Zoiia was in a funeral home. She wondered who had claimed her corpse. Would she be buried, or cremated? Would there be a funeral? Who would come? Who would organise and pay for it? Azazael?

She regarded her lifeless body. She was livid. "You are invincible," Azazael had said.

If I am indeed invincible, how could a mere bird destroy me?

"You are invincible, as long as you feed... As long as...YOU FEED!"

There it was. How could she feed without a body? Zoiia knew it was possible. Lilith had done so before she had resided within her. But she had not taught her how. Where was Lilith now? Had she abandoned her too?

The great serpent, the father of lies, had deceived her. It was what he did. Zoiia knew this, but never did she suspect that she would be one of those taken in. No, not her. She prided herself on her cunning. Had she not commanded demons with her spell-craft? Had they not done her bidding? Was she not in control, always?

Azazael might be a lord of hell, but in the end, he was the same as all the others. He was just a demon. Jealous of the humans created in the image of a God he detested. Jealous of the fact that they had both body and spirit. Jealous that they had souls.

Where was her soul? Zoiia had sold it years ago but what did that mean? She was offered a way out of financial difficulties... Oh, who was she kidding? She was offered a way out of poverty! And she had taken it.

She had resorted to selling her body for food in her belly and a roof overhead. Then she happened upon The Children of Azazael. They had promised her...what? Better food in her belly and a nicer roof over her head? She had still given her body.

But I am powerful now, she had told herself. I am rich. I have authority. I make the choices.

Did she? She was told who to sleep with, for the greater good. Where was the power in that? Azazael did not care for her. Azazael was her demonic pimp. She had given him everything. She gave him her body and now she didn't have a body at all! She had thought sex was a choice. Now, she had no choice. If she wanted to exist, she needed to feed. Soon.

Her mother had disappeared when Zoiia was on the cusp of womanhood. Her father had been relieved. Now he could raise his children without her influence. However, when Zoiia began to bring home large sums of money, he warned her, "Please mali miš — please tell me that you are a good girl. Do not be like your mother. It is a dangerous path, Zoiia. Do not walk it."

Her elder sister, Živka had also warned her. "Zoiia you are smart, yes and beautiful; but you are so lazy! You want everything immediately. Nothing is free, mali miš. You must work hard for success. Do not rely on your looks alone. They will not last. You must study. It is your brain that will make you succeed. Apply yourself or you will regret it."

Zoiia had inherited her mother's looks. Poor Živka was quite plain comparatively, but no one could ever say that she hadn't applied herself. She was extremely intelligent, a brain surgeon — literally. She was now considered one of the best neurosurgeons in Europe. Zoiia had believed that her sister was jealous of her; but it was Živka who had the brilliant career, the doting husband, the beautiful children.

And Zoiia, the little mouse — mali miš? How she hated that childhood nickname! She was determined there would never be anything about her that was meek or mouse-like. So, she had left her economically challenged country, for what she had perceived as freedom. She wanted it all. And she had taken it — mercilessly, without remorse. But now, what did she have? She had...immortality, without a soul.

She had never really believed in heaven or hell. That was why it had been so easy for her to sign the contract that bound her to Azazael. She had truly believed that there was nothing after death, so she was determined to have it all in life. When her body was destroyed, however, she had become aware of something else.

There had been light above her and she had tried to move towards it. Something had stopped her. Every mean act as a child, every cruelty as an adult, she had been forced to recall, but not from her own perspective. She had thought and felt everything that her victims had experienced. Now she finally understood. Now she was afraid. There-was-a-hell! She would go there unless she found a body soon. Unless she fed.

This is not fair! Those she had hurt were weak. Was it her fault that they were so fragile? She wanted vengeance. Someone would pay for this. She would find a way to seek revenge on Azazael if it took her all of eternity. He had to have a weakness. She would find it.

And Myrddin. It was his fault that her body lay here broken. She would find him and she would destroy him. Then she would kill his family. She would not let any of them remain. They would pay for what he had done to her. She would find a way to obliterate each one of them. But first...she must find a body.

Her spirit was still here for certain. Where was the good in that, without a proper shell? Could she truly call herself immortal without one? Voices disturbed her thoughts. Who comes?

