Daystar (31 page)

Belial touched her face and shuddered.
 
“No one sees me.”

He nodded.
 
“I won’t let anyone near, but what should I say?”

Belial bit her lip as pain tore through her.
 
The muscles beneath Helion’s hands writhed.
 
She gasped.
 
“Tell them anything, it won’t matter soon.”

Helion took a deep breath.
 
“I saw Lucifer streak towards the skies, Belial.
 
He had his wings.”

She smiled.
 
“Good.”

He struggled to spit the words out, “Dahlia also took to the air.
 
She had six wings.
 
She’s fully restored.”

Belial cried in relief.
 
“Then I have fulfilled my promise to him and now Lucifer can fulfill his end.”
 
She sighed.
 
“I can go soon.”

Helion held her to him.
 
“What do you need from me?
 
What can I do?”

“Stay with me until they come, the cancer is growing.
 
I think it will try to strike the others before Lucifer and Dahlia make it back.”

Helion nodded.
 
“I won’t leave you I promise.”

Belial cried into his chest.
 
“I love you, Helion.”

“I love you too, Belial.
 
Just rest now.”

***

Uriel and Samuel rejoined Heaven.
 
They panted and gaped.
 
Michael could not take his eyes off his broken spear; his features frozen with shock and agony.
 
Gabriel rocked on the ground, his mouth jumbling words quietly.
 
The fire on the throne boiled over, sparking and surging in random intervals.

THEY NEED TO BE DESTROYED!

Michael nodded and spoke without hesitation, “I will do as you command.”

IN ONE MOTION, WITHOUT WARNING, THEY GET NO MORE CHANCES.
 
NO ONE GETS ANY MORE CHANCES, INCLUDING YOU.

Michael bowed, keeping his face blank.
 
“What is our next action?”

FOR YOU, MICHAEL?
 
NOTHING.
 
YOU COULD NOT DAMAGE HER; YOU COULD NOT STOP ANY OF IT.
 
YOU ARE USELESS.

Michael flinched.
 
He bowed his head.
 
“I am sorry, I—”

I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR YOUR EXCUSES FOR FAILURE.
 
I REQUIRE GABRIEL.

Gabriel cringed and looked up.
 
“Yes?”

YOU, THE SMARTEST, REACH OUT INTO THEIR UNIVERSE.
 
FIND ME A WAY TO DESTROY THEM, BUT DO NOT DRAW NEAR THE PLANET.

Gabriel bowed.
 
“Yes.
 
May I research prior to going?’

TAKE AS MUCH TIME AND RESOURCES AS YOU NEED.
 
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO OFFER THEM ANY ADVANTAGE BY MAKING THEM AWARE THAT WE PLOT.

Gabriel nodded.
 
“Then I request seclusion.”

GRANTED.
 
NONE MAY NEAR YOU.

Gabriel bowed and kicked off from the ground.
 
He flew for the empty spaces of Heaven.
 
He turned his face away from all angels.
 
His eye ticked in time with his heartbeat.

***

Dahlia knocked at Furcas and Paimon’s door.
 
Jegudiel answered, his face tear streaked and smiling.
 
She took in his expression.
 
“You found it.”

Jegudiel nodded, speechless.
 
From behind him, Paimon called out, “Who is there?”

Dahlia walked into the living room.
 
Furcas saw her six-winged.
 
“Dahlia!
 
Paimon, our little Dahlia has her six wings back!”
 
He helped Paimon to his feet.

Dahlia took a deep breath.
 
“Your baby lives.”
 
She hugged all three of them.
 
She kissed Furcas and Paimon on the cheek.
 
“You two, I owe you so much.”

Paimon blinked back tears.
 
“I am so sorry for hitting you.”

Dahlia frowned.
 
Then she remembered.
 
“Oh, yes that.
 
You hit Raphael.”

Paimon, Furcas, and Jegudiel frowned.
 
“What?”

“She is my second as Michael is to Lucifer.”
 
Dahlia smiled.
 
“We exchanged knowledge and switched our appearance under the feathers.
 
She took on my persona, my memories, and acted here in my stead as a replica.
 
It seems that she did quite the good job being me.”

Furcas was confused.
 
“Under the feathers?”

Dahlia waved his questions aside and gazed at their baby.
 
“Her name?”

Paimon puffed out his chest.
 
“Bean!”

Bean looked at Dahlia.
 
“Bo!”

Dahlia reached out and tickled her nose.
 
Bean giggled.
 
Dahlia ruffled her hair.
 
“She is wonderful.”
 
She looked between the pair and touched Paimon’s silver hair.
 
“Get Raphael to fix your eyes.”

“Can’t you, Sixy?”

“Raphael still has all of that and you know it.
 
Don’t try and get out of apologizing to
her
.”
 
She hugged Paimon.
 
“I am sorry I did not let you know he lived, I had to go to Heaven.”

“Well I know now and that is good enough.”

Dahlia hugged Furcas.
 
“I hope Hell was not too unpleasant a stay for you.”

“Unpleasant?
 
I got my eye, my arm, and my baby back!”

Dahlia shrugged.
 
“And you do not mind being one of my Archangels?”

Furcas frowned.
 
“I am one of yours now?”

Dahlia pointed to his wings.
 
Furcas opened them.
 
