Evenstar Read online

  Evenstar

  Book 2 of the Morningstar Trilogy

  By Darcy Town

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.

  If in doubt, ask me.

  Enjoy!

  Continuing thanks to my Reloy, Emma, and Dan for being great feedback providers. Thanks to Adrian for proofreading. Thank you mom for being supportive!

  Prologue – The Day before Days Began

  There was no beginning and there was no end, no up or down, light or dark. Everything existed at once with no distinction. One presence encompassed it all, one consciousness. It saw no reason to continue, for what would continuing bring? No growth could occur; there was no future and there was no past. There was nothing because it was everything.

  Beyond all else God was bored, tired of the never changing sameness. It sought an end, or a beginning, something to change what it was now. It decided to split, to divide and build itself anew. It desired to experience itself subjectively, to forget so that it could learn again, so that it could grow. As the thought formulated, the action took place, no distinction from idea to reality.

  A fracture formed, a split, a duality in the structure.

  ***

  Monday (morning)

  Dahlia played with the silver chain at her wrist as hot water rained down from the shower above. She loved her new place. She loved her new friends. She loved her new boyfriend. Thoughts of her nightmares had faded, along with the aftereffects. He wanted to be with her, really be with her, crazy outbursts and all.

  She smiled. She hummed and closed her eyes as she worked shampoo into her honey-colored hair. The notes echoed through the bathroom, and the air around her shimmered. Her eyes turned red as she opened a bottle of conditioner. Her heart fluttered. The bottle slipped from her fingers. “Damn it!”

  The bottle of conditioner burst open as the words left her mouth. Dahlia sighed. “Shit.”

  She ceased humming, and her eyes turned back to blue. She mopped up the conditioner and cursed her clumsiness. Belial would probably be upset, it was one of her designer brands, but Dahlia was only human after all. At least, that is what she thought to be true.

  ***

  Andy sat on his unused bed and finished wrapping Dahlia’s birthday present. He set the present aside and stared at the door, wondering if it was time yet to get up as a human would. A bird landed at one of his many feeders outside his window. The sparrow chirped and hopped from foot to foot in the morning sunlight.

  He smiled. “Hello sparrow.”

  Belial threw open his door. “Andrealphus, Lucifer has a beard! Come check it out it’s totally weird! Come on, come on, come on!” She jumped on his back and wrapped her legs around his neck. Her long blonde hair got in his face, obscuring his vision.

  Andy grinned and batted at her. “What?”

  She leaned over and matched her big blue eyes to his gray ones. “Come on! I’m serious, he’s fuzzy! He just showed me!”

  “No way.”

  “Yes way! He went to see Furcas!”

  Andy jumped up. He secured her around his shoulders and ran from the room, giving her a piggyback ride. The pair dove into Furcas’ room laughing.

  Paimon passed the duo and scratched his fingers through his red hair. He headed downstairs to get breakfast ready. He stretched and listened to his joints pop. Underneath his wrinkled clothing, he was bruised down to the bone. He grinned and thought about breakfast, determined to make a meal that would manage to please Dahlia while irritating Furcas.

  Belial and Andy ran screaming from Furcas’ room with giant smiles on their faces.

  Furcas dove into the hall after them; his normally perfect hair and clothing mussed and crumpled. “Immature, fucking children! Act your age!” He launched a pearl handled razorblade at the two as they fled. The blade sunk in Belial’s back, lodging in-between two ribs.

  Belial pulled it out and hissed. “You ruined my shirt, you asshole, and Dahlia could have seen! I’m keeping this.”

  “No, that was a present!”

  Belial shrugged. “Too bad for you!” She stuffed the blade into her bra. Andy pulled her into his bedroom. Furcas ran in after them, swearing.

  Paimon passed Berith on the landing.

  The giant rumbled his hello and headed towards the backyard. He had swords and armor on under his bulky hooded sweatshirt.

  Paimon gave him a once over and shook his head. “For once someone looks worse than I do.”

  Berith stared at his outfit as he stepped outside. “I am in disguise.”

  Apple laughed at him as he walked into the morning sunlight.

