Daystar

by Darcy Town

Furcas laughed. “No. I’m kind of glad we didn’t though since it seems he wasn’t trying to assault our ever so innocent daughter.” He eyed her. “You came on to him didn’t you?”

  Paimon rolled his eyes. “Of course she did. He couldn’t come on to anything.”

  Bean stomped on Paimon’s foot. “You be quiet! He’s a nice boy!”

  Furcas looked down at her. “A nice boy you tried to sexually assault.”

  Paimon pointed a finger in her face. “Don’t lie.”

  Bean blushed. “But, that’s how you guys act! He would have enjoyed himself. I’m pretty sure I would know what I was doing!”

  Paimon cupped a hand over her mouth. “You might have memories about our sex life, but I don’t want to know anything about yours.”

  Furcas pulled Paimon’s hand away. “Stop it and grow up, Paimon.” He led her back to the tree and sat down, patting the spot beside him. Bean plopped down. Paimon sulked but followed them. Furcas looked into Bean’s eyes. “You cannot just rape Yoshi and expect him to be cool with that.”

  “But you guys—”

  “We have a long-standing relationship with a lot of little rules that perhaps are a bit too nuanced for your brain to understand at the moment. I’m sure you know about sex in the same way that a kid does who reads an erotic novel or watches porn, but that doesn’t mean you really know about it and add onto that, it’s different between each couple.” Furcas looked at Paimon. “He might act like he gets to do what he wants whenever he wants, but there are limits and rules and if I say no, it’s a no, game over.”

  Paimon nodded. “But he has to say no the right way. I mean there have been plenty of times when…” He blushed. “Never mind you know.”

  Bean looked at them confused. “So, I shouldn’t have done that to him?”

  Furcas shrugged. “Well, if it had been his thing, I’m sure he would have loved it, but he thankfully has his head and heart in the right place.”

  Paimon nodded. “And his dick, which by the way is going nowhere near you, forever as far as I am concerned.”

  “What?!” Bean kicked at him. “I’m not a baby.”

  Paimon pointed. “No, but you are still our child.”

  “This isn’t fair!”

  Paimon folded his arms. “Why do things have to be fair?”

  “But Dad was practically younger than I was when you two had sex!”

  Paimon turned beet red. “Yeah, well, I’m not proud of that. So don’t use it against me.”

  Bean gave him a light shove. “You guys turned out fine and I know you don’t regret it.”

  “Well, no,” Paimon mumbled. “But you’re supposed to learn from our mistakes or something like that.”

  Furcas patted her leg and looked at Paimon. “You know this isn’t going to work that way, Paimon. Abstinence education is not a viable option. If she is both of us I am sure you can imagine what her sex drive is going to be or as it seems already is.”

  “We are not talking about this.” Paimon put his hands over his ears. “Both of you shut up.”

  Furcas grinned. “This is fascinating.” He looked over at Bean. “I always expected him to be quite the hands-off parent.”

  Paimon glared at Furcas. “Stop talking when I can’t hear.”

  “Take your hands off of your ears then.” Furcas kicked him in the ankle. “Don’t stick your head in the sand like an ostrich. We have to contend with the fact that she likes boys.”

  Paimon lowered his hands and scowled. “I am perfectly fine pretending she does not.”

  Bean frowned. “It doesn’t matter anyways. He called me depraved and sociopathic.”

  Paimon played in the sand. “Well there are plenty of other boys in the world.”

  “I don’t want any other boys! I want him.”

  Paimon scowled. “You’re just saying that because he’s the only one you’ve been around.”

  “I am not!”

  Paimon perked up. “Maybe we can introduce you to girls and maybe you’ll like girls more! I’d be fine with you being a lesbian. Do you like girls, Bean? Maybe even a little?”

  “I like Yoshi! And how can I like girls? Neither of you do!”

  Furcas turned her face to his. “Bean, is he the one for you?”

  “Yes.” Bean nodded. “He is.”

  Furcas sighed. “She’s telling the truth, Paimon.”

  Paimon flopped onto his back. “Why him? He’s a retard!”

  “He is not! He’s sweet and nice.” Her eyes welled up with tears. “And now he hates me! I fucked up so badly! Oh fuck!”

  Furcas pulled her into a hug. “He does not hate you. He cares about you. He was the one that beat us around the heads until we realized what complete fucks we were being about this.”

