Divinity: The Gathering: Book One (66 page)

             
He had known where I was either via Berith’s earlier visit, or by scanning for Star’s aura from the spirit realm. I had immediately summoned Edanai for assistance, to shield Star and take her upstairs before Morning Star could exact any magic on her, which would prevent the both of us from keeping her from him. Once she was safe upstairs, I had already begun coiling light into my fists —ready to slam into him if he made any sudden moves.

I would keep the conversation in Demonic speak, for Star’s sake.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I spat through clenched teeth, as I initially moved in front her protectively.

He smiled and stepped inside before I could block and keep him from the doing so.

“Annoying isn’t it? You know, when guests drop in unannounced or uninvited? What, you’re not gonna invite me in? Nice place by the way, I like the camouflage. Good thinking, no one would ever think anyone would be living here…I almost didn’t,” He then said looking over at Star as if she were his already.

I hated him even looking at her.

Being a chosen and the fact that she was still mortal, his presence was making her violently sick, and I was powerless to stop her reaction as long as he was here.

Rage and an all-out preemptive a
ttack on my part was about to explode into a full on combat between us if Edanai hadn’t gotten her upstairs as quickly as she had.

He glared at me momentarily
, as if he expected me to jump him first. Then he smirked slyly in a way that told me that he would counter me just as swiftly with his own deadly strike easily, if I even thought about it.

“That’s her… in the flesh? Wow. Accept my apologies
Cam; I understand why it is that you want her so much too. She shines like a brand new diamond, doesn’t she?” He grinned.

“Why are you here?” I stated again plainly.

I was growing hot internally with black rage, and I know he was picking up on it, which apparently amused him.

He was testing my patience on purpose, wanting me to do something first. Something he was quite good at d
oing, I have to admit.

“Like the disguise? I thought it’d be funny what
with this Halloween holiday coming up, and I’ve always wanted to be a Jehovah’s Witness. Did I get it right? I figured it would be hilarious to show up at one of their doorsteps or even another priest, and see if they would even realize who they were talking or preaching to,” He grinned and laughed while holding his arms out, so I could get a better look at his entire ensemble, and then he adjusted his tie.

I rolled my eyes. He was a piece of work that was for sure. Apparently someone in his l
egion appreciated his humor enough for him to continue on as if everyone else would too.

“Don’t you have a concert to host?” I asked.

“They don’t need me there. You know as well as I do that when you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. I have other more important things to attend to and collect per our deal, remember?” He then said.

“It hasn’t been two daybreaks yet.” I reminded him.

“No, but you have her now so why wait? I kept my end of the deal and you’ve done well. I appreciate that though I have to admit, at first I thought you were full of shit when you said you’d be able to get her so quickly. You’ve got dinner…soft music, candle light. Damn, you are tha cold blooded Casanova. You da man Cam!” He smiled and pointed both fingers at me like guns, and then did a little slow dance jig with himself.

             
I eyed him with disgust, envisioning myself sliding my black sword straight though his forehead and pulling down to split his entire vessel in half, while blinding him with light.

“What good is she to you while still mortal? It
isn’t like she’s giving herself to you willingly. You’re limited.” I told him.

He seemed to think for a moment about that
, as if it was something he’d never considered.

“Hmmm, major dilemma,” He put a finger to his lips with a perplexed expression
, as if pondering that notion for the first time. Then his entire face faded into seriousness, the dark, dangerous and unpredictable one I knew well.

“Just hand her over to me.
I came in peace…she’s all I want Cam,” He then stated calmly —the calm before the storm.

There was more to this than I knew of apparently
, or he was damned sure of himself in anticipating that he’d be able to get her to choose darkness…to choose — him.

Was that it? Did Morning Star want her for the same reasons I did?

No, no way. I then thought. Not him.

He had not a solitary positive, feeling, caring, sympathetic, loving or generous cell in his entire make up. But he was definitely up to something, something that required her to remain mortal for now.

I had a feeling that whatever it was, Elohim already knew this, which was why he had granted me the opportunity to meet and be with Star at all in the first place. He wanted me to keep her protected from the other legion, and more importantly, from Morning Star.

He had known what he was doing all along.

How could I have ever questioned or doubted him? I had known better.

“Why do you really want her?” I then asked him.

He groaned and rolled his eyes this time, “Do we really need to go over this again? Why do
you
want her so much?” He raised his brows with a simper.

“Well, I’ll say this much. It isn’t because she’s the only one that I could never get or have
, that’s for sure,” I replied with a smirk.

That wiped the smile completely from his face and all humor he had when he first arrived, had gone. I felt the heat and electricity of building dark power coming from him
, as his eyes went completely black, sclera’s and all.

I summoned the ones in my legion who had been nearby at the concert already
, and at the same time I was ready to strike, light at the tips of my fingers steadily glowing with the intensity of the power within them. I was sure he had his own high arch demons at the ready to assist if need be as well, because he knew me, and I knew him.

“Don’t fuck with me Cam`ael!” He hissed.

Had I hit a raw nerve finally? I chuckled to myself.

“As I said, it hasn’t been two daybreaks yet! You’re the one who’s going back on your word. Patience has never been your virtue
, but the terms came out of your own mouth. I have her now and I will have her then. I’ll keep her alive, but I’m not so sure how easy that will be when there is another rogue legion that you may have some competition with,” I stated.

