Each night, as she lay cradled in Lucien’s arms, Sarahi reached out to her son, whispering to him, telling him how much she loved him and urging him to come home, but to no avail. He did not respond. The best that could be said was that he did not push her away.
A week after that, four women knocked on the door of the compound. Lucien came out, his bride in tow. He’d just returned from another fruitless search and was eager to do something constructive.
"Sarahi!" The girls squealed, embracing her.
"Jael! Salome! Rahab! Sheba! And who is this?" Sarahi leaned over Salome to see the baby her sister was carrying. "Another succubus?"
Salome nodded, long black hair dancing around her dusky skinned body. In deference to the cold, she’d dressed, for once. "Mother told me to expose her, to leave her outside to die, but... I couldn’t."
"Why would she do that?" Lucien asked. "Why not have another soldier in her army?"
"She says she doesn’t have time to care for a baby or a sister to devote to her. There’s too much at stake right now. And... she said there was something wrong with the baby. It reminded her of...you." She turned to Sarahi. "She didn’t want to risk it. But... a baby... you understand?"
"I do," Sarahi said. "She’s our sister after all. Did Ruth not come?"
"Ruth’s dead," Rahab said, casting her tilted green eyes to the ground. "She made Mother angry and..."
"How did she do that?" Sarahi asked.
"Her drone was a little... livelier than Mother wanted. He refused her."
Sarahi made a sympathetic face.
"Well, he was the lucky one," Sheba said dryly. She tore his throat out. He was dead in seconds. Poor Ruth." She shuddered.
Sarahi shook her head. She did not want to think about it.
"So these are the sisters you trust?" Lucien asked, approaching. Sheba hissed and took several steps back. Jael ducked behind a tree, her golden hair glinting in the sunshine. Salome turned, shielding the infant with her body. Rahab pulled two daggers from her belt.
"Sisters, please," Sarahi said, "there’s no need for this."
"But that’s a naphil," Salome whined.
"Yes. He’s also my husband."
"Husband?" The daggers fell from Rahab’s hands.
"Yes." Sarahi giggled. "Lucien. Darling, these are my sisters Rahab, Salome, Jael, and Sheba. And... Salome, what’s the baby’s name?"
"She doesn’t have one," Salome replied. "I couldn’t just leave her there. Can she stay here too?"
"Of course," Sarahi said. "They won’t turn away an innocent baby, will they Lucien. After all, they accepted Josiah."
Lucien nodded. "The child is fine. But ladies, we cannot simply admit you until we know you can be trusted. If... your mother knew we were here, it would be very bad for us."
"If mother knew we were here, it would be worse for us," Salome said. "How can you know if we are trustworthy?"
"I can read your auras. Ladies, if you step forward, one by one, I will be able to see if you are safe."
"And if we’re not?" Rahab asked? "Will you kill us? After all, we know where you live now."
"I cannot in good conscience harm a guest. If you are not safe to admit, I will remove you from this place, and you will not remember how to get back."
"Fair enough," the succubus said. "Might as well start with me. What’s my color, angel?"
"Red. Very bright. Contentious, but not necessarily evil. You have quite a gray overlay, but I’m not surprised you’re feeling uncertain. Do you swear you will not go out of your way to cause trouble? She will come, and when she does, our only chance is to be as united as possible."
"Yes," Rahab said. "That’s true."
"So you won’t have the men fight over you?" Sarahi asked, raising one eyebrow."
"Not right now," Rahab replied with a hint of a smirk.
Lucien bowed his head to her and she walked past him and through the open door. Next, Jael stepped forward.
"Green, though muddy."
"What do you mean?" The brown haired succubus asked.
"Nothing bad. Just that you might be feeling a little... sensitive..."
"Yes, darling. Jael is very sensitive. But she doesn’t like to talk about it. She also saved my life once. Let her in."
Lucien gave his wife a long look and then indicated the doorway.
"Sheba?" The blond succubus approached. Lucien recoiled. In a flash, Sheba was gone.
"Darling?"
Lucien rubbed his eyes as though he’d looked at something painful.
"That was the ugliest black aura I’ve ever seen. Sorry, darling. Sheba was a spy."
"Is she..."
"Sleeping in your trailer. When she wakes up, she will have no recollection of this meeting."
"Sir..." Salome stepped forward and held out the baby. "Please take her. Even if I’m not... worthy, I want to be sure this little one is safe."
Lucien smiled. "Bring her in yourself, sister. I’ve never seen such a beautiful blue aura, even on a full human. You are welcome here."
Tears glittered in Salome’s eyes and she rose on tiptoe to kiss Lucien’s cheek.
"If I may," he said, "I think this baby should be called Eve."
Salome nodded and walked through the door into the compound.
***
Josiah roared down the road on the second-hand motorcycle he’d taken in lieu of payment after helping out on that feedlot back in Nebraska. How many states ago had that been? He didn’t remember. A motorcycle was a cold way to travel in winter, and it didn’t hold many possessions, but he liked it. And unlike a car or pickup, he had a license for this one. It had been one of the things he and Father had done together back when he was a teen.
