeth, please,” he begged.
“Say it!”
“Because Lilith is my wife,” he exploded. “There, is that what you wanted me to say?”
Zaybeth snatched up her dress and went behind a tree to get dressed. Once dressed, Zaybeth walked from behind the tree. She saw Felipe standing, propped up against an adjacent tree. She gave Felipe a contemptuous glare as she ran past him.
“Zaybeth, please wait,” he said, chasing after her. Felipe reached for her arm, and pulled her back. “Alejandro has feelings for you and wants to marry you.”
“So, you want to pass me to your brother like some common whore?” she said, appalled.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it,” Felipe replied sharply.
Zaybeth turned, giving Felipe a half smile and surprised him with a soft kiss on his lips.
“Make love to me, Felipe,” she whispered. “Plant your seed inside of me and I promise I will marry Alejandro. He wouldn’t need to know it was your child.”
“Zaybeth, please do not ask me to deceive my brother.”
“Alejandro is a simpleton. He would never figure it out.”
“He may not be as simple as you and everyone thinks. If I know my father, he will see to it that Alejandro succeeds in the army and he won’t stop until he’s a general. Zaybeth, if you marry my Alejandro, you and your mother would want for nothing.”
“But I love you, Felipe, not Alejandro.”
“Zaybeth, I cannot ask you to put your happiness on hold for me any longer. Marrying my brother would be better than sitting around waiting for me. In truth, we live too far apart to see each other. Sending correspondence will prove equally as difficult, since I cannot address them directly to you, but instead to your mother. My father is sure to question why Maria is receiving letters from me. He may read them and uncover the truth.”
Felipe looked lovingly into Zaybeth’s eyes. He cupped her chin and bent down and kissed her gently on the lips. “Oh, God, Zaybeth, I love you so much, and yet I have caused you nothing but heartache and disappointment. It pains me to do this, but I have to let you go.”
“Felipe, surely you don’t mean that,” she said, with tears forming in her eyes.
“Zaybeth, please find it in your heart to forgive me.”
“I suppose there’s nothing to forgive,” she said, putting on a brave face. “Well, if you must ‘let me go’ then so be it, but I have only one request.
“You have only but to ask.”
“Make love to me,” she whispered.
“Zaybeth—”
“Oh, you don’t understand...”
“Understand what?”
“Oh, forget it! Just stay away from me, I hate you!” she said, running away.
Felipe went after Zaybeth, but abruptly gave up his pursuit after his attention was diverted by a floral shawl flapping in the wind. The shawl had wrapped itself around the trunk of a large fig tree. Nervously, Felipe looked down the hill where he and Zaybeth had been. Surely, anyone standing at the tree would have seen them. He scooped up the shawl and caught the faint earthy scent of patchouli that drifted off the wrap. He recognized the perfume.
Felipe’s eyes widened. “Lilith!”
THE SIX FORBIDDEN SCROLLS
Lilith stood in the middle of her bedchamber, clutching her chest in agony. The sight of Felipe making love to Zaybeth had proven too much for her. Through watering eyes, Lilith stared down at the faded portrait in the gold heart-shape locket. The boy with the soulful brown eyes, she had fallen in love with all those years ago. How could her true love betray her?
* * *
Apollyon sat on his throne watching Lilith’s life unravel in his divination pool of fire. Swirling images of Felipe’s betrayal and Lilith’s lament projected in the
flames. The god reared his head back in laugher.
“Master, the Elidaelohim is right where you want her,” Stolas said.
“Yes!” He rubbed his hands together. “Opening the Eye will only be the beginning. I have to be patient and wait for Saturn to return and claim the abomination Lilith is about to set loose upon on this earth. Once Saturn returns, HE will be vulnerable and I can send HIM into an eternal slumber. Then I will rule the universe with my bride, Isis at by my side.”
“Master, do you really love Isis?”
“Yes, Stolas, and she loves me.”
“But, Master, Isis is angry with you. How can you be so sure she still loves you?”
“Love, Stolas, is the purest form of magick. I am confident she’ll come to her senses once she learns the truth about Saturn.” Apollyon stood up from his throne and vanished.
