Page 34 of The Morning Star
Doriel tilted her head. “He’s not of your creation. And he’s an angel, which means his sire is an angel. After all that happened in the war and afterward, what angel would possibly breed with us?”
“More than you think. There’s another angel newborn besides Lux, and several angel pairings that I believe will result in angelic offspring in the next few decades.”
She caught her breath and stared, fascinated as Nyalla scooped Lux up into her arms. The angel revealed his wings, spreading them for maximum effect as he buried his face in Nyalla’s cleavage. As the girl carried him up the stairs, the angel peered over her shoulder at us and stuck out his tongue at Doriel.
The Ancient said nothing, but as she watched the angel infant, I saw a desperate longing in her eyes.
“What can I get you?” I headed into the kitchen and was a bit surprised when Doriel followed me. “An omelet? Pizza? Beer? Vodka?”
“Whatever you’re having. It’s been so long since I’ve been out of Hel I don’t even remember which human foods or beverages I prefer.” She gave me a brief smile that held a hint of sadness. “It’s been a long time since I’ve done more than slumber. It’s a treat just to see everything, to experience all the sensations of the human world. I’d forgotten how seductive, how breathtaking it can all be. They’ve done wonderful things, these humans have. I’d always thought the angels would squash them under a too-firm hand.”
I winced. “I’m afraid that still might happen. Up until now, the angels have only devoted a small group of Grigori to shepherding the humans through their evolution. The rest of them locked themselves up in Aaru like the sanctimonious shits they are. Eventually they started fighting amongst themselves about whose shit didn’t stink. Suddenly there’s more rebellion, this time between the conservative faction and the more conservative faction.”
She shrugged. “Without us to fight they turned on each other. I’m not surprised. Our punishment was banishment and theirs was having to live in an Aaru without us.”
I pulled two beers out of the fridge, popped the caps off and handed her one. “Now they don’t even have Aaru.”
She took a swig and shot me a raised-eyebrow look. “And that is a hollow victory since we cannot seem to exist as beings of spirit. Although Remiel paid me a call late last night and told me he thinks he might have a solution to that.”
Did that solution have something to do with Lux? I stiffened, even more resolved that he’d never lay a hand on my little angel. Never.
“Personally, I think in his desperation he’s focusing on the wrong thing.” Doriel glanced over the divider between the kitchen and the great room, looking toward the stairs. “There’s something else I’m more interested in at the moment than Aaru.”
“Like what?”
She gave me a sly smile. “Well, you know.”
“No, I don’t know.”
“Things in Hel are kind of boring with most of the elves gone. If Remiel isn’t going to bother taking this world from the angels, perhaps I’ll do it myself.”
Shit. One more thing to deal with. Add one more Ancient trying to fuck shit up to my list.
“How about you hold off on that idea for a bit. I’m working toward a situation where we all can share this place. There are a few issues I need to clear up before I ask the Ruling Council to consider my proposal again, but I’ve floated the idea out there, and I think some will eventually be agreeable.” I told her. “Angels will have their spots and demons have their spots. We’d all have to come to agreements with the humans about the rules, though.”
“Rules?” Her nose wrinkled.
“Yes, rules. Not eight hundred pages and PowerPoint slides rules, but basic standards of conduct.” I fixed her with a glare. “And don’t give me some shit about how Angels of Chaos don’t do rules. We have rules in Hel. Don’t fuck with someone’s household members unless you want to pay a blood price, or are able to take out the entire household in a feud. Steal shit and get caught, and you better be a fast talker or you’re dead and no one owes a blood price. We have breeding contracts that would rival some of the four-nine-five reports I’ve filled out. We have rules.”
“These rules need to fit on a double-sided piece of parchment, or no demon is going to abide by them,” she warned. “And whatever you’re thinking of needs to happen pretty soon, because I’m ready for this now.”
She was right. Get a horde of demons all worked up to fight, and it would be near impossible to talk them down.
“Those issues I told you about? Well, there is someone who is here killing angels and Grigori enforcers. That’s a problem. Plus, if Remiel decides he wants to throw his hat in the ring, that’s an issue as well. I need this place clear of unruly demons and angel-killing Ancients before the Ruling Council is going to consider some sort of co-rule.”
She shrugged. “You’re the Iblis. Take care of it. I’ll only be patient for so long. As for Remiel, he clearly has another priority with Aaru.
I tried to ignore the fact that Remiel’s priority included that young angel Doriel had just seen. “Say I make a deal where I give you a section of the human world? For helping me get rid of these rabble rousers and fighting on my side if it comes to war?”
She pursed her lips in thought, the golden dangly ball swinging with the motion. “I’ll consider it. Things are too early for me to make that kind of decision.”
Fair enough. Now for the issue I really wanted to discuss. “Read this and let me know what you think.”
Doriel took the parchment from my hand and opened it. Then she gasped. “Samael?”
“I’m hoping you can weigh in on that.”
“Why doesn’t he just call the sword if he wants it?” She frowned at the parchment.
