This Curse

TWENTY ONE



“You remain uncorrupted.” Lucifer appeared out of the shadows, his long silhouette striking an elegant pose. “You allowed them leave without you, taking your only means of escape with them?” A sculpted brow rose and he stepped deeper into the room; my eyes followed his every move. “You do not wish to be here, nor do you wish to lay with me?” He watched my face closely, as if I would reveal some hidden lust. I smirked. His hair was short again and he was dressed impeccably, like a relaxed James Bond. Sexy and chic. His smile oozed seductive charm. His tattoos peeked out here and there, inviting my eyes to linger, to ponder the naked skin beneath.

He was very good at what he did.

I shook my head. “I’d be lying if I said you weren’t awful nice to look at, but then so are wolves and hungry tigers but you won’t find me snuggling with any of those either.”

He laughed loudly, his neck sweeping back. “Oh, I know you will be good for me.” He held out his hand. “Darling, Hell can be anything you wish it to be; I will give you all I am.”

I felt my stomach plummet to my shoes as he reached for me. At his touch, the scenery changed and torches suddenly surrounded me. Shock slammed me as I took in my new surroundings. He had transported us in less than a blink. I put my hand to my chest and goggled. The cavernous room was filled with stalactites and stalagmites. Like giant teeth, the room seemed poised to chew us up.

I sat down hard. Fear and suspicion left my knees weak as I glanced around the room.

“You shine like a star in my world of darkness.”

I turned to see him sitting beside me on a throne of gold and bone. Dread welled up inside me as I looked in horror at the throne. It was the one in from my vision. I jerked my eyes to my own elaborate chair and I felt my heart skip a beat as my vision came rushing back.

I was too stupid to live.

“You knew about me all along?” I sighed, my head in my hands.

“I did.”

“You put Voltaire up to it?”

“I did.”

“It was all you?” I frowned; begging him with my eyes to tell me it wasn’t true. I wasn’t about to pay for my ignorance and stupidity.

He merely inclined his head. A silver chalice appeared in his hand.

Shit, I knew that cup!

I lifted my chin, knowing full well that the liquid in the cup was my blood. My body shook and I fought the urge to faint. I bit my cheek and instead of falling to the ground, I stood, sickened by the cool hardness of the bone and the reality of my situation.

I looked at him again. He met my eyes and sipped the silver contents of the cup slowly. The color of his eyes changed as he studied me. What were once clear blue pools had become deep red orbs, full of ancient knowledge and evil intent.

“You are smart my angel.” He shuddered as he swallowed, his red eyes closing in ecstasy as he savored my blood. “By the flesh of Sodom’s whores I want you.” His eyes watched me from over the cup and he tipped it again to his lips. Swallowing, he stood and I scrambled back. He tilted his head to the side and looked me up and down. “Perhaps love is overrated?”

I felt a cool pressure along the length of my body and then I was naked. I rose into the air, the vision I had not so long ago was now playing out in horrible reality but with some very frightening differences.

I looked to the ground where, in my vision, wolves should be lounging. Tears flowed, falling steady to splash onto the leathery flesh of writhing demons. Your vision was always this. He was in my head. I sniffed and looked up; he was hovering beside me, his hot naked flesh scorching mine where he grazed against me. “Tell me Grace,” Lucifer spoke close to my ear. “Do you remember me from your dreams? He laughed and it was completely inhuman. Deep and otherworldly.

I closed my eyes and searched inside myself. As I’d understood before, I knew that out of all of the lies he’d fed me one thing was undeniably true. I did have all the Madea inside me. That was why my hair swirls and moves while no other Madea’s had. It was because I was all the Madea.

I felt his hot fingers caress my breast. “Let me inside you, Angel.” He coaxed.

I squeezed my eyes tighter and searched for the one person who might be able to get through to him. Please, Mariee.

My eyes shot open, knowledge flooded my head, and I smiled. “When time takes your heart then all that is left is a shell; no matter how pretty you make that shell it is still cold and empty.”

He floated back and frowned.

“You speak as if you know more than I.” He sneered and with a flick of his wrist, I dropped, landing on the hard chair. I conjured the white gown and covered my body as I rolled to the side. The arm of the gaudy throne had jabbed into my side and I winced.

“You have forgotten more than I feared, Seran.” I heard my words, the name Mariee knew him by fell from my lips and I knew Mariee was with me and she was not happy. “You once held the moon and brought the sun. Now you are nothing but that hollow shell.” I looked at him through her eyes and felt only pity. Well, disappointment and pity.

