This fan-fiction is based on the Incarnations of Immortality series by Piers Anthony. It occurs just after book six; For Love of Evil.

Dedicated to and written for my lovely wife, Jenna. Love you, baby. (By my most awesome husband, Jason! =D)

Chapter 1: A Fateful Day.

Parry lay amazed in his bed, a large richly adorned bed that boasted a huge elaborate canopy with silken red sheets draped about it and on it in swirls of soft pattern.

Beside him sleeping lay the prone form of a beautiful woman, and though Parry had been in bed with many beautiful women, some arguably the most voluptuous and sexual creatures to have walked the earth, this one was silhouetted by his love for her, which made her appear all the more beautiful.

He stared up at the canopy above him, letting out a long breath. Only a day ago he had lost everything; the chance of having this woman had never seemed real, and he had given up his office as Satan, the Incarnation of Evil for what he thought to be vain pursuit of her.

His eyes ran across her sleeping body again. There had been a hidden hope all along, that now realized stunned him with it's possibility. To think that the Prince of Lies could ever be betrothed to Gaea, Incarnation of Nature, one of the supporters of good, and that they were lovers as well was hard to believe.

Jolie, the spirit who inhabited the Incarnation, Orb, claimed the technicality that Parry was actually making love to her since she, a previous wife of centuries past, was in control of Orb's actions during intercourse. Parry knew that it was a flimsy excuse, though, since Orb was well aware of what happened and partook evenly when they were having sex.

Making love to both women simultaneously left him feeling a little awkward; even in all his centuries of sexual deviancy with multiple women, fucking Lilah in multiple forms felt very different from the passionate love he had with his wives, even if Jolie was technically widowed from him with her death.

He lay staring at her for a while, the form she wore now was that of Orb, which indicated that both women slept. The spirit of Jolie did not require sleep but going without such caused discomfort, so she rested. If Jolie had been awake, the body of his wife would be changed by her powers to look like his first betrothed.

All illusion and delusion of the mind... but embraced as reality. Parry smiled; having had the title of Master of Deception for centuries had taught him to appreciate such a subtle but beautiful lie, and he glowed with warmth as he watched them.

Later that week Parry tentatively made a house call on Gaea at her house in Purgatory, a castle secreted behind nearly impassible jungles, rivers, and oceans that Gaea had complete autonomic control of.

Gaea let him in, discreetly of course, since she was not known to harbor the Prince of Lies in her domain.

He asked if Jolie was with her and when her passionate response was to begin removing his pants, he grabbed at her hands, "Wait... perhaps here is not the place for this, since we are so close to the other incarnations in their own abodes..."

Orb smiled up at him; Jolie had been so fixed on this that she seemed to have forgotten to don her own appearance: right now she resembled Orb in her natural form, a healthy slender young woman with a beautiful face. "Nonsense, love. Here in the castle of Gaea Nature decides who comes in or goes out, and none will be the wiser of what befalls you here."

Parry smirked, one eyebrow raising, "You make it sound as if you intend some calamity for me."
In response Gaea used her powers on him and Parry was thrown into a frenzy of lust more powerful than he had ever felt, his stiffening member sorely demanding release. His wife slowly unwrapped him, taunting him with sultry lips. "I do plan on taking this with or without your permission," she purred.

-
Elsewhere, in the Web of Fate, Niobe sat on a chair weaved or silken strands and pondered, the inner voices of the other two Aspects of Fate seeking to council her on the thread she held between her out-stretched fingers.

This thread belonged to Orb, her daughter, and she had checked it due to the recent tumult in her poor child's life, to see how she was handling things. She had not expected to find Satan's thread tying back onto Orb's again, and certainly not in the fashion of lovers.

Niobe, whose office was Lachesis, the Aspect of Fate who measured the threads of life, had at first been filled with anger. Atropos, the Aspect whose role it was to cut the threads was quick to comment then, "They are doing it now, you should work around her defenses while she is distracted, get into that castle, and spank them both."

Niobe blushed a little at Atropos' forthright approach to her anger, and shook her head as Clotho, the Aspect who weaves the threads spoke, "Not now! That would be highly improper! We are the ones who let Satan free from his confinement in Hell. We are partly responsible; after all, we admitted to him that we recognize his love for Orb."

