Chapter 1
Lucian Elysium
Ten Years Ago
TheonlythingIknew about love was it had no purpose but to make one stupid and weak.
To love is to fall.
And oh, how far I’d fallen. Not literally, but Ihaddropped from grace, fromHergrace.
Sitting on my obsidian throne, with the skulls of my most cherished battle victories adorning the base, I threw a leg over the armrest and watched Malachi roughly handle a newly arrived pedophile.
If there is one sin I cannot stand above all else, it is humans molesting their children.
“You’re going to scream for me, Kevin. Remember when those babies screamed when you violated them?” Malachi snapped his fingers and the man’s clothes disappeared, revealing his old, flabby stomach and limp dick.
“Whatever is the matter?” I asked, enjoying the strands of fear sliding through the air from his terror. If I were to open my mouth and stick out my tongue, they’d taste like the sweetest wine.
He whimpered, his face contorting between revulsion and ecstasy as he stared at me.
“Being tortured doesn’t get you off when you’re not the one in control, huh?” I sneered at the line of snot hanging from his nose.
These humans are always so sure they will never get caught or punished for their despicable acts.
“Puh-please,” he begged. “I swear to touch no kids again. Give me another chance.” He held his bound hands in front of his chest as if to pray.
“Oh, I know you won’t.” I rose and slowly descended the steps of my dais.
A lava bubble burst from an opening in the floor next to my newest sinner. Several red-hot drops of magma landed on his bare hip. He let loose a high-pitched yelp and beat at his smoking flesh.
Malachi called forth a long, black whip from the ether, then snapped it a few times.
The barbed leather tip stopped only inches from the despicable child molester. "Please! I'm sorry." His voice grated on my nerves.
When I stood before them both, I held out my palm. “Give the whip to me.”
Malachi grinned, his violet eyes dancing with excitement. “My Lord.” He bowed deeply, then placed it into my waiting fingers.
I tested out the whip’s weight with a swift crack in the sulfurous air right above the human's head.
Kevin’s breaths came rapidly, his stare riveted to the dark leather curled in my hand.
Honestly, I really didn’tneedto test the weapon. I had unlimited power from Hell’s ether. My thoughts could kill with a simple command. I could reach inside a person’s brain to find every hidden depravity, every dark, delicious sin…I could even bring someone to life if I’d been feeling generous.
For the record, I’d lost all generosity during the Angel Wars, back when God had decided to cast me away and create Her precious humans. Her reckless action had forced me to this plane to dole out their punishments.
But over the years, I’d recruited other angels who, like me, had gotten fed up with Heaven’s shit.
Our constant struggle—the Fallen and Heaven’s gatekeepers—vying for souls kept the universe in balance.
But, oh…how I do love to test her limits.
If it hadn’t been for my own self-preservation, I would’ve waged a new war on Heaven that would’ve made that first tussle look like toy soldiers lying in the dirt.
“Oh God, oh God, oh God,” Kevin cried, yellow piss running down the inside of his thigh.
“God has no ears inmydomain.” Just the thought of her presence intruding in my world drove a spike of anger into my blood.
