+++brother sprawrrow.

+1+

+1+

Queen Anne’s College looks different. Feels different.

Its massive gaudy Neoclassical campus still sits on the edge of Prospect Park,  the intricate white gold gate that usually keeps humans out now swings opening inviting in tourist and residents to tour the garden areas. It's almost welcoming.

Almost.

There is a new addition to the campus,  a dense gothic swirling opaque black gate that surrounds the innermost part of the campus. Concealing all the building and Angels from view. A single SGI guard is posted at the front entrance.A small fleet of white BMW SUVs are parked along a new private street, all marked with the SGI logo.

I follow a group of tourist through the white gold gates and approach the inner the black and gold gate. m SGIguardsman stands at the post. This male Angel shares the same cut muscular look of the others, his cropped hair dyed a mess of red and orange.

I give him a silent nod and show him the invitation. He opens the inner gate obviously recognizing me. As the gate closes the buzz of activity before me is so different from the serene outer campus the humans are permitted in. For a second I feel like I’m inside a real college campus.

The Angels are all milling freely around the insular campus. At first they seem to carry on as usual; talking and reading in small groups.

Among closer inspection I notice the Angels are not dressed so uniformly anymore. They still wear white, but their clothes are less formal and more casual. Certainly more skin showing. A  few have dyed strands of their hair They are reading modern books and magazines. . . silently flirting with the few SGI milling around.

I make out a group of traditional looking Angels tending to the former Angel Mother, Anne. A pair hold up Anne’s long dramatic  feathered cloak as she walks, they hold water and fruit for her. One blonde Angel even brushes her hair.

At the sight of me Anne stands and those tending to her follow.

“This is quite a sight. Helios certainly has changed things.”, I say to her. What I really wanted to say was something about how the mighty fallen. I realize I'm still bitter she refused to help when it came to Isaiah.

Once upon a time Seraphina explained to me that Anne had been so strict with the Angels, because she believed so strongly that The Seraphic Guard would return and so would the conservative Angel way of life. I suppose what Anne hadn’t expected was for them to take the power she had enjoyed.

Anne’s eyes narrow as an Angel with bright red highlights walks by.

“Anne”, I greeted her.

She does not greet me back. Instead she gets right to making her point.

“Oh, Paris. This may not be how I imagined things. . . but at least we Angels have a real future now.”

“A real future ?"

My cool expression breaks when I realize why she is walking so slow. This Angel is pregnant. The Angels did have a future, the Angels would endure. They could begin again.

How unfair this was.

The pregnant Angel was shy or perhaps frightened of me and did not want to step any closer . I realized I may have been staring. . . but it was just so impossible.  

“May I ?”, I said holding out a hand, ". . .um"

I began as if I could really pluck her name out of thin air.

"Aria", she says.

Aria looks to Anne and Anne nodded in permission. I tried to appear non threatening and placed a hand on the pregnant Angel’s belly. Beneath my hand I felt the distinct thrum of life. It was a miracle and a death sentence at the same time.

I stepped away and the other Angels went back to hovering around her. I was running late yet I had so many questions. Would the child have wings ? How would they age ?.

“I am late, Anne. I have an appointment with Helios. . . where might I find him ?”

“I’m sure you do”, Anne said disdain coloring her tone, “ He has taken residence in my former mansion. . . if you see something expensive be a dear and steal it for me.”

I smile but don’t dare think for one moment that Anne was on my side. She looks longingly at the mansion and I wonder if she is being made to sleep in the dormitory. Anne may not be on my side but I take comfort in knowing she's not on Helios' either. That might come in handy later.

+2+

where the lightgets in

The door to Anne’s former mansion was wide open so I cautiously entered. The bottom floor had been a recreation area for the Angels was now neatly lined with cots and military issue duffels with SGI’s logo splashed over them.

I jumped at the sharp sound of metal on metal. Looking up I see a flash of movement from the upstairs glass enclosed office suite. It has a brilliant 360 degree view of the office.

“Are you mirroring me ?”, Helios unmistakable voice boomed

“Never.”

Helios gasps in pain then laughs.

