+1Old Skin
+1+
The snowfire apples are killing people
What drew attention to the Angels would eventually draw attention to us. How could they be so careless ?
I barely had time to slip back downstairs to shower and change before there was a knock on the door. On the other side was a young Angel dressed formally in her white sheath dress and feather cloak.
It’s Ariel
“The Angel Mother waits for you,”, This Angel was polite but wary. She was very young and probably had no memory of Homeland.
“I’m aware”, I moved past her.
Paris. . . you jerk
“I am Ariel”, She extended her name from two steps in front of me and smiled
Lol, to that trying not to use contractions.
I recognized her name as the Angel who slept in the bed next to The Angel Seraphina.
The young Angel lead me across a stone pathway to the second mansion in the circle of buildings that made up Queen Anne’s College.
“Is it true, Brother”, Ariel asked from her two steps ahead of me, “You are the Demon whom was bore from Lucifer The Demon King ?.The Smiling Prince ?”
Make the speech patterns stop
“Is that. . . not obvious ?.”, It came out more as a question.
“It is true. You are always smiling.”
“Yes.”
Apparently I was the joke.
Upon closer inspection I noticed she seemed like she wanted to tell me
something, but seem to think better of it.
You know something like. . . hey there is this cute strange redhead boy whose been sneaking in and I’ve been showing him all sorts of things including the underground caves where the apples are grow.
The second mansion featured an open layout, the first floor filled with
Angels painting landscapes, reading novels, reciting poetry and learning to
dance. They spoke loosely with one another and some even laughed.
It was the height of feminine frivolity. Was this truly how they spend their years ? So useless.
Paris. . . is the worst
The Angel Mother sat in a high back gilded chair set to one side like a throne. Her long white chiffon dress touched the floor. Her feathered cloak went down just as long.
“Where is Seraphina ?”, The Angel Mother asked eyeing Ariel.
“She said she is. . .I mean . .uh. . . not well this week”, Ariel stammered her eyes nervously regarding me.
“She was fine this morning-”, The Angel Mother began
“Yes”, Ariel explaind, “She was. You see Mother she is. . . um--”
“Bleeding”, I finished because her stammering was getting on my nerves.
I just really wanted to invert the no period period trope. Except the joke is she really is bleeding because she was stabbed.
.
“Oh, Demon child, she said, “Your eyes are so dark. Is the world truly that crewel to your kind ?”
“Mother--”
“Anne”, she said, “You may call me Anne.”
“Anne, what is this about the snowfire apples killing humans?”
The Angels mother’s eyes darkened and she formed her words carefully.
Didn’t she just tell you to call her Anne ?
“I received these death papers in the mail---”
“Coroner reports”, I corrected her. Though I knew it was out of place for me to correct her.
“Yes. From an anonymous source. 56 humans have been found dead in the city limits, each shown to have had items containing snowfire apples in their systems.”
So it was true.
Muse : wait, who sent these reports ?
Lils : Shhh, I think we find out. I believe it was Isaiah.
“How could this happen ?”
“ I’m afraid if the humans catch on to the deaths . . consequences could be dire. They could trace it back to me. To us. We Angels have no where else to go if we must flee...”
“Demon, this may not be Homeland or the new land we seek, but Queen Anne’s is our home. We built it and I can not bear to make my Angels leave.”
“What do you want from me ?”, I asked joining her by the window.
“I want you to discreetly find out why this is happening. Before humans begin asking questions.”
“Why should I involve myself in Angel affairs ?”
Law and Order : Demon Detective
“ If you can bring me who is responsible for tampering my apples, I will officially recognize you as Father--no--Prince of The Demons.”
A rush of cold air moved through me.
Prince
After all these years I was perhaps one step close to being the leader my real
father had been. I could lead my people to a land of our own. I could do it.
Lils : If you mention that New Aeterna AU
+2+
Outside the air felt fresh and I was in a hurry to gather my things and begin my ascent into Princehood.
Huzzah ! Paris is ready to go on his Hero’s journey.
