A/N:

Hey everyone! I hope everybody is staying safe and healthy, and I am excited to be back with another chapter of The Alignment: Rulers of Hell. I apologize for the delayed posting...my family was/still is going through a bit of an emergency crisis. But it was a wonderful and needed distraction to take the time to write and update this chapter. I took this time, and this chapter, to really develop Sabrina's relationship with Lilith. And to see the aftermath of that kiss! Hope ya'll enjoy!

Cheers.

EJ

Chapter 9

I floated through school Tuesday, not really knowing how to process the events of the previous night. A range of emotions were fluttering throughout my constantly turmoil filled mind. Immediately after the kiss had occurred, I was wrapped in feelings of warm fuzzies and sultry desires. I had tossed and turned the entire night, my dreams filled with thoughts and images that weren't of the cleanest nature.

Though, my thoughts of giddiness and excitement over the sudden instance of passion that Caliban and I had shared had now filtered into thoughts of regret and anxiety. It was a mental battle of the question pertaining to my unexplored feelings about Caliban, and the fact that I wanted to keep everything involving our relationship at the moment to a strictly professional and cohabitable level.

Drifting through the hallways of Baxter High, I aimlessly made my way through the school day with a minimum amount of effort. Roz had entertained me at lunch with wedding attire selections. She had apparently drug poor Harvey shopping the night before. We both settled on a simple, yet elegant spaghetti strap dress made from satin. Perfect for a black tie, Pandemonium wedding.

When I got home, Aunt Hilda handed me an embossed gold envelope that had arrived at our door while I had been at school. It was sealed with a wax stamp bearing Lilith's sigil, her signature calling card. Knowing that it was probably something having to do with the massive event that she was planning, it was probably in my best interest to heed her call for an audience.

I quickly dropped my backpack off in my room, and said a quick farewell to my aunt and Ambrose, who were both lounging around in the sitting room.

"Be careful, darling." Aunt Hilda called after me, and I gave her a convincing smile as I grabbed my crossbody from the bannister.

"Who knows what's going to happen today?" I breathed to myself, and headed out the door.

Lilith's chambers in the palace of Pandemonium had always given me the creeps. Decorated with way too many bones for my taste, the deep colors of plum purple and gold were stark against the pale gray, cold stone walls that rose up around us. Lilith had invited me in, ushering me towards the small table and chairs set that was tucked into the corner of her room. Once again, Lilith was dressed in Hell's finest. A sweeping velvet gown encrusted with who knows how many jewels, with a deep plunging neckline that left little to the imagination. The dark navy hue was a deep contrast against my royal advisor's pale skin tone.

"I'm glad you were able to meet with me this evening." Lilith finally settled herself in the chair across from me.

"I knew that you probably needed to discuss important wedding details with me. Or at least something of the sort." I shrugged. Lilith gave me a small smile, hinting that maybe I was here for an alternate reason, other than making such silly decisions, such as napkin colors and china patterns.

"I know that look, Lilith. Why am I really here?" I gave my father's mistress an accusing look, and she bent down under the table, retrieving a few packages that I hadn't noticed when I had sat down. Placing them on the table in front of me, Lilith displayed a proud smile at the tall stack of wrapped gifts in front of me.

"I thought, since I am your motherly guide to all things Hell related, that it was my place to provide you with a few necessary items for your wedding day." Lilith pushed the pile of gifts a bit closer to me. I looked at her with a bit of suspicion, but she encouraged me to open the gifts.

Taking the top package from the pile, I peeled back the thick, metallic paper. Carefully unfolding it, I looked down at the leatherbound book that was revealed. My eyes read the title of the book, and I gave Lilith a sideways, slightly nauseated glance.

"The Art of Carnal Love?" I asked her, trying to determine whether I found the gift as overpresumptiative or disgusting. Lilith gave me yet another dazzling smile, and I had to keep myself from pretend (or physically) gagging over the book.

"I believe that is a wonderful introduction into the world of sexual pleasure and exploration. Something that you might find helpful in upcoming months." She attempted to explain her reasonings behind the gift, but all that I could process was the fact that Lilith, my father's mistress, was taking interest in not only my love life, but beyond the boundaries of respect and into my sex life. My nonexistent sex life, that is.

"First, don't believe that I will be needing this, but thank you for the consideration. And second, Caliban and I mutually agreed that this marriage is platonic on all levels." I wanted to refresh Lilith on Caliban and I's conditions of our alignment, since she had apparently forgotten the 'platonic' part.