  Bean’s tears would not stop. “It doesn’t matter. I saw how he looked at me. He despises me!” She touched her chest and sobbed. “And it hurts!”

  Paimon rolled up to sitting. “No one despises our daughter!” He looked at Furcas. “Fix this now!”

  “Me?”

  “You’re the vamp. Train her in your ways.”

  Furcas raised an eyebrow. “My ways end up leading to sex with the one being sought out.”

  Paimon frowned. “Well, train her to get him as a boyfriend and then they can just hold hands or something. Jegudiel would be content like that.”

  “He’s a boy, Paimon, and a teenage one at that.”

  “A soon to be castrated one, there problem solved.” Paimon grinned. “See?”

  Bean glared at him. “You will not do that to him!”

  Paimon frowned. “He said he didn’t love you right?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s enough of a reason right there. He’s obviously an idiot and he deserves to be hurt.”

  Furcas kicked Paimon. “Will you shut up? You are not helping anything.” He brushed out Bean’s hair. “Jegudiel is just confused, Bean. He sees you as a child, but you’re not a child mentally. You suddenly age and want to get physical, but he hasn’t had time to adjust. You need to think about him too. Besides that, he did have one point.”

  “What?”

  “Emotionally, you are not there yet. You have the body and the brains, but that’s not everything you need to be an adult. You need to learn a few things through experience.”

  Paimon leaned into her. “First lesson, no means no, at least until you two work it out between you.” He closed his eyes. “I can’t believe I am saying this to you, but since you want to obviously be on top in this relationship…he has to trust you. You breached that trust back at the house, big time, and you’ve landed yourself in the abusive, untrustworthy box.”

  Furcas nodded. “Paimon did the same thing to me. Like father like daughter.”

  Paimon made a face. “Yeah and it’s really hard to get out of so you don’t want to be there. I have just been fortunate enough to have Furcas who has a seemingly never-ending supply of forgiveness.”

  Furcas took her hand. “But before you can think of overcoming that obstacle, you need to let him get used to you as an adult in a non-sexually threatening way. So lesson two, learn to interact with him in ways that don’t involve trying to seduce him, got it?”

  Paimon took her other hand. “Go get coffee or take walks in highly populated areas with chaperones, preferably one of us.”

  Furcas nodded. “It probably won’t take that him that long. I’m used to your age already—”

  “I’m not.” Paimon grimaced.

  “Well, you’re a little slow sometimes.” Furcas smiled at Bean. “Once he’s used to you as an adult, we work on your seduction skills. Jegudiel obviously does not want to get punched, drug by his hair, and fucked over a countertop.”

  Paimon scowled. “Can you not say fucked? Please?”

  Furcas laughed. “Fine, jumped then. Jegudiel doesn’t want to get jumped like he’s a random lay in an alley. Is that better, dear?”

  “Not by much.” Paimon groaned.

&nbs
p; Bean frowned. “So how do I, uh, jump him then? Or would it be better if I let him jump me instead?”

  Paimon shook his head. “I don’t like that word either. Not when it comes out of your mouth.” He stared at the sky. “I am being punished for all of my varied and many sins.”

  Furcas smirked. “It’s about time.” He hugged Bean. “Everything will be fine, you’ll see.”

  Bean nodded and smiled. “You guys are the best!”

  “Go us.” Paimon put his head in his hands. “I hate life.”

  Furcas stood up and stomped on Paimon’s stomach. He looked at Bean. “Don’t do that to Jegudiel.”

  Paimon grabbed Furcas’ leg, wrenched it, and tossed him into the ocean. He smiled at Bean. “I am fine if you want to punch and beat the little ingrate, it’ll do him good.” He wrapped an arm around her. “Seriously though, don’t you think maybe there’s someone else out there for you?”

  Bean glared at him. “I’m running out of eligible Archangels. Don’t you think?”

  “I’m fine if you want to date a Lilliam, or you know, never date ever. Celibacy is okay, I survived for awhile.”

  Bean ground her teeth. “You were a raving drunk at the time and you never bathed! No one would have fucked you, so that does not count. I am hot! I deserve to have a hot boyfriend!”

  Furcas jumped out of the water and landed by her side. “She’s vain! I am so proud.”

  “So…” Bean smiled. “What took you guys so long anyways? I’ve been here for awhile.”

  Paimon shrugged. “I thought you would have gone to S and G. This was Furcas’ choice.”

