Isaiah's Undoing: The Warriors Curse

By Tigris Eden

The struggle between good and evil is never-ending.

In the greatest battle that has been waging since the world began, one warrior comes face to face with a shocking truth…

His destined mate is alive.

Follow Isaiah and Dalila as they battle their undeniable attraction and uncover the shocking truth of their pasts. One that will unlock the key to saving not only their survival but also the fate of the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kats Kreative Ideas
• Release date: May 11, 2020

Tigris Eden

USA Today Bestselling Author, Tigris is a military brat who's done her fair share of traveling, thanks to her Army father. She's married to the infamous LL and has three boys. She currently resides in Houston and is actively seeking a book-buddy for the end of the world. You can find Tigris on Twitter, Facebook, and at her website. Twitter: @Tigris_Eden Facebook: www.facebook.com/TigrisEdenAuthor/ Website: www.tigriseden.com

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Prologue

Temple Philae

Sometime during the 5th Dynasty

For what they’ve done to me, I will end their entire existence.

Lilith stood, arms crossed in defiance against the ghosts of her past. The corners of her lips lifted in a grin. It was the people inside the temple who had set her on a dark path to chaos.

She stroked Ophidian’s scaly, tapered head with her thumb.

Acid filled her veins as she gave voice to her plans. Her vow became airborne—a poison lying in wait for its victim as it floated through the air.

This will be a significant loss, which they will feel until the end of time.

They would suffer greatly. How could she not punish them after the pain she’d suffered at the hands of The Order? The warrior class of Angels known as Seraphim or the Burning Ones as they were called in the sacred scriptures. They attended their god in all things, which included escorting the damned to their place in Hell. They also carried out executions.

Asmodeus, her mate, hadn’t even stood trial, his life taken without a backward glance. He was the twin of Samael and rightful heir to the Underworld. His death still haunted her dreams.

Standing outside the temple, she glanced around for sentries. The women hadn’t even seen fit to place guards outside the ceremony. Fools.

The Temple’s surface was pristine, desert-honey walls covered with timeless art. Gold etched markings displayed tributes and victories, showing favor to Isis.

Lilith stood below the stairs in front of the west colonnade and sneered. These images depicted victories won in the name of the bitch goddess.

Today the wrong done to me will be righted. She’d fought and lost, and for what? To watch her loved one fall. He’d been beheaded right before her eyes, over something considered as trivial as taking souls.

Yes, today, the mating ritual of two who would cherish one another for eternity would take place. Today was as good a time as any to seek revenge. All of them clueless to her plans.

Adrenaline coursed through icy veins, raising her body’s temperature. Her right eye twitched. Only spilling celestial blood would come close to satisfying her thirst. Her pet snake hissed as her fingers tightened on his body. Lilith’s madness was evident. It shone as a bright beacon from her eyes. Killing them was her right.

Let the death begin.

A stream of linen gathered at Lilith’s waist, encasing her body in shades of red., As she walked, trails of crimson flowed behind her in waves. Ringlets of blue-black hair fell to her hips, the once vibrant curls, were now a disheveled abyss waiting to swallow anything in its path.

Lilith, they’re in the inner court, waiting to perform the mating ceremony. Excitement darkened Suriel’s voice, a sinister volcano waiting to erupt. Her advisor stood beside her, just outside the entrance, his monstrous form covered in a cloud of darkness.

My queen, I have alerted the others. They await your command. Spoken with surety, Suriel’s voice sang of the upcoming victory Lilith herself anticipated.

Thank you, Suriel, Lilith drew out the words on a long whisper. Like an elusive oasis in the desert, her voice could draw a man to his death. Midnight tresses bounced along her gown, puppetry in motion when she canted her head to stare at her commander.

First, I want to go to the ceremony, take in the festivities.

"Kill them, we must. Bathe in their blood." Ophidian dangled the words, conjuring images pleasing to Lilith’s eyes. Her pet serpent whispered evil musings in her ear as she walked through the Portal of Nectandebo. She halted at the Inner Court of Temple Philae and watched.

Thick drapes of white linen swayed, bringing the fragrant breeze of Egyptian lilies. It was a sign of purity and light.

Lilith’s mouth tilted up at the corners once more. Her eyes glowed with vengeance, while death burned a promise on her lips. They assumed the ceremony would be completed. They will feel my pain ten times over and more. The color from the gems embedded in the floor danced across the walls, bathing Lilith in a spectrum of reds and blues. Things could have been different. Life didn’t mean much to her anymore. Anger and hate fueled her body. Vengeance and their life’s blood filled her dreams. Lilith only wanted one outcome, one solution to the problem. It would put her mind at ease.

Death to everyone who waited inside.

A pregnant hush settled over the room as she entered. The women rose to their feet, their faces tense, bodies readied for battle.

Even in their most delicate of garments, the women were lethal. Nubi, strong and fierce women, the ultimate female assassins, they were injurious to those they called enemy.

Lilith bowed, lifting her head slightly in disregard to the goddess, Isis, and her chosen daughters. Sitting on her throne, holding her infant, was Heka, goddess of magic and guardian of the sun god, Ra.

