by Maya Nicole
He went into his bathroom and returned with a washcloth and folded it in fourths. He put it across my forehead. I sighed and leaned my head back to keep it from falling off.
He sat down, still naked, next to me. "Have you been sleeping at all?"
"Yes, better than I have in months thanks to Reve." I shut my eyes and let the cool washcloth work its magic. I felt Tobias's hands stroking the hair back from my face.
He made a noise in his throat and I cracked an eye open to see him staring intently at me. I shut it again and focused on the feel of his fingers smoothing back my hair.
"What if one night he decides to torment you in your dreams?"
"He won't."
"You don't know that."
I was quiet for several minutes before responding. "I do know that. Just like I know that all of you have my best interests at heart, even when you drive me nuts sometimes."
"He's a-"
I cut him off, not wanting to hear him say the five-letter word again. "I don't care. My dad is the devil. My mom is Lilith. Asher used to be Fallen. You're being close-minded and not thinking about how much he's helping me or about how much I-" I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling fan. There was something soothing about watching the blades spin. "How much I love him. I haven't been doing well, Tobias. You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. Let me have the peace he brings me, please."
I sounded desperate. I was desperate. I hated feeling like my life was spiraling out of control. For once I wanted to be in control of my own destiny, even if that meant pissing off some people along the way.
"Okay."
"Okay?" I cocked an eyebrow and the washcloth slid off and plopped onto my chest. Tobias ran his fingers over my moist forehead. "Just like that you're okay with me and Reve?"
"Just like that." He placed his lips against my cheek. "I love you. If you think Reve will help you in a way we can't... I don't want you to resent me."
I brought my hand to his cheek. "I could never resent you. I love you."
"The biggest issue is he likes the Giants and the Raiders. It's completely unacceptable. I don't see how it's going to work."
I groaned and couldn't keep the smile from spreading across my face.
Chapter Twelve
I could taste the sweet flavors of freedom. One more final left on Friday and I was home free, or at least academy free for the summer. Well, besides the independent study classes I had to complete from semester one.
I sat with my feet propped on my ottoman and stared at the blank television screen. I didn't need to study for my Demonology final so I was left with nothing to do but wait for my dad to show up.
I hadn't seen him since I told him we dug up Lily's grave and had barely spoken to him. He was preoccupied, and I couldn't blame him. I didn't even want to imagine what he was going through.
First he finds out his partner was lying to him, then that his daughter is half demon, and then to top it all off, that the casket was empty. It was a lot for me to handle with the support of my angels. He was dealing with the shitstorm alone.
I knew I needed to tell my angels I was half demon. The thing was, I didn't feel like a demon, not that I would know what that felt like. I didn't feel like an angel either though.
I must have fallen asleep on the couch because I was jolted awake by a sharp knock on the door. I rubbed my eyes and went to the door.
I opened it, finding my father standing outside, dressed in a charcoal gray suit. He looked tired. He never looked tired. I moved out of the way for him to enter and shut the door.
"Dad," I greeted him, standing there awkwardly. The last time we had been in the same room with each other he had told me to get out.
"Give me a tour?" He walked into the kitchen and I followed, biting my lip. I guess he was still upset. He looked around, but didn't say another word.
"Well, obviously this is the kitchen. That's the living room." He followed me, nodding his head in what I hoped was approval until we got to the bedroom. "The bedroom."
I stepped inside and did a sweeping motion with my hand. His eyebrows nearly shot off his face as he took in the bed that nearly took up the entire space.
"Danica Marie. What in the hell do you need a bed this big for?" He must have realized he didn't really want the answer to that question. "Never mind. Some things fathers don't need to know."
He followed me back into the living room and we sat on the couch. Several awkward moments of silence passed before we both started talking at once.
"I'm sorry I dug up Mom's grave."
"I shouldn't have snapped like I did."
He ran a hand over his face before continuing. "You shouldn't be prying into this, Danica. Clearly she is up to something if she felt the need to have a child then fake her own death. Then almost two decades later start abducting angels for their blood."
"Are you sure it's her?" I asked in a whisper.
"We're positive it's her. She was here and we think she's been following you. Michael was able to get the security footage from the grocery store. She looks different than she did eighteen years ago." He cleared his throat. "We think she and John are in Shanghai, China, right now. There have been angel disappearances there. We just can't figure out what role John plays in all of this, unless he’s under her spell."
"She can put a spell on people?" I drew my eyebrows together, considering his words. I was fairly certain the woman behind me in the bathroom line at Universal Studios had been her too. What other explanation was there for her disappearing suddenly and the woman behind me saying there had been no one?
"She is certainly manipulative. With humans she might be able to sway their thoughts. I honestly don't know what she's capable of. If she's capable of having a child and then faking her own death, well..." He adjusted the watch on his wrist. I had never seen him so antsy in my life.
"I haven't told the guys about what this all means for me." I tried to keep the tears that were filling my eyes from spilling over, but a few escaped and trailed down my cheeks.
He scooted over on the couch and pulled me into a hug. "It doesn't mean anything. You’re the same girl you were before we knew she was Lilith."
