Daystar (20 page)

“You could be lying.”

“But I am not.”
 
She lost her smile.
 
“If you do not stay and help me, a friend, possibly more than one will die and I simply cannot allow that because I love them, Jegudiel.”
 
Dahlia thought of Furcas and struggled not to cry.
 
“We have lost love and I need it to return, without it there is no reason to continue.”

Jegudiel reached out to touch her cheek, Dahlia allowed him to do so.
 
He felt her emotions clearly.
 
He did not look pleased, but he nodded.
 
“Show me and I will decide.
 
I sense I cannot leave regardless.”

Dahlia hugged him.
 
“Thank you.”

Jegudiel sucked in air.
 
“I have not done anything and yet you thank me.
 
No one has thanked me for anything and you do it genuinely, for one who did not lift a hand to save you or Lucifer.”

Dahlia shrugged and kissed his forehead.
 
“You have a good, non-violent heart.
 
Just because you did not fight in the war, this does not mean you sided with Michael.”

Jegudiel nodded and looked out at the planet.
 
Sunlight glittered on the water; the air carried the scent of green growing things.
 
He hummed without thinking of it.
 
Dahlia joined him.
 
Jegudiel blushed.
 
“I am sorry.”

“Why?”

“My voice does not compare to Lucifer’s.”

Dahlia laughed, making him blush darker.
 
“I like hearing a song of innocence.”

Jegudiel smiled shyly and breathed in.
 
“Why am I not sick?”

“I have granted you passage.
 
Come; let me show you more of your new home.”

***

Paimon stood in the middle of his living room.
 
Completely cleared of boxes, it was back to normal.
 
He had his arms out at his sides, eyes closed.
 
He sniffed the air.
 
“What direction am I facing?”

“Towards the door.”
 
Andy watched him from the couch.
 
Belial sat next to him, the pair held hands.

Paimon pivoted and sniffed.
 
“And now?”

“Towards the kitchen.”

Paimon lurched towards the left and smacked Andy’s shoulder.
 
“Couch.”

“You got it.”

“I can get this.”
 
Paimon nodded.
 
He opened his mouth to speak when there was a knock on the front door.
 

Andy got up to open it.
 
He stuck his head out and did a double take.
 
“Dahlia, what is
he
doing here?”

Belial jumped up.
 
“What?
 
Who is it?”

Andy grabbed Belial and pulled her back from the door before she could see.
 
Dahlia stepped in with Jegudiel; the Archangel’s wrists were pinned at his side.
 

Belial snarled and leapt for the Archangel.
 
Andy flipped her onto her back and sat on her.
 
“Stay still!”

Paimon was confused.
 
“What is going on?”
 
He sniffed the air and froze.
 
“There’s an Archangel in my house!”
 
He snarled.
 
“Get it out!”

Dahlia sighed.
 
“Paimon, chill out.”

“No!
 
Furcas would not have wanted an Archangel in his house!
 
Which one is it?”
 
He stormed towards her and put his hands on the pair.
 
He grabbed Jegudiel’s chin.
 
“Jegudiel the useless.
 
I recognize that stench.”

“Paimon,” Jegudiel squeaked and trembled.

Paimon pushed him away.
 
“Get him
out
of here!”

Dahlia threw Jegudiel into the kitchen.
 
She grabbed Paimon.
 
“I need a babysitter for you.”

He glared at her sightlessly.
 
“I have Andy and Belial if you are so worried!”

“I have need of them and the others at the moment.”
 
She touched his face.
 
“Only an equal can keep you from harming yourself and I did not have one to spare.
 
So I kidnapped him.
 
He is your prisoner.”

Paimon smiled.
 
“Then may I kill him?”

Belial kicked her feet on the ground.
 
“May I help?”

Dahlia grimaced.
 
“No one kills him.”

Paimon frowned.
 
“What about taking off his wings?
 
At least one, that is reasonable.”

“Not that either!
 
Paimon, he is to be a guest in this house.”

“No, he fucking is not!”
 
Paimon pointed towards the door.
 
“He goes now!
 
I will not hear another word of this!”

Dahlia threw Paimon into a wall.
 
She grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off his feet.
 
“No.
 
He stays.”
 
She looked to Andy and Belial.
 
“Leave this place
now
.”

The pair got up.
 
They ran outside and straight into a nervous Helion, Berith, Whitney, and Apple.
 
The door closed behind them, leaving them in silence.
 
Dahlia put Paimon down.
 
“You are going to do what you do best.”

Paimon rubbed his neck.
 
“Get drunk?”

“Corrupt him.”
 
Dahlia shoved Paimon in Jegudiel’s direction.
 
“He is just a teenage boy, he has simple wants.
 
The task should be easy for you.”

Jegudiel looked confused.
 
“But I thought I was helping.”

Dahlia pointed a finger at him.
 
“Shut up.”
 
She looked to Paimon.
 
“He cannot leave this house and you do not need to worry about his escape.”

Paimon jumped to his feet.
 
“What the fuck, Dahlia!
 