I mean no disrespect, Heka,—absolute disdain poured off her in waves as she raised her voice towards the goddess—but you’re providing Raphael with a mate?

That’s none of your concern, Lilith. Heka’s face, smooth and free of blemishes, morphed as lines appeared across her forehead, and her eyes narrowed slightly. Why are you here? Heka placed her small daughter in the arms of an adolescent. Her lips thinned, and her brows arched.

You’re making a huge mistake by being here, Heka warned.

Never a mistake, only intended errors.

Had she made a mistake in walking in completely unmasked? Possibly. Did she mind? It was of no consequence to her. Lilith didn’t care if she died. Death to anyone in her path before her time came was considered a win. A smile spread across her face as millions of scenarios played through her head. Each one, she the victor, they the spoils. Yes, they would all see the error of their ways soon enough.

Heka descended her throne to face Lilith. Her long, white linen skirt flowed around her ankles, her breasts covered only by gold chest plates that reflected the light from the fire casting an orange tint to Lilith’s face. As she spoke, her eyes glowed a bright white.

You’re angry about Asmodeus. I witnessed what happened, justice was rightly served.

You LIE! Lilith screamed.

She took a step toward the couple in the center, directing her anger where it would do the most damage. Raphael, first lieutenant of The Order, wore a white linen cloth nestled between his legs, his chest bare, showcasing hard, lean abs. His black metal collar was still locked in place until the ceremony concluded. He would never experience a day of freedom.

You will die. You have stolen from me, and now I will steal from you, Raphael. Lilith’s long, elegant arm rose slowly and pointed in his direction. She thought to inject him with her poison, but that would be child’s play.

Raphael regarded her with watchful eyes. The warmth he’d shown moments ago to his mate had been replaced by freezing fury. Woman, you will bring war upon us if you choose such a path. I will not allow you to come here and disgrace my mating ceremony.

Let war come. As long as retribution was served. She’d laugh in their faces if the gods dared to try and wage war against her now. She had been wronged. This was a sanctioned battle. She had seen to it. The Alliance would not step in. Certainly not the Justice Demon League. They would side with her. Their deaths were long overdue. The Alliance and Justice Demon League were two factions overseeing the multi-realms. They kept the balance between good and evil. But they also allowed for just punishments. Raphael was an advisor to the Alliance, and the First Lieutenant of the Order, and Lilith’s mate, Asmodeous, was an advisor to the JDL. Rulings were handed down, and punishments were meted out based on the decisions of the two factions. They claimed there was no ill will between them, but that wasn’t always the case.

On the day of her mate’s beheading, there had been no unanimous vote. Nor had there been a ruling to remove Asmodeus from his position on a more permanent basis. It was a simple punishment. One that entailed a loss of power for a time and forced servitude to the family of the soul he’d taken. It was Raphael’s arrogance and self-imposed righteousness and hatred for her mate that’d caused his untimely death. Because of his actions, her mate was now only a painful memory.

Lilith had been given a pass. One complete cycle to avenge her mate. She remembered the conversation clearly as if it were whispered in her ear as she stood watching.

You will have no interference from the JDL and I’ll personally see to it the Alliance is kept busy.

And what of the Order? Lilith asked her informant.

They will not be in attendance. Only the mated male is allowed inside the temple.

Wearing a deadly smile, Lilith walked toward Raphael with outstretched arms, nails dipped with poison. There will be no mating ceremony. As far as the Alliance and the JDL are concerned…I don’t imagine they will argue with me in this case. She took another step.

Stop this instant. You have no right to come here. Seraphina removed her staff from her back to ward off Lilith and defend her mate. Typical. The other women would not interfere. It was Raphael’s mate’s job to stand beside him. The women kept to a strict code of honor and would only step in at their sister’s request. Too bad they would never have the opportunity to defend her or her mate.

Lilith smelled the fear on Seraphina, energy laced with sweat and hate. It did nothing but feed her fury, moving her closer to her goal.

Destroy the Nubi.

The moment Raphael’s mate cast her staff forward, Lilith’s poison dispersed, making a hissing sound as it burned its way up Seraphina’s staff, morphing the entire weapon into a snake. The serpent twisted its head to face the woman and sank its fangs deep into its handler’s hand, releasing a paralytic venom. Lilith had tested her creation on herself and understood firsthand what Seraphina now experienced. Fire so hot it boiled the blood from the inside out, slowing the beat of the victim’s heart. It had been worth the pain and paralysis to make sure her weapon worked. Suriel watched over her for days, and she’d allowed him to torture her endlessly to make sure the effects were indeed painful. The incapacitated victim felt every touch, every sensation that could be wrung from a tortured body, and Seraphina would experience it all.

Raphael stepped forward to aid his mate, but she looked at him with assurance in her eyes. A silent request that told him she would be all right; she thought she could fight off the poison. Lilith watched their interaction, her hands clutching the fabric of her dress. No one made a move.

Seraphina tried to drop the snake. Instead, it wound tighter around her hand until veins bulged and began to restrict the blood flow even more. Her honey-colored eyes morphed into silver orbs. Sepia-toned skin