The Codex: An Angel's Guide To Seducing A Human (15 page)

I winced and tossed the book onto the floor, breaking our connection. “Don’t worry. I’ll watch over you.”

Emily twitched then scowled. “No thanks, creep.”

I scratched the back of my head. “But I am a professional guard. You can count on me to fall asleep quickly when I need to.”

“What kind of a guard are you?”

“A reliable one. And... and, I don’t think I can fall asleep just yet. I need to think.” I grasped my breasts and cupped them, lifting them up and down.

Emily snuggled deeper into the bed, her eyes sagging. “Don’t do that. It’s disturbing. Narius, why don't you come to bed with me? It's not like anything is going to happen with you like that.”

I took my hands off my chest. “Really?”

She shuffled to the other side of the bed and eyed me with suspicion. “But no funny business.”

I nodded, walked up to the bed and slipped under the covers. The soft blanket rubbed against me, feeling like I had wrapped myself with an extra layer of wings. Trying to relax, I laid my head against the fluffy pillow and stared out the glass window on the ceiling that showed me the Heavens through a small clearing of the foliage.

Emily shifted and pulled the blanket away from her face, sliding it down to her chest. “So, what's it like up there?” she asked, her eyes fixated on the night sky.

The image of the quiet library, and the countless shelves filled with my favorite books appeared in my mind. “A peaceful and happy place."

Following a moment of silence, she asked, “So you miss home?”

“Yes.”

An uncomfortable hush seeped in before she spoke again. “Did you mean what you said before? Do you want to go back as soon as you are finished here?”

“I’d leave this instant if I…” I glanced at Emily, and my heart quickened. She looked so pretty, her dark hair glittering in the moonlight. A part of me just wanted to hold her hands. I shook my head, unable to understand why. Turning my back on her, I stared at the glass cabinet across from me. "I don’t know,” I whispered.

“What was that?”

“The... the food here just tastes so much better.”

“Food? Really? Nothing else?" she asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice. "M-maybe someone you really like?”

I couldn't answer her. Something inside me felt conflicted.

After a few moments of awkward silence, she let out a sigh. “Fine. Good night, Narius." The blanket rustled, and I stared at the empty air before me for several minutes until Emily fell asleep, snoring softly.

For some reason I felt guilty, but I couldn't understand why. I closed my eyes to push the uneasy feelings away and tried to follow her example, only to realize that I was a little thirsty.

Taking care not to wake the beast beside me, I slowly lifted the blanket. Then, like a gnome assassin from the legends, I slipped out of the bed.

I thought about summoning a jug of water, but the cabinet filled with an array of colorful liquids beckoned to me, tempting me with mysterious tastes.

Opening the glass door, I studied the bottles and reached for a flask of clear water. I uncorked the bottle and whiffed it. It smelled a bit musky, like a strong perfume. Still, it looked clear enough, and I was too tired to look for a different one. So, I brought it to my lips and took a long drink.

The water burned against my throat like liquid fire. I took the bottle away from my lips and coughed. My vision blurred as warmth spread throughout my body.

The air around me felt warm and fuzzy, while the rest of the world looked more beautiful with every breath I took. Unable to resist the power of the magical water, I giggled and sipped the drink until every drop was down my throat.

Once the bottle was drained, my hands wavered, making it difficult to hold. Knowing that I shouldn't drop it, I mustered all my will and succeeded in corking the empty glass and returning it to its place in the cabinet.

With the difficult task accomplished, I staggered back towards the bed, stumbling and falling a few times until I succeeded in climbing into its soft embrace.

There Emily slept, more stunning than ever before. My breathing grew rapid at the sight of her. I crawled next to Emily and brushed away the dark hair that hid her pristine face.

"You’re really pretty," I told her, running my hand through her silky hair.

The snoring stopped, and Emily stirred awake. She stared at me with her sleepy blue eyes and sniffed. "Are you drunk?"

I frowned and scratched my head. "You don't think you’re pretty?"

"What? Answer the question."

