When Harry Met Eve
By Evelyn Raith
Chapter 11
We began the decent down into the darkness and the door slammed shut behind us as quickly as it had sprung open earlier.
"Damn it!" Harry cussed and looked over the backside of the wall. When he couldn't find a release for the door, he shoved his weight against it a few times. It didn't budge at all. In the darkness, it sounded like something was laughing at us…or maybe that was just my imagination? I really was hoping it was the latter.
Harry trudged past me on the narrow staircase, glowering.
"… that's bad, huh?" I asked.
He held up his amulet and it glowed brightly, but the stairwell was only a hair taller than Harry was and I was left mostly in shadow behind him.
The air got colder as we went deeper and deeper into the darkness. The stairs became less even and the walls were no longer brick lined and were just carved bedrock. I tried to look behind me to see how far we had descended, but I could no longer see the top of the stairs.
As I was looking back, the stairs ended and became a hallway, but I wasn't looking the right direction, I stumbled and Harry's hand came out to steady me. He turned to the side so I could see past him and held his pentacle necklace high.
The hallway before us ended and it let out into a huge room. Or cave. Is it a cave if the walls are finished? I made a mental note to ask Lara about that later.
Anyway, it was huge. The walls were polished dark stone and Harry's wizard light didn't spread far enough to illuminate the ceiling or far wall. Just at the edge of the light, I could see what looked like it might be an altar or table, with something faintly glowing resting on top of it.
We stood there for a moment, taking in the room before I turned to Harry and said, "Trap?"
He closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again slowly. He looked around the room. "Trap." He confirmed.
I stepped up to the edge of the doorway and could feel the energy of the magical booby traps that lay in the distance, probably around that altar. There was also that faint metallic twinge like we felt at the site of Harry's car stuck in the tree.
I whispered. "Denarians have definitely been here, but this doesn't feel like their magic".
Harry got a visible chill. "It's the other one." He moved his hands in the curving motion he had used earlier to describe the woman helping Deirdre.
As if on cue, we heard the lilt of a woman's laughter and someone walked between us and the altar. We froze in place as the figure moved closer to us. Harry shook out his shield bracelet and I readied my gauntlet and drew my sword.
Just as she stepped into the range of Harry's lit amulet, I heard her familiar voice say, "Now Eve, is that anyway to treat an old friend?"
She was shorter than me, long dark wavy locks of hair framed a heart shaped face. She wasn't wearing much and what she was wearing was see through. She was draped with orange material that just seemed to accentuate her curves and made her tanned skin stand out. Her warm amber colored eyes looked me up and down and then moved to Harry. I instinctively stepped in front of him as she kept coming closer to us. Each step forward put a bounce in her ample breasts and a sway to her full hips.
"Hello, Lilith." I said, trying to keep a snarl out of my voice.
"It's so good to see you again, sister." She offered in false politeness. She held her hands out to me and I stepped back, shoving Harry as I went.
"Stay right there!" I snapped. "Why are you here? What is it you want?"
She stopped about ten feet in front of our shelter in the hallway. "Eve, I could ask you the same thing." Her voice was dripping with the lust and lure that was Lilith. Where I had been created to support my mate and provide him with children, Lilith had been made to dominate him and control him. She was Adam's ex-wife from hell.
"You knew I was I was in town, you went hunting me the other night, remember?"
Her eyes moved to Harry, she purred in her throat before she spoke, "Yes, that's right. Exactly who is your tasty little friend, Eve?" She purred. "Is he another one of your throw away affairs?"
"Leave him out of this." I demanded. "He's just a tag-a-long."
Her eyes were solidly on Harry, he hadn't moved or said a word since Lilith stepped forward. That was a bad sign. She could get into people's heads, she could make you…do things.
I dared a glance over my shoulder at Harry. His body stiff and the hand that held his wizard's staff was white knuckled. There was definitely some sort of struggle going on behind his eyes.
"A tag-a-long? I find that hard to believe, Eve, you always did like the tall, dark and handsome sort." She pulled her mouth back into a smile. I swear she had come up with a spell that made perfect lip gloss to cover those full lips of hers.
"We can leave Samael out of this too!" I turned and spat at her. I hated how easily that old jab started a fire under me. You have one affair that gets you kicked out of Paradise and no one lets you live it down.
Lilith ignored me, still looking at Harry, she put power in her words and said, "Tell me, sweet mageling, what is your Name?"
I felt Harry's body against my back as he tried to step forward. He started to speak, drunkenly, "Harry Blackst—" I elbowed him as hard as I could in what would have probably been the gut in a much shorter man. I winched at the high pitched sound he made as he doubled over. Oops.
Lilith got what she needed anyway. "Harry Dresden? THE Harry Dresden? Son of Margaret LeFay?" She giggled in delight. "Oh Eve, you always have the best playthings!"
