A short while later Lilith pushed away from Lucifer. She grabbed a handful of the black hair at the back of his head, tugged, and pressed her face against his while uttering with bated breath. “Perhaps you do not desire to feel my caress ever again?”
She knew her hot breath against his skin would cause pleasurable sensations in the area between his thighs. She kissed him on the lips once more and then let him go abruptly.
“Come, Gadreel, let us leave this place, for Lucifer has much to ponder.”
“Yes, Lilith.” Gadreel stared at her with incredulous eyes.
“Stop.” Lucifer said. Lilith paused, wearing a wicked smile.
“Please do not leave.” He rose from the chair and ogled her. “I desire your company. Now that I have experienced your lips caressing mine and your hands as they traced my body, I never wish to be without either again.”
Lilith signaled Gadreel with her eyes to leave the atrium. Then, she proceeded to Lucifer. Her hips swayed as she walked. She provoked him and produced desires he had never known.
“I do not know how to control the emotions I am experiencing.” Lucifer trembled and his breathing was quick and shallow.
“You do not have to try. This is about releasing control.” Lilith smiled.
“I desire you more than anything. I am no longer concerned with losing everything, provided I have you.” He held her close. “I never want to let you go.”
“We must go to my secret place. The risk of exposure is too great here,” she whispered in his ear making him shiver. She led him by the hand to her isolated corner. “There is only one planet visible from this remote area of the atrium—a lonely planet called Thanda-Garam. You may remember it from our earlier lessons on the cosmos. Few angels were interested in this little odd planet, so none ever comes here.”
As she spoke, he ogled her.
Lilith licked her lips. “I have passed many hours in this exact place and have yet to be disturbed by anyone. I have had many visions of creatures I used to call dark wingless angels. I have come to know that these beings are in fact future Earthlings. These beings are similar to us in many ways. From the revelations I have had of these future humans, I have learned many ways to give you pleasure—all the while pretending to observe this planet.”
Lucifer grabbed her and kissed her. They caressed each other with their lips and hands in ways he had never imagined. “I could never carry on without the pleasure of your touch again. I do not care what I have to do to ensure this.”
Lilith guided his hands and body to do things she had learned from her visions. His moans of ecstasy filled the air in the small room. She grinned and closed her eyes. “Would you do all that I ask of you?”
He nodded and groaned. “I would rebel against God and Heaven if it meant that I would experience such pleasures always.”
She guided his maleness inside her. They followed their natural instincts and copulated.
When the deed was done, they lay in each other’s arms. Lucifer vowed, “I shall rule Floraison, and you shall be my Queen.”
Chapter 15
Beelzebub’s Offering
Beelzebub wore a bleak expression, dragged his feet and remained out of sight after what happened between him and Gabriel. He often snuck out of his bungalow and went to his place of refuge, which was a cave in Mount Verve. It was situated at Guidance Park behind the Divina Waterfall and led to the opposite side of the mountain and out of the park. Few angels knew of this cave, for it was well hidden by the water of the falls and boulders that sat in front. Beelzebub had discovered it by accident a long time ago while playing Lilith’s notorious game of hide-and-seek.
In the cave, he exhausted a great deal of time contemplating what he had done. He had groped another angel as he slept. “What a despicable act.” Beelzebub shook his head as he murmured to himself. What if Gabriel had proceeded to Michael and divulged everything? “What would become of me?” His teeth chattered as he shook with fear. “If Gabriel had revealed the incident at Lake Serena, surely the Powers would have been looking for me by now.” He sighed deeply and rubbed his cheek.
“I intend to do what Gabriel demanded of me.” He would hide for a while.
Beelzebub put his hands together and closed his eyes. “Please forgive me, Gabriel and leave behind the memories of my vile act.” He followed the cave out of Guidance Park, as he had done many times, and proceeded to his chamber at Sonnoris.
He looked around his room. “I shall endure a prolonged bout of loneliness here, but I deserve it.”
