Free Tempted by K.M. Liss Page A

couldn't
recall, rushed to greet her.
    “ Lila, you have done well, so
very well,” one of them said, kissing her cheek,
enthusiastically.
    But although she smiled at him, she didn't
feel good in any way. It was a hollow victory to her.
    Her heart was broken.
    They took Uvall from her, literally
wrenching him from her as she kept a fake smile on her face. Her
whole self protested at the loss of his presence in her arms.
    She couldn't speak with distress, as the
Seraph left abruptly, anxious to take his evil prize to Gehove. Her
heart hurt so badly constricting in her chest she felt sick with
the pain.
    The last view she saw of him was of his long
dark hair; hair she had run her hands through only a short time
ago, as he'd made wonderful love to her. Now it was hanging loosely
over the seraph's arm, swinging like a beautiful black curtain, as
they flew him up the steps and disappeared into the light.
    She collapsed on the steps to Heaven and
cried her heart out.
    She cried for hours, until he was gone from
her heart. Gone from her mind. And gone from her life. Then, with a
slow and painful ascent. She walked up the steps to Heaven. Each
step was agony as it brought her closer to her source of pain. But
she would have to live with and bear that pain.
    She worked on her self convictions. Telling
herself what she had to, in order to survive this terrible deed she
had committed.
    She was seraph. She was strong. She had to
do the right thing. She had to obey the command of God. Uvall was
evil. He had drugged and seduced her. He was not worthy of her
affection. She had no right to feel anything for a monster such as
he. The monster who was now enslaved by Gehove. He was where he
belonged. At the point where he would face his reckoning.
    And it was out of her hands.
     

Chapter
6
     
    She sat in her favorite field watching blue
butterflies flutter in the sun. Castilla arrived in a swirl of gray
and a patter of her tiny feet to her side.
    “ I'm not in the mood for a
chat,” Lila said, snapping at her.
    “ What's the matter, Lila? You've
been sitting here for nearly two days.”
    “ I'm not moving until he's
dead.” She knew her pain wouldn't go, until he was
finished.
    “ I don't understand. This is a
great coup, is it not? The underworld are simply furious. Bael is
apparently beyond the pale.”
    “ I don't give a shit what he
thinks,” she snarled.
    “ Lila, stop this ridiculous
mood. Get up.” Castilla lost her patience with her a little and
raised her voice as if she were a naughty child.
    She reluctantly stood, folding her arms and
glaring at her, all her wild, bad, hopeless and confused feelings
bubbling up to the surface.
    Why can't I stop thinking about him. It's
torture...his eyes, his smile, the touch of his hand on my
skin...and the suffering he is feeling now, because of what I've
done...
    “ You are coming with me. Let us
see Uvall together. Let us gaze upon the face of evil and watch his
suffering in the realms of the good and holy.”
    Lila erupted, in a spitting
fury. “ I
fucking well won't. And you know something? I'm beginning to feel very
uncomfortable being here, in such a good and holy place... where
angels are cast down for next to no reason, where we have to do as
we are told every second of our lives, and where beautiful
creatures are murdered on altars while we stand by and watch them,
smiling.”
    Castilla's eyes opened wide
with confused shock. “Do you have some kind of brain fever? Are you
ill from your trip to the surface? What is going on in your
head ?”
Castilla snapped at her. “Look, madam , tomorrow is your ceremony. The day you become
seraphim. You will see Uvall, the demon , then. You will take credit for your good deed
and you will behave in a manner befitting an angel from now on. Do
I make myself clear?”
    “ Crystal clear,” she snapped.
“Now leave me be.”
    Castilla stood with her hands on her hips.
“You are so moody. I'll be pleased when you lose all