HEX-YOU ALWAYS REMEMBER YOUR FIRST

First Chapter

Azazeal held his son gently as he walked from the church. He could still hear Thelma's sobs over the sudden death of her beloved Cassie. For a moment, Azazeal felt a pinch of despair as he glanced down at Malachi's tear stricken tiny face.

But that was only for a moment.

While Azazeal was drawn to Cassie's goodness, he was primarily attracted to her because she had the powers of a witch. She could provide him with a son. A child who would open the veil between this world and the next. From there, other fallen angels could come to earth and claim human women, creating a new race of beings, the niphilim. Azazeal glanced down at his son who was now falling asleep as his father continued to walk toward the forest. Malachi is one of the first, thought Azazeal, and he will lead this new race and watch this world burn.

Divine justice, reflected Azazeal with a smirk, since he and the other fallen were thrown out of heaven for simply coveting what human males were given so freely--women. Azazeal remembered back when he was a fledging angel and this newly created world was the hot topic among his brethren. Of particular interest was this creation called woman. She had been named Eve by her husband, who had dominion over her and all of creation on earth. Angels sent by God to guard Adam and Eve in their new home often fought to get the assignment to guard Eve. Because of his status in the angelic realm, Azazeal never drew that coveted assignment, but often heard from those who had about Eve's beauty and kindness. Yet no angel would dare to get too close to Eve, fearing the wrath of God.

Except Lucifer.

Considered by all angels to be the most powerful, wisest and gifted, Lucifer was the bringer of light to all those who sought it. Even God treated Lucifer with a deference that he gave to no other angel. Azazeal remembered treating Lucifer with awe and rarely spoke in the presence of this most magnificent of angels. Yet, reflected Azazeal, as he moved deeper into the forest toward an old church, which he used as a safe haven for the last two centuries, Lucifer had deliberately sought out the younger angel to help him with his plan—the temptation of Eve.

Today, Christians use the story of Eve's temptation by the serpent to illustrate the fall of man. Men used the story for centuries to dominant women and keep them from positions of power. Azazeal shook his head over such human ignorance. The temptation of Eve was never about Lucifer thumbing his nose at God. It was about love. Lucifer was in love with Eve.

Azazeal remembered the day that Lucifer came to him for help. The older angel had been sent by God to guard Eve and after a time, the angel had fallen in love with her. Despite the fact that even coveting this wife of man was considered treason in heaven, Lucifer still wanted Eve and he sought Azazeal because the younger angel would not say no to him.

Lucifer laid out the plan to Azazeal and even now, as he laid his son in a manager in his church refuge, Azazeal had to admit that it was a great plan. Lucifer would pose as one of the animals living on earth and speak to Eve as she worked in the garden. Eventually, he would gain her trust and she would choose him over her earthly husband. Surely, Lucifer had told Azazeal, once God saw that Lucifer was a better choice for Eve than the silly earth creature, then Lucifer and Eve could be together. Azazeal's role in this plan was to take Lucifer's place as Eve's guard and provide Lucifer and Eve with as much privacy as possible. This was difficult given that Adam was always by his wife's side, but the human learned quickly to keep his distance whenever the snake was present since it seemed to enjoy biting Adam.

It was the perfect plan.

Lucifer turned himself into a snake, the only creature that could get close to Eve because it was so small, and Azazeal became Eve's guard. After a few weeks, Azazeal could see why Lucifer was in love. Eve was warm and kind, treating every creature, including the snake with love and care. Azazeal had to admit even now as he rocked his son to sleep that Eve was a truly unique woman and a role model for all women. Yet, as he watched his son's sleeping face, Azazeal remembered with some amusement that Lucifer was too afraid to speak to Eve directly and when he tried all that came out of his mouth was hissing and spitting. To see the most powerful of all angels undone by a woman was amusing, but Azazeal wanted to see his mentor succeed. He knew that one day Eve would bear children and among Eve's daughters, Azazeal would find his own woman.

Unfortunately, even the best-laid plans go astray.

One day, to everyone's surprise, Eve suggested that she and Adam work in separate parts of the garden. Adam protested, but ultimately gave in. Eve loved her husband, but she needed time away from him. She wandered toward the center of the garden where the tree of knowledge lies. Eve had no interest in the tree for she simply sought solitude. For Lucifer and Azazeal, this was an unexpected gift and Lucifer finally found the power to give the snake a voice to speak to Eve.

Slithering along the tree of knowledge, Lucifer spoke to Eve, but found her uninterested in the ramblings of a snake. She was humming to herself and picking up leaves and rotted vegetation and replanting it beneath the earth. Lucifer looked to Azazeal for advice, but the younger angel had none to give. Finally, Lucifer had an idea. He remembered from watching Adam and Eve that Adam always brought Eve a gift whenever the couple had a fight. Lucifer offered Eve a gift—an apple from the tree of knowledge. At first, Eve told the snake that God had warned Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree, but Lucifer told her that was nonsense. As Eve took a bite of the apple, a crack came from the sky and thunder rumbled as angels swarmed into the garden. Eve was taken back to her husband and Lucifer, still in the form of a snake, and Azazeal were taken back to heaven to be judged by God.

With his son fast asleep, Azazeal wandered around the church, thinking about his fall from grace. Those days following Eve's temptation were terribly dark for the fledging angel. Other angels would not speak to him. Lucifer went crazy, calling for a rebellion against God and finally sealing his fate by sitting on God's throne while God was dealing with the fall of mankind on earth. Lucifer rallied other angels around him, including Azazeal and declared a war in heaven. Alas, Lucifer and his army lost and were thrown out of heaven.

Azazeal stood at the window looking at into the night sky. He remembered waking up in hell--the suffocating smell of sulphur, being chained to a burning lake, the pain of his wings being burned off. In that moment, he understood what pure hatred felt like and that is what he felt for Lucifer. He looked over at his fallen leader who to Azazeal's surprise had tears in his eyes.

"She didn't even look at me when she was thrown out of Eden." stated Lucifer softly.

From that day forward, Lucifer never mentioned Eve again. He would continue over the long centuries to go to earth and covert with human women, but no one ever captured his heart as Eve did. When Azazeal sought permission to go to earth and find a human woman, Lucifer gave his consent and this warning.

"You'll never forget your first."