The First Sin: South of Eden :Contemporary Fiction by Lisa Beth Darling ➱ Pre Order Tour with Giveaway
The First Sin: South of Eden
by Lisa Beth Darling
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Lucifer Returns to Eden
Lucifer is unceremoniously yanked out of Hell by his Father so he can return to his old job in the Garden of Eden. When he arrives, broken, battered, and bleeding, he falls into the arms of Eve who is unsure about seeing her old lover again as are the people now living in a dying paradise.
Tasked with returning the Sacred Trees of Life and Knowledge to flourishing bounty once more, Lucifer struggles to learn his new place in his old home. Yet, he hasn't been placed there solely to tend the Garden. His son, Cain, is on the way with murder and destruction on his mind.
Having lived, cursed by God, for eons, Cain Enoch has made quite a name for himself and amassed a fortune that would make even his Grandfather envious and with it he'll stop at nothing to find Eden and destroy. Why? So he can finally die even though it means taking the Earth, Heaven, and Hell with him.
The First Sin
South of Eden
by Lisa Beth Darling
Copyright 2021 Lisa Beth Darling and Moon Mistress Publishing
Blog Tour Excerpt #1
"Help me," Lucifer gasped and held out his arms toward the people behind the veil but they were just staring at him. Then he noticed the weapons in they were holding. "Please, please," he held up his hands in the universal sign of surrender, "I mean no harm. Just help me."
"It’s a trick," Persephone warned in a hiss. "He’s a liar."
Eve looked to Gabriel and the two passed a silent nod before they looked at Persephone and spoke in unison; "He never lies."
Then Eve finished their share thought, "The Truth has always been his weapon."
Those words made the sight of Lucifer Morningstar in his current desperate state even harder to take.
Eve stepped forward to stand just on the side of the veil, "Lucifer, what are you doing here?" She asked in a soft voice.
The sound of his name confused him as he tried to focus on the sight of the woman before him, "You know me? Please help me. Let me in. Please. I will do anything you want."
The fact that he did not recognize her face was understandable given his condition but still his failure brought a tinge of pain to her heart. "Be quiet and listen, we don’t have much time. If you cross the veil, if you come in here, no harm will come to you so long as you do none, but you can never leave again. You will spend all of eternity here. With us. Do you understand?"
No, he really didn’t understand her words. All he did understand was that he could not spend another night out here in the cold wasteland. He could not take another second of being hungry, thirsty, and in pain. "Please let me in." Was all he could manage to beg.
Eve stepped back from the veil, "Come in, Lucifer, come in and be welcome but do not ever betray us."
Lucifer stumbled through the veil with no time to spare before full sunrise. He fell to his knees and looked up at his savior through dazed eyes, "Thank you," he whispered with all sincerity just before he passed out at her feet.
Blog Tour Excerpt #2
"If you’re still God, Chuck, and I think you are, why don’t you just fix whatever is wrong with the place? If you want me to go back to Eden then something is definitely seriously wrong because you banished me for eternity…remember?"
Chuck made a hard but very truthful confession, "Yeah, it wasn’t my finest moment."
"There’s an understatement," Eve huffed and took another drink.
That got his hackles up, "To be fair, Eve, you did go against me. You did eat that apple."
Eve laughed again, "It was the sweetest most juiciest apple I ever had. That’s not why you cursed me and we both know it. So cut through the bullshit and tell me what’s going on."
The time had come to lay his cards on the table for her to see and so he did even though it was most difficult, "It’s dying, Eve, Eden is dying." Although he knew he shouldn’t, Chuck tried to reach for her hand to show her his sincerity but she pulled it away. "I need you to go back and be its caretaker again."
That seemed impossible almost laughable but the desperation in Chuck’s eyes kept the laughter coming to her lips at bay. "I was never its caretaker that was Lucifer’s job."
Chuck cleared his throat, "Yeah, well, my rebel son is still busy in hell, so I come to you." He raised his eyes hesitantly to meet her gaze, "A Celestial must sit on the Throne of Hell, Eve, I needed Lucifer to fill that spot. I know you hate me for it but I didn’t have another choice."
Darkly she whispered those words again, "That’s not why you did it."
Getting angry again, Chuck muttered, "He taught you that trick, didn’t he? That Soul Stare thing he does."
