by Gen Phan
"Kerion!"
A deep booming voice startles me. I glance up to see Belphagor rumbling towards us. He's bigger than I'd ever imagined him being, though I've only seen him sitting down at dinner. His ebony wings -- or what's left of them -- are folded against his back, his bright green eyes trained happily on the old spider.
"Where are you clambering off to?" He walks over and claps an enormous hand of Kerion's abdomen.
"Latifah and I have business with Lilith." Kerion sounds genuinely happy to see Belphagor. The two of them must go back a long time.
Belphagor's eyes flick to me and widen a bit. "What does Lilith want with her?"
"Nothing. We want to see Lilith?"
A burst of laughter rolls from the demon's mouth. "Why are you visiting that old crone? You may be one of the oldest of us here, old spider, but she's not going to pay you any respect."
Kerion nods. "Yes, I know. I'm used to her outlandish behavior. I wouldn't expect anything more from that spoiled brat. I do wish the master would put her in her place every once in a while."
A broad smile crosses Belphagor's lips. "He did! The bitch was fool enough to insult the queen. Lucifer nearly tore her head off! She scampered away as soon as dinner was over."
My stomach does a front flip this time. So the look of horror I saw on Lilith's face was real. My husband probably erupted at her for trying to tear me down. And by what I'm hearing, he scared the shit out of her. I smile to myself. It's nice to know I have a husband, fallen though he may be, who will defend me instead of letting the insults fly.
"Though, I'll admit, Lucifer didn't do all the work."
Kerion's eyes widen a bit in surprise. "How so?"
Belphagor's smile widens an inch. "The queen held her ground just fine. She was calm the entire way through, but she verbally scratched Lilith's face off. She's human, but she's a strong one. And that chest! I swear, old man, you could recite Shakespeare off that balcony!"
Pride bubbles to the surface. So Belphagor sees me as strong and sexy. Good, that means I've made a notable first-impression on the angel. My mix of politeness and strength has served me well. I hold back my smile, staring at the ground as the two males continue their talk.
"So, why is it you want to see Lilith?"
CHAPTER 54:
Kerion does his best interpretation of a shrug. "Latifah needs a bit more training before she graduates. I thought the whore queen herself could offer us a bit of advice."
Belphagor's eyes flick to me. I risk a glance up at him, biting my lip involuntarily as I do. Those green orbs narrow a bit in disgust, then soften suddenly. Then they widen, as if he's just realized something astounding. He cocks his head to the side, still staring at me but utterly confused.
He looks back at Kerion and speaks in a hushed voice. "Come with me." He spins and begins to make his way down the hall, parting through the sea of demons like he's Moses.
Kerion looks at me worriedly, but turns and follows Belphagor. I stay right behind him, walking just to the side of his abdomen so his body shields me from oncoming demons.
"Why is the hall so busy?" Kerion asks.
"Michael's arrival really set the boss off. We're taking refuge until his mood calms."
Shit. He's still angry. Damn it, Michael!
We walk through the demons, then take a sharp right down one of the many halls that lines the main corridor. We take another right and suddenly we're engulfed in pitch-black darkness. I grab onto Kerion's leg for support until my eyes adjust. They don't need to. Belphagor claps his hands and a little flame alights in the single sconce above us.
We're in a tiny alcove hidden between the walls of the fortress. In here, we're hidden from the view of the other demons and safe from suspicion.
Belphagor turns and starts at me, his eyes narrowing in anger and disbelief. "You tell me the truth, Kerion. This isn't Latifah."
I stare at him, thunderstruck. My heart nearly stops beating and my lungs seize up. Can he see through Latifah's trick? How can he tell? Is he going to kill us?
Kerion steps forward. "Belphagor, what would make you think-"
The demon raises a hand, cutting of Kerion's words. "I said be honest. I've known that witch too long to be fooled. This woman is far too demure and quiet to be Latifah."
Shit.
So I've failed at pretending to be Latifah. I can only hope she's stumbling at being me as much as I am being her.
