This Curse

TWENTY FOUR



“Does it always have to smell so bad?” I walked from the shadows into a dimly lit room. I smiled and shook my head as I was immediately surrounded with the scent of sandalwood and oranges. “Thanks.” I passed by a mirrored wall and stopped short at my reflection. “Are you kidding me?” I cocked my hip and goggled at my reflection. My legs were wrapped in thigh high, black stiletto boots made from shiny patent leather. My panties were tiny and made of the same plasticky feeling crap as the boots. Tiny little triangles covered a quarter of my breasts leaving them mostly exposed. I looked at my reflection again and concentrated. I replaced Lucifer’s S&M suit of sin with a fluffy white angora sweater and a pair of grey wool slacks. I smiled, and then a second later, I was wearing the tiny underwear again.

“Fine!” I shouted to the air, not knowing where he was. “Have it your way, I don’t really care, It’s not like you’re going to touch me, anyway!”

My back slammed hard against the glass of the mirrored wall. He was pressed against my body, his hand wound tight in my hair. My neck arched painfully as he pulled my head back. He was overwhelming. His presence made my stomach lurch with fear.

“I will touch you all I choose.” He ran his lips along my skin. “After all, you are not really here. This is your dream, Darling. You came to me just as I knew you would.” His whisper was soft, moist breath, hot against my neck.

“I did not come to you.” I shoved him away hard. “You’re really full of shit, you know? You even tell lies to yourself.” I walked deeper into the room. It appeared to be empty. I turned and glared at the father of lies. “You went back on your word. Lucian almost died!” I spat.

“You accuse falsely. I did nothing. Possession takes its toll. At any rate, your friend was never in any real danger. You are Madea; it is within your power to heal. So, tell me, how did you go about it?”

“As if I’ll ever tell you! You let a demon squat inside him and then tell me he will be fine only to find out that possession can almost kill the possessed!”

He frowned, “I did not tell you, because you did not ask and it isn’t often that the possessed become ill, especially when the squatter is...” He stopped mid sentence and looked at me while his eyebrow arched. “Well, we shall continue this chat later. Your Lucian does not interest me.”

“Oh, no you don’t!” I shook my head. “What were you going to say? When the squatter is what, precisely?”

He chuckled, shaking his head he moved away from me; cutting off any further discussion. He stood in the darkest part of the room and with a casual wave of his hand, an enormous bed appeared.

“Uck!” I stepped away and threw my hand over my mouth. It was made of human bones. Rib cages and long shining femurs made up the entire structure. Skulls, fused together in a macabre scream lined up to form the headboard. I took another step back. Black shining sheets, like bat wings covered the blood red mattress.

He strode to the bed, morphing into a tailored tuxedo he produced a tray. Champaign and two tall goblets appeared. He sat on the edge. The bed bent with his weight as he stretched onto his side. He smoothed his hand on the spot next to him and smiled seductively at me. “Sit, my love. Sit and visit a while.”

“Oh, you’re good, but not good enough. You could have killed my friend. I’m not entertaining you, Lu. Get that through your head.”

He shrugged and poured the Champaign into the glasses. “Oh?” He looked at me. “Pity.” His eyes landed on a spot behind me and I turned.

Revulsion had me staggering back several steps. “Oh my God!” I threw my hand over my mouth again, this time fully prepared to vomit. “Hurp.” My mouth flooded with saliva and my eyes watered. “Is that Lydia?” I choked out in a sob and grabbed my stomach. I swayed and he was suddenly there, holding my weight as my knees gave way.

“It was Lydia.” He spoke close to my ear and I flinched, knowing that he could do such a thing was just another reminder. “She hurt you, my darling. She had to be punished. I thought you would be pleased?” He frowned, lifting my limp body; he carried me to the bed.

Over his shoulder, I could see the horror that was once Lydia. She had been nailed to the wall at her shoulders and her body was flayed of all of its flesh. Her head had been removed and placed into her hands, as if it were some sort of satanic offering.

“You’re disgusting! How could you?” Once on the bed, I rolled onto my side. Tears flowed. I knew she was a demon. I knew she was his to do with as he pleased, but nothing living deserved that.

He crawled onto the bed beside me and tried to pull me to him. I jerked wildly and shot off the opposite side of the bed. “Are you kidding me?” I screeched. “I wouldn’t touch your horrible, evil body with a ten foot pole!”

He sat up and smiled. “Why do you always resist? I know you, Grace. You always desire the bad boy. The man who takes what he wants. I see it in so many. That excitement you feel when no one else but you can pet the beast. A woman thrills in the triumph of taming the animal. It’s exhilarating is it not? Well, my darling, I am the bad boy and I promise to let you pet me as long as you wish.”

“You know nothing about me.”

He frowned, “What must I do to get a kiss?” He leaned on his elbow. “Ah, how about this?” He smiled and I followed his gaze once more.

Patrick Camden appeared beside Lydia. His wrists were wrapped with chains, he whimpered as he dangled from the ceiling. He was alive and scared shitless. Panic filled his eyes as he gazed at what was once Lydia. His body swung and grazed Lydia’s decapitated head, sending him into full on hysteria.

I turned and glared at Lucifer. “You wouldn’t dare!” I challenged. “He is a living man, not a demon!”

