𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞
𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙪𝙗𝙪𝙨, 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙
_________
The fury in front of me stretched her bat wings, a great wingspan that I always envy about them.
The furies and I never get along because they were too hot tempered and hated how I was laid back. So back home, we tend to avoid each other whenever we can; but during our monthly gathering we tolerate each other.
I've seen how furies fight, something so fast and strong and my Lure don't work with them because Satan decided that his children shouldn't be controlled.
Funny how the myths said they were not evil, only acting as the punisher of the guilty but these furies are angry. Angry at me. The whole royal family of Satan's line was angry at me. Not that I blame them. I get it.
These people hold grudges like it's their air and need to consume it.
"Remember me, Cerise?" The fury snarled, her claws elongating.
"Lysandra, right?" There were too many furies and they all looked the same in their fury form.
"Daleka."
My bad.
Daleka was a warrior, too consumed in anger. This was one of Satan's War Generals, a fury who you would see in the frontline and doing very well in it.
I'm no fighter, I'm a succubus for fuck's sake.
I fuck for survival, I don't wage wars.
Maybe, kill a death mark sometimes but that's all.
But all royal offsprings have weaknesses and it's all the same.
What bleeds, dies.
Without any hesitation, in my inhuman speed I cocked Rose and aimed at her heart. Daleka dodged, I continued firing at her until I quickly reloaded and run after her, Daleka flew faster than the blackbird jet but thankfully, as a child of Asmodeus's line, I can catch up on her but on foot. I exited the cabin while throwing an order to Bellona to take the cambions and meet with Wynona. I saw the hesitation in her eyes and yelled out, "I'll be fine but you won't."
And I wasn't lying. Daleka won't kill me, she needs me. They need me. That's why she's angry for what I did.
I didn't wait for her response and head out to search for Daleka, shrugging off the jacket and letting my succubus out, the Royal Line of Asmodeus has wings but somehow my wings were non existent unlike my siblings, my curled horns appeared, barbed tail poking my through jeans and scales wrapped around my arms, nails turning to claws. I knew my eyes were pitch black because everything was suddenly in focus.
"Pathetic succubus, where's your wings?" Daleka taunted.
I was the only succubus without wings, grandmother blamed it on my father's side, no one dared to mention my non existent wings near me knowing how much it affected me.
"I'll rip yours and use it, batshit." I snapped, my voice became more melodic.
I saw her glare and wasted no time before charging at me, tucking her wings to launch herself to me. I open fired at her, somehow missing her and she dug her claws on my waist.
We both crashed through the cabin, destroying the trees with my back until I heard the telltale of a boulder cracking as my back met the boulder.
Daleka cackled, floating few feet higher. I groaned and pushed off, firing at her without care until I ran out of bullets.
"Relying on modern toys?"
I pulled out my twin sai, freshly sharpen for emergencies.
"Relying on your wings?" I shot back.
Knowing how her mind works, she tucked her wings and landed on the ground with a loud crack.
I gripped the handle with all of the fingers and pinching the thumb against the joint between the handle bar and the shaft. This allowed me to manipulate the sai so that it can be pressed against the forearm and also help avoid getting the thumb caught in the handle when blocking an attack. Putting pressure on the thumbs and rotating the sai around until it was facing backwards and the index finger was aligned with the handle.
The knuckle end was good for concentrating the force of a punch, while the long shaft can be wielded to thrust towards her, to serve as a protection for a blow to the forearm, or to stab as would use a common dagger.
"Nice dog tricks," she watched how I toyed with my sai.
"I've come to realized mortal realm is way fun than home. Too many weird birds flying around there."
Daleka, who has gotten used to being one of the strongest Furies, has become cocky and didn't wield weapons.
She didn't wait, Daleka charged at me, I blocked her arm, ducking and moved my sai to cut her side and rolling away from her. Daleka snarled and slashed my back in mid roll, gritting my teeth, luckily, Furies don't have tails.
Daleka swung again, nearly hitting me and I went defensive, she was fast but I was full of essence. As I blocked her attacks, my tail swung hitting her stomach with my barbed tail, pulling back before she could grabbed it.
Daleka, now angry, snarled and began attacking faster than before, I was panting from every block I did. She won't kill me but if she did, she'll claim it as an accident.
"Why. Couldn't. You. Just. Come. Back?!" She shrieked with each blow.
Each blow, I managed to block and kicked her harder, I heard a loud crack and saw that she landed on a tree and split it in half.
"Let's face it, Daleka. You won't kill me. Go home." I panted as I watched her struggle to stand upright.
The fact that Satan won't let me go a sign that my grandmother wanted this to happen. I won't let it happen. I enjoyed living here, having no royal responsibilities. Also, I saw how hot Deimos looked like. I needed to tap that before my family had enough of my antics.
"Father won't like this." Even though, we never get along we knew how it felt to be a disappointment to the family.