“Ow, dammit woman are you trying to actually kill me.”, he says with a laugh.

“Never.”

I turn to the right and through the glass walls on the upstairs suite (formerly Anne’s office) I see Helios moving gracefully across the room with one hand behind his back, Seraphina following in step.

They were sparing.  Quickly with violent strikes of gold blade on gold blade. Helios is quick and uncaring in his movements,backing into a few of Anne’s precious vases and snowglobes.

“Now ”, Helios grand voice says, “We make it interesting.”

He tosses his dagger to her she catches it effortlessly. Then he draws two more from his belt. Two against two.  In just a few strikes one blade is knocked out of his hand.

“Very good.”, he says and jumps onto the desk. She steps onto a chair, and joins him on the desks, her heels running through a pot of spilled ink.

Helios jumps down and pulls on the map underneath her feet, she slips and falls hard on the floor. He shows off for a second spinning the blade in hand --catching and releasing the tip-- ready to make the final move.

I brace myself as she plunges one dagger into his Italian leather shoe. He smiles so I gather he still has all his toes.

He reaches down to pull it out, with him distracted she grabs the collar of his half buttoned shirt and flips him over, taking his last blade in the process.

She stands and the daggers hit the floor.

“I.. . win”, she breathes and smooths out her dress then helps Helios stand.

“Well”, he inspects his torn shirt, “It’s a good thing with both want the same prize.”

Before she can respond he grabs her by her waist , pressing her back against the wall. I open my mouth to announce my presence when he pulls her into an hard and aggressive kiss. His mouth travels up and down her exposed neck and shoulders.

He groans and she pulls on his hair, forcing him to take her mouth again, her legs wrap around his waist through the deep slits on her dress I catch a glimpse of another very sharp blade strapped to her thigh.

My stance falters and I look up one last time and Helios makes eye contact with me, he winks at me while slipping his tongue suggestively between the Angel’s lips.

He knew I was there. He was . . . showing off ?

Something like anger tugs at the edge of my hideous smile and I turn back to the door and step outside.  I wait just a second and press the doorbell.

A loud dramatic rings sounds inside the mansion.

I wait outside and prepare a complacent look as Helios answers the door. Seraphina is standing behind him, watching me . Out of habit she makes to bow to me but Helios stops her in the act.

“Do not ever bow to a Demon”, he says and reaches for his easy going demeanor again.

“I see congratulations are in order”, I say stepping in, “A new generation is on the horizon for the Angels.”

“Well”, Helios said shrugging it off with a big of smugness, “It is inevitable.”

“I have seen your men. . . I am sure you will have an epidemic on hand pretty soon”, I regard Seraphina at that comment but her expression is as always empty.

I nod in agreement and he leads me inside. Once again I survey the cots on the bottom floor and the SGI duffels. Everything is neat and orderly. Controlled. Very controlled.

The pair of them tower over me by at least a foot and I study their equally smooth and chiseled features. It startles me suddenly how much Seraphina resembles Helios from the lightly tanned hard defined muscles to the outstandingly blue eyes. A slight masculine hardness to her features.

Helios leads me to where  a card table is set up among the cots. Seraphina pulls out a chair and I casually sit, I'm a bit underwhelmed and pull off my jacket. I guess it is possible to overdress for a tete a tete

“If you wait a second I think  have a wine as dark as your blood”, Helios says

It’s both a bit of black humor on his part, there is only one reason an Angel ever sees a Demon’s blood. That is on the battlefield. Before I can tell him it’s not necessary he turns and starts to walk away from me. Sera makes to follow him out but Helios stops her.

“Watch our guest, Seraphina,  we can never be to careful.”

“I protect you not him--”, she is cut off as he gently takes her chin into his hand. It’s a familiar and intimate gesture. Loving almost.

Interesting.

“Your unbreakable loyalty it admirable. We must trust our enemy sometimes.”, he says.

“He could be dangerous, Helios.”

They both turned to me and I held up my hands to show I had nothing.

“You can search me if you’d like.”, I offer.

She narrows her eyes in disgust at me, Helios runs a slow hand through her hair and turns to walk away.

