TEMPTRESS

EXILE

THE RAVEN
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"Eden, have you called Zeke?" Azrael questions me from behind the kitchen countertop. The early morning sun shone off the dark marble through the tall gothic panel windows, creating dancing orbs of light over the walls. The dark wood floors beneath my feet were polished to a high sheen. My home stood lonesome in the far woodlands of Louisiana, just south of New Orleans. The forestry highlights the intricate Gothic architecture of my Manor rather well. The ancient trees stretched high and wide, whispering secrets only the wind could decipher, forming a natural roof and blocking the sun from reaching the grounds, their gnarled roots tethered in the soil, connecting straight into the underworld, drawing malevolent auras that mingled into its heart. As a result, the forest floor was draped in a blanket of dew and shadows, casting a mystic and ominous atmosphere over the property. The manor loomed proudly at three stories high, a towering embodiment of dark majesty, drawing you into its enchanting embrace. Black wrought iron gates cloaked in moss guarded the perimeters, establishing a daunting welcome to the curious passersby. Every limestone facade and turret draped in ivy showcased a unique and dark elegance.

The gothic style expanded beyond the facades, with each room designed artfully with dark stone, dark green leaf accents, and intricately carved wood panelling. Delicate cobwebs adorned the darkened corners, and grand chandeliers hung ominously, casting writhing shadows against the high ornate ceilings. The long driveway could be seen from the tall windows, framed with black iron that glistened in reflection to the outside light. Before the gates, a fountain made from obsidian stood in the centre. Adorned with cherubim and sirens. Creating a circle of dark stone and overgrown foliage out the front. The gargoyles watching over the property perched firmly on the corners of the roof, their marble eyes cold as ice. The cresting waters reflected the twisted branches above, symbolizing the melancholy enchantment that blanketed the property.

"I contacted him an hour ago," I say, stepping onto the balcony and watching as the mist began to cloak the woodland. I'm set to meet with him this morning, under the demise of a job interview. This way, I could get to Lyla while learning more about Zeke's so-called business. I was approaching with less distance this time around. To see just how much Zeke matched the horrendous description Joe provided. After our little encounter the other night, it wasn't too hard for me to obtain information from him. How could I have obtained the information after I snapped his neck in my palm, you ask? Well that's a tale my little Dove will hear another day in time. All that matters now is that Joe's demise was a success, and I had the information I needed to move forward. When the opportunity arises, one must seize and exploit the situation with finesse. And that is exactly what I did.

I had spent centuries honing my art of seduction, my charm irresistible to mortals. A skill I had perfected to protect the one thing left that I cared for in this world, Lyla. As I brooded in the dim corners of the forest from the iron balcony, the ghostly fog weaving between the trees, a wicked smile graced my lips. I could still feel her presence, even from afar. My body thrummed with a magnetic pull towards her that was impossible to ignore. I could sense her restlessness, her confusion, I almost felt a sense of pride knowing I was the cause of her turmoil. My fixation on Lyla had taken a dark turn, and I had become tormented by the very notion of heaven's order. Punished, abandoned, cursed. Torn from my duty as a guardian to now possess her as the fallen. The irony of my circumstances was not lost on me. I felt a perverse satisfaction in challenging heaven's law, rebelling against the restraints of my past, and corrupting the innocence of Lyla. My thoughts spiralled into chaos, juxtaposing with the order and control I once held.

Enveloped by the seductive embrace of darkness, my tormented thoughts lingered over the past, festering with the bitter taste of betrayal. I was a creation of the divine, now exiled, twisted and torn from the celestial realm. Yet amidst betrayal and loss, there was a silver lining. I had the curse, or perhaps, the pleasure of lavishing on my forbidden desire for Lyla. My love for her, unrequited, thrived beneath the toxic ambience that wrapped around my damned soul. I could not deny it nor evade it.

The balcony creaked beneath me. The mossy wrought iron was stable, but years of neglect left the paint chipping off. I stared out into the vast and darkened forest beyond, nothing stirring within its deep reaches. Black branches weaved in a dance, extending from gnarled trunks as if stretching out to grasp the stately columns that supported the overhanging eaves. As if the manor and the forest shared an invisible thread, connecting them. I suppose. I suppose I should head off soon. My plans were all set in place. Get a deeper insight on Zeke, and get Lyla. She wouldn't be going back to her apartment tonight. Not on my fucking watch. She won't be happy with the idea by any means, but I wasn't going to give her a choice.

Lyla was paramount to me, even if it meant going against her own wishes. It just so happened that she had a target on her pretty head, a target other than mine. Zeke would come looking for her after a while. Of that, I was certain. Judging from what Joe told me, I knew he was desperate to get his hands on her skills. I didn't have to read his mind to see through the deceit and greed clouding his thoughts. The weightiest decisions were often the simplest. I contemplated Lyla's welfare, her every breath, the curve of her delicate frame, and I shuddered at the thought of anyone other than myself harming her. She has already been harmed by Zeke's actions. Joe is the premise of that. Little did Lyla know, she was being used as leverage, a mere pawn in Zeke's twisted game of power and domination.

And now Joe, who was once an ally, had been disposed of. And he will suffer for eternity. I had the pleasure of escorting him to the fiery pits of hell personally. Beautifully cruel retribution who dare lay their hands on my pure Dove. Watching him burn, the skin falling from his bones, his eyes melting from his skull, as his soul wailed in eternal torment, brought me solace. Revenge satisfied my ferocious appetite, but it was merely temporary retaliation. As I strode back through the kitchen towards the hall, Azrael called after me, "Heading in now?". I spared him a quick glance before grabbing my car keys from the hook "Yeah, will you head back up before coming in?". He nodded "Probably, there's a few things I need to do."

One thing to know about Azrael is that he was still a working angel. Sure, he was cursed as an angel of death, but that had its benefits, such as being able to travel to and from Earth. I just had hell to call my wonderland. Zeke and his associates didn't realize the trap they had laid for themselves. How fitting, really, for them to bring a powerful wrath upon their souls. No matter how twisted and convoluted their so-called "plan" was, they had no idea of the true demon they were dancing with, not just the ones in their tiny heads, but the one looming over them. Standing before them. A demon who had become increasingly entangled in the web of humanity, and his own sacred love for his divine little dove made him the most enticing and deceptive creature in the eyes of his prey.