Kerion sighs. "Unfortunately, this isn't Latifah."
Belphagor glares at the old spider. "Then who is she?"
"That's quite a story, Bel. Perhaps one best suited for less hectic times," Kerion's struggling to push us forward, overpowered by the rank and power of the angel before us.
"I said be honest with me, old spider! Who is this girl?" Belphagor's furious now, annoyed that Kerion's avoiding the question.
You're queen, aren't you? Stand your ground, dummy.
I nod to myself and gather whatever strength I have left. Before Kerion can answer, I raise my head and look straight into Belphagor's eyes. "How dare you yell at him. He's done no harm to you, only offered me help. If you're so curious as to who I am, then question me!"
Those piercing green eyes widen in shock. My heart rate picks up again. I've stunned him enough to keep him from attacking Kerion, and I may also have set the stage for proving who I really am. If I can hold my ground for a bit longer, Belphagor might figure this out and offer us his help, too.
"You ask who I am. I am your queen, Belphagor. And while you are in my presence, whether I am in my body or not, you will show respect to Kerion. He has done more kindness to me than most humans have. You will not yell at him again, or you will face my wrath as well as my husband's."
Belphagor stands in stunned silence for a moment. Then his eyes narrow and his mouth turns down into a scowl. My throat locks up again, and I wonder if my attempt to prove myself has backfired and only pissed him off.
"How did she do it?" Belphagor's voice is low, furious...deadly.
It's my turn to be stunned, but this time it's out of relief. The gears in his head turned enough to put the pieces together, and now he's pissed at Latifah for switching bodies with me. Small wonder, since he probably hates Latifah as much as I do. She's probably slighted him or made derogatory comments about his character. Bitch.
I shake my head. "I don't know. She surprised me in the hallway, kissed me and took off with my body."
Belphagor snarls and slams his fist into the wall, causing the stones to shake and streams of dirt to pour onto my shoulders. "That bitch! I knew she was up to something!"
"That obvious, huh?" I ask softly.
He snorts angrily. "That woman has been plotting to take the master for centuries. Unfortunately, your majesty, as a human, you've provided her with the perfect chance. You're not demonic, so you have no defense against her tricks. Stealing your body was the simplest way she could get her prize without having to do anything to earn him."
I scowl at the ground. "So I was just her easy way out."
Belphagor nods apologetically. "Yes. Latifah has never liked actually doing any work, so in a twisted way, being a queen suits her well. But we know her well enough to never allow her to actually run for the position. With her in charge, nothing would get done, the master would be out of commission, and Hell would fall into ruins within months."
I stare at him, bewildered. "But I'm human. What makes me a better choice?"
"Because you are human," he smiles. "Firstly, the master has wanted to find a virgin girl to corrupt for centuries, so having you as a queen fits his fantasies perfectly. Second, you're far more balanced and dependable than Latifah, which means even if Lucifer gets taken out for a few days, you'll make sure things still run smoothly. That, and you've actually got a spine to you. You may be human, but you've got more credibility and strength in one finger than Latifah will ever have."+
Try as I may, I can't hold back my triumphant smile. One of my husband's right hand me
n has just solidified my status as queen and shot down Latifah in one blow. Maybe, just maybe, we can win this stupid game.
Kerion sighs in relief, then steps forward. "Belphagor, we're going toneed your help if we're going to get Lisa's body back."
CHAPTER 55:
An award-winning smile crosses the fallen angel's face. "Of course! Anything to take out that evil witch and restore the crown to the rightful head. What can I do?"
"We know that even if Latifah does summon Lisa for an execution, it won't happen for at least a week while everything is sorted out. We need to make sure she never files that order in the first place. Can you and the other angels try to distract Lucifer from her until we can get Lisa back to normal?"
"But you can't tell Lucifer!" I interject without thinking. "We need to keep this quiet. If we tell him, he'll go nuts on Latifah and we might lose the chance of catching her by surprise. Please. I know it may be hard to keep this from your boss, but we need make sure Latifah has no idea we're coming." I look up at the hulking former angel pleadingly, hoping he'll understand.
