“Oh?” Caelum said. “We’re no longer a team, then? I was kinda liking this tandem, really.”
“My apologies, but I would rather not be involved with you any longer. It may stir further controversy among the monsters of this land. Seeing an angel and a demon together may provoke them to believe this lie that Heaven and Hell are working together to push the world into destruction,” Ariel explained. “Besides, I still do not trust you.”
“Ah, I see. No offense taken then.” Caelum shrugged.
“It does not elude me that you have assisted me in extracting information. And that the monster stopped attacking me because you distracted it,” Ariel said. She paused, looking away as if suddenly the ray of moonlight was far more interesting than anything else. Caelum watched her curiously until she said something he hadn’t expected yet again. “Thank you.”
The smile on Caelum’s lips was inevitable, and Ariel hated it. Caelum chuckled, massaging the back of his neck with his palm. “Well, then. I think we’ve made history here.”
“I told you not to get full of yourself, demon.” Ariel shot him a glare. “I am only extending my appreciation as one should.”
“Alright, then.” Caelum smirked. He walked towards one of the cracked windows, looking over the dark city outside. Ariel followed a few steps behind, thankful to move away from the lifeless monster. Caelum continued. “However, I did sort of risk my neck for you tonight, and a simple ‘thank you’ doesn’t seem to be enough of an exchange, don’t you think?”
Ariel sighed impatiently. “You demons and your greed. What do you think would be a proper exchange, then? And do not request something impossible.”
“Oh, I am no fool to request something impossible. If I want such a thing, I take it myself instead of asking for it,” Caelum said, his back to Ariel.
Ariel’s brows furrowed. “If you will not state your request, then I shall be—”
Her words were cut off when Caelum suddenly turned, startling the angel. In one swift move, his hand was on her waist, pulling her close. She opened her lips to protest, but they were sealed with Caelum’s as he leaned forward and kissed her. His lips were smooth and warm like his hand that cupped the side of her cheek.
Eyes wide open, she stared at the moon over Caelum’s shoulder. And then, she saw something else. Ariel saw the sun, bright against the clouds and mountains. She smelled grass and damp soil and felt warm wind on her skin. A presence was near her, and it spoke in a voice that was sweet and calm but sent a chill down her spine.
Something rushed into Ariel’s mind and chest and she pulled away. Her hand reached for the sword, and she swung it across the shadows, but she was too late. The angel blinked, and she was alone in the room with the shadow and the monster’s corpse as her only company. The demon had disappeared.
“What… was that?” Ariel breathed the words as she stared into the darkness.
In the shadows outside of the building, eyes watched Ariel closely who stood in shock after the demon vanished. Daniel disliked hiding in the darkness. It was no place for a divine being such as himself. But orders required him to watch Ariel and not to meddle with her actions. Even when her actions involved the monsters of Earth and Hell. He frowned at the turn of events, but his orders prevented him from interfering. That didn’t change how he felt.
He stepped out of the shadows and welcomed the dim light of the moon. With arms welcoming the moonlight, he closed his eyes and shifted his body past the worlds. When he opened his eyes, he was in front of the grand doors to Raphael’s tower. Daniel touched the doors and presented himself to the archangel who stood tall, waiting for him.
“Daniel,” he greeted him.
The angel knelt before him and gave the report. “I have witnessed Ariel communicate once more with the demon who was present in John Maxwell Saunders’ home. It...” Daniel hesitated. “It seems to have grown far too fond of her.”
“I see.” Raphael nodded. Daniel studied the archangel’s face and saw the hint of interest. “Anything else that may be of concern, Daniel?”
“They encountered a monster who claims a fallen angel leads them. It did not say the fallen one’s name, but from how I understand it, the fallen one is the cause of the strange activity among the Earthly creatures.”
“A fallen one,” Raphael repeated thoughtfully. Daniel watched the archangel’s expression change from confusion to calculating to curious. “Continue monitoring their actions. Report to me once they have found clues to this fallen angel, but do not intervene until I say so.”