Now that we are alone my first thought is that she looks very different. She’s solid and built like a bodybuilder. My eyes following the thick toned muscles in her arms and legs. The lack of lythe and softness to her form is almost disgraceful to such a beautiful dress.

“Self preservation suits you”,  I say.

She finally stops looking at the path Helios has taken and turns sharply towards me. I get up and begin to circle her, but keep my distance. To this day Callum still wears bandages.

“I get it though", I continue, " As long as Anne is out there among regular Angles and Helios is in here; Anne can’t force you to carry out your punishment of servitude. You know the cutting out your tongue bit etcetra. I suspect it is the only reason you are so loyal to Helios.”

I say suspect because I suspect there is another very obvious reason.

“Helios sees a bright future for the Angels, I did what I had to to make it advantageous.”, she says without saying anything.

“It must kill Anne to see the Angel she was set on destroying in her mansion. She must hate you for it. ”

“ I did what I must.”, she says

“Ah, so  . . .you are just using Helios ?”

“Helios is a good leader”, she says,  “He is a fair leader, a decent fighter, a true soldier, handsome, a visionary . I've taken a vow to make sure no harm comes to him. I've taken a vow to protect him and his interest.“

That wasn’t a yes or no.

“Exactly How did you gain the favor of Helios ? I mean I understand you are beautiful but there must be more.”

She looks sharply at me just before I finish. She looks back to make sure Helios hasn't reappeared and speaks quietly.

“ I waited until nightfall and broke into his room, held this dagger to his neck and gave him an option. Either have me on his side or die.”

“He just agreed ?.”

“Well, first he asked what I did with the 2 guards that had been outside his door.”

"And then . . .?"

"Then there was sex", she said in her very cold voice, shrugging it off as it was nothing.

"Ah--no. I meant--I mean--"

At that moment Helios returns with a wine so dark it’s almost black, in his other hands he is expertly holding two delicate glasses. The sun expertly hitting his long auburn hair and flat cheekbones. Then there was the pleasant perfect smile.

He’s  handsome, he’s charming, he’s powerful. Everything you fucking want in a mortal enemy.

“Get the maps”, Helios orders Seraphina.

Once again she seems slightly put out to be away from Helios. She nods her head slightly and turns to walk away. The extremely low back of her dress reveals two dark black tattoo just below her shoulder.

I recognize the tattoo as the SGI insignia, followed by the greek beta symbol. I realize then that she isn’t just protecting Helios she is one of them, she’s a member of the SGI. She absently runs a hand through her hair pushing the strands over her shoulder to cover the insignia.

“Beautiful isn’t she.”, Helio asked

“I--no. . . I don’t. . . no. . .”

That’s when I realize I had been staring at her. Helios smiles and slaps me on the back.

“There is no crime against looking. There is something fulfilling and peaceful about being able to gaze upon a  fair Angel women even if. . .”

“If what ?”

He smiled noting my curiosity. Getting close to me as if we are drinking buddies. Damn I needed to focus.

“Well. . . even if  she is a whore’s daughter. Probably why she is senselessly frigid. Interesting childhood that one--”

I had choked on the tiny sip of wine I’d tasted at his comment.

“You know --er--knew her from back . . . home”, I feign disinterest.

“Infamous that one. Her father died in the war back home. Days later a set of Demons soldiers overtook her village and she and her mother became slaves in their own house. Seraphina couldn’t stand how the Demons treated them .  One day and rumors abound why…. Seraphina killed the Demons in their sleep. A little girl ! Can you imagine ? That hatred, that animosity towards Demons. . . that is what I need on my side.”

Any further conversation  was silenced by the click of Sera’s heels returning, she was carrying a  set of maps and rolled them out of the table. I was careful to keep my eyes out of focus as she leaned over the table.

The maps are of New York City. It is color coded with regions and boroughs divided out. Each section had an  “X” and a dates by it.

“What is this ?”, I asked

“An exit strategy.”, Helios announced.

. “. . . you’re leaving ?”

“No”, he said back, “You are.”

