The church was dark and quiet when Jane, in full demon form flew in. The window locks stood no match for her powers and they opened for her. It was the same church that she and her family commonly went to for Sunday service. Normally succubi couldn't enter churches, or at least historically they couldn't. The ground that they stood on was consecrated by powers that no demon could match, not alone anyway, and Janith knew stories of succubi and incubi that had ganged up to attack churches to overpower the wards by sheer weight of numbers and then being destroyed by either human demon hunters or angels who pinned them against the church's wards where they couldn't escape. However, the ones who knew how to consecrate ground in God's name were usually Catholic. The church they attended was Protestant and was actually rather new. The minister, while he firmly believed in God lacked both the training and the natural magic that was required to perform the rituals to consecrate the church and its grounds. It's only defense would be with any angels looking after humanity and deciding to protect the church.
It was a risk, if there were angels in the area, as Janith knew that her kind, like all demons had been at war with God ever since Lucifer had been imprisoned, but she had to come, and she wasn't there to attack the church or do any harm to anyone. In fact she knew the minister wasn't even in the church. Strangely enough, she had come searching for answers to her own personal problems and knew that the minister wouldn't be able to help her, and he would likely try to have her killed or try to "expel" the demon from her, which would kill her. However, she also didn't know if God would listen to a demon's prayers, given how much the two sides had fought for the souls of man, but she loved William and her children and would sooner die than see them harmed. It was strangely non-succubi actions, but Janith didn't care.
She approached the alter and slowly bit her lip, feeling her fangs dig into the flesh of her lower lip. She wondered for a moment what she was to do and whether or not God would hear her. Figuring the Bible situated on the alter would act as a "front door" to heaven, she raised one red skinned hand to knock on the book. Maybe that would get a response and she could ask her questions. She was about to knock on the book when a great flash of light erupted from the other side of the alter and literally sent her flying backwards. She landed hard on her back and skidded backward for about five feet. As Janith climbed back to her feet, she tried to rub her back and did feel the rug burn that was there.
"Ouch," Janith said in a weak voice.
She then caught on to a new voice.
"Why do you come here?"
Janith looked to see a blond woman, plainly dressed standing behind the alter. There was a strange aura around her.
"Who are you?" Janith asked nervously, both from the aura she sensed and the fact that this woman had seen her in her true form.
"I am Angelica," the woman said simply, "and I have been monitoring your activities over the past few years, Janith..."
"You know my name... my real name?" Janith gasped.
"I serve the one who knows all, is everywhere and nowhere, and is all powerful," Angelica answered
Janith only watched Angelica raised her hands and was wrapped in a bright light. When she emerged from it, she was dressed in white robes with two great white eagle-like wings growing from her back. A brown leather belt was wrapped around her waist with what looked like a Roman gladius hanging in its scabbard from the belt.
"You're... you're..." Janith stammered.
"An angel, yes," Angelica answered, "and I have been assigned to monitor you and have done so for the past few years."
"You're not here to kill me?" Janith asked nervously.
"You've yet to do anything to merit your death that I have seen in my observation," Angelica answered, "In fact you've behaved in a way most contradictory to your fellow demons."
Janith didn't answer immediately as this actually left her puzzled.
"I wish to know why," Angelica then finished.
That made Janith think things over, maybe Angelica could help her with her own concerns.
"Would you believe that I've fallen in love?" Janith asked.
"William? The human you've seduced?" Angelica questioned.
"My seduction of him is no different from a human woman who has found love," Janith said defensively, "I love him. I always have... he's been good to me and is the father of my children..." Her voice grew weaker as she continued, "but I cannot be open with him. He will... he will... he will fear me... the only way... the... the only way I could explain... would... would... would be to enthrall him... but... but... I don't want that... I love him too much."
"Most contradictory to your fellows," Angelica said simply.
"I suppose," Janith replied, "that's why I've come here... for help..."
"I am afraid you cannot change what you are," Angelica answered, "You were born a succubus, when you die you will be a succubus..."
"You mean I'm to live forever unable to truly be loved and supported by my husband... to not even join him when he dies?" Janith asked, "I LOVE him. I don't want to see him die and I don't want him to fear me."
"I didn't say you didn't have a chance at redemption and salvation," Angelica answered, "The Kingdom of Heaven is open to all who believe and repent of their sins. Even demons. The problem your kind has run into is that you don't repent."
Janith was about to protest when Angelica raised a hand.
"But if what you say is true, it may be that you are trying to repent," Angelica commented, "No other demon has ever taken a human as their lover and let the human live, let alone have a family with them."
"It was something I'd never thought I'd have when I was much younger," Janith did admit, "but still it happened... and I fear I won't be able to keep my true form from them a secret forever... and..."
"Relax, Janith," Angelica said soothingly, "I will do my best to help."