Something whipped by me and in a blur I felt a sting in my foot. I looked down to find a slim gold dagger in the side of my left shoe. It just missed my toes.
Ariel was written on the blade.
I pulled it out of the my shoe fighting the urge to curse.
On the balcony of the dining hall stood The Angel Seraphina.
I should have just left.
But he followed her because he was in lurve
Inside the dining hall was empty. All the chairs and tables where pushed against the wall. Seraphina slowly descended the stairs leading to the balcony. Her eyes were fierce, her hands empty.
“I see Angels aren’t above stealing”, I threw the blade at her feet., “Angels are only permitted blades for protection, if you recall.”
“Filthy Demons”, she hissed, “How be it that Mother can trust your lot ?”
She had a thick accent when she was angry.
So she all mad because she was passed over.
“Tell me, Angel, does your Mother know about what you are doing to yourself? Surely she does not care that you have an eye for women.”
"She does not."
CONTRACTIONS !!!!
"Then what exactly are you doing ? Why ?"
Her lips tightened and she slowly bent down to pick up Ariel’s dagger .
“Demon, you know nothing about Angel women.”
“Except for what I’ve seen.”
Flirty flirty ?
She slipped the dagger into her waistband. Her body, including her wound from earlier was tightly bound.
“We lived for our warriors and in return they protected us. When you Demons
killed our men you took our reason to live."
See, foreshadowing !
All our lives Angel women understand that our only purpose is to bare the next generation of warriors and to serve those already at war. It may sound archaic now, but it is our heritage and I respect it. As girls we are taught to hunt, cook and sew. How to entertain returned warriors with music and art.
So . . . does this explain Sera’s attitudes in NA at all ?
Mother tries so hard to keep those traditions alive, but the world is changing and our men are not coming back. She refuses to allow us to fight or defend ourselves. Relying on you Demons for protection. It disgust me. So when he visited, I begged The Demon Father to teach me to fight”
“Father would never--”
“He did. He understood. He spent years teaching me. I can not stand by watching the centuries go by trapped under the rule of Mother. I begged The Demon Father to let me enter the Demon Brotherhood and he agreed. He said he would create a story for me and bought me the medicine and promised to pay for my surgery so I could escape this life.”
This is a storyline I wasn’t attached to and wasn’t sure if I wanted to do. I’d thought about making a sequel in which Seraphian disguise herself as a man and joins the brotherhood.
I also thought about revealing on of Paris’ brothers as a woman.
This is why Sera’s androgyny is played up in New Aeterna. I didn’t get to mess with this enough in here.
“That is not something I can not allow. It is deceitful.”, I told her right out.
The Angel dropped slowly to her knees her head bowed to my leg in supplication.
“I beg you, Prince. Help me and I will help you find the saboteur . I know all there is about the snowfire apples. It may be a dangerous path you seek and I can protect you. I will help you get your Princehood if you promise me a place in the Brotherhood. . . I can not live like this. . .trapped in this cycle. . . century after century.”
“Dear, Angel. You will always be an Angel. You can never overcome your heritage. . .”
This Angel would learn her place. . . in time. Right now I had nowhere to start and needed all the help I could afford.
On shaky legs she stood, a hand plastered to where she had been stabbed. Her eyes not daring to meet mine.
Cause she thinks he’s cute.
“Now, Angel. Where do we start ?”
Paris’ got himself a Girl Friday.
She looked up, registering that I was accepting her help.
For the first time an emotion tinted her voice. desperation to please.
“The snowfire apple orchard is on campus. Distributors pick them up from the Angel Mother herself. The contamination, whatever it is, happens here on campus during growth.”
Pssst. It’s not the apples killing people. It’s Isaiah. The apples are asymptomatic.
“The gate”, I said.
The Angel joined me on the balcony.
“What ?”, she said.
“The gate has a break in it, it’s how that human got in today. I think someone has been sneaking into Queen Anne's. Where are the security cameras ?”
“Cameras ?”, she repeated confused. Though I’m sure she knew what a camera was.
“Images ? Something keeping an eye on the grounds.”
