Daystar (84 page)

Azrael dropped down on both of them.
 
He shouted, “Whatareyoutalkingaboutnow!”

Berith looked at Azrael.
 
“Adult things.”

Azrael gaped.
 
“Is it about her tummy?”

Apple rubbed her increasing abdomen.
 
“Maybe.”

Chirps and whistles filled the forest clearing they were secluded in.
 
Apple made a face.
 
Varen leapt out of the bushes.
 
“You’re knocked up!”

Idris landed on the ground in a flurry of color.
 
“Appleadris is pregnant!”

Regis dashed by.
 
“I am telling mom and dad!”

Apple grabbed for him.
 
“No!
 
I won’t get any free time if you do!”

Nodin and Tracy were next.
 
Tracy looked over Apple.
 
“Don’t worry, if you’re anything like me the kid will be out of you shortly.
 
Look at my figure; you’ll keep yours no doubt.”

Nodin punched Berith in the arm.
 
“And if she doesn’t you can help her work it off.”

The other princes laughed at Apple from the trees.
 
Apple scowled.
 
“You all suck!”

Tokala barked and laughed.
 
Celeste jumped off his back.
 
“Does this mean we get to have another wedding soon?”

Apple paled.
 
“Oh
no
.”
 
She looked at her ring finger.

Berith laughed.
 
“I think you mean oh yes.”

Azrael gaped and pointed.
 
“Morningstar!”

The group gazed at the horizon.
 
A brighter light passed in the sky as the dawn star rose.
 
Berith grinned.
 
“Lucifer is back.”

***

Furcas glared at Selaphiel, Selaphiel glared right back at him.
 
Jegudiel and Bean stepped out of the tent cautiously; both were dressed, looked healthy, and were free of wounds.
 
Bean interlaced her fingers with Jegudiel’s.
 
“Daddy?”

Furcas’ eyes flicked over.
 
“Yes, dear?”

“Where is he?”

Furcas gazed towards the rising sun.
 
“I think he is thinking.”

Bean sat on the grass and patted the spot next to her.
 
Jegudiel sat down beside her.
 
Selaphiel moved so that he covered his back.
 
Furcas smirked.

“There they are.”

Furcas turned at a familiar voice.
 

Gaea moved slowly across the grass, Gabriel limped at her side.
 
Furcas moved to help him walk.
 
“Come to wait for his return as well?”

Gabriel nodded slowly.
 
He looked to the new sun.
 
“He managed to do it.”
 
He smiled.
 
“I knew he would.”

Furcas shrugged.
 
“He was close.
 
Lucifer came back in a bit of a crazy rage and did it himself before we could stop him.”

Gabriel sighed.
 
“Oh.”

Furcas grinned.
 
“But he was on his way to doing it himself.”
 
He looked over at his onetime close friend and then at Gaea, examined how they stood near one another, leaned on each other.
 
“Gabriel.”

“Yes?”

“Do you understand flowers now?”

Gabriel’s lips twitched into a smile.
 
“A bit more than I did then I think.”

Furcas smirked.
 
“Please, feel free to rub it in Paimon’s face.
 
He had to have Lucifer and Dahlia beat it into him, you it seems have not.”

Gabriel winced as Gaea helped him sit.
 
“I have taken enough of a beating for some time.
 
I saw no need to open myself to another.”

Gaea held his hand.
 
“Furcas, are you antagonizing him on purpose?”

Furcas grinned.
 
“I consider it warming him up, he
is
Paimon’s little brother.”

Bean smirked from where she sat.
 
“Mommy is going to be far worse to him.”

Gabriel managed a smile.
 
“Hearing that is worth this beating.”

Furcas dropped down next to him.
 
“Priceless I know.”

Gabriel looked to Bean.
 
“How did you get her to say that?”

Bean smiled.
 
“He didn’t.
 
I just knew.”

Furcas eyed her.
 
“I should have known
then
, the kind of trouble we were getting into.”
 
He nodded his head at Jegudiel.
 
“Feel free to say you told us so.”

A song washed over the camp making the Archangels pause.
 
Selaphiel gazed into the sky.
 
“Lucifer sings.”

Furcas smiled.
 
Gabriel looked thoughtful.
 
Bean and Jegudiel stood and gazed into the sun.
 
Bean pulled Jegudiel in for a kiss.
 
He smiled and returned it.

Paimon slammed into him.
 
“Get your face away from hers!”
 
He broke Jegudiel’s nose with a blow and shoved him into the ground.
 
“I will kill you!”

Furcas dove for Paimon.
 
“Stop, Paimon!”

Bean screamed.
 
She leapt on Paimon’s back.
 
Quills grew in her wings.
 
“Get off of him!”
 
Furcas pushed her away.
 
Selaphiel grabbed Jegudiel’s arm and pulled him out from under the pile.
 
Furcas pulled Paimon’s hair.
 
Gabriel laughed.

Paimon stopped struggling at the sound.
 
He looked up at Gabriel.
 
“You look like me after a binge.”

Gabriel grinned.
 
“Like shit then.”

“Fucking hells yes.”

