by J. E. Taylor
Her screams mingled with mine. The only difference between us was hers were borne of frustration and mine were from the sheer agony of the transformation.
“Cool your jets. I’ve got something special for you.” Lucifer turned and walked out of the room.
To my surprise, the woman calmed but stared at my chin and licked her lips. My suffering was not lost on her.
“The pain ends,” she whispered.
My heart lurched in my chest, adding to my discomfort. I still couldn’t utter words, just a long consistent wail, clouding my thoughts and echoing off the rocks surrounding us. My brain processed the fact that she’d spoken coherently. My pain dropped a notch, but the hunger raged. Even the smell of my own bloody lip activated the saliva in my mouth.
Lucifer walked into the room with a young boy. The woman next to me froze in place, her eyes widened, and saliva dripped from large canine teeth.
“No. Not my baby,” she whispered and stepped back against the rocks.
I could smell the child. He smelled like a spring rainstorm, and all I wanted to do was tear open his throat and swallow every last drop of that scent. I whimpered.
Lucifer sat the child on his knee a few feet out of reach of the woman. “My brothers and I came down to earth many years ago. And while I was spending time with you, they decided to pop out kids with the women they fell in love with. But I got thrown out of heaven because you wanted to be immortal. Which is forbidden. Only the heavenly host is immortal. Not a creature created by God.” He flexed his chest. His burnt and molted wings spread over the room. “I was punished for loving you, but my brothers were not. They were allowed to have families.” He shook his head in disgust. “They have everything, and I have nothing.”
He tore the robe off the child, and without hesitation, his sharp fingernails dug into the child’s chest. The boy screamed, but Lucifer just smiled as his fingers buried deeper into the boy’s flesh.
“You are hurting him!” the woman next to me screamed. For a moment, her red eyes cooled into a blue inferno of fear and agony.
Lucifer glared at her and punched his hand through, shattering bone. The child’s scream cut off, and a moment later, Lucifer held the boy’s beating heart in his hand. He licked it, and his wings trembled.
“Angel blood.” He shoved that small beating heart into his mouth and closed his eyes as if he were eating a fine meal.
The woman screamed, and time rippled.
When Lucifer stood, he wiped his mouth with his forearm and let the dead boy drop to the floor. “I will destroy every last one of the Nephilim.”
Lucifer turned. His wings looked better than they had before, but they were as black as the night.
The child’s blood flowed into a puddle between the woman and me, and the scent of it cramped my stomach. I wanted that blood. I needed that blood. I thought my soul would burn if I didn’t have any of the blood.
From the looks of it, the woman next to me felt the same, despite the fact that the dead body was her child. The stench of blood mixed on the air clouded by our moans. I couldn’t reach the slowly spreading puddle, but the woman next to me could.
She lapped at the dirt, sobbing as she crawled as far as she could. Her fingertips were just able to glance off his shoulder, but that didn’t dissuade her from sucking up the blood pool with greedy slurps.
I trembled in my binds, unable to partake in the feast even though every cell screamed for the blood. Grunts echoed off the walls, and at first, I thought the woman was making the noises. Then a giant slurp carried over the sound, and I realized I was making the animal noises. I closed my mouth and my eyes, tilting my head back in an attempt to block it all out.
I failed. Every muscle flexed, straining. A snap followed by another, and my eyes went wide. I had broken the binds. The pull of the blood didn’t give me any time to digest the kind of strength I had just displayed. I fell to my knees and buried my face into the puddle right next to the child’s mother.
Blood flowed over my tongue, cramping my stomach, and I moaned, meeting the woman’s pained gaze. Tears cascaded down her bloodstained cheeks.
I swallowed hard. A lump in my throat formed, and my vision blurred. I couldn’t stop, and neither could she. I pulled her boy close enough for her to wrap her arms around him, and she buried her face in the hole Lucifer’s hand had left.
