Birthing the Lucifer star

by donna bartley

  *****

   The wind was at her back, pushing her farther toward her fate—the one Lucifer had specifically chosen for her. This was what he had planned, so it had to be done. Shirley wasn’t even worried about the seventy-seven-story plunge; he would carry her and fly her to his kingdom, where she would be his queen, taking her place at the side of this anointed cherubim.

  “A few more steps, my love,” the young, blond-haired man whispered from behind her. “And do not worry about the child. I will care for him until it is time for him to join you, with me. I am his father; you can trust me with his soul.”

  “Yes! I can trust you. I named him after you. And one day, we will all be together. We will all be safe together.”

  He agreed wordlessly, pushing her effortlessly toward the brink. When her bare toes were hanging over the edge, she looked down to see the ground rise up to meet her. Things were so small down there—so insignificant, so not worthy of her, her pending power, or her immortal soul. All she needed to do was jump; only her will mattered. Then … the man-child would be born.

  She was almost over the ledge now, the wind whipping around her like the angel of death, pulling and yanking and tearing until she gave in. The wrist she had drawn blood from to paint the now-crusted pentagram on her chest was still dripping with crimson blood. She licked the blood thirstily, drinking deeply and dreaming of her glorious future. Pushing herself closer and closer to the brink of mortal destruction, she heard his voice again—and for the last time. I am leaving you now, love; I am off to be with the child. He cannot be alone right now. Then she was left alone.

  Closer and closer she drew to the edge, saying a final prayer of safe deliverance and worship to the one she loved so dearly. The plunge didn’t seem so far, and she knew he would catch her. In his large, warm arms, he would catch her and carry her to her new home, where she would finally be awakened. After all her years of waiting, it would finally happen.

  The child had been his idea; he needed the child to create a gateway from his home on Titan to this mortal world. The child would validate his very existence. Shirley, not wanting to anger him, had agreed.

  “I adore thee, king of evil, by the beautiful body thou hast fashioned in the likeness of Lucifer. By its purity impassioned, I adore thee, king of evil!” she proclaimed, in a quiet yet somehow reverberating voice. It was then that she threw herself, feet first, back upon the roof of the building. She landed on her feet; the clouds opened, and a small ray of light touched the man-child. Immediately, the child was caught up to God... Shirley then realized she was not just a naked creature standing accused; she was a co creator.

  Shirley sat up in bed. She went to her nightstand and took out the crystal, its beauty was overwhelming. She kept it wrapped in deerskin, and she fed it regularly. She had never asked anything of it during the few months that it had been in her keep. But now … something was calling to her. She realized that the dreams she had been having were real. They were, in fact, more real than her waking life. She now needed to follow her dreams—but not the image of the handsome, young, blond-haired man. Oh, yes, he had been cajoling her, calling to her, speaking sweet words in her ear. Somehow, it sickened her, repulsed her. She felt violently ill when she thought of him … yet, she was also very attracted to him. Her dreams were telling her that she must find him.

  She would take a trip in her new Jeep to North Dakota and find out about Daniel Ghostwolf. He had sent her this crystal; she needed to find out about this man. Her curiosity would not allow her to leave it alone.