The demon kissed the panicked teen. “We’ll be upstairs, this is a quest for you, not us.” She grabbed the twins, “Come on you two.”
Atropa watched the three disappear up the winding staircase. The teen pulled out a chair and sat down. She looked at the crumbling sheet and began to decipher the text on the blank page beside it.
It felt like hours, but soon Atropa had a page translated. Her brain and hand hurt from the ordeal, but she was able to make out most of the so called ‘prophecy’. It seemed really tacky to call it that. She hated how long winded the damn thing was. Couldn’t God have made a bullet point list? The teen groaned and finally set down her pen.
Atropa bit her nail and read aloud what she had translated, “And so it was, that life began anew. Humans would once more conquer beasts, tame the Earth and sow their seed. Through this, I shall send a final child to end the suffering of my creations. The wicked shall be smote, the pure shall rise, and this child will rule the world I have created. This child shall be the first born of Lucifer, the first to be given life on Earth. This child shall be a female, one with eyes of amethyst and hair the color of the fruit of knowledge, she shall rise when I fall, for I am….”
“Atropa!” Lilith yelled above her.
A rumble ripped through the building, shaking plaster all over the basement.
“HOLY SHIT!” Atropa screamed as the ceiling came down above her. She was able to run to the other side before two feet of cement smashed into the spot where she once sat. “Jesus Tap Dancing Christ!” Atropa gasped, running fingers through her tousled hair. Another crash rang through the basement as a large figure landed on the fallen ceiling. Atropa shivered, the guy was massive! He was the vision of a bodybuilder. He looked like he could kill someone with just his pinky.
“Thou shalt not take thy Lord’s name in vain,” his deep voice rattled the shelves and made loose papers fall.
“Who…who are you?” Atropa asked. She began to inch away from the threatening form.
The figure unfolded his wings, they shined with the light from the room above. “I am Semangelof,” he answered, stepping off the slab. With a strong hand he reached behind him and pulled out a sharp blade. With a smile he finished, “I am the hunter of demons.”
“Oh God,” Atropa panicked and ran. She dashed through aisles, hearing books and scripture being destroyed behind her. Cases, covers, papers rained down on her in a fury as her legs carried her. “AH!” she cried as her ankle was grabbed. Atropa tried to claw at the debris and get a grip on the concrete.
Semangelof dragged the girl back. “There is no use running, small one. Your end shall be today!”
Atropa growled, “Let. Me. GO!” She glared at the bookshelf and watched it fly into the angel’s head.
The man howled in pain and dropped the girl.
Atropa scurried to her feet and tried to climb the winding staircase to the upper level. Her heart was racing, she could hear the man behind her. ‘Oh Shit! Oh Shit! Oh Shit!’ was repeating in her mind over and over again.
“Semangelof!” a shrill voice roared.
Atropa fell on the upper floor’s landing. Pale feet met her eyes, then a torso and finally, an angelic face. “Oh God…” she whimpered. Milky white eyes stared down at her. Wisps of blue smoke and feathers surrounded the female, her silver hair fell in waves that went close to her waist.
“Stand back,” she advised. Her voice was a ghostly silk that caressed the teen’s ears. The angel smiled, the girl was adorable. She looked terrified, but still adorable.
Atropa hastily nodded and crawled past the being till her back hit a bookshelf, arms encased her quickly. A hand quickly covered her mouth before she could screech.
“Hush,” Lilith whispered and stared at the blue angel. The demon moved the teen behind the bookcase. She had no idea why Sansenoy had let Atropa go, but she wasn’t about to question it.
“What are we going to do?” Atropa whispered, her voice shaky as her eyes searched the other’s.
Lilith wasn’t pleased about having the female angel intervene but restrained herself from attacking. “This isn’t our fight,” she said and pulled the teen closer to her chest.
Semangelof stood on the top step. He glared at the female before him. “What are you doing here?” the male angel growled.
Sansenoy smiled, “Hello to you too, brother.” She noticed the bruise on the side of his face and smiled. The little thing had actually managed to cause some damage. She turned and saw Lilith holding the teen. She looked the pair up and down, “I see why you like her.”