I shook my head and let the tears soak his suit jacket. "I don't know who I am anymore."
He rubbed my back in small circles and I felt the tension leaving my shoulders. I hadn't even realized they'd been so tense.
"You need to tell them. You shouldn't have to carry the weight of this on your shoulders. They love you. They know that your blood isn't what defines you."
"But it does. They-" I stopped short, realizing he didn't know about Reve. Their reactions to Reve said enough about what their reaction to me would be.
"They what?" He pulled back and looked at me, worry plaguing his face.
"They don't like demons."
"They've never even met a demon. And you're forgetting something very important. You aren't a demon." He brushed the tears from my cheeks.
"I'm not an angel either then. So what am I, Dad? Just a freak?"
He took a sharp inhale of breath and searched my eyes like he was seeing me for the first time. Seeing the woman who was confused about who she was and what that meant.
"You're-"
"Danica, you home?" Reve's head came through the brick wall separating his apartment from mine. He really had the worst timing.
When his eyes landed on Lucifer they went wide and I could tell he tried to retreat but something in the air shifted. He was frozen in place, stuck with his head through the wall.
"Sir," Reve said in a strangled voice. "I can't breathe."
Lucifer stood and walked over to the wall where Reve was trapped. I stood too, but stayed where I was. I could feel the air pulsating with the threat of violence.
"Reve." His voice was rough and angry. He grabbed a handful of Reve's hair and yanked him through the wall the rest of the way before slamming him up against the brick so hard the mounted television shook.
"Sir
, I can explain." Lucifer's hand was around his throat, Reve's feet hanging a foot above the ground.
"How do you know Danica?"
A choking sound came from Reve and his face turned bright red. He was trying to speak but Lucifer's grip was crushing his throat.
"Dad. Stop." I was frozen in place, watching the train that was my life speed down the mountain, ready to wreck.
He turned his head towards me and his face made me back up a step. He was barely containing his anger and I knew if I didn't calm him down, it would be a repeat of when I told him about Lily's grave.
"He's... I'm in love with him." My voice was shaking as I said the words and his head snapped back around to look at Reve.
"How is she in love with a demon whose sole purpose on this Earth is to punish people with nightmares?" Reve's feet kicked against the wall as he struggled to get air. "Are you what's been causing her to lose sleep?"
He shook his head vigorously, his eyes wide.
Finally, my feet started working and I rushed to them. I grabbed the arm that was holding Reve hostage.
This was why I was scared to tell Tobias, Asher, and Olly I was a demon. Even my own father wasn't immune to the disgust towards them. I could see it in his eyes.
I choked on a sob and yanked his arm again. He relented and dropped Reve who took such a large gasp of air, I thought he might suck all of the air out of the room.
"How can you say that me having demon blood means nothing when you... when you..." I couldn't get the words out so instead I just punched him in the arm in frustration. I might as well have punched the brick wall.
He grabbed my fist as I was about to punch him again. "You know that's not-"
"It is the same thing!" I yelled, and tried to yank my arm away. "Where does this leave me? I'm not angel enough to be an angel, I have no wings, my mother is some kind of demon, and now my father is looking at me like he doesn't even know me." I managed to get my arm free and turned away from the two men who were staring at me with what looked very much like pity. "My own mother didn't even want me."
I was spiraling. I knew that. I was never one for self-loathing, but that was until the world seemed out to take me down. Other eighteen-year olds didn't have to wonder if they were going to suddenly sprout ten heads or tentacles. With my luck, I'd morph into a fingernail demon and be condemned to a life of munching on fingernails.
Reve appeared in front of me and I looked away.
"Look at me." His voice was raspy, probably from being almost choked to death by the devil.
I shook my head and he took my chin and forced my eyes to meet his.
"Am I evil?" I shook my head. "Then what makes you think you are? You are the farthest from evil I have ever seen. Your heart and soul are so overflowing with love and light that you could never be evil."
"But they... does it matter how I feel?" I might not feel like anything other than a plain old human, but when people treated you differently, it made you feel like less of one.
"I think to them, it does matter how you feel. They didn't kill me. Your father hasn't killed me."
"Yet."
Reve rolled his eyes and I started to laugh. I was standing in a room with a devil and a demon who just rolled his eyes at him. Sometimes I wondered if I would one day wake up in a mental institution in a straitjacket and padded room, having imagined it all.
He pulled me towards him and wrapped his arms around me. I heard my dad grumbling and braved a look over my shoulder to see him running his fingers through his hair and shaking his head.
"Dad?" I pulled away and stepped around Reve. "What's wrong?"
"The prophecy. It's true. Of course it's true. Lucifer and Lilith, his greatest regrets have a daughter that has to save us all." He started laughing and Reve let me go. I backed up a step. "Is this my redemption?" He spread his arms out and spoke to the ceiling. "Really fucking funny! Isn't a life in hell enough?"
Reve grabbed my hand. "Sir, from what I've overheard about the prophecy, it sounds like a load of crap. It is well known in the dream demon community that Nostradamus was plagued by a rogue dream demon for many years."
