by F. F. John
Caleb blinked a few times as if insulted but then a stilted smile softened his face but only barely. “That’s all right. I understand.”
“Good, because if Bode sent you, then you know I have no time to waste. I need to know what exactly is happening to me, so I can stay sane and not lose my job.”
Layla returned with an oversized book. Standing next to Caleb, the card reader placed the book down on her table with care then cast a spell, speaking soft words over it. I couldn’t help but notice the contrast between these two strangers who it seemed I needed. Well, I wasn’t sure about this Caleb guy. Layla, with age causing her spine to curve and her pale features and then, this oddly familiar man, who stood tall and strong. A page ripping through the air as Layla flipped it returned my attention to her. Silver tendrils hid her face as she scanned pages as if she could read.
“How are you doing that? Aren’t you blind?” The cracking of my voice was slightly embarrassing, but I ignored it. Her reaction was to raise a bony finger into the air to silence me. My lips clamped together as ordered. When she found what she was looking for, she spun the book around, so Caleb and I could read.
“Bode says you mentioned something about Lucifer wanting you,” she said. “I think this prophecy…right here,”—she tapped on a line with two fingers— “might have something to do with it.”
Caleb didn’t bend down to look at the passage, but I did. Reading it aloud, I said, “‘The seed of Legion will bring forth the morning star’s undoing.’” I looked from Layla to Caleb. “What the hell does that mean?”
“You might not want to call on the devil’s domain so casually, boy,” she said with a tired sigh.
“Fine. What in tarnation does that mean?” I rolled my eyes. “What is the morning star?”
“It’s a name for Lucifer,” Layla replied.
My forehead wrinkled. “I know that Lucifer means light bringer. Where does morning star come in?”
“Lucifer has many names, boy. Satan. Devil. Prince of darkness.”
I scoffed. “Fine. When the prophecy says Legion, is it talking about the legion of demons mentioned in the Bible? How could they have a seed and what does that have to do with me, for God’s sake?”
Layla fixed Caleb with a pointed stare. “Care to tell?”
“Yes. Please, enlighten me.” I crossed my arms, tapping a foot impatiently.
“Some think of the legion as evil because of the biblical passage you referenced, but that’s not accurate.” Caleb sucked in air through his teeth. “Anyway, what’s important is that Lucifer had a twin brother who was banished from heaven and sent to earth a long time ago.”
He didn’t say anything else because I burst out laughing. So much so that tears leaked from my eyes. When I could finally breathe, I blurted, “A twin? Do they look alike, as in, are they identical? No. They’ve got to be fraternal twins, right?” I guffawed and slapped the table. Clearly, this man thought I was a fool.
Caleb’s confused frown made an immediate appearance. “Angels aren’t conceived the way humans are. Lucifer and his brother were brought forth into existence at the same time. It pleased God to do so— “
“Listen here.” I threw up a hand to silence him. “I spent the better part of my life in a Catholic school. If Lucifer—as in, God’s archrival—had a twin brother, I would know about it.” I guffawed again. “You know how many times Sister Magdalene had us read the Bible from beginning to end when I was a kid?” I turned away from Caleb and slipped into a seat. “Layla, please help me understand what’s going on. I don’t have time to waste.”
Her unseeing eyes seemed sad when she said, “Then you better listen to what this man has to say.”
“You can’t be serious?” The laughter doused.
“I am,” she said, her voice quiet.
Caleb grabbed one of the chairs in the waiting area and pulled it up to the table. Its legs grated against the linoleum floor as if resisting being dragged into whatever was about to go down. “May I continue?” he asked.
Not seeing a choice, I sank into my seat and waited for him to start speaking again.
***
According to Caleb, and the occasional nod from Layla, Lucifer did have a twin brother, named Acyel. He was banished from heaven for disobeying God. Not only was he sent down to earth, his name was struck from the Celestial Record, meaning future generations received no knowledge of his existence. Caleb said that’s the worst punishment an angel could receive because it also meant he or she would never be allowed to return to heaven.
