Evenstar

by Darcy Town

  Belial set it down. “I don’t have a suitor.”

  The other girls rolled their eyes.

  Belial looked at them. “What?”

  Dahlia turned to her. “Yes you do, and you are pounding that shit right now. Chug!”

  Belial sighed. “Fine. My sewing will be shit, but your dresses are going to get torn off of you anyways.”

  Celeste gaped. “Say that again?”

  ***

  The male Fallen and their Lilliam prisoners packed into Furcas’ house. Paimon tied Tokala and Nodin to the staircase banister. Regaining consciousness, the two had time to be sober, terrified, and dressed to the nines. Nodin looked plaintively at Paimon. “Can’t we get drunk too?”

  Paimon shook his head and attempted to brush his shaggy hair; the brush went an inch and stopped in a snarl. He left the brush in his hair. “No, we all have to be sober.”

  “But—”

  Paimon slapped his arm. “It’s funnier for us this way.”

  Tokala leaned on his brother. “Admit it. You’ve laughed at other weddings.”

  Nodin scowled. “I did not think it would be my own, ever. She has horns for fucks sake! Sharp ones! I need time to mentally prepare myself for this!”

  Furcas took the brush from Paimon and kicked him in the back of the legs so that he dropped to his knees. He started at the ends of Paimon’s hair, ignoring his complaints. “You’ll survive.”

  Andy jumped down the staircase. “Maybe.”

  Helion examined his shirt and suit jacket. “These don’t have wing holes.”

  Furcas stared at the jacket. “I do not have time to adjust the suit, just go topless, you’ve been fine so far.”

  Paimon held up a black bowtie. “But wear one of these.”

  Furcas snorted. “He’ll look like a Chippendale’s dancer.”

  Paimon smirked. Helion stared at the tie. “What is that?”

  Lucifer bounded down the stairs. “This is ridiculous, I can find them now, let me go.”

  Andy darted to the door. “You try, and I will chase you down. Come on, Lucifer. This will make your kids happy. Dahlia will like it; this is her official introduction into our life.”

  Lucifer set his jaw. He did not speak, Andy did not move from the door. They stared at each other unblinking. Lucifer uncrossed his arms. “Fine. Where is my suit?”

  Furcas pointed to the closet. He stared at Paimon’s hair and wrinkled his nose. “When did you last do anything to it?”

  Paimon shrugged. “I got rained on in Portland, does that count?”

  Furcas pulled him into their master bedroom and threw him towards the bathroom. “Bathe, now.” He pulled out a pair of shears. “Then I am giving you a makeover.”

  Paimon leapt for the door. Furcas slammed it shut.

  ***

  Dahlia twirled in her dress and stumbled in her heels. Belial held her upright. Dahlia wore a gossamer gown of black and red silk with a slit up to her bellybutton; the dress was backless, strapless, and as far as she could tell, held up by magic. Dahlia blinked to keep her vision from doubling. “How is this not the most indecent thing ever?”

  Belial drained her wineglass. “We’ve all seen you naked.”

  “This is worse than naked!”

  Belial grinned and poured herself more wine. She pushed Dahlia into a chair and pulled out a long red pin out of her top. “Since you put the other one to good use I am giving you a replacement present.” She knotted Dahlia’s hair and pinned it up, letting some tendrils fall artfully across her neck. Belial stepped back. “Hot. Now get the fuck out of my glam chair.”

  Dahlia got up and Celeste took her place. Belial touched Celeste’s chocolate skin. “Okay Berserker, I want your hands on the table, now.”

  Celeste did as she was told. Belial pulled out an array of nail polish and manicure equipment. Celeste eyed all of it with a vague distaste, but kept her mouth shut.

  Dahlia looped her arm with Whitney’s and the two marched into the next room. Whitney tripped on her white heels. “Why are you in a sexy goddess dress and I am dressed like a, I don’t even know. I am wearing a tutu I swear!”

  Apple looked up from Tracy’s makeup. “You’re wearing a death shroud.”

  Whitney rose off the floor. “Why?”

  Dahlia took a sip from her glass. “Because you are dead?”

  Whitney glared. “I do not find this funny.”

  Apple looked away. “I’m joking, Whitney. It’s a period piece and Belial did it wrong, because she’s a lousy drunk!”