When he finally left his room, he would present Gabriel with a gift. The offering must be one he would fashion with his hands. “Gabriel would appreciate the time and effort I put into something handmade.” He searched every corner of his room to find materials to use for this task. He found bitumen stained bird bones he had collected in the cave in Mount Verve and some cane. It would have to do. “What does Gabriel enjoy most? Music! He loved music, so I shall make a musical instrument he could play at Triumph Gardens.”
He made diligent use of his hands to piece the black bird bones into a hollow cylinder. He bore eight holes into the top of the pipe and blew into it. “No, it is not ready.” He fashioned the cane into a mouthpiece and attached it to the instrument.
He blew into the bone flute and was satisfied with the sound it produced. When done he cheered and bounced like a click beetle. The project had taken him quite a while to finish.
Shaking with eagerness, he staggered out of his room and headed to Triumph Garden. It was Gabriel’s favorite spot where he spent a lot of time playing music and composing songs.
When Beelzebub arrived at the gardens, he scanned the area and noticed him sitting by a small colorful lily pond playing a string instrument.
The music produced by the vibrating strings was colorful and dulcet, like butterflies fluttering above a pond. The sound was a source of felicity and affection. Gabriel held a kithara and it was well crafted. Its body was made of rosewood; Beelzebub followed its smooth curves and saw details of pure gold adorning its face.
He caught himself ogling Gabriel as he strummed his kithara and turned his face away, not trusting his eyes to behave. He rubbed his cheeks nonstop.
Beelzebub focused on Gabriel’s resplendent, well-crafted kithara and then looked at his black bone flute. “My gift seems grotesque by comparison.” Disgust twisted his features. He puffed and walked in circles with one hand clutching the flute, and the other playing with his long, wavy blond hair. His eyes glistened as he determined his love’s gift was not yet ready to be presented. “I must first play it for Lilith and get her valued opinion,” he said in an undertone.
He shuffled away from the gardens. “What if Gabriel never forgives me? I cannot stand the thought.” The shoulders of his four wings shuddered. Leaving behind the awe-inspiring sounds of Gabriel’s kithara, he made his way to the atrium where he expected to find Lilith.
He frolicked on the translucent golden pathways, admiring the exquisite blue gem walls surrounding the atrium. His morale was raised after seeing its splendor. He lifted his eyes and marveled at all the colorful, sparkling celestial bodies.
“Beelzebub?” Cam approached him.
Beelzebub spun around and held his breath.
“It is you. I have not seen you or heard any of your quips in quite a while.” Cam grinned and hugged him. “I never thought I would miss your antics so much.”
He looked toward Cam, exhaled and giggled, never making eye contact. Gabriel had not exposed him. If he had made known his vile act, Cam would have been amongst the first to have knowledge of it. If he knew what he had done, he would not be so pleasant.
“You are behaving unusually strange, my friend.” Cam placed a hand on his shoulder and examined at his face. “Is there something wrong?”
“No-no, there is nothing wrong. Apologies—it was not my intention to give you that impression.”
“No need to apologize.” Cam tapped him on the upper ar
m. “I must be on my way, but we shall get together soon.”
“Yes.” He nodded and stared wide-eyed.
Cam moved away with his usual relaxed, confident stride, and Beelzebub hurried in the opposite direction. At last he found Lilith in her secret place.
Lucifer accompanied her and they were in an intimate moment. Beelzebub stared at them and everything else fell away. His lips quivered. He placed a hand over his mouth and ran away from the scene. He sat nearby on one of the chairs in the main hall, and began to play the bone flute he had crafted. The music it produced was sinister and horrid.
Lilith and Lucifer stopped their lovemaking. “What is that ugly sound?” Lilith covered her ears. “That noise penetrates my mind and I feel great woe, as if something beautiful and good in my existence is gone, and I am left alone in the dark.”
Lucifer held her. “I experienced joy and pleasure by your side but once I heard this sound my wits have turned to darkness and confusion.”
