Daystar

by Darcy Town

  Paimon had wrapped himself around three pillows and the majority of Furcas’ clothes. He had a vial of Furcas’ cologne broken open; bottles of alcohol littered the floor. Furcas smiled slightly. He walked to his side of the bed and slipped under the covers.

  Paimon did not hear anyone enter, but he responded to the warmth in the bed. He licked his lips, rising out of unconsciousness. A body pressed up against his back, a chin rested on his shoulder. An arm slipped around his waist, legs intertwined with his. Lips kissed his neck.

  Paimon woke up, instantly alert. “Uh, excuse me?”

  Kisses started at his earlobe and trailed down to his collarbone. The hand around his waist made whirls and swirls against his bare stomach with a lazy set of fingers. Paimon’s heart pounded. He sniffed the air, but all he could smell was Furcas.

  The lips against his neck smiled. Teeth nipped at his skin.

  Paimon rolled to his back and the cuddler moved to the side. Paimon did not know if he was awake or dreaming. He opened his mouth to speak and lips found his, warm, welcoming, familiar. He inhaled, he smelled Furcas. The hand on his stomach moved up and cupped his face. Fingernails massaged his scalp.

  Paimon reached out. He touched the bare shoulder of his bedmate. He traced his fingers upwards to a familiar collarbone. Paimon’s chin quivered. He touched the stranger’s jaw, tracing up to lips, which kissed his fingertips one by one.

  Paimon turned to face him. Furcas wrapped a leg around Paimon’s waist and pulled him close, skin to skin.

  Paimon placed his palm on Furcas’ cheek. He rubbed his thumb across the bridge of his nose, his eyebrows. Paimon pushed his hand into his hair, every sensation familiar.

  Furcas pulled him in and kissed him deeply, not letting go. He put his entire being into this kiss as if it were the first and the last they would share.

  Paimon trembled. Tears escaped closed eyelids and slid down his cheeks.

  Furcas broke their kiss and looked down at his beloved. He wiped away his tears with his thumbs and pushed Paimon back into the pillows. He supported himself with one hand. He brushed back Paimon’s silver hair and kissed his forehead, his nose, his chin. He leaned over and kissed Paimon’s ear, giving it a quick bite. “Hello.”

  Paimon sobbed and wrapped his arms around Furcas, pulling him down. He dug his fingers into Furcas’ skin, needing him. Paimon kissed his chest. “What wonderful dream is this?”

  Furcas smiled and rubbed his thumb across Paimon’s cheek. “A dream? A dream perhaps it could be, but I think not.” He nuzzled Paimon’s neck. “I am no figment.”

  Paimon shuddered and kissed Furcas’ hair. “You must be.”

  Furcas smiled. “I did say I would haunt you if I died, but I am not a ghost.”

  Paimon’s lips trembled, his words choppy. “Fu—Furcas.”

  “Mmm?” Furcas kissed his silver hair. “What happened to my ginger? Your eyes are silver, your hair the same. I heard you tried to kill yourself.”

  Paimon squeezed his eyes shut, unable to keep from crying. “I did not want to live. I still do not. I will wake from this and despair again for not having you!”

  Furcas nipped his nose. “Despair not for I am here and you are awake.”

  Paimon shook his head. “Please do not turn this into a nightmare. Please do not give me hope when none should exist. This is not possible.”

  Furcas wrapped his arms around Paimon and held his head. “I am the Archangel of Hope. I can do naught else but give that.”

  Paimon pressed both hands into Furcas’ chest, pushing and pulling. “Please do not torture me, figment.” He inhaled deeply, Furcas’ scent like a drug. His teeth scraped across Furcas’ neck. “Do not put me through this again, I cannot lose you twice.”

  Furcas kissed his cheek. “But torture you I must. With pleasure perhaps?” He kissed Paimon’s chest. “Something familiar?” He kissed his stomach. “Something tangible for proof that I am here?” He kicked blankets off the bed. “What will show you?” He hooked a finger in the waistband of Paimon’s boxers. “That I am no daydream.” Furcas tore the cloth off.

  Paimon blinked and stared blindly at the ceiling. “I cannot think of a thing. Figment, I—”

  Furcas touched him.

  Paimon screwed his eyes shut. “I—,” Furcas kissed him. Paimon arched on the bed.

  Furcas placed his hand on Paimon’s stomach and pushed him back down. He gazed up at Paimon’s face, unguarded for once in a lifetime, he watched as he kissed.

