azrael_church_dining_with_demons/set?id=196146970
When Jake left, the silence was no longer comfortable as it had been. Hanna, having been extremely uncomfortable in Jake's presence, left shortly before he did.
"You outta try 'n' get some sleep." Tuck suggested. "If you're worried about Asia, she won't bother you while I'm around. She's a piece of work, but I ain't easily fooled, despite what y'all might think."
"It's not that. I trust you...I just miss my family."
Tucker looked around, as if someone could be listening. "There is a way for you to see them again if you want to..." He muttered.
"What do you mean?" I spun around, looking at him with new hope.
"I can't say. But I can show you. But we have to be careful...If we're caught..."
"I'll do whatever it takes. "
"There are five lakes and rivers down here. One let's you forget your past life, but there's another that lets you return to it, at least temporarily. If you drink from it, you can visit them whenever you'd like by projecting. The Lake of dreams creates a trance like state that allows your spirit to detach from your physical body. You'll be able to go where ever you'd like."
"Jake won't be happy with you if he finds out...Why would you risk that?"
"Let's just say I'm fixin' to settle a score."
"Ok. Will you take me there?"
"Yes, but it will be dangerous. If you take to much you might not wake up."
"Ok...you're in charge of dosage then."
"Agreed. Let's go."
Before we could get to the door, Jake once again let himself in. He was dressed in a black dinner jacket and pants, a white shirt, and a red silk cravat. He looked at us questioningly, arching an eyebrow and I quickly put on my usual miserable face.
"Good to see you're still up, darling." He said taking my hands. " I hope you're hungry. I've come to take you to dinner. It's just what we need to lighten the mood around here."
"I don't think so." I pulled my hands out of his. "Being here has greatly diminished my appetite."
"Enough excuses. I'm not taking no for an answer." He snapped his fingers and Hanna carried in a long pink version of the dress I'd worn at the dance. "That night was when out relationship started to go down hill, so I figured that's where we should pick up. Now go get ready. I want to show you off!"
"I'm not a trophy." I didn't know whether to be impressed he remembered or irritated he'd had someone copy Ivy's design.
"Azrael, you must understand that there are certain duties attached to your new position. There are important people who are anxiously waiting to meet you. So...I'll be back in twenty minutes and you will be ready or I'll put you in that dress myself." It wasn't a threat. It was a promise.
I was ready, much to Jake's delight. Tucker agreed to go to the Lake of Dreams while I was gone to get some of the water. Dinner was held in an underground dinning room that looked like it belonged in a medieval castle, decorated with suits of armor, tapestries, and medieval weapons on the walls. Jake and I got there first and were quickly swarmed by servers offering us champagne and finger foods. Soon other guests joined us, made up mostly of demon elite. Everyone who came close to Jake to pay their respects stared at me with blatant curiosity.
A loud gong sounded and we took our places at a long oak table. As host, Jake took his place at the head of the table and had me to his right. All of the guests around us were as beautiful as my brothers and sister...Unless I focused on one for too long. It didn't take long to realize that their beauty was just a mask, meant to disguise hideous faces, and it was clear, that these things had never been my kind. See, there are three types of demons that we know of. The Originals, fallen angels who chose to join Lucifer, and those he created in a failed attempt to be better than our Father; an impossible task.
"Try not stare." Jake whispered into my ear, "Try to relax and don't focus on it." I tried but my lack of enthusiasm caught the attention of some of the other guests.
"What's the matter, Princess?" A blond asked haughtily, "Our hospitality not up to your standards?" With that, the dam broke and a flood of comments came from the other guest.
"My, my, an angel in Hell." Laughed a demon I''d heard jake call Eloise, "Who would have thought we'd see the day?"
"Is she staying long? She reeks of virtue and it's giving me a headache." One complained.
"What did you expect, Randall? The righteous ones are always exhausting to have around."
"Is she a virgin? I haven't seen one of those down here in a while. Can we have some fun with her, Jake?"
"Oh, yes, let's share her!"
"Or sacrifice her. I hear virgin blood can do wonders for the complexion."
"Does she still have her wings?"
"Of course she does, you moron, she won't lose those for a while."
I sat up straighter at that and shot Jake an excusing look. Had he known about this? And brought me here anyway?! He would know how much an angel's wings meant to them. To lose them was no small matter. It was As if a major part of yourself was gone. He touched my elbow and gave me a reassuring look.
"You've outdone yourself this time, Majesty."
Jake saw the sick look on my face and slammed his fist on the table so hard the dishes rattle. "ENOUGH! Azrael is not available for rent nor did I bring her here to face an inquisition. Kindly remember that she is not a toy, she is my guest."
Some of them ducked in shame, hating that they had displeased their host. "Exactly," one of the demons said, obviously trying to get back on Jake's good side. "Allow me to be the first to propose a toast." The others raised their glasses and watched me expectantly, but I refused to touch it. Jake nudged me under the table but I sat back in my hair and crossed my arms.
"To Jake and his charming new acquisition, and to out eternal source of guidance and inspiration, Lucifer, god of the Underworld."
I couldn't help but laugh at that. "He's not a god. No where close. And if that's what you all think you need a serious reality check."
The demons gasp and stared openly at me, appalled. They stared at me in silence for a moment before the one who'd complained spoke up, "I hope you get to meet Big Daddy soon. He's gonna love you."
"You actually call him that? His name is Lucifer. That's the name Father gave him."
"Why don't we talk about this later, darling." Jake sighed. "Tonight's about having fun. Such idle things can wait."
The demons soon lost interest in in hassling me and soon the feast was over, myself not having eaten a thing. It wasn't that i though I was above breaking bread with them but...i was above breaking bread with them. After the meal, everyone wandered into an adjoining room with velvet couches, plush pillows, and lounges were scattered across the floor. I became absolutely disgusted when the guests began what I could only describe as an orgy.
"Not joining them?" I asked Jake, shuddering with disdain. I couldn't fathom how they lived like this.
"Debauchery gets old after a few thousand years."
"You don't seem like the type to try chastity."
"Never. Just looking for something more." He turned his gaze from his guests to me.
"Not with me. I've already told you all I am belongs to my Father and my purpose."
"Maybe not tonight but perhaps one day I'll gain your trust. I can afford to be patient. After all...I've got all of eternity to try."
When I got back to the hotel, I changed into my nightgown and waited patiently for tucker to return. when he did, he gave me a glowing bottle he'd been hiding. Wisps of light streamed and curled off of it, the glowing water swirling in its container.
"That's enough. The first time you project you'll be going back through your memories so that the water knows where to take you. After that it's anywhere you want."
"All of my memories? Tuck, I'm eons old. That would take forever."
"Not all of them, just the more...important ones. That shaped you to be who you are today. It should only take a few hours."
I took the vial and curled up in bed. I couldn't risk someone coming in and finding me on the floor. I uncorked the bottle and swallowed the water. It made me sway and made my head feel fuzzy. The last thing I remember before my head hit the pillow was the sound of the bottle hitting the floor and shattering into millions of pieces.