  Furcas smirked. “Why would she go there? I don’t even understand that, this place holds the best memories.” He looked at his bare left hand. “It’s too bad about the ring. It was beautiful.”

  Bean’s eyes flicked up to Paimon’s face.

  Paimon warned her with a glance. He shrugged. “Yeah too bad, I’ll make you another one sometime.”

  Furcas raised an eyebrow. “I assumed you no longer wanted to get married.”

  Paimon punched him in the shoulder. “We have a kid now. Time to be grown-ups and deal with the facts of life.”

  Furcas pushed him away. “I liked your first proposal better, so no thanks, I must refuse your offer.”

  ***

  Whitney arrived in Heaven in a flash of light. Dizzy, she tried to walk and fell down. She blinked against the light. Her eardrums healed and she heard music. She recognized it from Helion’s songs, but being stunned she did not connect the dots.

  Whitney snatched at sparkly lights as they floated by. Her eyes dropped to her wrist, she had bracelets on. She reached up and felt a collar around her neck. She jumped to her feet. Her eyes focused and she saw many angels looking in her direction.

  Whitney made a face as the dots connected. She flapped her wings, anxious. “Ooooh, shit.”

  WHITNEY.

  Whitney whirled around and found herself facing the throne and fire. She put her hands on her hips. “What?”

  RESPECT ME.

  “Respect me.” She folded her wings behind her to hide her trembling.

  I AM YOUR GOD.

  “I am an atheist.”

  KNEEL AND BEG FOR MERCY.

  Whitney took a deep breath to keep from losing her cool. “Kiss my ass.” She turned and pointed at her butt. “Right here.”

  MICHAEL, GRAB HER.

  Michael lifted Whitney off the ground. Whitney struggled with him, but she was as weak as if she were human again. She recognized Michael. “Oh you, I knifed you recently.”

  Michael set his jaw. “Yes, you did.”

  Whitney gazed at him to avoid looking at the fire. “So, yeah, about that.”

  Michael squeezed her arms. “I suggest you remain silent.”

  WHITNEY, LOOK AT ME.

  Whitney kept staring at Michael. “No, I’d rather not.”

  MICHAEL.

  Michael pushed Whitney to the ground and lifted her head up to stare at the fire. Whitney elbowed Michael. He snarled, but maintained his grip. He whispered to her, “You are weakened here. Ladriam cannot come for you and neither can the others of her kind. The collar you wear prevents your escape and drains your energy. Your death has not been ordered; do not tempt that with stupid actions.”

  Whitney trembled. “All I do are stupid things.”

  WHITNEY.

  “What already?! Just say what you want! Fuck!”

  HELION.

  Whitney struggled against Michael. “What for?”

  HE HAS A GIFT, WHITNEY. SURELY YOU HAVE NOTICED THAT HE IS SPECIAL. I NEED HIS GIFT. HE CAN UNDO THEM.

  “Yeah, I get it. I’m dating a sped kid ok. Why don’t you just leave him alone?”

  SPED?

  Whitney managed to crack a smile. “Don’t you know what that means?”

  The fire remained silent, pulsing.

  “Oooh, someone’s not as omniscient as they pretend to be!”

  SILENCE HER.

  Michael cupped his hand over her mouth.

  YOU WILL CALL FOR HIM.

  Whitney shook her head.

  YOU WILL IF YOU WANT TO OR NOT, HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STAY AWAY. REGARDLESS OF LADRIAM’S ORDERS, HE WILL FIND A WAY TO BREAK THEM WITH HIS GIFT. THEN HE WILL COME AND UNDO LUCIFER AND LADRIAM AS IF THEY NEVER WERE.

  Whitney rolled her eyes over Michael’s hand.

  YOU OBVIOUSLY NEED TO BE BROKEN.

  Whitney shrugged.

  MICHAEL, LAY WITH THIS ONE AND ABUSE HER UNTIL SHE CALLS FOR HIM.

  Whitney gulped. Michael hissed very quietly, but Whitney heard it. She looked up at him. Michael stared at the fire. He slowly looked down at Whitney. “I can hurt her other ways than that.”

  HELION HAS BELIAL’S MEMORIES NOW. HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STAND HIS LOVE BEING TREATED AS HIS SISTER WAS. IT WILL DRAW HIM FASTER THAN JUST HER PAIN. HER DEGRADATION WILL DRIVE HIM MAD.

  Whitney’s chest convulsed; she knew that to be true.

