by S Lawrence
“What’s wrong?” I’m afraid of his answer.
“I honestly don’t know, Lillian.” Is he telling me the truth?
“Can I see yours?” Instant denial covers his face, but he hides it quickly.
“Of course.”
“Wait.” I stop him, not wanting to cause him distress. “You don’t have to.”
“I know, my dear. I’ve just hidden them for a very long time. A painful reminder.” My breath catches as they rise up from his back. Golden, they almost seem to glow.
“Oh.” It’s all I can get out, nothing eloquent, just oh. Finally, after staring for entirely too long, I have a thought. “They are different than mine.”
He nods but doesn’t offer any reasoning. “Are you ready?” I almost miss the question, fascinated when they just tuck away.
“You have no idea how you did that?”
“I just think it. Actually no, it’s more like breathing or blinking.” Great.
Holding out my hand for him to take, I smile as we slip away. My eyes drift over to the bed one last time. They are still turned that direction when we appear in the office.
Is it weird that I find Lucifer calming? Probably.
“Caliel.” He says the name at a normal tone, there’s no way...shit.
Said angel appears right in front of me, and I stumble back. Thank God I was still holding Lucifer’s hand, his strong grip keeps me upright as my feet tangle in the trailing feathers.
Planting my feet wide, after I kick the wings back some, I finally look back up. Lucifer drops my hand, but Torryn is there to capture it, his heat wrapping around me. Lucifer wasn’t hot, which I didn’t notice until now. Filing the question that evokes away for later, I focus on Caliel.
Still hard to grasp he is Grace’s brother. Darkness to her light. He’s staring at me. I fight to stay still. No one says a word. Torryn’s thumb rubs over my pulse at my wrist before his fingers tighten. I squeeze back grateful.
I hear the ticking of seconds from a handsome grandfather clock standing in an alcove between two built-ins lined with very old books.
Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.
My nerves stretch tighter with every swing of the pendulum.
“Jesus. Say something.” They snap. Torryn chokes on a laugh and Lucifer smiles.
We all look at Caliel. “Why are you looking at me?”
My hope deflates like a balloon. Pulling my hand free, I cross to the narrow French doors staring out but not seeing.
“She needs help to understand how to put them away.” Torryn is angry.
I look at my reflection. They are beautiful but if I can’t put them away, they are just another prison.
“We need to know where they came from.” I turn around at Lucifer’s comment.
“Could they be from Grace?” Even I can hear the desperate hope in my voice.
His head turns towards me, he doesn’t try to hide his pain. I feel my eyes burn with tears I don’t want to shed right now. Walking to me, he studies them, making a circle around me, stopping only when he is directly in front of me.
“They are lovely but not from Grace.” Like Lucifer, he extends his, and like Lucifer’s, they are beautifully golden. “Grace’s wings were the same.”
Looking beyond him into the room, I focus on Lucifer. “Did you know that?”
“Yes.” I open my mouth ready to scream, but he holds up his hand. “I considered maybe they look different because of your humanity.” Oh. I snap my mouth closed.
“Let’s first deal with the immediate problem. Putting them away.” Caliel rubs the back of his fingers over his chin, a very human action. “It might work?”
He says it after a few minutes as he reaches out, touching them gently before gripping my shoulder.
“What?” All three of us ask at the same time.
I see Torryn’s eye widen and the next instant, I’m blinded by brilliant light. Squinting, I hold my hand up trying to shade my eyes. Holy shit. Like literally, holy.
Freaking Heaven. “You brought me to Heaven?” I whisper. He looks down at me and nods, smiling. “Heaven.”
“Yes. I brought you to Heaven.” He says it slowly, enunciating each word.
I glare. “Excuse the bewilderment. I mean damn, Hell and Heaven in one day is enough to throw anyone.”
Spinning, I try to take it all in; impossible but I try. Angels walk by staring at me or maybe Caliel. No, me for sure.
“So...” I stop turning and focus on him.
“Come, let us go to my home.” He starts walking toward what seems to be, well, a fancy neighborhood.
I mean, the streets aren’t gold but they gleam. Everything is so clean and new looking. Trees grow out of sight, the leaves glistening in the sunlight. Birds of every color fly from place to place, making incredible music with their songs.
Everything is more. Unworn. Joyous. Even Caliel’s sadness seems to have slipped away. It’s weird.
We walk for a long time and finally well away from any other house, we stop. It makes me think of places I’ve seen on television, ranches where people would have to drive for miles down the drive before you ever came to the house.
His home sits on a small hill. Once we climb up to the front door, I look around and see other homes in the distance.
He’s stopped in the threshold, waiting for me. “Sorry, it’s just, well, I guess it doesn’t look like I thought it would, after all the stories I’ve heard.”
“This isn’t where humans come. This is our Heaven.” There is a hint of something there in his voice that I can’t quite figure out.
I just nod. “It’s beautiful and so peaceful.”
Turning without saying anything else, he goes inside and I follow, wondering at his change of mood. We walk through the house, and I see small items here and there that remind me of Grace. He finally stops in front of a door. Standing behind him, I wait, unsure of his hesitation. When he opens the door, I understand.
