My shoulders slumped, and I closed my eyes, submitting to His wondrous touch.
He still loves me, His first born son.
Peaceful bliss crept up my body as I submitted to His will, filling me with new found hope of my wings restored anew if I pleased Him. With slow steady breaths, I leaned into the challenge at hand, and the delicious but traitorous idea that I, too, could be the Creator.
"I accept your offer in humbleness and gratitude, my All." I strained upward, balancing on the balls of my feet to kiss His mouth.
He leaned down into me sweeping His lips across my cheek and whispered into my ear. “So it is said, so it shall be done.”
Lucifer
I inhaled deeply and looked toward the Heavenly home I’d never see again if I didn’t pull off the greatest of miracles and create new life from my very own breath.
It’s my only hope.
I shoved the thought that maybe this was a trick to get rid of me out of my mind. But it continued to knock against my brain, demanding entry and due consideration. After all, not long before, I’d heard Him call Samael the greatest and most feared, and my fingers still curled at that memory. Maybe the divine plan in His mind all along was to replace me with my oldest ally.
Samael would never agree to my death in order to be first rank in the Creator’s eyes. It would be a victory won by a coward’s game, and Samael didn’t operate that way. No, if this was a ploy to overthrow my rightful place at the right hand of the Creator then He, alone, had devised the sinister plot, with no input from Samael. No matter what might happen, I accepted in my heart that Samael was my true ally and brother.
And he was blameless.
Nerves unsteadied my hands at the thought of failing the greatest task ever bestowed upon me. But I wouldn’t shrink down and slither away as I secretly thought He expected. I gazed at the creature lying in the ash. Then, maintaining my focus on keeping my gait even and unhurried, I counted each step it took to cross the distance between my Creator and his newest living doll. One...two...one...two. The mechanical motions hopefully looked confident, as I walked to the pit and jumped down, landing at her feet. Her small, flawless form lay at least a full head shorter than Mercy, but something about her beauty surpassed that of any celestial being.
As I took in the sight of her body, unfamiliar and entirely feminine, peculiar want stirred in the pit of my stomach. Like greed but...more, somehow.
I touched her fingertips. Although her body remained hot from the fire, the chill of lifelessness inside her made me withdraw from her skin as sadness swept through me in a brief, sudden wave.
Forbidden pride filled my bones that I would animate her soul, and it gave me the courage to make the attempt. I breathed in deeply and counselled myself through it.
Remember who you are.
I placed my arms beneath hers and drew her into my lap. Her head slumped to the side, but I shifted her position with more care than I’d ever taken with anything before, as if she might shatter into pieces under my touch, and supported her neck with the crook of my arm. Her back rested against my chest. My heartbeat reverberated into her still one, as if trying to wake it. The hairs on my neck bristled with fear and excitement as I positioned her face for the transference of life. I leaned down and shut my eyes, savoring the moment I hovered above her lips, drawing it out.
Trees rustled in the wind, while night prey swooshed through the air. I sensed the Creator’s presence approach, but I ignored His pull. A breeze caught the scent of the vast waters beyond the garden, and the salty air filled my nostrils. I wanted time to stand still as it did in the Heavens, yet the impatience of the Creator’s desire for results prickled across my skin.
Immersed in the heat of the pit, I envisioned her luminous glow enveloping me until our energies swirled and became one, filling me with the warmth I craved.
Then I rested my lips upon hers and kissed the breath of my life force into her.
The thump of her heart beat strong against my chest, and made my own quicken as she sucked in her first air.
Instinctively, I brushed my lips over hers again and pressed against them. I lingered. Unexpected sensations filled my heart as a strange surge of want coursed through me.
Living, breathing passion flowed between us. A strange stirring, like little pin pricks nipped at my nerves encouraged me to kiss her deeper. The sensation grew until primal urges took over. The gnawing need to join with her and impart my spiritual knowledge electrified my emotions. Love flowed from me into her, for unlike my dismissal of Adam, I cared for this creature.