* * *
Tears drenched Lilith’s eyes and rolled generously down her cheeks, dripping onto the locket. Tenderly, she touched her pregnant belly with one hand and held the locket tightly in the palm of her other hand, squeezing it hard until her nails dug deep, breaking her skin. Lilith’s palm began to bleed.
“Elidaelohim, use your power to curse him.”
“Who said that? Show yourself,” she said, looking around the room.
Apollyon materialized before Lilith in the form of a dazzling burning flame.
“Such a beautiful woman to have your heart filled with so much sadness.”
“Who are you?”
“A friend.”
“What is your name, friend?”
“I am known by many names.”
“Pick one, so that I may know how to address you.”
“What’s in a name? It matters not what you call me. All that matters is the betrayal and heartache that you feel. I know of a way to ease your pain.”
“How?”
“Open the Eye of Saturn and pass judgment upon the one who has betrayed you!”
Lilith’s thoughts took her back to the Six Forbidden Scrolls of Saturn. The more she thought about the scrolls, her lips began to curl upwards into a smirk. The dazzling burning flame appeared in her eyes. Apollyon had possessed her. Lilith dried her tears and made a silent vow to destroy Felipe and Zaybeth. Lilith vanished from the room, reappearing at the Temple of Saturn.
“I call forth the Daughters of Saturn. Isis, Asira and Dusana,” Lilith said.
Isis was the first to appear in the shadowy temple. Out of the darkness, Dusana and Asira appeared.
Lilith bowed reverently and knelt before the Daughters of Saturn.
“Akintiaelrah, (Sisters) my heart is filled with sorrow. I ask humbly for your help.”
“What do you ask of us, Elidaelohim?” Asira asked.
“I implore you to open the Eye of Saturn and unleash the Judgment Seat of Saturn.”
“That would require using the Forbidden Scrolls. We would need a very good reason to use such magick,” Isis said.
“Someone has sinned against me.”
“To whom do you wish Father Saturn to pass judgment?” Dusana inquired curiously.
Lilith parted her lips to speak.
Asira looked at Lilith’s stomach and pointed. “You are with child—a male child.”
“Yes.”
“And your husband, what does Felipe say about the child? Is he not overjoyed?” Asira asked.
“Felipe has not even so much as glanced at me in months. He doesn’t love me. He has turned completely against me. I fear he will do the same to our son.”
“But Elidaelohim, there are magickal ways to make Felipe love you,” Dusana said, raising one eyebrow.
“I don’t want Felipe’s love that way.”
“Why should it matter how you obtain his affection, just so long as he loves you and his son?” Dusana said.
“It matters to me.” she replied sharply. “I have loved Felipe my entire life,” she said, glancing down at the locket still clutched in her hand. “I desire his affections naturally. I’ll ask you once more, allow me to use the scrolls and open the Eye of Saturn.”
“What you ask is too dangerous,” Isis declared, unfurling her massive, white wings.
“Isis, please, I beg you. I must have retribution.”
“I forbid it! Seek your revenge another way. The scrolls have the power to alter anything it is commanded to touch. The very words contained in the scrolls are the same words Saturn spoke to form this universe and the many worlds and beings well beyond this galaxy. Saturn will not permit a priestess to invoke its power, simply for revenge,” Isis said, folding her arms across her chest.
“Tell us, Elidaelohim what, or more importantly, whom do you wish to judge?” Dusana pressed.
“Felipe,” she said quietly. “The scrolls have the power to transform.”
“Ah, transforming a human is much different than taking dust particles from the universe and shaping them into worlds and galaxies.” Asira warned.
“And what do you wish to transform Felipe into?” Dusana asked curiously.
“I wish to turn Felipe into the vilest, immortal creature I can think of, a lamsivetalak (the undead, a vampire),” Lilith declared.
“By doing so, Lilith, you will set loose an abomination that will wreak havoc on this planet,” Isis said.
“Careful, Elidaelohim, once you go down the road of revenge, there is no turning back,” Asira warned.
“Perhaps there is another whose heart you might find more agreeable than Felipe,” Dusana chimed in.