The room exudes her spirit. It is drastically different from the rest of the house, an explosion of colors and smells. Stepping around him, I feel her and tears spring to my eyes.
“I miss you,” I whisper.
He moves up beside me. “I do also,” he murmurs. “I thought maybe being here, not just in this room but here with the angels, could help you tap into how the wings work. You could try flying or just putting them away.”
Flying. Excitement and a sense of joy races through my body. Here they could represent freedom. I’ve never had that.
A grin spreads across my face as I turn my head to look at him.
“Flying it is then.” I nod at his words.
“Will you teach me?” He jerks his head at the door leading to the patio and starts that way.
Outside, he leads me a short distance away from the house then stops, his wings unfurling with his dark skin in contrast to their golden color and yet enhancing the shimmer somehow.
“Ready to soar?” My hair blows wildly as he flaps them slowly.
Thirty-Eight
CALIEL
Her joy is contagious, and I understand why Grace loved her so much. A mother’s love, that is what Lucifer had said.
Watching her hair blow, I picture her small on my sister’s lap. Lillian is her chosen daughter.
I failed Grace. I will not fail her child.
We spend hours going over and over on the mechanics and doing small test flights. Really just glides, not flights. The wind was filled with laughter and giggles.
Others began to grow curious as word spread of our arrival and lessons. I ignore the those that have drawn near to watch us. I know why they are so intrigued. Her vivid emotions.
Very few of those still here in Heaven understand what happens here. It is why they still can’t figure out why the Fallen did what they did that day. Those that fell or were shoved know the truth of it.
Our emotions are muted here, regulated. It is why I’m not crying over my sister. Why there were not more rebel
lions over the free will of humans. If my friends knew what they were missing, this place would be empty.
Right now, it is a refuge from my loss, but maybe soon I will make a different choice. Maybe if the others can fulfill the prophecy, I won’t have to.
“I think you’re ready.” Her eyes glow with her joy and excitement. “Remember to pump them steadily and rise slowly,” I caution, and she nods then does the exact opposite.
Shooting into the air like a rocket, she makes my heart stutter. A daredevil, she climbs high growing smaller and smaller. I raise into the air, preparing to rescue her, when she begins to grow larger, very fast.
“Woohoo,” rings across the heavens as she dives for those that have come to watch. Shrieks echo as some dive out of her way. “Come on, guys. This is amazing.”
She starts to climb again, and I join her. The sound of many pairs of wings reaches our ears. Looking back she grins bigger, which I didn’t realize was possible. There, racing to catch us, are those that had come to see her.
She dips and turns like an ace pilot until much later, when we all land following her to the ground. She is panting and sweat covers every inch of her, but she is glowing. Talking a mile a minute, she greets everyone and hugs them, much to their surprise.
So distracted, she doesn’t notice when the wings fold away. “Lillian.” She is waving her hand up and down, talking fast as she leans into an angel named Marcus, and he is watching her intently, smiling. “Lillian.”
Spinning she looks at me, so much happiness coloring her face. “Your wings.” I raise my eyebrows and jerk my head.
Looking back over her shoulder, she gasps, “Shit, how did I do that?”
Oh lord, the look on their faces. I stifle my laugh barely.
“Oh God, sorry.” She slaps her hand over her mouth, and this time, I do laugh.
“I think you just needed to stop fearing them. Find joy in them.” I move to right in front of her, and she looks up.
“Thank you.” Her arms come around me tight. I ignore their gaping faces, hugging her back.
“Come on. I’ll take you back. I’m sure a certain someone is worried about you.” Releasing her except for her hand, I lead her away.
“Caliel?” I look down into her upturned face the joy has faded away. “Where did they come from?”
I wish I knew. I don’t tell her they remind me of wings I haven’t seen in a very long time.
“I don’t know, Lillian. For now, let’s think of them as a blessing and I will try to figure it out for you.” She nods. “When exactly, the very moment, did they appear?”
Her face turns a dark pink. “I see. Interesting.”
The next instant, we are back at Demon Bayou Rum, and Torryn stops what I can only assume was pacing. Rushing to her, he pulls her into his arms and mouths ‘thank you’ over her head. Bowing my head once to him before turning, I go to seek out Lucifer.
“He’s gone to find Evander.” That gives me pause.
I don’t think I can stand to see my sister, her body. Not yet. I’m still stuck there in the hall when Evander and Lucifer appear. The first is shrouded in grief. It bleeds from him. Red flickers in his eyes when he sees me. I understand I had stolen her from him twice. At least in his eyes, I did. I suppose he’s right, in a way. His memories had been taken, and I took her home just days ago.
“I see we got them tucked away.” Luc smiles at Lillian.
“I flew first.” Her tone is filled with excitement, but her eyes are worried as she watches Evander. I can almost smell her guilt.
“We need to talk.” I don’t say it out loud.
“Why don’t you take Lillian upstairs and get some food? I brought all of your new things here.” The Devil is good at misdirection.
“Can I shower first?”
“Sure, Angel,” Torryn answers leading her away. “Hey, Boss, can you start some dinner or order some?”