             
Rahab, Macai, Atiro, Nayrez and Ryziel ghosted in covertly, and positioned themselves all around the farmhouse for the most optimal advantage over him, if needed.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Morning Star rasped.

“Another legion is after her as well — for breeding purposes obviously, so if you want to keep her out of their hands, you’d better refocus your minions and servants to start hunting and seeking them out instead of trying to get at her. Her blood has already been spilled twice thanks to your guys so now Elohim watches you closely. She’s fragile and she’s human, so all it will take is one mishap, and once she is dead she will be no longer be of use or good to either of you…she will become a threat,” I warned him.

“What legion is this?” He asked
, not believing me.

“I’m trying to find that out.” I replied.

“You’re lying,” He grimaced, his eyes returning to their aqua blue color with sideways black pupils.

“I could give a damn if you think I’m lying or not. One more daybreak
, and until then I’d better not see or smell you anywhere that I am!” I told him.

He sneered, “Don’t ever threaten me. I don’t a
ppreciate you fucking my leftovers either, but no worries. If you want Berith you can have her, she’s all yours…well as she is now anyway. I mean you may want to look at her again before deciding, you may not even recognize her.” He smiled big.

I glared at him in anger.

I had to calm and control myself from going berserk all over him and tearing him apart piece by piece with my bare hands.

“One more daybreak,” He warn
ed while holding up an index finger, with a quick glance all around the house.

He knew my friends were here
, and that was probably why he backed down so quickly though it was somewhat unlike him. I did find it surprising he came without any backup let alone summoned anyone himself — not that he needed to.

Before he ghosted away, he wiggled his fingers and set off a chain reaction that shattered glass, splintered wood, punched holes in the walls and chipped paint within the farmhouse, co
mpletely damaging and destroying what I had put together and cleaned up for the sake of simply making a mess. He knew how much I hated filth and disorder, but as much as it had pissed me off, I let him do it to prevent any other kind of altercations, for now. Getting him to leave without incident and Star was a miracle longshot, but it had worked and helped to add more eyes to the hunt for who was leading this unknown rogue legion.

             
Once he had gone my friends ghosted into the house, more than likely to see if there was anything to eat or a fight in progress.

“Damn childish bastard. You
need any assistance to clean this up?” Macai noted looking around at the damage.

“No.” I shook my head.

I held my arms palms out towards either sides of the room. Gesturing, as I turned in a three sixty circle; I pointed and directed my power around the living room area, which reversed each and every thing that had been damaged, stripped, broken or torn. Each broken item repaired and reverted back to brand new as it had been when I fixed it all up in the first place, which in turn completely took away all traces of trash, paint and wood chips and dust. The entire process had taken less than five minutes.

“I think he’s afraid of you man. I’ve seen him obliterate other fallen and demons for a lot less lip and defiance
, believe that,” Macai commented.

“Shit, I was looking forward to some bloodshed,” Ryziel said.

“Got anything to eat or cook? Or would you like me to find a live young lamb?” Rahab asked sincerely.

I gave him a quizzical look. We weren’t in the spirit realm, what was he thinking?

Good old Rahab.

“Maybe for later
, when we all return back home,” I reminded him.

Atiro simply sat in the corner qu
ietly with a nod of acknowledgement. He never spoke out loud and he had his reasons. His beliefs were that actions were more reliable, believable and meant more than speech; and since enemies were always listening — he would give them nothing to listen to. He had a good point, I admired and respected that and he had been a trustworthy friend for many, many years.

“I can’t believe he’s going through all of this for…what’s her name?” Nayrez asked with a nod at ceiling toward the second floor.

“Star.” Rahab answered.

“And she’s a chosen,” Ryziel reminded
, as if they all didn’t know that much simply by her aura.

They all turned to look at me then with
shared perplexed shock.

“Aw shit, don’t tell me this is all for love Cam. Seriously?” Nayrez looked at me with surprise.

“Love is not the only issue at hand. She’s a chosen. It can’t get any crazier than that, but hey I support you my man,” Ryziel grinned at me with a salute.

“Leave it to you Cam
, though somehow I’m not surprised.” Macai smirked.

“I’ll need to head back to the concert. I need to check on some things. Nay, you wanna go with me?” I asked

“Sure, I’m heading back home after though, I got a piece waiting for me,” He obliged with a smile and a lick of his lips.

“A piece of what? I’ve seen that gargoyle you were with last night,” Macai shivered as if the girl Nay had waiting was that hideous
, and then laughed along with Ry.

Nayrez flipped him off.

“You’d better summon me if it turns into a fight,” Ryziel then demanded.

“How big a fight?” I asked him.

“If there’s even just one fallen, demon, void or imp involved, that’s good enough for me,” Ry simpered rubbing his hands together and flexing them.

I shook my head with a snort of laughter at his eagerness,

“In the meantime, I’d appreciate if you all hung out here for a while to watch over her, just in case as a favor for me. You don’t have to introduce yourselves if you don’t want to, and don’t discuss anything, same rules. She only knows what we are, that’s it.” I told them.

             
I needed Edanai to do me another favor as well. I hoped she wouldn’t mind, given that she was irritated when I summoned her to quickly take care of Star for me after Morning Star arrived. However, I knew she may not resist this favor.

“
I need one more thing, please.”
I spoke first.