“I love Felipe. He’s is the only man I will ever love, but he has broken our marriage vows. He has broken our sacred blood covenant. When Felipe and I married, we became of one flesh, one blood. When he made love to Zaybeth, he broke that covenant and spilled our blood. Felipe must be taught a valuable lesson. A lesson he and his redheaded harlot shall never forget.” Her eyes narrowed and darkened. “Felipe and Zaybeth must be judged.”
The Daughters of Saturn looked at one another and spoke in unison.
“Sapirla ne’kab vitoar zop’kab shael!” (Blood is the seat of the soul!) The Daughters of Saturn faded into the icy mist of the temple. Their departure sent specks of glimmering rays of blue-violet luminous radiation floating through the air.
Lilith knelt down beside the ritual fire and prayed silently, while she waited the sisters’ decision.
Moments later, the Daughters of Saturn appeared hovering high above Lilith. In unison, the sisters spoke:
“When Jupiter aligns with Saturn, and a two tailed comet blazes across the sky, then you will have the power to open Saturn’s eye. Reciting from the Six Forbidden Scrolls, Venus and Mars will grant thy desire, damning Felipe’s soul into a vampire.”
Lilith bowed. “Thank you, akintiaelrah (sisters).”
The Daughters of Saturn spoke together. “When the Eye of Saturn reopens five-hundred-and-fifty years from now, Zaybeth will be given the power to destroy Felipe in a battle to take place here at the temple, unless Felipe turns Zaybeth into a vampire first. But in doing so, he will damn both their souls for all eternity and the curse can never be broken.”
Isis lowered herself down and touched Lilith on her shoulder. “But heed my warning, Lilith. You will pay a terrible price. You will be bound to Felipe for five centuries. Only when the creature is destroyed, will you be released.”
“If Felipe or anyone should happen upon the Forbidden Scrolls and perform the ritual to reverse the spell, you will cease to exist,” Dusana warned.
“Unless you find a soul to inhabit,” Asira chimed in.
“That’s a risk I’m willing to take,” Lilith said.
Asira and Dusana faded into shadow, leaving shimmering streaks of white and purple rays of light.
“Lilith,” Isis said taking hold of the crook of her arm. “I also know the deceit of a husband. I have never shared this with you before, but I am Apollyon’s wife.”
“Really. You and Apollyon are married?” Lilith gasped.
“He only pret
ended to love me, so he could learn the magick contained in the Forbidden Scrolls. Then he used the scroll’s magick to create his underworld, Hades and bring about the downfall of this planet. Apollyon made a fool out of me. Oh, how I wanted revenge,” she said, as her jaw tightened and her wings unfurled. “But in the end, I decided it was best to allow Saturn to judge Apollyon for his transgressions, and not me.” Isis turned to Lilith. “I’ll ask you once more. Do you still want to curse your husband?”
Lilith’s eyes narrowed and darkened. “Yes,” she avowed.
“So, shall it be done!” Isis declared.
Lilith vanished in a rolling cloud of smoke, reappearing at Palacio del Oro where she found her mother sitting in the parlor, sipping hot tea.
“Mother,” Lilith said quietly.
Nashiema turned her head around, startled. “Oh, Lilith, you scared me. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with Felipe and your in-laws?”
Lilith could no longer hold her composure. She erupted into a flood of tears as she collapsed at her mother’s feet.
Nashiema put down her tea on a nearby table and wrapped her arms around her daughter.
“Lilith, what has happened?”
“Felipe has betrayed me,” she said between sobs. “I saw him making love to Zaybeth.”
“I will run that filth swine through!” Abraham said, standing in the doorway.
Lilith tearstained eyes looked up at her father. “That won’t be necessary, Father. I have found a better way to punish Felipe and Zaybeth.”
* * *
Felipe’s family was packed and ready to return to Toledo. He was surprised by tears filling the edges of his eyelids as he said his goodbyes. Seeing Gertrudis and Eduardo about to enter their carriage, Felipe rushed over to them.
“Remember, say nothing and promise me you will get as far away from my parents as you can. Enjoy your lives together. You deserve it,” Felipe whispered.
Gertrudis kissed Felipe on the cheek.
“Bless you, my boy,” Eduardo said, while tenderly holding Gertrudis’ hand.
Eye of Saturn (The Daughters of Saturn Book 1) Page 18