  Paimon gasped and touched his hair, his cheeks, his lips. “I—”

  Furcas rested his cheek on Paimon’s inner thigh. His mouth and hands worked to drive thought from Paimon’s mind. Whether willing or obliging, Paimon surrendered himself. His heart raced, his breaths came in cries. Paimon’s toes curled. He placed a foot against Furcas’ ribs. Furcas smiled.

  Paimon knew this touch. He knew his lover. He grasped at Furcas, his body moving on its own volition. He stared into the air with blind eyes. He saw lights, spirals, patterns. His wings glowed neon green.

  Furcas sucked and teased, bringing him to the edge and taking him over.

  Paimon bit his lip. “Furcas!” He sucked in air. He shuddered, hips pumping. Pleasure burned in his body, as he had burned for only one in his long life. Tears rolled down his cheeks, his muscles relaxed. Paimon panted; his skin scalding hot. He held one hand over his heart as it slowed to a regular beat. Agony and ecstasy lingered in his body. He reached out tentatively. “Furcas?”

  Furcas smiled. He crawled up Paimon and leaned over him. “Yes?”

  Paimon looked into the air blindly. He found Furcas’ face and pulled him into a long kiss. He released him and spoke in a whisper, “That was the best, only, sex dream I have ever had. You always come up with the best new ways to fuck.”

  Furcas frowned. “You are not dreaming, you fuckwad.”

  Paimon smiled. “Pretty sure I am.”

  Furcas bit Paimon’s neck, drawing blood. He grabbed Paimon’s hair and forced his head into the pillows. “Pleasuring you will not wake you?” He drove a knee into Paimon’s inner thigh forcing his legs apart. “Perhaps I should pleasure myself when you are so pliant and willing.”

  Paimon smiled lazily. “You were rarely on top in life, why would you be in a dream?”

  Furcas covered his mouth with a kiss. He grabbed Paimon’s wrists and forced them above his head. He bit Paimon’s earlobe. “Time for a change, I am Furcas reborn.” He grabbed one of his shirts and tied Paimon’s wrists together and then to the bed, freeing his hands.

  Furcas grinned, looking down at his lover. “Oh yes, reborn indeed. I think I will fairly enjoy this vantage point from now on.” He grabbed Paimon’s chin. “If you don’t wake up to reality after this I am going to do terrible things to the rest of you.”

  “Promises, promises.”

  Furcas kissed him, biting his tongue and lips. He kept him still and thrust. Paimon gasped, Furcas grinned and thrust again, his body making a regular motion out of it. Paimon moved beneath him, a smile touched his lips. Furcas kept one hand on Paimon’s hip, pinning him to the bed. He lowered his head and breathed into Paimon’s chest, his breaths coming quicker as he moved.

  A knock on the door and both froze. Furcas scowled. “What?”

  Paimon frowned. “You can hear that?”

  Jegudiel opened the door and covered his eyes. “She won’t stop saying ‘ba-ba’.”

  Furcas sighed. “Is she crying?”

  “Well, no but she wants something. I think you should come.”

  Furcas snarled. “I am trying to!”

  Paimon gaped. “Who’s crying? Who’re you talking to, Yoshi. I was having the best dream, you shit!”

  Furcas punched Paimon in the sternum. “Jegudiel, please tell him I am really here and not some crazy drunken dream!”

  Jegudiel nodded. “Yep, you’re there. Yes, two naked guys, doing intimate things. Furcas and Paimon, the legendary duo, doing what they do best. All right,
I am backing out of the room now. I didn’t see a thing, never want to, goodbye!”

  The door slammed shut.

  Furcas looked down at Paimon. “See?”

  Paimon tore through the ties that held his arms. He wrapped them around Furcas. “How are you alive?”

  “Long story.”

  “Tell me!”

  Furcas tried to get up. “Later—”

  Paimon cut him off with a kiss and grabbed his ass. “You aren’t going anywhere.”

  “But—”

  Paimon wrapped his legs around Furcas and kept him locked in place. “No, there is nothing out there more important than in here.”

  “But she needs to see us and you need to meet her.”

  “Who?”

  Furcas grinned. “Our baby.”

  Paimon exhaled in a gasp. “I thought she was dead.”

  “You thought I was dead.”

  Paimon brought his hand to his mouth. “Our Bean.”

  Furcas smiled and helped him sit up. “You know her name?”

  “Barachiel said it before I killed him.” Paimon’s face fell. “I killed him for you. He hurt very much before he died.”