This is more than the Kiss of Life.
To my surprise, she responded, her soft mouth moving beneath mine, her lips parting as if in expectation of more. Heat pooled in my hips and a throbbing settled into my groin rousing my attention. The sensation built hotter and hotter until I felt as if I would explode from the pressure. My erection pressed against her back, out of the sight of the Creator’s watchful eyes. Even in my confusion over my body reacting with such base desire, instinct warned me to hide this from Him.
Astonished and with painful and unwelcome self-awareness, I shifted back into my cursed snake form before she opened her eyes.
“My job is done,” I said as I crawled away. Everything about this new form kept me subservient, and I fought against the resentment coursing through me at slinking everywhere.
Yes, I acted with indifference, but I also bristled with excitement and couldn’t wait for Him to return to the Heavens. But that delicious fever of anticipation warred with the sliver of hope I still held that he’d relent and restore me to my full glory. Perhaps I’d earned his forgiveness.
“Rise,” He commanded, but his words weren’t for me.
I no longer held His interest. Unable to resist, I turned back and watched the scene from a distance to see her reaction, my attention wandering back to my creation. Mine. The glowing embers illuminated her form, only emphasising her...glory. My heart faltered when I realized I’d conjured the word for her that I usually only thought of in connection to my Creator. But it was true. Pure glory moved within her and radiated from her.
With her left hand, she explored her face, running her fingers over her eyes and nose, and her perfect mouth formed a small bud of curiosity as if trying to understand her own form.
"Come," the Creator instructed, and she walked from the pit, her stride purposeful and unmarred by uncertainty.
Relief flooded my mind that, even though she was smaller than Adam, she had the strength to stand and walk and the intelligence to obey a simple command.
Ash and smoke sputtered from her mouth when she choked on a deeper breath, and it must have filled her lungs too, because she coughed and stumbled forward.
“This is woman. Well done, my son,” He smiled and raised his voice as if He knew I lingered within earshot. “And we shall call her Lilith.”
Lilith... Beautiful.
I wanted to call out to her, but I knew He’d hear me, and I vowed never to let Him see how transfixed I was by our creation. My creation. I glided over some leaves to take a closer look at her. She tilted her head in my direction, wiping ash from her eyes, as if she wanted to see me better.
She heard me.
She crouched down to examine where the noise had originated, and the spectacular grace with which she moved made what would be my pelvic muscles twitch again. A spur-like knob jutted out of my belly. Sexual desire oozed from my being, vibrating on the lowest energetic level.
I focused all of my control on not shifting to my true form, for her body called to mine as she nudged closer and rustled some low hanging branches.
Wonder filled me. I’d never considered I’d have the ability to feel like this about a lower being, someone very much lesser than me. Neither would I have expected to react in such a sexual manner, given my own celestial status. Then, to even consider gaining the ability to act on those base desires as mere animals did, even when crawling upon my belly... to actually transfer t
hat sexual energy from one physical form to another… my mind struggled to process the new concept alongside the rush of sensation. All of this astounded me. I snapped my snake body from side to side in quick jagged movements to try and break her sexual hold over me.
Lilith moved closer toward me beneath the underbrush as the Creator watched in silence. For a brief moment her green eyes met mine and I could’ve sworn she knew it was me, her Creator. On high alert to the instability of my control over shifting, I hurried away.
At the end of the sixth day, the sun peeked over the horizon, casting light about the garden. The view from the edge of a rocky cliff helped me stay far enough away to be hidden, yet still afforded me a clear view to see how Lilith reacted to Adam. My hopes were high that she would be far superior to the thing still stuck in the mud, for she already displayed awareness and intelligence. And a smug lump of satisfaction sat inside me as I compared my creation with that of my Father.