She looked confused and I realized the extent of the Angel's security was their golden gate.
“We have nothing like that”, Seraphina said, “The . . . human girl”
“The human is inconsequential.”
“No, The human has been photographing the campus for months now. Daily. She . . .may have captured something on her camera.”
I folded my arms and looked up from the campus to the busy streets of Brooklyn. I turned and walked out of the building. The Angel at my heels.
“What next, Brother ?”, she asked.
“We find Isobel Charter.”
These chapters are itty bitty.
+++
I waited as the rest of the Brothers slowly trickle out of the church. When it’s quiet I pull on an old cap and throw my leather bag over my shoulder.
Muse : errm, don’t we
have a line like this in PLT ?
Lils : SHHH
The largest item by the door was a great painting of Lucifer The Demon King, his wife his sons and daughter. It felt wrong to have an image of my family when the other Brother’s barely had anything of theirs.
Paris is special he is the chosen one.
I looked at myself depicted. I was proud young and ready to reach an age where I could slay an Angel. So loyal. So young. So stupid.
Except instead he is destined to LURVE one !
+++
For a while I had just walked down the crowded streets getting lost in the jovial spirit. So many people in one city and they had no idea we were living right here with them. I stopped at the designated corner and waited at the end of the block with a coffee.
It was just past 10 am when I looked up from my phone and made out a white figure in the crowd of colorful tourist
The Angel was dressed similarly to the day before in her slim white suit. This time without a belt. That made me smile internally
He tied her up with her chain belt in the last chapter
“You’re late, but I
suppose Angels don’t have watches.”
DIAF, Paris
She shifts her weight in a frustrated manner and looks around the busy street. I know that she must have snuck out of Queen Anne's. The Angel Mother would never allow her out on her own.
“How are we to find the human ?”, she asks.
“First, Angel if you are to be out in the human world you must have human identification, just in case.”
So note. Paris and Seraphina don’t use each other’s names until after they kiss.
“How are we to find the human ?”, she asks again.
I push off the wall and we begin walking down the block towards the subway.
“Williamsburg. Ms. Charter works and lives there.”
Her eyes move along the crowd as she speaks.
“How is it you came by this information, so quickly ?”
“Facebook.”
“Stay two steps behind me Angel. Remeber, as future Prince you are watching my back now.”
See, this is what Sera actually ends up doing in Bellum Part III. It all comes full circle. This is why I say LA was more of a prequel.
+2+
The crowd rushed around me and a few cursed as I stood on the subway steps watching the Angel attempt to exit the subway. After a few moments of what I assume was confusion, several men stopped their busy commute to help her through the turnstile.
You know, cause she’s pretty
I jogged up the rest of the stairs and listened for her footsteps behind me. She hadn't said a word since we left Midtown for Brooklyn.
Note, Sera is supposed to talk as little as possible
“Here” I peered into the window.
Sweet Lane Bakery was nestled into a line new shops just opening for the day.
I knocked on the glass.
The Angel shoved me out the way and rattled the glass with her fist. Isobel jumped and yelped a very loud and audible--
“No.”, Isobel gasps.
She rushed over to the door and locked the deadbolt
“No, no, no no no no”, Isobel went on , “I don’t want any trouble. I haven’t said anything to anyone, I have a new thesis topic and I--”
“Open the door. I won’t hurt you.” I said as sweetly as I could.
Isobel gestured behind me with wide eyes. Behind me the Angel folded her arms.
“We won’t hurt you. I need your help. . . please.”
Isobel still hesitated so I offered her a reassuring smile, which was probably more grotesque that not smiling. Carefully she unlocked the door.
“You’re lucky it’s just me opening today. What do you want ?” she asks.
“I need your photographs of Queen Anne’s College. All of them.”
“Why--”
“It does not concern you, human.” Seraphina interjected.
“She means to say we wouldn’t want to burden you wit-”,
Seraphina is the Stabler to Paris’ Benson
“I-I have the photos on my laptop.”
Isobel disappeared to do her work while I instructed Seraphina on how to navigate through the computer’s picture gallery.
