by LS Anders
Disentangling his long legs from the sheets he’d been thrashing about in during the midst of his nightmare, he slung his legs over the side, sitting on the edge of the bed.
Closing his eyes, he dropped his head into his hands, scrubbing his palms over his closely cropped hair feeling the lack of horns. If he pressed his fingers in hard enough, he could just make out the circular outline where they had once been attached to his skull. He’d never grown use to the feel of that loss. The bony projections a symbol of what he had once been and was now stripped of, still made his soul weep for the past.
Their crash landing into this realm had changed everything. No more were they known as Sentry and Transporter. They now resided in a place where they were known as Demon and Angel. That’s what the humans would call them if they were aware of their existence, which they weren’t. They lived and worked among the masses for years and none were the wiser.
Amazing how one mistake had brought him so low. At least, he assumed the female with the white aura was the reason for his and Lucian’s exile, but no explanation had ever been given.
He’d heard that no good deed ever went unpunished in the Realm of the Dead. It sure as fuck hadn’t in his case. Erring on the side of the good in the case of that female had cost him everything.
The trickery of females was nothing to readily discount. He'd learned after years of surviving among the living that the males of any species were the stronger gender, but females...females were the ones you had to watch out for. Compensating for their lack of physical strength, they more than made up for it with their ruthless, cunning minds.
At least with males you could see them coming at you, fists at the ready to physically fight. But, females? They were a force of nature that could come at you from any direction, at any time, and you wouldn’t even see them coming until it was too late.
As for the rogue soul? She had made it through the portal before it had slammed shut. As far as Vex knew, she was still lurking around somewhere in this Realm of the Living, but he and Lucian had not crossed paths with her. There was no telling if she had taken possession of a body or had remained as a ghostly specter.
The two of them had been muddling through their new existence, their appearance’s virtually unchanged since the 1930’s. They’d had to learn and adapt quickly to their new world. Luckily, Lucian’s role in the afterlife had frequently brought him here to transport newly departed souls to the Realm of the Dead, so they weren’t completely lost in their new environment.
His eyes still closed, the feel of a silky pelt rubbed against his calf, weaving around one leg and then the other. Lifting his furry roommate from the floor, he cuddled the black feline to his chest, briefly resting his cheek against the animal’s soft head as he stood and padded towards the kitchen.
Purring like a well-oiled machine, the cat was content to be held as he wove them around the various pieces of gym equipment that cluttered his tiny one-bedroom apartment.
He didn’t have much in the way of furniture. An overstuffed recliner, a bed, and the elaborate multi-level cat tree was all. His flat screen was mounted to the wall as floor space was at a premium in these overpriced, miniature city hovels.
Refusing to fall into a decadent lifestyle, he’d heard the few others that had fallen before him had done that, but the one demon that had been restored to the afterlife a few months after Vex had been exiled had not. So, he’d taken a page from that male’s book in hopes it would better his chances of being the second one to be returned.
Denying himself most pleasures of life was easy with the hefty amount of self-loathing he had going on. It was entirely his fault that Lucian was here. The angel had been making the best of their latest situation, but he would sometimes catch the male’s eyes lingering on the heavens above, the wistful expression becoming his quicksand that sunk him deeper into his own self-hatred.
He did eat quite a bit, though, if only to stay healthy. And he indulged in sports, mainly football, but he didn’t discriminate. The current season was what determined which sport was playing on his television, because for him, no other channels existed except Sports Network.
After all this time, he’d remained pure, denying himself the carnal pleasures this realm had to offer. They would only weaken him, so he lived modestly, worked out diligently keeping his body finely tuned for the one day he might be given a chance to rectify his situation.
Setting the cat at his feet, he knelt to reach into the lower cabinet, bumped into the weight rack with his backside and hit his head on the edge of the counter on his way back up.
“Fuck me, Kat, that shit hurt,” Vex grimaced, massaging the lump on his head that was already beginning to grow.