"Tell your asshole of a Father, I ran like a coward and you couldn't exactly chase me in that ridiculous form of yours with humans walking around." I gave her an excuse, this will be the talk of the Hell about how a Royal Line of Asmodeus fled from a Royal Line of Satan.
Grandmother might just come and fetch me back because of this.
She stood, her Fury nature couldn't face the fact she had to go home empty handed. "I don't know what Father wants about you but be careful. He won't give up until you're back at home and this time I might not be the one who'll be back for you." With her blood, she drew the symbol of their Royal Crest, chanting before coming back to home with a bright red of light.
"I know," I whispered at nothing.
———
'Loud Unknown Noises Heard Last Night in Monte Rio
Around 10:30pm, Wednesday, a resident from Monte Rio recorded what seems to be an unknown noises from the forest. Employees of the Monte Rio Recreation & Park District is currently investigating the place and advises that no one should try to stay outside in the night until further announcement.'
I slammed my sai on the table of my estate, too tired to deal with this shit.
Verena shut the tv off and looked at me in shocked. She was standing jn the middle of the living room, Bellona and Wynona were with the child and cambions. I needed rest. "What the fuck happened?"
It's 5am and the fight worn me out that I fell asleep in the ruined cabin. Luckily, I woke up in 4am and got back to my bike before everyone could see me.
"I fucking need tea." I grumbled, too tired to even move.
"I'll make it." I trusted Verena to make my tea how I like it.
I saw her pulling out a Thai tea, my body was so bruised. Heading straight for my room and took a warm bath, stripping my clothes until I settled myself in the warm water.
My head leaned back as I closed my eyes tried not to think what's happening back home. Was mother taking care of my hellhound? Does Kiernan still lives with them? How was Melantha?
Here I thought escaping home would put a stop to Satan's plans for me, Daleka was just a warm up for his plans. Why couldn't he just pick another succubus? Why was Grandmother letting it happen to me? I have so many questions but so little answers.
Did they know? Was that why the cambions took the fae child knowing my experiences with little children?
"Hey, you're boiling the water, Kettle." Verena said as she put a tray on the sides of the tub so I could eat while enjoying my bath. She started called me Kettle when I tend to boil water whenever I'm in the tub or pool, it happens when I'm frustrated or angry.
Verena was our baker in the group, her hobby. She was a siren, same cabal with me, I remembered meeting her first back at 1950. She was feasting on a guy near Ocean Beach and luckily, it was the two of us. From the moment, she looked up she knew what I was. Embarrassed that I caught her, she tried washing herself in the waves.
"Your Highness," she bowed even though, she was in her siren form.
Sirens were a beautiful creatures, deadly too. They were like mermaids but with muted colors, mermaids were a distant relative of the sirens except they were vegan versions of them. Sirens have webbed fingers, teeth like a shark and nails that they used to tear their prey apart.
"Who's he?" I nodded to the body.
"He was stalking a teenager, I-I had to." She explained, fixing her wet hair like she was trying to be presentable in front of me. "Your Highness, is the royal family here?"
"No. I'm alone here and don't call me that. It's weird." I said, trying to ignore the guilt in my chest for leaving them so sudden.
"What should I call you then?"
"Cerise."
I saw the recognition in her eyes but I was thankful she didn't say it. My name had too many responsibilities but I can't seem to change it.
"My name is Verena, how may I be service to you?"
The sun was almost setting and early joggers would see her if she didn't finish her food.
"How about you finish what you're doing and make sure to hide the body well then meet me in the Beach Chalet."
"Of course... Cerise."
We spent the whole day talking about human realm and how much I needed to adjust by watching TV and movies. Verena soon later joined my girls which we still have no idea what to call ourselves. She was only the one who knew what and who I was, each cabal member recognizes each other.
Outsiders have already called me Golden Beauty because of my hair and the men I left flabbergasted and heartbroken. I don't blame them if they think I'm some high priced hooker since I'm alway spotted with different men in my arms each week.
Having a lover was difficult, human lover was out of question, I might kill them while having sex with them. Werewolves have mates, they're the most romantic clans and saving themselves for their mate. Vampires were always hungry and I don't like any of them near my neck. Dullahans were bad ass but the sight of them removing their heads, also removes my libido. Fae were a strickler to their Court Laws but a Solitary Fae was different, they don't follow any law except the ones were established by the Princes.
That's why Dorin was a perfect candidate, we've been fucking for almost 50 years but we didn't have any grand illusions of being together forever, because we both knew he'll someday find his mate.
"It's all over the news, Cerise. As soon as Wynona and Bellona arrived with the others, we quickly went to your place and picked the bodies up but we didn't saw you. We've been searching for you for hours."
Huh, weird.
I opened my eyes and met her gaze, "It's fine but can you call Dorin? I need him."
I needed sex. I needed essence. The fight worn me so bad.
Verena smiled at me and said, "Of course, Kettle but eat your croissant first."