  ***

  In Furcas’ bathroom, Lucifer played with the razor Furcas had supplied for him. He eyed the blade and scraped it across his face; it did not do very much. He glanced down at the supplies that Furcas had laid out in neat rows on the countertop, their labels handmade. Lucifer surmised that this shaving was supposed to be a deliberate process, done with care and skill, something done slowly.

  He moved the bottles aside. He spread a towel on Furcas’ marble countertop and sliced straight through his left cheek. Blood gushed from the wound and soaked the towel in seconds. Lucifer watched new smooth skin form as the injury healed. The skin was beard free.

  Satisfied with the result, he cut along his throat, coating himself in blood. He severed an artery by accident, spraying the mirror. He wiped a spot free so he could continue to see what he was doing. Furcas could clean up after him later.

  He brought the blade back to his face. Dahlia liked clean-shaven, he would be the cleanest. He smiled at his progress.

  Lucifer finished his face and tossed the razorblade into the sink. He hopped into Furcas’ shower, the silver bracelet and chain on his wrist jingled as it ran across the tile. He washed the clotting blood off his body and hummed to himself.

  ***

  Dahlia walked out of her bedroom. Her silver chain ran into Furcas’ room, the door was closed. Belial’s laughter and Furcas’ indistinct shouting came from Andy’s room down the hall. She shrugged and padded down the stairs, led by her nose to the smell of bacon.

  Paimon poked his head out of the kitchen. “Food’s almost ready, take a seat.”

  Helion handed her a glass of orange juice and smiled.

  Dahlia sighed and took a seat next to the hungover trio of her mostly-human friends Tracy, Whitney, and Jacob. She smiled. “I love three day weekends. They’re so relaxing.”

  ***

  Twelve Hours Later

  Belial screamed in rage. She fixed her gaze on the burning wreckage of the helicopter Andy had crashed into the woods. She cut down swaths of Solomon Soldiers, human men, as she raced to the wreck. Lilliam and humans fought back and forth on either side of her. She could not focus on those that died near her; she only saw the helicopter on fire. She imagined Andy trapped beneath it, suffering.

  She leapt on the twisted metal and tore. Humans shot at her; some tried to pull her away from the fire. She flung burning pieces of plastic at them.

  Belial punched through fiberglass. Her skin blackened and bubbled in the heat, but she would not relent. She ripped through the metal frames of seats and chucked the junk into the blue and white forest that surrounded the property.

  Andy’s broken hand poked through the shredded remains of straps. Belial split the steering console with a punch. Andy lay underneath, unconscious, skin blistering and healing in a repeating cycle. Belial’s ch
est constricted and panic squeezed her heart. She reached for him, grabbed his neck, and hauled him out of the cockpit. She leapt from the helicopter and landed in the grass. She cradled Andy in her arms, ignoring the pain in her limbs and the dying fire on her jacket.

  “Wake up!” She dropped to her knees and held Andy’s head in her trembling hands. “Andrealphus, please wake up!”

  Archangels Michael and Uriel entered the atmosphere; the resulting sonic boom drew her attention from Andy’s slowly healing body to the sky above. The Archangels burned like comets in the night sky. Her eyes went wide. “Fucking shit! Andrealphus!” The Archangels headed straight for Dahlia. “Get up now! Dahlia needs you!”

  Paimon’s voice rang across the chaos in the yard, “Incoming!”

  Belial covered Andy’s body with hers.

  Michael slammed into the ground. The force of the impact flattened her against Andy’s chest. Dirt filled the air. Belial spat blood. Beneath her, Andy stirred and blinked. He opened his eyes as his black hair and eyebrows grew back. He saw her, touched her hand, and smiled. “Hi.”

  Belial slapped him across the face. “Idiot! You could have jumped from the helicopter!”

  Uriel hit the ground next to Michael; a shield of white light blasted out from him. Outside the radius of the shield, Belial and Andy were knocked flat, but not pushed. Scores of Lilliam were shoved into them, repelled by the heavenly energy. Fairies and elves toppled end over end, many unmoving where they fell.

