Syn’s POV

“You better start talking. Now.” Pandora demanded, fixing her cold glare on me. Can you take the attitude a peg down? Can’t you fucking see I’m being all civil and trying my best to avoid painting these lovely walls with blood? She should know my mood swings faster than a French whore on a black dick. Okay, let’s try not to… mentally destroy anyone today.

I sighed heavily as I shifted my gaze from Pandora to Shads, “Remember Hiroshima?”

“It’s a bit hard to forget,” He squinted his eyes on me, trying to figure where I’m going with all of this. I’m going places, man, trust me. “it was in fact the very first nuking the mankind experienced.”

“What does Americans bombing Japanese has to do with anything?” Pandora’s frown grew deeper. I know she was imprisoned at the time, so maybe she couldn’t quite comprehend the magnitude of damage which Little Boy managed to cause, besides the view was truly impressive. The best fireworks I had ever seen. Truly. I bow my head down to the bastard who put his signature down on the agreement. I remember even I was left speechless as I applauded when I realized the true extent of vengeance that was flowing through some assholes sitting in very high places.

„Well... Imagine Hiroshima times ten and that’s what you get if Tempest is killed.” I explained, watching as face by face dropped and terror started to replace whatever previous emotion they had been indulged in. ‘Fun’ had just gained a new meaning.

„Come again?” Pandora cocked an eyebrow, before a confused laughter ripped it’s way out of her. „You mean to tell Teek here is a walking, talking... nuclear bomb?”

„I wouldn’t quite say ‘nuclear’...” I mused shooting Teek a quick look. She seemed just as confused as everyone in the room. If not more. I bet realizing that you’re created for a single purpose – to wipe out everyone in a thousand mile radius wasn’t something an angel wanted to hear, knowing she thought her main purpose in life was to save every single soul that walked these lands. So much purity in that tiny body. I was willing to do great things to her, too bad she didn’t want to talk to me. „More of a celestial.”

„You read it in the book?” Shads had the deepest frown I had ever seen engraved in his face. It seemed like only now he understood how exactly God worked. Was about time, man. I mean... He was a disgrace to his title- the angel of wisdom. He didn’t know half of the shit he was supposed to.

„I did.” I nodded, „Or it could also mean that she will bring peace and prosperity in a time of chaos and destruction. I don’t know. My Drakorian is a bit rusty.” I shrugged my shoulders. It’s been quite some time since I used the now forbidden language. I strongly believed God had purposely invented a language where two words like good- evil could fit under a single symbol so nobody could fully understand the ancient scrolls.

„Drakorian?” Pandora puckered her eyebrows.

„It’s the ancient language of angels...” Tempest explained, looking at me like she had seen me for the first time. Hi to you too, sweety-pie. „It’s prohibited in the Silver City, because it’s told the Devil started using Drakorian in his demonic rituals.”

I’m sorry, I... I couldn’t bare but laugh on what kind of bullshit they forced in these naive little souls. Seriously? Using the only language God spoke in, in my rituals? Although it would be a huge spit in the face, if you think about it. Maybe I should start practicing it, but then again I should come up with some demonic rituals too since we want to fit the story perfectly. „Then it must mean you’re the outcome of a demonic ritual, babe. There’s Drakorian symbols all over your back.” I winked as a smirk took over my lips.

She gasped as she covered her mouth with both of her hands. After a short moment of silence, she let her hands drop to her sides. „I am, aren’t I...” Oh come on, it was a joke. Don’t let your heart break into a thousand pieces just yet. I’m sure I can come up with something more poetic.

„So...” Pandora shifted her confused stare from Tempest to me. „If I happen to slice her open... She’ll light us all up with some lethal celestial energy...”

„You’re not seriously—„ Shads spoke up, but Pandora cut him short with an annoyed snort and a roll of her eyes.

„Another hit of the celestial energy and I’ll be walking around with my muscle tissue exposed to the world. As far as I know, tattoos don’t go on muscle tissue, Shads.” What did I tell you about Shadows being the smartest dumbest asshole walking the face of Earth? Pandora’s face just approved it. There was no way she would force a blade against the skin of an angel she has become so fond of.

„But wait... He said she could have another purpose,” The priest said pointing to me. He? So now I don’t have a name? Or maybe this fucking pathetic excuse for a fallen has forgotten who he’s talking to? „Enepsigos could bring peace.”

„Or she can be both.” Matt added with a slight shrug. „It’s safe to say nobody wants to test the theory.”