Niobe shook her head again, giving way to anger again, "And we made it clear that he could not consummate that love or his marriage!"

"Face it, " cut in Atropos, "You are more upset that Orb went behind your back, and that unruly girl is at least as much at fault. They both need to be brought to task, and if it shames them, so be it."

Clotho responded, "But she is also in love! You have been in love, Niobe, can you not extend them the courtesy of at least waiting until tomorrow to address this?"

Niobe nodded, bringing her countenance under control with a deep breath. "I had no intention of barging in." She pushed a lock of hair back into place. "Besides, the harm is already done, best to focus on what to do about it."

Atropos begrudgingly assented, "Well, I think you should approach her first, she is family, and you'll need her in line to get him where it counts."

Parry glanced around the empty bedroom. Was Orb/Julie doing something different today? A cat and mouse game perhaps? He really did enjoy the assertiveness and playfulness of his wives, it was a refreshing trait after being Lord of Hell for so long.

"Jolie?"

No answer. "Orb?"

Still only silence. Gaea had to be here, though, since admittance to this castle was otherwise impossible, so Parry calmly began his search of the many rooms the keep boasted. "What are we playing at today, dear?"

Parry froze as he passed into an simple guest bedroom immediately across from Orb's room. Orb sat on the bed, her face in her hands, crying. Beside her stood Niobe, regarding him will a cool stare.

Shaking his head to clear his disbelief and attempting to bring his guilty surprise in check, Parry finally spoke, his tone one of dismay and burgeoning anger. "What have you done to make her cry so...?" He moved closer to where Orb sat, "Orb, are you all right?"

Niobe stepped between them, and Orb's head was still bowed, her face still turned away from him. She continued to cry as Niobe spoke, "Satan, seat yourself."

Parry's mouth twisted in repressed rage. "How dare you! You have taken advantage of your relationship to Gaea to bring her low in her own home! What kind of mother..."

Niobe raised her own voice to cut him off, "The kind of mother who brings her errant child back in line, and I said sit!"

Parry's face paled a bit at the authoritative tone and he realized belatedly why it was that Niobe was here; she had obviously discovered their tryst. She was after all Fate, and hiding social interactions of any sort from her bordered on impossible.

Parry redoubled his stance as his annoyance grew. He had tested Niobe on many occasions and perhaps knew her better than she knew herself. "What right do you have to that, you gave her up the moment it was convenient to do so!"

Niobe blanched as doubt crept into her face, but no sooner had she faltered than her Aspect changed to that of a much older woman, whose face betrayed nothing but righteous fury as Fate raised a hand and twitched a finger.

The slight motion had drastic effects as an almost invisible strand of thread began to weave itself around Parry's feet, drawing them close and tripping him up. Atropos slammed the heel of her hand into him and he was shoved back into the chair behind him.

Parry was caught so thoroughly in surprise by the violence of the attack that Atropos had bound him with yet more thread to the chair so that he could not move at all before he even thought to resist her. Now, of course, it was too late; he could not use his magic with his hands tied.

The old woman leaned close, her gravely voice threatening, "You may be old, boy, but you're not wise. You're only digging a deeper grave by railing against Fate."

Parry's fury was unmatched now, and he practically frothed at the mouth as he spat at the crone, "Why can't we be together? Because God says so? The system in place isn't fair, and you know it!"

Atropos snarled but bit back her tongue, suddenly leaning back into a more relaxed stance as Niobe resurfaced in her Lachesis form. "Your love for her is a virtue, but as the Father of Lies, your mission is to sow evil and to use every tool at your disposal, and my daughter shall not be your tool."

Parry's mouth made a hard line as he scowled at Niobe, but he could not readily claim that what she said was false; given the chance, he would have to use Gaea's power for his own agenda should it come to it, as his goal to replace God was paramount.

Niobe's own face set in determined anger as she nodded at him. "Your silence speaks well enough. You are allowed to speak to her, as cooperation between Incarnations is often necessary, but you shall never touch my daughter again under penalty of punishment!"

Parry gritted his teeth, "Who are you to arbitrate my judgement?"