I can be alone; I don’t need some
thing
to keep me occupied.”

She smiled at him without mirth.
 
“I know you, Paimon.
 
I know what you need even if you do not.
 
Trust me.”

“No.”

Dahlia shrugged.
 
“It does not matter.
 
You cannot leave this house either.”
 
She touched the walls and the place sparked with energy.
 
She pointed to the two of them.
 
“You two will play nice.
 
Jegudiel, you have one order and that is to prevent him from killing himself, besides that, you can try to escape all that you want.
 
Though…”
 
Dahlia snapped at the dining room table, food of every sort appeared on it.
 
“I think you will find yourself distracted.”

She walked to the couch and examined the flat-screen TV.
 
“You have videogames?”

Paimon rubbed his neck.
 
“Of course, Furcas loves—
loved
them.”

She gestured to Jegudiel.
 
“Play with him.”

Paimon stomped his feet.
 
“Absolutely fucking not, I would not in a thousand years!
 
He is not touching Furcas’ things!”

Dahlia ignored his tantrum.
 
“Clothe him.”

Paimon’s cheeks turned red with anger.
 
“He is not wearing Furcas’ things!”

Dahlia walked to the door.
 
“Deal with him.
 
He is yours.”

Paimon chased after her.
 
“He is not replacing Furcas!”

Dahlia smiled slightly.
 
“Hmm.
 
He does not leave until you have turned him to our side, by whatever means you are able to.”
 
She smirked.
 
“I think your means are quite clear to you.
 
You do have a track record of relating well to young, male Archangels.”

“You fucking
bitch!
”
 
Paimon leapt and tackled her.
 
Dahlia let him.
 
Paimon pinned her to the ground.
 
“He is not replacing Furcas!”

She gazed into his eyes.
 
“Did I say that he was?”

Paimon burst into tears.
 
“How could you do this to me, Dahlia?”

“Because I can.”

Paimon backhanded her.
 
“I hate you!”

Dahlia grabbed his wrists and forced him up.
 
“I love you.”

“I
hate
you!
 
I never want to see you again!
 
Get out of my home!
 
Get out!”
 
He struggled with her.
 
Tears poured down his cheeks.
 
“Furcas would not want this, Dahlia!”

“Furcas would not want you
dead!
”
 
Dahlia shoved Paimon off her.
 
“I am saving your life.”
 
She wiped the blood from her nose.
 
“You will see that eventually, Uncle.”
 
She threw the front door open, walked out, and slammed it shut behind her.

Dahlia looked to the rest of her Archangels.
 
Andy stared in shock.
 
“Dahlia, what the fuck are you doing?”

Dahlia grinned.
 
“Jegudiel wanted to see what love is like.
 
Hatred and loss are good places to start.”

“But
Paimon!
”

Dahlia looked back at the house as a crash rocked the walls.
 
“He has something to live for now.”

Berith frowned.
 
“What?”

She smiled.
 
“Trying to find a way to get Jegudiel out of his home as fast as possible.”

Belial gaped.
 
“So you’re not expecting them to, you know, get it on?”

Dahlia burst out laughing.
 
“Fuck no!
 
Are you kidding?
 
Those two?”
 
She doubled over.
 
“Oh, I think not.”
 
She wiped her eyes.
 
“Though the fear of it will drive Paimon to great lengths to get Jegudiel out.”

***

Jegudiel scooted away from Paimon along the length of the living room floor.
 

Paimon couldn’t see him, but his nose and ears twitched.
 
He frowned.
 
Paimon lifted the couch again and threw it.

Jegudiel ducked out of the way and scrambled towards the staircase.
 
He bolted upstairs.
 

Paimon turned his head.
 
“Do not go up there!”
 
Jegudiel did not stop.
 
Paimon snarled and gave chase.
 

The stairs only led to one room per floor.
 
Jegudiel realized this when he reached the top floor and had nowhere to go.
 
The door at the top would not open for him.
 
He pressed himself against it and stared down the stairs.
 
Paimon came into view, his face rigid and painted with a scowl.
 

Jegudiel trembled.
 
“Please do not hurt me.
 
I do not want to be here.
 
I did not ask for this!”

Paimon jumped up the steps.
 
“Why the fuck should I care?”

“I am not trying to replace anyone!”

“Damn right you won’t!
 
Furcas
cannot
be
replaced!
”

Jegudiel wrapped his wings around his body.
 
“Right, right.
 
I know.”

Paimon slammed his fist into Jegudiel’s ribcage.
 
“You have no idea what you are talking about!”

Jegudiel doubled over.
 
“Love is my realm.”

Paimon lifted Jegudiel and tossed him down the stairs.
 
“What the fuck do
you
know about love?!”
 
He kicked Jegudiel down another flight.
 
“When have you
ever
been in love?
 
When have you
lost
someone you love?”
 
Paimon threw him into the living room.
 
“You know
nothing!
”
 
He landed on Jegudiel.
 
“You are a clueless idiot!
 
You’re a child!”