Dear Readers, please forgive my long absence. This VERY long chapter required extensive choreography and staging and, being particular (read: OCD) I've long been agonizing over every word. Don't worry, I haven't given up on this story - much more drama to come.
Please Review. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Enjoy!
~TLD
Part Twenty-Three: The Descent and the Fall
Back in the living room, Mama was shaking and babbling incoherently, her eyes wild with fright.
"Mama?" Morticia asked, resting her hand lightly on her shoulder. "What is it? What did you see?" she whispered into Mama's ear.
Mama's shaking subsided. Her eyes stared off into the distance, focused on some unseen entity. She forced her mind back to the images she saw swirling around in her cauldron, the images that had frightened her and sent her running out of the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Pubert raced down the creaky hallway, realizing with a start that he never said 'bye' to Joel. He barreled around the corned into the foyer, just in time to see Joel slam the front door in the face of –
"Wh-" Pubert choked, "Was that-?"
"Little Pigs, Little Pigs…" Lilith's sweet compelling voice whispered through the door, followed by her enchanting giggle.
Pubert felt his blood cool. He finished his sentence in a whisper, "… her?"
Joel and Wednesday turned toward the sound of his voice, their eyes wild with disbelief. Joel smothered the inexplicable urge to open the door again, just to check that his eyes weren't fooling him, that Lilith had really been standing on the doorstep. But, he knew what he'd seen.
"Yea," Joel barked, his voice becoming business-like, as his mind was already whirling ahead, strategizing their next move.
He turned his eyes to Wednesdsay, who still hadn't spoken. Her eyes were slightly glazed over, the result of the shock and the draining effects of the séance earlier in the evening. He touched her shoulder, drawing her glazed eyes to his face.
"They're here," he said softly, squeezing her shoulder gently.
In response, Wednesday's eyes hardened and the lost look left her face. Focus returned and Wednesday nodded roughly.
"Let's go," she growled, and she led the race back into the living room.
The sound of their stomping feet filled the house, so it was no surprise that they found Morticia, Gomez, and Pugsley already gazing in their direction as they entered the living room. As the pounding of their footsteps died away, the sudden silence felt like an oppressive weight.
They all jumped as Morticia spoke, her voice a hollow echo of its normally cold and seductive tone, "She's come."
Joel watched as her long, catlike eyes narrowed into dangerous slits, her eyebrows arching menacingly. She folded her arms across her chest and turned to her husband whose face contorted into a wicked grimace, his eyes glinting in anticipation. With a flourish, he spun to face the group, and -
"Aaaaahhhhhh!"
Gomez was interrupted by Mama's blood-curdling scream. Her eyes were white and unfocused, seeing things no one else could see. She was shaking uncontrollably and muttering to herself in a language none had ever heard before.
Morticia threw herself on the sofa next to Mama, "Mama!" she shouted over the muttering, "What is it?"
Suddenly Mama froze. Her eyes, still unfocused, gazed seeing and unseeing across the room. She whispered something so low that even Joel couldn't catch it.
"Mama?" Morticia asked again.
Suddenly, reason returned to Mama's face and her blank stare was replaced with a look of utmost concern.
"Morticia! Gomez!" She shouted, "They're here! And what's more -"
Mama was interrupted as Lurch burst into the living room. Singed and disheveled, Lurch spoke urgently, causing his deep bass voice and Mama's shrill whine to overlap. But the family was able to understand them both, because they happened to shout out the exact same word -
"FIRE!"
The eerie combination of voices rang through the derelict halls like the screeching of some primordial creature, but the Addams' didn't have time to relish the sound.
Gomez flowed effortlessly into the role of general. In one fluid motion he pulled down two heavy long swords from the wall threw one to Joel. With a graceful arc, he twisted the other in his grasp as he addressed the rest of his family.
"Joel and I will draw the fiends away from the house," Gomez grinned. Joel nodded hard, already switching into battle mode.
Wednesday marveled at the ease with which Joel held the heavy sword. It hung loosely in his grasp, held aloft as if it weighed nothing. She watched his hazel eyes glint gold against the sparkling silver of the blade as he tested its balance and swung it through his stances.
"Pugsley and Wednesday," her father's voice jolted her out of reverie, "You will cover us from upstairs windows with crossbows, arrows, grenades, etc." Pugsley grinned hugely, greatly anticipating using his new inventions. Wednesday nodded sharply. Suddenly, she felt Joel's eyes on her and saw that he'd put aside his sword. His eyes were dark and dangerous, the eyes of a warrior, but as she stared back she sensed the pain in them as well. She lifted her chin defiantly.
