Succubus Revealed Chapter 20

I thought ab step to the fore it for half a heartbeat, and even that was too long. There was no question what my decision could be. Seth and I were bound together. level off if it had been for Jeromes convenience, Seth had found my soul across the incredible r totally(prenominal)es of the dream world. Seth and I had found each other, life after life, and continually fallen in love. Even if we didnt consciously remember each other, more or less inner part of ourselves had connected. I remembered Romans words.Over and everyplace, you find each other and lose each other, you pettifog and fight, throw it all off on mistrust and lack of communication. Are you going to let that come on?No, the cycle was going to end. On my terms. These lives wed lived . . . the pain wed suffered . . . it wouldnt be for zero. It didnt matter if Seth hated me and never valued to see me again. I wouldnt abandon him not now, not ever.No deal, I said to Roman. Seth and I are doing this together, wheth er he knows it or not.Roman didnt try to talk me out of it. He simply said, You actualise whats at stake?I do. If we failed here, I wouldnt respectable lose my soul. I would also be flavor forward to an eternity in Hells service, with superiors none-too-pleased that Id shaken up the status quo. I didnt doubt that there was almost article or clause somewhere that said I couldnt be penalized for this, simply as Id note worthy before, Hell had plenty of ways of punishing people off the record. The Las Vegas position would probably no semipermanent exist, forcing me to relocate to some truly terrible location.Hannibal called the court back to order, and Roman relayed my decision.Hannibal clicked his tongue disapprovingly. Risking it all for the spic-and-span car, eh? Well, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, it falls in your hands now. Youve heard the evidence and lack thereof. Do you turn over there is affluent proof to support the petitioners case? Should both contracts that these individuals willingly theatreed be invalidated? So much for justice being blind.The jury assign selects anonymously, which I found interesting. It was a small gesture toward impartiality, theoretically providing defense to those who voted against their sides best interests. From what both Roman and Marcel had told me, I could see it pass alonging among the angels. But did it ever happen with demons? Even if they knew the even out or wrong of a situation, their ultimate goal was to accrue souls for Hell. Would any of them be moved by a case enough to go with their conscience? Was it possible that some promiscuous of goodness could still endure in the turnedness of this place? Judging from the quick way everyone scrawled their responses on the pieces of paper inclined, it didnt look give care it. There was no hesitation. The demons wore cocky, self-assured expressions. Angels and demons came from the same stock, simply Id been told that once they fagged enough clip in Hell, that angelic nature was eroded away. These demons werent going to lose any quiet virtually what became of my soul.The votes were collected by the bailiff. He sorted them into two suspiciously similarly sized slews and handed them to the judge. Hannibal did a quick count and nodded to himself before addressing us. A new stillness fell over the room.Here we go, murmured Roman.The jury has spoken, said Hannibal. Six to six. We have a tie.There was a collective release in the room, and then the tension ramped back up as everyone waited for the next step. I shouldnt have been affect by the tie, but some part of me had been hoping maybe, just maybe, a wayward demon wouldve voted in my favor. I had my answer. There was no actuate of goodness here. It couldnt survive in Hell.In accordance with article . . . fuck, I dont know . . . article something-or-other, well be going to a tiebreaker vote, said Hannibal. The bailiff returned with an ornate vase, which he handed to th e judge. Hannibal dumped out the contents, revealing a white marble and a black marble. In this case, it really is as uncomplicated as black and white. If the black ones drawn, a demon casts the deciding vote. If its white, an angel will. He paused, looking bemused. Thats so cliched. I dont suppose we could switch the colors around? Just this once? No? Okay, lets get on with it. He scanned the jury and pointed to an angel with curly red hair and long-lashed blue eyeball. You. Youll do the draw.She nodded her acceptance and approached the remove gracefully. Again, another attempt at justice. If Hannibal had drawn the marbles, I would have been suspicious of the outcome. The fairness of the matter was hereafter solidified when he made her swear to draw fairly, without using her powers to advantage.I swear, she said, placing the marbles in the vase. She agitate them up and reached her hand in, casting a brief and unless I was mistaken sympathetic look at me. Her hand emerged, cl osed in a fist. When she opened it, no one could see the marble right away, but her face told the story.Shit, said Roman.The angels palm revealed a black marble. She handed it to the judge who made no pretense at hiding his joy. He thanked her as she returned to her seat and then held the marble up for all the room to see. There was a murmur of excitement among the demons, delighted at having won the gamble hed laid before us.I had a moment of regret, but unaccompanied a small one. I couldve walked away from here with my soul and life intact. I couldve never brought this up and continued my life as a succubus undisturbed, living out the dream scenario in Las Vegas. Instead, Id risked everything for the chance to free myself and Seth. And Id anomic for both of us.Had it been worth it?Yes. Fate has spoken, said Hannibal, still admiring the marble. Per the rules, the decision now falls to a thirteenth juror, who will be arbitrarily selected from a pool of Hells illustrious servants . Doris?Doris began clicking away at her laptop. After a few moments, she gave a nod toward the bailiff. He walked toward the back exit, presumably to escort in the thirteenth juror.My heart felt heavy and leaden, and I was startled when Roman again placed his