Belphagor's brilliant green eyes shift to me. With a soft, knowing smile, she inclines his had, gently grasps my hand and kisses it lightly. "For my queen, anything. Neither Lucifer nor Latifah will know of this until the time is right."
I smile back at him and nod regally in reply. "I really appreciate your help. When this is resolved, I'll tell Lucifer how much of a help you were."
His eyes light up. "You're honest?"
I nod. "I'm a human, not a demon or trickster. I'll keep my word if you keep yours."
He nods again. "My lady, I have seen your strength and fortitude. Crossing you would be the last thing I would ever want to do."
I'm not sure if I should be proud or worried. Being respected is a good thing, but feared? I don't want this fallen angel to be frightened of me just because I have Lucifer's ear. All I want is a little help and courtesy, which I'm luckily getting.
I smile at Belphagor. "For a demon, you're very gracious."
His smile is warm. "There are some of us who still remember the old ways. Before we fell, courtesy and kindness were the norm. And while we may not be so gentle now, we've carried a bit of our teaching down here with us. Lucifer is the most insistent about using our manners."
My eyebrows raise an inch. "Really?"
Unexpected, but definitely noticeable.
He nods. "He's more of a gentleman than most pastors would like to admit. He is the oldest of us, so it only makes sense that he keeps us in line and keeps the ship running straight. Mostly, I think he uses his impeccable etiquette to throw people off. It catches them off guard and sets them up for failure. But around you, my lady, I think it's an honest attempt to treat you fairly and respectfully."
I eye him curiously. "Fairly?"
Belphagor shrugs. "He's a trickster by nature, but he views you as a worthy queen and someone who can two the line as well as he can. Despite your humanness, he honestly sees you as someone to be respected and praised. If you can show your spine against Lilith, he's sure you can handle anything."
My heart and my pride swell simultaneously. It's wonderful to hear I have a husband who will not only defend me, but respect me as well. If I've earned his stamp of approval, I'm practically set for life.
Kerion clears his throat. "Time is of the essence, you two. Even though Latifah won't have a good chance at having you executed, she can still try to manipulate the system to block our attempts of getting you back to normal."
Shit. Right, time to refocus.
I turn back to Belphagor, my mind resetting and my shoulders straightening. I flip my now-red hair back from my face and gather my queenly strength. "Belphagor, I need you to gather the other fallen angels and explain what's happened. Again, don't let any of them go running off to tell Lucifer, but they need to know what's going on so Latifah doesn't try to lead them astray. See what you can do about stalling any of her attempts to have me killed or tossed out of here."
He grins and bows regally, taking my hand and kissing it gently. "My lady, no order of hers will pass through the Counsil doors."
"I really appreciate this," I smile back.
He straightens, still grinning. "For the rightful queen, anything."
"Excellent," Kerion interjects. "Now go. Make sure no word of this gets past the angels."
Belphagor nods, gives me one last warm smile, then turns and bolts out the small alcove and into the river of demons. Kerion and I peek around the corner and watch him disappear into the endless bodies.
"You think he'll keep his word?" As much as I trust Belphagor, a tiny sliver of doubt creeps into my mind, making me wonder if we've actually gained another enemy rather than an ally.
"Belphagor is one of the most virulent supports of Lucifer's rule. He also respects and admires you, so we're in good hands. If he did turn on us and Lucifer were to find out, the master would have his head."
I nod, the knot of unease slowly unraveling. Quietly, Kerion steps around me and crawls forward, looking back and beckoning me to follow.
"Come. We must see Lilith. Even with Belphagor and the other angels, it may not be enough to convince Lucifer of the truth. As annoyingly spoiled and arrogant as she is, she still holds a high place in Lucifer's court. With her, we'll have a better chance of winning this game."