“Ahh.” He met my eyes; a tiny flicker of emotion came and went in a flash. “My dearest, Mariee. I knew I could draw you out. You see what I have done? Despite your plans I have won and there is no way out.” He sat on his throne and leaned back, his hands folded smugly across his stomach, he crossed his ankles. “Despite your great sacrifice; I still have what I want.” He sat up as if a great idea had just struck him. He leveled me a look of pure heat. “Tell me, Mariee. Will you sneak to the surface when Grace opens her thighs for me? Will you writhe while I pump her full of seed?”

“Oh. My. God!” I screeched revulsion pushed the memory of Mariee aside. “There you go again you arrogant, perverted, shit head of a man!” I knew this feeling I was losing my temper.

He stood and I flashed a small handful of power toward him. We were instantly inside the lab. He looked around in shock. His eyebrows rose to meet his hairline. “Well done.” He clapped his hands. “Well done indeed.”

I drew myself up, pulling on all of the powers hidden deep inside me. When I felt I had all that I could hold, I looked at him. “You liked that, huh?” I stalked around his body, trailing my finger along the planes of his back. He stood there smugly, folding his arms and looking down at me.

I stepped close, pressing my body to his, I ran my hands down the firm muscles of his chest. He sucked in a slow breath as I slid my hands down to his hips and pulled him closer to me. He bent his head down, his eyes fixed on my lips “Well, then you’re really going to love this.” I whispered before his lips came too close to mine.

“You are bound.” I whispered.

Bright light filled the room and I closed my eyes as my power smashed into him.

“You BITCH!”

My eyes flew open. Lucifer spat fire. It arced from his mouth as he screamed. He was on his knees, yanking and pulling on the thick chains that held his arms securely to the ground. His shirt was gone and his chest heaved in violent angry pants as he struggled to free himself from the bonds.

I walked a wide circle around him, admiring his impressive tattoos as he twisted and writhed, yelling threats and frighteningly imaginative insults. I shivered and continued my study as I tried in vain to ignore his tirade. He was trapped, he’d realize it soon enough and calm himself. Only then would I truly raise my guard.

Oh, he was a thing to behold, I thought as I watched him. His body was enough to temp the most devout human on the planet. His tattoos were strange, almost tribal. The designs curling to frame his ribcage, swirling around his pectorals and down to form long flowing stripes that wrapped around his forearms and flowed down to his wrists. His chest was wonderful, his back a work of sculpted art. He was perfect in form and I’m quite sure he’d be just as perfect in function. It didn’t matter. His allure was just another weapon in his arsenal and I was done being played with.

No more smoke and mirrors.

“How is this possible?” He growled smoke puffed from his nostrils as he continued yanking on his bonds. His efforts were less frantic, more controlled. “Release me now.” He spoke low and then magic and flames shot out at me from his chest and balled fists. The first bolt of energy bounced off of me. My shields were up and I was ready for whatever he wanted to throw at me.

“Release me, Grace, or I swear when I am free, and make no mistake, I will be free. I am going to f*ck you until you die and rot around my cock! I will raise you up a thousand times. I will rip every Madea soul from your body until you are reduced to nothing but a sack of useless human skin!”

I smiled at him. “Well, Lu.” I knelt down and looked into his eyes. “You see I just used that one elusive thing that you can’t seem to grasp, against you.”

He watched me, “There is no such thing.” His lip curled, his eyes swirled from beautiful blue to that angry glowing red.

I straightened and walked around him again. His eyes followed me as I moved. “Well, obviously there is. You can’t free yourself, can you?” I folded my arms, raising an eyebrow. “Love, Lu, which we both know is a complete mystery to you, is what is holding you prisoner. Well, not love as in love for you.” I frowned at his furious face. “No. Love for mankind, my friends, my home and even love for this crazy ass life that seems to take such joy in screwing with me.”

“You talk too much.” He laughed and I turned. “You will remain in Hell, oh yes you will. And maybe one day you will slip up and land in my bed.” He was smiling and I took a step back. “You are strong, which makes me want you even more than Mariee. And you are good. Your soul is light and glows with life and the love that you so foolishly dare to throw in my face.”

I took another step backward. My stomach swirled with fear. I could taste bile at the back of my throat. Something was up.

“You say love baffles me? Well, my darling, I will freely admit that the love you speak of makes little sense to me. Love meant for man has always been a great puzzle to me. But you forget…” The chains fell away from his wrists and he stood. “I have loved more deeply than a thousand humans could ever fathom.”

