Irdu-Lili: Sins of the Succubi

A cold and vaguely familiar voice responded, "For Bernadette, whore of Shaitan."

Before she could answer the wall beside her exploded. Something barged into Kilili and tackled her across the room. She leapt to her feet and tried to dodge the incoming blur, but it was too fast. Together they smashed through the window to tumble to the road below.

With a force that sent tarmac flying Kilili struck the road. Her pulverised body healed swiftly, enabling her to rise to see a twisted ruin of a vehicle where her assailant had landed. The attacker rose also, completely uninjured, metal shrieking as it gave way to marked flesh.

Kilili felt her blood run cold as she made out the monster. All the screaming onlookers fell silent with awe as they saw it also. A feminine form of impossible perfection stepped out of the wreck, her long mane and eyes the colour of the void. Kilili recognised the being at once.

"A lilitu?"

Kilili had to resist the urge to fall to her knees in obedience. Lilitu are the handmaidens and avatars of Lillake Herself, beings through which the deity can see, hear and speak, as well as experience many other things. Rarely did they come to the mundane realm, and when they did disaster soon followed, such is their nature. But Kilili could see something was wrong. This one had had her perfect flesh scarred in a variety of blasphemous symbols, Kilili did not recognise them all but knew enough to gain an idea of their purpose. She had not thought such a thing possible. The lilitu had been separated from the presence of her goddess.

"I need her eyes! Her eyes within me once more! That I may taste her again!" the Lilitu screamed in Lilutian, the language that shredded mortal sanity. Those who had not fled the scene screamed as their minds tried to process the impossible words. "You must cease, End of All Flesh, that I may be free of this freedom!" The Lilitu leapt and delivered a blow that sent Kilili hurtling along the street.

Regaining her feet, Kilili fled, knowing she was no match for a Lilitu. She shadow hopped as fast as she could, but she could not outrun the tormented thing and received several more blows. Still she recovered and continued fleeing each time, thinking.

Another strike sent her tumbling down steps onto a subway platform. Terrified pedestrians huddled back in fear as the Lilitu trailed after. An idea came to Kilili, she leapt onto the rail and sped down the tunnel, the Lilitu gave chase, "I see truth, not light, favoured harlot. Perish, I beg of thee!"

Kilili went on until she saw an approaching train. She knew that if she leapt aside the Lilitu would dodge it easily. Instead she halted, turned and gripped the shrieking thing. "Your embrace is sweet, but not nourishing, child of the vulva."

The train struck them with full force. Together, they were dragged under its wheels. The driver gave a curse and hit the brakes, unsure what he had just hit. With squealing sparks the train came to a halt, passengers disregarded health and safety and began to spew from the carriages in confusion. As soon as she healed, Kilili shadow-sped away in the confusion. She had not really expected it to work, yet to her relief she saw no pursuing Lilitu behind her. For now it had lost her trail.

******

Delanoe rolled his eyes as the lilitu came skulking back toward the plaster covered desk he was seated behind.

"Imprison me to Her, I beg of you."

"Is she dead?" Dora's head rose to consider the wonder that is a lilitu, Delano chidingly pulled her head back into his lap, "Well?"

"You speak of rot and cease, it cannot touch her and I. Your mind is too earthly." The lilitu fell to her knees, "I am so empty, let me be full."

Delanoe laughed. He had not expected the lilitu to be successful, he had simply wanted to confirm that they were far more powerful than an Ardat-Lili. Now it was a certainty, he could bring about his ultimate plan, "Not as earthly as you think. Death is a matter of state, I understand you perfectly. So what is death to an Ardat-Lili, I think you know this." He permitted himself a gasp as he released into Dora, gaining no sustenance from the act.

"Death is me, free me from death that I may burn once more."

"Oh not just yet." He pushed Dora away and stood, "I have something grand in mind first."

5. Shadow Without Lust

1703

Fighting against the fierce winds, drenched and freezing, Delanoe made his way through the gardens.

Since they could not afford to maintain it the garden had been given over to the wilderness long ago. Nature ran rampant here, the fountains were choked with algae, the paths strewn with weeds, the tree roots cracked through the stonework. Poker held ready, Delanoe stepped over a toppled statue of cupid and made it to the little cabin that once overlooked a pond, now little more than dark brown sludge. Nina was within, somehow reading a book without a lantern. "Whore of Shaitan, I should have know you bewitched me."