When Acyel landed on earth, very few heavenly hosts had been banished then. Over time, more of them arrived for angering God in one way or another. Those who were repentant and remained faithful to God despite their punishment became known as Legion. Those who rebelled against God and followed Lucifer were known as Lucites. They sought to wreak havoc with God’s favorites—his human children. They procreated with humans and grew large numbers of demon spawn, thereby swelling their ranks.
Legion, on the other hand, had fewer children with humans. Their leader, Acyel, took it upon himself to offer guidance to newly arrived angels. He advised and counseled them to let go of their anger and disappointment and use their time on earth to do good. And for those whose names were yet to be struck from the Celestial Record, he reminded them that there was yet a chance of forgiveness.
“Fine, fine, fine. That’s a nice story,” I interjected after listening for several minutes. “But, what is the seed of Legion that was mentioned in that book,”—I pointed at the ancient-looking tome— “and what’s it got to do with me?”
By this point in time, Layla had poured each of us a cup of peppermint tea and Caleb studied the liquid in his. “I’m not certain but if I’m to assume, then I think Lucifer believes you are Legion’s seed.”
“Meaning?”
“Boy, ain’t you a fancy lawyer?” Layla asked, her voice thick with irritation. “If the devil thinks you’re Legion’s seed, that means he thinks you’re Legion’s child.”
“Yes, I know that, but Legion isn’t a person,” I said, shoving down the irritation blooming within. “He just said Legion is a group of angels who still believe in God. All those celestial beings can’t produce one child, can they?”
“You’re correct. They can’t. What I haven’t said is that Acyel himself was called Legion by many,” Caleb added.
“Wait a second.” I rubbed my face as if to clear my confusion. “Is every LegionBorn considered a child of Acyel?” Feeling a burst of hope, I snap my fingers in excitement. “Would that make Bode a child of Acyel as well?” Bode had mentioned he was LegionBorn when disposing of the zwarts in Abuja. If he was Acyel’s child, then he too could be the seed mentioned in the prophecy. Maybe Lucifer was looking at the wrong seed. There had to be many out there and if I pointed the devil and his minions away from me, they might just leave me the hell…I mean, leave me alone.
“No, Bode is not Acyel’s seed. His mother was a very powerful Nigerian priestess and his father was Erimiel, an angel sentenced to earth.”
“Okay, so maybe the seed is someone else, then.” I pondered out loud, but Caleb simply shook his head.
“Acyel only had one child and from your aura, that child is you.”
--IX--
“DUDE, YOU’RE COMING TO LUXOR, right?” Lucas poked his head into my office, his expression expectant. He ran a hand through his spiky black hair, messing up his mini-pompadour. Somehow, the trendy haircut looked corporate on him.
I’d been back in Washington, D.C. for a few days but I was already swamped with work. That made a trip to a fancy club unappealing. Besides, Layla had prescribed her solution to monster sightings, saying ‘Go to work and go home. You should be okay.”
“Come on, Vaughn. You can also use this opportunity to celebrate landing the Raebon account,” Lucas added, slipping in and shutting the door behind him. “Besides, how many more opportunities will we get to go to Luxor?”
Delp
hine won a major case today and her senior partner put her on the entry list. She’d invited a few people from the firm and most were trying to take advantage of the opportunity. Not me, however.
“When I become a senior partner, I’ll pay for membership,” I said, gathering some papers into a neat stack. I didn’t know why I bothered because my desk was a paper-littered mess. “And if I want to get to that point, I’ve got to edit this contract so I can get out of here”—I glanced at my watch. It’s almost eight in the evening— “in the next two hours.”
Never one to give up easily, Lucas said, “The Weasel’s going. And I think I overheard him offering to drive Delphine.”
My jaw tightened. The guy was a prick who lived to cause me discomfort. He’d been flirting heavily with one of our co-workers, Delphine, for a while now. Likely because Delphine and I shared a drunken kiss at the last Christmas party. We’d laughed it off as alcohol-induced, but I’d always had a crush on her and when she leaned into me that night, I had to take my chance. Now, Mohinder was forever crowding her space.