I laughed and got onto my knees to better gaze at her beautiful eyes. "Angels can't get drunk. Codex told me we just get really happy." Placing my hands on both sides of her head, I moved towards her, closing the gap between our faces. “You know I’ve never had the chance to tell you how I feel about you.”

Emily glanced at my arms then at me with a confused look. “W-wait! I-I'm not ready for this. Hold on, let me catch my breath and try to—”

“You are the most violent, greedy, and arrogant human I have met."

The panic in her eyes disappeared, and she raised an eyebrow. "Keep talking like that, and I'll stick my fist into your stomach."

"But you are still Emily, and you make me feel weird." I laid my hand on her soft cheek and stroked it. "You could have left me and gone to the capital by yourself. But you stayed with me. I wouldn't have been able to do anything without you."

She blushed, making my heart beat more rapidly. “G-good. But don’t forget that you owe me a mountain of gold. You’ll have to thank me more than that to get away with ripping my reward—"

Remembering what the Codex had told me, I leaned forward.

I pressed my lips against hers.

They tasted sweet like chocolate. It was as if I had laid my lips on the sweetest and the most precious flower in the world. 
So this is why humans thank each other like this.

Emily's eyes widened as the world stilled around us. Her body stiffened, but after a moment, she closed her eyes and relaxed.

I pulled back and smiled. "Thank you."

Emily pushed me off. "W-wait! Th-this doesn't count! This isn't my first kiss! You are drunk!"

A hiccup shook my body. "I… I'm not drunk."

"That's what all drunks say!" She aimed a pillow at me, ready to thrust it into my face.

Anticipating her pitiful attack, I leaned to the side to dodge the strike, only for it to slam straight into my face, knocking me back onto my wings.

As I lay there a scream burst from her lungs while I sat up and rubbed my nose. "I wanted it to be perfect! Not in bed with a drunken angel who just had a sex change!"

Alarmed, I kneeled before her with my head bowed in shame, wondering if I should kiss her again so she wouldn’t be so mad.

Probably taking my silence as a surrender, Emily sat up and began explaining her perfectly-planned first kiss that involved flowers, sunset, and a unicorn.

I tried to listen, but the room became unbearably hot, and sweat dripped down my wings. Before I knew what I was doing, I tackled Emily and lay on her, pressing my body against her cold skin for relief.

She twitched, trying to get her arms free, but I stared into her clear blue eyes and whispered, "Emily, I like you. Even when you are angry. And I want to get to know you better."

She stopped moving, her breath brushing against my neck. "O-of course you do. E-everyone likes me."

"I had never seen such a beautiful and smart human before you."

Emily narrowed her eyes. "'Before you'? Isn't that because I'm the first human you saw?"

I placed my index finger on her lip and silenced her. "And I am glad that it was you."

Her cheeks turned crimson, the tips of her ears flashing red. She fixed her gaze on the wall next to her. "S-so, what's heaven like? I-I always wanted to know."

"Heaven? It's quiet up there. I never had the chance to visit Lord Arudi or Lady Tristina’s monuments, but Lord Halfaya’s library is quiet and the most peaceful place to read a book. The only sound to be heard is that of pages being rustled."

I stole a glance at her lips, wanting nothing more than to thank her again, a little bit longer this time. 
Do you like it when I touch you with my lips? Is it awkward?

"Really?" she asked, her eyes still avoiding mine.

"There's a reason why humans call it a second paradise." 
Do you think it will be better for you if I stick my tongue into you?

"Second? What are you talking about?"

“Second only to the actual paradise, or so I read.” I pressed my body against hers, snuggling with her soft skin, my hair falling all around us. I sniffed her neck, letting the minty smell from her body cloud my mind, making me think only of how great she was. "The Great Library is massive. Even the angels who are close to a hundred thousand years old have only managed to read half of its books." 
Just looking at you makes me dizzy for some strange reason.

"So, if you were up there, what would you like to do right now?"

"I want to press you against me and rub you all over me." 
Visit Lord Halfaya in his sickbed and talk to him for hours.