Lilith sneered, “Thanks.”
Atropa didn’t know how, but Lilith made the word sound like ‘fuck you’.
Semangelof growled, “Be gone, sister. It is my duty to cleanse this world, to protect these creatures of our Lord!”
“These are creatures of our Lord, as well!” Sansenoy challenged. She pointed at the teen, “She is but a child. I will not let you harm her!”
“She is a demon in a child’s disguise,” Semangelof challenged. He glared at the female, “Do not cross me,” he warned.
Sansenoy’s face was stoic as she said, “I am the protector of children. Even if it is by you, I will not let them be harmed, no matter who they were born to.” She pulled out her daggers. “Fight me if you must, but she will not die.”
“Then you will!” Semangelof screamed and ran toward the woman. He began to swing his blade wildly, trying to hit the other angel.
“We have to help her,” Atropa said, trying to wiggle out of Lilith’s grasp.
“This isn’t our fight!” the demon insisted.
“I don’t care. She’s trying to protect me. I won’t let her die,” Atropa said. “I order you to let me go!”
“Atropa…”
“Do it!” the teen commanded. She was surprised when strong arms released her. Atropa got up and watched the two angels battling amongst the books. Papers were flying and shelves were being knocked over and thrown about. “Stop!” she screamed, glaring at the lights above her.
Sansenoy heard the girl’s roar. Why hadn’t she left? The angel had let her go, so why didn’t she leave?! White eyes saw the teen’s violet ones were locked with the ceiling. “Leave me be!” she screamed but the girl didn’t move. Then she felt it.
The lights flickered and flashed around them. Darkness, light, darkness, utter destruction. Semangelof froze above his sister, his blade locked in a raised position. He heard a crunching noise and looked above him, watching as the ceiling fell.
Sansenoy rolled out from underneath the male before she too was crushed beneath the wires, glass, and concrete. She looked at the teen, astounded. “You,” she panted, “You saved my life.”
Atropa smiled at the woman, “We’re even then.” She saw the pile of rubble moving. “He’s getting up!” the teen yelled in horror. Her concerned eyes looked at the angel, “Run!”
Sansenoy nodded and flew out of a nearby window, fading into the grey clouds and heavy rain.
Lilith grabbed the teen’s arm and quickly dragged them both out of the building. She threw the small body into her car, the engine coming to life before Atropa hit the seat. “So much for that! Can’t believe you saved her,” Lilith growled. Darren and Erin were there in seconds, clambering into the vehicle.
“Who the fuck was that?!” Erin screamed, referring to the crazy Adonis that had just tried to kill them.
“A douche,” Lilith answered and shifted gears to get the hell out of there. Black tire marks were left as she sped through the exit and onto the main road.
The logical twin looked behind them and cringed. “Um, Lilith, scary buff dude is following us,” Darren said, voice shaking.
“Fuck!” Lilith slammed on the gas pedal, making the passengers in the car fall back.
“Slow down!” Atropa urged but was only met with the sight of the meter going into the hundreds. “You’re going to kill someone, stop!”
“No way. That bitch caught me once, he w
on’t do it again!” Lilith violently turned onto the highway. “Is he still there?” she asked.
Erin glanced back this time, meeting the terrifying face of the angel. The man was getting closer, dodging the few cars on the road and flying through the wicked storm. “Yep, and he looks pissed,” the imp whimpered.
A devilish grin spread across Lilith’s face, “Good.” She got off the highway and into town. The demon got the car past the welcome sign before turning into the forest. The vehicle thumped, bumped, and jumped on the unpaved road.
“Lilith, what the hell? The street’s that way!” Atropa screamed as they almost hit a tree.
“We need to lose him,” Lilith explained. She began to weave her car through the dense woods. The tires ripped apart dead leaves and slung mud over the gleaming paint job. “I’m going to have to clean this fucker now, dammit!” Lilith said, smacking the steering wheel.
“Lilith,” Darren whined, the angel was still fucking there! “How are we going to ditch this guy?!” he asked, heart racing. He hadn’t feared death in centuries.