"Like you're plaguing my daughter?" He turned and his eyes went straight to our connected hands. "Reve. This is-"
"I know what it seems like, Sir, but I can assure you that I've only brought happiness to Danica's dreams."
I didn't know whether to fear for him or be in awe of him for interrupting and standing up to my father. When my father looked over at me, I nodded.
"I need to contact Michael. Damn it. I'm going to have to admit that he was right." He stared at Reve for a moment. "If you hurt her, I will rescind my protection."
Protection? I opened my mouth to ask but Reve answered, "I can assure you, I won't."
With one last look, Lucifer vanished.
I sent a group text. Meet me on the roof.
I was already a mess, might as well rip the Band-Aid clean off the wound and bleed out if necessary.
Reve was by my side, holding my hand, when Olly, Asher, and Tobias landed on the roof together. Had they all been off doing something together? I guess it made sense, since I told them my dad and I were going to hang out.
Although I'd hardly call the events downstairs hanging out.
We met in the middle of the roof and I shut my eyes for a brief moment. I was experiencing an extreme case of déjà vu from the recurring nightmare I'd been having, except this time, Reve was right next to me.
"I need to talk to you all about something." Reve gave my hand a reassuring squeeze as I spoke. Three sets of eyes tracked his movements.
I looked between them before letting go of Reve's hand. I moved to stand in front of each of them, looking them in the eye one by one. I needed to tell them.
What do I say? How do I say it?
My breathing felt irregular as I stopped in front of Olly. If anyone was going to accept the fact that I was of diabolical origins, it was him.
"Dani?" Olly's voice was laced with concern.
"My mother, Lily, is Lilith. She is a demon." I shut my eyes and let the setting sun hit my face, the warmth doing nothing to ease the chill that had come over me. "I'm not half human. I'm part angel, part demon."
Complete silence fell on the roof, it seemed even the traffic and noise on the street below had been muted for this moment. My words sounded completely crazy, even to my own ears.
"I figured as much," Tobias said.
"Me too," Asher confirmed.
I looked at Olly who was staring at me, hurt in his eyes. It was a look that wasn't common on his face and it broke my heart.
"You've known this since Spring break?" I nodded in reply. "And you kept it from us?"
I reached forward to grab his hand but he backed up a step. "Olly, I was-"
"You were what, Danica? Scared of how we'd react? Scared we would up and leave?" Both Asher and Tobias stood with wide eyes as Olly showed an emotion we hadn't seen before: anger. "I can't be here right now."
Before anyone could say anything to stop him, his wings extended and he shot into the sky like a blur.
"I'm going to go after him," Asher said. He cupped my cheek and then followed Olly.
I brought one of my hands to my mouth to contain the sob that was threatening to spill out. Tobias stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me.
"He'll come around. He's just been really worried about you these past few weeks. I think he knew too, but you just hadn't confirmed it." He kissed my temple and then looked over at Reve who was standing back, observing.
"I'm not going anywhere," Reve said.
Tobias sighed and walked over to stand in front of him. "We're not going anywhere either."
"So where does that leave us, angel? I don't intend to hurt anyone. If I do, Lucifer will have my head." Reve stuck out his hand. "Truce?"
Tobias eyed his hand and finally took it, the two shaking.
My hand shook slightly as I stared down at the unopened text message from Olly
. Out of the three, I never expected him to be as upset as he was.
Tobias and Reve were oblivious to the world. They had somehow managed to settle on watching a baseball game and wanted the same team to win. I was glad for the time being they were at least making an attempt to get along.
I finally clicked the text open. I'm sorry I flew off like that. It's not because you have demon blood, it's because you kept it from us and were suffering because of it. I'll see you tomorrow for our final.
I let out a shaky breath of air and Tobias's and Reve's heads turned towards me.
"Olly texted me. Everything's fine, I think." I slumped down in the chair and put my head on the cushion. "I should come with the warning label 'requires patience.'"
Tobias snorted.
"Am I missing something?" Reve asked.
"Just as she said. She sometimes requires patience. I'm working on having more of it myself," Tobias answered with a chuckle.
"I've been getting a little better. Making a conscious effort," I defended myself. Unfortunately, I could think of several things in the past month where a little more thought would have been advantageous.
"It makes things interesting. I think we all should be a little more spur of the moment."
I heard the television go silent and then movement. I popped open an eye to see Tobias standing next to the chair. He had a look in his eye.
"I have your final tomorrow," I warned, sitting up all the way and glancing at Reve who appeared to be in deep thought. "Stop looking at me like that."
"How am I looking at you?" A smirk formed on his face as he grabbed me and threw me over his shoulder.
I reached down and swatted his ass. "Put me down. We should be going to sleep soon."
"It's barely nine. If anyone should be worried about what time they're going to be sleeping, it's Reve since he's ancient." Tobias smoothed a hand over my ass and walked towards the bedroom.
I lifted my head to look to Reve for help but he just stood and followed silently.