Nina looked up at Delanoe, sighed, and closed the book, "Sit down with me Delano, it is time I explained things."

"No, I shall not be beguiled again. You've damned my family to hell, witch."

"They were in hell already, I freed them from it." Nina spread her arms, "Your mother was lonely, I gave her a faithful partner, a community that will look after her. Your sister has a grand future ahead of her, but only if she walks the correct path. I have set her on it now."

Delanoe shook, tears falling, "To think I loved you."

"You do, and I love you." Nina followed his retreating form, her auburn hair whipped in the storm, her face pale in the night. Even now Delanoe found her achingly beautiful, "What is love but an extension of lust? Lust has saved your mother from loneliness, lust has put your sister down the path of eternity, lust has brought me to you. Together we can be a happy family, stay with me Delanoe, free yourself from the chains of conformity slapped upon you at birth." She reached out a slender hand to him, "Say 'I do.'"

"I do? I do?" Delanoe laughed, "There is no end to you blasphemy, demon. Well, your wickedness ends tonight!" He lunged and swung, but Nina was no longer there. Unbalanced by this, he slipped and tried to recover, instead his arm twisted and he felt the poker puncture his side. Then he was on the wet floor, feeling his life draining away.

Nina stood over him, a spectre in the rain, "Fool! You are dying! Say I do!"

"No." He would not let her have his soul, would go to the grave free of sin.

"Deluded fool! There is no golden gate! No benevolent father! The universe is more than that! You have been deceived, you all have! Say I do! Let me show you, free you!"

"You will burn witch." Delanoe gasped, rain washing the blood away.

For a while there is only the strangely comforting sound of the storm, he felt himself grow colder than he had ever been before. Then Nina spoke one final time, "If you do not say I do, you're sister will be alone."

******

Present:

Levant lay gasping, an exhausted Esther laying contentedly against him, "That was something else Levant."

Coming to his senses, Levant looked over to her, "Esther? Where am I?"

Groaning and wanting to sleep, Esther pulled the covers tighter about herself, "We're at Kilili's. You just spent the past two hours or so fucking my brains out, so excuse me whilst I rest a bit."

"Kilili? Kilili! I must warn her. She's in danger."

Levant rose to see a dishevelled Kilili standing at the foot of the bed, her attire shredded, hands on her hips. She gave him an unamused glare, "In danger you say? No kidding." She raised an eyebrow at a grinning Esther, "Well, I'm glad you two had fun whilst I was busy."

Esther grudgingly got up and stretched, "That was totally worth the wait." She caught leaking fluids on her thigh and brought it to her lips, "You're a lucky whore Kilili..."

"Yes, well..." Kilili shifted uncomfortably, "Thank you for coming Levant, late or no."

"Yes." Levant said, not meeting her eyes, "Anytime. How are you?"

"Well, thank you, well."

"Good, good. Well, guess I should get changed and-"

"Oh hell no, we are not doing this." Esther piped up, "Downstairs, the two of you, now."

Surprised by this outburst, the two immortals found themselves obeying. Esther directed them to a table and had them sit opposite each other. "Somehow I have to work up the energy for a shoot tonight, so I'm off. When I get back, I expect you two to have worked out your issues. Capiche?" She put on her clothes, snatched up her handbag and stomped out.

The two sat there, silently. They both began to talk at the same time, then stopped again. Eventually, Levant spoke, "I missed you. Still do."

Kilili managed a weak smile as she nervously fiddled with her torn sleeves, "I missed you too. Stay?"

"You know I can't. You said you were to end the world. How can I be party to that?"

"You misinterpreted me. Even now you filter your knowledge through the lens society placed in you." She pointed at her head, "The apocalypse is to happen here. This world's growth has been stunted by preconceptions bred into you all. These mortals, Levant, they live as sheep without realising the shepherds are raising them for the slaughter. I have been charged with helping them ascend to become something greater than cattle."

Intrigued, Levant blinked, "How?"

"I shall teach, tear the shroud from their eyes. It will take centuries, perhaps eons, who knows? But I shall steer humanity back on the correct course, they will grow and progress once more to Her designs."

Levant thought on this for a time, "Sounds like you are just switching the shepherds to me."

Kilili tutted, "I don't expect you to understand it fully, but if you stay with me you will see, I promise. I bring an end to make way for a beginning. Please, just stay?"

Levant met her eyes, could not hide the joy at seeing her again, the same joy he felt when he first met her in that cafe so long ago to him now, "I love you, depraved harlot."