„Wait... you said a book. What book?” Pandora’s fingers ran through her jet black hair. Looks like someone is starting to put the pieces together. A golden sticker goes to Pandora!

„I may or may not be in possession of God’s journal.” I said as I shoved my hand in the pocket of my leather jacket and picked out a pack of Marlboro cigarettes. The priest shot me a dirty look. Oh so he didn’t like when devil’s smoked in his holy establishment? Perfect.

„You... what?” All of them looked at me with their mouths agape as I placed a cigarette between my lips and a short second later lit it up.

„How in the name of God did you get it?” Tempest stepped forward. So now she’s not afraid of me? She looked genuinely furious by the moment the cloud of smoke I exhaled reached her face. The kitty has claws. Fuck, she looked so hot when she was angry with me.

„Let’s just say I kindly borrowed it.” And I haven’t intended on giving it back.

„You had no right of taking it! You have to give it back!” She had walked dangerously close and it seemed she was about to raise her tiny fist in the air and guide it straight towards my nose. Wasn’t she supposed to be afraid of the good ol’ Devil? Was her love for God that strong? Seriously? After he made her into a fucking bomb? And I’m the bad guy here? Figures.

„Wait,” Pandora held her hand up, stopping Tempest in her tracks. My lord and savior! „You can hit him later, I promise, I’ll even show you how, but right now...” Her silver eyes fixed on me, „What else did the journal say?”

I took a drag of the cigarette, narrowing my eyes on her. „Well... for starters it said that a certain demon should learn some fucking manners when addressing her superiors.”


Pandora’s POV

Excuse me? What did he just say to me? „Okay,” I held my hands up in defeat, „Okay. Now you can hit him, Teek.”

Gates chuckled, before his eyes trailed to Teek, who was just a couple feet away from him. „Really, love, you’re gonna hit me?” His head was tilted back as he smirked up at the frustrated Tempest. The knuckles on her fists turned white and I was silently chanting ‘go Teek, go Teek’ up in my head, until she sighed and looked at me with an apologetic look, defeat mirroring in her eyes.

„I... can’t. I’m sorry.” She pouted as she walked back to stand by Astaroth.

„See, even angels fall for the devil’s charms.” Gates exhaled his smoke straight in my face. I swear one day I will fucking kick his ass.

„I said I can’t, not that I don’t want to.” Teek snapped back, leaving me with my jaw hanging on it’s hinges. GO TEEK!

Me and Matt shared a look, both appearing pleasantly surprised. Matt’s eyebrows were up high as an amused smiled played at his lips. He raised his hand up in the air and I instantly high-fived him. „Man, that was good.”

„It really was.” I turned to look at Teek with a thumbs up, „Nice job, love.”

„Okay, okay- enough!” Gates roared, all traces of his previous smirk disappeared from his face. Serves you right, asshole. „You wanted to know what his journal said? Fine. It said that this ‘super weapon’ of his” Gates made an air quote with his fingers as he blew out the smoke, „Was made way before I was titled the Devil.”

„Are you sure?” Astaroth shot him a disapproving glare. „Or maybe this one also has a second meaning?” Oh lord, we’re on a roll here! Team Pandora 2 while team Gates a solid fucking zero.

„Funny,” Gates smirked, before returning his eyes to me. „This power, if you will... is given down from angel to angel. If out of some unearthly cause an angel ceases to exist, a new angel is created solemnly for this fucked up reason.”

„But in that case if there are more than one ‘super weapon’,” I made an air quote, before I snatched the cigarette from him an drew a couple of inhales, „How do you tell which angel is which?”

„The marks...” Shads mused squinting his eyes on his hands. What the hell was he talking about? I don’t think their marks told the story of why the hell were they created. It wasn’t the same as the label ‘made in china’ under ninety percent of the products you could buy in stores.

„Oh fuck off...” I waved him off, „Every Archangel has the same marks.”

„No... the marks,” He tilted his head up, looking me straight in the eye, „The first time we saw her – they glowed.”

„And...?”

„And my marks have never glowed.” He shot me a pointed look. Oh right. The bastard with one hell of a body and even better biceps had once upon a time been a high ranking archangel. Until he fucked up.

„You’re an... archangel?” Tempest mused.

„The correct verb - ‘was’. Just like Gates here.” He pointed his head to Gates. I don’t know what actually had gone down in the Silver City all that time ago, but I bet those two had a tad better living than the one they do now here on Earth... and I’m not even mentioning the time they spent down in Hell. So what gives? Couldn’t they just play by the rules?

