Succubus

Chapter 7: Vine's Snare

Chapter 7: Vine's Snare

There had never been a single recorded instance of an angel being seduced by a succubus. From the Talmud to The Lesser Key of Solomon it had never happened. Hardly anyone had even considered trying. Fallen angels weren't uncommon, but they were usually seduced by mischief or power, not lust.

For two days the angels had been living in Vine's house. During the day they went on long tours to inspect the facilities and how things had changed since the last visit. At night it became too dangerous to be out, so they stayed indoors.

Kushiel slept flat on the floor of their living room holding his sword to his chest. They offered him a blanket but he'd refused. On the first night, Vine and Erlik snuck downstairs to see if they could draw pentagrams on him. The second they stepped into the living room he'd looked over at them and asked, "Would God want you to do that?"

They hadn't tried to bother him again.

Zaqiel had been offered a room but he chose to hover above the house and make his awful noise at anything that got too close. His eyes never closed, so no one was sure whether he actually slept.

Adriel was the only one anyone could relax around. They'd given him Vine's room in the attic, so Vine was sleeping on an air mattress in Erlik's room. Adriel came to breakfast every morning and smiled as Mags and Mara pinched his cheek and made the same "Did you fall from heaven" joke. Adriel always said please and thank you and had his napkin on his lap.

The more Vine watched Adriel, the more she understood her parents. From her dad she understood the impulse to hold someone down and draw satanic crosses on them with her tongue. From her mom she understood wanting to cave someone's head in for being so damned annoying.

So Vine went up to the attic and waited. She wore small gym shorts and a tank top: aggressive, but not overly so. She crossed her feet over the edge of his bed.

Adriel walked in and only seemed confused for a second. "Hi Vine. I can go for a walk if you miss your room."

"No, stay awhile. We haven't had a chance to talk since you got here."

"Well your aunts take up a lot of time. I had to show Mags how we make pancakes in paradise again."

Vine felt her eye twitch. Tongue drawn crosses. Caved in skull. "Do you want to do something?" she asked.

"Well, I should probably ask Kushiel first."

"What is he, your keeper?"

Vine coaxed Adriel out the window and they shimmied down a trellis covered in black roses. Up above them Zaqiel was keeping watch. For a second Vine thought they'd have to call it quits.

"It's okay, he won't see us," Adriel said.

Vine looked up at the throne. He was still on fire and all his eyes were still open.

"How do you know?"

"He's speaking with a Seraphim back home. It's taking all his concentration."

Vine took a closer look at Zaqiel. All his eyes were open, and the veins were beginning to turn red. He seemed to vibrate like a muscle being flexed for too long.

The angel and the succubus took a few steps from the house, but Zaqiel didn't move. They hurried away through narrow caverns and wind swept battlefields. Vine led them through the quieter parts of the underworld, and they only saw spirits from far off. The wind carried the gentle sound of souls screaming.

At last they reached their destination. It was a stone wall that might have been impressive once. Now, it was so crumbled that anyone could climb over it. Vine and Adriel climbed up to the ramparts and looked out over an enormous void.

"What is that?" Adriel asked. He stayed as far from the void as he could.

Vine sat on the edge of the wall and let her feet dangle above the void. "Down there is Dis. That's where my mom is from. Just wait for a bit, watch what happens."

Far below them a flame was lit. Then more and more until they were staring down at thousands of tiny flames. It was like standing above the night sky.

"Pretty, right?" Vine said. She did not mention that each flame was a sinner coated in oil.

Adriel took a small step toward the edge. "Yeah. It's strange because up close everything here looks terrible, but from far away it looks nice."

Vine smiled at him and wished he'd just stop talking and look pretty.

They looked down on the flames and listened to the wind howl in pain as it passed over Dis. Vine turned toward Adriel and he looked back at her with a small smile on his face.

"You wanna neck?" she asked.

The smile disappeared. "Excuse me?"

"It's 50's slang for-"

"I know what it means, and no I'm not interested."

Vine swung her legs back over the edge and stood up. "Why not? I'm probably really good at it based on my family."

"Angels and demons cannot be in relationships."

Vine pointed down toward Dis. "You realize who's in charge down there, right? Who the king of all demons is? He's had plenty of concubines since he got here. Do they teach you that in paradise?"

"We shouldn't be in relationships. Besides, I'm married."

Vine blinked. "But she's not here right now."

"Not to an individual. To my work. I was recently appointed guardian of a small community. My flock needs a focused shepherd."

"So you're picking a town over me."

"Bridgeton isn't just a town. It's a family. It's one of the few places left where everyone knows everyone else's name."

Vine rolled her eyes. "I'm not asking you to fall all the way from grace. It would be more like tripping. After we're done you can get back up and go back to your town."

"I will not. Me and the other angels are leaving tomorrow. I'm sorry, but it never would have worked between us."

Adriel took a step toward Vine. Vine almost took a step backward in surprise, but managed to keep her footing.

He put a hand on her shoulder and gave a reassuring smile. "I am flattered that you chose me. I hope you find someone else, Vine."

Before she could say anything Adriel pulled Vine into a hug. He hugged her the way friends hug when they say goodbye. Vine's arms were pinned at her sides but she managed to place her hands below his ribs and give him a small squeeze back.

Adriel smiled again before heading back toward the house. Vine was left alone next to the Great Pit of Dis. Utter defeat. No one in her family had ever been rejected. The humiliation burned her like the sinners down in Dis. The longer she stood there the more her mother's blood boiled in her veins. With clenched fists Vine made a vow that Adriel would be on his knees before her, and she'd go all the way to Bridgeton to make it happen.