Divinity: Transcendence: Book Two (The Divinity Saga) (2 page)

F
or the first time, she blinked. Her expression conveyed confusion, alarm, and a slight glimmer of hope. Morning Star couldn’t help but chuckle at her gullibility.

I. Cam`ael

             
A
ll has been quiet and calm on Morning Star’s end, even in the human realm since Starling’s death— so far. I didn’t expect that there would be much done or said on his part since his last gathering. The music show and the massive, planned fire that purposefully claimed many souls and humans while still in their mortal forms, was sadly just one of his many infamous traps.

I think that
witnessing Drakael’s instant, graphically tortuous and painful annihilation at the hands of Elohim, was enough of an awesome reminder of who was really in charge. It was keeping him tamed and satiated, for now.

That didn’t mean he
wasn’t still busy working on his vomit worthy comedic stunts; recruiting and perfecting the skills of his dark divine army, and torturing his servants and lovers. At the very least, I was sure that he wanted nothing more than to torment and cast me into the abyss beyond the disgusting horrors of his own prisons, if I so much set foot near his dominion again.

Tha
t was fine; I wasn’t interested—not since I had been with Starling.

I missed her
deeply. The scent of her hair, the feel of her skin, the taste of her kiss, down to the mere sound of her actual voice; even though it had only been five total daybreaks since her death in the mortal realm.

Despite my blatant disinterest in
the tracking of time altogether…it seemed like forever to me.

Though I’ve had a
long existence of patience, waiting on and pondering many things, I was restless and antsy.

I n
eeded something more meaningful to occupy my time.

I
focused on creating my own rituals to keep myself

b
usy and out of trouble, so to speak. Revisiting some of the older, more ancient places that I hadn’t visited in centuries, for one, but it all eventually began to bore me.

T
he total remodeling of my domicile within the mountain suddenly came to mind. I wanted a game room. The bigger cooking area in the kitchen was Rahab’s request, but he helped to both design and create it.

Since I was now officially on Morning Star’s shit list, it became harder and harder to
ignore the sexual depravities and pleasures that I had enjoyed so much there. Edanai was not an option, though the temptation would always be there because she was exquisitely beautiful. Her desire and longing for me was evident, and often twinkled in her amethyst eyes when she looked at me every now and then. I couldn’t and I wouldn’t go there with her again.

I
cared too much for her.

T
here were handfuls of available beautiful women, both mortal and immortal, that I could pick from and use.

I
was beyond tempted on my recent travels— badly, but I refrained. However, the powerful lust that I had managed to keep suppressed for Starling’s sake, was slowly awakening again and it was becoming aggressively insatiable. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep it under control. Despite my own constant denial and fight against it, I was an Incubus.

Rahab and Edanai have
moved in essentially, and it was my suggestion, for the time being. Since Morning Star wanted nothing more than to do whatever he could to avenge what he thinks I did and let happen to Starling, I wanted to ensure that they both remained safe and protected.

I
f I didn’t know any better, I’d say they’ve both been spending an awful lot of time together too; cooking, and gathering food, and in conversation. Rahab would watch in awe, volunteering eagerly to be used for testing, when Edanai practiced new healing magiks. He was being quite the flirt and gentleman, which was a good thing. Both he and Edanai needed each other, and I was happy for the both of them. That had been another reason all the more not to reignite that level of intimacy with Edanai again.

It w
orked out better this way. I was adamant on my privacy and in keeping things orderly and clean, but I liked the company— especially now. Having a personal chef around didn’t hurt either.

I didn’t intend to invade Starling’s privacy by reading the journal she had obviously just begun writing —but I did anyway. Seeing her neat, uniform, cursive handwriting, her words and thoughts put to paper, made me feel as if she were right here with me now. I had no idea how long her visions and dreams about the end of the world had been plaguing her. She wrote very well, describing everything that she saw of the spirit realm to a ‘T’.

I’ve
written many of my own journals sporadically throughout time, and I kept them all together in my library— though for what purpose or reason I wasn’t sure.

No mortal or immortal would ever find
, or read them.

Reading
hers inspired me to continue to write again though. It was an outlet, an alternate release of my dark energy, and it both calmed and clarified my thoughts.

Three baby implings sporadically whizzed past me, leaving a dusting of red glittering powder in their wake. They all made a u turn in line formation, and hovered around me in their annoying, high pitched chirping. They flapped their clear, purple veined wings, and their small angled snouts twitched, as if sniffing me or trying to communicate. I found it peculiar, seeing as they rarely flew this high, let alone ever approached or bothered me at all.

“What is it?” I asked, as if I expected them to communicate verbally with me.

They continued to hover for another second, and then
quickly flitted away, back down to the forest below the cloud bank. Okay, strange.

Implings were harmless, babies of the wood imps that lived in the trees in the neutral area. Unlike the ugly, mischief causing imps that lived in the Darklands, wood imps were cute, helpful creatures of light.

Starling’s cell phone began ringing from my bedchamber, where I kept it. I smiled to myself, listening to the quirky synthesized melody that revealed much about her personality. I kept her phone because I knew that her friends would eventually call her, and expect for her to call them at some point too.