I nod and step forward, though I'm not very happy about what we're gong to do. Lilith envies me and wants me dead as much as Latifah does; she simply more aristocratic and sly than her emotional doppelganger. Asking for her help will be like asking my mother to give up her collection of antique dolls. Honestly, she'd rather die.
We approach the opening that leads to the main hall. It's still chock full of demons, but we've managed to slip in before, so this time should be easy. Kerion checks on me one last time before sliding out into the fray. I follow right behind him, keeping my head down and my mouth shut.
The sound of endless demon voices is almost deafening, but I stay one step behind Kerion as we make our way through the mass of bodies. Like before, the demons that see us coming smile and step aside, clearing a path for us to walk. They ignore me, and I ignore them. None of them actually know what's happened, so to them I'm still a man-eating spoiled brat who hasn't learned her place yet. I harbor no anger or irritation towards any of them. How could they know we've switched forms?
I shrug to myself and keep pace with Kerion. If I can successfully play my part, we'll get out of here and make it to Lilith without a scratch. If not...I'm fucked.
CHAPTER 56:
"Come on, Latifah!" Kerion looks back and barks at me. "I won't keep Lilith waiting just because you're having another tantrum."
Once again, my four years of high school drama class kick in. I scowl at the ground, though I flick my eyes up to glare at him. I lift the hem of my dress from the ground and 'begrudgingly' pick up my pace, hoping that my impression of Latifah is enough to convince the mass of demons that surround us. It seems to work; most of the demons either ignore me or shoot me a disgusted glance.
They're lucky this is all a ruse. If they had done that to me while I was still queen, Lucifer would have their heads.
My heart aching from the idea of insulting my subjects, I manage to sneer back at them as I follow Kerion down the hall. We take a sharp turn down another dimly lit hallway, the immediately swing right, stopping just before a pair of enormous carved oak doors. Images of fornicating demons and impaled human souls stretch across the dark surfaces, catching the light of the sconces just right so that it makes them look even more menacing,
Kerion steps forward and taps on one of the doors, the sound echoing through the small hallway.
"What?!" Lilith's sharp, angry voice rolls through the wood, making me jump back in surprise.
"Don't give me attitude, little girl!" Kerion roars back. "You and I must have words."
There's a soft exasperated sigh, like the ones a teenager gives their parents when being scolded. "Fine!"
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The doors swing in, revealing an enormous marble-lined room that mirrors the main foyer. The marble is a softer green rather than black and grey, and there's only one small throne in the middle of the room. Dozens of training succubae mill about the room, chatting to each other and gazing at us curiously as we enter
Lilith reclines in the main chair, her lavender Grecian gown spilling over the twisting metal edges and pooling on the floor around her bare feet. A thin gold tiara adorns her head, almost melding perfectly with her thick blonde hair. Her dark blue eyes flick to us, narrowing when they see me. Her full lips twist into a wicked smile as we near her chair.
"Girls," she calls out. "You're dismissed for now."
The mass of succubae all nod in unison and stream past us out the doors. One girl with short-cropped red hair smiles devilishly at me and feigns accidentally slamming into me on her way out. I react the only way I can think Latifah would: I 'accidentally' bump her back, catching her off balance and nearly sending her to the ground. She glares at me as she exits into the hallway. I smile back, waving at her as the doors close.
The doors close as the final succubus exit the room, leaving Kerion and I alone with Lilith. The bitch queen sighs dramatically and slumps back into her chair, twirling a lock of her hair between her fingers. Her eyes never leave me, and I give her the same courtesy by glaring at her with everything I've got.
Her lips turn up in a sarcastic smile, and her gaze moves to Kerion. "So what is it you what, old spider?"
Kerion steps forward, clearly unaffected by her power and age. "We need your help, Lilith."
She throws her head back and gives a sharp laugh. "You! Need my help! The great, wise Kerion comes crawling to me for assistance? Oh, this is perfect!"
Kerion remains still, unfazed. "Yes, you insolent little brat. We need your help."
Lilith's laughter stops abruptly, and she snaps her head forward to glare at him. "Brat, you say?"