Corruption

Red silk surrounded my broken body when I woke. I was back in my bed. The worst of the wounds had been fixed up but all of the lesser ones were left alone. The broken bones and the ones that endangered my life were healed, the bruises and the pain from them were not.
Curious faces looked down at me. Four were there.
“Is she awake?” one asked.
“Yeah, I think so. Are you awake?” one giggled back.
I couldn’t answer.
“Guys, I don’t think she can talk. How sweet is that. He didn’t replace the blood lost. She’s probably too dizzy to even know who she is right now.”
“Well, let’s not be strangers now. I think she’s cute. I fully intend to fuck her soon, so I’d like to at least introduce myself. My name is Eris. This is Raven, the one with the dark hair. Keaira has the blond hair, Mercuria is the redhead, and I’m the one whose hair color changes daily. That’s the easiest way to remember us. By our hair.”
“What about Lilith and Lilim?” asked one of the other girls. The red head. Mercuria.
“Remeber them by their eyes. They have bright red eyes. Lilim is the younger one, and Lilith is her mother, though they’re perfectly willing to forget that little detail when they crawl into bed with master,” Erin added, and the girls giggled.
“Leave her alone, girls. She’s hurt. Can’t you see she doesn’t want you here?”
“Who are you to talk, bitch? No one likes you anyways.”
“I do not care what you may think of me. I know this girl does not want us here. I have the ability to read emotions as you know. While the emotions of everyone in hell usually range from angry to sad to just plain hopeless, hers is not any of these, but rather a feeling of numbness. If we bother her now she will snap. If she snaps master will not be pleased.”
They were silent for a moment, and then the blonde haired girl spoke quietly. “Raven, what do you mean she’ll snap?”
“I mean she will break down. Most humans can not last in this place. She is strong but she will lose her sanity and Master will not be able to fulfil his plans. I speak not for myself or for the girl, but rather I speak to remind you of the larger plan at work,” Raven said quietly.
“Oh yeah,” Erin said. “Right. Well, I for one am feeling a little.... well, the same way I always do. Join me in the hot tub?” she asked the other girls, and one by one, Erin, then Mercuria and finally Keaira filed out leaving only Raven and myself. Raven sat on the side of my bed and looked at me.
“Does it hurt? Well, of course it does. Forgive me for the stupid question. Can you speak? Or even nod?”
I opened my mouth and tried to respond but no words would come. Painfully, I inclined my head.
“Alright, you can nod. Excellent. I feel it would only be fair to let you know what you’re in for. You are going to be in Hell. Literally. This is not going to be easy for you. Lucifer will make you bitter and evil and essentially, he will hurt you to the point of your snapping. You’re not the first he has done this too. He rarely takes such an interest in his subjects, but he has done things of this sort before. I was one he did it to. You are going to wish you were dead. And I’m here to tell you, you’d be better off dead. So forgive me if I’m wrong, but I think it’s time you died.”
Without another word she took a knife and plunged it deep into my chest. I barely even felt it go in before I lost consciousness yet again, but not moments later, a deep roaring woke me again.
“Raven!” screamed an angry voice. “Why would you do that?”
“Because, master, she is better off dead.”
“Did you think I wouldn’t notice you killing my subject?”
“I knew you would. I just hoped it would be too late at that point. This was the only way she would ever escape Hell. She wouldn’t have committed the sin of suicide, she wouldn’t have betrayed her brother, she’d have died and gone on to heaven. Call it what I wish I’d have had.”
“You will be punished for this and she will too.”
“Fine,” she said and rolled her eyes.
Lucifer turned to me. “Why did you let her do this?”
I wasn’t able to say anything. “You stupid bitch.” He punched me once again, this time in the head, and I blacked out, this time unable to regain consciousness for a longer time span.
*
I smiled at Raven and she knew what was coming. I punched her in the head and she twitched a little, then smiled back. “Done yet?”
“Just about.” I got in one more good punch and was satisfied for the moment.
I looked back to see the damage I had done to Lilium this time. She looked awful. This was going to hurt badly for a while, but she would heal. I’d try to let her heal again before I had to teach her another lesson. It was going to be hard but fun to teach her the ways of Hell.
I went out to the hot tub and joined the girls in there for a while before I went back to my duties of corruption and chaos.

