Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
“Lilith!” Eve shot to her feet, nearly knocking over her chair as she scurried around the speed dating registration table.
Her pale pink dress matched the tablecloth perfectly, and her red stilettos clicked on the tile as she made her way toward her.
“Where have you been? I was starting to worry about you.” She air-kissed her on both cheeks before pulling her into a tight hug.
Percival landed on the table and pecked at the heart-shaped confetti covering the cloth.
Lilith pulled from Eve’s embrace. “Percy, no! You know what non-food does to your digestive system. You’ll be pooping paper for a week if you eat that.”
The crow ruffled his feathers, picked up a paper heart, and looked her in the eyes as he swallowed it anyway.
“Don’t come crying to me when the constipation sets in, mister.”
Eve crossed her arms and tapped her foot, looking at her expectantly.
Lilith gave her crow the stink eye before turning to her friend. “I’ve been home binging Expedition Excitement. I guess I lost track of the days.”
“I haven’t seen you in two weeks. I took your short answers to my texts as a hint you needed some alone time, but I was planning to knock down your door tomorrow if I didn’t hear from you. What’s going on? Where’s Esther? I can’t remember the last time I saw you without her.”
Her mouth tightened. “Apparently, watching other people have fun on TV isn’t the same as having it myself. Esther is sick because I’ve grown dull. Well…miserable if I’m being honest.”
“Can’t Lucifer heal her?”
“He said I have to heal myself, so here I am.” She gestured to the room. “Ready for speed dating.”
“If fun is what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place.” Eve took her by the shoulders and spun her toward the herd of beef corralled near the bar. “Look at the smorgasbord we have tonight. Yum.”
Lilith let her gaze wander over the protruding muscles and gelled hair. Her nostrils flared as she inhaled the pheromones of a dozen alpha males, mostly demons, a few she’d already sampled. No, thank you.
One such demon, with hollow black eyes and an eight-pack hidden beneath his blue t-shirt, raked his gaze down Lilith’s tight, black leather pants.
She wore a matching halter top with silver snaps for easy release—her goal tonight was sex, after all—and her long red hair flowed in thick—untangled—waves over her shoulders.
His eyes locked with hers for half a second, and they turned to saucers in an oh shit expression before he jerked his head down and turned away from her.
Lilith smiled. The demon—she couldn’t recall his name—had been intent on conquering her.
He’d been rough, believing he could put her where he wanted her and have his way with no regard for her pleasure.
He knew who she was, so why he thought he could dominate her, she wasn’t sure. Well, that wasn’t true. She did know. Testosterone. They were all the same. They all wanted to be the man who could tame the world’s first woman. The one Adam couldn’t control.
But it never failed. By the time Lilith was done with them, they’d be curled in the fetal position, practically sucking their thumbs. She didn’t even have to use her glamour to have them falling at her feet.
Lilith’s smile turned sinister. Maybe she should stay downstairs and show one of these meatheads what happened when they messed with the wrong woman. Putting assholes in their place always brought her joy in the past.
Eve rested a hand on her shoulder. “Do any of them pique your interest?”
If she was going to introduce change into her life, she shouldn’t go back to her old ways. She wanted to experience this mysterious cinnamon roll Deirdre spoke of. “I think I’m going to try my hand upstairs tonight.”
Eve blinked three times. “With the humans?”
“I’m on the hunt for a nice guy.”
Her friend laughed. “Oh, wait. You’re serious?”
“I am.” She held out her hand, and Percival flew to her, perching on her fingers.
“If that’s the case, you might want to tone down your…Lilithness. You can be intimidating.”
Her lips parted on a theatrical gasp. “I can be nice as well.”
Eve held in another laugh. “Be gentle with whomever you choose. We need the men to keep showing up.”
“I’ll be an angel.” She winked and made her way past the beefcakes, through the purple velvet curtains, and up the stairs to the mortal realm.
Before she could step into the human half of the bar, Percival let out an irritated caw.
“I told you not to eat the paper.”
He ruffled his feathers, giving his body a shake.
“I’m sorry, my pet. You’ll have to make yourself scarce for a bit.
Animals aren’t allowed upstairs.” He cawed again as she stroked his feathers, and she smiled.
“Okay, behind the counter, and you stay there until I tell you otherwise. Fly low.” She dropped her hand, and her crow glided along the floor before disappearing behind the counter.