“What is that awful, pitiful sound?” Lilith rose to her feet and clothed herself.
“I know not where it comes from, but it sounds like death. It must be stopped at once. Such a sound should not be allowed in Floraison.”
Lilith left the small room to seek out the source of the dispiriting dissonance, and Lucifer followed. In no time they came across Beelzebub blowing on his bone flute.
“Cease your blustering at once!” Lilith covered her ears.
He stopped playing his instrument and gawked at them. “What is wrong?”
“The sound of that thing perturbs the mind.” Lucifer pointed at the flute. “What is it?”
Beelzebub presented his musical instrument. “I made this windpipe for Gabriel.”
“Do you mean to kill him with it?” Lilith sneered.
Beelzebub’s eyes broadened. “Of course not! I mean to present it to him as a gift.”
She grabbed the black flute from him. She turned it in her hand and then showed it to Lucifer.
“It is a hideous contraption.” She returned it with an expression of disgust. “I would not give it to Gabriel if I were you.”
“The sound it makes can produce torment in even the most cheerful of beings.” Lucifer scowled. “You must never play it outside your quarters.”
Beelzebub hung his head. A lump in his throat made it hard for him to speak, and hot tears filled his eyes. Lucifer sighed, waved dismissively and walked away, holding Lilith’s hand and pulling her toward the small room again.
“Save the device,” Lilith said as she walked away, “and always keep it close to your heart as a reminder of how the undeserved laws inflicted on us keep you from Gabriel. Let the sound remind you of the grim fate awaiting us if we do not rebel against an unjust God.”
Beelzebub nodded and hid the musical instrument in his garments. “I must join the rebellion against God in order to gain the freedom to indulge in my feelings for Gabriel, but what if I lose Gabriel for rebelling against God?”
He shuffled away without saying another word, a dull ache in his chest. It hurt him to breathe, swallow, and walk. Suddenly, all the brilliant colors in the atrium faded, and an aura of gray surrounded him.
Chapter 16
Lilith’s Uprising
The mood in Floraison changed. Lilith enlisted many angels to join her rebellion with promises of a new Floraison and new laws. She also convinced those angels to recruit others to her cause.
Angels gathered together in corners throughout the atrium, crouched behind bushes and boulders within Triumph Gardens, huddled near the forbidden forests and Divina Falls at Guidance Park, conversing in secret about Lilith’s ideas for a new kingdom where Lucifer would be supreme ruler. In this new Floraison, they would be free to go wherever their desires led them and do whatsoever they craved. Similar to the humans on Earth, they would be allowed to have companions and enjoy pleasures of the flesh.
Lilith’s friends did a magnificent job of circulating her plan and recruiting angels they trusted and knew would be happy to be involved in the conquest. Subsequently, the new recruits enlisted other angels, and those converts in turn procured more allies to the uprising.
Each angel involved in the revolt was sworn to secrecy. Soon, one third of Floraison’s angels had sided with Lilith and Lucifer to rebel against God.
Lilith was certain more would rebel. She needed time to reach them and work her powers of manipulation.
Using his charisma and splendor, Samael obtained the support of many angels. He also made countless false promises such as the freedom to visit and rule other planets and indulge in carnal pleasures with any being they desired.
Dagon used his handsomeness and natural abilities to lure angels to their cause as well.
Beelzebub stared at Lilith. “What if I could convince Gabriel to join in the movement? I am certain I should at least try.”
Lilith frowned. “No, Beelzebub.”
He grabbed her arm with both hands and stared with a tight expression. “I am confident Gabriel would align with us.”
Lilith waved her finger. “I forbid it. Even though Gabriel did not divulge the incident by the lake, I do not trust him, and neither does Lucifer or Samael. Do not speak to him of the rebellion for he shall no doubt go to Michael and Raphael.”