Niobe's countenance hardened, "You have told us yourself; God is occupied. My own judgement's and sentences will have to suffice. After all, who else is powerful enough to carry out such work?"

Parry's face was red with his rising ire. "Such injustice! You're not even going to pretend to have a council of my peers, i.e. the other Incarnations, to vote on the one-sided matter of you all versus me!"

Niobe turned. "Goodbye, Satan. Do not cross me."

Once she was away from the room, the strands binding his hands faded to nothing and Parry was free to move. He took Orb into his arms, but Gaea surprised him by pushing away. "I-I'm sorry, Parry, but we can't." She continued to sob as she stood somewhat shakily and ran from the room.

Parry stared after her in shock and horror. Eventually his mental faculties kicked back into gear and he shouted as he bolted after her, "What? What did she do to you? Orb, are you okay?"

Orb held up a splayed hand to halt him as he approached, her face still turned away as if ashamed. "No, stop. We can't do this, she is right; you will have to use me, and our silly game doesn't negate the ill effect it will have if I extend my aid to your efforts."

Parry stood stunned. He blew up in renewed anger, "You assume my rule would be ill? You know me better than that! I may be the Lord of Evil but I want what is best for us all! Please... please tell me what she has done to you..."

Orb still resisted, not meeting his eye as he took her hands in his own. "Parry, we can't touch now, even despite my mother Jolie is not within me, she disappeared when that bitch Atropos showed."

Parry's eyebrows shot up; he was certainly unfamiliar with sweet Orb ever calling anyone such a strong term. He held her closer still despite her objection, "Never-mind that, we have already admitted on all sides it was just a scheme to be together."

Parry turned her to face him and Orb met his eyes reluctantly. Parry's face shown with his deep feeling for her and his eyes spoke of pain that cut her deeply. She turned her head, "I... I can't...!"

Parry shook her by the shoulders in frustration, his voice cracking, "You can! I promise I will make you happy... this I swear! Just allow me a chance, you know I am not lying to you, that you alone can trust my every word!"

Orb wiped at her eyes and seemed to struggle a while longer before finally nodding to him as she sunk to his chest in defeat. "I'm sorry, Parry. Mother will take convincing, but she must know a way this can work."

Parry clutched her tightly, also nodding. "It may take time, but I will speak to her. Even that frigid hag Atropos will have to come around eventually. Meanwhile..."

Parry ran his hands along her warm body, kissing her deeply. Orb responded, and their movements became lustful. As Parry's hand clutched her firm bottom, however, she flinched and pushed away. "I'm sorry, but not now. Let us settle this matter with her first."

Parry took a deep breath, pushing down his sizable libido. "Very well, a rain check. I will visit her now." He exited in a heightened state of frustration.

Niobe was waiting for him when he knocked on the webbed door to the cocoon-like structure she called home. The door opened almost instantly, and she beckoned he enter.

Parry almost smiled, glad to see they were started on a note of civility, and thinking perhaps that her expectancy of his visit might portend to her knowing that she must eventually bend to his need to be with his wife.

Niobe motioned for him to sit on a comfortable soft couch and he did so, seating herself across from him in a similar chair, also made of myriad strands of spider's silk. "Please, Satan, let's be direct; what brings you?"

Parry smiled at her, "I know you said things to me in the heat of the moment, and I understand how you feel regarding my office. I am grateful that you rescued me from a cruel fate, be certain, but of all things you could ask of me this is the one I cannot accept."

Niobe lifted an eyebrow, "Cannot accept?"

Parry nodded, his expression serious. "You cannot tell a man not to lay with his wife, it is impossible. I spoke to Orb, and she feels the same way. There is no reason we..."

Niobe cut him off, her expression inquisitive, "You convinced my daughter to agree to this?"

Parry nodded, half-laughing. "Of course! What do you expect? She loves me as I love her, and..."

Niobe stood, her eyes listless, her head half-cocked as if listening to inner voices, and she responded as if to those unheard voices. "She has agreed?"

Parry was dumbfounded by the strange and rude actions of his host, "...What?"

Niobe ignored his irritation and spoke again to those spirits he could not observe. "Do what you must, when the moment comes."