Emily reddened even more. "Wha—"

Before Emily could vent her anger, I gripped her shoulders tight. I had to thank her again. Once wasn’t enough.

She froze and held her breath, her eyes twinkling.

"Emily…" I leaned closer to kiss her again, only to feel a sharp pain in my stomach.

My body refused to move.

Moments later, I felt something traveling up my throat, and I vomited up a yellow stew-like mush onto the bed.

Emily shrieked. She broke free from my grasp and shied away from my creation, scrambling off the bed as fast as she could.

Once I had emptied myself, the world spun around me. My head grew heavy and pulled the rest of my body down towards the bed, plunging my face into the puddle.

Narius

A rotten stench clawed its way into my nose and woke me. Something itchy covered the entire left half of my face, while my head ached like someone was scribbling on top of it with a sharp quill. I opened my eyes, only to have them stabbed by the bright rays of the morning sun. I raised a hand to block out the light.

Eventually, my eyes adjusted, and I found myself basking in its warm golden glow.

Somewhere outside, the sparrows chirped away, their cries a little louder than usual and painful to hear.

Resisting the urge to go back to sleep, I sat up and stretched my wings.

Dizziness plagued me, as if millions of tiny needles were pushing themselves into my head.

Guessing that Emily must have whacked my head while I was sleeping, I groaned and looked about, only to spot a dried puddle of vomit tainting the bedding beside me.

I reached up and scratched my itchy face. It was caked with something sticky. Still a little dazed, I summoned a basin of water and a bit of manna. I rubbed the blue gel on my face and washed myself with the water, wiping away the filth in a few strokes.

After I was clean and my mind fully awake, I stared down at myself and found a pair of large bumps still glued to my chest.

Curious and wanting to explore them, I moved my hands to lift my dress. But as I did, the floor next to the bed rumbled. There, on the ground on my side of the bed, Emily snored, squeezing a pillow between her arms and drooling on her helpless victim.

But before I could figure out what I should do with her, the awful smell coming from the bed reminded me of the yellow puddle.

Being the clever angel I was, I pinched my nose and slapped the remaining blue gel that I had summoned on the puke. Then I poured the water from the basin onto the manna, melting it and purifying the stained sheet back to its original condition.

Once every little speck of yellow had been vanquished, I returned the empty vessel to heaven. I glanced back at Emily, then at the comfortable bed. Guessing that she should sleep on the bed, I stepped onto the grassy floor and took her in my arms.

She was heavier than I remembered, and I buckled a little under her weight. So, I rearranged my stance to better manage the load and succeeded in laying Emily's sleeping body on the bed.

"Unicorns, roses, and Narius," Emily mumbled with a sheepish grin as she strangled the pillow. "Everything must be perfect. Te... he... te... he..."

I grimaced at her odd laughter and covered her with the blanket, only to spot a hint of puke clinging onto the end of her lower lip. Realizing she was the puker, I sighed. I leaned towards her, reached out, and wiped her lips clean.

They felt so soft like cotton, and I fought the unnatural urge to feel them with mine.

But just as I was about to pull myself back, Emily's eyes opened and stared into mine.

Her cheeks reddened, and she let out a meek little gasp. After a brief silence, she frowned. "What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to kiss me?"

"Why would I do that?" I asked, pushing my hair behind my ear.

"W-well, don't get me wrong. I'm not into kissing women, but last night when you kissed me, I—"

"No. I never kissed you. I would have remembered doing something that only humans like."

"What? What do you mean you 'would have remembered'? Yesterday, you were blushing, drunk and horny as—"

I wagged my finger at her ignorance. "Angels don't blush, and we don't get drunk either. Codex said we only get happy."

"That's what you said last night! You lying—" Emily rose from the bed and, in her haste to get up, head-butted me in the chin.

A flash of light blinded me, followed by sharp pain in my chin. I clutched the bottom of my face and rolled over in agony while Emily did the same with her head.

By the time I recovered, Emily had gotten to her knees and pressed her hands down on my arms, pushing me against the soft covers of the bed. "Don't tell me you forgot about my first kiss, you gender-confused angel!"