  Belial struggled to get up as the ground shook. She stumbled to Andy’s side and helped him to his feet. Lucifer shouted from somewhere behind them. Solomon Soldiers rushed out of the shielded area, blinded by terror and their desire to kill Lilliam. Belial took a swipe at the first male to get near her. She shoved the bloody body at Andy. “Get dressed! You have to get Dahlia!”

  Andy tore off the melted remnants of his clothing. He stripped the corpse and changed, the clothes ill-fitting, but sufficient. He punched out a woman as she ran by. “What’s going on?”

  Belial decapitated a man. “Michael and Uriel landed. We’re on Plan B; which means you need to go now!”

  “Understood!” Andy grabbed her hand and picked her up. He jumped towards Michael; they soared through the air and hit the shield with a thump. Both jerked in shock, expecting to have continued to the ground. They flailed their arms and slid down the domed surface. They landed in the grass and stared.

  Belial stabbed at the wall of light. “It’s solid. What is this?”

  “Some new invention of Gabriel’s no doubt, it’s like the pendant.” Andy slammed his palms down on the transparent shell. “Michael has Dahlia!”

  She stared at Andy. “What are we supposed to do now? What about the plan?”

  Andy peered through the shield. “We’ll make it work somehow!”

  Tokala ran up and leapt at the shield. His long black hair whipped around his face. The Lilliam prince hit the bright surface and fell back. He rubbed his head. “Only humans and angels can get in, it repels any related to Lucifer.”

  Andy grimaced. “There has to be a way inside! Maybe there’s a weak point or a hole?”

  “We don’t have time to search! Michael is going to kill her!” Belial shook her head. “Where’s Helion?”

  Andy and Tokala turned, looking. Andy pointed. “Whitney’s inside the shield, the blast must have parted them.”

  “Then find Helion! He can get in.” Belial climbed up the side of the dome. She fixed her gaze on Dahlia. Michael tossed her down like a doll. He held his spear towards her heart. Belial held in the scream that wanted to burst from her lungs. She watched in horror as Lucifer lost his body of flesh and passed through the shield, his ethereal form a blur of light. Lucifer threw himself in front of Dahlia. Michael lunged and impaled him on the end of the spear.

  Belial raked her nails on the light. She could not lose her flesh as Lucifer had, but she was damn well going to try. She closed her eyes and went white, becoming less opaque. Her skin shifted silver.

  “Belial, no!” Andy leapt and grabbed her by the ankles. He tore her off the shield and threw her to the ground. “Don’t even think about it!”

  She scratched at his face. “I have to try!”

  Andy sliced his arm open with one of her nails. He pulled out a pendant; her sigil was inscribed on the metallic surface of the lamin. He held it over her face. “I order you not to.”

  Belial’s luminescent body lost its glow. “Andrealphus!” She reached for her lamin, but he jumped back and pushed it into his healing arm. She shook with rage. “Why?”

  Andy’s face fell. “You’ll die if you succeed and I can’t lose you. I just can’t.” He took off around the perimeter of the glowing shield to put space between them. Belial screamed in impotent rage and threw herself at the net. She was unable even to try the trick again, compelled by the pendant to obey his order. She pounded at the light, frustration made her movements frantic, uncoordinated.

  Through tears, Belial watched Dahlia stab Michael in the eye with her hairpin. The Archangel howled. A crazed smile lit up her face. “Stab him again! Fuck him up, Dahlia!” Belial cheered as Dahlia punched Michael, throwing him across the lawn. Dahlia ripped the spear from the ground and heaved it. The spear flew through the net and over Belial’s head. Belial whooped and raced after the weapon. She tore through the phosphorescent forest following its brighter light.

  The spear sailed through trees as if they did not exist, its point so sharp it cut and bent light and sound. Belial watched it strike the earth, shining like a beacon in the bluish shades of the empty forest. She was close, but she was not alone in the chase. The flapping of wings accompanied her overhead. She flinched and ran faster.

  Uriel leered. “Little Belial, darling, I see you down there lovely as ever, but I like you better naked and winged. These clothes you wear do not please me at all.”