---

“You have not right”, I said again to no avail, “You can’t just make us leave the city.”

“Why not ? It’s inevitable. The Angels have more land in the city, we have a real army and our population is growing. We are taking this city as Angel territory. The strategy is generous.  Each month Demons will be allowed in less and less of the city until you are banished altogether.”

I studied the map. By the winter we wouldn’t be permitted in Manhattan at all. By spring we’d be banished from Riverdale. By summer we'd be without the place we'd called home for decades.

“This is our city our home. It is impossible to relocate nowadays--”

“Be fortunate I haven’t had my men dispatch you back to hell already, Demon. Take this deal.”

“The war is over, Helios. This isn’t Homeland anymore we can all live in peace. We have our shops and business partners in all of these neighborhoods. You can’t banish us.”

“Paris. Let’s not make this ugly. Although I guess that’s hard with your scar.”

I stood up so I could look down at Helios who was still sitting.

“We will carry on as we have long before you got here. You may do as you wish within the gates of Queen Anne’s but you will not tell us where we may or may not go.”

He laughed with his chin in his fist. Contemplative

“It’s not right”, Helios said softly.

“Excuse me ?”

“Angels. Pure, good, strong and caring having to share a world, a lifetime and  a city with filthy Demons. You see Paris our war from home didn’t end, it was just put on hold. Don’t turn this into war, you aren’t going to want that.”

“Angels took everything from me. My family, my birthright, my smile. You won’t take this. This is our home now”

I pushed the maps off the desk. The wine and glasses tumbling down. Helios didn’t move. He just spoke to me very softly.

“Stop being childish Paris. This is how the world works. Consult  the after-school club you call a Brotherhood. I’m sure they would agree.”

“This is over Helios. I said no.”

“ If Demons won’t fall to us now,  you will fall to our children or our children’s children until all Demons are lying dead beneath. St. Lilith's for the crimes your fore fathers committed."

“Maybe the mistake my real father made was not killing all of you.”, I was shouting now. Not only that, but I was throwing around my lineage in a way I always tried not to when it came to those that understood it.

“Don’t forget Paris. . . The Seraphic Guard  has one more thing you don’t.”

“What.”

Helios walks towards the end of the foyer and I think he is going to leave Then he turns and runs full speed towards me. All I can think to do is duck when I hear a sharp whipping and a large gust blows me back.

Helios is now soaring above me, behind him a plethora of rich vibrant wings. The sight of which is so unnatural to this Earth it almost blinds me in its unusual beauty.

He grabs on to my arm and I’m carried up to the high vaulted ceilings.

“You don’t want to go to war with me, Demon” he shouts and then drops me. I don’t know if it’s on purpose or if my hot skin burned him.

I smack into the marble floor with only my face to brace me. My nose is bleeding but my arm has popped back into place. Thank God I wasn’t as human as I looked.

Helios lands gently next to Seraphina , his hands go to her waist to steady her, I take it she has never seen Helios. . . fly before and the sight has left her (and me) off kilter.

“Get rid of him”, Helios whispers softly to her.

She obeys and forces me to my feet and shoves me to walk to the door. I fall over my feet  and don’t even look back as I pick myself up.

“ You knew about this”  I say to her as we reach the hallway, “You knew he was trying to take the city from me.”

Silence

“Damn it, Sera I saved your life. Remember that. You owe me”

Silence

“Is this what you really want, Sera ? War ? This is what you want isn’t it ? You always wanted to be a soldier.”

Silence

“A year ago I was a tailor and have basically  been father’s servant for decades. I’m no Prince certainly not a  warlord. I just need to know what is going on that crazy man’s head. I need something a little insider information. I saved your life you owe me. You owe me.”

Silence.

We reach the entrance and she pushes me down the steps of the  mansions and shuts the door.

I shouldn’t have expected anything else. She needed Helios to keep her freedom. She needed him to avoid Anne’s wrath.

It didn’t matter. I couldn’t give up.

She was my only in. The only connection I had to Helios and I needed to leverage things on my side.

