Sure, Kriss said. You dont want to be at the club when the baby is born, right? Finding a house and filling it with furniture and baby stuff would be perfect for getting your mind off things.
But where am I going to get the money for a new house? Envy asked. I make good money working at Moon Dance but not that much.
Kriss smiled reassuringly and gently took her hand, Honey thats the last thing you have to worry about. Ill help you get the house of your dreams if thats what you want and dont you dare give me a hard time about it. Thats my godchild in there.
To Envys amusement, he again pointed down at her lower tummy. She gave in to the smile but shook her head, I cant do that to you Kriss and you dont have that much money do you? I mean Im a bartender and youre a part time stripper.
The only reason I bother stripping is because its fun. Ive got a savings account, stocks, bonds, and a few other things Im not sure of the names, Kriss said sounding almost ditzy. I dont really know anymore but the man at the bank keeps referring to me as his favorite billionaire.
You are such a moron, Envy said with a giggle and threw a pillow at him.
Ow, Kriss deadpanned when the pillow hit him in the face.
Dean hid his smirk knowing this was exactly what Kriss needed someone to take care of, even if it was only for a short while. They were both bad for picking up charity cases it seemed.
He blocked out the playful bickering of his roommates and gazed down at the unforgiving city from the huge penthouse window. It was obvious Kriss was going to be busy for a while with Envy and in the end Envy would have the security her and the baby needed. This was the perfect opportunity for him to once again stalk the Fallen hybrid that had been trapped with Misery.
Dean had found him completely by accident and since then had silently kept a discrete eye on him from a distance. After a few days of watching, Dean began leaving him small items such as fresh clothing, blankets, and an occasional edible from the nearby deli. The food wasnt always eaten but then human food was not a necessity. They could live with or without it. The clothing and blankets were taken each time though.
So far, the hybrid hadnt exhibited any evil tendencies and avoided the other demons like the plague. It was a good sign of the hybrids mental state but things had a tendency to change if such creatures were left alone for too long.
From what Dean had observed, the hybrid was more Fallen than demon and hed bet his own billions of dollars that he could get the hybrid to trust him if given some more time. If that happened, then maybe he could save him from the strangeness of this world hed suddenly been released into.
He closed his eyes remembering the mans tears as hed burst from the cave wall and fled into the night. That had been the clincher demons do not cry.
Im going out for a while, Dean said suddenly and headed for the door.
Get some chocolate syrup while youre out, Kriss called out before Dean made it to the door.
Dean paused and glanced back at him, Chocolate syrup, why in the world do you want that?
Chocolate milk, Kriss and Envy said simultaneously.
Dean shook his head and left the penthouse, closing the door on amused giggling.
After the door closed Envy looked up at Kriss, I didnt bring any clothes with me and Im starting to get sleepy. Its been a long day and night. Do you have anything I can change into?
Kriss nodded, In the second bedroom. He pointed at a closed door then winked at Envy, thats where I sleep when Im pissed off at Dean. The dresser in there has some of my larger shirts and a few pairs of boxers help yourself.
Do you guys fight often? Envy said worriedly, not wanting to take Kriss refuge away from him.
Only when hes being a dick, Kriss smirked then jerked his thumb toward another closed door. Thats his spare room if I run him off.
Envy couldnt help but laugh, Youre a nut you know that?
My lifes ambition, Kriss sighed playfully then started for the kitchen. He needed to make a new grocery list before his and Envys cravings started kicking in. He stopped in mid stride and turned toward the front door. Scratch the list he wanted pickles right now. Im going to clean out the grocery store dont wait up.
Envy waited until he was gone before slowly getting off the sofa to go check out her room. Closing the door behind her, she opened the dresser and giggled at some of the shirts he had in there. Some were cute with little baby animals on them, some had funny phrases, and others were just solid colors. Choosing a plain black shirt and a pair of Sponge Bob boxers, she placed them on the bed and lifted her shirt over her head.
Her reflection in the mirror caught her eye and she caressed the soft, smooth skin of her tummy. She cocked her head to the side trying to picture her belly full with the child and turned to the side to examine the concave slope of her belly.
I wonder who youre going to be like, she said softly to the growing baby. Are you going to be like me, wild and hardheaded or will you be like him, smart and hardheaded? I hope I make a good mother for you and I know Trevor will be a good daddy.
Envy smiled at her reflection, envisioning the small soul nestled there. Youre already blessed do you know that? Youre gonna have so many uncles and godparents protecting you that I can bet you wont even get a paper cut.
She saw movement behind her in the mirrors reflection and swung around to see what it was. Moving closer to the balcony window, she pushed the curtain aside and gasped at the beautiful white owl sitting on the railing watching her with deep dark eyes.
The owl cocked its head to the side as though trying to determine what she was before turning its head in the opposite direction. Envy had never seen one so close before and was afraid that if she looked away it would vanish.
The owl turned its head once more toward her before turning its back and leaping from the railing. Its wings spread out catching the draft and it flew off over the city toward Angeles National Forest.
Envy remembered reading somewhere that owls were a sign of wisdom and she hoped it was a sign that she was doing the right thing.