The signal and power remained constant and connected to the human rea
lm, fed by my magic. I had a few other belongings of hers that I had taken from her room that night too. The large, gold-framed portrait of the two of us together from that evening, still hung above my bed— as my own private shrine.

The letter I left in her handwriting on the pillow in her room, informed her best friend China, that a long lost relative had contacted her back in Jamaica. They wanted her to meet the rest of her family on her mother’s side.

It
sounded both realistic and convincing enough. I took her car and hid it in the garage shed behind the farmhouse. I masked it by making it appear to be a broken down, old and rusty tractor, so no one would ever discover or know it was there.

Every so often
, a few other friends would call or text her phone, even the hospice and the gym where she taught gymnastics, both called with concern. In all instances, my text replies of her having to leave town for a family emergency, were accepted with prayers and wishing her well.

So far, no one knew the truth
. That was exactly what I wanted all those that meant something to her to believe…for her sake. It was terrible of me, I know, but I wanted them to believe that she was still alive. They were all she had left. They were her family now. Someday, she may return to the mortal realm, and she would eventually remember them. I did know that much.

My plan has
been working so far. It seemed to satisfy China in the beginning, but she was becoming more and more hysterically upset and depressed. To her, Starling had jumped up unexpectedly and left both school and town without a word, or preparation, in the middle of the night.

I understood her worry.

I think that a part of her current state of mind, was a result of the lingering effects of my having temporarily possessed her. Some of the darkness in me may have messed with her psyche, but I had no choice. I had to do it to save the both of them from the void that had used China as a vessel, in order to drag Starling into the portal.

             
              Her friend Joel on the other hand…well, I could care less about his concerns and feelings, even if he did sound hurt and apologetic in his voicemail messages.

He
told her that he was in love with her, and that he has been for a while in one of his recent messages. Yeah, I’m sure that was what he had been feeling when Edanai found him impressively humping the living daylights out of a squealing girl, like a jack rabbit on speed.

S
he would never hear that message— I made sure of that. Even though he would be a scout once he made it to the divine hall, he would be no threat. Hell, he wouldn’t even be able to leave the hall from what I’ve learned and observed about the warriors. I chuckled at the thought.

Whatever relationship they had could possibly be rekindled then, but it didn’t matter to me.

She was mine.

The only thing he could ever make me do at this point
, would be to kill him over her— and I would. Alright maybe not kill, but I would torment the living shit out of him, and maybe even render him impotent for the rest of his existence. There was no other torture more profoundly spiteful for a male of any species, in my opinion.

I casually reached out an open hand, from where I sat on the roof of my domicile, facing the East. I liked this side the most. It was right next to a small, rushing waterfall that filtered in from the immense Eternal Waters of light beyond.

Once her cell
phone landed firmly in my palm, surprisingly still ringing, I closed my fingers around it and glanced at the display. I sighed with annoyance.

I
t was her friend China, yet again. I missed answering the first call just now, so apparently she was calling right back. A blinking magenta light at the top indicated a new text message, but I left that one alone.

Edanai was already behind me, wiping her hands on a towel, before I could even relay a telepathic message to her—already knowing the routine. I handed her the phone with a smirk, catching the roll of her eyes and pursed lips, as she reluctantly took it from me. She smelled of herbs, apparently having been in the kitchen helping Rahab prepare dinner.

“
No wonder they’re best friends, she’s just as annoying as Star is.” Edanai huffed.

I flashed her a wry g
lance as I stood up to listen in on the conversation.

“She’
s a worried friend. It is human nature. I mean it isn’t like she knows that her best friend was just killed by a fallen.” I told her.

“I swear,
either I’m a real pushover, or I must really love you Cam.” Edanai shook her head at my cynical humor, and sighed heavily again.

“
Hey China.” She spoke first after raising the phone to her ear.

It was
still eerie, even to me, just how well Edanai could emulate Starling’s voice. It was one of the many talents that we demons have mastered over humans, but it was mainly for our own amusements.

She
sounded exactly like her.

By now
, I thought I had gotten over how much hearing her do it affected me, but I immediately felt a tightening in my chest once again.

I could hear China’s voice clearly
, as if she were standing right here.

“Girlfriend
, how’s everything going?” China asked.

“Good.
It’s been weird, but I’m glad I came out here.” Edanai replied.

There was a pause on China’s side.

“That’s great, I’m glad. We all miss you though, and don’t forget to send pics.” China then replied.

“
I know, I will. I miss you guys too. How is everything there?” Edanai asked.

“
Same old stuff. Are you and Cam still gonna be seeing each other? I mean, I know you guys only went out once, but I haven’t even seen him around campus. Is he still patrolling the University area?” China went on to say.

Edanai shot me a smirk
, with a discerning scan of my physique.

“Don’t.
” I whispered, and held up a finger in warning. I knew exactly what she was going to say— something smart in regard to Starling.

“He’s called.
I’ve talked to him a few times since I’ve been here.” She grinned.

“So…
is he worth another date? If you say no, I will personally pay for your eye surgery and hormone replacement therapy.” China chuckled.