When I came back to the cabin, Lilium was gone from her bed. It didn’t take much effort to discover she’d dragged herself to the closet to hide.
“Lilium, come out from there,” I ordered her.
“I’m staying here,” she said, her voice broken and ragged.
“I want you to see something.”
“I don’t want to,” she begged. “Please just leave me be.”
I rolled my eyes and went over to the clothing rack she cowered beneath. A kick to her side set her whimpering. “Haven’t you learned your lesson yet?”
“It hurts. Please, just let me stay here,” she pleaded.
I transformed to my wolf form and laid down next to her. She sobbed and tried to push me away, but I just looked her over. Her whole body was bruised and broken, some parts were bleeding and she looked so pitiful it was amusing.
“Go,” she said quietly. “Leave. Please leave. I have no other request, just leave me alone.”
“What if you die?” I asked. She looked a little surprised to hear me speak in this form. “What if you don’t make it through?”
“I would rather die than be with you. Envy will not work this way. I do not envy those demons. I envy only the people who do not have to be near you. I hate you,” she said quietly, and then fell silent aside from her jagged sobs.
I growled a little and stayed near her. I pushed closer and wedged between her and the darkness of the closet, my wolf form seeming to comfort her a little. Raven had been right about one thing in her little tirade I’d asked the other girls to tell me about. Without some comfort, she would snap and my plans would be for naught.
She tried to push me away for a while before she stopped fighting and just allowed me to sit next to her. She cried and cried, her heart seeming to break over and over. It made me want to laugh but I refrained.
“You did this to me,” she whispered. “Do you like seeing people hurting like this? Is that what you like?” she asked. “Do you have not even the slightest hint of compassion?”
I didn’t answer, I just shifted a little and she whimpered.
“Stop touching me. Please, it hurts...,” she pleaded.
“Stop whining,” I snapped. “I can show you true pain, I can show you true pleasure. You can decide which you want.”
“I want to be strong,” she whispered, probably to herself. “I don’t want to give in. I don’t want to break.”
“Everyone breaks at some point, Lilium. Just give in now. Let yourself enjoy your surroundings, let yourself enjoy what’s around you, let yourself want me.”
“I don’t want you,” she hissed. “I don’t want your body, I don’t want your so called comfort, I don’t want what you can offer, I want my brother and my own soul. Perhaps you can’t fathom that anyone would want to be good, but you ought to try. I hate you. I hate you and all you stand for. I hate you, Lucifer, I hate you and I sincerely wish you would just leave me be.”
I stood and, still in my wolf form, growled a little. “What will you do to me, Lucifer? What will you do, hit me again? Kick me? Maybe-” a scream from her mouth cut off her words and my fangs dug deep into her thigh.
“Stop!” she screamed. “Please!”
I dragged her out into the living room by her thigh with my teeth still embedded deep in her leg.
When I pulled them out, I returned to my human form. “You see these girls? These are the only people you will have here other than me. And here they are laughing at your pain. You are alone, little girl. You are completely alone and no one cares about you. Get used to it. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some things I would like to get accomplished.” I turned to the girls. “Who isn’t busy right now?”
Erin and Keaira both replied instantly, “I’m available master!”
“Good. Join me in my room and please me.”
*
I sobbed in the living room, and one of the red eyed girls looked at me. “Do you need something? If not, go back to your room. We don’t want you here.”
Raven approached me and asked quietly, “Can you walk?” I couldn’t answer and the screams burst through my lips once again, the agony filling my vision.
One of the girls, presumably Raven, picked me up and carried me to my room. I couldn’t see anything other than the red filling my vision.
I was laid on my bed and Raven sat next to me. “I know it hurts, Lilium. Get past it. It’s all you can do. I recommend you get some sleep. It ought to help with the pain.”
“Thank... you,” I whispered, barely audible.
“I wish someone had been there to help me. You deserve a chance,” she said. “Don’t expect too much, just know you’re not completely alone no matter what he says.”

I woke up laying next to Raven and the other girls, all asleep on my bed except for Erin. I felt... different somehow.
“Lilium, you’re awake!”
“Why are you all here?” I asked angrily. “I would rather you all left.”
“We’re just staying with you for until you’re better.”