Isobel had captured photos from all angles of the campus. She focused mostly on the gate and the engraved Aeterna mark on the gates, brick and cut into the courtyard. A few of the images even appeared to have been taken from a tree.
“Um, Seraphina ?”
The Angel’s eyes went up sharply when she heard the human use her name. Isobel was slowly approaching with a white cupcake topped with a berry.
“How do you know my name ?”, The Angel demanded.
With her other hand Isobel dropped a bundle on the table. It made a loud noise and opened to reveal Seraphina’s gold blades engraved with her name. They had been left behind during our hasty exit.
“Peace offering”, Isobel explained, “I’ll give you this cupcake and your scary knives if you promise not to kill me.”
The Angel dropped her eyes back to the computer screen as if the conversation and cupcake wasn’t worth her precious time.
Why yes, she is giving her an Angel Food Cake Cupcake.
I followed Isobel back up to the counter, quietly contemplating what to say next.
“I won’t let her hurt you.”, I said
Except when she emotionally hurts you when she makes a move on me.
Isobel eyed me suspiciously and started idly wiping down the counter.
“You know, you never answered my question. What are you ?”
“Well, I’m a tailor”
This was literally the first two lines of dialogue I had in my head.
She laughed, clearly not what she wanted to hear.
“Really, I am.”
I slid one of my business cards across the counter. She picked it up skeptically and studied the name.
“Are you an Angel?”, she was very blunt. I liked that.
Her eyes were looking for something Glorious or Heavenly in me. She wouldn’t find it here. Not with my hideous smile.
Aww. Paris is Self consious
“No. Never”, my anger almost got the best of me, “My Brothers and I are. . . simple creatures lost in this world after a long battle with . . ..”
“You’re a demon ?”, she said now realizing that if not one than the other., “And she’s a . . .”
"But you already knew that", I gestured to the cupcake.
"What it's Angel food cake. . I though it'd be funny."
I need to bring this joke back somehow
“You are quite the baker”, I said trying to change the subject and focusing on the display.
“This is a day job, I’m as much of a baker as you are a tailor. I just pull them out of the freezer. . . crap, don’t tell anyone.”
"I. . . I really am a tailor", I clarify reasons I don't even know.
Isobel smiled and despite how indifferent I wanted to be, I smile a bit with my eyes.
“Demon”, the Angel called from the corner. Then softer, “I’ve found something.”
Isobel took in a breath at the word “demon” as it came from the Angel’s mouth. I turned on my heels to where Seraphina was intently watching us.
You know the way a girl looks at a guy she likes hitting it off with another girl. Or as I will call it Taylor Swifting.
The Angel pointed to a set of images taken of the gate. They were dated over the past three months. Each one showing bit by bit as a lower section of the gate disappeared.
In the far background of one recent photo a red blurry shape passed through the hole in the gate and to the street.
“Looks like someone’s been sneaking into the Angel sanctuary”, I said, “It must be how they poison the apples.”
“Apples. What do apples have to do--”, Isobel began.
“This will not stand.” The Angel picked up her knife and slammed the point deep into the table.
Isobel jumped and tried to pull it out.
“The manager is going to kill me. Why is she allowed to carry around knives ? ”
“Protection . . .from horny demons.”, The Angel said cutting her eyes at me.
The Angel pulled up the knife easily and placed it back in her suit jacket.
“I’d rather --.”
I cut myself off not wanting to finish that particular insult around a human girl.
The Angel glared at me and continued outside. I gave Isobel a nod of thanks and followed The Angel outside.
“Where are you going, Sister ?”
“To find and dispose of whomever is trespassing on Angel grounds.” she made it sound so simple.
“Patience”, I said, “ Whomever this is clearly sneaks in at night and out in the day. We’ll hideout at Queen Anne’s tonight and a set a trap for them.”
She thought about it for a second then nodded in agreement.
Working together !
In a sudden change of heart the Angel shoves me into the alley, pushing me hard against the rough brick wall.
Her sharp pointed blade at my chin.