My breath slammed from my lungs as he threw me against the wall. His hand squeezed my throat and I gagged, clawing at his flesh, I fought for breath.

“I will not snuff your life, Grace.” He frowned and then suddenly he was across the room before I hit the floor in a boneless heap.

I strained, finally, screaming the air back into my lungs. I fell backward, rubbing the sting from my neck.

“You are too valuable,” he smiled, showing too many teeth. “But you can not go unpunished my darling. How about this?”

Seth appeared. He was on the floor, his hair pulled back in Lucifer’s tight fist. He yanked it back hard, exposing Seth’s neck.

“No!” I screamed in horror, running for Seth. His eyes had gone wide, filled with terror.

Lucifer lifted his arm high, a shining blade appeared in his hand and he swung, I jumped, knocking his arm as he sliced towards Seth’s exposed throat. I screamed as the blade came down. Lucifer stood panting; Seth’s beautiful hair still held in his iron grasp, Seth lay on the floor gasping, his hair chopped off far too close to his scalp. Lucifer smiled and threw the raven strands to the floor.

I was frozen with shock as Seth looked up at me; his eyes barely met mine before he disappeared. A second later, Lucifer had Lucian by the throat. He smiled. “What shall this one’s fate be?” Another blade appeared in his hand.

“Just stop!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. “What is wrong with you?” my voice was hoarse. “Do you even know what you want?” I was trying to think of a way to get through to him. When he ignored me, I ran to him. Falling to my knees I cried out, “No more power!” Lucifer kept his attention on Lucian. “Please?” My voice cracked. I couldn’t bear to think of what he would do to Lucian. I waited, panting as tears streamed down my face. I looked up.

The devil had hesitated. He looked down at me, his eyebrow arched as if waiting for my next move. I took a deep breath and stood, “I promise I won’t use any more power against you. I will never try and trap you or anything ever again, I swear.”

Lucian was gone and I dropped to the floor, relief flooded me. “I just don’t understand you.” I sobbed.

“I want you. I want to swim in your light, my darling.”

I laughed and shook my head. This was wonderland and Lucifer was The Mad Hatter. I would never win because he was bat-shit crazy. I stood, wiping the tears from my eyes I frowned. My throat was raw and burned when I spoke. “You are so damaged. You want me to stay, yet when I stay the first thing you do is throw your plans out the window and try to screw me. You want my light, yet you want to taint it so it goes out? You can’t have it both ways.”

He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “That is why you are so good for me. You are strong enough to resist. It may take a thousand years, but I could learn to love. I could feel. I will never stop trying to corrupt you. It is my nature to taint, to spoil anything that shines.” He looked down and then shrugged again. “I am what I am and that is all I can say, but I am tired of watching things change without me. I want to feel something different. My existence is black. My world is forever the same cycle of death and punishment. I have spent centuries corrupting innocence, turning light to dark. I want purity; crave it like the blood I drink. But it is it always so easily snuffed.”

He held his hand out and I shook my head.

“Taking my hand is not acceptance, Grace. It is what you decide it is. That is what so many don’t understand. If your heart and mind are pure then you always decide.”

I searched his face, and then I laughed. “I was actually looking into your eyes for honesty.” I snorted. “That was pretty stupid!”

“Not really. You think before you act, that is not stupidity. I’d say with me it is more a vast waste of time.” His hand was still extended, his eyes more sincere.

“Oh, for heavens sake.” I grasped his warm hand and he pulled me close. “Already trying to seduce?” I looked up at him, my head tilted back as I scowled.

He smiled down at me and I tried to push away. “Grace. Please, just agree and I will leave the rest to you. You have no desire to bed me. You want nothing from me, so this will not poison your soul. You agree to save others, self sacrifice and all, as sickening as that is.” He made an ugly face and released me.

I watched him, my mind racing with thoughts. “This is nothing but a game. A pretty diversion to save you from a future of boredom.”

“Perhaps.” He watched me.

I knew that no matter what this was, Lucifer wanted it. I could place any label I wanted on it but the truth of the matter remained. I was in his sights and he would never leave me or the people I loved alone until he was satisfied. He wanted to play; the trick was to keep him interested in the game. I had a feeling that when Lucifer got bored, he got rid of his toys.

I looked at him again and smiled. “This is no deal with the devil.” I began, “This is a deal with a Madea, and I’ll decide the terms.”