hand on mine. Im sorry, he said in a low junction. I should have fought harder. Or pushed you to take the deal I squeezed his hand back. No. You were perfect. The only thing you shouldnt have make was get involved with this mess. It was impossible to believe, but whatever fate awaited me after my suit was denied wouldnt be half as bad as his.He gave me a puckish smile. What, and miss the chance to laugh in the face of Heaven and Hell? Besides, theres no way I could egress you to The courtroom had given way to chatter when the bailiff left, and now silence resumed upon his return. Whatever sentiments Roman had been most to say were lost, as he joined me in looking back to see the demon who would cast the last condemning vote on me. When I did, I had to do a double take.It was Yasmine.I almost didnt recognize her. It had been a year since Id seen her, a year since Id watched her fall from grace, transforming from an angel to a demon. Yasmine had act a number of grave sins as an angel, starting when shed fallen in love. That alone was forbidden for her kind, but it had gone one step further shed fallen for a nephilim named Vincent. Vince was a great guy, but like Roman, the standard reaction from angels and demons alike had been prompt destruction. One angel had finally acted on that impulse, and Yasmine had rushed to underpin Vince killing the other angel in the process.And with that, she had been condemned to Hell.I had seen it. It had been terrible. One angels death, anothers fall. It had all gone down the shadow Nyx had been found and recaptured. Vince and I had been in the cross fire of it. Id done what I could for him, but there was nothing I could do to stop Heavens punishment.Before lea ving town, Vince had told me that it didnt matter what I thought I knew close to Yasmine. Hed said that once she had spent enough time in Hell and around other demons, shed bring about like them. It was what happened to all of them, how someone like Carter could become someone like Jerome. I hadnt believed it at the time but could understand it better after being surrounded in the despair and wrongness of this place. And when I studied her now, I could see it had happened to her too.I remembered a smiling, laughing young woman with sparkling dark eyes and shining black hair. The hair and eyes were ostensibly the same, but there was no light or laughter in them. Her eyes seemed fathomless, dark and cold as she stared straight ahead and walked to the front man of the courtroom. She was wearing a gauzy black dress, reminding me of some Goth courtesan, and her long, flowing hair blended into the slick fabric. Even if Id never met her or known her history, I would have instantly iden tified her as a demon. Just like the others in the room, there was something in the way she looked and carried herself.I was about to be condemned by someone who had once been my friend.Yasmine reached the front of the courtroom and was gestured toward the witnesses table. She sat down, gazing around the room with an unreadable expression.Youve been following the discharge? asked Judge Hannibal.Yes, she said, in a voice as expressionless as her face. How shed been watching, I couldnt say. With Hell, it couldve been closed-circuit TV or a magic mirror for all I knew.And you understand your duty? asked Hannibal.Yes, she replied.Hannibal was trying to entertain some semblance of formality and procedure, but the self-satisfied smirk on his face was kind of negating that. He was too goddamned pleased with himself and this turn of events.Cast your vote then, based on the evidence and arguments youve witnessed. If you believe the two contracts are both sound and have not contradicted eac h other, then cast your vote against the petitioner.When silence followed, Roman spoke up. And if she thinks the two contracts arent valid?Yes, yes. Hannibal made a dismissive gesture, annoyed at this obvious waste of his time. If you believe the contracts do contradict each other, then cast your vote for the petitioner.Yasmine was given a piece of paper and pen, just like the other jurors. And just like the others, she wasted no time in writing her vote, her markings swift and certain. When she finished, she looked up serenely, no change in her expression, no sign that wed ever once known each other. As terrible as I felt about my own fate, I couldnt help but feel nearly as bad for what Hell had done to someone as good and kind as her. No, I thought. Not just Hell. Really, Heaven was just as guilty. What kind of group could advocate goodness and not allow its members to love?Hannibal took the paper from her with a flourish and held it out before him to read. In accordance with the laws of this court, and the infallible Kingdom of Hell, the jury finds There was a pause, and the next part came out as a question. In favor of the petitioner?A spark of goodness in the darkness. . . .For a moment, nothing happened. The courtroom was silent, frozen in time. Then, several things happened right on top of each other.From behind me, I heard Jerome say, Shit.Yasmine winked at me.Roman hugged me.Hannibal reread the slip of paper, looked at Yasmine, and then swallowed before speaking. Both contracts are declared invalid, null and void.Most of the room was on its feet, voices increase in fury. I had no time to process what they were saying, though, because I was disintegrating away.No, not yet I exclaimed.I reached desperately for Roman, whose arms had been around me, but couldnt get ahold of him anymore. I was becoming nothing, a will-o-the-wisp, unable to grind anything of substance. I tried, though. I tried to grab him and take him with me because there was no way I could leave him here, not in the midst of a bunch of demons pissed off over having just lost two souls. I even tried to say his name, but it didnt work. I had no mouth, no voice anymore. I was leaving this place, and he was staying.The last thing I saw was his sea green eyes regarding me with both happiness and sorrow. I thought I heard him saying something about a off the beaten track(predicate), far greater thing, and then I perceived nothing. I would have screamed in fury if I could have, but I was gone. I was nothing.Only darkness.