Moonfire

by M. Rae Gogetap

  The random details that I had learned seemed to connect like puzzle pieces.

  “Wait, Dan can’t work for the bad team. He’s helping me. I’m not a bad guy, am I?”

  “No, Cee, you’re most definitely all good. Just don’t let lust cloud your reality, okay? Promise me that you won’t sleep with him or anything stupid like that?”

  Rather than fess up, I studied my nails. Too bad my friend knew me better than anyone. Seema put her arms on my shoulders and groaned. “Oh, you moron. You did it already? I’m going to kick that demon’s ass!”

  “I care about him, Seema. I don't understand all your demon political mumbo jumbo, but I know he cares about me, too,” I said, burying my face in the sofa throw pillow.

  “Did he explain how the Pacem get their life force? It’s abhorrent. Rather than join the Portum and get sustenance from the tree, they suck the life from innocent humans.”

  My heart felt like it was in my throat. Did Dan hurt humans?

  “What do you mean, life force?” I forced my voice to remain steady.

  “Well, when we fell to the Earthly dimension, we brought with us our food sources from Heaven. Plerpains, canmachas… God, I miss those- they were kinda like carrots, but blue and softer. There were scores of nectarwing trees, which are similar to apples. In fact, I’m pretty sure there was some cross-pollination over the centuries, and that is how your modern apple came along. Right, so over the years, our enemies discovered our dependence on our native foods and destroyed them. You know, the whole ‘Food will win the war’ theory? Well, it works.”

  I shook my head.

  “Oh, I guess that was a little before your time. World War I if I’m not mistaken…” Seema shrugged.

  I squeaked. “A little before my time? How old are you?”

  “None of your business! Don’t try and change the subject. Where was I?”

  “Food will win the war…” I prompted her.

  “Right. So, as of today, there is only one tree left that we know of, affectionately known as the Tree of Life. The fruit of this tree sustains us in our true forms. Nectarwing keeps us from aging here in this dimension.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Why would anyone want to live forever?”

  “We have longer lifespans than humans. It’s in our genetic makeup. So for us to die after 80 years of life is like a baby dying to humans. I don’t know how to explain it, but that’s the way it is. We have different life spans, and we’d like to keep it that way.

  “Well, Michael’s predecessors eventually infiltrated the Pacem, gaining control of the Tree. When we realized how corrupt the Pacem had become, the Portum formed… and we stole the Tree back. Now if the demons want to live, we thought we’d get them back over to the proper side. The unpolluted, uncorrupted, not controlled by power crazy humans way of life. But the little effers figured out a way to get around the need for the Tree.”

  “Which is?” I asked.

  “Seema, already filling my girl’s mind with conspiracy theories, I see?” Dan said, his tall figure looming before us. He wore boot cut jeans, black chucks, and a white button up shirt hung over his arm. My heart flip-flopped, staring at his bare chest, muscled and tan. I looked around. My balcony door was open.

  “Your girl? Control yourself, demon. She’s my best friend, and there’s no way that I’m going to let her get caught up in whatever new scheme you have spinning.”

  Dan shrugged on his shirt and bent down to kiss the top of my head before he buttoned up the shirt. I shivered at the touch. “Well, if you call protecting her life with my life a scheme, then yes, I absolutely will do this. As long as we agree on that goal, then we’re straight. Just remember, Chelsea, black and white make gray- and it’s the gray that dominates this world.”

  Fluttery giddiness filled my chest at his words. I shook my head. Why did those words strike me so? His possessive words centered me happy. “Hey, thanks for giving a crap about me guys. I need you to work together, so let’s not go all Hatfield and McCoy on each other, okay? Let’s take a break from all this heavy stuff. I’ve got a buzz, and I’m ready to check out the sights. You going, too?”

  Seema nodded.

  “Oh, I’m incredibly sorry, Seema. My backseat is full of gear for mountain climbing. I’m afraid that I don’t have any room for three.” Dan’s teeth bared in a cold smile that looked anything but apologetic.

  “I’m not planning on being the third wheel on your little idiotic date,” Seema said. “I’ll guard from the skies. Signal if you need help.”