  Belial laughed from the next room. “Fuck you, Apple tart.”

  “Appleadris thank you.”

  Belial parroted her response in a snarky voice. Apple rolled her eyes, got up, and brought Whitney back to the ground. She unbuttoned the jacket that Whitney wore. “That has got to go.” Apple pulled her skirt down and switched out the heels for lace up white leather boots. Everything Whitney wore sparkled or shimmered in whites. Combined with the mist she let off she looked like an ethereal cloud of lace and opals. The overall effect entranced those in the room. Dahlia and Tracy stared.

  Whitney spun around. “Okay that’s better.”

  Tracy blinked and got back to polishing her horns, their green sheen matched her painted green lips and sparkle powder that Apple had applied generously. She stared at her reflection. “I do not feel so good.”

  Apple smacked her horns. “Calm down, drink more!”

  Tracy took a swig. “Your mother is going to hate me. We’re eloping drunk? How low class is that? And we already had a baby!”

  Apple snorted. “Are you serious?”

  “What?”

  “You’re not eloping. You’re having a huge royal wedding with everyone present.”

  Tracy flinched. “What?!”

  Apple sat on the makeup counter. “When mom and dad finally got married I was nearly three centuries old, she was drunk as shit and he was beaten to hell and everyone loved it.”

  “Why was he ‘beaten to hell?’”

  “Mom did not want to get married willingly. So she got drunk, but still couldn’t say yes, and he got fed up with waiting. He kidnapped her and took her to Ceres and Lucifer. Along the way, she started beating the shit out of him and screeching like a harpy. Furcas and Paimon egged them on until it was a full out brawl on the Grand Promenade, people placed bets and everything. Dad finally got her to Lucifer, missing most of his clothes, and Lucifer married them without them even saying they do. Everyone thought it was the funniest thing ever, so it kind of became a fad, and then it became tradition.”

  Dahlia leaned back on the wall as the world spun. “You guys are weird.”

  Apple shrugged. “When you live forever you have to do weird things to keep yourself occupied.”

  Belial carried a semi-conscious, fully dressed Celeste into the room. “Girls, we are ready for stage two.”

  “What’s stage two?”

  Apple pointed down. “Wine cellar.”

  “But we’re already drunk.”

  “Not enough by far!”

  ***

  Lucifer stared into the mirror and fixed his tie. Nothing appeared out of place. He was immaculate. He stepped away from the mirror and turned to leave. Berith stood in the doorway. He looked Lucifer up and down. “Looks like you’re the one getting married.”

  Lucifer smiled slightly. “Interesting. Had not even thought about it, have you?”

  Berith looked away. “Almost every day since I met her.”

  Andy pushed past them. “I’d marry Belial in an instant!”

  Lucifer looked away from Andy and stalked out. Andy shrugged. “Ok-ay.”

  Helion caught up with Lucifer on the stairs. “We still need to talk.”

  Lucifer held up his hands. “Helion, I made a promise to your sister, just as she made a promise to me. She has kept hers and I will keep mine. That is final.”

  Helion would not move. “No, it is not final! What if she changes her mind?”

&
nbsp; Lucifer glared at him. “I will ask her before I do it then, all right?”

  “No!”

  Lucifer sighed. “What, Helion? What do you want me to say? It is her choice, not yours and it is certainly not mine.”

  “But you can’t do it!”

  “I do not want to, Helion!” Lucifer’s eyes turned blue. “But I will keep my word. Move.”

  Helion let him pass; he sniffled. Lucifer stopped and turned. “If I were you I would try my damnedest to convince her that she has things to live for.” He continued down the stairs.

  Furcas waited at the landing tending to the best man and groom. He’d slicked back his hair into a braid. He had an eye patch over his missing eye and he wore a spotless navy blue suit. His left sleeve was pinned at the elbow. He stepped back to let Lucifer through. Lucifer patted Nodin’s head. “Where is Paimon?”

  Furcas grinned. “Crying like a bitch in the bathroom.”

  Lucifer sighed. “What did you do to him?”

  “I made him pretty.”