Daniel confirmed the order and turned to leave. He reached the door but hesitated. Glancing back to the archangel he served, it did not elude Daniel that something had changed upon his report. But he could not question it. He must not question the archangels. And so he moved forward and continued to fulfill his duty, praying to God that the unfolding events would not spell trouble for Heaven or the mortal land.
While Daniel’s thoughts were troubled by the events he witnessed, Caelum was nothing but pleased. Ah, to taste the angel’s cake, Caelum smiled, feeling ecstatic about his actions. Granted, he’d had his fair share of female companions over the years, and he was never the type to enjoy the company of women as if they were trophies to be acquired. But perhaps stealing a kiss from an angel was a trophy he had won. He couldn’t shake the feeling of familiarity when their lips touched. A very curious feeling it had been, and it had triggered another longing inside the demon. Fortunately for him, it was easy to acquire the main ingredient of what he sought.
He appeared in a dark street where lust and greed filled the air like a foul odor. Caelum welcomed the atmosphere with much gusto. Here and there, men drained by the drugs they abused and women selling what they were born with littered the streets. He was in no mood for the pleasures the latter offered, however.
“Looking for something, sweet cheeks?” A blonde prostitute approached him. She was clad in a black and white strappy dress that barely covered the spot between her legs. A streak of red hair decorated the side of her locks, and she batted artificial lashes at him as if it would entice him. Sadly, it wasn’t what he looked for.
“So, running from your strict parents didn’t do you any good, eh?” Caelum asked with a devious smile.
“What?” she asked with furrowed brows. “Is this a role-play you’re into? I don’t mind. If you want, I can slip into a sexy student uniform just for you. On the house, ‘cause you’re just too handsome for me to deny.” She let out a fake giggle that only annoyed the demon she unknowingly flirted with.
“Not really my taste, I’m afraid,” Caelum said. “Though I guess that was what your professor liked, huh?”
The woman suddenly looked at him with fear. Her tone was more serious now. “Who are you?”
“Oh, don’t mind me. I’m more interested in your story.” Caelum smiled. “Did you know you’re pregnant again? You should be more careful, really. Your body might not be able to handle another abortion.”
The woman lifted her hand to slap him, but something stopped her attack. She stared at him wide-eyed, mouth hanging open as uninvited memories flowed through her. Something dark and ominous overwhelmed the woman, girl, really, and tears began to brim in her eyes. Her hands went up to her hair, gripping and pulling. The scream she let out was agonizing. Her feet frantically took her away from the man who knew too much, but they could not take her away from the images running in her mind.
Too easy, he thought bitterly. Carnal pleasures weren’t his goal when he set foot on this sin-driven street. He moved on in search of the particular product that would cater to his needs.
In a smoke-filled path that smelled of dead cats and sewage was where he found the familiar old pickup truck. Prideful graffiti decorated the bricked walls beside it and provided a livelier feeling to the gloomy atmosphere. Caelum walked up to a graffiti art of a cartoon mosquito with large eyes and sharp teeth holding up a marble as if to devour it. He smirked at the image, imagining the humor
the artist might have had in creating it.
“Enjoying the artwork?” an old voice said behind him. Caelum turned to see an elderly man with a thin and fragile body. His skin sagged and his hair was a thin wisp. He hugged the layers of coats tight around him to prevent himself from shivering. “Been a while.”
“It has,” Caelum agreed. “And I see that you’re still not giving up this business, are you?”
“Why would I?” he replied. “It’s fun to get involved with people like you. Well, not exactly people…” The old man snickered then wheezed out a cough that sounded as though his lungs were fighting for freedom. He pounded on his chest weakly a few times before shaking the itch in his throat away. “I already know I’m going to Hell anyway. Might as well make friends, right? Unlike you. The only friend you got is Lili who happens to always have things going on. She just visited me two days ago for something, you know?”
“While I doubt Lili is what you can call my friend, I do admire how you plan out your stay in the pit, Marco,” Caelum commended him.