The Creator guided her over to the creation puddle at the edge of the Pool of Life. Once again, I heard Him call out to Adam to rise, but the man didn’t. Perhaps he couldn’t. He flailed in the mud, his limbs appearing uncoordinated and useless. Lilith fixed her gaze on Adam and tilted her head in wonder. I let out a laugh in the form of a hiss, as I, too, stared in disbelief at his bumbling ways.
The creation puddle had mostly dried on the higher ground where Adam sat, literally stuck in the mud, his entire body encased in the thick clay.
“Rise!” The Creator bellowed, losing patience with his being.
A low pitched whine poured from the man as he struggled to stand.
Lilith’s features softened when Adam cried out. She circled the perimeter of the puddle a few feet, her toes sinking deep into the mud and backed away. As she scanned the surrounding landscape, her gaze focused on a fallen limb. After retrieving it, she thrust one end toward Adam, but he didn’t respond. She turned her head to the side as if her intended mate still confused her and searched the Creator’s face for guidance, but He stayed silent, keeping any thoughts as to his success at creating man to Himself.
Poking Adam hard in the rib, Lilith let out guttural sounds to get his attention, then thrust the tree limb several times toward his hand. His eyes flickered briefly as he grabbed the end, and with all her force, she pulled him from the center of the puddle. He didn’t stand immediately, instead crawling through the clay in a lumbering collection of gangly limbs, and he splashed and sprayed dirty mud into the air with each jerky movement. Eventually, with great effort, he stumbled to the edge and stood.
Finally.
On wobbly legs he took the last few steps to dry land only to slip and fall flat on his face. To say I felt for his pain would be a lie; I took pleasure in watching him make a fool out of the Creator. Lilith crouched next to him and mumbled soothing tones of inaudible words. Her outstretched hand clasped his in an effort to help him off the ground, but Adam knocked her over as if he had no concept of her importance or autonomy and hoisted himself up, using her shoulder for leverage.
Fury shot through me that this inferior thing would treat my creation harshly and that even the Creator had only stood, watching the entire shameful event take place.
“You allowed your idiot to strike Lilith when she tried to help him,” I fumed, energy rumbled in my core, as my true form fought to emerge. “We must extinguish this abomination,” I demanded. “Now!”
“Lucifer,” He chided. “Calm yourself,” His tone softened. “I have warned you before, do not interfere with the natural order of my creations.”
Natural order?
I couldn’t believe what I’d heard come out of His mouth. I tried another tactic. “Surely this can't be what you intended to create. One who thrashes about and harms his mate.”
He remained silent, giving me hope my words might have reached him. The need to comfort Lilith and examine her state overpowered my need to win the argument. She sat with her knees pulled tight to her chest and her arms folded around her bent legs. A smile formed on her lips when I slid over her toes and she giggled.
“Lucifer,” she whispered to my delight.
“The female is smart, she can learn language and has compassion, but your Adam is clumsy and violent,” I boasted.
“Silence,” He demanded.
I let him flounder for a moment in the realization I was correct before I coiled around Him to comfort His bruised ego. “Father,” I said “Let us impart some wisdom of the Heavens on them. Lilith is smart. She will find her way, but your Adam will surely not,” I dared not say another word for fear of His retribution, so I continued to wrap my body around His neck and chest in a caress as I tried to soothe His heart.
“You are right, my son,” he admitted. “We must impart some knowledge into him or he will never find his way,” He agreed.
“Into both of them.” I tried to make my correction into a suggestion. “For Lilith deserves to be his equal.”
“I will grant your request.”
I hung in a low branch watching Lilith as she whirled trying to catch fireflies. She laughed and giggled at them, and her innocence touched me. The small things seemed to astound her, like the insects buzzing about while in flight. I tried not to think of my own dilemma and to help her, instead, before I gave one final plea to my Creator to restore my dignity and return me to my true form, so I may take flight and go home.
“Come Lilith, we must go to our Creator,” I said coiling up her leg. I wrapped myself around her narrow waist and draped over her right breast resting my head on her shoulder.