Gabriel got to his feet with help from Gaea.
 
He touched his lips.
 
“Fucking hells yes?”

Furcas used the distraction and punched Paimon in the head, forcing him to see the memories Bean had shared with him.
 
Paimon scowled.
 
“I want to kill him!
 
Don’t show me that, no!
 
Damn it, Furcas!
 
You fucking
traitor!
”

Furcas grinned and flipped Paimon over.
 
He sat on his chest.
 
“Have I done something bad?”

Paimon grabbed his wrists and shoved him back.
 
“Yes!”

Furcas smiled showing sharp teeth.
 
“Should I
run?
”

“I am not giving you the chance!”
 
Paimon kicked Furcas in the stomach and knocked him to the ground.
 
Paimon slashed his chest open with his nails.
 
“You are going to
regret
getting in my way, babe.”

Furcas smiled.
 
“Promises, promises.”

“Fucking
reality
more like it!”
 
He bit Furcas’ neck.
 
Furcas grinned and played at fighting him off.
 
Paimon grabbed Furcas by the hips and tugged at his pants.
 
Jegudiel blushed, Bean laughed.

Gaea stomped to their side.
 
“Not in the camp!
 
Get
out
you two!
 
There are
children
nearby!”

Furcas snapped at Paimon’s face.
 
“Yeah, pervert.
 
Think of the children!”

“You are not allowed to speak until I say so!”
 
Paimon head butted him.
 
He snapped Furcas’ neck and threw him over his shoulder.
 
Paimon glared at Bean, then at Jegudiel.
 
He growled and stomped off with Furcas.
 

Furcas opened one eye and flashed Bean a smile; he pulled a long pink quill out of his mouth.
 
Bean looked back at her hand, empty of quills.
 
She gaped.
 
Furcas closed his eyes quickly and went back to hanging limply.
 
Paimon turned a corner and they were lost from sight.

Jegudiel got up and held Bean.
 
“Should we help him?”

Bean snorted.
 
“Haven’t you learned
anything?
”
 
She grinned.
 
“They’re fine, but we probably won’t see them for awhile.”

***

“No one knows you.
 
No one sees you.”

Lucifel quailed.
 
His fire fluctuated.
 
“I do not exist?
 
No one to sing my praises, no one to worship me!
 
But I am here, I am
alive!
”

Lucifer pressed at him.
 
“You are my figment.”

Lucifel shuddered.
 
“No, no I exist!”

“No, you do not any longer.
 
You are a part of
me
now, a loud inner voice, nothing more.”

“NO!”
 
The light in Heaven fractured.
 
Spears of light shot out randomly.
 
Helion dove with Whitney, ducking between spear points.
 
She screamed in fear as a spear point hit them in the arm.
 
Helion wrapped her up in his wings; his eyes went dark.
 
He seethed and trembled as words bubbled up inside him.
 

Lucifel wailed.
 
“I am
me!
”

Lucifer grinned.
 
“We have one more to ask, Helion?”

Lucifel quailed.
 
“Helion, help me!”

“No!”
 
Helion snarled at the fire.
 
“You are easily forgotten, unloved, nothing made!
 
You are
nothing
, Lucifel!
 
Your time is
done!
”

The fire calmed.

The fire laughed.

The flames parted and Lucifer stepped out a winged man.
 
He eyed Helion.
 
“Took you long enough.”

Helion gaped.
 
“I…didn’t…I…”

Lucifer looked to the throne.
 
“You have passage here.”

Dahlia appeared in a flash of black.
 
She took form with limbs of smoke and darkness.
 
She smiled at Helion and Whitney.
 
“You two may leave now.”
 

Helion nodded and backed away, taking Whitney with him.
 
They disappeared to Earth in a flash.

Lucifer and Dahlia gazed at one another.
 
Lucifer smiled.
 
“Created him that way by
accident
did you?
 
Gave him those powers by happenstance?”

Dahlia grinned.
 
“The ways of a god are mysterious indeed.”

“As are the ways of a woman.”

“Touché.”
 
Dahlia looked him over.
 
“How do you feel?”

Lucifer touched his chest and smiled.
 
“Lucifel is well and truly gone, not even a whisper.
 
Only the power remains.”

Dahlia smiled.
 
“Good, there was no reason for you to be split in two to begin with.
 
It was experiment now closed for a better alternative.
 
Who needs a trinity, I enjoy a duality.”

Lucifer reached out for her and then stopped himself.
 
He gazed at her.
 
“And now?
 
Do we end all of it?”

Dahlia laughed.
 
“End it?
 
Just when things are starting to get fun?
 
I think not.
 
We deserve this.”

“Our vacation.”

Dahlia mulled over the word.
 
“You wish to vacate?”

Lucifer stared at the emptiness of Heaven.
 
“I wish to finish what we started.
 
I wish to make the divisions no more and then I wish to rest.”

“A blending of both, our full universe recreated.”

Lucifer smiled.
 
“If Lucifel could have known, or seen, what it meant.”

Dahlia frowned.
 
“But he could not, because he was not you.”
 
She reached for him.
 
“Let us do this thing quickly, I have a craving.”