Yet, as much as I’d like to go cockblock, I simply couldn’t. Watson was still treating me funny. I felt like I was on a probationary period and needed to do everything perfectly. One way to achieve that was to make sure to dot every i and cross every t on this contract.
“No, I’ll pass. You guys go have fun,” I said, studying a paragraph committed to making me cross-eyed.
“I really need you there, man. Antonio is bringing Sofia and you know how she’ll be.” Lucas dropped into one of the chairs on the other side of my desk and lifted his feet up, crossing them at the ankles. “They got back together but of course,”—he shakes his head sadly— “things aren’t going well. She’s going to get upset about something, Antonio is going to be an asshole, and then, she’s going to try to convince me that Antonio is the Worst. Boyfriend. Ever!” Those final three words were said in as good an imitation of Sofia as I’ve ever seen from Lucas. Wild-waving hands and fluttering lids included.
I chortled in response. “Will you get your nasty shoes off my desk?” I insisted, waving a manila file folder at his ankles. “Why is he taking her to Luxor?”
My door was hauled open by none other than Antonio, so I repeated my question.
“Someone’s girlfriend asked her if she was going with the rest of the department’s junior attorneys.” He let out a weary sigh and slumped into the remaining chair. “She called me demanding to know why she was the only girlfriend not invited.” He rubbed his forehead, pushing his auburn bangs off his face. “I had to tell her I was hoping to surprise her with the news.”
Lucas and I snickered. Frankly, I never understood why they were together. Antonio might be one of my best friends but even I could admit he was a dick. Sofia would be happier single, in my opinion. They lived to aggravate each other.
“So, you’re coming, right?” Antonio asked, and I shook my head, returning my eyes to the papers spread in front of me.
“He said he’s not coming. He’d rather work on the Peterson file.” The disappointment and disgust were evident in Lucas’s tone.
“Stop being selfish,” Antonio insisted. “You know I’m going to need you there for when my girl implodes.”
“Actually, the only person who sounds selfish is you, Ant.” I looked at Lucas “What do you think?”
“Yup, you sound selfish, Antonio.” Lucas smiled.
“Besides, if you use some of that suavemente charm on your girlfriend, you wouldn’t have so many relationship issues,” I said. “You also wouldn’t need Lucas or me to help you out.”
“Oh, please,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I need both of you guys tonight. Lucas, she likes you so make sure— “
Just then, my door, which Antonio left ajar, opened wider, creaking with every inch.
“Oh, hey boys!” Delphine stepped into my office, bringing her heady floral scent with her. Her almond-shaped, brown eyes, a pert nose, and full lips were arranged attractively on her face. Her dark brown hair rested on her bosom, but I glanced away as quickly as I could. Don’t be a creep. Look her in the eyes.
“Hey, Delphine,” Lucas said, warmly. “We’re trying to convince Vaughn here that Watson won’t hate him any less if he goes out tonight.”
Her face lengthened. “Wait, you’re not coming? I really want you to be there.”
The insistence in her tone made me question my decision to skip Luxor. I opened my mouth to speak, but she preempts me saying, “You’ve got to be there, Vaughn. It won’t be the same without you.” She walked over to sit on the edge of my desk. “Please?” she said, sweetly.
There was something about the way she looked at me. It was like she actually wanted me there. Or, was I just imagining things?
“Oh, there you are, Delphine.”
I recognized the annoying nasal tone of my latest visitor. Yet, I didn’t reveal my distaste on my face as I continued to gaze into Delphine’s eyes.
Mohinder cleared his throat. “Earth to Delphine!”
That forced us to break eye contact as she slipped off my desk and spun around to face the intruder. “Hey there, Mo!”
“Still want me to drive you home?”