“Why?”
“Because, once you get a little better, we’re gonna have sex!” she giggled.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, shocked.
“Well, master promised us we could have some fun with you. Is that alright?” she inquired.
“I would rather not to be perfectly honest. I’m sorry.”
“Aw, you’re no fun,” she whined.
“I am in so much-” I stopped. I was about to explain the pain I was in, but I realized I WASN’T. I realized it didn’t hurt. It didn’t hurt much at all.
“He said he’d heal you. Did he?”
“I... I think he did,” I responded, and she smiled.
“Good. So now, can I have my fun?”
“I would rather not. Can we have some food?” I asked, not really hungry but rather, looking for a way to distract her from her intentions.
“What would you like? I’m not much of a cook. Keaira is better, but she’s asleep. I can make you something if you want.”
“I would like that.”
“Will you wait out there with me? I don’t wanna be alone, and you’re cute. Gimme something nice to look at, won’t you?” she giggled.
“Can I change clothes first? These are kind of... gross,” I finished lamely.
“Can I pick out your outfit? Oh please can I?”
“No, I’d rather pick my own.”
Her eyes got a dangerous glow, a silent warning. “I think I should pick.”
“If you wish,” I conceded.
“Great!” she giggled, and ran into my closet.
I followed her in hesitantly, and she picked out a skimpy black and red corset dress, skimpy on top and low cut with a long, full ball gown sort of skirt, a blood red color matching the top, but a black netting covered the red fabric, and golden streamers clung to the black netting. On top rested the one part of the ensemble not red gold or black: a purple and white lily.
The shoes she had in hand were black stilettos with red roses on the tips. I looked at her and shook my head. “I can’t wear that, Erin. It’s... it’s not me...”
“It’s what master likes best, Lilium. Try to get on his good side and he’ll be much nicer. He might even like you more.”
“He is Lucifer. He is evil in every way. He is not who I want to be around for the rest of my eternity.”
“If you’re anything like the rest of the girls he’ll get tired and leave you alone after awhile,” she said and smiled happily. “Then you can have fun like the rest of us.”
“But I’m human. I have a human body. Won’t I grow old and die?”
“Of course not, silly. This is Hell, not Earth.”
“I don’t know how to put this on,” I mumbled lamely and she grinned.
“Well I’ll help you. And I get to do your makeup and hair.”
“No you don’t, Erin.”
“Oh yes I do.”
“Why do we have to, Erin?”
“Because, I want to. Good enough for me.”
I just sighed and let her have her way, starting with dressing me in the dress. Lacing the corset took a while, but the rest wasn’t too bad.
But it was heavy. Oh so heavy, I felt like I was about to fall over. When she put on the shoes, she then took me out to the living room where she grabbed a large black bag, and she set to work on my face.
When she was done, I didn’t recognize my own face. She’d brought out a woman with large, bright violet eyes framed with black and dark red rims, lips large, full and dark red to match the framing around my eyes, prominent cheekbones, and most noticeable was the hair. She’d tied my hair up into an intricate knot on the top of my head. And somehow had changed the color.
“What did you... do to my hair?” I choked out.
“Don’t you like it? I rather like the color.”
“It’s black and red and white!” She’d made it mainly black with red and white streaks in it.
Before I had time to protest, Erin turned to someone behind me and smiled. “Doesn’t she look so cute?”
“Turn her around and let me see,” boomed the ever attractive voice of Lucifer.
She turned me away from her mirror and left my side to stand by Lucifer and admire her work.
“You and the girls will dress her every day. You will make her look as you please. I like this. You’ve done well. Maybe tonight I’ll reward you some.” He threw her a lopsided grin and then he approached me. “Lilium, will you accompany me to my room?”
“I would rather not,” I said, and then I saw the look Erin was throwing me. It was full of warning and disapproval. “I... what for?”
“I want to show you something is all.”
“Alright...,” I said nervously. Maybe it was time I just... let in a little. Maybe it was time I started to not keep my head held in the clouds; I was stuck here no matter what, and the only way to win this game was to lose.