"It’s not a trick, Chuck, and no I don’t have that power you’re just easier to read than Dr. Seuss."
Chuck began to stand up but Gabriel’s hand closed over his again keeping him in his place. "That won’t get us anywhere, Dad. Face it you got a lot to answer for here, don’t you? So let’s just not smite each other and figure this out."
Blog Tour Excerpt #3
"It looks like everything is on schedule. Come tomorrow, just after eleven in the morning, you will be the largest owner of imaging and communications satellites orbiting the planet. The stock is going to shoot through the roof at opening bell."
"Good work," he said as he tossed the folder onto his desk without looking at it, "Go home, get some rest. We're going to party hearty tomorrow but before that I need you at your best to deal with the press. You know how I hate that."
"Yes, I know." She smiled for him. "Congratulations, you did it."
"We did it," he corrected, "now go on, scoot, get out of here." He said with a smile and wave of his hand toward the heavy mahogany door to his office. "Don't think I've forgotten about that bonus I promised you. It'll be in your next check. Take a vacation, Jessie. You work too much."
"Pot. Kettle. Black," she snickered as she walked through the door for the night.
Watching her leave was something he always enjoyed. The way the soft black cotton of her skirt clung to her firm ass was nothing short of divine. Once she was gone he opened his desk drawer to pull out a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue and pour himself a good long drink.
Jessie had no idea how long of a road it had been getting to tomorrow. It was thousands of years in the making but here it was dancing in the palm of his hand…finally. Drinking down the last of the two fingers in the glass and pouring himself another, Cain Enoch—owner, operator, and CEO of Enoch Industries—got up from his fancy desk in his fancy high-powered office with its breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline, and went the Monet hanging on his wall. Looking back to the door, he used his mind to lock it before pushing the hidden button behind the lamp that sprung the painting loose on it hidden hinges. Behind it was his office safe which he now opened and took from it the only object hiding there. Taking another swallow of the warm liquid he smiled at the gleaming short sword in his hand and whispered, "Soon, not long now. Soon we'll know." Satisfied that his most prized possession was still secure he put it back in the safe and locked it tight. Turning back around he gingerly picked up the handset of his desk phone, punched #2, and when Jason, his driver answered, informed him, "I'm ready. I'll be there in five." Then he hung up.
On his way to his private elevator, he buttoned the Armani jacket clinging to his athletic frame like white on rice and straightened his silk tie. Walking the short distance from the elevator to where his town car was parked and Jason waiting by the open door, the footfalls from the soles of his shinning leather shoes echoed loudly, almost booming as though they foretold of his deeds on the horizon, throughout the nearly empty parking garage.
"Good evening, Mr. Enoch," Jason greeted him with a warm smile as he held the door and his boss slid onto the buttery soft backseat.
"Jason," Cain replied without looking at the man who'd been driving him to and from his home in the Hamptons, around Manhattan, and wherever else he wanted to go for the last six years. "The scenic route tonight, if you please."
"Yes, sir," the chauffer replied never losing his smile. The scenic route meant that Mr. Enoch had a lot on his mind, he wanted to drink his Johnny Walker Blue in the backseat and let his brain decompress, let it meander around with the car taking the long slow route to its destination. It also meant he wouldn't talk much, if at all, he wouldn't demand anything, no he would just sit back there silent as a lamb drinking and thinking watching the night go by with absent eyes.
Tonight, Jason could find no fault in that, after all tomorrow was a very big day for his boss and the whole world knew it. No pressure there.
As of this writing, I am 54 years-old, the mother of two adult daughters, grandmother to one, and wife to my husband, Roy, for the last 34 years. I live and write in my hometown of New London, CT.
I began my writing career in the 4th grade when the class was given its first-ever Creative Writing assignment. I put pencil to paper and was instantly transported to a place I knew that I would never want to leave. I have been publishing my works since 7th grade.
My early influences were Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clark, Harold Robins, Jacqueline Susan and VC Andrews. As such, my works tend to be a grand mash-up of drama, horror, suspense, action, intrigue, and, of course, intimate relations.
In my spare time I enjoy gardening and photography as well as cooking and baking. I also enjoy helping other authors bring their works to the world stage.
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