A tale of angels, demons and dragons…
After he spoke, the silence in the chamber was such that it scraped against the nerve endings. Aeva broke that silence, although she could hear the strain in her own voice she said that which needed saying.
“The female to whom my father gifted my wings.”
In an instant she found herself surrounded by a ring of steel and corded muscle.
“Abomination.”
Voice after voice around the Chamber of Guardians took up the refrain and The Guardians hissed as Lucifer eyed them all bleakly. He seemed to be fighting some sort of internal battle as all sorts of lumps, bumps and eruptions were happening under his gleaming golden skin. Then he bulked his shoulders dangerously and made a hooking motion with his left hand. For a second, nothing happened, then a portal opened in the insubstantial air and a screaming, fighting, swearing creature was pulled through onto the Chamber floor. She, for the creature was a demoness, sat up. She happened to be facing away from her Master who had so abruptly summoned her.
“Who dares touch a creature of The Dark Lord?” The voice was harsh and truculent.
Lucifer said nothing, but his eyes must have been burning holes in her back, as she turned around slowly. When she realised where she was some of her bluster left her.
“Dark Lord.” Now her voice was honeyed and dripped sensuality.
Aeva laughed, and the demoness’ head snapped around as if it was on a spring.
“You,” she hissed and bunched her muscles to spring.
“Sile (be still),” Aeva spoke quietly, but with the full authority of her status and the demoness stopped moving.
Lucifer frowned, but the Inquisitor was not to be intimidated.
“She lives, Dark Lord. Considering that which she bears on her back I would be within my rights to stop her breath.”
“If those are indeed your wings, you do have that right.”
“Oh yes. Those are the wings stolen from my body. I feel them call.”
“Don’t listen to her Dear My Lord. She is just a jealous half-blood who nobody wants.”
Lucifer looked at his creature for a moment before reaching out a hand. The stiff figure of the demoness slid across the floor to where her master stood. He put a hand on her forehead and she seemed to shrink into herself. It took but a moment for a Lucifer to read her memories and when he had made himself cognisant of the facts he slapped the demoness across her face. She screamed a high and tearing scream so he slapped her again.
“Deceit is not permissible. You lied to me. And I indulged you because it amused me so to do. It no longer suits my purpose.” The female cringed and Lucifer laughed at her fears. “Belphegor,” he called, “attend your master.”
The bang and smell of sulphur were as nothing compared to the hulking bestiality of the creature who stood in the centre of the place staring adoringly at his master from muddy yellow eyes. Lucifer smiled and the creature bent the knee.
“Belphegor, you have long been wishful of taking a mate have you not?”
“I have.” The demon’s voice was thick with unrequited lusts and the love of pain. It scraped on Aeva’s nerves like talons on a chalkboard, but she knew when to keep her mouth shut and this truly was one of those times.
Lucifer smiled, but it was a smile that spoke of agony and degradation. He pointed a finger at Ishta. “Behold your mate. You may do with her as you will. Except that you may not kill her.”
Belphegor wiped the drool from his chin and the demoness tried to curl herself into a ball as if to keep away from his questing hands. But of course it was no good, and even when Aeva released her stasis spell, Ishta was still held like a bug on a pin.
Her new mate bent over her, and by the way she cringed his breath must have been truly foul. He took from his pocket an iron collar which he placed about Ishta’s neck. As he attached a leash of steel links to his new toy he laughed – a gut-wrenching pitiless laugh.
“The leman of my life’s enemy is now mine to punish. How you shall suffer my pretty.”
He turned to drag her away and Lucifer spoke once more. “Belphegor. Your mate has no need of wings.”
Aeva closed her eyes, but the sound of wrenching bone and sinew and bitter stinging tears all but brought her to her knees. When she looked again the demons were gone and her beautiful wings lay abandoned on the ground. It took a supreme effort of will not to bend and stroke their iridescent feathers.
“Would you have your wings returned?” It was Thor’s thunderous tones that asked the question every other guardian was holding back.
Aeva felt the tears on her cheeks, but made no attempt to brush them away. “Of course I would have my wings, if I could. But it is not possible. My back would no longer carry their weight and I would be crippled by beauty. Worse than that, though, they would perish should they ever touch my skin.”
Thor turned his eternal eyes on the now squirming figure of Lucifer.
“Can this be?”
“Yes. Sadly it can. And if it is the curse of a father it cannot be broke.”
Thor lifted his mighty hammer and struck the ground a fearsome blow, Aeva’s wings lifted from the floor and flew to the back of the Dragonbone Throne where they settled on the very top and melded into the fabric of the polished bone until they became part of the carved decoration, whilst retaining their iridescent colour and the delicacy of the feathers that had formed them.
“Your wings are now immortal.”
Aeva dragged in a breath, but could think of nothing to say.
Lucifer, who seemed to have been communing with somebody or something, disappeared with a loud bang. Thor sighed, but before he could frame any words Lucifer returned. He was grinning fangily and carried something over his shoulder. It was a pair of dark leathery wings.
“Is that what I think it is?”
“Oh yes. I warned him what would happen if his uncontrolled passions embarrassed me one more time.” He turned his burning yellow eyes on Aeva. “Do you want them?”
“No, Dark Lord, I do not.”
He snapped his strangely jointed fingers together and the wings disappeared. Instead there was something small and glittering laid in the marble floor. The Dark Guardian bent his knees and picked the thing up in his talons. It was a chain of that black gold which can be found only in the deepest heart of Lucifer’s own kingdom, and he threw it over Aeva’s head. It nestled against her skin with all the warmth of a lover’s touch and her Fighters fell to the ground shielding their eyes.
“What is it?” she asked. “Why do you bow down to me?” She was truly frightened now but too proud to let it show.
By way of an answer Isis produced a small mirror from somewhere about her person and held it out. Aeva looked. Then wished she hadn’t. About her throat there was a writhing snake and in its mouth it held a pair of gleaming diamond wings.
Aeva’s Challenge by Jane Jago will continue next week.
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