  Lucifer stepped into the master room and gaped. Paimon sat on the bed. He was clean-shaven, his hair cut and styled, and he wore clothes that fit him perfectly. His shoes were polished, his tie straight and matching his outfit, not a stray hair or piece of lint in sight. He only had two pockets, empty, no flask, and no bombs. His nails were trimmed and clean. He sulked, miserable yet handsome.

  Lucifer made him stand up and turn. He laughed. “I am impressed. I have not seen you like this since.” He frowned. “Greece? It suits you.”

  “Shut the fuck up!” Paimon touched his hair. “I perfected that shag, perfected! He burnt my clothes, do you know that? He went through and burnt them while he made me shower and now I smell like a flower!”

  Lucifer rolled his eyes. “You smell like him.”

  “Exactly!”

  “You like it.”

  “On him, not on me!” Paimon folded his arms. “What do you want anyways besides the chance to laugh at me?”

  Lucifer glanced back at the closed door behind him. “I need to talk to you about your realm theories.”

  ***

  Celeste hefted a wine barrel over her head. “I don’t know how to open it. Do I just break it?”

  Belial stabbed it with a talon. “Likey so.”

  Celeste tipped the barrel and wine splashed into a Greco fountain. Dahlia watched them. “This feels very Greek.”

  Apple handed out long straws. “More like very Paimon.”

  Whitney stuck a straw in the fountain. “Hey can I really get drunk since I’m dead?”

  Belial grinned. “Do you feel drunk?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then stop complaining.”

  Apple patted Whitney’s shoulders. “Don’t think about it too much, you are brain dead after all.”

  Whitney scowled at her. “Ha ha, riot act.”

  Dahlia slid to the floor and landed in a puddle of wine. “Oh shit! Belial, you are going to kill me.”

  Belial jumped on the fountain and sipped from her straw. “Why?”

  “I got it dirty.”

  Belial helped her up, and the liquid beaded off. “Can’t get dirty, magic dress.” She jumped around in the fountain and splashed. “See, no wine on me either!” She stood up and was clean.

  Belial wore a dress made out of cobwebs, opaque in just the right spots, but mostly transparent. Her heels were blood red to match her jewelry. She stepped out of the fountain and bumped into Tracy. They fell to the floor.

  Tracy burst out laughing and scooped herself another glass of wine. “So is this my bachelorette party?”

  Celeste brought over another cask. “I guess so.”

  “Then where are my strippers? I want man flesh, naked man flesh all up on me!” Tracy fell to the ground. “Strippers!”

  Apple stumbled across the room. “The men will be here soon.”

  Tracy sat up. “Seriously? We seriously get strippers? Like naked male fairies and shit?”

  Whitney grinned. “Woo!”

  Dahlia blushed. “Strippers, why?”

  Apple leaned against a row of casks. “Because they’re fun, but there’s one catch!”

  Tracy leaned forward. “What? Are we not supposed to tell the dudes?”

  Apple took a gulp of wine. “We have to strip them.”

  Belial laughed. “Ha-ha! Sucks to be you guys!”

  Whitney floated to the ceiling, paler than normal. “We do? What if we don’t want to?”

  Apple shrugged. “You only do what you want to, Whitney.”

  Dahlia tried walking. “Oh good.”

  Celeste cocked her head and sniffed. Her eyes flashed red. “I smell something delicious.”

  Whitney inhaled. “Oh my gosh! What is that! Are we having this place catered? I want whatever that is. Food?”

  Apple and Belial snickered together. Apple grinned. “Quite.”

  Tracy jumped to her feet. “I need food now!”

  “I am starving.” Dahlia looked at her wine glass and licked her lips. She caught the scent of food and dropped her bottle. “What have we been drinking?”

  Apple held up her bottle. “The wine of Bacchus, Maenad wine.”

  Dahlia gulped. “But the Maenads devoured men.”

  Apple grinned wickedly and looked at her glass. “This does whet one’s appetite for certain things.” She looked to the stairway that led down to the wine cellar. The door on the floor above them opened. “The men are arriving.”

  Dahlia pushed her way to Apple. “I am not eating anyone!”

  Apple smirked. “Just chill, Dahlia. Wait and see. Tracy has to go first anyways.”

  Tracy growled, overwhelmed by the scent. “I do not feel drunk anymore, I feel great! I feel strong!”

  Celeste grinned. “Me too!”