  Furcas nodded. “Good, but we can go over this later?” He snatched at two silk robes. He helped Paimon into his quickly and tied the other around his waist. He pulled Paimon to his feet. “Come on!”

  Paimon tripped and fell trying to follow. Furcas picked him up and carried him out. Jegudiel hovered over the crib when they entered the living room. He backed out of the way and leaned against the wall, silent and unobtrusive.

  Bean clapped her hands. “Ba, ba, ba!”

  Paimon heard her voice and jolted himself out of Furcas’ arms. “Where is she? Where is she?”

  Furcas led Paimon to the crib and rested Paimon’s hands against the side. Furcas smiled down at Bean. She stopped crying and laughed at the sight of them. “Ba, ba.”

  Paimon sank to his knees. His tears flowed unrestrained. “Furcas?”

  Furcas picked up Bean and sat down beside Paimon. “Yes?”

  Paimon looked blindly in their direction. “What does she look like?”

  Furcas smiled and took one of Paimon’s hands. Paimon shook. Furcas rested Paimon’s hand on Bean’s stomach. She reached out and grabbed his finger. Furcas smiled. “She is the most beautiful girl in existence.”

  Paimon bit his lower lip. She curled her hands around his fingers and wrapped her legs around his arm. With Furcas’ help, he raised his arm slowly and brought her into an embrace. Paimon wrapped her up in his other hand. “She’s so tiny! How did we make something so tiny?”

  Furcas smiled as Paimon rested his cheek against hers. “She will be big before we know it.”

  Paimon wiped his tears against Furcas’ shoulder. “I don’t want her to be!” He kissed her forehead. “Tell me more. Does she look like you or me?”

  Furcas smiled. “Me of course.”

  “Good.” Paimon smiled.

  Furcas wrapped an arm around Paimon’s shoulders. “She has the biggest eyes you’ve ever seen.”

  “What color?” Paimon ran his fingers through her silky hair.

  “Light purple with flecks of pink and blue. They match her hair, which has been growing out since we got back from Hell. She just had a wisp of it at first, but now it is past her shoulders, near her wings.”

  “I can feel that.” Paimon sniffled and smiled. He gazed at her sightlessly. “What about her wings? How many does she have?” He moved his free hand from her cheeks to her back. He touched her four opalescent wings gently, rubbing the feathers between his fingertips. Bean purred and nuzzled up against him.

  “Four wings. They’re whitish with rainbow colors, like an opal. Let me show you.” He touched Paimon’s hand and shared what he saw.

  “She’s lovely.” Paimon trembled and brought her in close.

  Furcas wrapped both of his arms around them. They leaned their foreheads together and looked down. Bean looked up at both of them with a toothy smile.

  Jegudiel had his hands to his mouth. He cried silently, unable to take his eyes off the trio. He knew this was what he had been brought here to see and he could not stop watching. What he had been searching for was in front of him. Real love and a family.

  Paimon and Furcas held their daughter close and whispered words of love. They could have stayed like this forever.

  ***

  Helion crouched over Belial. “Wake up! Please wake up.”

  Belial showed no signs of injury after Uriel had stabbed himself, but the darkness underneath her flesh had spread to her legs, up her neck and crept into her cheek.

  Helion rocked his twin and watched the lightshow in the air above. “Please Belial, they’ll be back soon. I won’t know what to tell them. Belial, wake!”

  Her eyes flicked open. She coughed up bile. “I am awake.” She held her chest. “Fuck, I don’t want to be.”

  Helion gasped. “Your eye.”

  “It has turned too?”

  “Yes.” He frowned. She only had one blue eye remaining; the other had turned pitch-black.

  Belial touched her face and shuddered. “No one sees me.”

  He nodded. “I won’t let anyone near, but what should I say?”

  Belial bit her lip as pain tore through her. The muscles beneath Helion’s hands writhed. She gasped. “Tell them anything, it won’t matter soon.”

  Helion took a deep breath. “I saw Lucifer streak towards the skies, Belial. He had his wings.”

  She smiled. “Good.”

  He struggled to spit the words out, “Dahlia also took to the air. She had six wings. She’s fully restored.”

  Belial cried in relief. “Then I have fulfilled my promise to him and now Lucifer can fulfill his end.” She sighed. “I can go soon.”

  Helion held her to him. “What do you need from me? What can I do?”

  “Stay with me until they come, the cancer is growing. I think it will try to strike the others before Lucifer and Dahlia make it back.”