I'm not afraid, she seemed to say.
Joel didn't smile, but he nodded slightly. He turned away, went to the wall and pulled down a set of leather gauntlets. He pulled the steel gloves off a suit of armor and put them beside Gomez. Gomez smiled at Joel, and finished the assignments.
"Lurch, you will assist Mrs. Addams in putting out the fire," Gomez ordered. Lurch nodded. Gomez strode over to him, laid a heavy hand on his shoulder and spoke somberly, "I'm counting on you, old chap." He looked deeply into Lurch's mud-colored eyes, "Protect her as I would."
Lurch knew he wasn't speaking about the house.
Gomez approached his wife, and pulled her into a tight embrace. Faces and lips inches apart, Gomez whispered, "Cara mia." His voice was barely more than a sigh. Morticia's brow furrowed, but she smiled sweetly and cupped Gomez' face in one hand, her long, pointed, red nails, caressing his temple.
"Mon cher," she whispered back.
"Wait for me on this side, my love, for there would be no rest for me in either world without you," Gomez crooned.
"Never fear, my dearest, for no force on earth or below can separate us, " Morticia crooned back in her seductive whisper.
As their lips crashed together in a passionate kiss, Joel averted his eyes, suddenly feeling that he was intruding on something much too private. As he turned, his eyes locked with Wednesday's. She'd been staring at him, Joel realized with a start.
He stared back, feeling a static energy building between them, pulling them together. With a shock, he realized he was resisting the pull. Releasing his breath in a huff, he took two long strides and pulled Wednesday into his arms. The sensation of relief was immediate. He tucked his head into her hair, closed his eyes, and breathed her in.
After a long moment that felt like seconds to Joel, Wednesday cleared her throat. Joel lifted his head to find that they were alone.
He turned his confused eyes on Wednesday, "Where-" he began
"Giving us a moment, I guess, " she muttered, slightly embarrassed. She rolled her eyes to alleviate her discomfort. Joel smiled.
Joel took a deep breath, his face falling into concern. He twitched uncomfortably before speaking in a rush.
"Be careful," he began, his voice low and earnest.
But Wednesday cut him off again, "I will. You too." She spoke in short huffs, as if she really didn't want to have this conversation. And, in truth, she really didn't.
While she certainly wasn't ready to profess her undying love like her parents had done, she wasn't particularly relishing the idea of Joel going out in a puff of ash on the battlefield - especially since she wouldn't be down there fighting with him. At least she could cover him from above. Either way, she really didn't want to think of the possibilities and myriad emotions - ew - she'd feel if he got himself killed.
She pulled herself out of his embrace, took a deep breath and put her game face on. "Just watch your ass," she snapped, and then cocked a snarky smile.
Joel's face broke into his signature cocky, lazy smile, "That's your job," he quipped.
And then he laughed outright as Wednesday's face curled up in mock anger.
But after a second, his face sobered, and with one final glance, he turned and left the living room to go find Gomez.
Wednesday watched him leave. Shook herself. And then ran upstairs to find Pugsley and his assorted weaponry.
As Joel followed the sound of Gomez' voice into the dungeons, he heard Pubert arguing with his father.
"But Father!" Pubert cried, "I can help! I'm an excellent sword fighter, you said so yourself!" Pubert whined.
"I know, my boy," Gomez replied slightly impatiently, "but you're too small yet."
"But Father!" Pubert interrupted.
Gomez's voice became stern, "Now that's my final word. You can't come outside with Joel and I. However, " Gomez paused, composing himself, "I do have something VERY important for you to do inside the house."
Pubert leaned into his father, drawn by his tone, "Yes, Father?"
Gomez kneeled before his son and laid a hand on his shoulder, "Pubert, son, I need to you to help Lurch protect your mother. Can you do that for me? It's very, very important. Can you handle that?" Gomez' voice was sincere.
Pubert snapped to attention, "Yes sir!" he shouted. And, miniature rapier in hand, he raced up the stairs to find Morticia and Lurch, who were putting out the fire on the roof.
As Gomez stared after the tiny form of his youngest son, his eyes glazing over momentarily, Joel stepped out of the shadows. Gomez's eyes jumped to his face, his wistful expression breaking into a hearty, if not slightly wicked expression.