  Belial snarled and sprinted for the spear.

  Uriel landed on her back, flattening her to the ground. Belial was teeth and claws, but the heavenly forged pendant around Uriel’s neck made him invulnerable to her attacks.

  Belial tried to throw him off. “Fight me fairly, you coward!”

  Uriel flipped her over and grabbed her jaw. He pried her mouth open. “Such filth has always come from this orifice. I do not like it.” He bent down and whispered in her ear, “Let me remove it, darling.”

  Dahlia’s wail ripped through the forest. Archangel and Fallen froze in agony. Belial threw Uriel off her and crawled away as the sound buffeted her ears. Her mind was awash in fear, pain, and regret. She thought of Andy.

  Uriel grabbed her ankle and pulled. He dragged her back under him, fighting against the sound of Dahlia’s scream. He got a hand around Belial’s throat; his fingers tore at her skin.

  The sound ceased. The forest went quiet. Uriel grinned, triumphant.

  Berith smashed a meaty fist into Uriel’s chin, throwing the Archangel into the air. Uriel plowed through trees, disappearing into the forest. Berith hauled Belial to her feet.

  Apple was behind them, closed lipped with red eyes blazing. She held her bow ready. The crimson-eyed Lilliam princess scanned the forest for Uriel, but the Archangel did not appear.

  “Thanks!” Belial ran to the spear.

  Berith called after her, “You cannot touch it!”

  “I know that!” Belial broke a branch off a tree and flipped the spear further into the woods. She followed, tossing the spear farther away with each strike.

  Uriel blurred through the trees after Belial.

  Apple fired an arrow at him, drawing Berith’s attention to the movement.

  Berith snarled and intercepted the Archangel in the air. The brothers crashed to the ground in a pile.

  Uriel spread his wings and jumped up, landing a fist in Berith’s stomach. He laughed. “Big brother, does your back still hurt?”

  Berith struggled to reach the pendant at Uriel’s neck. “I have never felt better, little brother!”

/>   Uriel pushed Berith’s hands away. “No, that is mine.” An arrow glanced off his cheek. His invulnerability held. He looked up and noticed Apple for the first time. “Ah, what is this?”

  Berith threw the Archangel back. “Do not look upon her!”

  Uriel kicked his brother in the stomach, sending Berith flying. He grinned at Apple, his teeth sharp. He salivated. Apple pulled another arrow from her quiver. Uriel took a step closer, his eyes locked on her. “You love Berith.”

  “Yes.”

  “I take love. I take what is his.”

  Apple smiled. “I have heard, but I am my own. I am no ones.”

  Uriel smirked. “Not for long.” He dove for her.

  Belial leapt on Uriel’s head. She raked his face with her nails. “You siblings and your second best syndrome! Always stealing what isn’t yours! You’ll never be anything but poor copies!” She scratched his chest with her black talons, trying to catch the pendant.

  Uriel grabbed Belial’s arm and twisted, breaking the bone. He laughed. “We just take what is rightfully ours, darling, what you were never good enough for!”

  Uriel swung her into a tree. Belial’s ribs broke, puncturing a lung. He snapped a leg bone like a twig. “But Belial, you are good enough for me, though I will need to break you again.” He lifted her over his head and threw her with every ounce of strength he possessed.

  Belial’s body smashed through the forest. She reached for trees, anything to catch her, but the force of the throw was too great. She had time enough to close her eyes before she slammed into the side of the manor. Her body crashed through room after room, bones shattering on impact, her skin and clothing torn. She broke through a window and fell into the backyard. She landed in a limp heap on the grass at the feet of Jacob, Tracy, and Celeste. Belial’s body was mangled, almost unrecognizable. Her legs were torn down to the bone, her clothing blood splattered and in tatters. Her chest did not rise or fall. She had no pulse.

  Tokala broke off from battling humans and ran to her. He touched her face and looked at Dahlia’s terrified human friends. He grabbed Tracy’s hand and placed it on Belial’s lacerated chest. “Stay with her, luck charm.”