Lucifer's Bride [Complete]

56

    "Come on, Leyna!" Kerion looks back and barks at me. "I won't keep Lilith waiting just because you're having another tantrum."

Once again, my four years of high school drama class kick in. I scowl at the ground, though I flick my eyes up to glare at him. I lift the hem of my dress from the ground and 'begrudgingly' pick up my pace, hoping that my impression of Leyna is enough to convince the mass of demons that surround us. It seems to work; most of the demons either ignore me or shoot me a disgusted glance.

They're lucky this is all a ruse. If they had done that to me while I was still queen, Lucifer would have their heads.

My heart aching from the idea of insulting my subjects, I manage to sneer back at them as I follow Kerion down the hall. We take a sharp turn down another dimly lit hallway, the immediately swing right, stopping just before a pair of enormous carved oak doors. Images of fornicating demons and impaled human souls stretch across the dark surfaces, catching the light of the sconces just right so that it makes them look even more menacing,

Kerion steps forward and taps on one of the doors, the sound echoing through the small hallway.

"What?!" Lilith's sharp, angry voice rolls through the wood, making me jump back in surprise.

"Don't give me attitude, little girl!" Kerion roars back. "You and I must have words."

There's a soft exasperated sigh, like the ones a teenager gives their parents when being scolded. "Fine!"

The doors swing in, revealing an enormous marble-lined room that mirrors the main foyer. The marble is a softer green rather than black and grey, and there's only one small throne in the middle of the room. Dozens of training succubae mill about the room, chatting to each other and gazing at us curiously as we enter

Lilith reclines in the main chair, her lavender Grecian gown spilling over the twisting metal edges and pooling on the floor around her bare feet. A thin gold tiara adorns her head, almost melding perfectly with her thick blonde hair. Her dark blue eyes flick to us, narrowing when they see me. Her full lips twist into a wicked smile as we near her chair.

"Girls," she calls out. "You're dismissed for now."

The mass of succubae all nod in unison and stream past us out the doors. One girl with short-cropped red hair smiles devilishly at me and feigns accidentally slamming into me on her way out. I react the only way I can think Leyna would: I 'accidentally' bump her back, catching her off balance and nearly sending her to the ground. She glares at me as she exits into the hallway. I smile back, waving at her as the doors close.

The doors close as the final succubus exit the room, leaving Kerion and I alone with Lilith. The bitch queen sighs dramatically and slumps back into her chair, twirling a lock of her hair between her fingers. Her eyes never leave me, and I give her the same courtesy by glaring at her with everything I've got.

Her lips turn up in a sarcastic smile, and her gaze moves to Kerion. "So what is it you what, old spider?"

Kerion steps forward, clearly unaffected by her power and age. "We need your help, Lilith."

She throws her head back and gives a sharp laugh. "You! Need my help! The great, wise Kerion comes crawling to me for assistance? Oh, this is perfect!"

Kerion remains still, unfazed. "Yes, you insolent little brat. We need your help."

Lilith's laughter stops abruptly, and she snaps her head forward to glare at him. "Brat, you say?"

Looks like it to me.

She gives us another sarcastic smile. "If anyone in this place is a brat, it's the new queen." She sneers to herself. "She's a fucking human, and yet Lucifer's practically drooling over her."

That's right. He's nuts about a human, not you.
I'm barely able to hold back my smile.

"I know your attitude, Lilith, but have a little respect for Amelia." Kerion's voice is irritated. "She may be human, but she's gotten closer to the master than anyone."

Lilith's sneer remains. "Only because of her tits."

"Beside the point," Kerion stops another rant from starting. "You're only upset because your childishness keeps you from accepting defeat. Had you matured a bit more, or tried to act like a woman, you'd have moved on by now."

She sulks like the child she is. "I am not jealous!"

Kerion shrugs. "Then move forward and hear us out."

"Fine," she spits, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at us.

I barely keep myself from rolling my eyes. For someone as formidable and infamous as Lilith, she acts like a rotten brat. I suddenly realize that she's much like my mother, only worse. Both of them are only happy when things go their way, otherwise they sit and whine for the entire day until someone finally acquiesces to their demands to shut them up. Lilith's not a scary as I had originally thought, just really annoying.

Kerion clears his throat and steps forward. "The queen's been replaced."

Lilith stares at him, slightly dumbfounded. "What?"

"Leyna's found a way to switch bodies with Amelia. She's parading around as the queen."

Lilith's eyes widen, flicking from Kerion to me. "Leyna's right there!"

For the first time that I've been wearing this skin, I'm indignant. "I'm not Leyna!"

Lilith's eyes shoot to me, widening then narrowing in confusion. "Yes, you are, you ambitious little whore! Don't play games with me!"

Kerion shakes his massive head. "No, she's not, Lilith. This isn't Leyna. This is Amelia in Leyna's body."

There's a silence as the two of us wait for her answer. Lilith continues to stare at me, switching from outraged to confused and every emotion in between. Finally, she sighs and sits back in her chair, lacing her long fingers together and closing her eyes.

"So the bitch finally got away with it," she whispers.

Kerion, as relieved as I am, nods. "Yes. She managed to catch Amelia off guard and switch bodies with her. I witnessed the entire thing, Lilith. Take my word for it when I say this is not Leyna."

And she's prancing around with my husband!