I didn’t know what came over me but hearing him ask her that question so casually sent a punch to my stomach. Why did he know where she lived? Why did he seem so comfortable with her? I ground my teeth while struggling to keep my face neutral. He waited in anticipation for her reply, eyes like a puppy.
“Yes, please! And then you’ll swing by Luxor later?”
Mohinder’s smile broadened. “Your boss gave her favorite associate the chance to take her friends to the most important joint in town? Damn right I'm coming.” He leveled a smirk at me and my hands curled into fists on the table. He turned back to Delphine. “Plus, you promised me your first dance. I won't miss that. No way!”
She rounded the edge of my desk, making her way to the door. Before stepping into the hallway, she faced me and said, “So, you’ll be there around ten tonight, right?”
I didn’t stall when I said, “Yes.”
“You promise?”
“I’ll be there.”
When the door squeaked shut behind her, Antonio was shaking his head with an amused look plastered on his face. “So, your best friend needs you to come to Luxor and you say no. Your woman-crush-every day asks the same question and you tell her you’ll be there. Where’s the love, dude?”
“First, you’re one of my best friends and second, you didn’t bat your eyelashes and ask as nicely as she did,” I responded, packing up my papers for the night.
“Now that that’s settled, let’s stop for sushi at Fuji first. I’m famished,” Lucas said, adjusting his pants as he stood. “This is probably going to be my last night of debauchery for a while, fellas. My doctor says my blood pressure doesn’t look too good.” He twisted his mouth to the side and frowned.
“You worry like an old woman, Lucas. I’m sure you’ll be just fine.” My stomach grumbled as I flicked off the desk lamp. “Let’s go.”
***
We arrived at Luxor a few minutes after ten and spilled into a lobby through wide, mahogany doors and an expansive archway. The place looked and smelled like money. Marble pillars soared over our heads to touch a vaulted ceiling interspersed with crystal chandeliers. We crossed the reflective, stone floor that was so smooth, Antonio threatened to slide across like Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun.’ We swung open a white door, revealing a series of stairs. That led us to a cavernous space, dim lights concealing the wealth and power before us.
An overly popular song from a teen-faced pop princess pounded as we made our way deeper into Luxor. While illegal to smoke in restaurants and bars in Washington, D.C., that was obviously not an issue here. I caught whiffs of cigarettes as I went, spying the glowing yellow end of a few of them in smoke hidden hands. The scent of something stronger also filled the air.
The lack of regard for local laws made sense. Across
the room were the faces of America’s most influential people. When you achieved that sort of wealth and influence, laws didn’t apply to you. Politicians, actresses, social media moguls. I saw a few athletes and a sprinkling of venture capitalists, their faces fresh on my mind because I’d caught up on several copies of Forbes magazine during my flight home from Abuja.
A hostess deposited us at our booth where we met others from the firm. Sofia was there, talking animatedly to a girl who like her had rich, strawberry-red hair. When she spotted her boyfriend, she clapped her hands excitedly and rushed over to him, talking a mile a minute.
I scanned the booth but there was no sign of Delphine. Mohinder wasn’t here either and I couldn’t help but grit my teeth.
As the thought crossed my mind, someone said, “Here’s the girl of the hour!”
Angling my head toward the entrance, I saw Delphine and my heart leaped to my throat. She had on a gold dress that looked like second skin. It was short enough to reveal shapely, never-ending legs.
“Ooh, I almost wore that bodycon dress.” Someone whispered.
She glided over with a wide smile and said hello to everyone, reserving a wink and hug for me. Her warmth felt right as her fragrance filled my head. I held on a beat longer than I should have. That was until I noticed Lucas and Antonio snickering, forcing me to give them a warning glare.
A chart-topping hip-hop song blared out, and she sidled up to me. “Care to dance?”
My answer was to take her hand and lead her to the dancefloor where we danced for several songs. At some point, she put her arms around my neck and her voice curled into my ear, “Why is it you don’t hang out with the rest of us?” She chuckled, and it sends warm tickles against my face. “You want to remain mysterious, huh? Or, you’re just so focused on becoming partner?”