Sobbing and slurping, she reached out and gripped my hand in a show of solidarity, and I held it while taking my fill from the puddle.
The door slammed open, and we both looked up at the being who had walked in. He looked so very similar to Lucifer. His white wings spread, ruffling as his face turned bright red. His gaze fell on the child and then narrowed on the woman.
I could smell his wrath filling the air and it reminded me of a forest fire. His hands curled into fists.
“She didn’t do this. Lucifer did,” I said as he stepped closer.
His gaze moved to me as if he hadn’t noticed me before. His gaze landed on the boy again, and he closed his eyes.
“Athena,” the woman said.
“Is safe,” he said, his voice shaking. “Eve, why are you drinking our child’s blood?” he barely choked out.
Eve shook her head. “I cannot help myself.” She covered her face.
“Lucifer cursed us with tainted immortality,” I whispered and forced myself to ignore the blood puddling between my knees. My hands were covered in it, and I slipped my fingers in my mouth to keep the urge to drink from the ground at bay.
Blood dripped from Eve’s chin and he recoiled. Disgust peeled his lips back.
“I should end you,” he hissed, but pressed his lips together as tears welled up in his eyes.
“Michael, do it,” Eve said softly, her eyes as haunted as I imagined mine were.
A tear spilled down his cheek, and his fists tightened until both hands were blanched as white as his wings.
I thought we were dead. I though this angel was going to raze the entire kill room. He trembled with barely contained emotions and then turned and left.
I pulled my fingers out of my mouth, catching one on my tooth. It stung like fire, and I gasped, feeling my teeth, especially my incisors. They were long and fanged like Eve’s.
I fell back against the wall, exhaling. I wasn’t sure if what I felt was relief or not, but at some base level, my survival instinct was stronger than whatever this curse Lucifer passed to us was.
Eve glanced at me. “Why?” She held her bloody hands out for me to see. “Why my son?”
I clenched my teeth. Lucifer and Michael were made from the same cloth. Brothers in heaven, now enemies on earth. I had no idea why he would take his anger out on his brother’s child. All I could do was shake my head.
“Why did he do this to us?” she asked and dipped her fingers in the pool of her son’s chest.
That was a simpler answer. “I know why he did this to me, but I cannot fathom why he threw you into this.”
She licked her fingers and repeated the actions. Dip and then suck. “Why?” she asked after staring at her now clean fingers in abject horror.
“Because my endeavors for finding immortality got him kicked out of heaven, and then when he started showing signs of aggression towards me, I told him to leave.”
She closed her eyes and hung her head. A sob ripped from her chest as she stared at her dead son.
“What are we?” she whispered.
“I have no idea. But I think he did it. I think we are immortal.” I met her gaze. Horror and excitement ran through me as hot as the cooling blood roiling in my stomach. Possibilities swarmed in my head, but I would never forgive that bastard for killing an innocent child so painfully and callously.
“I need more,” she whispered, wiping her fingers around the nearly empty cavern, and a sob broke through her.
I pulled her into my arms, holding her as tight as I could to staunch the shakes that had overtaken her. “I am so sorry,” I whispered and smoothed her soiled hair.
>
Chapter 7
We found out the hard way that our newly transformed beings were just as volatile in the sunlight as the monsters in Lucifer’s pit. Both our arms were scarred from the burns, and it took a long time before I could convince Eve that the moonlight wouldn’t harm us. But hunger eventually drove us from our sanctuary.
I stood at the edge of the river with Eve next to me, our hands entwined as the moonlight painted the land. I hadn’t been to my village since the day I kicked Lucifer out of our home. But we came back to find the one thing that could destroy Lucifer.
I scanned the newly built village that had replaced the barren charred land we had left. In fact, it looked as though the burning had made the soil rich and lush, bringing with it flowers of all colors and grasses of deep green.
I didn’t know where to begin looking, especially with the scent of human blood on the air.