Colors splashed across the room as candlelight hit his ruby and diamond wings.
 
Bean and Furcas stared, entranced by the lights.

Paimon sighed.
 
“Well, what are you now?
 
I can’t see.”

Bean reached for a diamond feather.
 
“Ba, ba, ba, ba!”

Furcas pulled one out for Bean and handed it to her.
 
She stuck it in her mouth.
 
Furcas pulled it back.
 
“No chew.”
 
He held the feather up to the light and noticed it was studded in tiny gemstones.
 
“I am so damn gorgeous, I amaze myself.
 
Paimon, I am
covered
in diamonds.”

Paimon smirked.
 
“Of course you would get gemstones, pretty and useless just like you.”
 
He held his hands up anticipating Furcas’ slap.
 
“I kid, diamonds are quite useful.
 
Lots of crystals are.”

Furcas lowered his hand.
 
“You think I’d hit a blind man?”

“Yes.”
 
Paimon kissed Bean’s cheek as she grabbed and held on to his nose.
 
He pulled Bean from his face.
 
“How did he live, Dahlia?
 
Barachiel spoke the truth about their death.
 
I would have known if he had lied.”

Dahlia nodded.
 
“Furcas did die and so did Apple.
 
Nevertheless,
I
did not die and they are linked to me, regardless of whether they want to be.
 
Furcas was remade in Hell.”
 
She tapped her head.
 
“It was a good thing that he landed in the crater.
 
Raphy would have been able to restore him through our link regardless of where he landed, but I am not sure about Bean.”
 
Dahlia gazed at their baby.
 
“Please stay here and relax you two.
 
I really do not want either of you doing anything other than being here together with your child for some time.”

Paimon nodded and pointed to a blank spot.
 
“Good because Yoshi still has some karting to do and other valuable things to lose.”

Furcas grabbed Paimon’s hand and pointed it at Jegudiel.
 
He smiled.
 
“Yes, and I will be showing him how you cheated so marvelously.”

Paimon scowled.
 
“Cheated is a negative word.”

“A correct word.”

Jegudiel’s face fell.
 
“You
cheated?
”

Paimon snorted.
 
“Yes, Yoshi, I cheated.
 
When do I not cheat?
 
Why even ask the question?
 
Go ahead and assume it going forward.”

Dahlia kissed their cheeks once more.
 
“I have to go.
 
I will see you all later.”
 
She hugged Jegudiel.
 
“I am glad Raphael brought you here.
 
Your brother and she are enjoying themselves.”

Jegudiel frowned.
 
“Raphael is a girl?
 
Since when?”

Dahlia looked him over.
 
“You did not know this whole time?”

“Know what?”

Dahlia looked to Furcas.
 
“You met her?”

Furcas nodded.
 
“Yes.”

“Then you explain.
 
I have to go; Lucifer and I need to—”

“Fuck!”
 
Paimon offered.

“Make up.”
 
Dahlia smiled and walked out.

Bean patted at Paimon’s face.
 
“Foohk!”

***

Lucifer glared at the Archangels.
 
A smile broke his grimace.
 
“I am kidding with you.”

The Archangels did not break ranks or smile.
 
Berith moved between Apple and Lucifer.
 
Whitney readied a rock.
 
Andy frowned.
 
“I don’t know, is he telling the truth?”

Berith shook his head.
 
“I think we should run in four separate directions at the same time.
 
Andy, you have to give us a head start.”

Andy nodded.
 
“Okay on my count.”

Dahlia passed through the shield.
 
“Hi guys!”
 
The four Archangels bolted.
 
She watched them go.
 
“Huh?”

Lucifer hit Dahlia with a smothering kiss.
 
He inhaled her; he ran his hands up and down her body.
 
He did not stop to speak, his lips used only for kisses.
 
He bit at her flesh, scratched at her skin.
 
He pushed her towards Earth.

Dahlia pushed him back towards space.
 
“I am banning us from getting frisky there.”

Lucifer shrugged and threw her towards the moon.
 
He bolted after, a streak of blue in the sky.
 
He tackled her in the air and they flipped end over end.
 
He held her from behind and kissed her neck, nipping her shoulder.
 
He clutched at her stomach, one hand cupping a breast.
 
He sank his teeth into her neck.
 
He wrapped a leg around her.
 
“You owe me much, Dahlia.”

Dahlia smirked.
 
“Hold on.”

“No.”

Dahlia grabbed his hair and flipped him over her shoulder.
 
Primangel with six wings she overpowered him easily.
 
She held on to his back and wrapped her legs around his waist; she looked down at his shoulder blades.
 
She touched his remaining two scars.

Lucifer pushed at her legs.
 
“I am giving you two seconds to let me go.
 
I will have my way with you as I see fit.
 
You have been extremely bad as of late.”

Dahlia grinned.
 
“Hmm.
 
Well I am, at the moment, far more fucking powerful than you are.
 
So the game is going my way.
 
Besides, you traipsing off to Heaven and leaving me behind was a dick move too, so we are even.”

Lucifer reached around and grabbed her bottom.
 
“I do not agree.
 
Let go and obey me.”

Dahlia bit his arm.
 
“When have I ever taken orders?”
 
She sliced one of his scars open.
 
“Stop fidgeting!
 
Do you want your third set of wings or not?”