Succubus Tear (Triune promise) (43 page)

“So that is how I have some knowledge of humans, and human history. However, I have been able to access less and less as Taint was getting more and more impatient with me.”

“Yeah and about that,” Cain said, seizing the change of topic. “Why does Taint obsess over all this so much?”

Al’bah was quiet for a long time. “I do not know for sure. Taint believes very strongly the Fallen Angels are above humanity. A sense of superiority…foolish, foolish pride, and an insufferable ego that will not accept that I am yours.”

“Well, what was life like before you were a prisoner? The previous two thousand years? I mean, I don’t even know how Taint got ahold of you in the first place.”

Al’bah lowered her head; she seemed to be ashamed. “Well, I was a concubine for another Demono. His name was—
is
—Strife.”

“Really? What was it like?”

“It was as good as life could get for one such as I. Being with him was as close to being in love as I could have been, back then.”

Cain watched Al’bah draw her knees to her chest; he knew that pose and could tell she was holding her breath.

“And does this Strife share a Bond with your heart?” Cain asked, trying to use the same word emphasis as Al’bah did.

Al’bah let out her breath and closed her eyes. Her entire face seemed to be filled with elation, which made her even more beautiful. She opened her eyes and reached out to touch his arm. “No, that was so long ago. Cain, your heart is the one I am Bonded to.”

Cain returned her smile. “I like you, Al’bah.”

Al’bah seemed to bask in the moment; her entire body shuddered slightly as she sighed deeply and resumed speaking.

“Strife, like all Demono, is weaker than the Angels, and even the Fallen Angels. Taint has been dedicated for a very long time to sway the remaining Demono into the forces of corruption. Strife fought back, and inevitably lost. I was one of the many spoils of that war.”

“So what happened when they took you?” Cain said softly, hoping not to upset Al’bah too much, especially after her being so happy.

“For a long time, I was treated as a valued guest. But I knew it was only a matter of time before the Demons lost patience with me.” Al’bah’s voice filled with resentment. “Their
kindness
was just a ploy. It was but a subtle manipulation I never allowed to corrupt my own nature.” She took in a deep breath and let it out. “A moment, my Bond. I am so filled with anger.”

Al’bah leaned over and rested her head against Cain’s chest. She bunched up his shirt to her nose and breathed deeply, while her other hand tangled itself in his long hair.

“Aaaah, heartbeat.” Al’bah sighed and resumed her posture, but was still turned to Cain; her half-lidded eyes were full of contentment.

“Al’bah, what was that all about?” Cain said, nearly breathless.

“I was angry, the car is in motion, and I did not want to expel excess energy in a manner to attract attention.”

“You act like anger is dangerous to you.”

“It is. Especially to me, and those like me.”

“Why?”

Al’bah sighed deeply while her look went far away. Cain knew this look; it meant that she was having great difficulty in describing a concept or a “state of being,” as she called it, and he waited patiently.

Al’bah reached in the back seat and grabbed another bottle of water and a cream soda.

Odd. I thought she hated soda,
Cain thought.

“Cain, I want you to try something for me.” She held out the water. “Sip from this water, and take only a small, small amount.” After Cain had done so, she handed him the soda. “And now this, but only a small, small amount.”

For several moments Al’bah coaxed Cain to drink from both bottles, and after a while, the water tasted better and better, until the soda repulsed him completely.

“Ugh, no more soda,” Cain said, putting his hand up.

“No! Finish it—all of it,” Al’bah said, moving the bottle closer.

Cain did and nearly threw up; it was as though he could taste the
unnaturalness
of the liquid sloshing in his stomach.

Al’bah placed her hand over Cain’s stomach. “Easy. Easy now,” she murmured.

Cain felt better, but he was still dizzy from the sugar running through his body.

“And now finish the water,” Al’bah said, handing him the other bottle.

As soon as the water touched his lips, Cain’s sickness vanished, and his body rejoiced.

“That is why anger is dangerous to me, Cain,” Al’bah said, taking the empty bottle from him. “Wrath is a force of corruption to the unrighteous, as is what you call ‘soda.’ To partake of corruption is damaging, but if you have not purity in you, how can you know the difference?”

Al’bah placed both empty bottles away. “Anger, jealousy, negative states of being are harmful to me. Surely you have seen enough of this world to know that a person can be consumed by negativity? Surely you must know that such things eventually destroy all chance for grace and fulfillment. Well, imagine an existence where all one can know and experience is the end result of such…ruin and despair, and lost—everything that once was, lost forever!”

Al’bah crossed her arms across her body and looked to Cain with hungry eyes. “Though I may at times
feel
angry, I rarely
choose
to be angry. Do you see?”

“I think so,” Cain murmured. “So, why do you feel angry when we speak of Taint?”

“Because understanding Taint’s nature will not help either of us. Nor does knowledge of Taint touch our current state of being. And speaking of my temptations and tortures at the hands of corruption will give neither of us enlightenment, knowledge, or satisfaction.”

Al’bah shuddered and sighed. “Regardless of the circumstances of my existence, Taint would have desired to sway me to corruption.”

“Because you are Demono?”

“Yes,” Al’bah said with a happy tone, to Cain’s understanding. “And this I swear, Cain. If I knew of a way to banish Taint from our lives, I would have already shared that knowledge with you.”

“But what if you weren’t…what if you were another Succubus?”

Al’bah’s smile wavered. “So long as free will exists, I could never know a definitive answer. But I imagine you would be dead long before now.”

Cain thought for a moment and was reminded of how weak he was during their first few days together. “Hey, Al’bah, did you ever drain my energy when—um, you know.”