Eve’s hand tightened. “I thought you said he destroyed your home.”
“He did.” I glanced around, trying to staunch the building hunger, but I couldn’t. Considering how tight Eve’s grip was, she was losing the battle too. Saliva dripped from my teeth, and I licked my lips.
A group of drunken men weaved through the huts, the beats of their hearts lulling us. We froze in place, and then hunger overtook us.
Death followed, picking up the poor husks we left behind.
The End
Newsletter
About J.E. Taylor
J.E. Taylor is a USA Today bestselling author, a publisher, an editor, a manuscript formatter, a mother, a wife, a business analyst, and a Supernatural fangirl, not necessarily in that order. She first sat down to seriously write in February of 2007 after her daughter asked:
“Mom, if you could do anything, what would you do?”
From that moment on, she hasn’t looked back.
In addition to being co-owner of Novel Concept Publishing, Ms. Taylor also moonlights as a Senior Editor of Allegory E-zine, an online venue for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror.
She lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children and during the summer months enjoys her weekends on the shore in southern Maine.
Visit her at www.jetaylor75.com and sign up for her newsletter for early previews of her upcoming books, release announcements, and special opportunities for free swag!
Sign up for Ms. Taylor’s newsletter at: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/y2z2x6
You might also enjoy other books from J.E. Taylor’s backlist:
THE STEVE WILLIAMS SERIES:
From the mountains of New Hampshire to the streets of New York City, these novels take you on a journey through some of the darkest days in Steve Williams' FBI career.
The series includes these single titles:
DARK RECKONING (Book 1)
"J.E. Taylor has penned a tale of terror worthy of Lovecraft. The strong characters, edgy atmosphere, and unflinching narrative hooked me from the first and kept me riveted all the way through to its horrifying conclusion - a solid piece of storytelling!" Ty Drago, Editor of Allegory and author of PHOBOS
VENGEANCE (Book 2)
HUNTING SEASON (Book 3):
"Unstoppable, breath stealing, and terrifying all at once." - Cat Connor, author of killerbyte, terrorbyte, and exacerbyte.
"Hunting Season goes where few venture, mixing a compelling crime thriller with supernatural forces. The action and drama is thick and fast and I guarantee you will not be able to put this book down." - Poppet, author of Seithe and Darkroom.
GEORGIA REIGN (Book 4)
CRYSTAL ILLUSIONS (Book 5)
“Gripping, rich and magnificent - crime whodunnits don't get any better than this!” Author Poppet – Author of QUISLINGS, BLINDSIDED, DJINN and DUSAN
“CRYSTAL ILLUSIONS is a dizzying thriller with a terrifying killer, a unique detective, and some twists you will not see coming! This is Steve Williams’ most addictive adventure so far and J.E. Taylor at her very best!” Ty Drago - Author of THE UNDERTAKERS Series
"This has to be one of the best mysteries I have ever read. Move over Agatha Christie there's a new sheriff in town, and she is great." - PRG Reviews
SAVING FACE (Book 6)
THE GAMES TRILOGY
Intensely disturbing. Beautifully horrific. Indescribably intense. Gruesome and gory. You can't help but get caught up in this series.
When Ty Aris kidnaps Jessica Connor for his step-brother’s underground film network, he is not prepared for the impact this woman will have on his life. The Games Trilogy brings Ty and Jessica from the dark days in his step-brother’s sadistic prison, to the glitz of a major motion picture premier in New York City in a powerful combination of suspense, romance, and heartache. They battle the worst in human nature, as well as a paranormal twist that nearly destroys them and all they love.
This series includes these single titles:
SURVIVAL GAMES (Book 1)
MIND GAMES (Book 2)
END GAME (Book 3)
FALLEN – Games Series Prequel
NIGHT HAWK TRILOGY
Damian Andreas is an ancient vampire tasked with keeping the archangel bloodlines safe. Blinded by his hatred for Lucifer, he snatches Naomi Hawk from the devil to claim her as his own. The moment his teeth sink into her neck, he realizes he has just broken his own vows.