She walked willingly until she saw Adam and refused to move another step in any direction.
“You must go,” I encouraged, but she didn’t understand me.
The anguish in her face smoothed at the sight of lilies growing wild in a spectacular clump of color.
“Flowers,” I said, teaching her their name.
My desire to shift to my true form and present to her the most beautiful one overpowered me. I quickly slunk from her body to the base of the flowers, and she followed me. I raised up sticking my head into the base of the lily, trying to impart wisdom to her. She bent over, closer to their beauty. The fragrant scent caught a trace of the wind, and she closed her eyes and smiled. She sat firmly on the ground and stuck her nose in each and every one basking in the sweet smell. I laughed inside at her raw delight, and both yearning and affection filled me.
The Creator guided Adam over to us. He lumbered about trampling flowers in his path.
“Come,” He said to Lilith, ignoring me.
She readily obeyed and rose to her feet.
With the brush of His fingertips over Adam’s forehead, He imparted some of the knowledge of the Heavens unto him.
“I am Adam,” he stated.
“Well that’s a start,” I said.
The Creator ignored my sarcasm.
“And Lilith?” I said prodding Him.
He brushed his fingers across her forehead.
“This stream affords you life giving water to drink and enjoy,” He said pointing to a stream that ran through the center of the garden. “But, I say unto you, never venture into the Pool of Life or drink of its waters,” He warned. “Adam is your protector. Be mindful of his guidance and aid,” He instructed Lilith.
I cringed as He spoke the words. I’d been wrong when I suggested the Creator make Lilith Adam’s equal. She’d always be far more than simply that.
“Now, go forth, be fruitful, and multiply,” He commanded.
I called Lilith to me in order to test her recall of the information the Creator had bestowed on her as well as her ability to learn. I coiled at her feet, listening to her basic knowledge of her surroundings. Newly formed recognition blazed through her eyes as she ran about calling out all of the names of the things in the garden. I zipped around behind her as she named the fruit trees and low lying vegetation correctly.
I checked on Adam’s advancement. He didn’t show any excitement for the garden we
’d fashioned for him, nor for the woman he could call his own. Even as the sun rose in a glorious ball, creeping up the skyline he didn’t acknowledge any of the wondrous beauty the Creator had simply gifted him with, and that angered me.
Adam’s head tilted, causing his chin and jawline to disappear into his neck. His lips curled down into a deep frown as he rolled his eyes at us. The absurd look on his face was enough to send me over the edge. I slithered up to him quickly, my head and part of my body raised off the ground. I wasn’t sure if my bite could harm him, but the temptation to find out opened my jaws wide, and a loud hiss poured from my mouth. He scurried about and stamped his feet at me as I darted from side to side and hissed.
“Lilith is mine,” he said, and his brows furrowed into a willful pout.
“Lilith belongs to no one!” I darted my head toward his feet.
“Lucifer’s right. I belong to no one,” she repeated.
Adam did an awkward dance across the grass as he tried to stomp on my head and get away from me at the same time. Lilith giggled at our display, which encouraged me further to make this coward born from the mud to stumble around.
I laughed at his feeble attempt to stamp me out as I taunted him more.
“Lucifer!” The sternness in His voice told me I better stop tormenting Adam before He punished me—again.
“My Lord, I am playing with your new beings,” I lied. “Surely, You like to see them dance and have fun?” I baited Him, circling His feet in the cool grass. “Did you impart equal wisdom unto them, my All,” I asked, moving up His body.
“It is so.”
“So, they are equals,” I confirmed. Satisfied, I gathered around his neck ready to make my plea for my old form, for my wings.
“They have limited knowledge of equal value.” He skirted around my question.
“But?” I waited for the revelation in His cryptic answer.
“Lilith is not Adam’s equal. She is his helper and mate and must submit to his guidance and will.”
Born of Fire Page 4