"Ready, my boy?" Gomez calls, a challenging tone in his voice.
Joel nodded toward the dungeon that had been doubling as the armory, "Don't you want to put on some mail? Cover your throat at least?" Joel eyed Gomez's attire. Yes he had put on the steel gauntlets Joel had given him, but, aside from those, he was dressed in his normal pinstripe suit.
"Mail?" Gomez laughed, "Why on earth would I want that?"
Joel's voice became sarcastic, "Oh, I don't know," he mocked, "so that you might end this fight living?" He started to explain, "You don't understand, even without weapons –"
But Gomez cut him off, "Ah, Joel, but here's the thing about living. It's not really living unless you can feel alive!" he exclaimed. And then, with a "HAH!" he turned away from Joel and led the way into battle.
Sighing heavily and rolling his eyes, Joel took a final, cleansing breath, cinched his gauntlets tighter, gripped his sword, and followed Mr. Addams into the fray.
Pubert ran through the house searching for his mother and Lurch. "Mother?" he called. "Where are you?"
He searched rooms, climbed stairs, and sniffed for signs of the fire. After checking all the main floors, suddenly it hit him – The Roof! With renewed haste he scrambled up the attic stairs until he reached the landing. What he saw there almost knocked him back down.
The attic and roof were completely ablaze. It looked like the entire top of the house was made completely of fire. He coughed. The room was full of smoke so thick he could barely see his hands in front of his face. "Mother?" he called, choking on the smoke in his lungs.
But, if she answered, he couldn't hear it over the growl of the flames. Mustering his courage, he groped through the smoke, squinting his eyes against the ash-filled air. The heat on his skin was overwhelming and he felt his skin tighten in an attempt to shield him from the blaze. Tears streamed down his face as his eyes fought against the smoke. Desperation started to sink in. Where could they be? Pubert tried to squash the thought that they'd already been burned to ash.
Suddenly, he saw them. It seemed as though Lurch had punched a hole through the roof so that Mrs. Addams could get out of the smoke-filled attic and combat the blaze from above. Pubert saw the open area as moonlight filtered in against the fire and a fresh breeze hit his face. As he ran to them, he registered the fire extinguishers in their hands and Lurch's soot-stained face grunting in determination as he beat the surrounding flames, a fire extinguisher in each hand. He fell into step at Lurch's side and looked up through the hole in the roof. There she was, her black hair and long black sleeves whipped around in the wind, her angular body perching like a cat on the roof. Morticia reigned over the smoldering mansion, battling the flames with only a fire extinguisher and the force of her will.
Wednesday notched another flaming arrow into her crossbow, brought the sight up to her eyes, and arched an eyebrow contemptuously before letting her arrow fly. The vampire she'd been aiming at sensed her arrow a moment too soon, so, instead of burrowing deep into the vamp's heart and sending it up in flames, the arrow only grazed his arm. He howled in pain, but stood relatively unharmed.
"Shit," Wednesday cursed. "Damn vamps move too fast."
Pugsley grunted as he loaded a round into his grenade launcher. "I told you, you need a bigger bang." He threw a quick smirk her way before setting his sights and pulling the trigger.
Wednesday watched, her interest only mildly peaked. A loud BANG threw Pugsley nearly halfway back into the room, but Wednesday watched as the grenade flew out of the open window and BOOM, reduced the vampire to a smoldering pile of ash.
Wednesday smiled despite herself, but, as Pugsley got up and crawled back over to the window, she wiped the grin off her face.
Turning a stoic and utterly annoyed face on Pugsley, she said, "That one was mine."
Pugsley laughed. "What did I tell you? Bigger bang."
On the battlefield, that is to say, the Addams' backyard, Lilith screamed in rage as her bodyguard exploded in a cloud of ash. She turned her ice blue eyes, now pulsing with rage, up to the source of the explosion.
She saw them clearly, brother and sister, leering out of the window. Safe in their little house. She scoffed. For now. She looked up to the roof. The flames were bleeding into the night sky, still burning strong. But wait, she thought, what is that? She focused her superhuman vision on the sight, and there it was, silhouetted black against the bleeding orange, the shape of a human female, beating back the flames.
Anger flooded through her. But, just as quickly as it had come, it was gone – replaced by a slow smile curling her lips in a sickening display of vengeance. As a new plan formed itself in her mind, her eyes raked the battlefield, eager to see how she might move her pawns in attack.