When Naomi bites him back, his blood transform her into an immortal shadow, and puts Damian on a collision path with an angry archangel.
Single titles in this series:
NIGHT HAWK (Book 1)
TIGRESS (Book 2):
TRINITY RISING (Book 3):
THE RYAN CHRONICLES
Tom and CJ Ryan harbor the power of the Gods. Refusing to stand with Lucifer puts both of them, and everyone they love, on the devil’s hit list.
There are only so many ways you can break a man before his wrath changes the status quo. Rekindled by family, by love, by home and memories, the ruthless son of Ty Ryan steps into the shoes left under the family tree by his dad, and this time he’s out of mercy.
The series includes these single titles:
CJ’s Story:
ANGEL GRACE - Book 1 Formerly titled Saving Grace
ANGEL HEART - Book 2 Formerly titled Raven Heart
ANGEL WRATH – Book 3 Formerly titled Trinity’s Wrath
Tom’s Story:
ANGEL BLOOD - Book 4
ANGEL FIRE - Book 5
ANGEL FURY – Book 6
MAGICK TRILOGY
Paige Turner’s magick skills are rusty, but she needs to refine her spells or her determination to save a very special soul will prove to be disastrous.
Single titles in this series:
MAGICK
BLACK MAGICK
PRACTICAL MAGICK
THE DEATH CHRONICLES TRILOGY
What would you do if you found out Death was your father and you were destined to take over the family business?
Dylan Nicholas Ramsay—Nick to his friends—does not want the job, but he has no choice. The fallout of refusing to accept his fate is bleak, and when rogue reapers step in to try to overthrow the status quo, all hell breaks loose.
Single titles in this Young Adult paranormal suspense series:
DON’T FEAR THE REAPER (Book 1)
HIGHWAY TO HELL (Book 2)
KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR (Book 3)
THE PARADOX FILES
A protector. A lost soul. A siren looking for salvation.
Kylee Paradox never expected to be a protector of humankind, but when hell’s portals open and let loose the creatures of the underworld, she can’t see any other way.
Armed with an ultimatum, Kylee has no choice but to embrace her new position as bounty hunter of the damned. Sending these monsters back to purgatory becomes her life’s mission.
The only glitches in an otherwise noble pursuit are those who hold her fate in their hands. They forbid her from using her deadly siren song to lure the beasts back to the pit.
If she harms even a single innocent soul in her quest, Kylee herself will become one of the hunted.
SILENCING THE SIREN – Book One
WAKING THE SIREN – Book Two
HUNTING THE SIREN – Book Three
FIRE CURSED
Lucifer’s daughter rises.
FAITH KENNEDY’S QUIET life off the grid ends when her mother dies of cancer. Before her mother succumbs to the disease, she tells Faith who her father is.
The revelation terrifies Faith more than the thought of the state foster care system.
When Tom and Bridget Ryan step into the state home for girls, the course of Faith’s life changes yet again. With a new, less frightening future offered, Faith jumps at the chance to live in the light despite her newly found talents.
However, word that the devil’s daughter lives brings out dark supernatural entities, and each and every one of them either wants to control her or kill her.
HOMECOMING
Being supercharged doesn’t mean you can stop the inevitable.
FAITH KENNEDY HAS NO control over her own powers, never mind what Tom Ryan bequeathed to her. She must learn to control her natural fire abilities while harnessing all her new supernatural gifts without harming those she cares about most.
When Faith partners with Kylee Paradox, an ancient bounty hunter, to find the only weapon that can destroy the devil, her worst fear comes to fruition. Half a world away, Alex Ryan goes missing.
Faith must hunt down the devil before he can claim Alex as his own. If she fails, she may have to kill the only boy she has ever loved.
FRACTURED FAIRY TALES