Lilith and Eli pulled into the airport parking lot where he immediately took his gun from his pocket and placed it in the glove compartment. In an adjacent parking lot, Adam Benoni was watching them from his beat-up cavalier. He had been careful to stay at least two cars behind them all the way down Kearney Street during the fifteen-minute drive to the airport. He watched as the pair went inside the terminal then dutifully sent a text to the Preacher-man to let him know the situation. For a few moments, there was no response, then a single text from Levi assuring his acolyte that everything would be taken care of and to keep a sharp eye on her. Obediently Adam did as he was told. He believed without question the Preacher-man's claim that this woman was trying to destroy the ministry and he wasn't going to let that happen.
He hurried inside the terminal and for a moment he thought he had lost her. Walking up and down the building he finally caught sight of her at a far counter purchasing a ticket. She looked so happy and indeed she was. Lilith was beginning to feel free again. In a mere twenty-three minutes, she would be going down the runway safe from the lustful gaze of Levi Sethos and out of range of his grasp. Beaming ear to ear, the demoness kicked off her sandals and set them in the plastic tray then handed over her suitcase. As far as she was concerned they could do whatever they had to so long as she got on that plane.
Intent on going with her to the gate so he could see her safely off, Eli was setting his shoes into the plastic tray when a couple of security guards approached Lili. One snatched up her suitcase and ordered her to follow them. The demoness explained that her plane was getting ready to take off, but the guards were unmoved. One started to take her by the arm only to have her jerk away, while the other radioed for back-up. Once again she was ordered to follow them, this time in a much harsher and louder manner. Lilith looked back at Eli desperate for help, but there was nothing he could do. Her heart instantly sank and she silently bowed her head in resignation before going off with security.
Elijah stood there a few moments uncertain of what to do, then finally leaned against the wall, fully expecting her to return within a few minutes. After a while, he sat down in one of the waiting areas and started thumbing through various out of date magazines on interior decorating. What could be taking so long? After an hour he glanced at his watch, then stretched and sighed. The plane was long gone and he was starting to wonder if she had been arrested, although for what he didn't know. He wasn't certain if he should continue to wait or leave, but the question was soon answered as he saw Lili emerge from the back fuming. He had no idea what sort of language she was speaking, but he was confident that she was spewing a string of profanity.
"Are you okay?" he asked, as he got up from his seat.
"Okay?!" she snapped. "I just spent an hour being held in a small room with Sgt. Schultz and Col. Klink trying to assure me that this is standard procedure and that they are in no way profiling. Oh, and that wasn't the worst of it. We were also joined by a female guard that was six-foot-three, with a voice like Johnny Cash that easily could compete in men's professional wrestling," Lilith railed, barely taking a breath. Eli was trying not to smile at her descriptions, but it was proving quite difficult. His lady friend had become the victim of TSA's notorious cavity search. "Now normally I don't mind being undressed by someone tall and handsome with three-day stubble. It doesn't even bother me to have my orifices fondled by hands big enough to wrap around a quart mason jar with the fingertips touching, but dammit I call the shots and their name sure as Hell isn't going to be Tiffany!"
"Well, you're free now."
"Don't get me wrong, pleasure is pleasure and I can get my kicks with a man who is built like a God or a woman with a body made for sinning . . ."
"Lili . . ." he tried to cut in.
"Yes yes, the plane is long gone, I know. Isn't that convenient," she growled. "Do you know what it was all about? Do you? A bottle of water."
"You weren't carrying a bottle of water."
"Exactly, but somehow they magically found one filled with a suspicious substance in my suitcase. Supposedly they ran some tests and low and behold all it had was water in it. I mean, who knew right?"
Before she could continue her tirade, she was approached by a flight attendant who apologized for interrupting then handed Lili an envelope. She went on to explain that a young man had asked her to deliver it, but he seemed to have disappeared. Lilith gave a quick 'thank you' as the flight attendant reached into her bra and removed a brand new, crisp hundred-dollar bill from inside her ample bosom and put it in her purse before turning and leaving.
The demoness looked at the envelope but there was no name on it or return address. She couldn't imagine what was inside but it felt flat and empty. Tearing it open, a folded flyer for the restaurant called Prince Prospero fell out and landed on the floor at her feet. She recognized it from one of those displays that carried all sorts of pamphlets advertising local attractions, mostly in the Branson area. This particular flyer had been carefully chosen though and if she had any doubts over who had orchestrated the fiasco with TSA and caused her to miss her flight, they were now erased. The message was simple and clear, there would be no leaving. This flyer was a reminder from the Preacher-man that he was everywhere and there was no escaping him.