Damned if he wasn’t living in a hell of his own making. Ironic the apartment he occupied wasn’t much larger than the individual prisons in Netherworld.
The feline meowed, giving his leg a sympathetic rubbing.
Fondly eyeing the cat that continued to circle between his feet, he never forgot to provide for his furry companion. Filling her bowl with the very best cat food that could be purchased, he was careful not to hit his head again as he raised back up from setting the dish on the floor.
The sheen of blue in her glossy coat gleamed in the morning sunlight that filtered through his oversized windows as she devoured what he had set in front of her. She'd been a scrawny little vagrant when he'd found her shivering in the alley behind his building, but love, shelter, and food had transformed her into one pampered puss.
Cracking open the refrigerator, he didn’t know why he bothered. There was nothing more in there than what had been when he’d gone to bed. Like his meager groceries were going to somehow multiply overnight all by themselves.
It would take a trip to the market in order to obtain what he needed to stock his fridge, but given his last attempt at cooking a roast, he hadn’t wasted his time shopping. He’d managed to turn a nice cut of beef into a charcoal briquette. Culinary genius, he was not.
Recognizing the rhythmic knock on his door, he knew who was on the other side before he cleared the short distance to open it.
“Good lord, put a shirt on,” Lucian grumbled as he pushed his way past Vex. “It’s way too early for my ego to take that kind of pummeling.”
“Whatever, prick,” Vex retorted. “Like you’re ugly or something.”
“True. The ladies do like my pretty face, but I’m never gonna have the slabs of muscle you’re rocking. No matter how hard I hit the weights, I can’t seem to get that same Incredible Hulk bulk you’ve got.”
“Don’t be a hater. At least you got to keep your wings.”
Lucian turned away, but not before Vex caught sight of the sympathy reflected in the angel’s clear, blue eyes. Feeling bad, he hadn’t meant for his retort to land as a low blow. Lucian's guilt over what he hadn’t lost had never sat well with him, especially when he was solely responsible for where they were now.
For fuck’s sake, it was Lucian that had pointed out the tinge of gray hidden just below the glowing surface of that tricky soul. That pristine nimbus a façade sheltering the evil beneath, he hadn't seen it for what it was. It was his mistake alone and there was absolutely no reason his friend should have shared in his failure.
“Lucian.” Vex moved to stand behind his friend who was taking a false interest in the bench press. Turning him with a tug on his shoulder, he had some more apologizing to do. “I'm sorry I got you into this mess—”
“Stop right there. You don't owe me an apology now or any of the other times you’ve done it. I am just as much to blame for reading that soul wrong as you. She fooled both of us. That woman was so demented that she believed her own lies. Even with my ability to pull the truth from people, she still spat out a load of bullshit.” Raising a hand when Vex opened his mouth to speak. “If you say sorry once more, I'm gonna punch you in the face.”
“You know I'll return the favor.”
“Yep. That's why I haven't done it,” Lucian laughed, taking the e
dge off the seriousness. “I'd lose favor with the ladies if you rearranged my nose.”
“Very true.”
“Now go put some clothes on so we can go eat breakfast. I’m about to starve to death,” Lucian said, taking a seat in the recliner and making room for the cat to join him.
“Yeah, you’re looking rather emaciated.” Vex snorted at the guy’s perfect physique.
Lucian flipped him off and returned the cat’s purr with one of his own causing her to push her velvety head harder into the palm of his hand that was doing the caressing.
“You’re the only other person that she likes.”
“All females like me,” Lucian said.
He cringed and walked away. The guy wasn’t bragging, just stating a fact. He didn’t have a clue how Lucian could tolerate having women throwing themselves at him all the time.
Not for the first time, he was thankful for the brutal face he was gifted with. It kept other males from starting shit with him and kept the females from approaching him. It was easier to remain untouched when you had the face of a demon.