Parry opened his mouth again to protest this offensive behavior, but Niobe gave him a withering stare now and addressed him directly. "You have no choice in this, you must accept, or you use my daughter to thwart Good! Your convincing her to this only cements my belief that your hand must be stopped here."

Parry allowed his agitation into his voice as he stood, irate. "I have no choice? I am Satan, the Incarnation of Evil, and I will not be balked by you, lesser Incarnation!"

Niobe smiled, and Parry felt he had made a mistake somewhere. She voiced it even as it occurred to him how foolish he had been. "Lesser, perhaps, but not here in my home, my web which you have so readily walked into."

Parry glanced at the portal they had used to enter nervously and discovered that it had in fact sealed behind them, the thread surely as strong as tempered steel in this domain. He cleared his throat as he returned his gaze to Niobe. "Alright, you have me trapped here. So then what now? You can't seriously think you'll keep me here for long?"

Niobe nodded, but Parry wasn't sure if it was to him. As if to answer the question, Fate's form shifted, once more taking on the likeness of Atropos. Parry stepped back, hands raising defensively, "Don't try me, you old cunt."

Atropos gave him a winning smile, her snaggled teeth making the simple gesture menacing. She pointed at him with one weathered hand, a talon-like fingernail taunting him. "Or what? You'll use your illusions to fool me?"

Her hands slowly turned in a familiar pattern and Parry leapt back, but had nowhere to go. He pointed his own fingers menacingly, "You know I command the fires of Hell, push me and you will taste them!"

Atropos actually laughed at him! Her piercing shriek of laughter peeled out and resounded in the small room as she raised her hands the rest of the way, strands of thread binding Parry where he stood, one looping around his hands and tying them together in front of himself. "They call it Hellfire because outside of Hell, it's not much use!"

Fate was protected perhaps better than any other Incarnation by invisible webs, and obviously Atropos had not fallen for Parry's desperate bluff.

Parry raged even as the tendrils pulled him over to the couch once more and laid him over one arm of it. "You realize I could destroy you for this affront! I suggest you put one of your more moderate halves in charge before you cross this line too far!"

Atropos gave him a slow smile as she reclined next to him on the couch, patting his restrained back almost affectionately. "I'm in charge for this one. The girls need to see that with smart-asses like yourself, force is what's needed."

Parry twisted in his bonds but only succeeded in looking ridiculous, his face flushing crimson in his growing embarrassment at the old woman's treatment of him. "Must I remind you that I am your elder, you fool!"

Atropos casually pulled Parry's body along the arm of the chair and into her lap so that he laid with his hips against her one leg, his chest and bound hands in front resting on the couch, his legs dangling over and off the couch's arm. "In body yeah, but you sass me like any number of punk boys I've dealt with, and I'll show you what happened to them."

Parry tried turning over, but her one arm pinned him at his back from rolling in her grip, so he turned his head to yell at her, but lost his thought as her other hand began to slap his upturned ass rhythmically. "What do you think you are doing?"

Atropos kept that same grandmotherly smile in place and continued soundly slapping his bottom, pausing only to tug at his britches so that his cheeks shone in the lamplight, exposed to her resumed pummeling. "You'll soon learn who's in charge here."

Parry was speechless for long moments, the only sound in the room the echoing sound of her hand meeting his flesh, his eyes wide in startled horror and his mouth hanging open in amazement. "You... I am an adult... an Incarnation... you can not do this...!"

Atropos gave him a knowing look, "Everyone pays the piper. If not me then someone else. You're not all bad, Satan, you just need to know that when we lay down the law, you'd best pay attention."

Parry writhed in her lap once the initial shock of what she was doing had passed, but her grip on him was more than strong enough, the soft cords binding him strong as iron. He panted with the futile effort and gave out a frustrated roar of anger. "You bitch! What do you hope to accomplish with this other than to make a more entrenched enemy?"

Atropos' smile did not fade, and her hand did not quit it's work. "You'll see that mouth of yours can only cause you more hurt. You best learn to mind me, boy."

Further infuriated by the crone's disrespectful title of 'boy', Parry went into a frenzy of kicking and twisting, but Atropos only delivered stronger sharper slaps for his effort, sometimes catching him stingingly on the thigh in a painful manner that eventually caused him to give up that sort of resistance.

