Strings and Chains (The Frey, #1)

26. I was in Hell and It wasn't Great

"But I'm just a human." Nagtataka kong sagot. Totoo naman. Anong gamit ko sa kanya? Simpleng tao lamang ako. Hindi ako katulad nila Rai at Jax. Wala akong powers. Wala akong super duper na lakas. Why does she want someone like me?

"That's the point," sagot niya. "It's hard to make an army from the devil itself so why don't we just spread evilness above and choose a deserving human up there?"

"But if you make one na galing mismo rito, hindi ba mas malakas at makakatulong 'yon sa 'yo?" Why the hell am I making suggestions to her?

Natawa siya sa sinabi ko as if she remembered something. "Of course ginawa ko rin 'yan. Pero wala. My sons and daughters are independent assholes and bitches who decided to fight against their own mother. Those brats." Napa-iling ito at tila naisip ang bawat anak niyang isinilang dito sa impyerno.

Hindi ko ma-imagine. This woman in front of me is a mother. Sa ganda at mukha niyang 'yan nanay na siya? Mas losyang pa ako sa kanya!

"I have to depend on humans like you."

"Why?"

"Kasi madali kayong mahulog sa temptasyon," sagot niya sa akin.

"Do you want an example?" tanong pa n'ya.

"You are in love," wika niya saka ngumiti sa akin. "To a vampire. What a worst choice, pero do'n tumibok ang puso mo. What can you do?"

Napapanganga ako sa salitaan ng babaeng nasa harap ko. Walang habas, walang hinto. Dire-diretso.

"A frey?" Ngumisi siya at napa-iling. "I admit those seven are incredibly hot pero maaarte rin ang mga tukmol na 'yon. How could they resist someone like me? I'm Lilith, the most beautiful woman here. Disappointing, pero kawalan nila 'yon."

Okay... Okay...

I suspect na she's a demon pero like what?

Lilith. Lilith.

Who is she again?

"Now let's go back to the topic. Temptation. My expertise. If you accept my deal, you can be with your boyfriend for forever. I'll give you that chance. An immortal life. What do you think? It's a good deal, Maru."

"An immortal life," pag-uulit ko. Sobrang bilis niya kasi like wala akong maintidihan pero na-ge-gets ko na. She's not just some minor demon. She's something else. If she knows about me and Raiden, and everything that's happening above, she's a big shot here. Now I know why Jax joined that cult. It is to worship this woman in front of me.

"Anong gagawin mo sa akin kapalit no'n?" tanong ko.

"I'll turn you into like me," sagot niya agad.

"Like you?"

"Yes, like me, a succubus."

***

Now let's analyse the situation that I'm in. If I don't accept that, she will definitely kill me. But if I did accept that, I have to live for the rest of my life like Jax and her. Ayoko maging katulad niya. Ayoko maging demonyo na nagde-depend sa sex para lang magpatuloy na mabuhay. Who wants to be like them? No, hell no.

"How about no?"

She's still smiling like she has expected my answer.

"Of course, you'll say no."

"Then what are you going to do about it?"

"Ooh, feisty."

Tumayo si Lilith at lumapit sa akin. Hinaplos niya ang pisngi ko at mas lumapit pa sa akin. "Then you'll stay here until you change your mind. As simple as that."