thought he could replace even me. Very foolish. His extinction was only a matter of time ... although I would have liked to have delivered that fate myself. I suppose I will have to be mollified with the eternal torture of his soul. You robbed me of that pleasure, yet again."
Lilith stiffened. "It was never my intent to rob you of any pleasure, my beloved. Sense me for a lie. I swear to you, my goal was honorable."
He smiled a dashing smile. "And the road to Hell is always paved with good intentions. We both know that. So, perhaps I should be thankful that you found your way home, hmmm?" He let his hand fall away from her cheek. "Given all those in my charge who have
been recently released to the Light, I'm glad you haven't made a run for the border." His smile widened. "I'm also very pleased that you didn't side with Cain against me, or try to resurrect some old bond with Adam. That would have been very unfortunate - would have made me truly irrational."
Relief shot through her so quickly that it made her limbs tremble. "I would never allow Cain to attempt a coup against you, beloved," she whispered, staring at her husband's eyes to sense for any mercurial change that could happen. "And if I ever see Adam again, he's a dead man."
"You know the time is near?" Her husband tilted his head and assessed her from head to toe.
She nodded but couldn't speak as her husband's strangely melodic voice coated her insides with hot desire. But she staved off the sensation, knowing that he was at his most lethal when appearing most seductive.
"I take it that you are aware by now that I rode Cain's energy the night he descended to Dante's throne? What a rush ... I had forgotten how amorous you could be." She dared not speak, not sure of his strange mood. Her only option was to continue to watch the dangerous entity before her closely.
"You didn't know, did you?" He laughed and then sighed. "Therefore, what you saved, really, is our heir, Lilith... which is the only reason I didn't rip your lungs out for being so presumptuous about the fruit of my loins."
"I meant no disrespect," she whispered, and quickly averted her eyes to the barren rock floor.
"Look at me," he commanded, but there was a strange gentleness to his tone. He waited until she complied. A pleasant smile graced her husband's face as he arched an eyebrow and chuckled, shaking his head. "Yours, mine, and ours. I couldn't resist, not when you and Cain barreled down to my chambers and nearly blew through my doors. So erotically insane - I was moved."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," she whispered, not taking her eyes off him, lest he turn instantly violent.
He smiled and slid his hand up her torso to tighten against her throat. "Oh, I definitely enjoyed it. You two were spectacular together." He chuckled again softly and loosened his grip. "Cain and I have bonded in seed to penetrate your ova ... so, tell me, who is this host womb?"
"An angel hybrid," Lilith said just above a whisper, and then held her breath awaiting his reaction.
"An ange l hybrid ... in Nod?"
"Yes," she said, stiffening again to brace for a hard blow. To her surprise, her husband's black wings enfolded her in a feathery blanket and he threw his head back and simply laughed. "Oh, Lilith ... how you devised something so delightful steals my breath. Stay with me on Level Seven for a while, yes?" Stunned, she simply stared at him. He was asking her, as though she had the option to refuse any command?
"As you desire, always," she said quietly.
"No..." he murmured, his voice low and seductive. "Only if you also desire to visit for a while."
The way he was speaking to her reminded her of how they first met; that first seduction when she ran from Adam's house to seek refuge in the Darkness and under the power of his raven-black wings. Gently stroking his square jaw she nodded, allowing her body to finally relax and yield into his embrace. She watched a slight flicker of blue-black flames rim his nostrils and a wave of wanton desire filled her as it oozed from his pores to cover her skin with inviting heat.
"I came to you when there was nowhere for me to go, and you alone gave me sanctuary." She ran the pad of