I stepped forward into the room and to the right of the door. I had to get Lilith's attention and keep it off of Harry.
"Oh yes, I do. I almost feel bad that you end up with so many of my cast offs. It has just got to be a blow to your inflated ego." I smiled as her eyes followed me and her face turned pink.
I could see Harry in my peripheral vision and he was starting to shake off Lilith's influence. I kept talking.
"So, Lilith, I have to know, after all these years, how did it feel to have Adam reject you? To have him choose your flawed replacement over you?" Adam had rejected her and God had created me from Adam. Eventually, Adam chose me over Lilith and her and her son Samael were sent away. Not out of the Garden, just to the other side, away from us. They were not to cross the boundary of the Tree. They were given instructions to leave us in peace. Eventually, Samael would lure me to the Tree… lure me with lust and tempt me beyond anything I had ever experienced before.
You know the rest of that story. It was a bad idea for everyone.
"How dare you!" Lilith shrieked
A few things happened really fast. First, the darkness on the wall behind me peeled up from the wall and wrapped itself tightly around me. It choked out any reply I would have had to Lilith. Next, Harry let loose with a silver white fire ball that flew directly at Lilith's head. Before it reach her, she threw up a wall of water between them. The Soulfire he threw slowly penetrated the wall, but once it was through there was barely enough power left to knock her back a foot and singe the edge of her robes.
I struggled against the darkness around me as Harry faced a really pissed off Lilith. He drew his staff in front of him, his bracelet dangling from his wrist and his right hand holding tight to his blasting rod.
Lilith dropped the wall of water between them and stood in the puddle at her feet. She closed her eyes and began to sing a bitter battle song. As the song grew louder, she began to glow and Harry dropped his staff and rod and fell to his knees. He held his hands over his ears as blood began to drip from them.
I struggled hard against my unseen captor, there was just nothing to get a grip on to fight back and it held me so tight I could feel my flesh bruising and bones on the verge of breaking. I held tight to my sword, but I couldn't move my arm. As I struggled, I was lifted off the floor, taking my last bit of leverage away from me.
Lilith moved closer to Harry, his eyes now vacant and glassy. Her song changed tone and became one of seduction. I tried to call out, to warn him, but nothing came out. The mother of Sirens and Succubi stood directly before him now, she drew her hand up under his chin and he looked up at her as she sang her song. He was tall enough even on his knees that she only had to dip her head slightly touch her lips to his.
Harry's body seized up and he cried out. His back arched painfully and his eyes closed tightly. After a few moments, he fell limply to the stone floor. Lilith looked back to me with a satisfied smile.
"I expected so much more of a fight from Margaret's boy. Such a shame, but he'll be a nice addition to my collection." Her voice oozing with self-satisfaction. "I also expected that he'd have some link to you, Eve. I could have sworn I smelled him on you, but after tasting him, I realize you've kept your hands to yourself. You must have partaken of a close family member, yet I don't recall hearing that he had more family."
Even though nothing came out of my lungs, I cussed a blue streak at her. I felt the shadow tighten again and I could no longer even move my jaw the tiniest bit. The gauntlet on my left arm dug sharply into my flesh and reminded me that it was there, which gave me a fresh idea.
I was jolted from my concentration by a voice I hadn't heard in a century. "You'd be wise not to turn your back on him, Lilith."
Now the shadow made sense. Nicodemus Archelone walked into view from the darkness. His clothing and demeanor definitely looked out of place in a dark hole buried beneath Chicago. He was dressed like a Wall Street business man but instead of a tie, he wore a thin rope tied up like a hangman's noose. That meant that the shadow holding me was his partner in crime, Anduriel. It was one of the Fallen, rebel angels that had been trapped into thirty pieces of silver after the death of Jesus of Nazareth. The Fallen had found Nicodemus, who could not understand how a mortal man could be born anew and who helped wrap Jesus in his burial shroud. They had worked together ever since.
"You'd be wise not to second guess my power, Nicodemus. I've been seducing men and women since the creation of this world. Right Eve?"
I'm pretty sure my eyes told her what I thought of that. She just giggled.
"I mean you no disrespect, dark lady, but he's a crafty one. It is clear why his soul is of great interest to your boss." Nicodemus replied.
Her eyes hot with fury turned on Nicodemus. "You don't think I know that? Don't try to tell me what my mission here is, oh failed one!"
It was at that moment that I felt Anduriel's hold on me waver. I seized the moment and used the shield of my gauntlet to create a bubble around me and began to expand it away from me hard and fast. As soon as I had enough room, I opened the bottom of the shield and dropped down to the floor below and rolled away from the shadow of Anduriel as fast as I could.
Before I could even get to my feet, Harry was on his knees again and had fired a shot of pure force Lilith's back. It took her completely by surprise and launched her directly into Nicodemus. They both tumbled back and I ran to Harry's side and helped him up.
