You know, I always loved reading stories of fine gentlemen falling for pretty flowers of women with mouthes like fire. So many stories cast Death or some metaphor for its embrace as a grandiose man of shadows and darkness, hands stained in blood as he sweetly falls for one as loud as thunder yet as small as a raindrop in his eye.
So what happens when Death is the lady? After all, I do fancy myself a fine lady indeed. Raised in Hell among a fine array of sisters, a few rocky histories, and by the nine lords do I have quite a number of children. How I love them so. However, our tale is about how I met my husband. Truly, a gentleman he is.
I do blame my mother Chrona, the First Death, for the stereotypes. Then again, she always portrayed herself as nearly seven feet and as dark as a black hole. I tried. I swear! I cam brood, sometimes. Judt not quite as good as Mother. She's spent centuries, though I still think she was just napping.
Now, there's a looooot to cover, but... I am excited. I won't lie. So, let me welcome you to our tale of how a Dragon Seduced Death Herself.
December 17th, 1859.
Esha-Lila Succubi Ex-Chavea
The Beloved Succubus Chateau
It was sparkling at the hall, lights and special portraits garnered in wreaths of white roses covering the purple walls as the black columns had been polished to a mirror finish. The obsidian floor, coated in layers of protective resin, had been cleared entirely to make room for dancing with the grand staircase, now completely lined along its bannisters and railings with white lilies, was mostly blocked off my small red ropes for the queen to descend from dramatically. My adopted mother Abyssa was throwing a gala tonight to honor her late mother Lilith. The entire place had been covered in beautiful white lilies and roses. Granny was famed for her genuinely near translucent hair, so white flowers fit her splendidly. The vast majority of the place had been sealed off tonight, including all private rooms for the protection of the ladies, as demons of all creeds began to pour in the front gate. Its flower encrusted silver bars creaked distantly as the flood of carriages and footsteps followed, but I was a bit pre-occupied.
"Momo!" I sighed as I gave her one more long kiss. "Come, we are going to be late!"
"Ughhh, Fine." She giggled as we squeezed one another for a moment and rushed to slip our dressed back on. She fought with the tight red fabric of her lbd while I battled a small war against the syrings of my corset that kept the low cut of my strapless black velvet gown from falling off my nearly flat chest. Momo was the only one of them that got it at a B cup herself. It made styling so hard!
She snapped her fingers as make-up flew by our faces, giving us both something light. Her red eyes shown well against the very light smokey eye shadow, and it paired well with her lipgloss. I checked my lipstick, black as night, and relaxed. "Hair."
"Haaaair tiiiimeee!" She giggled, twisting her finger as her long brown curls swirled into a thick braid over one shouldwr, while she turned my long silver hair into proper ringlets befitting a royal, even if she was likely the only person I really felt cozy with the word around.
I checked my eyes for any redness, relaxing as the bright glowing blue of each showed no redness. I twitched for a second, the curse in my eyes aching as the visions lambasted me like a harrying swarm of bees, but a soft hand from Momosa regrounded me. "Thank you." I turned, resting my antler like Hubri horns against her soft, thicker and darker brown horns.
"Asvala."
"Eka-na!" They heard their mother_adopted mother shout from down the jall in a rather higher tone than usual. It gave her a sharper and harder edge when she was hurrying or actually ordering someone and not just asking. "What are you two doing??" She swung open the doors, her dark purple gown trailing along the floor in a gorgeous silk display against the dark brown of her skin. Her purple eyes locked on her daughter, who smiled innocently back with a giggling smile. "Esha-tu-lila. I swear upon the high lords you two are going to be the Death of-"
"Well. I mean." I interjected, receiving a sandal wedge aimed at me that missed because I grew up with this woman, duh. Well, at least until it bounced off the wall and bonked the back of my head. It didn't hurt, hell I could smile at a Big Bang and roast marshmellows on it. It was that it got me. "Sorry, Mama."
"Hmph. Come on now, this is a big night. The son of a Solite god is going to be there!" She insisted. "Your cousin, Momosa. Nisahu."
"Oh!" Momo grinned. "Ohhhh the scholar boy?"
"Oh no, a nerd..."
"Bitch who are you?"
"Hahahaha, shut it Mo!" I slugged her arm, getting her tail snaking invisibly around my neck as an answer. I blushed, instantly hushed.
"If you two are done being a pair of teenage girls, instead of well past one hundred, I will see you downstairs." She turned, hands on her hips as she harumphed her way off.
"Yes Mama."
♡□♡□♡□♡□
"Welcome!" I heard Mama shout down to the crowd that had assembled. From Lambishe, the Warm gates of Hell, to the shining palace of Argentum in Hubri, the capitol plane of our glorious home, they had come to honor one of the great founders. Lord Lucifer was a frequent visitor and many considered a dear lover to Mama, supposedly going as far back as the oldest of Momo's sisters, Imea!
Now, I was only 141 solite years old at the time, but my birthday was just around the corner. I wasn't that young for a voidure demon mix, even though I was the youngest. I had my little girl, Sarah, sleeping soundly in bed good and early tonight. My little chaos gremlin. I bet she was still cuddling her favorite plushie of a big messer.