  “I most certainly do not need any assistance. The only reason that you’re here is to make the Portum feel useful.”

  “All right, break it up. Seema, I appreciate the thoughtfulness, but you don’t have to guard me-“

  “Thoughtfulness? She and the Portum aren’t watching out for your welfare, Chelsea-“

  “Oh and the Pacem care about what happens to Chelsea? Please, just tell her the truth-“

  “I am not on the Pacem or the Portum’s side. I’m on Chelsea’s side!” Dan yelled at Seema.

  “Okay, seriously, you guys are killing my buzz. I love you both, so stop. No need to be jealous of each other!” I giggled. I thought it was funny that Seema and Dan were fighting over me. Didn’t they realize that I was able to manipulate their feelings? I closed my eyes as they continued to yell at each other, and sent out an energy wisp to each of them. The wisps were like rubber-bands and slammed back into me, knocking me over.

  “Did she just-“

  “Ah, shit, Chelsea!” Dan said, kneeling down and picking me up gently in his arms. “You can’t use persuasion on demons, SG. We’ve got natural defenses against that.”

  I stuck my head between my legs, the shooting pains from my head to spine making me cry out.

  “You idiot, how long have you been training her, and you didn’t tell her this yet?” I heard Seema say, but with my massive headache, it felt like she was talking in crash cymbals. I closed my eyes to dispel the harsh bright light and buried my head in my arms.

  “She just found out what she is Seema. We hadn’t reached that particular chapter of the ‘How to Train Your Demon-Human’ manual yet,” Dan said, combing through my hair with his fingers. His familiar scent of tropical sea air washed over me.

  “You okay?” he whispered.

  My head was already spinning from the Kahlua, and the energy blast seemed dampened because I was tipsy. But I had a feeling my hangover would be more harsh than usual.

  “I’m all right, just a little woozy,” I said. Cold relief touched the back of my neck, and someone moved my hand to the damp towel. Why was I still learning the basics about my abilities? Oh yeah, because no one ever bothered explaining anything. With Aunt Mer, I’d never felt her energy so had never attempted to manipulate it. Good thing.

  “Hold that there for a bit. Vaz used to say that worked for him,” Seema said, quieter this time.

  The coolness seeped in, and relief started to clear my head even further. “Thanks, Seems. You know Vaz, too? Figures.”

  Seema turned her head away, sniffing. “Yeah, I did. Once. I’ll see you guys there, laters.” My balcony door slid shut with a slam, making me wince.

  “Why can’t anyone use the front door?” I asked no one in particular.

  I changed into a pair of dark denim jeans and an old t-shirt from one of my first marathons. The headache had only lasted twenty minutes, much to Dan’s surprise.

  On the way to Sunset Crater, Dan shared his excitement for mountain climbing. I wrinkled my nose as he waxed poetic about the thrill of becoming one with the landscape and witnessing views only the mountains could see.

  “I’m a firm believer in gravity, Dan. You saw what happened when you took me on that crazy flight. I’d rather be on the ground, where I know I’m safe. Gravity exists for a reason, remember?”

  Dan nodded, pulling onto a country highway. Scattered acreages with homes and stables lined the road. Horses flicked their tails on one sid
e. I shuddered.

  “That’s why this will be perfect for you. It’ll give you more of an appreciation for heights, and help you overcome your fear. We’ll start with the basics- scrambling, bouldering, then work our way up to a real climb.”

  “Why do I need to appreciate heights? News-flash, this demon-human hybrid has no wings.”

  Dan raised his eyebrows at me and kept driving.

  His silence caused a lump of fear to grow in my throat, and I attempted to swallow.

  “What? What was that look? What aren’t you telling me now?”

  Dan sighed. “Chelsea, it only stands to reason, if you are part demon, you might get wings one day-“

  Unable to contain myself, I squeaked. “Wings? I don’t want wings! I’m part human, mostly human.”

  Dan shrugged. “We don't’ know if you will get wings, or not. You’re still very young. But just in case, today it’ll be proper training to overcome your fear of heights,” he said, voice full of practicality and command.