Occasionally, a woman would brave his foreboding appearance and try to entice him with her feminine wiles, but he’d discovered he held the power of persuasion over the human mind. His special power only worked properly when the thoughts were already present by flipping the lid off ideas that had been pushed aside in favor of others. But, he could implant an idea, although, it only lasted a short period of time. Free will was not something to be fucked with lightly.
So far, every human female that had thrown caution to the wind had hidden her sense of self-preservation beneath a thin layer of curiosity. He supposed it would be akin to wanting to pet a dangerous animal. Once he rummaged around inside their minds and threw back their flimsy layer of bravado, they always ran in the opposite direction.
Well, the opposite sex could take their charms on down the fucking road, he wasn’t interested in anything they had to offer. Even if he were to indulge, he’d have to trust the person he had sex with and that was one thing he didn’t have for any females no matter what their species. Since he wasn’t into males, his celibacy was an easy thing to maintain.
Grabbing some clothes and splashing some water on his face, he toweled off and caught a glimpse of his reflection. Netherworld hadn’t been adorned with mirrors, so he’d never seen much of his own face. Besides, he never had a reason to be admiring it, and still didn’t.
Sneering at himself, he was one hell of a cruel looking motherfucker. All hard lines and sharp features. He had a jawline cut from granite, softened only by the darkness of the full beard he kept neatly trimmed and tight to his face, a straight nose, and slashing mouth that normally remained pressed into a flat line from his unwavering irritation over his epic blunder. If he ever cracked a smile, it was a rare thing to behold. But, the worst of his features were his eyes; A bizarre hazel that bordered on a hellish yellow.
Unlike Lucian, he barely blended with the general populace. But, then again, Lucian didn’t exactly meld either. He was way too perfect in appearance to be anything other than extraordinary, like he had won the genetic lottery…twice.
Constantly hounded by women, it had only made matters worse when he’d decided to grow his hair long in the 1960’s, putting the rest of the world to shame with his follicle superiority. His mahogany locks had grown out thick and wavy, an instant sensation with the ladies always wanting to bury their hands in his luxurious mane. Now a contemporary hippie, Lucian had recently had it cut to his shoulders, no doubt to emulate his idol, male super-model, Vehn Mathieu. Vex shook his head unable to understand the fascination the angel had with that particular human.
“Alright, let’s go hippie,” Vex said, slipping on his leather jacket.
“Well, aren’t you in an exceptionally shitty mood today,” Lucian laughed, carefully setting the cat aside as he rose from the recliner.
“I had another visit from our shared nightmare.”
“Shit. Those seem to be coming on more frequently. Any ideas why?”
“Not a damn clue”—Vex scrubbed a hand over his jaw—“but it seems to feel more real every time it happens. Let’s talk about it over food.”
Leaving the apartment, his senses were overwhelmed by the kaleidoscope of colors from all the auras milling about. After all this time, he’d never gotten used to the profusion of colors that all beings emitted. Ironic how he’d once envied the transporters their jobs, sorting through the stunning rainbow of endless hues. Now, he wished his retinas a break, to be surrounded once again by the gray and black of the damned.
They hung a left on 32nd Street and hit Speedy Deli in Herald Square. His favorite place to grab a morning meal, they offered buffet style food bought by the pound. Everything was good, he had tried it all at one time or another, but his favorite was the French toast. His mouth watered as the savory aromas reached him before he even got to the door.
Grabbing the handle first, Lucian swung the door open wide motioning for Vex to precede him. “Age before beauty.”
Glaring, he pushed Lucian ahead of him. “Nah, ladies first, motherfucker.”
He knew Lucian was deliberately walking as slow as molasses on a winter’s day over to the beginning of the buffet line just to piss him off. Vex was all about some food, and he would claw his way through a pack of angry grizzles to get at a good meal when he was hungry. But, he impatiently slowed his steps not wanting to give Lucian the satisfaction of knowing he was successfully riding roughshod over his last nerve.
Standing alongside the other male, at six-feet-six, Lucian’s head barely made it past the top of his shoulder. Nudging the other male forward, Lucian’s smile widened over Vex’s impatience to get his tray full of food.