Lucifer smiled. “He sold his soul, precious. He is mine to do with as I please. Besides, didn’t he plan on kidnapping you? Raping you until he had you fat with his mewling pups?”

I swung my head in Patrick’s direction. His deep brown eyes were filled with tears and he shook his head frantically. Struggling in his bonds, he whimpered.

“No.” I turned.

Lucifer’s eyebrows rose. “No?”

“No, I’m sure you had a hand in that.” Remembering what I had done to Patrick after his plan had failed shamed me. “He’s been punished; besides, I think you put him up to it. You were the puppet master for everything so far you freely admitted it. Why not this too?” I folded my arms.

“I knew you weren’t a stupid woman. But that does not cancel out his debt. I plan on tearing his wolf from his body, then his flesh from his bones.” Lucifer took a step toward Patrick and I grabbed his arm.

He looked down at my hand and then at me. “Yes?”

“Please, what did you give him? Why did he sell his soul?” I looked into his eyes.

“Oh, my angel. Does it matter?” He turned.

“Yes!” I yelled, jumping in front of him. “Please?”

He stood for a long moment and I watched him. He was playing a game I knew I couldn’t win, but maybe Patrick could.

He smiled. “I suppose it matters little.” He sighed dramatically. “I fear Voltaire promised him the position of pack master to all the packs in the state.” I looked at him and frowned. “He agreed, said he would give anything for it, so I took his soul,” he smiled.

“Is he?” I demanded. “Is he the master of all the packs in the state?”

Lucifer smiled. “Why yes, he was crowned their king only hours ago.”

I gawked at him. “And now you’re killing him?”

“Yes. He attacked you, my love. I can not allow such actions to go unpunished.” He moved past me and grabbed Patrick’s face, pressing his fingers into his flesh. Patrick screamed as smoke billowed from his face. A stench like nothing I had ever experienced filled the room.

I couldn’t stand it, this was all bullshit. Dream or not, I wouldn’t take the chance.

“Stop!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.

He turned. Lowering his smoking hands, he tilted his head, “What troubles you, my darling?” His brows drew together.

“You have to stop this! Please, what can I do to remove his debt?” I looked at Patrick’s once beautiful face, now charred, and ruined. His tear filled eyes implored me.

“I can think of nothing. A debt this large is not so easily swept away. You have been clear in all things. I may not touch you. I have no power over you. What is left?” He turned, raising his hands again; I flinched, as Patrick’s eyes grew huge.

“I take it all back!”

Lucifer froze. Turning slowly on his heel, he flashed me a smile of pure satisfaction. “In truth?”

I looked at Patrick’s bubbling flesh. The smell that had filled the room from his smoking flesh was sickening me with each passing second and the pain he must have endured made me even more ill. Despite what Lucifer said about this all being a dream, I knew that when I woke up tomorrow, Patrick would be dead. I couldn’t just stand by and let another person be tortured and killed. It would kill a part of my soul.

I drew in a cleansing breath, coughing from the wretched stench that filled my nose. “Take back his debt,” I lifted my chin at his frown. “Heal his wounds and never hurt him directly or indirectly again and I will take it all back.” I felt like my life was flashing before my eyes. The smile that spread across his face sped my heart. Fear at what was to come filled me from head to toe.

Patrick vanished in a puff of smoke and I was naked, in the devils arms.

He laid me down on his bed and lightly stroked my skin with his warm fingertips. I looked at his nakedness, even with his impossible beauty; nothing would ever make this okay.

“I knew you would be mine. I knew you would somehow make the ultimate sacrifice. You for him? How lovely.”

He kissed along my neck. His skin was unnaturally warm smooth as satin as he slid his body along mine. I shuddered as he rose above me. He slid his hands along my legs, his long fingers gliding along my thighs until they met at my knees. He watched my anguished eyes as he slowly parted my thighs.

A small cry slipped passed my lips as he hooked my knees over his broad shoulders, my sex fully exposed to his gaze. A look of conquest filled his eyes. I sucked in a breath, tears flowing freely from my eyes, I jerked at the feeling of his velvety cock pressed lightly at my entrance.

I closed my eyes. I couldn’t believe I had taken it all back.

Wait… I took it all back. Oh, my God, I was so stupid! I opened my eyes and smiled.

Lucifer, poised to push inside me, frowned at my smile. “You are accepting?” He studied my face.

“I took it all back, Lu.”

He smiled and then it slowly fell as the realization of my meaning filled his eyes. He grabbed my thighs and with a wild cry, he thrust his hips forward only to land on his face in the middle of an empty bed.

I was across the room, fully clothed and laughing.

He flew from the bed; his erect penis slapped his stomach as he tore across the room toward me. I lifted my hand and he flew backward. His nude body slammed hard into the giant mirrored wall. I folded my arms and smiled as glass rained down, showering him with its lethal shards.

“That’s the thing with loop holes.” I lifted a brow as he staggered to his feet. Blood flowed, like tiny rivers from dozens of cuts all over his magnificent body. I shook my head, “I took it all back, Lu, which included my promise to never use my magic against you.” I smiled as he panted angrily. “See you in six months, sexy!” I winked, blew him a kiss, and then flashed from the room.