Parry was livid with rage, his mouth twisted into an ugly snarl as he lashed at her with words; his only defense since his hands were indisposed. "You are a horrible excuse for a mother, Niobe, to dare step into her life so late in the game and start making demands!"

That at last seemed to breach a bit of Atropos' good mood, her lips frowning. Parry realized now that the jibe had not bettered his situation and once more felt foolish as Atropos reached over to a nearby end table and picked up a large wooden hair brush. "Don't you worry, Niobe, you're a good woman and this boy don't know what fool things he says, but we'll soon cure him of it."

Parry gasped in horror as the elderly woman swatted him hard with the improvised paddle, the sting of it far beyond that inflicted by her hand. Tears came to his eyes so great was the burning pain, the unexpected shock of it unhinging his anger with a thrill of terror as he realized she was really going to set into him now, "No, wait!"

Atropos narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh, now you realize what you done? Too little too late, sonny." Her hand became a blur as she swatted his quickly reddening ass over and over and Parry gave out an unrestrained shout of primal rage and very real pain.

The indignity of the situation struck him hard as he glanced over his own shoulders to see how child-like a state she had reduced him to: his red cheeks propped up on one leg as the old crone held him in place with one arm and spanked him rapidly with the other.

Added to the mix was the fact that Parry could not force himself to stop shouting now, tears of pain and frustration flowing down his face as the horrid stinging grew with each slap of the brush. "When you reach Hell, I will be sure to see you suffer three times what you serve me here!"

Atropos whipped at his wriggling ass with the hairbrush that much harder, the solid slapping sound filling Parry's ears. "You're welcome to give me a try, son, when that day comes. For now, though, I'd mind my own butt if I were you!"

Parry choked as the sensation; he was surpassing a limit he hadn't known he had for this sort of abuse that tied in to the anxious knowledge he had that this woman may never stop: she was nothing like Niobe, and seemed to take too much pleasure in this act.

That combined with the fact that he was trapped here to her whim and most importantly that no one would be coming to Satan's aid sobered him away from his rage. Parry's mouth went dry with thought of being like this for much longer.

Parry did the only thing he could think of at this point; he appealed to Niobe. "Please, you are hurting me with this, please let us just talk and reason this out like adults!"

Atropos was the one to respond, however, and if the others had anything to say, Parry saw no evidence of it. "We tried that, you said you 'could not accept'. Some more time across my lap, and you'll beg to accept whatever the hell I tell you!"

Parry stared at her with renewed horror. This woman clearly had the reins for the durance, and seeing how he was at her mercy, and how unmerciful she was planning to be, his hope that the others might step in and stop this madness dried up like a snowball in Hell.

Parry licked his lips, his throat feeling tight as he continued to shout raggedly at the abuse to his tender backside. His stomach felt full of knots as the full implication of where this was all heading finally struck home. He looked back at Atropos with watery eyes, "Please, don't..."

Atropos gazed at him serenely, keeping her steady gait of slaps upon his upturned ass. "Finding that you might've been a fool, huh? I told you, Niobe, no matter how old, all boys can be brought around with a firm hand."

The crone's words stung, insult to injury, and Parry roared in anger, struggling once more despite the fact that he knew he couldn't break free. "Fuck you, you old cunt! Your discipline is a relic of an age past!"

Atropos only smiled and increased the tempo of the beating, increasing Parry's helpless fervor equally. He shouted until he was sore from doing so, and from struggling against his bonds and the old woman, whose status as immortal insured her arm never tired despite her apparent age.

Parry wasn't sure if they had been doing this for a few minutes or a few hours, and time stretched out to some incredible terminus it seemed. Each swing of her descending brush seemed to bridge an immense gap and he clenched sore cheeks against every impact, shouting long and loud with each strike.

Sweat stood on the Lord of Evil's face, and Atropos regarded him with a cool glance and calm voice, "If you like, we can test your theory about this whooping, and continue all night. I'll have you know, I'm game."