"First kiss?"

Her eyes glared down at me. "Yes! The one you stole. I-I wasn't ready for that! And don't bother lying. I can prove you were drunk." Shifting her eyes away from me, she pointed at where the puddle used to be. "The evidence is right— Wait. No. This can't be happening!"

I glanced at the clean part of the bed. 
Good thing I cleaned it, or she would think she was right.

Emily gripped and shook me. "No! It was here. You couldn't resist my charms! This isn't right!"

My head bobbed, making my stomach feel uneasy. I opened my mouth to explain her delusional state of mind when the door creaked open, and Ciel stumbled in, the roots of her legs wobbling a little with each step. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Are you guys wrestling?"

"O-of course we aren't!" Emily reddened. She released me from her grasp and her lips drooped. "No. It can't be. Must have been a dream... it just felt so real," she whispered, stroking the bed sheet, her eyes looking at it longingly. "Maybe I just wanted it to be true. Maybe I just wanted you to like me."

I clutched myself in confusion, waiting for her violent response, but nothing came. Emily kept quiet and bit her lip.

Unsure of what I should do, I smiled to make her feel better. "If it helps, I think you are the most beautiful human I first laid eyes on."

Emily slammed a pillow into my face. "Stop sending me mixed signals!"

Narius later that morning

The sentry gently grasped my hand and knelt to the ground in the small clearing inside the forest. "You are the most stunning creature I have ever seen. Your wings are so white, and your body just so perfect," he said with a smile, the leaves on his clothes swaying with the wind. "Will you allow me, a young, pure-hearted, handsome man, unmarried nor involved with any other women, to have dinner with—"

Emily kicked the soldier in the chest and toppled him to the ground. "Not today, pervert." She waved her staff and placed a large block of ice on top of the man, immobilizing him. "Stay there until it melts and think about what you've just done." Then she turned to me and Ciel, whose legs were disguised to look like those of a human child's. "Come on. Don't just stand there. This kind of stuff happens all the time. Get used to it."

I glanced at the sentry and tapped the tips of my index fingers together. "But it just seems a little rude to say no all the time. Maybe I can accept one out of seven? I mean, they must be really hungry for all of them to ask. It only seems right."

Emily scowled. "It's not about the food. I know. They ask me all the time."

I nodded and thought about her words. "But wait... When we were in Arehan, or in the camp before, no one came up to you—"

She poked her finger against my chest with each syllable. "All. The. Time."

Before I could ask how she had managed to keep so many people away without me noticing, Ciel's ears cocked and she sniffed the air. "Something's burning."

"Probably campfires," Emily said, inhaling the faint scent of smoke drifting over the forest.

Ciel sniffed a few more times and the blood in her face drained. "No, no... No! They are screaming!" She darted past me and sprinted towards the foliage in the direction of the camp.

Alarmed, Emily and I gave chase, rushing through the bushes that seemed to part for Ciel while flinging their branches at us.

When we had finally pushed aside the last of the evil branches that blocked our way to the outskirts of the princess's camp, we were greeted with a view of a field littered with fallen trees. Compared to the day before, the distance between the road and the edge of the forest had grown. Thanks to the newly cleared patch of ground where the forest used to be, the princess's camp appeared no larger than a speck of dirt off on the horizon. But unlike before, the newly destroyed trees weren't hacked down. Instead, their charred skeletons decorated the landscape, some in scattered pieces, as if they had exploded from within.

Ahead of us, a magician clad in a dark red robe raised his hand to the sky. Fire erupted from his fingertips and jumped to a mobile tree trying to cross the road. The flames engulfed the green giant and turned it into a pile of crumbling ash.

Ciel watched the destruction with her mouth wide open. "No! What is wrong with you?" she shouted at the human, who lowered his head and looked at the dryad. "You are killing them!"

She lunged at the magician, but she tripped, and slid to a halt just before his feet.

The magician stared at Ciel, concern written over his face. "What's wrong, little girl?"