I descended after Mama's little twirl and flaunt as she came down the stairs, flanking my elder sisters as I was often placed at the back. I asked for it, often wanting to avoid attention unless I was seeking it that night. I often found myself donning the visage of a Kitsune when I was visiting Sol, and Mother had told me that we often find forms thay suit our hearts best. So, maaaaybe I liked attention more than I could admit, and liked playing the humble girl. Sue me!
I mingled among the party, letting Momo have her fun as she quickly fell in with the college types from Aratha and Glushtona, looking so out of place among the jollier and taller men while her petite barely five foot self looked like a good breeze would toss her.
I was bulkier, and it did get to me sometimes. I was a muscular girl, and tall. It did make me self conscious at times, and it was why I often slimmed down my kitsune form to a shorter stature, but this was Hell. There was no idea of shame. So long as you weren't messing with someone else or their fun, you were just fine being you.
"Excuse me, Miss?" I blunked, turning to look at someone I expected to meet my eyes. He did not. I sloely looked up to a tall, neay eight foot dog yokai with the thickest, prettiest dragon horns over his soft blue fur that resembled the lining of dragon scales with a creamier chin and neck. He wore a fine white suit with a blue rose nestled in the pocket, which he drew and offered to me. "Might I give you this, in exchange for a dance?" I gazed into those dark, deep brown eyes. They were almost hupnotic.
Now. I was skeptical. Sure, he was tall, and wow did he fill thay suit out great. He did also just offer me the best rose. Which also raised the question, how did he know blue?
"Hmmm. Who might you be, Sir? I turned filly, facing with as a subtle smirk crossed me lips, soon masked by a sip from my goblet.
"Nisabu Lilium." That threw me off as my eyes widened. "Son of The Late Dracenay Lilium, and Anubis, Lord of Judgement amodst the Egyptian Pantheon." He gave a soft kiss to the back of my hand which I in no way resisted. Why didn't I?
"So. You are who Mama wished to impress." I smiled at his kiss. "Hm. Lilium, indeed. They don't make them without plenty of silver in the tongue here." I teased, lightly tracing the edges of his fingers that still held mine. I swore I could feel Momo's cheshire ass grin from here.
"I am flattered!" He smiled with a very puppy like level of enthisiasm, which did rather nasty things to my heart rate suddenly. "I really do try to just speak honestly, however. I have heard much of you." He smiled with a warmth that surprised me. It wasn't the sharp smirk so many men had ruined their shot with. It was a soft and genuine smile that left his eyes creased and slightly dazed, like he was simply drinking me in. I felt the heat spread across my cheeks.
"Ahem." I cleared my throat, turni g slightly to hide it. "You sre quite forward." I felt his hand lightly touch my cheek, pulling me softly to look at him. I will admit, I am severely hephaphobic. I don't like touch unless I trust you. I will jump away or swing on peolle who grab me.
So, really, it was his fault when I responded with biting. Big broad fangs sunk into the rather soft fur of his hand, growling for a moment. He didn't flinch. He just held his hand there as blood dripped, chuckling even as the ache was clear in the way one eye closed. My growls slowly turned to a whine, unlatching my teeth as I kissed his hand. A wisp of magic started healing it, but he stopped it with a shake of his wrist before offering his open palm to me this time.
"You are too cute." I blushed much harder, not even sure when my chin had started resting in his hand. Fuck, his blood tasted awesome. It was like cherries and warm sunshine. He smelled like it, too. His hand was also soft, the blood cleaned and dressed already. "Let it heal. If it scars, well, maybe it can be a story we tell our children."
"Ch-children??" I flubbed out, shifting nervously. I wanted to run, or slap him, but fuck his hand was cozy.
"Only if the lady is open to the idea." He smiled far too charmingly for a man who I had just bitten.
"I, uhm, have a child." I said rather clearly, not wanting any room for him to treat Sarah otherwise. Wait. Why was I considering this??
"Oh, so we have a first already." He pulled out an old tome. "Alright, I'll head to the store tomorrow." He started writing in it with a long and thick blue draconic tail, using a feather quill without ever moving his fucking hand. UGH. So comfy...
"S.. store?"
"Well, I have to make up for... How old?"
"F. Four."
"Four birthdays, holidays, random gifts just cause she must be precious."
"She stabs people. A lot. Bad people, but."
"So first aid kits and knife care kits." I felt my throat rumble without me telling it to. Was I fucking purring?!
"What... what are you playing at?" I tried to mumble out. It kust have sounded like I was such a dumb blonde. He lightly scratched under my chin, and I devolved into purrs for certain this time.
"Your heart." He said with the most straight faced sincerity I had ever seen.
So, that was probably when I lost any will to stop him. "You are insufferable..."
"Says the woman practically cuddling my hand like a fox." He chuckled, and I hadn't even realized I absolutely was rubbing on his palm.
"It is comfy, ok?!" I whined with none of the actual bite I had intended.
"Is it?" He gave me a little smile, soft and sweet as it lightly curled one side more in an attempt at a smirk that made it all the cuter how his tail almost seemed to be wagging.
So. Needless to say, I missed the rest of the party. Whoops!