He grabbed my hand and walked me to his room like a gentleman and when we were in his room he grabbed my chin in his hand and leaned in close as if to kiss me. “I want you to know something, Lilium. I healed your wounds in the hope that you’ll finally start to realize that you’re not getting out. You’re stuck here, Lilium, and you’re stuck here with me. You’ll hurt a lot worse if you aren’t careful. But you look nice. In fact, it makes me rather want you.”
“I... I don’t think that would be a good thing to do right now.”
“I know. You’ll realize eventually that you want me. You have to let go of what you believe to be right and wrong. Sometimes the only thing you can do is give in and be what a little girl like you would consider ‘bad’.”
“If you say so, Lucifer. Right now I just want to help my brother get out of here,” I sighed.
“Tonight you are going to sleep with me.”
“No!” I shrieked instinctively. I may try to conform to his standards, but I would not do that. Not now and not ever.
“Oh shut up. I can stay in my wolf form if you would like. I don’t want to have sex tonight. Just stay with me, little girl. I find you to be quite interesting,” he said, smirked and left.
I walked slowly back out to the living room where I was greeted by Erin, Raven, Lilith and Lilim. Erin was standing at the stove, cooking something I couldn’t see. Lilim and Lilith huddled near each other, while Raven sat alone on the loveseat.
“Sit with me,” she ordered, and so I did.
“What did he say?” demanded Lilim.
“Um, he asked me to sleep with him tonight. Not have sex. Sleep.”
Erin giggled. “We’ve heard that before. What did you say?”
“I said I would,” I said quietly, and they all giggle at me.
“Sounds like someone’s losing their V card tonight,” giggled Erin.
“I most certainly am not,” I insisted.
“If you say so,” Lilim grinned evilly at me. “Just don’t expect not to get any visits through the night from us ladies. We don’t want to be neglected tonight, do we ladies?”
“No,” the rest chorused.
“Why are you here?” I asked quietly. “I know he wanted you to, but why are you even talking to me?”
“Because, Lilium. It’s our job to do what Lucifer wants us to do. He wants us to be nice to you, he wants us to dress you, he wants us to tease you. He’s asked us to do these things and we will.”
“Why do you do what he wants?”
“Because, he can either give us what we want or he can torment us for all eternity. We prefer the first,” Lilith said and shrugged.
“I’m going for a walk,” I said, dismissing myself, feeling sick. Something was compelling me to leave the house, and I was glad to. I didn’t want to be around those girls for a while.
“I would like to join you,” Raven hinted.
“No. I want to be alone for a while.”
“You won’t be alone out there,” she warned.
“I know. It’s alright. Thanks, but I need to go by myself. But first I need to change into better clothes.”
“No,” Erin cut in harshly. “You are not going back to your horrid fashion sense. Walk alone all you’d like, but you aren’t going to pick your own clothes anymore.”
I left the house and walked back to the spot I last remembered having seen the souls.
“Lilium, you have returned. What is your quest?” they seemed to whisper.
“I want to go back. I want to find a way to see earth. Is there a way? Is there a way to see those on earth without returning?”
“Yes, Lilium. Ask Lucifer. He can allow it. No other can.”
“What will he want in return?” I asked fearfully. I knew nothing would be free with him.
“We don’t know. He will tell you. Ask him, Lilium. And don’t forget us when your time comes,” they whispered, and before I could turn back to the cabin, the souls swarmed around me, enveloping me in the dark grey, and they whispered to me, “You will be our leader, Lilium. You will rule. You must help us. Until then we shall help you.”
They continued to spin around me, picking up speed until they became a tornado around me, raising me into the sky where I saw Lucifer appear, glancing at me curiously.
My heavy dress tore off, leaving me in nothing at all, my shoes falling to the ground with the dress, the hair pins falling from my hair, and letting it fall down my back, longer than it had been this morning, my skin was absolved of the makeup on it, any impurities such as acne disappearing as well.
Lucifer looked both surprised and angry, but despite his best efforts, he couldn’t reach me.
The souls swirled around my body, forming a dark gray coating around my skin, and continuing to circle until a dark grey and black, wispy dress was formed around me, a tight bodice but a long, loose skirt. I could feel there was another change, but I couldn’t see it, or tell what it was. But Lucifer could, and he looked furious.
“I see they’ve taken a liking to you,” he said angrily, voice rising above the noise of the winds around me.
“What are they doing?”