You know, that’s what girls do to guys they like.
“You placate to much to the humans curiosity. Her part is done, less your eternal softness is getting the better of you, Prince.”
“Never, Sister”, I manage. My pulse jumping at how close she came to slitting my throat, “If you’ll excuse me I’m late for work.”
I turned to the street and stopped a cab closing the door before the Angel could catch up.
You know that’s what boys do to girls they like.
+++
“. . . Then The Angel Mother agreed in the event of Father’s death I would be next in line as leader and that she would recognize my Princehood.”
I finished telling the story of my time in The Angel’s lair. Or at least the parts I wanted to tell. I did not tell my Brothers about the snowfire apple quest the Angel Mother had sent me on or the Angel helping me.
“I say this calls for celebration !”, Ashe shouted, “We drink to our future Prince. Taking his rightful place after all these years. I knew being friends with this soft son of a bitch would be worth it. First we get our Prince---”
“Then we vanquish the Angels--”
“Take their land and gold.”
“Become Kings of this fair city.”
Of course this is supposed to be foreshadowing Bellum, but I didn’t have the full picture. Helios does these things but not in that order..
We were are a happy handsome drunken group as we poured ourselves out of the train station and into the streets of Riverdale.
+++
I stayed by Father's bedside only a few minutes before slipping back into the night. In St. Lilith’s shadows I traded my work shoes for dark sneakers and reached for a bag I’d hidden in the bushes earlier.
Time to stakeout with his Girl Friday
It was nearly 10pm when I arrived back at Queen Anne’s College. I found the break in the gate that the saboteur created and inspected it. It was as if someone had sawed into the bottom of the gate removing one bar at a time.
+3+
I had a perfect view of the Angel’s dormitory. They were a flutter of long ruffling nightgowns as they huddled around each other. Sharing books, laughing, whispering , touching, caressing and kissing.
Note Paris is observing them and not sexualizing them
In the corners a few of them poured over modern human magazines, books and listened to the radio.
The Angel Seraphina walked in close behind the bottle-blond Angel. Her expression was blank as usual, but her lips and cheeks were flush, clothes wrinkled.The moment they stepped through the door the blonde turned away from Seraphina and shrugged off her hand.
So, Sera likes Hippolyta and has been crushing on her for deccades, but Hippolyta doesn’t like her. Hippy thinks Sera is to odd and not fun. The only reason she is nice to Sera in Bellum is because she wants to get on Helios’ good side.
After a few moment of standing alone by the door, The Angel Seraphina lay alone on her made bed. She pretended to sleep but her eyes always flickered to the blonde who seemed to command the room of sheltered Angels with her charm.
): Sera’s all alone. This gives Paris the feelings.
She steps onto the balcony and grabbing on to the siding she expertly climbs her way down the building, Jumping the last few feet and landing perfectly.
She has certainly done that before.
So, the Angels do manage to sneak out when they want to.
It takes her a while to climb up the tree in her slippers to join me. Without so much as a greeting I toss her one of my old black t-shirts and black jogging pants.
I close my eyes when she slips the nightgown over her head and open my eyes when I think she is dressed.
Once again, Paris isn’t looking to sexualize her.
She blends into the night.
Now dressed in men’s clothes I can better consider how she would fit into the Brotherhood. If I were to even honor such a request. It would be interesting though
She would need a Demon name though and backstory.
“What, Demon ?”, she notices me regarding her.
“I was thinking of a fine demon name for you, future Brother”
“You mock me.”
Actually he’s staring at you because he likes you, but whatever.
“Don’t you want to join the Demon Brotherhood ?”
Her back is to me as she speaks.
When he really wants to see her pretty face.
“I know I do not belong among the Legion or the humans. During his visits The Demon Father spoke of the wild unbound nature of the Demons. How you fought, worked and prospered. How even your women were trained warriors.”
Again with that Legion thing
“Lot of good that did them”, I remarked.
The Angel slid back against the tree. She was talkative tonight, then again she did smell like wine and sex.
Continuity High-Five. Sera talks a lot when she drinks. That’s why she monologues so much in New Aeterna.