"May I have a moment alone with my daughter, please?"

"Of course, madam."

The funeral director left, closing the door behind him. A blonde woman approached the corpse. She was vaguely familiar to Zoiia.

"I know that you can hear me. I have a proposal for you. Show yourself so that we can talk."

I don't know how.

"I can sense you, but I can't see you unless you agree to show yourself."

But how?

The woman sighed, clearly frustrated.

"All right. Try to speak out loud. I believe I will hear you," she said.

"Are you truly my mother, Katenka? Why did you leave us?" Zoiia asked.

Katenka heard her and made a 'tch' sound with her tongue. She was clearly disappointed with the question. "Really Zoiia? They told me you were smart! I left for the same reasons that you did. Although, I have never resorted to killing anyone. Not yet, anyway.

"Once I heard that you had flown from the cage that was your father's house, I began trying to find you. Ibiza, Vegas, Pattaya — you certainly get around. I rather like Australia. I am pleased you have settled here. I am also glad I insisted upon you learning to speak English at such a young age. You have virtually lost all traces of your European accent."

"As have you, mother. But tell me how did you know I wasn't truly dead? How did you find me? Where have you been? What is your proposal?"

"You were never one for patience." Katenka laughed. "I will answer all of your questions, but first show yourself. I want to see my daughter."

"But I am already here! I do not know how to show myself."

Katenka became irritated. "Have you learnt nothing? Concentrate. Will it. Manifest it. It is simple! I suppose you still think that spells require bells and whistles to work. That ceremonial drivel is fine for show, but what about every day practical magic? Little wonder you could not even protect yourself against a bird," she taunted.

Katenka's last comment maddened Zoiia. Without knowing how she did it, she lifted her mother off the ground and attempted to slam her into a wall. Katenka formed a shield and blocked her. Smirking, she lowered herself gracefully to the ground, before shooting a ball of something that looked like lightning, right at Zoiia.

"Now, you will show yourself," she commanded. "And if you ever dare to raise your hand against me again, I will bind you hand and foot and cast you into the pits of hell myself!"

"Yes, mama." Zoiia was visibly shaken. How did she do that? If only she had found me earlier... I need to learn the secret of her power. Zoiia appeared before her mother, as a crimson outline.

"Good." Katenka smiled. "Now that I can see who I am talking to, I will begin with my proposal. You need a body. I have one. I need a healthy mind. You have one. It would be mutually beneficial, and while I am still able, I think I should teach you some real spell-craft."

"Mama, I am a succubus! Granted, you are still a striking woman but I was hoping for someone a little younger. I need sex daily, just to survive. Why would you willingly allow me to possess you?"

"Because I have less than two years to live if I do not. Oh, do not worry, my body is fine, it is my brain that is dying. I have frontotemporal dementia or what used to be called Pick's Disease. I will soon lose the ability to speak and death is inevitable. Having your spirit inside me, would effectively control my mind and therefore my brain. It would be like a brain transplant."

"It doesn't work that way," Zoiia scoffed. "But I suppose it would save your life. What about me, Mama? I must feed every day. I need to feed NOW."

"Then I suggest we do this immediately so that you can get some nourishment. I have been given the manager's position at Jezebel's."

"You're the new madam?" Zoiia had been promised that promotion upon becoming a succubus. "That job was mine!"

"Well, you're hardly up to the task in your current state are you, my sweet?" Katenka sneered. "But you can still take the job, with me. It's the perfect set up wouldn't you say? Fused with a succubus, this body will not age. In fact, you can make me look younger, by utilising some spare energy. Why stick to a quota of one a day? It is said that Lilith could take up to a thousand. Imagine how toned I would be. I'd save a fortune on gym memberships. Trust me, I have thought of everything. What do you say?"

"I will do as you ask mama if you help me too."

"But I am helping you, I am giving you my body."

"I seek retribution. I will get it with or without the use of your body!" Zoiia proclaimed.

"As long as you are discreet, I can agree to that. In fact, there are a few people I too, would be happy to dispose of."

"Then, you have yourself a deal." Zoiia smiled.

Katenka opened her arms wide. "Come to mama," she laughed.