“We’ve given you a gift, Lilium.”
“What gift?”
“Who are you asking, Lilium?” asked Lucifer, looking angrier than I’d ever seen him.
“He can’t hear us,” they whispered to me.”No one can but us. Our souls will protect you as well as we can. This dress can be changed at your will, and no one but yourself can take it off.”
“How is that a gift?”
“You will see in time. But you will forever have us if you choose to keep us on, the clothing will never get dirty, and we can heal you. Don’t speak to us again, Lilium, he mustn’t know what we have done or he will punish us all. You won’t be alone,” they whispered and then the whispery voices were gone.
“Lilium, what did they do?” he asked. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice forces like that stirring around here?”
“I didn’t plan for this to happen.”
“What did they do?”
“They... made me this dress.”
“Take it off. Now.”
“No. I don’t want to be naked. I would rather not.”
“I’ll take it off if you won’t,” he threatened.
I smiled on the inside, ready to test what the souls had said. “Please don’t.”
He smirked, and a moment later his smile fell. “It... What is this?”
“I was told only I can take it off.”
“Interesting... I imagine their souls are inside of the clothing, then. I’ll never be able to get it off. Interesting. Well, it’s getting late. I think it’s nearly time for bed.”
“I only woke up about an hour ago,” I protested.
“Well, your estimate is off. How long do you think you were amongst the spirits?”
“Twenty minutes or so. Why?”
“Oh my, how dumb you are. You were encircled by them for nearly seven hours. My guess is they wove the threads of this dress into your very soul.”
“What will happen if I take it off?”
“Your soul would be torn,” he replied blatantly. “In fact, I would imagine you feel very fatigued now. A bit broken, perhaps. You most likely feel angry at me, and tired of being here. You probably were close to asking me to go back to Earth.”
“I was not!” I said indignantly and felt my face flush. “I had been close to asking if there were a way I could see back home. Just see how they’re doing.”
“Why? Why do you care? Who do you have?”
“I... I want to check on Jonah,” I decided. “He was one of my schoolmates. He was nice to me. I want to make sure he’s doing alright. I just miss having him around, having someone who would put up with me.”
“No,” he hissed. “You stupid bitch. He doesn’t care about you. No one cares about you!” he seethed. “Can’t you see that? Can’t you see that nobody gives a shit about you? Or are you too stupid for even that? Are you too completely idiotic to figure out there is a reason I had to tell the girls to act like they like you? That no one on earth would even talk to you? You’re so fucking stupid!”
I whimpered. “Stop. Please stop yelling.”
“Not until you finally get it. You’re stupid enough that you can’t seem to understand. I hate having to be cruel, but you just can’t understand otherwise. No one will be there for you. Not a single person will help you when you beg, so just stop!” he screamed.
“I understand. I am sorry. It just hurts. I want it to stop hurting.”
The look he gave me showed that was not the right thing to say, true or not.
“You think you’re hurting? You think you truly understand the feeling of how it feels to hurt?”
I shook my head slowly but it was too late.
*
I knew even before she hit the ground that I had messed up. I hadn’t meant to get so angry, hadn’t meant to knock her unconscious. But I had.
I glared at her unconscious body, angry at her for bringing out my worst side. I didn’t want to act like this all the time.
I snapped us back into my room and walked into the kitchen, not at all surprised to find Erin and Keaira making out on the couch while Raven, Lilim, and Lilith sat talking in the hot tub.
“Where’s Lilium?” Lilim asked curiously when she saw me. “She doesn’t feel good,” I said gruffly. “I’m going to bed. I’ll see you all in the morning.”
“Why, Lucifer? Don’t we get to have any fun tonight?” Keaira pouted, looking up at me from her session with Erin.
“Not with me. Enjoy one another.”
They all looked confused, and I felt much the same.
I sat on the bed next to Lilium, who looked tense in her sleep.
While I looked at her I realized the dress was healing her. Why? Why were the spirits willing to disobey me for her?
I tried to tug the dress off, and it wouldn’t budge. I couldn’t get my hand within six inches of it. When I gave up on trying to take it off, when I simply let my hand fall, it was able to touch the dress. I couldn’t move to take it off, but I could touch it. I stroked the fabric softly for a minute before turning away.
