He shot me a mischievous smirk, and I smiled back at him.
Today was going to be a good day.
“There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.”
—LINUS VAN PELT “IT’S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN!”
The first place we took her was the orchard. Shem wanted to check on the pumpkins, and I knew for a fact that Lilith loved pumpkin patches, so it felt like a natural first stop.
Lilith squealed when we arrived.
“Oh my G—” I smacked a hand over her mouth with a growl.
“Careful, Lilith,” I muttered into her ear. She shuddered, and I smirked against her, nipping the side of her neck just above her collar. She nodded, and I released her, smirking as she glanced back at me apologetically.
“Oh myfuck!” Shecorrected herself and gazed with sparkling eyes out at the patch before us. The pumpkins in Hell were not orange. They grew in varying shades of blacks, creams, and purples, which made them look hauntingly beautiful when we carved them and filled them with green flames. The patch itself was several acres and sat beneath the open night sky. The greens, reds, and violets from the nebula that endlessly churned reflected off the gleaming surfaces of the gourds spread before us.
“Go pick one to carve,” I told her, and she glanced back at Shem and me like she couldn’t believe we were allowing her to have free range of the patch. We had made sure no one else would be here while we were showing it to Lilith so she could wander and stretch her legs as much as she wanted.
Shem nodded at her, smiling at how excited she was. “Go ahead, sweetheart. Pick one for me too.”
“Eeek!” she squealed and bounded away from us. We watched, amused, as she carefully inspected each pumpkin, her mossy green eyes twinkling with happiness.
“As much as I like tormenting her, her fucking smile makes my insides feel all fuzzy,” Shem muttered to me, sliding his hands into his pockets and rocking back on his heels.
I smirked at him, nodding. “I know what you mean,” I agreed. It gave me a sick sense of satisfaction to force her to bend to my will. I loved controlling her and feeling like I had the power to make her do whatever the fuck I wanted, but I also loved this.
Giving her a taste of freedom was almost sweeter when it was a reward after we had taken it away from her first.
She didn’t understand, but the version of Lilith that had access to her memories would. Everything was better if there was contrast. The light was brighter if you were coming from somewhere dark. Life was more precious if you had once feared you might lose it. Freedom only felt like a gift if you knew what it was to be a prisoner.
Watching Lilith play within the bounds of the freedom we had just granted her made me feel lighter, and my rotten heart swelled with joy as we waited for her to make her selections.
Finally, after what felt like hours, she bounded back to us, beaming.
“Okay, I found our pumpkins! They’re too big for me to carry, so you have to come help.”
Shem and I exchanged a smirk and nodded.
“Lead the way, deathtrap,” I agreed, and she grabbed my hand, tugging me into the patch.
“This one’s for you, Ramel,” she said, pointing to a massive wine-colored pumpkin. It was tall and oval and had a perfect spot for a carving. I smirked at her. I didn’t usually participate in the pumpkin carving contest, which is why I hadn’t told her to choose one for me, but she was looking at me with so much excitement in her eyes that I couldn’t deny her.
“It’s perfect.” I grinned. I snapped my fingers, and the pumpkin disappeared. Lilith giggled and grinned at me.
“Where did you send it!?” she asked, and I laughed.
“Don’t worry, just back to our room.”
She nodded, looking very serious. “Good. I don’t want it to get mixed up with all the other ones.”
She grabbed Shem’s hand next and dragged him farther into the patch. I followed close behind, unable to wipe the smirk off my face.
“This one is for you!” She beamed. Shem’s was all black and rounder than mine had been. He shot her an amused look.
“Why is mine sosquat?” he asked incredulously. “Are you trying to tell me something?”
Lilith laughed. “No, of course not. It’s just kind of what you look like when you curl into a little cuddly ball in your cat form.”