  Helion nodded. “I won’t leave you I promise.”

  Belial cried into his chest. “I love you, Helion.”

  “I love you too, Belial. Just rest now.”

  ***

  Uriel and Samuel rejoined Heaven. They panted and gaped. Michael could not take his eyes off his broken spear; his features frozen with shock and agony. Gabriel rocked on the ground, his mouth jumbling words quietly. The fire on the throne boiled over, sparking and surging in random intervals.

  THEY NEED TO BE DESTROYED!

  Michael nodded and spoke without hesitation, “I will do as you command.”

  IN ONE MOTION, WITHOUT WARNING, THEY GET NO MORE CHANCES. NO ONE GETS ANY MORE CHANCES, INCLUDING YOU.

  Michael bowed, keeping his face blank. “What is our next action?”

  FOR YOU, MICHAEL? NOTHING. YOU COULD NOT DAMAGE HER; YOU COULD NOT STOP ANY OF IT. YOU ARE USELESS.

  Michael flinched. He bowed his head. “I am sorry, I—”

  I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR YOUR EXCUSES FOR FAILURE. I REQUIRE GABRIEL.

  Gabriel cringed and looked up. “Yes?”

  YOU, THE SMARTEST, REACH OUT INTO THEIR UNIVERSE. FIND ME A WAY TO DESTROY THEM, BUT DO NOT DRAW NEAR THE PLANET.

  Gabriel bowed. “Yes. May I research prior to going?’

  TAKE AS MUCH TIME AND RESOURCES AS YOU NEED. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO OFFER THEM ANY ADVANTAGE BY MAKING THEM AWARE THAT WE PLOT.

  Gabriel nodded. “Then I request seclusion.”

  GRANTED. NONE MAY NEAR YOU.

  Gabriel bowed and kicked off from the ground. He flew for the empty spaces of Heaven. He turned his face away from all angels. His eye ticked in time with his heartbeat.

  ***

  Dahlia knocked at Furcas and Paimon’s door. Jegudiel answered, his face tear streaked and smiling. She took in his expression. “You found it.”

  Jegudiel nodded, speechless. From behind him, Paimon called out, “Who is there?”

  Dahli
a walked into the living room. Furcas saw her six-winged. “Dahlia! Paimon, our little Dahlia has her six wings back!” He helped Paimon to his feet.

  Dahlia took a deep breath. “Your baby lives.” She hugged all three of them. She kissed Furcas and Paimon on the cheek. “You two, I owe you so much.”

  Paimon blinked back tears. “I am so sorry for hitting you.”

  Dahlia frowned. Then she remembered. “Oh, yes that. You hit Raphael.”

  Paimon, Furcas, and Jegudiel frowned. “What?”

  “She is my second as Michael is to Lucifer.” Dahlia smiled. “We exchanged knowledge and switched our appearance under the feathers. She took on my persona, my memories, and acted here in my stead as a replica. It seems that she did quite the good job being me.”

  Furcas was confused. “Under the feathers?”

  Dahlia waved his questions aside and gazed at their baby. “Her name?”

  Paimon puffed out his chest. “Bean!”

  Bean looked at Dahlia. “Bo!”

  Dahlia reached out and tickled her nose. Bean giggled. Dahlia ruffled her hair. “She is wonderful.” She looked between the pair and touched Paimon’s silver hair. “Get Raphael to fix your eyes.”

  “Can’t you, Sixy?”

  “Raphael still has all of that and you know it. Don’t try and get out of apologizing to her.” She hugged Paimon. “I am sorry I did not let you know he lived, I had to go to Heaven.”

  “Well I know now and that is good enough.”

  Dahlia hugged Furcas. “I hope Hell was not too unpleasant a stay for you.”

  “Unpleasant? I got my eye, my arm, and my baby back!”

  Dahlia shrugged. “And you do not mind being one of my Archangels?”

  Furcas frowned. “I am one of yours now?”

  Dahlia pointed to his wings. Furcas opened them. Colors splashed across the room as candlelight hit his ruby and diamond wings. Bean and Furcas stared, entranced by the lights.

  Paimon sighed. “Well, what are you now? I can’t see.”

  Bean reached for a diamond feather. “Ba, ba, ba, ba!”

  Furcas pulled one out for Bean and handed it to her. She stuck it in her mouth. Furcas pulled it back. “No chew.” He held the feather up to the light and noticed it was studded in tiny gemstones. “I am so damn gorgeous, I amaze myself. Paimon, I am covered in diamonds.”