“Before the Transgression, rumor has it that The Angel King sent The Seraphic Guard, our greatest male warriors to rise and fly east. . .They were to return with new wondrous weapons so we could defeat you nasty Demons.
They never returned, though. The Angel Mother believes The Seraphic Guard found their way to this land and one day we will be reunited and Angels will prosper again. That is why she insist on being so . . . traditional. All we are ever doing. . . is waiting.”
And that’s the backdoor pilot of Bellum
I hear the distinct sound of a magazine clip being loaded and a gun safety being removed.
The gun was a modern Lucian pistol.
One of the designer pistols the Brotherhood had manufactured before completely shutting down. Only Father would have had one. Only Father could have given it to her.
So Paris is realizing that Hmjeu was closer to Seraphina than he thought
She pointed the gun at the gate.
A soft swishing noise came from the other side of the gate. A hooded figure expertly slid through the opening and into the campus.
I’d done it. I’d found the saboteur. I was already patting myself on the back.
The Angel launched herself from the tree and shot once, the noise caught the figure off guard and it pulled itself back out gate and into the streets of Brooklyn.
I crawled through the gate and followed the figure down the street. After a few blocks I lost my sight on the figure and fell back unable to run anymore.
So, it was important to me that characters get tired after running.
I was jolted aside as the Angel charged passed me.
At the next intersection the Angel reached for the hooded figure and they both slammed into the pavement. The two wrestled and I caught up, out of breath.
“You owe me answers”, I said to the figure.
Pulling the figure up Seraphina pulls off the hood and shoves the person to my feet.
I bite my lip as the Angel pressed her gun to the saboteurs neck.
Devil take it.
It was Isobel Charter
CLIFFHANGAR
Chapter 6
+1+
Seraphina pressed her slipper covered foot onto the humans back and poised the gun to her head.
Wow, she ran after and caught an intruder in her house shoes. Marry that one, Paris
“I should have killed you when I--”
“No, no”, Isobel tried to face Seraphina, “I came for help. I need your help now.”
At the last statement her eyes went to me.The human stared wide eyed at me, her eyes were red and puffy from crying. She looked like she hadn't slept, the sadness in her eyes made it hard for me to believe that this is the inquisitive girl we’d visited earlier today.
“Liar.” Seraphina cocks the gun.
“Wait. Look at her”, I instruct The Angel, “She’s not here to harm us.”
“Isobel”, I ask, “What do you mean you came for my help.”
She sits up on the sidewalk and slowly breaths in and out. I found a place on the pavement across from her.
“When I came home this evening. . . Hannah was dead.”
I try not to look confused. The name meant nothing to me.
“Who is Hannah ?”
“My best friend, we are friends from back home. . . she was just lying on the bathroom floor.. . dead and she had like a ton of those fancy white apples in her bag. There was also a stamp. . . that eternal thing on her wrist.”
“Aeterna ?”
“Yeah, and I remembered you two were talking about apples at the shop and I just put two and two together.”
“You seem to be good at that.”
She forced a smile. I wasn’t even being clever but I think she wanted a reason to try and smile. Then she was serious again.
“Did that apple kill her ? Did you or--her or something not normal kill her ?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. But I intend to find out what has been happening with the snowfires. Please, Isobel you can’t tell anyone about any of this. We need to handle this problem . . . internally.” , my voice was shakey, I was afraid I'd offend her.
Isobel used the end of her shirt to wipe away her tears, I noticed she had the Lux Aeterna tattooed on her stomach. She really had been obsessed with the symbol.
Muse : Lils
Lils : I know I know, I never mention this tattoo again. Okay. I didn’t re-read.
“Look”, The Angel shouted breaking the silence.
Two blocks back near the entrance of Queen Anne’s a red hooded figure pushed itself out from underneath the gate.
The figure moved quickly, too quick. The Angel and I left Isobel and ran after the red hooded figure for 7 blocks. I nearly passed out on the 7th and I expected The Angel to pass me but she stopped behind me.