Beelzebub’s eyes shifted to the side and glistened with a layer of tears. He stood as still as a tree trunk and appeared lost in his thoughts. Gabriel would never betray me. He has proven himself by not divulging what occurred at Lake Serena to his Archangel brethren. He kept the incident to himself because he cares for me.
As he blinked, large drops fell from his eyelids. He clutched his chest. My heart is bursting with tender affections for Gabriel, and I believe my darling would join me in the rebellion.
*
Beelzebub searched for Gabriel at Triumph Gardens. He flitted about, peering into every corner of the atrium, but he was nowhere to be found. He hurried to Guidance Park where Michael and Jetrel were training in Michael’s favorite place by the Divina Waterfall, but there was no sign of Gabriel.
He suffered an unbearable urgency to tell him everything. He was about to temporarily end his search when he caught a glimpse of Gabriel sitting on a small stone arch bridge. The little, elaborate structure spanned the River of Life, and led to the golden double doors that opened to the portal that led to God’s throne room.
Gabriel sat near the golden doors, singing praises to God and in between, playing a wind instrument he had fabricated.
Beelzebub ogled him from afar for a while, playing with his light blond hair, and dragging sections between his fingers. He enjoyed his singing and the way his lips puckered and blew into the flute he played. He took a deep breath and finally approached him.
“Hello.”
Gabriel stopped his singing and smiled. “Greetings, Beelzebub.” He gestured for him to sit.
“I need to speak to you about something important.” Beelzebub rubbed his forehead.
Gabriel searched his face. “Are you serious or jesting? I never know with you since you are such a prankster.” Beelzebub remained earnest. “What could be so crucial as to wipe the smile off your face?”
Beelzebub glanced at the double doors and fidgeted. “I cannot speak of it in this place.” He swallowed hard. “We must go someplace where we can talk in confidence.”
Gabriel tilted his head to the side and scrutinized him for a while, his chin resting on his palm, looking uncertain.
“I do not understand. What is the nature of what you must reveal, which you refuse to disclose here and now?”
“Please trust me, Gabriel. I know you have no reason to, but look at the sincerity in my eyes. When you listen to my words, you shall understand why I am unable to speak of it in this place.”
Gabriel tapped his fingers. “Very well.” He climbed to his feet. “So where is it we need go to speak in private? Is there such a place in Floraison?”
“Yes! For I believe God does not mind us all the time
. He grows bored of it. This is why he gave this duty to the governors and Power angels.” Beelzebub held a lopsided smile and Gabriel looked at him sideways. “I know of a place where we can be alone and talk without interruption.”
Gabriel remained stony-faced and chewed on his lower lip. He sighed and reluctantly followed his friend.
Beelzebub led him to the atrium, then ushered him to the small, isolated corner overlooking Thanda-Garam.
“What is so vital and so secretive you must disclose it to me hidden in this remote corner of the atrium?” Gabriel tugged on his ear.
“Please stop fiddling with your ears. You have made them the color of plum tomatoes.” Beelzebub stared into his pale blue eyes and trembled, for he began to feel anxious about revealing the secret plans. “You know I love you, do you not?”
Gabriel never perceived him to be so genuine. “Yes, I know. I love you too, in the same way as I love all of God’s children.”
Beelzebub closed his eyes. “No––that is not what I intended to say.” He smiled and caressed Gabriel’s face, admiring his delicate features. “I mean I love everything about you. I love you in all ways, including the carnal way.”
Gabriel stepped away.
“I love your smile. It makes me happy.” Beelzebub moved toward him. “I cherish the way you glow when you play your instruments, and the way you close your eyes when you sing praises to God. I treasure the way your lips pucker just a little when you sleep, and even the sounds of your breathing are like music to my ears. That is how I love you!”
Gabriel gasped, and breathed quick and shallow openmouthed breaths. Beelzebub gently held his friend’s face with both hands, brought him close, and kissed him on the lips. Gabriel stared at him, dazed by his words and acts.
“What are you doing?” Gabriel’s face lost all its color. His soft blue eyes opened wider, and his lips parted.
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