„What’s your name?” Suddenly Tempest sat down beside him. Her eyes locked on his confused face. Hold up, sister, you already have one archangel, don’t get bloody greedy. This one is mine. Sort of.

„I don’t see why would it matter now...” A deep frown graced his features. Honestly? Teek was acting like a crazy person right now.

„Answer me!” She exclaimed, taking me back for a second. The first time she raised her voice and it wasn’t on me? I feel betrayed.

„It’s Remiel.” I spoke, noticing Shads’ shoulders tensing as soon as I mentioned his Archangel name. „But what’s wrong? What are you so worked up about?”

„And you?” Her eyes were now fixed on Gates in a very judgy way if I may add.

Before I could say anything, Astaroth was already shooting out the answer. „Samael. Or Lucifer. He goes by either... it differs in every testimony.”

„God’s favorite son...” She mumbled as if trying to figure out what was the x factor that made the Earth spin.

„Well that was quite frankly a wide known fact that the devil was once God’s favorite son...” I proclaimed. I mean... everybody knew that, right? I wasn’t just giving away some delicate information or was I? No, I believe I wasn’t.

„And what about you? Who are you?” She leaned back, holding on the back of the pew as she studied my face. Had she hit her head or something? Seemed like a full blown amnesia to me if she didn’t remember who her rescuer was.

„Me?” I chuckled, „Come on. Like every other demon I was created by him.” I pointed back at Syn.

„Well...”

„Huh?” My head snapped so heard towards where he was sitting that I strongly believed it was a second away from leaving my northern region.

„Okay... Here’s the deal.”Gates took a deep breath, before he sighed, „You were his first attempt at creating a woman. A human woman. Way before Adam and Eve.” Way before? In what drug induced state was he? Gates wasn’t even banned from Heaven when Adam and Eve were first created and I don’t remember anything before meeting the infamous devil. So that, my friends, is in fact a bloody lie.

„And? What happened?” Teek continued her investigation.

„He realized immortal humans aren’t the best idea.” Gates explained with a frown as I shook the burning coal off the cigarette. Sorry, Priest.

„So...” I mused, narrowing my eyes on his tanned face.

„You are a demon. I made sure of it.”

„Well, that’s a fucking relief.” I chuckled. One thing less to worry. „But what’s with the Sherlock Holmes impersonation, Teek? What’s with all the questions?”

„N-nothing... I just... was curious, I guess.” She sighed, lowering her eyes to some spot in the floor. Yeah, sis, I’m not buying it. She knew something, which lead to this chain of questions.

„Okay, I think we can rap up for today,” I forced a make-believe smile on my face as I rose to my feet. „That’s enough of who’s who for one decade.”

„We haven’t even gotten to the plan of how to avoid the fucking war...” Gates objected. Gee, what an observer you are, my charming devil.

„Yeah, but I’m bored,” I said, before I looked at Shads and kneed his thigh, „You wanna come over, big boy?”

„Sure.” Shads shrugged, pushing himself up from the seat with a deep inhale. „Here Comes Honey Boo Boo marathon?”

„You know it.” I laughed as I walked out of the row of pews.

„You’re not serious...” Gates mused in disbelief, „The fucking war is around the corner!”

„Oh don’t be so dramatic,” I waved him off, before I walked off to pull Teek in a tight hug. „Stay with Astaroth.” I whispered in her ear.

„Do you trust them?” She wrapped her arms around my waist as she questioned in my ear.

„Not in the slightest.” I mouthed as I leaned back and looked in her bright purples with a wide smile, before pressing a kiss on her forehead. „Be good.”

She smiled back at me as she let go. I turned to look at Astaroth. „Don’t worry, I’ll keep her safe.”

„I know.” I replied, stepping backwards. „Oh and you know what – why don’t you teach her some self defense while I’m gone? And my thirty grand better be in my account by midnight!”

Astaroth nodded, before I spoon around and hooked my hand in Matt’s elbow.

„Whoa, hold up... And what am I supposed to do when you two are fucking each other sensless?” Syn cocked an eyebrow as he stood up.

„You’re the devil, man...” Shads started and a corner of his lips raised in a smirk, „You’ll find something to preoccupy your mind.”

But the question still was high in the air - why was Teek acting like Sherlock fucking Holmes?

Notes

Finally! It's out! The secret what her markings mean!
I hope you are all as excited as we are for those upcoming chapters!

Love,
D. Price.