The old man laughed a wheezing laugh again. “Really sad, not having friends. Well, I don’t think you’re here to chitchat, are you, Caelum?”
“No, I never visit to chitchat. Which is probably why I don’t have friends,” Caelum added as an afterthought. “I need something from you, Marco. I want…” Caelum paused, carefully choosing his words to explain his intention. “...to remember.”
“Ah.” Marco raised his thin eyebrows. “You are quite fond of that. I guess I have some in the trunk,” the old man said, rising slowly and moving towards the dingy truck. Caelum walked a few steps behind him as Marco continued the conversation. “So, I heard about that radio thing guy. End of the world, huh? Is that true?”
“Wouldn’t deny it. Though the details are rather foggy to me,” Caelum admitted.
“I see,” Marco said. “Well, can’t really do anything about that, huh? The world is ending and people spend the rest of their lives worrying for nothing.” He snickered. “Nothing. When people die, nothing is left for them. And what’s the point of worrying about that?”
“You have a good head on your shoulders, old man,” Caelum said. “You enjoy the perks even when they’re to your disadvantage.”
“It’s all a matter of point of view, Caelum,” Marco said, turning to him with a small box in hand. “Will this be all?”
“Yes,” Caelum said, stretching out his hand with the payment. He and the old man exchanged items, both tucking what they’d received in their coats.
“Tell me, why do you enjoy that?” Marco suddenly asked. “Your kind are more interested in other things, but you seem to have a taste for that one alone.”
“Call it an acquired taste,” Caelum replied as he waved a farewell to the man.
The demon disappeared into the darkness before the man’s eyes. Caelum returned to his residence where his feline companion awaited him. A few bits of cat food littered the floor and a bowl was upside down beside his shelf. He thought for a moment, then the realization hit him. So that’s how she found me… He crouched down and gave the cat a pat on the head. “Thanks for giving away my secrets there,” he jokingly scolded the cat before proceeding to his task.
Caelum settled down in his armchair, fishing out the box he had received from Marco. He frowned at having to use such a cheat for something so simple. The curse of a demon. With an unchanging body, a demon didn’t need things like rest and fuel. Rather, his body prevented rest that humans take for granted. Unable to put himself in such a state also prevented him from entering the other world humans tended to visit too often.
As a dream-weaver, Caelum longed to have the ability to dream on his own. Reality was a dull world, no matter what disorder he may cause it. The ability to create a new world while not even conscious was a skill Caelum desired. He could twist another’s dreams but he did not have the ability to let his mind create his own dreams. He may seem like a powerful being, but he was still reduced to relying on something artificial to create what others can so easily.
He opened the box Marco had given him and produced a small paper from it. Caelum lifted the piece to eye level, staring at the odd image printed on the back. The yin and the yang. Caelum identified the image. Without hesitation, he placed the piece on his tongue and closed his eyes. He let his muscles relax, the box slipping from his grip. In no time, he felt the effect.
First, he felt lightheaded and everything seemed to be spinning, an odd sensation he actually enjoyed. Like being shifted from one reality to the other, he felt as though his entire being detached from his physical body and went to the new reality it preferred. Caelum opened his eyes and saw his home, but the colors were vibrant and striking. Beyond his window, he saw dawn breaking and the soft sunlight peeking from the horizon. The light was so bright that he blinked a few more times.
Birds chirped from afar, and the scent of grass entered his senses. Something warm tickled his skin, and he felt the wind blowing, soothing and refreshing. He blinked. His eyes met an array of wooden planks nailed against each other. A wall. He found himself in a wooden house with open windows that welcomed the light from outside. Something moved from behind him and he saw a bright ray of light coming from the open door.
A figure stood just inside the door, but the bright light blinded him from seeing its features. A hand stretched out for him and a voice spoke, however, he couldn’t understand what it said. The light began to dim, and he saw a wisp of raven black hair dancing with the wind. His chest felt heavy when the light allowed the features of her face to be seen, a familiar face he had encountered only moments ago.