Father. Sometimes Josiah missed him. Sometimes not. Lucien could be interesting, but he was still stuffy, pompous, and inclined to talk rather than listen. Those were all deadly flaws to a twenty-one-year-old would-be rebel. It was easy to stay away from Father. Mom was harder. No matter that he’d only known her one day, the sparkling, rose-colored image had been part of him as long as he could remember. She still came to him, singing, hugging him, begging him to come home. Telling him how much she loved him. Love, ha. Love doesn’t manipulate. And what kind of mother arranges for her son to have a tryst with a girl? A demon mother, that’s what. He didn’t want to see her either.
Annie. Josiah wanted to close his eyes, but riding a motorcycle at speeds in excess of sixty miles an hour without looking was a good way to become a splatter against the side of that oak tree over there. Sweet Annie. He missed her. He dreamed of her nearly as often as he dreamed of Mother. Just dreams though. She couldn’t caress his mind the way a demon could. He believed her when she said she wasn’t in on the plan to control him. They’d known each other too long, loved each other too long, for him to think otherwise.
Back before you knew you were a demon.
This time he did close his eyes. Just a quick blink to prevent the sting from becoming tears. Annie was so powerfully good. He’d seen her shining white aura. She was more angel than he, despite having only human DNA. She deserved a human husband. Or maybe a naphil, since they were allowed to marry now. He could see that. It would be a good match.
Actually, he could see it in his mind’s eye. Annie would forget about him in the wake of a half-angel’s love. Surely if his father could love and even marry a succubus, a creature who’d no doubt had hundreds of partners in her lifetime, another naphil could forgive Annie her one indiscretion. Or rather her one night of indiscretions. Even as his teeth ground at the thought of her marrying someone else, he couldn’t help but take a bit of satisfaction in knowing he’d been first.
Josiah’s stomach growled. He’d been riding since dawn, hardly stopping to stretch his legs, and the sun was hanging low in the sky. He needed to eat. He pulled his bike into a sleazy-looking truck stop off the interstate and walked inside. The smell of greasy burgers and bad coffee nearly choked him, but a quick glace at the white plas
tic menu above the counter convinced him this was the place. He’d need to pick up work again soon or he wouldn’t be able to afford more gas for the bike.
"Burger and a beer," he told the long-bearded man behind the counter.
"Wanna show me some ID, son?" the man said.
Josiah pulled out his license, demonstrating he was over 21, and the requested beverage appeared quickly. He took a swig. Then another. The alcohol hit him pretty fast, since he wasn’t used to it and his stomach was so empty. By the time the burger landed on the counter in front of him, he was too dizzy to stand up. Hoping the greasy meal would help sop up some of the excess, he ate quickly, barely noticing a person sliding onto the bar stool next to him. That is, until a sultry female voice spoke.
"Howdy, handsome."
He turned and looked into familiar lamp-like emerald eyes in a pale, pretty face, surrounded by a nimbus of curly brown hair. He gulped. She reminded him of Annie.
When she saw him, her eyes widened. "What are you?" the succubus whispered.
"Same thing as you, I guess," he replied.
"Come with me," she urged, taking his hand and tugging him away from the bar to a private booth. He stumbled a bit, but managed to make the walk.
She sat beside him, placed an arm on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "There’s no such thing as a male succubus. So what the hell are you?"
"According to my mother, I’m an incubus."
She took his chin in her hand and turned her to face him.
"Incubus?"
He nodded. He suddenly doubted telling her was a good idea, but it was too late.
"My mother would love to meet you!"
Josiah considered. He made his own decisions. Couldn’t make good ones without information. He needed to know what he was up against. "Take me to her."
***
Two weeks later, most of the nephilim and all three remaining succubae were married. Jael had scooped up Jonas the first night. A week later Rahab said her vows with Peter. Sarahi had managed to convince the elders the boy would not turn as long as the succubus did not feed exclusively on him. And there was certainly enough love energy floating around to fill in the gaps. Finally, Salome was wooed and won by Nathaniel’s older brother. Having the bad girls securely attached to husbands made everyone feel much better about them being there. They also proved invaluable in surprising areas. Salome was gifted in caring for children. Once the mothers became accustomed to her, they were grateful for the opportunity to get a little break now and again. Jael could teach. She taught the council of elders things about the succubae they had never imagined. And fiery Rahab had a firm grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the succubae and drones, and even a few about Lilith herself, which she was quick to share with the generals.
But despite these small gains, no sign of Josiah was found. Sarahi was beginning to despair of her son and refused to be comforted. Her darkest moment came one night when, as always, she reached out to his spirit, and he shut her out, like a door slamming in her face.
Sarahi came fully awake with a gasp, tears pouring down her face.
"What’s wrong, love?" Lucien asked.
"She has him," she whispered. "He’s gone to her." She drew her knees up to her chest and rocked.
Part IV
Chapter 18
Josiah stretched, sat up in the bed. His nose wrinkled. He would never grow accustomed to the stink in this place; a combination of snake, old sex, and blood. And it was cold. Always cold. Always dark. Though he’d learned to capture light using the demon eyes he’d inherited from his mother, the dim fire didn’t give him much to work with. Maybe that was better. He really didn’t want to see.