So, Sera stops running because she has decided she can make a kill shot from where she is standing. Her ability to do this comes up a lot in New Aeterna.. . which I totally planned. . . yeah
Muse : Why does New Aeterna seem to have more cannon than Bellum
Lils : IDK, it’s certainly not because I re-read. . .
I started to run again.
“Back down, Demon”, she shouted to me.
“Angel don’t--”
I covered my ears as 5 shots were unloaded from behind me. The hooded figure arched as the bullet made contact. . . then kept moving.
It was still alive.
Impossible.
So, those were lead bulllets
The Angel was reloading again while catching her breath. The magazine was filled with solid white gold bullets. From behind me I could see Isobel Charter coming up towards us
The Angel picked up her pace again and
followed the hooded figure into the darkness, I heard 4 more shots.
And those were the white gold bullets that killed Caden Kellers.
Isobel and I both looked as the Angel dragged the red hooded figure out of the shadows and onto the pavement. Using my foot I turned the body over
It was a human.
A kid, maybe 16 or 17
“You stupid bitch”, my tone was deceptively calm as I turned to the Angel, “You monster, you killed a human child.”
Isobel’s hands went to her mouth and she looked at Seraphina the way I always did, as a cruel cold creature. The Angel shrugged off my comment dismissively.
“I fired 7 human bullets into him and he kept moving. The four white gold ones killed him. He’s not human.”
Not a hint of regret in the Angel's voice. Not a hint of anything in her voice.
The Angel stood over the body and turned the boy on his belly. She pulled back the boys hood and two strong pronounced horns grew from his head.
Devil take it.
“No”, I gasped, “A Demon ? It can’t be.”
“No”, The Angel inspected the body, “This is something else.”
.
“Down River Academy ”, Isobel said from behind me, “His hoodie.”
On the chest of his red hoodie was the symbol of a fleur de lis crest with a rearing mustang in the center. Below it in curved letters it read :
Down River Academy
Muse : DRA HAS A LOGO ???
Lils : . . . right. . . I totes knew that.
I knew the school. It was an exclusive boarding academy in Riverdale. The Brothers tailored the school uniforms every other year. It was only a few miles from St. Lilith’s.
Eh eh eh
I reached into the boy’s pockets and fished out an wallet. Inside was a student ID.
Caden Kellers, Senior, 18
Behind it was a fake driver’s license and a real license with a east New Jersey address on it.
“Look”, Isobel pointed to the dead boy’s wrist. On it was the smeared inky mark of the Lux Aeterna.“Hannah had a stamp just like that. "
. . . how convient
Half human and half Demon ? This was a crime against nature. And how ?
THE PLOT THICKENS
“Angel, take the body to Red Hook. Leave it somewhere noticeable. It’ll look like he was looking for drugs and was. . . shot”
I pick up four regular bullet casings and hand them to the Angel.
I looked at the beautiful horns one last time. How did a human boy end up with such things.
“Remove the horns and . . . and give me that damn gun.”
Reluctantly The Angel hands the heavy gun to me, it was still cold from her icy touch. She pulled out one of her smaller daggers and I turn as she began to remove the horns.
I take a few steps over to Isobel and swallowed hard. She was trying not to cry or maybe not to scream. Her expression asked one question.
Why ?
“Come on “, I offer, “ I’ll take you home”
+2+
Blah blha blah. Isobel/Paris fluff that’s all a red herring
“I’m sorry”
Small talk. This was good. I stopped walking fearing I was going to be sick again. Then recovered
“Sorry”, I apologized for my lack of decorum.
“Is this why Sera calls you soft ?”, she asked. Not in a condescending way. It was just a question.
“Who is Sera--- Oh, the Angel. No.”, I tried to hide how much I loathed this subject.
First instant of Sera’s nickname.
“Why ?”
“My friend A--. . . it's . .. uh . A nickname carried over for centuries. . . . “
“Because your voice is so quiet ?”, she guessed.
“No. . . well that and. . . ”, I said though I should have just lied.