Kilili gave a beautiful smile in return, "I love you, ignorant fool."

Levant threw the table aside. They embraced each other passionately, smothering one another in kisses. Levant tore away Kilili's ruined garments and placed kisses over her breasts, belly, navel and ending only to drink from her chalice. Kilili returned the gestures in kind, wrapping her lips around his phallus and letting her lust take control. She threw him to the floor, mounted and took his member into her womb, riding back and forth, this lovemaking the sweetest she had ever known in her long existence.

******

Esther paused on her way home, feeling something. Her body, aching before from Levant's feeding frenzy, was hot again. To her surprise, she began to feel aroused. She had thought Levant's hungry, primal affections had set her up for days, but already that need built within her. Only, it did not feel natural. It was more the sensation she got when she was in Kilili's presence.

"Hello, I'm Dora. Who are you?"

The street had been empty a moment ago, now a naked woman wearing nothing but a pink collar stood before her, smiling. Esther's eyes widened as the realisation clicked, "You, you're an Ardat-Lili."

Dora pouted, "I am me, no more or less. Master wants you, would you follow me?"

Esther began to step back slowly, she needed to get back to Kilili and warn her, "No, sorry, I have an appointment."

"Ah, a bit too used to the presence of our kind I fear salope." The musical voice came from behind. Esther rounded to see a tall, handsomely built man looking down at her.

"I'm sorry brother."

"What did I say about calling me that! You are not my sister! My sister is dead!"

"Forgive me master, forgive me!" Dora fell on hands and knees, begging forgiveness.

Esther could only watch the exchange in confusion and pity. Kilili had taught her that Ardat-Lili are far more powerful than Irdu-Lili, why was this one so subservient? Unless, "You were brother and sister as mortals?"

"My sister died long ago, thanks to that whore you follow." Esther felt her panic rise when Delano revealed a sword covered in wicked looking etching from under his coat, "Now, you can either come with me, or I can remove your arms and legs and take you. The choice is yours."

6. Church of Reflection

1806

"Is everything ready salope?"

"Yes master." Dora said, retreating to the far corner of the room.

Holding the grimoire up, he watched her walking away. The painful memory still jolted him now. After confronting Kilili he had awoken on his bed the next morning, Dora lying naked next to him. When she saw he was awake she seduced him, claiming they were above such taboos now. Upon orgasm, he had thrown her off and screamed at her. He did not commit incest, for she is not his sister, she is a monster to be used in God's work and his own vengeance. Bernadette was killed by Kilili long ago, his mother spirited to some monstrous place with that beast. Only he remained.

Except he began to realise he was not himself any more. He could not die, only depravity satiated his hunger. He began to realise that he too had died, only to be brought back as a demon of Shaitan. Well, as the angels rebelled against the Lord so could he against the dark prince. He would have his revenge and do the Lord's work.

He began the warbling chants from the grimoire he had undergone great pains to acquire. He had tried various ancient tomes, all as useless as the other, being nothing more than the inventions of some disturbed medieval scholar. But he knew at once that this one, titled Liber Lupa, was different. The words made the room vibrate. The incense smoke whirled in strange patterns. He could feel the circle etched onto the floor before him become charged with ungodly power. When his wailing chant reached a crescendo, the sound of a deafening thunderclap filled the room.

Delanoe gasped and had to control himself as he beheld the perfect thing in the circle. Dora spoke without thinking, "Oh Lillake, you're beautiful."

The lilitu turned to regard Dora and spoke in a language that Delanoe somehow understood, "I am whoredom, handmaiden of mine. Why do you drag me to mundanity? Swiftly now."

Fighting the desire to fall to the floor in worship, Delanoe snarled, "I'm the master here, devil. You shall address me only."

The lilitu rounded on Delanoe, he had to steel himself against her beautiful and consuming visage. Her voice pulled at his heart and member, "Servant of my servants, you reek of delusion." She then spoke to Dora once more, "Have your plaything dismiss me, then I shall cast you to my children eternally for this nonsense."

Dora spread her legs in offering, "Forgive me, I cannot."

"I said I'm the master here!" Delanoe shouted and pulled out a ceremonial feather. He began uttering syllables that were of another world, a world the very opposite of Gamaliel. He waved the feather, every stroke creating a welt upon the once flawless body of the lilitu. "By Senoy I bind you!"