  Michael looked at the fire. “You wish me to do to her as Uriel did to Belial?”

  YES.

  Michael swallowed. He clenched his jaw. “I—”

  WHY DO YOU DELAY?

  “Can you not do this better? You are greater than I, surely you could—”

  NO, I DO NOT TAKE THAT FORM; I WILL NOT DEBASE MYSELF WITH A LESSER CREATION. COMMENCE, MICHAEL.

  Michael pressed her to the ground and stared at her, his hands shook. Whitney pulled her wings in to cover her body. He grabbed her wings and held them down with his own. Whitney pleaded using her eyes. He looked away. “I—”

  MICHAEL?

  “I do not want to do this act.” He said it quietly, barely above a whisper.

  WHAT?

  Michael trembled. “When he…when he attacked Belial, Uriel damaged himself irrevocably. In doing this to one who is defenseless, I too will be damaged that way. I will kill her for you, I will rip her wings, break her bones, anything, but please do not make me break myself as well.”

  YOU PUT YOURSELF ABOVE MY WILL?

  Michael sagged. “I—”

  COMMENCE OR SUFFER.

  Michael put his hand on Whitney’s leg. He closed his eyes and pressed her legs apart. Whitney cried into his hand. Michael hissed at the sound of her voice. He struggled with himself. His muscles tensed, but he got no nearer to her. He clutched at her skin, his body and mind warring. He gasped. “I do not mean to disobey, but I cannot.” He bowed his head to the throne. “I am sorry.”

  Fire pierced Michael’s stomach and threw him off Whitney. The flame flayed his skin down to the bone and tore through his wings. Michael curled into a ball to protect himself, but it did no good. The fire whip cut him until he went limp.

  Blood ran into Michael’s eyes and over his lips. His wings were bent backwards and missing feathers in patches. He did not heal.

  Whitney stared at Michael in horror.

  REMAIN AS THIS FOR A TIME TO THINK ON YOUR DISOBEDIENCE. AZRAEL, DO THIS.r />
  Azrael stared at the sparkly lights in the sky.

  AZRAEL?

  Gabriel ran forward, bowed, and took Azrael’s hand. He bowed to the throne a second time. “I have need of Azrael for the project.”

  The fire swirled around Gabriel’s face, not touching, but sensing.

  FINE.

  Gabriel glanced over to Michael and cringed. He pulled Azrael away from the throne in a hurry. Gabriel broke into a run once he was in the crowd of angels. Azrael looked bewildered, but followed Gabriel obediently.

  Ariel ran forward. “I will do it.”

  YOU ARE FEMALE.

  Ariel flicked out talons. “I can still do similar.”

  FINE.

  Ariel grinned and pounced on Whitney. Ariel threw back one of Whitney’s wings and stabbed at Whitney’s face with her claws. Her arm glanced aside. She hissed and slashed at Whitney with both hands. Again, she was thrown back.

  Whitney gaped; she had done nothing to fend off the blows.

  Samuel threw Ariel aside and punched at Whitney’s stomach. He was launched back into the air with force equal to his blow.

  Whitney jumped to her feet and stared at her hands. “Helion.”

  Ariel launched herself at Whitney. Whitney let Ariel slam into her. The girl was tossed back as if she hit an invisible barrier. Whitney grinned. Ariel came around for another try. Whitney slammed a glass-covered fist into her face. Ariel tumbled end over end.

  STOP.

  Ariel and Samuel paused.

  The fire raced towards Whitney. It ran into the same barrier and sheared off.

  Whitney turned towards the fire. “You cannot hurt me.” She recalled Helion’s words. “None of the hosts in Heaven can. Ha!” She danced in a circle. “You all suck and my boyfriend rocks!” Whitney launched herself at Ariel and smashed a fist into her stomach.

  The fire from the throne threw up a transparent barrier between Whitney and the angels. Whitney tapped it, punched it, it would not give. She shrugged. “Fine, trap me, you still can’t hurt me.” She walked along the edge leering at the angels on the outside. “Cage the tiger, real brave aren’t you.” She turned and noticed Michael was within her radius. He groaned. Whitney knelt over him.

  Michael looked up at her, perceiving something other than his pain. “He left me in here with you? Am I so quickly tossed aside after so much loyalty and obedience? Am I that worthless now?” He rested his head on the floor. Skin flapped back exposing bone. Michael closed his eyes. If he had been cast aside, he no longer had a purpose; he had no reason to live.