See, Paris is 90% bravado. He’s self conscious about his looks, he is soft spoken and most of what he says is stuffed his somewhat prejudicial Father figure drilled into his head.
“Why”
“Well. . . everyone thinks I’m impotent.”, I allowed myself the accepting smirk I dawned when the other Brothers teased me.
“Woah, why ? I mean. . . that’s none of my . . . .”
I put my hands in my pockets and walked a little ahead of her. I thought she was funny when she was flustered. Not funny . . . cute.
“Because I’m a virgin”, I said simply.
“That’s, um shocking ?”, it was more of a question.
“Can we change the subject, please ?”, I asked even though I had technically bought it up.
\
“So”, she pushed off the door, “Are we going to New Jersey or Down River Academy first ?”
“Excuse me ?”, I slowly took in what she was saying, “Isobel this isn’t really something for you to be involved in.”
“Why not ? I need to know what happened to Hannah. She was the closest thing to family I had left. I need answers.”
“Did you not see that thing tonight ? Whatever this is it isn’t just about apples.”
“Yeah, well that thing would have gotten away from you to if you didn’t have GI Jane Barbie with you. You need help, Paris. I can help”
I turned and walked around in circles, involving a human wasn’t part of the plan. Involving the Angel wasn’t apart of the plan.
“Look”, Isobel continued, “I minored in criminal justice plus people aren’t exactly going to open up to Mr. Tall quiet and handsome and Brunette Kill Bill . No. Me ? I’m great with people, they open up to me.”
Isobel is so great with the nicknames,
I waited a bit while she went inside. Turning back to the street I realized It was going to a be a long walk home.
+++
Out front [of the tailor shop] Isobel was still leaning on the counter. She looked like she was in a rush and kept looking at her watch. Without a word I quickly guided her out of the shop.
I noticed Isobel is dressed in a more professional manner than before, in a pair of black slacks and a short sleeve black sweater. Her hair is twisted up elegantly.
“What are you doing here ? How did you find me ?”, I asked.
“You gave me your business card, remember ?”
"I've got to stop doing that", I said more to myself.
“Wow, you weren’t lying. You really are a tailor.”
She pulled out the pins that were tucked in my sleeve.
“I hardly lie.”
Hardly.
Isobel turned down the street and looked at me like she expected me to follow.
“I wanted to invite you out for lunch,” she said suggestively
“And by lunch you mean.--”
She waved a pair of silver car keys infront of me.
“I mean we’re going to Jersey. To Caden Kellers family home.”
+++
So they search Caden’s room and find a thermos with blood in it. . . cause you know he’s a vampire. They make a quick getaway with the thermos
I checked on the blood, it was still fully contained.
“Do you think . . . maybe someone is trying to make more Demons with that stuff ?”, Isobel asked.
She was driving down the turnpike at record speed.
Make more demons. It sounded wonderful but was impossible.
“It can’t be this simple”, I said, “You can’t make Demons. We are born like humans. Can you make humans out of animals ?”
She slipped on her shades and thought about this.
“What about a half-Demon half-human,” , she asked
“Impossible”, I said, “ We can’t reproduce with humans. Not for lack of trying.”
She put both hands on the steering wheel. I realized that may have made my dear Brothers look bad.
“What about a female Demon and male human ? Or a male Angel and A female human ?”
“That’s like breeding a Kracken with a dinosaur”
“How does that work ?”
“For starters neither of those things exist”
Anymore. I wanted to add on but didn’t. The joke didn’t have the same tone as it did when Brother Bael said it.
“What ?”, I said, “I know you want to ask me something.”
“What about an female Angel and a male Demon.”
She wants to know if Paris has a thing for Sera
“Honestly ? . That’s the problem with Angels; we can't breed with them, they contribute little to society and are so gregarious. The thought is vile and impossible, besides If Demons and Angels could reproduce I’d have more siblings running around.”
So, here is an interesting feminist quandary. How does a society of men treat a society of women who can’t become wives or mothers? They ostracize and belittle them.
At the end of this chapter Paris takes Isobel to his home and Damien tells him that Hmjeu is dying