The Lilitu shrieked, a deep chiming sound, and hissed at Delanoe, "This is blasphemy. Nay, atrocity!"

Delanoe ignored her and continued, "By Sansenoy I bind you!" The Lilitu shrieked again and clawed at the markings on her body, then threw herself at the circle's perimeter, only to be thrown back. Delanoe continued his chant and finished, "By Semangelof, I bind you!"

"What have you done? What have you done?" The lilitu screamed, "This vessel is empty, my vulva is not slick with Her. It is too much, I am the void. Undo this, I beg of thee!"

Delanoe paid no heed to the screams, instead glaring at Dora, "Bring the chains salope."

******

Present:

"So why does this Delanoe want to hurt you so badly anyway?"

Kilili winced as she picked up the mail from the doorway, "I may have, sort of, turned his mother and sister into nympho sluts."

Levant tutted as he idly looked over an Eliphas Levi book from one of the shelves, "Why am I not surprised?"

"It's not what you think. I wanted us all to be a happy family, if he were not so 'holier than thou' we would have been." Kilili sorted through the mail as she returned, then froze.

"What's the matter?"

"A letter from him."

Levant jerked his head up, tossing the book away, "What does it say?"

Kilili took a deep breath, "If you wish to see your star again, repent your sins."

Levant took the letter from her and read it himself, "I don't understand."

"Esther means star in ancient Persian. He is holding her in a church of some sort."

Growling, Levant scrunched the letter up, "You realise it's a trap, right?" When Kilili did not answer he gripped her by the shoulders, "Kilili, I'll go, it's you he wants. I'll speak with him, convince him it is not what he thinks."

"No, he is right. I must repent my sins." Kilili shook out of his grip, "He was never suited to becoming an Irdu-lili, I should have seen as such. And now Esther is in danger. I must go."

"Then I shall go too."

"No! He will use you against me, force me to protect you or some such." Kilili placed a hand against his cheek, "I refuse to lose you again."

Swallowing dryly, Levant covered her hand with his, "Then be sure to return to me."

******

"Do you confess to your sins?" Delanoe asked as he blared a symphony from the organ where he was seated. The centuries had not dulled his mastery of the piano.

"I confess that I am impressed Del." Kilili said as she walked down the aisle, the folds of her black garb dripping red trails behind her, protective leather jerkin beneath. She had searched all the local places of worship, until she sensed him in the disused church waiting to be demolished in the drearier side of the city. Candelabras lit the place, revealing the walls to be covered in mirrors. Reflection upon reflection stared back at Kilili as she made her way down. She noted the miserable figure at the base of the pulpit, "Hello Bernadette, how have you been?"

Bernadette stared sheepishly up at her brother, then looked at the floor. "Hello Nina, your friend is safe."

"You damned me and my family, Nina, or should I say Kilili?" Delanoe raged, music becoming shrill, "But I shall send you back to the foul pit you crawled from. Your slut goddess can watch through these mirrors as you are defeated by the Lord's righteous fury over and over. Eventually, she will see how futile her desires are and remove you of your foul immortal life. You exist on a whim, whore, her whim, and it is fickle as only evil can be." He uttered an ancient word.

The lilitu burst from the rotting confessional box, a blur hurtling towards Kilili. The Ardat-Lili swore, not realising it had been hidden there. Just when she was about to be struck another form struck the lilitu and tumbled across the stone floor with it, fists pummelling uselessly. "Now Kilili, go!"

"You idiot Levant!" Kilili raced across to them, only to be blocked by Delanoe.

Quick as a snake, he brandished his sword and impaled her. She gasped and gripped the blade, Delanoe grinned fiercely, "This blade holds the power of the three angels that sealed your slut goddess' power. Can you feel it? Your immortality draining away?"

Stone and woods shards flew up behind Delanoe, Kilili heard Levant give a yell. The Lilitu would destroy him soon if she did not hurry. She slapped Delanoe hard. He staggered back, pulling the sword with him. Kilili advanced and slapped him again. Delanoe backed against a pillar, stunned, "How?"

"I recognised the symbols you placed upon the lilitu and knew your intent." Kilili lifted her drenched garb, "I soaked this in the blood of shedim babes. Lillake had to satiate those three angels by sacrificing her own children to them. Those monsters you call angels are far worse than she, if you were not such a fanatic in your will to believe dogma you would know this." She produced a large jar from under her robes full of red liquid.