  “What does it matter, in eight weeks the point will be moot, right? I won’t even be on this plane or dimension anymore. I’ll be with the other humans, in the new world,” I said, crossing my arms. This admission out loud choked me with sadness instead of fear. My time left on Earth was limited. My existence with Dan was going to end soon.

  Dan’s knuckles whitened on the steering wheel, and he didn’t reply for a few minutes. I fumbled with the radio while we sat in silence.

  “You don’t have to perform the ritual, Chelsea. You have a choice, remember that.”

  Amber and light flashed in his eyes. My stomach flipped. He’d miss me.

  “Right, it’s my choice to condemn humanity to another thousand years or whatever to stay in this world. It’s my choice to make to cause more suffering at the hands of the demons.”

  “Just calm down, you’re still a little tipsy. We need to get some food before we climb. You know what they say about climbing drunk,” Dan said, changing the subject.

  “Don’t do it?” I said, sniffling.

  “Reach the top, free your head. Unless you’re wasted, then you’re dead.”

  “That is super lame,” I muttered, drinking some water from the bottle that Dan handed me.

  “You’re a grouchy imbiber,” Dan said.

  “Am not.”

  “Are too.”

  I snorted to cover up the gnawing pain growing in my stomach. Dan wasn’t telling me everything. The idea of the ritual was daunting, but the fear of what my future held was scarier still. If humans would go to the next world, would I be going with them? Or was I not human enough? Would I be left here, on Earth? And if so, would I survive the demons that would remain? Would they even allow me to live? I had Dan, Seema and probably Meredith to offer protection, but they weren’t enough to protect me from hundreds, or thousands of other demons. Everyone kept telling me I was the only known demon created in the Earthly dimension. What sorts of experiments would they perform to figure out how I came to be?

  Tears filled my eyes again, but I took a deep breath. My survival was at stake. I needed to find out answers myself, if I had any hope.

  We pulled up to the guard shack of the national park, and Dan paid our admission. He parked at a pull off and grabbed a cooler from the backseat. He unwrapped a full-size French baguette and gave me another, smaller version.

  “What’s on the menu for lunch?” I asked.

  “Veggie subs and homemade sweet potato chips,” Dan said. He watched me with an encouraging smile while I took a bite of the sub. My tongue recoiled at a suspicious gelatinous substance.

  “Let me guess, soy cheese?” I said. Dan nodded. “It’s not bad, but I’m still getting used to the whole tofu texture.”

  “It’s so much healthier,” Dan said. He began eating his sub. Amazed that this demon who probably looked danger in the face every single day would care about maintaining his long-term health, I shook my head.

  When we finished our food, Dan began driving to the volcanic cone that we were to climb. Pines and black boulders lined the roadways. Swaths of black and gray rock invaded the green forest, evidence of an ancient volcanic eruption. The black rock contrasting the trees made me feel small in nature’s shadow. How amazing that after an ancient eruption desecrated the land, beauty thrived.

  After a short time, we turned into the forest, leaving the road behind. I grabbed Dan’s shoulder.

  “Ah, we’re not on the road.” I looked behind me as if expecting a park ranger to be following us.

  Dan smirked at me, then I was slammed against the passenger door as he swerved, narrowly missed a tree. “Relax. We’re climbing in a secluded area today. I’d like some flexibility with our lesson.”

  He drove for another ten minutes, the Range Rover bouncing over the forest floor. Although there wasn’t a road, there were faint tire tracks amongst the dry pine needles on the ground. He must have driven this route before. When he put the car in park several yards from a black mini mountain, I stopped breathing.

  My stomach rolled, reality setting in. I was going to be climbing the face of a rock.

  “You have safety equipment, right? Those rope thingies and climbing pick axes, right?”

  Dan chuckled, his laugh deep and full of excitement. He always did love teaching. “Yes, I have everything we’ll need, but for now, we’re just freestyling. I’m the only safety equipment that you’ll need. Don’t worry, Chelsea, you’re safe with me.”

  “What if I lose my balance? What if I splatter on the ground?” I stared at the black wall before us. Nauseating images flashed as I closed my eyes. Bones breaking, body slamming against the wall as I fell.