"I would also like to remind you that your Caliban is quite the cunning fellow, since you've seem to have forgotten that he included a carnal relationship as a condition of your marriage alignment." Lilith quipped, and that's when I realized that she was right.

"Well, at least for a while, Caliban and I will be remaining strictly friends." Speaking those words, I realized that I was denouncing my own feelings that I had explored the previous night, but I wanted to get Lilith off my back. Discussing sex with her was something that I was trying to avoid with all of my dignity.

"Well, once he sees you in your next gift, that might be impossible." Lilith chuckled, and motioned for me to move on to the next box. Rolling my eyes, and expecting the worse, I opened the lid of the metallic wrapped box to reveal a collection of black lace and satin.

"Oh great. Lingerie. Thank you." I responded, shutting the box quickly. Lilith nodded approvingly.

"They're fit to go under your wedding dress."

"You've thought of everything, haven't you?" I sighed, and Lilith nodded. But there was one more box underneath my hellish version of a wedding boudoir. Lilith encouraged me to open the small package, and I obliged, hopefully I wasn't going to be eternally scarred with this gift. But my expectations of something raunchy were melted when I opened the package to reveal an elegant pair of black diamond earrings. Looking at Lilith, I gave her a confused glance.

"The tradition in the mortal realm is something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue, isn't it? These were mine, a gift from Lucifer. I thought that maybe you might want to borrow them for Saturday." Lilith gave me one of her rare, endearing looks. It was filled with an emotion that I could not decipher; something between care, and hopefulness.

"They're beautiful...are you sure?" I asked her, wanting to confirm that she trusted me with something so precious to her. It was then that she spoke something that I was not expecting, nor ever expected to hear from Lilith.

"This is quite out of character for me, but, Sabrina, you are the closest thing to a daughter that I have ever had, or might ever have. I know that this whole experience has been draining, and daunting for you. I would be honored if you would consider wearing these at your wedding." Lilith pushed the box closer to me, as if she was offering me an olive branch. An extension of peace.

"I would be honored to." I confirmed, knowing that Lilith's intentions came from the heart; one that I previously had considered that she didn't have. But in this moment, she had made me completely change my tune.

"Well, I'm glad." She agreed, and there was suddenly a lackluster silence that filled the chamber, surrounding us in a feeling almost considered as awkwardness. But to both of our surprise, it was me who broke it.

"I kissed Caliban last night." The sudden admission of my actions the previous night slipped my lips without a second thought, and once they did, I quickly averted my eyes. My hands, clasped tightly in my lap, seemed very interesting all of the sudden.

"It is about damn time." Lilith sighed, leaning back into her chair, a wicked grin on her deep red lips. I looked at her, shocked by her bluntness.

"What do you mean?" I asked defensively.

"Sabrina, darling, you could cut the sexual tension between you and the clay prince with a butter knife. I have been waiting for you to break, and I knew you would be the one."

"There was no sexual tension between us." I mumbled, and Lilith let out a throaty chuckle.

"And I'm not Satan's mistress. Sabrina, my dear, you're going to have to grow up, because that dashing young man wants to bed you. And he will, as soon as he has a ring on that pale little hand of yours." Lilith poured herself a goblet of red wine from the cart situated next to the table where we were seated.

"Well, as of right now, he doesn't." I snapped back, and Lilith chuckled before sipping her wine.

"Well, my sweet girl, I will heed you one warning. I know you well enough to know that your heart sometimes gets ahead of your head. And I am telling you now, he's going to own you with both." Lilith predicted.

"No he's not." I once again defended myself as I shuffled uncomfortably in the hard wood chair I was seated in.

"Sabrina, you know how delirious and daunting men can be. Look at your father, for example." Lilith took a jab at Lucifer before continuing. "You have to keep yourself sane. You can love Caliban, but you must always have the mindset to prioritize your duty over love."

"You think that I will actually love him, eventually I mean?" I asked, opening up a bit about the fact that I was terrified of a loveless marriage. Lilith seemed to sense my uneasiness, speaking a truth that I didn't know I needed, nor wanted to hear.

"I believe that you've already started to, Sabrina."

A/N:

I hope this chapter was everything you needed! I am trying to update a big more regularly now, but I still am handling some personal family issues, so the cards may fall as they may. But never the less, I hope y'all liked this chapter, and my Lilith humor (best part of writing this chapter). Everyone stay safe! See you next time.

EJ