“Easy,” Lilith said, “We go to unholy ground.” She floored the gas pedal and watched the world begin to blur. Laughing she pulled into the drive of the old mansion and slammed on the brake.
Three of the four passengers cried out in pain as they were thrown throughout the car.
“Jesus fucking Noah!” Erin said, clinging to the headrest of the driver’s seat. He looked around, seeing his twin upside down.
“Get out,” Lilith order and opened her door. She saw the man standing at the edge of the property. He tried to step forward but hissed in pain. Lilith gave him a cat like grin, “Can’t get me now, can you, fucker?!” She looked into the car. “Come on,” she urged and helped the disheveled Atropa out of the vehicle.
“Never, do that again,” the teen snarled, heart still racing from the experience. She shook off the demon’s kind gestures to fix her hair.
Lilith shrugged, “I got us home, didn’t I?” She looked back at the angel and stuck out her tongue, laughing at the pissed off look she got. “Let’s go inside,” she said and took Atropa’s hand.
The teen frowned and looked back at the man standing at the edge of the property and her eyes saddened at the sight. He was crying.
Chapter XIX: A Chat
Atropa looked out her window. The moon’s light had fallen on the dewy grass and made it shine like stars. All life seemed to slumber. Near the tree line though, she could make out a shape. A restless being that refused to be lulled into unconsciousness. The teen frowned. She looked at Lilith’s sleeping form and back at the window, trying to make up her mind. Atropa quietly grabbed two spare blankets and tipped toed out of the room.
She slipped past the twins room without incident. Finally, there was her father’s room. The door was open, but he seemed to be hard at working, typing away. Atropa tried to silently cross passed but a loud creak gave her away. She winced.
“What are you doing?” Lucifer asked her, not turning around from his work at the desk.
Atropa shifted on her feet, “Going...out?” She didn’t really have a fleshed out plan in mind.
Lucifer snorted, “You won’t get through to him.” He turned around. With that hair, she now looked almost exactly like her mother. “You know that right?”
Atropa pouted and defended, “Well, I should at least try.”
That stubbornness, he knew it all too well. “You’re just like her,” Lucifer lamented.
Atropa furrowed her brow. “How’d she get through to you? What made you choose her?” she asked, holding the blankets closer to her chest. “There had to be something other than looks for you to be sad about her being gone.”
Lucifer tensed, “She treated me... like I was no different than her. Most bowed and groveled at my feet, but she didn’t. She kept her head high and seemed... unimpressed.” He laughed at the memory, “When I arrived, while others begged and pleaded, she asked me to prove who I saw. She had the gaul to say that I could be a fake.” Lucifer beamed, he could still hear her voice.
“Did her group only summon you to make me?” Atropa rested against the doorframe.
“They wanted power, she...she wanted knowledge. Answers to the world’s unsolved mysteries. She was inquisitive, full of this childlike curiosity. I don’t care much for mindless followers. That’s way Lilith is so endearing to me, as was your mother. A bundle of sticks can be broken if they are not strong enough to resist a higher hand.” Lucifer stood and went to his daughter. He wrapped his arms around her, “You have your mother’s heart, it’s defiant but kind. Be careful who you trust with it.” He placed a kiss on her forehead, “Scream if you need us.”
Atropa smiled and hugged him back. “Thank you,” she whispered and scurried off downstairs.
Lucifer watched her go. He tapped his fingers against the wall. “You two would have been too much for this world,” he gripped the locket that rested under his shirt in mourning.
* * *
Semangelof groaned and stared at the blister that had formed from stepping onto the property. “Damn demons,” he growled. He had failed, in more ways than one, he had failed. The pain and guilt that bloomed in his chest was almost too much, even for a being such as himself.
The ache was broken though, by a concerned voice. “That looks like it hurts,” it whispered.
The comment made the angel look up. “You!” he said when he recognized the face. “You vile beast. How dare you face me at my lowest.” He flared his nostrils and growled, “Have you come to taunt me like the others? Laugh and mock at my failure, then leave. I have no heart for more torment.”