Al’bah kept her gaze locked to Cain and nodded softly. “Yes.”

“Why?”

Al’bah’s face showed a small amount of confusion. “You nourish me, Cain. You freely give so much energy to me. Your blood, your seed, and the energy your soul emits all strengthen me. And in turn, I refine the energy you give, and strengthen our Bond.” Al’bah touched Cain’s chest. “And you.”

“Hey, wait a second. Seed?” Cain said with a harsh realization coursing through his body like an electric current. “Al’bah, is there a chance you could become pregnant?”

Al’bah’s eyes grew large, and her face turned bright pink and flushed deep red. “B-be w-with ch-child?” she stammered. “Oh, if only, Cain.” She shook her head. “You have no idea of the treasure humanity is blessed with. No other race that has true sentience can reproduce like humanity can.”

“What? Why?”

“I do not know, it is not my place to know. But, I have my own thought on the matter.”

“Yes?”

“Man was created in the Creator’s image.”

Cain felt a stab of guilt; his thoughts turned to the God he had once believed in long ago, and had rejected as superstition. To hear Al’bah speak of God, to know that she herself wasn’t really a human.

What do I believe?
he thought to himself
as he flexed his right hand.

“Look, Cain.” Al’bah pointed.

They were currently on Highway 54 with the idea of using it to get all the way down into Mexico. Cain saw an exit sign where they might get some gas and some needed relief from all this driving. 

He checked the time clock on the old ’87 Accord. It was four in the evening; perhaps now in New Mexico it would be a good idea to ditch the car. He knew the authorities would have never let Charlie out of the country with Stella unless they gave them descriptions and license plate numbers. They had been lucky, but luck only went so far, and with the speed traps they were running across, not to mention all the dirty business with the Mexican drug cartels, it would only be a matter of time before they were stopped and discovered.

“Al’bah, I think this will be the last stop we take before we walk the rest of the way to Mexico. We have been pressing our luck, and it may just run out before long.”

“Viek-Tein! I do not think too much on the idea of walking several days, or even weeks, out there without some better shoes, perhaps boots,” Al’bah said, eyeing her sneakers. “Also, we need supplies and a decent night’s rest.”

Cain nodded and they turned off the road. Alamogordo. Just under a hundred miles from the border.

Life, Warmth, and Worth

“Do not blame me for your shortsightedness. Humanity was given their favor for a reason. And even if Cain is as dim as you assume, his Bond is not.”

—Walter Stratton

“Let’s see, ah! Room 104,” Cain said, sliding the card and opening the door. “Woa! Nice!” The motel room was unlike any other he had ever been in. The floor was a welcome tile-and-rug combo showcasing a crisp gray and white pattern.

The walls were a soft brown color, as was the queen bed. The entire room smelled fresh and looked brand new. A curious glass wall separated the bedroom from the bathroom, giving both the feel of being much larger while still offering privacy with inexpensive plastic roman blinds.

“Foul!” Al’bah snorted.

“Say what?”

“The room is so filled with chaos. So many people were here, so much energy that is not mine or yours.”

Cain placed his duffel on the dresser. “Yeah, but I don’t think I could spend another night sleeping in the car.”

Still not looking at Cain, Al’bah muttered, “I could.”

Cain stepped closer to Al’bah; her eyes were distant, and her expression seemed a little sad. “Are you okay?”

“Hmm?”

Cain sighed. Al’bah was in one of her strange moods again. She once described it as going to another state of being. Though she could function, her attention would be severely diminished until she came back. He shrugged and started to run the hot water in the hot tub and stepped into the standing shower for a long overdue appointment his body had with a washrag and soap.

***

Cain sighed as he entered the steaming hot tub that had just finished filling with fresh water.

He opened his eyes. Al’bah had entered the spacious bathroom, but she was reluctant to enter the tub.

“Ah, there you are. I was beginning to worry about when you would come back around.”

Al’bah quirked her head. “I am always with you, my Bond. I just could not stand the spiritual garbage that surrounded us. It is gone, and there is harmony here.” She stepped closer and frowned at the steaming tub. “Why do you prefer hot water?”

“It feels good. Why, does hot water bother you?”

Al’bah knelt and leaned against the tub wall, her face level with Cain’s.

“I am uncertain how hot water can feel comforting to you. I have been a spiritual creature for so long, and am quite sensitive to the energies that surround us all.” She swirled her finger in the water. “The energies that fill this water are chaotic. What you call cold water is pure, inert, and more receptive to harmony.”

Cain stood, and with one foot on the tile floor while the other was in the tub, he bent over and scooped Al’bah up in his arms.

“You are not just a spiritual creature anymore, Al’bah,” he said with a smug grin. “I am certain that your flesh will appreciate the warmth as well.”

 
Al’bah clutched Cain tightly and held still; she seemed to sense the precarious situation Cain was facing now with both feet in the slippery tub and carrying her in his arms. “Gently, my Bond,” she whispered.

Cain sat back down in the tub, allowing Al’bah to ease out of his arms and sit upon the bottom.

“So, how does it feel?” he said as he lounged against the tub wall again.

Al’bah sighed. “You were correct. I do find this sensation pleasurable.”

Cain leaned forward. “Are you okay? You seem sad again.”

Al’bah looked up, and tears shone in her eyes. “Oh, I was remembering your concern that I could have been with child. Cain, would that be something that you might regret someday?”

Cain felt uncomfortable and wished he could change the subject. Though he had learned by now when Al’bah asked questions, she would have her answer. “Truthfully? I never thought about the idea of having children. I don’t know if I would regret it.” He thought for a moment. “Why, do you want children?”