I didn’t leave Queen Anne’s College. Instead I hid on the campus waiting for nightfall. The densely packed hedges and rose bushes while scenic could also be concealing.I had to get Seraphina to give me information. I knew I could appeal to some part of her if I could just be alone with her.  The only problem was getting her alone, she never left Helios side.

I felt more like a curious child than a Prince as I hid in the hedges of Queen Anne’s and waited.  My phone had gone off several times but I’d sent Isobel a few vague text about where I was. I'd told her my meeting with Helios required some reflection time. I didn’t want her to come looking for me.

Once Queen Anne's had fallen quiet I crawled over to the grove of trees near Helios’ Mansion. From my hiding spot I hadn’t seen Seraphina leave, so I assumed she was staying somewhere in the mansion and it was nearly midnight.

Carefully I climbed the tree out front, studying the large windows for a sight of her. I settled into a sloping  branch surveying each window. Most were empty. . .then I spotted her in a flash of white.

It was one of the larger rooms on the top floor with a full balcony, I could make out her profile from the window recognizing her dress from earlier. I quickly climbed back down the tree and grabbed a few smooth pebbles. If I could throw them at the window, perhaps I could catch her attention. I readied my aim and then stopped.

Shit. She wasn’t alone.

The Angel Hippolyta  stood in front of her, Sera's fingers curling around Hippolyta’s loose hair. Hippolyta's mouth moved in constant chatter.

I shook the smooth pebbles in my hand trying to think of the right time to toss them, when the Angels kissed. Hippolyta smiled against Seraphina's mouth closing the distance between them. I shook my hand impatiently. It wouldn’t be long before the Brothers or Isobel sent a search party. I decided perhaps I could get Hippolyta on my side, so I threw a pebble and it barley nicked the glass. I started to throw another, then froze. 

I squinted looking again, there he was.  Helios was in the room reclining on the bed, seemingly enjoying this little display. He was also stark naked wearing nothing but a very smug expression.It took maybe a few minutes for his delightful smile to falter when he realized the women were talking to one another and carried on,  paying him zero attention.

Helios stood and playfully pulled Hippolyta to him,  In the seconds it took Seraphina  to look out the window and back the pair had seemed to forgot all about her.Sera stepped closer to the window,  looking at the tiny scratch the pebble had made. I watched her study the courtyard, her hair was off her shoulders up and decorated with two white gold leaf barrettes. Something about her profile was--

I lost my grip on the branch I was holding onto. I quickly righted myself as the pebbles fell out of my hand hitting the ground. In an instant Sera was on the balcony surveying the grounds very closely. A small gun was tight in her hands. It was the same gun I gave her when we first met.

It was so quiet I could hear her breathe.

Then she spotted me in the trees and aimed. Her eyes slightly widened when she recognized me, I scrambled to hide in the foliage.

“Seraphina.”, Helios finally realized she wasn’t in the room. Sera squinted looking for me again in the dark.

Helios joined her on the balcony, still naked, with his unbelievable wings spread in all their glory. He was angelic and formed in a way classical artist imagined Angels. Yet, he didn't come off as tasteful. I also now had one very large prominent reason to feel inadequate compared to him.

“What is it.”, he said looking out at the grounds.

Sera kept her eyes narrowed then they found me. She mouthed something to me and lowered the gun.

“I was watching the moon.”, she said looking right at me.

Helios laughed placing his hand on her shoulders.

“How appropriate”, he said, “My Angel warrior alone with the moon. You know you really should change your name to Artemis. . . it suits you. I for one would love to see you with a bow and arrow.”

A branch snapped in my hands and Helios looked towards the small grove. Seraphina stepped away from the edge of the balcony, Helios gaze following her.

“The moon is. . . bold. . . tonight.”, she said rather loudly, “ I hope it stays a while.”

I let out a breath as Helios follows her back inside

---

It doesn’t take more than an hour for Helios and Hippolyta to tire of one another and fall asleep.

Seraphina had taken to sitting quietly by the balcony, staring vacantly out the window. The others didn't seem to miss her. I think maybe she had fallen asleep with her eyes open. Suddenly she moves to the edge of balcony and carefully climbs down the trellis.