The scene was rather sparse, she admitted to herself, eagerly anticipating the battles to come when the entire army of Hell would be at her command. Her eyes found Joel, wielding a sword in one hand and a dagger in the other, fire glinting green in his eyes, his face contorted in a vicious snarl, the silver of the blades glinting in the moonlight. Both of her girls circled him, swords and daggers drawn, their fangs bared, attacking with such speed that Lilith knew human eyes would only register dark and flashing blurs clashing and spinning in a vortex of violence and grace. Lilith, of course, could see the stances, hear each clash of metal against metal, the lush tearing of metal against flesh, and the sharp punctuated growls of the vampires locked in deadly combat. She smiled. It was music to her ears.
As she watched, her girls were fighting well – using their superior numbers to overwhelm him, coordinating their strikes in perfect synchronization. With a sudden swipe of a sword, Joel grabbed the side of his face as fresh blood oozed down his cheek. He fell to one knee, but only for a second. With a determined growl, Joel was up and fighting anew.
But, despite this, Lilith could see that Joel was tiring.
She had to admit, she was impressed, he was more than holding his own against the girls. Against one adversary, he would be unstoppable, but with two, he was fighting for his life. She smiled again. Everything was going according to plan.
Lilith's eyes were suddenly drawn to the fight between Ethan, her final remaining bodyguard, and Gomez Addams. She sighed, watching Ethan fight. He'd never been her favorite. She'd preferred Derek. But he'd just gone up in flames. Ethan would have to do.
Gomez was a fearless and agile fighter. She liked him immediately. The two fighters clashed and spun, and, despite being human, Gomez was keeping in step without too much effort. Fire-tipped arrows fell around her and the fighting pair, but Lilith could tell the children in the window were hesitant about landing arrows too close to Joel or their father.
She smirked as an arrow landed inches from her feet. Amateurs, she thought. The boy was loading another round into his grenade launcher. She laughed and then jumped high, easily avoiding the explosion. But as she drifted back down to earth, a startling sight caused her to shriek in horror.
Ethan stumbled slightly as a piece of shrapnel cut into his shoulder. He yelled out, distracted by the unexpected pain. Gomez, noticing his distraction and mirroring his every step, took an opportune swing and brought his blade down on Ethan's outstretched arm, cutting off the arm at the shoulder.
"NO!!" Lilith screamed. She watched in horror as Gomez raised his sword over the prone body of Ethan who was writhing on the ground, gripping the bleeding stump that had been his arm. His wild eyes mirrored hers. Even if he lived, the amazing healing powers of vampires didn't extend to re-growing limbs. He was permanently damaged.
With a feral yell, Lilith changed the trajectory of her fall and brought her feet down heavily against Gomez's chest, knocking him away from Ethan's body. She landed heavily, feeling the crunch of Gomez's ribs breaking under her feet.
As she smiled down on him, he brought his sword arm up, a determined glare warring with the expression of pain across his face. She chuckled as she kicked his sword away and pinned his arm to the ground with one foot.
"Mr. Addams, I presume?" Lilith said sweetly, cocking her head in a coy manner.
To her surprise, Mr. Addams smiled back. "Lilith? Is it?" His suave voice was marred by a breathlessness caused by his broken ribs and Lilith's weight on his chest.
Lilith was about to say more when a yell across the field caught her attention. Melody had pinned Joel's arms behind his back momentarily and Veronica was preparing to spring, no doubt to rip Joel's head from his shoulders.
"STOP!" Lilith screamed, exerting her will and freezing Veronica in her place. The girl halted, an expression of agony crossing her face, before she snapped her head in Lilith's direction, awaiting her mistress' next order. "Take him," she said.
If she was confused, Veronica hid it well. She nodded stiffly before turning back to her prey.
"Ethan," Lilith ordered, "Assist them, and fall back." He stood, ignoring the bleeding stump of his arm and assisted the girls in subduing Joel who was steadily beating back their advances. In a sudden glance, Joel locked eyes with her, reading the acquisitive glow that lit them. His eyes widened in shock and he fought with new vigor. Lilith smiled. You will be mine again, she thought.
Beneath her feet, Gomez stirred, and anger flooded her again. You have taken my sons from me! she thought, her fangs bared. A hideous snarl contorted her face and a hiss slipped between her teeth.
Gomez smiled up at her, amplifying her anger.
Lost in her anger, she didn't notice the flaming arrow flying toward her head until it was inches from her skin. Even so, she snagged the arrow seconds before it pierced her and snapped her eyes up to the open windows.