The demon glances between his king and I, suspicious. He should be. I hope I’m right but if I am, I have no idea what it will mean for them. He takes his time leaving, glancing over his shoulder more than once.
“I think we should go elsewhere.” I speak low while watching his retreating back a second before I leave.
“Really? Here of all places.” I keep my face averted until I stop smiling.
“I figured they wouldn’t think to look for us here.” I nod as a nun walks up to the center aisle, pausing to make the sign of the cross before moving into a pew and kneeling to start her prayers.
We are far in the back. Lucifer’s eyes are on the mural of Jesus and his disciples above the altar in the front.
“I always liked him. I wish he could have changed his father’s mind.” I agree. The son cared about what happened to all of us, both humans and angels.
He disappeared when his father left.
Thirty-Nine
LUCIFER
He didn’t know I come here to Saint Louis Cathedral every time I’m in the city. The people of this city are my favorite, sinners with good hearts. They love to have a good time and often get wild but they are caring of both friends and strangers.
I come here to remember why we fight. Why I’m okay with being their bad guy and why I still fight for them after all these years.
“What did you want to talk about?”
Sighing, he leans forward elbows on knees. “You saw her wings.” I nod. “What did you think when you saw them?”
When I saw them? Shock, amazement and confusion. “Could you be a little more specific?”
“Did they remind you of anything? Anyone?” Obviously it should have.
Pulling up that image of her in the doorway, I focus on the wings themselves. Huge, snowy white and glistening with starlight. I’m such a fucking idiot.
“Michael.” I shake my head, not believing that we hadn’t thought of it from the very beginning.
Grace’s death had blinded us all. He nods.
“She is a descendant of Michael.” He nods again. “But why now?”
“That’s why I wanted to talk to you alone.” Shifting and tucking my foot up under me, I lean close to him. His voice drops. “I think it’s the prophecy.”
Shit. Damn. Fuck.
“What did you do now?” This fucking prophecy is going to get us all killed.
“I didn’t do it,” he growls through clenched teeth.
“Sorry. You know what I meant. I’m worried for them all.”
“You think I’m not.” Fair enough. “Lillian told me when the wings appeared. Well she implied with her red cheeks.” He smiles, and I shake my head. “I think the dormant genes are activated when they find the other half of their souls.”
Torryn. The others.
“Evander.” There’s no way. “He will never. Grace was his other half. We will never fulfill the prophecy. They will win this war.”
“His role must be different, for there were only seven archangels.” True but it still worries me. “Of course we can’t be sure until we find the second one.”
Great.
“Do you have any information on the second or any of them?” He shakes his head. “We stumbled upon Lillian. I mean the fucking Fallen found her somehow. Did Grace ever tell you?” Head shake again.
“Just wonderful. Again they are one step ahead of us.” I want to destroy something, like a city or country. “I’m going back.”
I push up and take one last look at the painting as I turn and leave. Just as I pass the holy water fount, a nun stops and stares at me. Her face is deeply lined with wrinkles, but I can still see the young woman she was.
“You.” Crossing herself, she looks deeper into the church, eyes landing on a marble statue. “Are you?”
I shake my head, stopping her question. Crossing herself, she moves away as quickly as her body will let her. I glance back when I reach the door. One hand is on the foot of the statue as she watches me leave.
The statue is a reproduction the original somewhere in Europe. I remember
when the artist had been asked to make it. Maybe I sat for him, tempted him to sculpt me in my true form. Won him over, made him understand. The church was not happy. I was and am completely okay with that.
I do hate that she was frightened. I try to not be seen, at least not more than once in their lives.
Night has fallen on the Quarter. I step into a deep shadow and fade away. Lillian’s excited voice is the first thing I hear.
“And then they hit the ground. Oh my God, it was so funny, and then after I was done and the wings went away, I cussed in front of them. I cussed in Heaven.” She drags the last word out.
Stopping in the doorway, I try not to interrupt, but they all turn their heads. They are sitting at the table, plates clean and pushed back from them. I smell chocolate and underneath that the distinctive spice of Cajun food. From the scraps on the plates, I’d have to say gumbo.
I do love the food in Louisiana. The food, and the people, oh, and of course, the music. Lillian pushes her chair back, standing before turning and crossing to the oven. She opens the door and pulls a cake from the heat. How long was I gone?
Turning, she leans against the counter, crossing one leg over the other and wiping her hands on a towel.
“So…” She locks eyes on mine.”Where did they come from?”
Shit, I like this girl. Torryn and Evander both look between us.
“We agree that the most likely explanation is your dormant genes are coming to life.” Evander and Torryn look at her with renewed interest.
“What genes?” I raise my brow, giving her a minute to work it out. “Angel genes?”
Torryn grins and says, “Archangel genes.”
Evander turns to me. “What else might happen to her? What other powers might manifest?”
“More?” She slides down the cabinets to the floor, pulling her knees into her chest.
Torryn is on his feet before her butt touches the floor, kneeling before her in seconds. “No worries, Angel. We got this. Whatever comes, I’ll be right here beside you.”
