"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 for her -
and now that they have married under the seal of holy matrimony, we cannot even see where they are all the time."
"Then, how ... my queen," Jezebel asked, unsure and glancing around, "are we to destroy them?"
"Create an aphrodisiac." Lilith looked at the stunned faces and laughed in a loud, screeching cackle. "It is so mad, so completely insane, it is perfect." When bewildered expressions met her, she allowed her voice to sing out her answer in teasing bursts. "I have a little blood in my keep, from when Cain bit Damali, and she will
ingly gave him her throat." She skipped over to Sebastian. "It wasn't rendered at V-point, but there's heat and need and desire for the exterminated grandson of Lucifer in it."
"Say that you are simply stoking my appreciation for you with mental foreplay," Sebastian whispered, swallowing hard.
"It isn't strong enough to spark the creation of new life," she admitted, looking at her nails,
"but it's toxic, that I assure you." Lilith looked up at those newly incarnated who had as
sembled to do her bidding. "I want that team to implode from the outside in. I want her so desirous of her Neteru husband that she's like a bitch Hellhound in heat - worse than a natu ral Neteru female ripening. Pure lust to darken and taint any love bond there is. I don't want her simpering understanding, her willingness to work through his issues; I want her f**king pissed off when he doesn't screw her on demand. Crazed is what I want!
Totally offended that her Neteru female charms don't move him. I want her ego crushed, and her focus at tacked, and his understanding patience of her flaws pushed to the breaking point when she smothers him. Corrode his silver so it never gleams again."
"Damn," Jezebel murmured with appreciation and wiped her brow.
"Yes," Lilith agreed, her eyes glowing and her expression tense as she walked away from them. "The male Neteru also sat in Dante's, and subsequently Cain's throne - both shared a
link to Dante ... one by paternal seed, the other by the pa ternal bite. There is waning residual energy there from Rivera ... but what we have we shall use!" She spun on the group. "Dampen his libido - use guilt. Use distraction. Use duty and honor. Use whatever, but put out that flame. Make him so good and honorable that he is sickening," she screeched. "Strengthen his good attributes so that the Light does not detect foul play." Lilith stopped and cast a glare around the half-ring. "A wife hotly pursing her husband would not set off alarms to the Light. A husband pursuing lofty goals is honorable -
would not set off a Heavenly disturbance."
"But they would be at odds, soon enough, as frustrations claimed them both," Jezebel whispered. "It would be a quiet, slow, painful parting that begins with them not seeing eye to eye, not meeting each other's needs, and then they'd look up one day and might still love each other, but would not be in love. All passion gone. Other lovers could then enter the house to make it collapse on its own - free choice."
"Cain almost broke the code on that," Lilith said with a cool chuckle. "But his own ego got in the way, and he rushed it. Had he held out a little longer and allowed her a bit more frustration, he would have had her." Lilith shook her head. "Alas ... but dear dead Cain was apexing and hadn't been laid in eons, so he was thinking with the little head." She smiled. "I don't have that problem."
"And the Neteru female leads a team of female Guardians, her sisters who are cloaked to our dark visions by their bonds of matrimony. But this Neteru is female, and her sisters will be happy while she languishes," Medusa hissed with a wicked laugh. "In their human frailties, they'll be so caught up in their own joys and futures, that they'll miss her sad eyes, the tone in her voice, the tension in her as she puts up a good front to preserve her pride and to try to be happy for their good fortune as any dear sister should be ... all the while they will be blinded to her silent cry for help. Soon quiet, insidious, slithering jealousy will creep into her heart as she weeps and wonders, why not her? It is only human." Medusa's sick laughter rang out into the glen and drew conceding nods and applause from the others.
"You get it," Lilith said, opening her arms for Medusa and then nicking her throat. "I knew you would see the ge nius of my plan."
Medusa clung to Lilith and leaned her head back to re ceive more attention as her serpent hair squealed in delight.
"And as men blindly prepared for war, the primary goal to protect their village - especially any women and children in their midst - dissension in the ranks would make their confidence wane," Genghis said. "Their male Neteru general distracted, divided, cannot effectively lead and will make mistakes."
"Talk dirty to me - you know I love it," Lilith murmured toward him seductively, handing off Medusa to Jezebel. She approached Genghis. "I knew your expertise would titillate my sensibilities."
'Through this devious plot, you have worked with the Light, the Heavenly edict of the One we leave unnamed. According to their laws - what has been put together, let no man split asunder - so you are not in violation of any edicts from On High ... it is free will if the Neterus create their own household demise." Machiavelli laughed with a sinister chuckle and raked his ringers through his long, wavy, dark hair. "Bella ... grazie, and done so lentamente."
Lilith pointed at him, and sent a pleasure charge his way. "Now there's a man who understands politics. Plausible deniability at every turn, especially during the onset of the Armageddon."
Machiavelli bowed with a shiver. "Always glad to assist, milady."
"It will affect her voice," Siren said in a faraway tone.
"Her words will become sharper, her attitude brittle as bit terness sets in. Her comments sarcastic. Her music riddled with anger, not hope. But her voice will also be trapped, for whom will she admit this devastation to? It would be shameful for a leader, a female general - a heroine who is supposed to embody all wisdom and compassion toward humanity - to be so mired in her own personal battle of such humiliation. Her Guardian sisters would be disappointed and hurt that she felt any resentment toward their joy for any reason whatsoever; her Neteru Queens would be aghast. In her pain and isolation, Damali will ultimately call her Neteru mate to his own demise as he runs headlong from his household to get away from her... which will make the rest of their ship vulnerable, their crew shark bait. I love this plan, Lilith. It is perfectly beautiful, just like you." Lilith blew Siren a kiss that made her hug herself. "You are the last important piece - her voice." Lilith closed her eyes and made black static-charged fists at her sides as she spoke.
"Put it in the air, in the water, in the food supply. I do not care the delivery system. That is your mission and your conundrum to resolve. I don't want it to affect a single human except Damali Richards. I want her to be the one climbing the walls and distracted, and completely focused on - "
"Things of false importance," Jezebel said in an impas sioned whisper. Lilith shuddered. "Yes, and you can have this night with me for the most profound understanding of this objective. You win the door prize. You and Medusa, for her deep, ser pentine insight." Lilith smirked. "Tsk, tsk, Sebastian. It is not like you to miss out on ducal rights. I'm almost disap pointed."
"My potion, which is what is required to collect the spells and blood remnants, regardless of specialty, will redeem me and make you wish you had chosen me as your first option. I will let my work speak for me thus." Sebastian flung his cape over his shoulder in a huff. Sighing with complete satisfaction, Lilith looked at the witches and warlocks and ignored the disgruntled first-night losers. "You know what the reward will be, something none of your wicked spirits ever attained before your deaths. But as a Level Seven entity with powers to confer your dark essences to a Vampire Council throne ... do my bidding," she said in a low rumble. "And do it well."
CHAPTER FIVE