The Kiss Of Death

Chapter 18

Lola quietly sipped the tea, desperately trying to avoid the lecherous gaze directed at her. The entire time, he'd watched her. It was unsettling; she hoped that Frank would say something, and then maybe the Devil would redirect his attention. Her hope was wasted because she did not understand the games that the Devil played.

Feeling a little flushed, Lola wished that the conversation would start and end quickly so that she could go outside where it was cooler. Setting the cup and saucer back on the table, Lola unfastened her jacket. The Devil's hunger grew infinitely as he wanted the body of a goddess emerge from under the frumpy coat. The shirt was tight to her torso, highlighting the luscious curves. No one would see how he leered at the v neckline. Frank was distracted, intentionally.

When Lola set the jacket over the armrest, her eyes lifted to the Devil. He stared with his wicked smile. Lola looked at Frank, who was inspecting a cupcake. Returning her gaze to the Devil, Lola raised an eyebrow.

She'd never been so defiant, especially not to someone that could torture her for an eternity. The devious smile increased. Lola's face began to tingle, a soft flush of heat rising through her cheeks. She could feel that something was different. Describing it as wrong would be a touch too much. It was a pleasant feeling, something that she liked.

The Devil's head tipped ever so slightly, watching as the pleasure increased inside Lola. His hunger had not settled, still rising. Lola gripped the end of the armrest. A delicate sensation emerged between her legs, gradually increasing.

"Stop," She murmured, a frown entering her features.

Frank didn't look at her.

"I know what you're doing."

"Do you?"

Lola gasped as a shot of ecstasy rocketed through her. She gripped the lounge, barely restraining the moan.

"I am here, sitting opposite you. I am not doing anything."

"Liar."

The Devil chuckled mercilessly.

"I do not lie, my beautiful Lola. What you are feeling is the tea which I do believe Mephistopheles gave you, not me."

"He does your bidding, let me free of your tricks."

"That is true; however, this was not from my orders. I do recall telling you that Mephistopheles forgets what is appropriate."

"Then perhaps you should tell him that he shouldn't do that. We are here for a reason, not to witness your parlour tricks hidden behind your servant's actions."

Assessing the fiery woman in front of him, the Devil noted that she was braver than many he'd crossed paths with. Associating with humans might be beyond him, but that didn't mean that the Devil would not tempt one if he so desired.

The Devil flicked his fingers, sending Mephistopheles away. Lola noted that the food and tea did not disappear with him, much to her annoyance. Her head turned to look at Frank, who was still engrossed in the cupcake. The paper was carefully pulled free, revealing the succulent food beneath. It was moist, rich in taste, and left him wanting more. Frank spent his teen years perpetually hungry, and the smorgasbord of sweet food was too much for him to resist.

"Let him go."

"He will turn the conversation in a direction that you do not desire."

"How could you know that?"

"I know a lot of things. I can see more than you would imagine to be true. When he walks out of here, he will have memories of our conversation, and it will please him to know that his endeavours for today have been fruitful. The pain of the past will blind him to what is necessary for the future. You are not trapped in that life, nor are you haunted by the memories or suffered at her hand. And you want what is best for him and his sister. As such, you are the best person for the conversation."

"Then you know why we are here?"

"I do."

"So, what do you have to say about it?"

Raising an eyebrow, the Devil regarded the human with severe interest. What did he have to say about it?

"Jacqueline is the biggest of all the mistakes that I have made in my extremely long life. What I could say about her is endless, and none of it would be pleasant for your delicate ears. We could reduce it to one mere statement that is she exists when she should not."

The Devil finally turned away from the pretty woman, gazing at the roaring fire. As the flames rose high and licked at the air, the glow shone on his face. Lola thought, for a moment, that there was an ethereal quality about the Devil that she didn't think possible.

"We happened upon each other, I was walking through the streets, pondering my thoughts, she was seconds away from getting caught by one rather infamous miscreant that had a deadly penchant for prostitutes. I am not one to interfere when blood is spilt upon the streets, and still to this day, I do not know why it happened, but it did. It is rare for me to be like that, and I wonder if something intervened that fateful night. Regardless, the deed was done, and she was saved from a monster only to become one herself. We had struck a bargain, a deal if you will. She would be saved, and all that I wanted was for her to bore me a child. Jacqueline agreed to it but then suffered buyers remorse. I know that this world sees me as the monster, that I am the horrid creature from the depths of the Underworld, but I am not all that I am made out to be. She asked for leniency, and I granted it to her. She was yet to find a husband, and I was more than happy to wait for that day to come. Of course, I warned her that my patience would only last for so long."

His dark and ominous gaze returned to Lola. If only she knew, he thought.

"Jacqueline wore it thin, incredibly thin. Each year on the anniversary of that night I would return, ask her if she'd found a husband to create my child with and she answered no. For years I believed her, foolishly. When she didn't show one year, I searched for her and found the truth. Rather than give me the child that she'd birthed a few years earlier, she chose to kill him. Angry at her, I cursed her to a life of walking this land, never forgetting her crime against her own flesh and blood, never forgetting her dishonesty to me."

The Devil paused, settling the anger that was growing.

"Do you know why she selected Frank?"

"To save him that night?"

The Devil chuckled.

"Please, as if she actually cares about him. Jacqueline picked Frank because she knew that he would spend his teen years lusting for women while knowing that he could never touch them. When he would finally get that chance, he'd pick someone that fitted within his desires. Aside from the first few years, then he was merely a scared child. Jacqueline desires his victims to be young, female and mirror her image. It had begun as an attempt to fool the Almighty into believing the victims soul would be taken but would really be Jacqueline's. She fails to see that no one can fool the Almighty and regardless of whether she murders the woman or acts through Frank, Heaven will not listen to her. They are not interested in those who have fallen. To obey the commandments and avoid the deadly sins, that is the goal for a human should they wish for eternity in Heaven. Few are granted leniency, most end up in my world."

Lola was stunned to hear those words. Realising that her after life would be spent in the fiery pits of Hell, she wondered if the Devil would go a little easier on her now that they've met and had a pleasant conversation. Inwardly, she scoffed at her naivety. As if the Devil would care about her once she walked out the door. She'd just be another soul in his world, suffering his wrath.