Atropa’s eyes softened and shook her head. She got as close as she could without crossing the property line. “I’m not here to mock you,” Atropa said and looked at the blister again. “I have a Band-Aid,” she offered and tossed it across the barrier. “I only had Mickey Mouse though,” the teen bit her nail. She laid out one of the blankets and sat down.
Semangelof glared at the thing she had tossed. “Why do you do this?” he asked. His curiosity was piqued, no demon he had ever met showed a single ounce of kindness to him. Especially not the ones he tried to kill.
“You look like you needed one, is all,” Atropa answered, beginning to play with the wet grass. She frowned, her blanket was going to be all wet. The teen looked up at the man, “Why were you chasing me?”
Semangelof chuckled at the question. “Why? Are you daft? You are the definition of evil.”
“But why?” Atropa asked. She looked at her hands, “I didn’t ask to be born this way! Why are you blaming me for something I can’t control?” Her sad eyes stared into the blue. “I never wanted any of this, so why are you trying to hurt me for something I can’t change?”
Semangelof clenched his fist, “I…” He paused, he had no answer to give. “I do not know,” he said in defeat and looked up at the teen. “I do not know,” he repeated. The weight of the words crashed down upon him. Tears formed in his eyes, they ran down his face. In a panic, he wiped them away.
“What you did to your sister was really mean, you should apologize,” Atropa advised. “I don’t have any siblings, so I guess I don’t really get it, but you should be nicer to her.”
Semangelof frowned, “She was stopping me from doing my job.”
Atropa shrugged, “Well, you were kind of interfering with hers. I’m still a minor so I kind of fall under her jurisdiction, right? You also could have hurt a lot of people at the library. We’re lucky there was hardly anyone there.”
We. The demon had said We. Semangelof sighed, “I was...reckless. I will admit to that.”
Atropa ripped out some blades of grass. “I’m sorry I hit you with a bookcase, and dropped the ceiling on your head,” she began to rip the blades apart .
Semangelof looked at her in wonder. This timid creature was the Antichrist? He furrowed his brow. “I tried to kill you,” he reminded.
Atropa shrugged again, “Hatr
ed begets hatred. Darkness begets darkness.” She looked at him fondly, “I don’t want to fight unless I have to. I hope that both our kinds could at least be on civil terms. Just because the world as we know it is changing, doesn’t mean it’ll be the end.”
“You are strange, little one,” Semangelof cocked his head. He watched her for a moment before advising, “They will be worried if you are gone too long. You should go back.”
Atropa nodded, “You’re probably right.” She stood and brushed the grass off her lap. She crossed the property line and wrapped her extra blanket around the angel’s shoulders. “My name’s Atropa,” she said.
“Semangelof,” The angel replied.
The teen gave his wet cheek a chaste kiss. “Goodnight, Semangelof,” Atropa then turned, grabbed her own blanket, and went back toward the house.
Semangelof looked at the Band-Aid. He opened it and placed it on his blister. The angel frowned at the cartoon mouse that cradled his wound. He gripped the soft blanket tighter. His cheek was warm from the bit of contact it had received. “Goodnight, Atropa,” he called. She turned around, delight on her face before waving to him. Semangelof watched the girl disappear into the house. She was nothing like he thought she would be. She had saved his sister from him, had treated him with kindness. For the first time in his life, the angel was questioning himself.
* * *
Atropa was used to waking up to weird things, especially nowadays. But the last thing she thought she’d wake up to was an angel with milky white eyes. “Ah!” she screamed and threw blankets and sheets around while flailing. “What, what are you doing here?!” Atropa asked, pointing at the creature.
Sansenoy merely smiled, “I wasn’t able to give you a proper thank you at the library. My name is Sansenoy.”
That seemed to calm the teen down. “Atropa,” the girl replied. She stuck out her hand and the angel took it.
Sansenoy wasn’t used to such human introductions. It was quite endearing. She took her hand back and slipped it into her dress pocket. Sansenoy smiled and handed a package to the teen. “Take this, you’ll need it,” she insisted.
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