He bit his lip as he studied me. His mouth curved up in the smallest hint of a smile and I almost saw joy. I cocked my hip and frowned. “You will agree to never pester me. You can’t just show up uninvited or pull me here unexpectedly. I do have a life. We will agree on the length of each visit and you can not change it. If you try, this whole deal is forfeit and you lose the right to take it out on me or my friends. Oh, and speaking of friends, you have no power over them at all. They are off your radar. Got it?”

He watched me; his small smile still played at the corner of his mouth and he leaned forward, his eyebrows high. “Is this all?”

“No!” I shot out quickly. “I have the right to change the agreement at any time without notice.”

“My darling, now let’s be fair.” He shook his head. “If you feel you can change things, then I can change them as well. Is that what you want? Remember this must benefit me.” He walked to a table next to the remnants of the shattered tank. Glass was still strewn all over the ground. He leaned against the end of the table, bracing his hands on the edge. I watched him, admiring how his muscles bunched and flexed as he moved, how his tattoos accentuated the curves of his body.

“Careful,” he looked at me with knowing eyes. “You don’t want those thoughts to turn impure, do you?” He wagged his eyebrows and folded his arms, making his forearms flex while showing off his abs.

“Well, keep up the cocky rooster act and my thoughts will be right up there with the driven snow. Now, put a shirt on and lets get this over with, I’d like to go home.”

He straightened; a black silk shirt flowed over his chest like water flowed over stone. He looked angry.

“So you mean to renege already?”

“Hey, I am making the rules here,” I frowned. “And at no point did I say I couldn’t go home. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve already spent more than enough time in Hell; it’s your fault it was wasted. And speaking of time, I will only spend a day with you. That is all, one day, say every six months.”

His eyes grew large. “You cheat! One week each month.”

I shook my head. “Two days a year. I’m not kidding! I won’t stay here for any long period of time!” I pursed my lips and started tapping my foot.

He smiled. “One month every six months.” He glared at me and I shook my head.

“One week every six months or I will go crazy! This is Hell, Lu. I don’t belong here.”

He regarded me for a long time and then smiled. “One week in Hell and one week at a location of your choice.”

“Fine, two weeks every six months.”

“Done!” he smiled. “Well played, Madea. This promises to be most amusing. Now, I do have a few rules of my own, and a reminder.”

“Okay. I guess.” I was instantly on guard.

“You will come to me promptly. I will never be forced to seek you out. I choose where in Hell we spend our time and how we spend it.” He smiled and I shook my head.

“You can decide how we spend it, but I get to agree or disagree” I cut in. “Stop trying to work in loop holes.”

He smiled down at his hands. “Fine.” He looked up, “Then to make this easier, your free will is your guarantee of safety. You will do nothing you do not choose to do, agree?”

I closed my eyes and held out my hand. “Agreed.” Our hands touched and at the contact, I felt a slight burning sensation emanate from his skin. I watched, in shock and horror as a thin slice of ink slowly detached itself from his tattooed arm. I jerked, disgusted as it slithered like a snake along my thumb and down to my wrist. I looked at his face in horror. I yanked again, trying to free my hand from his. Pain sliced into my wrist and I cried out as the ink burrowed into my skin. The ink moved as if alive, forming a thorny vine that wrapped around my wrist. I bit my lip. Blood pooled and then flowed toward the center of the vine to form a single silver rose bud.

Tears flowed, not from the pain but from the fact that this meant I had done it. I shook hands with the devil. I was still my own person, I was still pure as far as he was concerned but one wrong step, one stupid move and I was as good as his, forever.

I looked at him. He was a giant blur through my tears. I wiped my eyes to find his face close to mine.

“It must be done my darling.” He frowned, showing me that a similar tattoo had formed on his wrist as well, minus the rose. “We are bound, as distasteful as that is to you.” He winked as if that were a joke.

I sighed and tried to rub the stinging feeling from my wrist but it was no use. Then something occurred to me.

“Lu? You said you had a reminder?” I looked at him.

He traced my bottom lip with his thumb. “Ah, yes. I just wanted to remind you who you are dealing with.” He lowered his head to whisper close to my ear. “I never follow the rules.”

I shrank back in horror and stumbled on the scattered glass. Lucifer chuckled and blew a kiss. I glared, and at his wicked smile I was suddenly ripped from the lab and tossed onto the gravel driveway in front of my house, the air was slammed from my lungs with the sudden impact.

Son of a bitch, I thought as I rolled onto my back.