Beside him, a girl sat up. He slipped his arm around her shoulders. Succubae weren’t so bad. Not really. This one was young-seeming and pretty. She reminded him of Annie, except for the glowing green eyes and forked tongue. She wanted him too, they all did. But for some reason he didn’t want her. Maybe because she was so much like Annie. But he would cuddle up with her at night, just to keep warm. And wrestle to keep her wandering hands off him.
Josiah sighed. This was not a nice place. He didn’t belong here either. He’d thought, after being so rejected at the compound, maybe his demon relatives would be easier to fit in with. They weren’t. For one thing, they were all girls. There were men around. Drones, they called them, but Lilith kept them pretty busy. And they seemed sort of... hypnotized. Or maybe like zombies. They appeared to have no personality or will. One walked past him in answer to the demon queen’s call. The tall youth with shining mahogany hair had such a vacant expression. And he moved like a sleepwalker. They all looked like that. The boy approached the demoness and she beckoned him closer, turning around to bend over her throne. Josiah turned away. The first time he’d seen the spectacle, he’d been shocked and disgusted. Her attempt to seduce him with images of sex had not been successful. Too well he remembered Annie in his arms. The hedonistic lifestyle of the hive paled in comparison.
Disgusted by his prudishness, Lilith had backhanded him into the corner. Damn, she was strong. It would take a tank to stop her, or a charging rhinoceros. The next night she’d come after him directly, using her unholy powers to enhance the lust he couldn’t help feeling at her naked beauty. Josiah shuddered, not only at the memory, but at the beating she’d inflicted on him afterward. He still couldn’t figure out how she’d known he hadn’t been a virgin, but apparently it meant a lot to her. At any rate, he’d been quite sure she was going to kill him, until one of the girls whispered something in her ear. Just like that, she’d been calm, stalking to her throne and flinging herself down, leaving him to nurse his injuries in silence.
A week after, she’d begun training him. The exercises were identical to what he’d done at the compound, only much more vigorous. Now, after a few weeks of that, he’d laid a layer of muscle over his wiry frame. It looked good on him. And there were other... compensations. Any girl he wanted, any time. He had yet to find that interesting. On the other hand, the food was good, alcohol was readily available, and there were live sex shows all over the place. It was a wild young man’s paradise.
Josiah wanted to go home. Only trouble was, he wasn’t exactly sure where home would be.
It’s not a where and you know it. It’s a who. Anywhere is home, if Annie is there.
But Annie was not his future. He couldn’t keep her. Was this really all that was left to him? This meaningless existence? Josiah shook his head, tossed off the demon-girl’s groping hands, and rose from the bed, pulling on a pair of ragged black trousers.
There was a loud crash. Josiah turned to see the drone sprawled across the altar where the succubae lay offerings of food and drink for Lilith. Apparently she was done with him. Poor fellow. The demoness was like a mantis or a widow spider. The men who mated with her didn’t always emerge alive.
It was another reason he was not in a hurry for a repeat performance. Josiah shuddered again, trying not to look at the pitiful, throatless corpse bleeding over the fresh bread he’d hoped to eat for breakfast.
Oh well. He wasn’t hungry anymore anyway.
"Josiah," the demoness cooed in a sultry voice. He approached cautiously.
***
"We can’t wait anymore," Jonas said irritably, slamming his hand down on the table of the council room. If our enemy has the incubus, we need to make preparations now."
"But how can we move forward without leadership?" Nathaniel asked, his arm around Mary’s shoulders. The difference three weeks of marriage had wrought in her was astonishing. She looked ten years younger at least. It seemed some of his vitality was rubbing off on his wife.
"Who says we’re without leadership?" Rahab demanded. "Just because your pitiful president has taken to his bed doesn’t mean we’re adrift. There’s no reason why a human should be in charge anyway."
"Hey," Peter protested, poking his wife in the ribs. She nailed him with a furious glare and he fell silent.
"
I say Lucien should be in charge," Jonas proposed. "He’s already general of all nephilim in North America. We follow his orders. We can’t wait for Mr. Smith to decide whether he feels like doing his job."
"I agree," Nathaniel seconded. There were murmurs of assent all around the table. Clerics and nephilim alike placed their trust in the tall half-angel.
Lucien inclined his head, accepting the appointment. "Very well. Let’s be sure we understand what’s happening, starting with Sarahi. Love, you’ve said from the beginning that if Lilith could secure Josiah, she would come after us. Why would she want to? Why start a war?"
Sarahi took a breath, contemplating her answer, but Jael jumped in first.
"She might not. She might wait a few centuries hoping to kill off enough nephilim in skirmishes that the takeover will be simple."
"But we all agree her goal is domination. It always has been. She will come against this compound first," Rahab said darkly.
"Why?" asked Mary. "There’s an order of clerics on every inhabited continent. Why this one?"
"Because it’s personal," Sarahi replied. This is the compound where her traitor daughters are hiding. Where I am hiding. I defied her orders. I produced the child she wanted, and did not give him to her. And I orchestrated that child being unable to share power with her."
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