Finally making it through to the register, he paid for his meal and set his load of morning deliciousness on the first empty table he came to. His ass barely touched the seat before his fork went to work on all the heavenly selections. Choosing to plow his way through the omelet first, he’d upped his usual order of two eggs to four. The dream always left him feeling piqued. He figured he could use the extra protein.
“I swear all you do is eat, Vex,” was Sevin’s typical obnoxious greeting. Nodding to Lucian, he pulled out a chair, swinging it around, he straddled the seat. Laying his crossed arms across the back, Sevin stared unblinking as he watched Vex continue to eat.
“Go grab you something, Sevin,” Lucian offered.
“Nah, I’m good. I already ate at my girlfriend’s place.”
“Which one? There’s so many,” Vex snapped, the insolent staring beginning to grate on his nerves. He knew Sevin needled him on purpose just to see him rise to the bait. Why he liked the kid so much was anyone’s guess.
“I know. Ain’t it great?” Sevin grinned, repositioning the ball cap on his head.
“Turn around and sit in that chair the correct way. Didn’t Lucian and I raise you better than that?” Vex started in on him. “And, take that damn hat off. It’s rude to wear that shit inside, especially in a restaurant.”
“Yes, Mother.” Sevin did as he was told. Removing the ball cap, he smoothed back his silver mohawk and began impatiently drumming his fingers on the table.
“Something on your mind, whelp?” Lucian inquired.
“Nope. Just waiting on Vex to finish up his feeding trough so we can go look at a property the realtor has lined up.”
“Where did you say it was located?” Lucian asked.
“I didn’t.” Sevin avoided the question by taking an interest in his fingernails.
“Why am I afraid of what he’s not telling us?” Vex looked across the table at Lucian.
“Yeah, I have to say you’ve got my curiosity up,” Lucian said. “So, where is this place?”
“Over on Greene—”
“S’cuse me,” Vex roared, throwing off heat that drew the attention of the customers around them. “Why the hell are we looking at setting up shop near Greenwich Village? We can't put a tattoo s
tudio in the middle of that artsy-fartsy area. Have you lost your damn mind?”
“Vex, you wanna chill out?” Lucian leaned forward, touching his arm to calm him. “You’re beginning to throw red light out of your peepers. Let’s not freak out the natives.”
Slamming down his lids, he rubbed his eyes and could feel the heat radiating from the thin veins that road mapped throughout his eyes. The phenomenon only happened when he was really pissed off or using his power of persuasion to the extreme.
The thing that scared him was he wasn’t pissed off enough for it to happen.
Sevin was good at rubbing him the wrong way, but he’d never seriously been pissed off enough to have his body temperature increase or his eyeballs turn into flashlights. Recently, his body seemed to be going through some changes, and he suspected it correlated to the increased frequency of his nightmares.
What the hell did it mean? Was he getting closer to his goal of returning to the first home he’d ever known? Back to his old job, maybe?
He’d never had any direct contact with his former boss before or after his exile from Netherworld. As far as anyone knew, no one else had either. They’d had all just assumed the elusive being was the creator of it all. No one had ever actually laid eyes on the maker of what existed around them, it was more of a feeling that surrounded them, a presence in their minds that told them there was something else out there that was greater than themselves.
He had heard chatter that there was more beyond the realms than he was familiar with, but they were only rumors, and he had never wasted time pondering the fanciful imagings of those curious minds.
Popping open his lids, two pair of concerned eyes bore into his.
“I’m good. Stop your staring,” Vex bitched. That’s all he needed was a pity party in his honor. “Let’s get back to this cockamamie idea of yours to setup shop in The Village.”
“It's in the perfect location. And, it isn't right in the middle of Greenwich but on the outskirts. There's tons of other businesses and lots of foot traffic, plus it's a nice enough area that we won't have to worry too much about a ton of riff-raff.”
