a curtain of darkness around her. She air-kissed Lilith on both cheeks as they embraced.
"Siren ... you came." Lilith held her back, pleased.
"I was lost at sea, Queen," she said, her voice sounding like it came from within the endless echo of a seashell. "Your bidding is my pleasure."
"I have a riddle," Lilith said, gathering the witches and warlocks around her. "Something to challenge your skills and that of all the covens that follow you." Wicked smiles of glee surrounded Lilith as the winds be gan to increase to lift her gown.
"Here is the prize ... winner takes some," she said, laughing and teasing them as she turned in a slow circle. "I never give all. But, for those who can ensure this plot works, there is a council seat available on The Vampire Council - you are looking at the newly coro nated Chairwoman!"
She screeched and ran between them as their shocked ex pressions met her, and they slowly, one by one, dropped to their knees.
"Yes, I am still the Dark Lord's wife and familiar - his favorite among all others, but a plot more evil than any I could have devised has left Dante slain, as well as his son." She nodded slowly as she walked between her subjects. "Yes. Hard to believe but true. They both died at the hands of a Neteru, their fates sealed with a beheading by an Isis blade." Machiavelli was on his feet first, followed by the others. "No ... heresy."
"Indeed," Lilith said in a low hiss. "So, as you can see, pardon the pun, the stakes are high - are you game?"
"Just speak the challenge," Sebastian said in a superior tone, looking down his nose at the others.
"I want a spell ... a spell like no other spell," Lilith mur mured as her eyes slid closed and her arms outstretched. "I want a spell that will make you believe I have taken leave of my senses when I ask you for this, and it must spread like a virus worldwide to all covens to permeate the atmosphere where it can be inhaled."
"A plague," Genghis whispered. "Done."
"Not so hasty - that in due time." Lilith clapped her hands with twisted joy. "You'll never guess." She swept away. "It is genius, just genius - so absolutely wretched the Light will dim when I'm done."
Walking in a circle in the middle of their ring, she spoke in a low, conspiratorial tone. "I have called for Sebastian for his expertise in poisons and potions; Machiavelli for his shrewd political mind and intrigue in this time of planetary politics, to embroil the Neteru Councils and the Covenant at war with themselves; Jezebel for her lustiness and idolatry -
her ability to sway worship of things false; Medusa for her venomous jealousy that had taken over her mind like a thou sand serpents; Genghis, you, my general, will provide me battle insight to lead legions under spells of Darkness; and my Siren for your voice to affect the music, and to call the Neterus to their ultimate demise."
"This spell," Sebastian whispered tensely, raw lust caus ing beads of sweat to form on his brow, "the elements you seek can be easily included, but the delivery system ... I must know your requirements."
"Up to this point," Lilith said, one finger on her pursed lips. "Men have ruled the Vampire Council - and in their blindness, they attempted to create a break between the mil lennium male and female Neteru. A nearly impossible task where soul mates are involved." She walked away with her hands on her hips. "No attempt worked. They tried to im pregnate her to make a daywalker," Lilith screeched, throw ing up her hands in disgust. "Men! So egocentric. Of course it failed. Then they tried to go after her mate, Carlos Rivera, and turn him permanently dark - but that failed, because they didn't factor in the pure white light essence of love. He'd never be completely dark as long as he loved her, for Light would be in his dead, black heart - there of all places! Dante should have known when he couldn't break him on his torture wall for loving her so." Lilith walked away, gown billowing out from her legs as a sulfur trail burned in her wake.
"Fools! That man loves the very ground Damali walks on; even a demon-child could see it She is his breath, was even his heartbeat when he was dead! And it is the same