“I don’t need him,” I heard her whisper. So she had woken. Who was she talking to? “Why would I need him? That’s preposterous,” she continued after a pause. Then after another short break, “Of course I don’t. Don’t even suggest that.” She paused again. “I do not,” she said, anger slipping into her tone, as if in denial. “Stop talking to me. Please. I don’t want to talk about him. Please drop it.”
She was quiet for a long while before I spoke. “Lilium.”
She jumped. “What do you want, Lucifer?”
I felt strangely upset by the whimper in her voice.
“I... I want you to take off the dress.”
“I’m not taking it off!” she said angrily. “They can sit here and tell me whatever they want, I’m not taking it off even if I have to deal with them.”
“They talk to you?” I asked, a bit surprised.
“Yeah, and they’re annoying. And wrong.”
“Who were you talking about earlier?”
Without responding, I could read her thoughts and tell. They’d been talking about me. And they’d told her she was in love with me.
I smirked. “They’re right. You do.”
She didn’t respond in words. She just lay there, her mind falling into places full of self hatred and pain, no coherent thoughts in her head.
I lay watching her for a long while until a small knock on the door distracted me.
“Master?”
“What, Erin?” I snapped.
She opened the door. “I can’t sleep, Master.”
“What am I supposed to do about it?”
“I dunno, you could help me relax some,” she suggested.
“Erin, I’m not in the mood. Go before you upset me.”
“Why are you staying with her?” she pouted, glaring at Lilium. “She’s not even as pretty as me. Why would you choose her over me?”
“I’m not choosing anyone. Go.”
“She won’t even put out, Master. Why would you choose someone you can’t even have any fun with?”
“Because she’s not in here bothering me!” I hissed, and she looked scared. “Because I’m not in the mood to play with you and your damn tits, Erin. I don’t want to see you again until tomorrow. Come back and you’ll regret it.”
“You’ve never denied me before,” she whimpered and ran out of the room.
It felt good to get my anger out. It felt good to have someone to get out the irrational anger I had.
I went back to the bed and sat next to Lilium, where she lie on the bed, broken and torn apart down to her very soul.
I looked into her mind and saw she was in a dark, dark place. Darker than she had been before. She was getting close. It would soon not be difficult to get her to the next level.
“Lilium, tell me something.”
“Why? Don’t you have Erin, Raven, Lilim, Lilith and Keaira to tell you what you want? To pretend to like me for you?”
“Well my dear, I do believe you sound envious, little girl.”
She sat up, a struggle against her injuries, and then faced me. “I hate you, Lucifer. I hate you for bringing me here. I hate you for making me do this to save Caius. And you know what? I do envy people. I envy everyone that’ve never had to meet you. I envy Jonah, I envy everyone still on Earth, I envy everyone in Heaven, anyone not here with you!” she screamed at me. “I hate you! I hate you for hating me! I hate you for hurting me! I hate you for sticking me here! I hate you for keeping me here to make me rule Hell! I don’t want to rule anywhere, let alone all evil!” she screamed, and I was shocked at her words.
“What are you talking about?”
“The spirits say things. They tell me what they know of the future. That you plan on making me rule with you. That you will never care. That I will never matter and you know what, fine. Fine. Do what you want. See if I care.”
“Why do you care if I care?” I whispered, teasing her by gently caressing her chin.
Her bottom lip trembled and the dress around her flesh began to churn and change into a more covering outfit of sweatpants and a sweatshirt, both the same dark grey color.
“I don’t care if you do or not. See if I care anything about you.”
“But you do,” I realized, looking into her heart and mind. I hadn’t seen it fully because she hadn’t until the spirits had pointed it out.
“I... please go,” she whispered, her body betraying her to weakness. “I don’t want to deal with you. It hurts too badly. Please go. Go, Lucifer.”
“I will not, Lilium. Because I have a few things to say. You’re right, I never will care. I don’t care about you, you’re my playtoy for the week. As soon as I tired of you, you’ll mean nothing and be a distant memory. You’ll be one of the girls I’ve tricked into coming into Hell. And I’ll never see you again and you’ll stay where you are. But for now, I am here, and you are going to do as I say because otherwise you will regret it. And nothing you say or do with change that.” Somehow, it felt strangely like a lie.