  Dahlia inhaled, the scent revitalized her, and she felt stronger than she ever had before. She no longer felt dizzy, her vision sharpened. She was hungry, ravenous. Her fingers curled.

  Paimon jumped down the stairs and bowed deeply. “Evening ladies!”

  Dahlia gaped. “Paimon? What happened to you?”

  Paimon touched his short hair self-consciously. “Later.” He gave them a once over. “I haven’t had Maenads in so long, my beautiful man-eaters. Furcas, dear!”

  Furcas ran down the stairs. “Yes?”

  “Are the boys ready?”

  Furcas smiled. “Relatively speaking no, but what groom ever is.”

  “Such truth.” Paimon looked up the stairs. “Bring ‘em down!”

  Andrealphus shoved Tokala and Nodin down the stairs. Helion, Berith, and Lucifer followed them. Andy ran back to the top of the stairs, blocking the exit and any possible attempts at escape. Paimon and Furcas stepped aside and pushed Nodin into the room.

  Nodin gaped at Tracy. “Shit!”

  Tracy grinned. “You smell delicious, honey!”

  Nodin held up his hands and looked at Paimon. “Seriously?”

  Paimon nodded. “She’s your bride so you have to get her.”

  Apple and Belial stepped in front of Tracy. “Through us.”

  Dahlia took in the spectacle and laughed. “I get it.” Celeste and Whitney looked at her. Dahlia pointed. “If he really wants her, he has to fight for her.”

  Nodin smoothed out his suit. “Fuck me.”

  Tracy grinned. “Really? Right now?”

  Nodin clapped his hands and blasted everyone back with a burst of air. He dove for Tracy. Belial backhanded him. Nodin slammed into the fountain of wine and the white parts of his suit turned purple. He lost a shoe.

  Nodin shook the wine off and dove as Celeste punched at his head. Whitney strafed him with bottles. Dahlia dove for his ankles. Apple kept herself between him and Tracy.

  Nodin sent off random bursts of air. He swung and punched Apple. “Sorry, sis!”

  Apple punched him right back. “I’m not!”

  Nodin snarled and leapt. Belial kicked him across the face, breaking his nose.

/>   On the stairs, the Fallen laughed. Paimon, Furcas, and Berith were reduced to tears. Tokala looked ill. “I’m next?”

  Berith ducked as a wine bottle was thrown their direction. He wiped his eyes. “Oh yeah.”

  Tokala looked up at him. “Can’t you collect Apple first?”

  “No way.”

  “No one else had to fight Fallen and Lilliam as part of their wedding, ever.”

  Furcas smirked. “Poor you, guess you shouldn’t date the berserker?”

  Lucifer watched Dahlia fight, her body in that dress made his thoughts desirous in nature not violent. “I thought they were supposed to be drunk.”

  Paimon looked back at him. “They are drunk as skunks, trust me, fucked up, tee-rashed, but they’re maenads now and this is what they do best.”

  Tokala gulped. “I thought maenads ate the flesh of men best.”

  “Well, yeah, that too. One generally leads to another you know.”

  Nodin slammed through three cases of wine. His suit was in tatters. He ripped off his shirt to a round of catcalls from the girls. He threw the pieces to the floor. The girls froze, eying his body as if he was dinner. Apple made a face and turned away. The girls made no move to grab him. Nodin took a tentative step forward. He slipped off his belt. The girls ogled him. He shrugged and took the pants off too. He edged closer and took another step. They stared wide-eyed and grinned, but did not move.

  Nodin folded his pants over his arm and dashed at a dreamy-eyed Tracy. He grabbed her by a horn and dove for the stairs. Apple grabbed at him. He bashed her aside with his shoulder. The other girls snapped out of their trance. They leapt after him, but he made it to the stairs.

  Paimon and Furcas blocked Apple and Belial. Paimon held his hands up. “Nope, he escaped fairly. Keep your wits about you next time.”

  “Your turn!” Furcas shoved Tokala at the girls.

  Tokala waved to Celeste. “Hi, I have to get you. If you would just come here we can leave without this pretense and messiness.”

  Celeste folded her arms. “You told them we slept together.”

  Tokala blushed. “Well, maybe, kind of, I had to. I had to bring a date regardless. Would you have wanted me to bring someone else? They made me talk. Have you seen my brother Grendel?”