Glaring, her eyes locked with Wednesday Addams', a crossbow still cocked in her hands.
Suddenly Lilith realized the chink in Gomez' armor.
Replacing her snarl with a sweet smile, she leaned down to Gomez's face, kneeling on his chest. His breath rushed out in a whoosh as she dug her knees in his broken ribs.
"You have something I need," she crooned. She caressed the side of his face with her hand. He held her gaze impassively, as if her words, her closeness, and her touch had no effect on him.
"But which one shall I take," she whispered, pretending to be in the throws of a dilemma. His brow furrowed without his permission. He was beginning to wonder what she was talking about.
She smiled in response. "Perhaps I shall take both, as you and your family have taken both my boys from me."
Gomez' eyes widened, suddenly suspecting what she was implying. He clenched his teeth, refusing to let her goad him into speech.
She smiled, bent down, and kissed him. As she pulled away, she dug her knee harder into his ribs. Unbidden, a moan of agony escaped out of Gomez' mouth. Lilith giggled and then whispered into his ear, "Stay here, love. I have an appointment with your wife, and I'm long overdue."
Gomez howled in fear and writhed with renewed agony as Lilith jumped off his chest, crushing his ribs and his lungs under her weight. And as his body flirted with unconsciousness, fear unlike any he'd ever known consumed him.
Wednesday watched in horror. Joel was fighting an impossible battle, her father was pinned beneath Lilith, and she was hidden up in the house unable to help either of them. No! she thought, I won't stand by and do nothing!
Standing, she turned to Pugsley. "If you can get a shot off, take it. I'm going down there!"
Pugsley was no fool. He knew their position was becoming less and less effective and that, even if he dared, there was no way he'd be able to convince Wednesday to stay. He nodded and said, "Take a stake and this." He put a small object in her hand. It was roughly oval but with a sharp spike sticking out from the bottom.
She eyed it warily. "What is it?"
Pugsley smiled hugely. "It's a stake bomb. Stick that in a sucker and, even if you miss the heart, the following explosion will take care of it." His sadistic smile lit up his face.
Normally Wednesday's sadistic smile would have outshined her brother's in wicked intensity, but in her present state, all she could manage was a grim nod. Gripping her weapons, Wednesday hurried down the stairs.
And so, she missed Lilith's leap off her father's chest and the heavy THUD of her feet landing on the still smoldering roof.
The flames were resilient, but Morticia, Lurch, and Pubert battled them back from raging tongues to gently smoldering embers. They were soot-stained and singed, but feeling triumphant.
Morticia stood on the roof, the night wind ripped through her long black hair, the moonlight glinting off her pale skin. Taking a deep breath of clear, crisp night air, Morticia tipped her face up to the moon, feeling the cool moonbeams on her face.
Suddenly the moon's rays were obscured by shadow.
The only hint of danger that Morticia got before she was suddenly confronted by a vengeful, bloodthirsty vampire was the slightest whiff of lilacs on the night breeze. Even so, it was enough.
Morticia took a languid step backward at the last second, causing Lilith's feet to land with a THUD on the mansion roof, rather than on her chest.
Morticia crossed her arms and raised an imperious eyebrow. "Lilith," she drawled, a small smile curling her lips.
Lilith spread her arms in a decidedly bat-like gesture, her coat flying in the wind and her blond hair glinting in the moonlight, curling around her face like the halo of an angel. But, the sadistic smile that rent her face was anything but angelic.
"Morticia." Her voice wrapped around Morticia's name like a caress. "It's been too long," she crooned.
"You haven't changed a bit," Morticia replied, detached.
Lilith smiled, looking pleased. "Just another of the perks of immortality," she smirked.
"You're not immortal," Morticia replied, a menacing edge cutting her tone.
"Oh no?" Lilith mocked, "Then what you would call eternal youth and limitless power over God and mortals?" she smiled hugely.
But before Morticia could answer, Pubert's voice rent the air, "Mother?" he cried.
Morticia spun at the sound of his voice and saw his tiny head poking out through the hole in the roof.
"Get back inside NOW, Pubert," Morticia cried, fear making her voice high and fierce.
Pubert, who had never heard his mother raise her voice before in his life, let out a little yelp before ducking his head back into the safety of the house. For a split second, Morticia saw the little boy he was beneath the suave swagger he inherited from his father.
When she turned back, Lilith's eyes glinted with victory.