Parry didn't doubt her for a heart-beat, and the dawning realization that he was losing this battle of wills took hold slowly but surely, eroding his confidence as he considered what an entire evening of this kind of punishment would entail.

At last as the situation went beyond his ability to tolerate, Parry bit his lip for a long moment, then screamed out his defeat, "Fine! Alright, I will stay away from her, only please, please stop!"

Atropos giggled, and her hand slowed not an iota. "C'mon, now, you think I'm just going to take your word for it? The Father of Lies says he'll do it so we're all good now? I wasn't born yesterday, Satan."

Parry gazed at her with widened eyes, "Then why are you doing this if you are not trying to get me to agree with you?"

Atropos laughed again, "Son, I'm just whooping you for being an arrogant prick. You're done when I feel I'm done with you. You aren't bartering your way out of this, so just pucker up them cheeks and try to take it like less of a girly man."

Parry paled at her words, his heart sinking further. She wasn't looking for a promise from him? "Then this is nothing more than a cruel beating, with no purpose! How are you letting her do this, Niobe? You are a good woman!"

Atropos surprised Parry and relented her form to Niobe's shape, but the brush kept descending regardless, proving to Parry that Atropos had the full support of the Lachesis Aspect. "I try to be, but when a man like you dances the grey line with my daughter as you do, I have to make decisions that are also decidedly grey, for everyone's sake."

Parry's mouth worked in astonishment at the sight of Niobe paddling him in such a fashion, and he squirmed at the pain he had momentarily forgotten in his shock. "Please, Niobe, you cannot sanction..."

Lachesis cut him off, "I can and do. I already have a plan in place to ensure that you do not try to abuse my daughter's trust, but to carry it out I had to trap you here for a time. Since you are already here, I cannot deny Atropos' suggestion to make sure you know how serious we are, and what further defiance will cost you."

Parry's face twisted into a reflection of misery and his lower lip trembled along with his sorely tested ass in response to pain he was unable to bear but equally unable to escape. "Y-your point has been made, I bow to your superior stance..." he stated as diplomatically as he could, given his awkward position.

Niobe nodded, but did not relent. "Well you should, but remove the notion from your mind if you think your silver tongue will alleviate your suffering any sooner than has already been determined necessary."

Parry groaned and shut his eyes against the agonizing trap he found himself in. "W-what is it that you had planned to do, that you needed to delay me for?" He kicked out reflexively as a particularly painful swat wrenched him into a shout of pain.

Niobe gave him an amused smirk, "You think I would just tell you? I do not monologue like some villain in an adventure novel! That's more your style..."

Parry grimaced at the insult, but was beyond anger now, all of his mind screaming for him to escape this horrible state, the burning in his tender ass and the humiliation suffusing his tired muscles with color. He buried his head in his arms before him in abject misery, feeling the tears flowing down over his cheeks as he grunted to the beat of the hair brush's relentless assault.

More time passed, but again such a notion as time now felt fluid to Parry, since almost all was lost to the red pain and chagrin he felt at being so easily duped, so thoroughly tricked at his own game. He could not help himself any more, and heard himself beg her to stop to his great shame. "P-please... please, I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

With the same suddenness that the whole incident had begun it ended, and the threads that had bound him unfurled, leaving him breathing raggedly on the sofa as Niobe set the brush down on the table Atropos had retrieved it from.

Parry reached down with trembling fingers and tugged at his pants, but winced at the terrible jolt of pain even such soft cloth brought him as it made contact with his tortured cheeks.

Niobe leaned down and helped him pulled the britches up, her demeanor calm and sympathetic. "You will have trouble sitting for a time, hopefully you will remember this lesson each time you do."

Parry felt a flash of anger and stood as it burned through him, giving him the strength to stand on shaky legs as he glared at Niobe. "I will leave now."

Niobe nodded toward the door, and Parry took a deep breath, trying to regain as much of his composure as he could, walking unsteadily out of the now open portal. He forced himself not to rub at the painful burning sensation in his seat and retreated to Hell once clear of Niobe's domain.

Once back in familiar territory, Parry avoided Ozymandias, Nefertiti, and the rest, quickly moving to his private quarters where he stood shaking with the embarrassment of the whole thing, for the second time in his immortal career greatly shamed.