Katie, the barista, gasped, pressing her hand to her chest. Lilith strode to the bar and lowered her voice. “Take care of Percival for me? I’m playing with the humans tonight.”
“Lilith, sure.” She scanned the ground, leaning to her left to see past the counter. “Should I be expecting a snake to slither in too?”
Lilith’s lips tightened at the mention of Esther. She needed to remember the real reason she was here. To find happiness. Or to have a good time for a few hours at the very least. Poor Esther’s health depended on it.
“It’s just Percival tonight. I love the color of your hair, by the way. The golden-brown compliments your eyes and skin tone perfectly.”
Katie ran a hand through her chin-length bob. “Really? It’s a box job. I can’t afford to have it professionally dyed.”
“You don’t need to. It’s gorgeous.”
A blush spread across her cheeks. “Thanks. Can Percival have a snack?”
“He would love one.”
“What should I feed him?”
“He’s a crow. He’ll eat anything.” Lilith turned and strode to the registration table, a six-foot foldable, draped in a deep red cloth. Pink heart confetti covered the surface, and behind the table sat none other than Venus herself.
The Goddess of Love and resident succubus tilted her head as Lilith approached. “You are the last person I’d expect to see up here tonight.”
“I’m on a mission, and this is the best place to accomplish it.
” She closed her eyes for a long blink and inhaled deeply, focusing on the vibration of the room.
The slight tingle of Venus’s magic ran across her skin, making her arm hairs stand on end.
“Giving the hu…the people a boost in the love department tonight, I see.” She signed her name on the registration list.
Venus lifted a shoulder. “I feed off the matches made. It’s just a little magic to ensure some happen.”
“I don’t need any help.” Whatever happened tonight…whether she found a match or she simply spent some time talking to the living…she wanted it to be authentic. No help from the Goddess of Love required.
“I don’t doubt that.”
Lilith picked up a date card and a pencil. “What table am I at?”
“We’re doing things differently tonight. The women are rotating.” She tapped the phone lying on the table to check the time. “Let’s get this party started.”
Lilith joined the group of women standing at the front of the room while Venus grabbed a microphone and addressed the crowd.
“Gentlemen, please take your assigned seats. Ladies, you’ll have five minutes with each man.
At the sound of the buzzer, you’ll move on to the next one.
Feel free to take notes, exchange numbers, hook up after we’re done…
whatever you want to do. But most of all, have fun! ”
The first buzzer sounded, and the women filed into the speed dating zone, with two rows of tables, a man at each one. Lilith stood in the aisle between them, scoping out her potential victims…er…dates.
Venus clutched her arm, steering her toward a table. “Grab a seat. We’re one lady short tonight.”
Two chairs stood vacant. Across from one sat a hefty human with a buzzcut and biceps the size of barrels.
He raked his gaze down her body, lingering on her chest and making Lilith’s skin crawl.
She took the chair at the table next to him, saving that unsavory experience for last. The poor guy might be in tears by the time she was done, and she didn’t want to ruin his chance with the rest of the women.
Some ladies went for the strong, dumb type. Far be it from her to judge.
“Hi.” Potential victim number one forced a smile. He pushed his glasses up his nose and wiped a bead of sweat from his temple. “I’m Theo.”
She folded her arms on the table. “You seem nervous, Theo. Why?”
He let out a dry chuckle and lowered his gaze. “I, uh…didn’t expect all the women to be so beautiful.”
She tilted her head. “Do beautiful women scare you?”
“Not normally, but I was hoping to make a match tonight. Everyone here is out of my league.”
“Nonsense.” She waved off his statement. “Everyone here is on equal footing, also looking to find a match. What do you do for a living?”
“I’m a computer programmer.”
“And what do you do for fun?”
“I play video games, and I…” He laughed shyly again. “I like salsa dancing.”
That could be exciting. Lilith hadn’t been dancing in decades, but this guy’s lack of self-confidence didn’t do much for her in the attraction department.
She was all about equality; she didn’t want to dominate a man any more than she wanted one to dominate her.
“Lead with that, and have more faith in yourself. There’s someone for everyone. ”
Of course, she didn’t believe that last bit for a second, but a little white lie never hurt anyone. The buzzer sounded, and she rose to her feet.
“Do you want to talk later?” Theo asked.
He’d finally dug up some courage, and he seemed like a sweet guy. A cinnamon roll, like Deirdre described, but his center was a bit too mushy for her taste. “Maybe I’ll circle back. Have fun.”