"So very like his father," she crooned, her eyes lingering on the spot where Pubert's head disappeared back into the house. "You've done well for yourself Morticia," she continued. "It seems beauty has always surrounded you," her voice turned thoughtful, "Ophelia, your beautiful children, and your," she paused, a erotic moan filling her throat, "delicious husband."
Morticia's eyes narrowed.
"He will make such an attractive grieving widower. But don't worry; it will be mypleasure to comfort him in your absence." Lilith smiled wickedly.
At this Morticia fished a dagger from her bodice and hurled it at Lilith's face. Lilith staggered back, the dagger's tip caught between her two fingers.
Lilith brought the dagger away from her face, and noticed, with a start, that it was dripping with blood. She raised her free hand to her face. The tip of the dagger had cut a small gash next to her left eye. She stared at the blood staining her fingers. And then, with a growl, slid into a crouch and hurled herself, claws extended, at Morticia.
In the backyard, Gomez was struggling to get up off the cold, hard ground. Lilith had broken at least four of his ribs, and even breathing was a struggle. He'd had pain before. Hell, under the right circumstances, Gomez reveled in pain. But now was not the time for masochistic indulgences. His wife was in mortal danger and he HAD to help her.
Amidst his struggles, Gomez caught a black blur in the corner of his vision. Morticia? he thought, turning his head to see properly. What he saw scared him nearly as much.
Wednesday was ducking and dodging her way through vampire strikes in an attempt to get to Joel's side. Armed with only two small weapons, Wednesday looked exceedingly small and vulnerable in comparison to the tall, vicious, vampires circling her.
With both his daughter and his wife battling for their lives, Gomez experienced an adrenaline rush. Gritting his teeth against unbearable pain, he lifted himself off the ground. Raising his eyes to the roof, he saw a sight he couldn't have imagined, even in his worst nightmares.
A luminous figure, her dark coat and golden hair flapping in the building winds, raised a white fist toward the glowing moon. Gomez' breath caught in his chest, for, clutched in Lilith's raised fist, white fingers crushing around her pale throat, was his wife, her feet kicking, her red nails digging into Lilith's flesh, and her black hair billowing in the breeze as if trying to escape on its own.
"Cara!!" he screamed, his voice laden with heart-breaking agony.
For an earth-shattering moment, all action ceased and all eyes turned to Lilith and Morticia.
Gomez watched in horror as Lilith turned victorious eyes on him. She smiled a sinister smile and looked down upon the scene as a general surveying her forces.
Her eyes fell upon an interesting sight. Joel and Wednesday stood back-to-back, barely touching, staring down their attackers with a fearless intensity that made Lilith smile.
In an instant, she made her decision.
Throwing a final, smoldering look at Gomez, Lilith stared deeply into Morticia's eyes. Her eyes were growing wide with oxygen deprivation, her struggles becoming more and more feeble, but even so, the hatred in Morticia's gaze was staggering.
Lilith leaned in close, holding Morticia's face only inches from her own, and whispered, "Alas, my dear, immortality is not for everyone. Goodbye, Morticia." And, holding her body over roof's edge, overlooking the front yard, Lilith released her.
And as she fell, the sounds of her husband's screams filling her ears, she whispered, "Mon cher, Je t'aime" before the blackness claimed her.
Without a backward glance, Lilith soared off the roof. Ignoring the tortured screams as Gomez ran to the aid of his wife, Lilith landed lightly just outside the ring of vampires circling around Joel and Wednesday. She was pleased to note that Ethan's arm had stopped bleeding.
For a brief moment she locked eyes with Wednesday Addams. The girl radiated with fiery rage, her black eyes burning with bloodlust, and her entire body shaking with grief, anger, and a vengeance so potent it made Lilith ever so slightly jealous. She's perfect, Lilith thought.
And then, in a lazy gesture, did what all of her minions had yet failed to do. With a disinterested movement, she unearthed two darts from inside of her coat, and with a single flick, imbedded them in the throats of Joel and Wednesday. Joel flinched aside, causing the dart to merely scratch his skin, but the poison was potent.
Wednesday spun rapidly, her eyes glued to Joel's face. He watched helplessly as Wednesday's eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed in his arms. He felt the sedative crawling through his veins, deadening his limbs and making his head spin. And just before he descended into darkness, he raised his eyes to Lilith's in an expression of defiance.
Lilith was struck again by his ferocious beauty, and, smiling to herself, thought, Perfect.