Page 2 of Witch's Exile
His eyes flashed mischievously. "I brought you a gift." He gave the box a quick shake, eliciting the sound of desperate fluttering and a panicked, "Caw! Caw!" from within.
"Sal." I narrowed my eyes and spoke in a low warning tone. "Is this the equivalent of a house cat bringing me a half dead mouse as a gift?"
"No," he laughed. "I didn't hurt the thing, although he put up a hell of a fight. No, this bird is special." His eyes flashed with excitement again as I waited. "The northern people are calling this bird Odin. They worship it as a god."
"Really?" My eyebrows lifted with interest. I looked over at Ash, who had pulled on a pair of leather breeches and also looked curiously at the box. "What makes this one special?"
"It has very curious behaviors, almost human-like." Sal carefully unscrewed the top of the box and shoved his hand inside. He pulled out a large, handsome bird covered in inky black feathers. Its eyes blinked as its head tilted, appearing to study the three of us.
"What did it do?" I asked, reaching out to gently stroke the glossy feathers on its chest.
"It steals treasure but only from kings," he explained. "It drops nuts from high above to crack the shell and eat the inside. It also seems to react differently to different people. Right now is the calmest I've seen the birdbrain since we got back."
The bird indeed seemed calmer than when it was in the box. As I stroked its feathers, it even stretched its neck out toward me as if asking to be pet more.
"He likes me," I giggled. "Let's take him to Lucifer."
"I was hoping you'd say that," Sal grinned.
"Anchor us there, love?" I turned to Ash with a kiss and he returned it, surging his tongue into my mouth. I knew he couldn't help but show possessiveness of me in front of Sal, but we also needed physical contact to instantly move to our true home.
The depths of Hell.
We found Lucifer in his throne room with a beautiful naked woman in his lap. The curling ram horns sprouting from her head matched his. She nuzzled against him and the rubbing of their horns together seemed almost erotic. They looked like two mated animals, a bonded life pair. Driven by instinct but no less valid than human partnerships.
"Ashtaroth, Salmac," he greeted my two men as we approached and smiled a wide, fanged grin when he saw me. "And Lilith, my dear. I don't see you nearly as often as I would like."
"Likewise, Lord." I lowered my head respectfully. "But you know how the earth is always calling to me."
"Of course. It's the substance you were made from after all," he said gently. "What can I do for you three?"
Sal stepped forward, the bird still enclosed between his hands.
"Ah, a raven," Lucifer smiled. "Clever creatures, aren't they?"
"Sal says it displays almost human-like intelligence." I reached out to stroke its feathers once again. "I'd love to see what it can do as one of your creatures, my Lord."
Lucifer patted the woman's thigh, gesturing for her to get up from his lap. She stood nimbly and he followed her, his fingers entwined in hers.
"I have just the soul for your feathered friend," he said, speaking to me but never removing his eyes from his succubus. "An incubus whose tastes prove to be a bit extreme for ordinary human women. He also displays the intelligence to move up the Hierarchy." He looked to Ash. "I want him directly under you, Ashtaroth. And as Salmac's equal."
Ash nodded solemnly but his icy gaze shifted over to me. "My Lord, shouldn't we see if he is to Lilith's tastes, first?"
"Oh, I don't think she'll be disappointed." Lucifer winked at me as he turned and led his woman away, presumably to somewhere with more privacy. "It's your lucky day, dear Lilith. I just happen to be in a fantastically good mood."
A shiver crept down my spine. No one really knew the full extent of Lucifer's power. Some insisted he had flaws and weaknesses like any other living being. Others believed, like the Christian god, he was all-seeing and all-knowing. But I'll be damned if he didn't somehow know about my itch and what exactly would scratch it.
Sal carefully placed the raven down on the stone floor and its form immediately began shifting. Like black tar, it stretched up to the height of a man-- a tall man. Its beak shrank back into its face and its dark eyes grew larger. The black feathers faded and disappeared into olive skin.
My heart began to race as my senses took in the naked man who stood before me. Tall with lean, sculpted muscles, dark eyes and raven black hair falling to his collarbone.
"Don't be alarmed, clever bird," I said, my voice already growing low with lust. "What is your name?"
"Raum," he answered with a deep, velvety voice. "But some humans call me Odin."
"Raum," I smiled. "I like that."
"And who are you?" he asked with no hint of fear in his eyes. Incubi being reborn were often confused or disoriented. Unlike me, they had no memories of their past lives. But this one didn't seem concerned at all. Only curious. Perhaps his bird side gave him more wisdom than we believed.
"In this life, you may call me Jezebel."
I found myself leaning toward him unconsciously. His presence was absolutely intoxicating. I knew some of it was from the natural seductive powers of the incubus, but their magic never affected me like this before.
Raum's dark eyes studied me, watching me watch him. A smirk crept to his face as if amused by some private joke. I tried to not let my eyes go below his waist and he seemed intent on making sure I lost that battle.
Meanwhile his eyes roamed over me shamelessly. For being created from a bird, he looked more hungry and predatory than Sal's lion when he looked at me. And I trembled with the anticipation of knowing exactly what this new demon could do.
From the corner of my eye I saw Sal and Ash exchange a glance. They were pleased at my reaction. It seemed this new addition would go smoothly.