She takes her time crossing the yard, when she reaches the tree where I am hidden  I reach down to take her hand.It’s a useless gesture and she pulls herself up. I catch a glimpse of her long legs which are thick with muscles and thin veins . She certainly has the hard broad figure an SGI  member.

“What is this nonsense, Prince ?”, she asks sitting on a branch, “ I owe you once for saving my life. Just one thing.”

“A favor.”, I said, “I need to know how to sway Helios. You see how he disregards me at every turn. I need information and you seem very close to Helios.”

“That would be treason, Prince. Helios takes loyalty very seriously. If he knew I even spoke to you--”

“So. . .How would he feel if he knew you kissed a Demon.”

“He would never believe you.”

“Would he risk it ?  I bet he would make an example out of you if he found out.”

She closed her eyes at the mention of it. It was the only bargaining piece I had with her.

Sera turns her back to me and I come face to face with the SGI insignia tattooed on her back, the looping beta symbol connected to it.

“I am no longer simply an Angel. I have taken an oath to join The Seraphic Guard. I can not betray my people or Helios. It  means death.”

"What's this ?", I say touching the beta tattoo. Her skin is is cold as ice and I draw my hand back.

"Helios has four guards. Two Alphas Leon and Ares. Two Betas. . . myself and Titus."

"You move fast", I quibbed

"Helios know potential when he sees it",

She turns back to face me.

“Well. . .can you at least tell me what is with his creepy Roman fetish ?”

“Greek.”, she corrects me, “Helios is a great admirer of Laconism…Spartan society. They were great warriors, wise and modern for their time.”

She sound like she is reading from a book.

“Of course, I say lounging back on the branch, “The small skilled Greco army that held off the Persians. How romantic. Why were they fighting the Persians again ? Oh, that’s right the Spartans were committing genocide. That sound familiar ? ”

“SGI is not made for peace talks and treaties, Prince. They are made for war and war they will have if you don’t leave the city.”

“Whatever they want I will give it to them, for peace .”

“Then leave.  Allow Helios banish the Demons and perhaps keep a few for slaves.”

“No. There must be something I can do. We have too much here to just leave.”

I had to much here. I had Isobel.

“Then . . .fight for your people”, she said, “Be the wicked creature you are inside, but you will lose and we will win. Helios is unstoppable.”

“All this over some millennia old war from Homeland. . .do you even remember it ? Homeland ?”

“I think. . .”, her voice wanders.

“What ?”

She moves closer and I realize she must have thought I couldn't hear her. She smells sweet like sugar and vanilla but there is something else there. . . a hint of a sandalwood cologne.

“It is silly but I think it may have had magic. I remember being a girl and hiding by a stream that seemed alive with music and nymphs ?”,  She brushes back her hair nervously, but her stoic voice never betrays her.

I nod my head even, though the notion does sound silly.

“Sometimes I think I remember blue, pink and red  skys and large stars at night with a shimmering  borealis. Deep green grass, cut stone, grand forts,  sweet fruits and savory meats.”

“Spoken like a true spoiled King’s son.”

“Sorry.”, I said, “ I wish we could go back.  . . . that is all of us not just you and me.. .not that you thought that. . . but--I--”

“I don’t ever wish that.”, she said spoken like a woman who had been a girl who lived with horrors, "I like it here"

She quietly climbed back down the tree. I followed staying close by the shadows.

“Prince.”

“Yes”

“Perhaps if you want Helios to stop treating you like a child you should stop climbing trees.”

I turned away and smiled..maybe even blushed, “Thank you for the advice, sweet Angel”.

I wonder if she knew, as well as I did, that this would end between us.

I needed Helios out the way

I needed him gone.

I needed him dead.

The only thing. . . the only one standing between me and him.

Was her.

 Helios and Sera’s introduction was the very first thing I wrote. Everything else is built out of this one chapter. Going though the drafts, I picked up a lot of Ho-yay between Helios and Paris.

Also a commenter at some point asked for some er. . . Angel. . . er parts. So. . . you're welcome.

I also realize that I used this song before in Lux.