"You ok?" I asked as he stood up shakily.
"If I have to die, that's how I want to go." He said with a half grin.
I snorted, "I'll see what I can arrange."
He ran for the hallway but Anduriel beat us there and had blocked the way. Nicodemus was with him and had pulled out a sword from a sheath under his coat. I parried the incoming strike, and Harry grabbed up his staff and blasting rod.
The beauty of having a sword made by an archangel, is that it's effective against the Fallen. Anduriel shied away from my blade as it began to glow with a blue white light. I kept up with Nicodemus, matching blow for blow and driving him back slowly.
Lilith screamed with rage and Harry tossed up his shield to deflect the force blow of the scream onto Nicodemus, knocking him back further.
She ran at Harry and he fired a fresh volley of Soulfire at her long legs. Instead of trying to call up a water shield, she tried to jump over it, but Harry was ready for it and it followed her upwards like a heat seeking missile. It tripped her and she tumbled across the floor and landed in a very unsexy heap at the base of the alter.
I took a daring stab at Anduriel as he reach out to grab at Harry, a weird squeal was heard as my blade nicked the shadow's edge. Nicodemus tried to blatantly behead me in a sweep of his sword and I dropped low and kicked his knee backwards. I felt Anduriel grab my leg and I landed on my ass in a puddle.
Lilith had gotten to her feet again and began a few notes of a song. Harry hurriedly fired of several large blasts of fire at her, I was stunned at his stamina for one so young. She staggered back, singed but not stopped.
She began her tune again and I screamed at her. "Lilith, shut up!" and rolled to my feet again.
Harry shook off the musical attack. I had to give it to the boy, he was good at keeping people out of his head. He had obviously had experience in this department. Most other men of his age and experience would be stripping themselves naked and offering themselves up for sacrifice by now.
Though, I did happen to notice that the front of his pants gave away that they were in agreement with Lilith, his mind was clearly still his own. For now.
Lilith kept singing, and Harry's body was trying hard to resist. He flung one more fire spell at Lilith that wavered along a drunken path and missed her entirely.
Harry was clearly in the early stages of being a master of fire, but I was made from the rib of Adam who was made from dirt… and the earth was my bitch. I called the forces of power to me. Felt it deep in my stomach and I punched towards the ground. A huge slab of earth and rock shot downwards like it had been neatly cut out with machinery. Conversely, the same size and shape exploded upwards from the floor in front of Lilith and it caught her square in the chin. You could hear the crunch of her teeth (or was that a 'gnashing'?) as her jaw was slammed shut. The blow sent flying backwards over the alter and into the darkness beyond.
"I said… SHUT UP!"
As soon as she stopped singing Harry was at my side and swinging his staff at Nicodemus's head.
"The noose! It's his weakness! Grab the noose!" Harry yelled frantically.
Quick as a flash, Anduriel slammed against me, I felt ribs break and the wind was completely knocked out of me. When I looked up, Anduriel had pulled Nicodemus back to the shadows.
The room was quiet except for the sound of me gasping for breath. I backed up against Harry and we stayed at the ready as we slowly moved toward the alter, our eyes wide as we tried to detect anything moving in the darkness. Harry looked over the altar and I kept my sword up and ready.
"It's a box, should I open it?" he asked.
"No, just grab it and let's find a way out of here." I hissed.
I felt Harry move his arm and dared a glance as he stuffed a wooden box into his duster's large pocket. I waited for him to have the blasting rod back in his hand and started moving beyond the alter.
"Let's hope there's a door on the other side of this room, or we are totally humped." I whispered.
"Screwed. You mean we'd be totally screwed." Harry corrected me.
Then someone hit us with a mac truck, or a piano, or a ton of bricks. Something of that sort. All I know is that I was hit hard and saw fireworks. My sword flew out of my hand as my body hit the floor. I heard it clink and clank as it hit the wall and then the floor far from where I lay.
Without the sword, the room was in darkness. I fumbled around as Lilith's laughter echoed around me and my eyes could barely make out shapes moving against what I assumed to be some luminescent slime on the walls. There was also the chance that I had been hit so hard I was seeing things.
I stumbled over Harry's prone form in the darkness and nearly landed on my face. I kneeled down protectively over him and felt for a pulse and to make sure he was whole. I took up a defensive stance over him, hoping what was left of my gauntlet's shield would be facing the right direction.
The laughter continued, seeming to come from everywhere at once. A shadow caught the corner of my eye and then my head flew forward with a dizzying blow. I collapsed to one knee, then the other. If I could just stop the room from spinning, I could find my sword.
The last thing I remember before I blacked out was seeing was a blur of white run past me accented in a sudden strobe of light and deafening sound. Then I welcomed the cool concrete against my bruised face.
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Disclaimer: Harry Dresden and all established characters, settings, etc. are the property of Jim Butcher and ROC publishers. The original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.