Lilith didn't even bother to pick the pamphlet up. Eli started to bend down, but she caught him by the arm and gave a soft 'please don't'. Her face looked pale and pained. She was no longer ranting, but silent, and he wasn't sure if it was fear or rage bubbling behind those deep green eyes of hers. Possibly both. He looked down at the flyer and wondered what it meant. There was clearly a message, but he couldn't begin to understand what it was.
"Can we please leave?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly as her eyes glanced around the terminal suspiciously.
"Sure," he answered, guiding her gently towards the door.
Once they had gotten into the car, Elijah once more stuck his gun and holster back into the pocket of his jeans. Lilith could only silently stare out the window as they drove away, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as though they were a barrier between her and the world. Seeing that pamphlet had brought to mind a moment that was too painful and she wished desperately to forget. Unfortunately, it was all flooding back and nothing could erase it from her perfect memory. She could still recall the smell of his cologne, the sound of the wind blowing through the trees and the feel of the fabric from the dress he had sent her on her skin.
The dress was part of the deal. He had picked it out and specifically requested that she wear it in order to fulfill her promise and end his harassment of Millie. Black and partly sheer, the outfit was designed to go across one shoulder with strategically placed sections of solid fabric to ensure a sense of modesty. The strap that crossed her shoulder had a tendency to cut into her skin which only added to her already foul mood. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Preacher-man had already changed the agreement. Originally they were supposed to have dinner at Prince Prospero's, a high-end five-star restaurant. At the last minute, he had changed it to his personal cabin that was nestled in the Ozark Mountains.
Getting out of her car, she stood looking at the place for several minutes. The place had an old rustic look with worn logs and a stone chimney. A large front porch greeted her and if it had belonged to anyone else she might have thought it was charming, but tonight it seemed more like a spider's web trying to lure her in. Stepping up to the door, Lili took out the key that he had sent with the dress and opened the door. Hesitantly she stepped inside and looked around. She hated to admit it but the place was beautiful.
The furnishings and décor of the cabin were still rustic in style but also quite sumptuous with every detail chosen to convey the look of an older time period while still having modern comforts and style. She rested her hand on the Tuscan leather couch as her emerald eyes took in the impressive rock fireplace and chandelier made of antlers. She could smell the tempting aroma of Italian cooking and turned towards the kitchen just in time to see the chef come through the back door. He nodded and smiled at her then immediately went to work chopping up fresh spices while his pots boiled and skillets sizzled. Clearly Levi spared no expense in hopes of impressing her. Too bad she had no interest in money and power. She already had wealth at her fingertips and powerful kings and rulers of every kind had bowed before her. Levi was of little consequence.
She asked the chef if he knew where Levi was and he pointed towards the back door. Politely she thanked him and was about to step out there when she caught sight of the master bedroom with its door standing open like an invitation. Lili could see the large four-poster bed with its handmade fan pattern quilt carefully pulled back as if to be enticing. If he thought she was going to sleep with him, he was wrong. The thought of him touching any part of her was enough to turn her stomach. Just seeing that room made her want to turn around and leave this place, but she knew that Millie would pay the price. She couldn't allow that. The Preacher-man had already shut down the woman's bar once and doing so again would only destroy the business the old gal had worked so hard to build. She had promised to meet him for dinner and she never went back on her word.
Walking through the back door she stepped out onto a large patio that extended out over the hillside and had a magnificent panoramic view looking out over the Ozark Mountains for quite a long distance. It was breathtaking. The entire deck was alight with candles and lanterns and her ears were greeted with the soft rustling of trees mixed with classical music softly playing through a speaker system. No doubt the light and music were meant to create a romantic mood, but it only filled her dread. Her eyes quickly looked about noting every available escape route. There were only two: the doorway she was standing in and a set of open French doors that led to that same master bedroom. The most obvious escape, the patio railing was useless due to the hundred foot cliff it was built on.
Standing in the center of it all, leaning on the railing, was Levi, looking out over the grand vista before him. Taking a deep breath she straightened her dress, making sure that all of her 'naughty bits' were covered up then silently wished for the night to end quickly. Lilith's footsteps resonated softly on the wooden patio announcing her presence and bringing a crooked smile to the Preacher-man's face, but he still continued to lean on the railing and look out at the view before him.
"In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth. Amazing, isn't it, to think that he could create something so vast and yet also make something as small and insignificant as us. Can you imagine what Adam's first words must have been in the garden?"
