The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Eight (these scenes move to Twelve in revised scene list)

Everything looked rather inviting, but Morpheus knew most of it was probably dangerous. He wandered quite a while, getting very lost. The higher he went in the house the steamier it was, these halls heavy with the smell of strong floral perfume and of sex. He passed by a large room with one wall of video, one of glass and one of mirror in which Absidus and Splendor lay entwined on a bed; and when he darted away, Morpheus came to another large room in which Tristopher stood arguing with a guest, who was no other than Lucifer.

Morpheus had never met Lucifer, but his description was well known, tall, thin, white-blonde hair, violet eyes, wings that look like they used to be silver, just like Eros. In fact Lucifer, Eros, and Splendor all looked very much the same.

Morpheus ran again, only to find himself staring at a frightened Psyche. She screamed. And then the statuesque blonde ran down the hall, paper-thin, blue wings fluttering, as she screamed again. Eros appeared suddenly, shouting. He stopped when he saw Morpheus. And then, calmly, shouted an order, "Whim, go after her!" Morpheus felt the invisible Daejinn move past him.

Eros stared at Morpheus, smoothed his hair, sauntered forward in starched white linen kilt and heavy gold collar, rosy-tipped white wings poised behind. "What are you doing here?"

"I got lost."

Eros laughed. "Lost in Love?" he asked, voice suddenly higher in pitch.

"Absidus told me Beholder was in the garden, I was looking for it," Morpheus said.

Eros' eyes darted over Morpheus' shoulder. Morpheus felt hands slip about his throat. "I vant to suck your blood," Lucifer said. And then he loosed Morpheus and danced to the opposite wall, laughing.

Eros grinned.

Lucifer threw himself against the wall, raised a hand to his brow. "Oh, this is vain laughing, I'm not really happy, I'm not even amused."

Morpheus said nothing but pulled his wings close about his shoulders.

"Oh God I hate Vampyres!" Lucifer said. And then he stood straight and glared at Eros. "Except when my goddamn son pricks me with his fucking arrows and sends me after them like a bitch in heat."

"A bitch at least," said Absidus. She was leaning against one wall of the hallway.

Lucifer threw up his hands. "You're a regular dominatrix, Absidus, I'm sure the Archangels love you for keeping us from getting along with each other." It was occurring to Morpheus that Lucifer must often be in the Amber Palace, though he had no assignment there. All Lucifer's assignments had been given to others long ago. But Morpheus imagined if he were Lucifer, he'd want to go anywhere he could to escape the Dark Land and all the fallen waking about in their private Hells.

"Let's not forget one of your wives sponsored me along with Leliel, Lucifer," Absidus said to him. "Wives who are ignored can be very cruel. And what am I to do when Eros plots against my brother's family but turn him against his own as best I can?"

"He stole my wife, your nephew!" Eros shouted.

"Isn't this over with yet? Psyche was already bored to death when she met Athen, he was just her ticket out of your marriage, she's the one who gazed on him while under the influence of those drugged arrows of yours. You've plotted revenge many times over and it still hasn't made you happy. Just forget about it."

"What is there but revenge?" Lucifer asked.

"You have no hope of revenge against my brother or against anyone else, because you have no hope," said Absidus. "You submit, or you have nothing, that's the way it works in your situation."