"A diver sion," she whispered, talking to herself as she shut her eyes. Helpless refugees, angel hybrids, or soft, doe-eyed, confused little creatures would draw out the protection instincts of a team that had befriended their kind, she thought with a wicked smile. Human Guardians couldn't go in, but who could resist a little satyr begging for amnesty after having learned the error of his ways? ... Especially one that is half-eaten and bloodied and brutalized? It would shock their sen
sibilities; it would be like mutilating a puppy or a baby seal... perhaps a small child. Neterus couldn't leave it. The satyr would tell them that angelic beings were being slaughtered by Cain's loyalists, and he'd picked up the beacon.
"She'll go because she's a Powers angel, a healer," Lilith murmured as a deep chuckle consumed her.
Suddenly she stood and screeched, making her bats whirl in a frenzy within the twisting smoke above her throne. "She will go," Lilith shouted, extending her arms and clenching her fists, "because she'll be all alone and heartsick and will cling to the need for a divine purpose to give her life meaning! She will go because where she is brings her such pain that she will want to redeem her dark thoughts through helping others! An gel hybrids like her! She will go - because Damali will want to heal all the injured and bring them to safety and build an army of feather-bearers in the end of days!" Lilith threw back her head and laughed. "And she'll go and jolt my near-dead host with a life-force jolt to make her live again, and unwittingly spark conception with the Caduceus in her hand and tears in her eyes - then Damali will bring my vessel out into earth's atmosphere where my heir can live!"
She spun on the little satyr and walked over to the table. She leaned down and stroked his belly, toying with his frag ile life. "Isn't that brilliant? I guess I have to repair you a bit and let you live, even though I had my heart set on fawn-human for dinner tonight ... I haven't had such a delicacy since Zeus's time."
"Please don't eat me, Miss Nice Lady Queen," he whis pered, squeezing his eyes shut as Lilith allowed her fangs to elongate. "I don't taste very good." A deep chuckle filled the chamber as she studied him and then licked him between his legs and up his belly as the table retracted fangs to drop him. She kissed the places that had been butchered and allowed the satyr to heal, giggling with the sinister knowledge that while she bided her time, she'd maim him again even worse before dropping him at Damali's feet one night. But for now, he had to remain alive. Lilith sighed philosophically. "You like my plan to let you live so you can run and tell Damali that she must help the hybrids still trapped in Nod?" She ran her finger over his belly button, causing the hairy little creature to shudder with need, and cooed when a small, pink penis rose out of the hair between his legs. "Aw ... how cute." Harpies covered their eyes, squealing.
"I like your plan - it's brilliant, Miss Queen," he said, inching away from her as she brushed his tiny pink member with a huge fang.
"Good," she cooed, beginning to sway like a serpent. "Because only a woman could think of something like that."
The strike was instant; blood splattered several Harpies, and the piteous satyr's scream made bats fuss in flight.
* * *
carlo s walked at a pace that Damali could barely match. His eyes were forward and his jaw locked tightly.
"Hold up," she said, jogging to keep up with his long strides. He ignored her, jaw pulsing. Finally at the bottom of the exit landing, she was able to jump down four steps and stop him with her hands against his chest.
"Whoa."
"We gotta get the beer and juice, D. People are trying to party."
"No. That shit can wait. I need you to just slow down and talk to me - please."
He looked away. "What's to talk about? The team is cool with the decisions that were made, they came to a consensus, we're moving to San Diego."
"But I never heard your opinion in the mix, baby." She folded her arms over her chest.
"I ain't got no opinion," he said, still not looking at her.