Chapter Twelve: Behind Closed Doors
A kick on his shoe pulled him from the images his mind had conjured. Caelum struggled to adjust his vision as the sunlight poured into his home. He was glad when the attacker of his shoe stepped between him and the window, casting a shadow to ease his eyes. When his vision cleared, he was met with the sober face of Baron who looked down on him.
“Spending your time in leisure, aren’t you?” Baron said in his standard bored tone.
“Yes, which is something you should do more often,” Caelum stated, shaking off the strange sensation still running in his head. Baron kept his silence, forcing Caelum to ask, “To what do I owe the pleasure, then?”
“Last night you had an encounter with a doppelganger and five werewolves,” Baron declared.
Caelum’s brows furrowed. “What? Is Azazel telling you to stalk me now?”
“Azazel wants to find this fallen angel the monsters speak of.”
“Oh?” Caelum smiled. “And why is that?”
Baron regarded him like one would an insolent child. He narrowed his eyes and told him, “That is not for you to know now.”
“So, you’re telling me to risk my neck to find this wingless angel, but you don’t want to tell me why I should?” Caelum frowned teasingly. He raised his arms and settled them behind his head.
“You are a demon with no loyalties, Caelum.”
“I do,” Caelum corrected him. “My loyalty is to myself.”
“Therefore,” Baron continued, “it would not make much difference if I tell you that this order came directly from our king?”
Caelum’s face turned serious. His brows pulled together and his lips tightened. “Is it true, then? About Heaven and Hell? Fighting side by side against the evil mortal forces?”
“It is not my place to tell,” Baron said, “but you will know if you find that fallen angel.”
Caelum chuckled. “Ah, that’s a much better deal then.” He rubbed his chin with his thumb and looked far beyond Baron’s shoulders. The unrest with the humans provided from the false prophecy stirred the mortals’ emotions, but it was not enough change to entertain the bored demon.
However, there was still the possibility of Azazel playing him for a fool. This may truly be the order of their king. But why me? he questioned. Caelum had no love for Hell or his fellow demons, and he had abandon
ed them long ago to settle in the mortal land. Why would he be entrusted with tasks that involved a prophet of Heaven and a fallen angel?
“Things are about to change, Caelum,” Baron told him. “Don’t you want to be part of creating the new world? You’re being offered a position already.”
“And how can I be certain that this isn’t just some game?”
“Oh, Caelum.” Baron broke into a scheming smile. “Isn’t everything a game to you already?”
“Point taken,” Caelum agreed. “Though it’s not really clear why you chose me for these tasks instead of one of Azazel’s loyal lapdogs.”
“Loyalty can only do so much, Caelum. If slaves are only capable of meager tasks, there’s no point in entrusting them with grander ones, regardless of their loyalty,” Baron said. “I am far too busy, and most demons don’t have a mind of their own, really.”
“That’s why they are slaves,” Caelum pointed out. “And as you say, I have a mind of my own. I still haven’t received my reward in aiding that prophet. What makes you think I’ll cooperate when I’ve already been cheated?”
Baron studied him with his narrow cold eyes. There was indeed something that intrigued Caelum in meeting this fallen angel who was spreading gossip amongst the monsters, but he wanted to see how far he could push his luck with Azazel’s assistant. His interest was not to help them, after all, but merely to see what unfolds in the coming days.
The stiff demon finally broke his gaze and reached into the inner pocket of his suit. Caelum watched him pull out a small maroon notebook bound by twine. Baron placed the notebook on Caelum’s lap, who immediately picked up the item with his hands. Upon contact with his skin, a flash of an image appeared in his mind where he held the same notebook in the darkness, rain pouring down all around him. His hand reeled back, his eyes widened in shock.
“What is this?” Caelum asked in disbelief.
“A notebook,” Baron said blandly. “You had it with you before you were damned.”
The Damned and The Pure Series: Books 1-4 (The Damned and The Pure Series Box Set) Page 12