  “Chelsea, chill. It’s me, remember? Your guard, your lover. I will protect your life with my own,” Dan said. My eyes widened and met his own, amber eyes darkened, and his hand caught mine. Lover. That was a step up from his “girl.” Our relationship had a title.

  His fingers squeezed my own.

  “It’s better to face your fears than to run from them. But we can take it slow, okay?”

  My lungs filled with air as I attempted to take a deep breath. Was he talking about climbing or a relationship? Instead of asking him, I stared at the black rock ahead.

  After one last longing gaze at the safety of the road that led out of the park, I intertwined my other hand with his.

  “Okay, and you’ll explain to me your take on all of the Pacem Pomeri and the Portum and everything else afterward?”

  Dan nodded. “Yes, it’s time for that. For now, relax. You’ll love climbing.”

  I stepped out of the SUV and turned my face to the sun. Breathing in the clean air, I smiled, attempting to conjure up a more confident feeling. Ponderosa pines and birch trees towered above the gray-black earth. Ancient lava turned to lava pebbles and sand made crunching sounds as we followed a path towards the base of the cone. Jagged black boulders scattered amongst a barren valley of lava sand. Volcanos annihilated this land a thousand years ago, so little grew in the valley. The beauty it held was raw and striking. Kneeling down to touch a peppy yellow flowered plant, I admired it’s determination to grow in the inhospitable crag of a rock.

  “I wouldn’t touch everything that looks pretty, could be dangerous,” Dan said over his shoulder, hauling a backpack from the trunk and motioning for me to grab the other pack. “Looks can be deceiving.”

  I grabbed the other pack.

  “Well, then you should be safe to touch, right?” I said, deadpanning. He laughed loudly, slamming the back of the Range Rover closed. He turned to me, and walked a zig-zagging pattern in my direction, never losing eye contact. My heart raced, it was like he was hungry (what else was new), and I was his lunch.

  He began unbuttoning his shirt. My mouth dried.

  “Haven’t you figured me out, yet, silver girl? I threaten. I’ve never been called safe,” he said, then with a growl he tossed aside his shirt and ran for me, lifting me off the ground and flying upwards. I gasped, then gig
gled as the stubble on his cheek tickled my neck. I hardly noticed that we were defying gravity with his sweet distraction. The wind blew past my ears. The initial chill chased away by his heated bare chest.

  “But you always make me feel safe,” I said, leaning my head farther to the left, encouraging his kisses.

  When his tongue slid against my sensitive skin, I moaned. He growled, the sound making my stomach tighten further from another kind of hunger. “And that is why I’m good for you. Everyone knows that I’m dangerous. But I will protect you.”

  Dan showed me that he had other plans besides keeping me safe, and my body agreed that he was good for me.

  Several minutes later, I pulled my disheveled hair into a messy bun. Dan smirked as he watched me, a smug glint in his eye. Sober and satisfied, I viewed the rock face with determination.

  Five minutes later I remembered why I liked the ground.

  “Oh my god, I am going to fall, don’t let me fall!” I cried, fingers digging into the hold that Dan had assured me would support my body.

  “Chelsea, you’re not going to fall. Just relax your left leg and swing up with your right leg. Wait! Don’t let go of your grip.”

  My face hit the cool, hard rock as Dan flattened me to the rock-face. Breathing fast and shallow, I whimpered.

  “I’m going to die.”

  Dan’s body warmed my own despite the breeze of his flapping of his wings to maintain his position holding me to the wall.

  “I won’t let you go,” Dan said. “You’re going to be fine.”

  “Where do angels go when they die?” I whispered. My heart was racing. I needed to feel his body securing my own. Not ready to continue the climb, I waited for his answer.

  “There are three known dimensions that spirits cycle through. Obscura, Heaven, and Earth. Obscura is like a void- we aren’t sure what it’s like, and no one remembers going there. But we know it exists because when Apparators travel there, they never return, like a blackhole for souls. Legend is, when angels die, they go to Obscura. We believe Obscura is a place of cleansing and deleting memories, removing preconceptions, to start life anew in the next dimension. Human spirits go through Heaven, they say. A cycle of spiritual enlightenment.”