She rose to her feet and pounded her fists against the man's legs. "You are killing my friends!"

The man grinned. "Friends? They're just firewood. Get it? Firewood?"

Ciel stopped. "What?"

The magician placed his hand on her head and patted it. "Okay. Let me explain the joke. So, the fire from my hand burns trees. Now, trees catch on fire and these vermin—"

"Vermin?" Ciel screamed, leaped onto the magician and sank her teeth into his throat.

The magician cried out like a high-pitched whistle.

Grasping the dryad's arms, the human tossed Ciel to the ground and clutched his bloodied neck. "How dare you, you little peasant." Raising his other hand to strike her, he sneered. "Do you know who I am? I am a mage of the Legerement Empire, and the third son of an imperial governor's maid's nephew's second-best friend!" Fire erupted from his hand, and the mage roared.

Fearful of what was about to happen, I ran to them.

Emily was faster. She struck her staff against the magician's temple.

The man crumpled to the ground, and Emily gave him a good kick in the stomach before turning to Ciel. "Are you all right?"

The dryad glanced at the unconscious man then at the tinder around her. She began to cry. "Why? Why? Why..."

Helpless to solve her problem, I did the only thing I could do. I lifted us into a sitting position and let her weep on my shoulder. "Everything will be all right."

"N-no. It won't."

I stroked the back of her head. "I promise," I said, wrapping my wings around to block the horrible sight from her.

Ciel kept crying, looking up at me once in a while with puffy eyes. Eventually she hugged me back, her tear-stained face buried against my chest.

Unable to do anything more, I remained still, hoping that just being there for her would soothe her.

Finally, after a lengthy period of time, the crying stopped and Ciel relaxed her grip and fell asleep.

Glad that she could rest, I slowly rose to my feet, lifting the dryad with me.

I parted my wings and saw Emily sitting on the grass in the distance, studying the dead trees. Her lips were pursed, and she was busy twirling the feathered necklace.

As I approached her, she looked up at me. Strangely enough, her striking blue eyes made my heart skip a beat, and blood rushed to my cheeks.

“She’s all right?” Emily asked.

I coughed and lowered my head, pretending like nothing happened, then checked on Ciel. Thankfully, she was still sound asleep. “She will be all right.”

Emily sighed and slumped her shoulders. “I shouldn't have brought her here. I should have just convinced her to stop the trees at her home.”

Touched by her concern, I smiled at the kind-hearted human. “You did what you thought was for the best, but…” I nudged my head in the direction of the fallen magician. ”What are we going to do about him?”

“He's just a small fish in a much larger group. The rest have already been caught," a familiar voice said behind me. "For now, he will be taken away for questioning, especially since the princess expressly stated that no such act would ever be ordered.”

I turned around and saw the soldier who dragged us to the princess the day before, still dressed like a bush.

"Idiots. If they were going to burn down the forest, they should have done it away from the princess herself. But where are my manners? What are you three doing all the way out here?" the soldier asked. He stared at me for a split second before approaching Emily. “You found another angel? What did you do? Did you trade in the old one for these two?"

Emily closed her eyes and covered them with a hand. “Same one. He just became a woman."

The soldier's face wrinkled. “Wait.” He drifted his eyes up and down my body. “Does that mean…” His mouth dropped. He grabbed my waist, his eyes widening. “Is it safe? Did it fall off? Can you grow it back? Can I lift your skirt and see—"

Emily scowled. “Is the entire army filled with horny men? Where’s the princess?”

The soldier released me, giving me one last curious glance before turning to the unconscious man. Slinging the man over his shoulder, the human headed towards the camp. “The princess is in her tent, but take your time. She isn’t going to be very happy by the time you meet her.”

Narius

My arms screamed in pain as Ciel slept soundly in them. I wanted to lay her on the bench next to me to rest, but the dryad needed to feel warm and secure. Beside us, Emily was once again engaged in a conversation with a guard, who glanced at me every few moments to smile. It was nice being smiled at, and I returned the favor as I waited.