*****
Aurora held tighter onto her small sword and looked back up the side of the building searching for any sign of Samuel. She couldnt believe shed been careless enough to let him sneak up on her like that. It had been an incredible stroke of luck that shed gotten away from the roof of the skyscraper in one piece.
As she fell, shed resigned herself to the fact that this was really going to hurt but an unusual savior had helped her out. On that particular skyscraper were statues of hawks that luckily protruded out from the sides. Shed been able to grab hold of one in mid-fall and swing herself beneath it so she was hidden from Samuels sight when he looked down the edge of the building.
It felt like she had been holding on for eternity when the sense of his aura finally started to fade. After she was sure Samuel had gone, she pulled herself up and was able to crawl on top of the hawks head.
Tired and out of breath, Aurora leaned back against the wall of the building to rest for a moment. It took her a few minutes to catch her breath but any breather from Samuel's obsession with her was more than welcome. In her mind, she knew why he kept coming after her lust, plain and simple.
She wouldnt deny that Samuel was desirable but that was the allure of the more powerful demons. They were beautiful to look at until you saw what was beneath their exterior. Samuel was more beautiful than most demons, but in a lot of ways he was much darker than them on the inside.
Shed been avoiding him as well as she could and it looked like shed finally lost him again at least for now. Being anywhere near him left a queasy feeling in her stomach and Aurora didnt know how much longer she could keep fighting him before giving in to what she was used too.
She hated him but at the same time almost craved what he offered what she had accepted after so long with him. Being on her own was exciting but it was mixed with an equal amount of fear.
She felt something for Samuel had enjoyed his body and for brief moments even enjoyed his company. In the other dimension, shed escaped him countless times only to be cornered by demons that were not a part of his army. Shed come so close to being killed and a tiny part of her had welcomed the thought of freedom any way she could get it.
Samuel had always shown up just in time to save her played the hero several times. She wasnt a fool though. He hadnt rescued her because he loved her and hed always punished her quite brutally for running away. Shed been his property his to be cruel to his to make love to. Now that she had her weapon back maybe she had a chance of breaking away from him completely.
Looking down at the blade in her hand, Aurora sighed heavily. Shed discovered the weapon at a young age. Shed been an orphan and for the longest time had thought her name was Street Rat. It had been a demon that first called her by her real name right before he tried to kill her. While defending herself, shed felt the blade just appear in her hand shed won that fight.
She never learned how the demon had known her name but in the end it didnt really matter if it was her name or not. It was a far cry better than Street Rat.
After that, the blade had been her protector until shed been pulled into the rift. She had spent the last few thousand years in a demon controlled realm and under Samuel's rule. The weapon had never appeared to save her within the rift no matter how much trouble shed gotten into. She sighed wishing there was someone she could talk to about it ask the questions that needed answering.
The blade suddenly shone brightly as it was absorbed once more back into her body. Since the blade seemed to think she was safe, then she probably was. Aurora felt relief ease her tense muscles and decided it was time to get down from this building before someone saw her.
She looked down over the edge of the massive concrete hawk and inhaled as the wind rushed upwards lifting her hair around her face. She was still so far from the ground and she wasnt about to dive off for two reasons. Reason number one shed probably hurt herself and two, the main reason, she didnt want anyone to see her.
Shed thought about dying while in the rift but she had a chance at freedom now she no longer wanted to die, so diving face first from a skyscraper was not a choice.
Climbing out onto the wing of the hawk, she looked down at a balcony several stories below and judged the distance. Aurora gripped the edge of the wing and swung herself toward the balcony enjoying the feeling of freefalling. Landing in a silent crouch, she gazed into the window and froze.
Between the part in the curtains, she saw movement and leaned closer to get a better look. Her lips parted when she saw a woman in a short silky nightgown smile coyly at a man sitting on the sofa across the room from her. The lady eased the silk from her shoulders, letting it hang down over her arms exposing very little covering underneath.
Aurora moved her gaze to the man seeing his eyes darken with passion. He stood up and removed his shirt, tossing it over his shoulder before stalking toward the woman like a cat slowly moving in on its prey. The woman smiled again and let the silk fall the rest of the way to the floor exposing all she had to offer.
The man closed in and took the woman in his arms. They shared a passionate kiss before the man reached down and took hold of her, lifting her up. Her long legs wrapped around his waist and when he adjusted her slightly, the woman tossed her head back exposing her throat.
Auroras breath quickened when the mans lips descended on the offered flesh making the woman in his arms shiver. He turned and walked them into another room, closing the door behind them and blocking her from seeing anything more. Aurora felt the small sad smile that caressed her lips and for a moment wished she was human.
She swung around and leaned against the building, slowly sliding down the wall until she was sitting with her knees drawn up in front of her.
Shed spent her childhood hiding what she was trying to pretend she was human. Her one wish had always been that she was human. If she had been, she wouldnt have found the hell she did at Samuels hands and shed have been free to love anyone she chose.
It had been a boy her own age that informed her of what she really was. His name was Skye. To the humans, hed only looked about seven years old the same as her, but shed known the truth. Hed been her best friend for a long time and the only company that either one could trust.
They would just smile when the humans mistook them for siblings, their coloring was almost the same and by human standards they were considered beautiful.
Skye had told her stories about the Fallen and the demons the Fallen had inadvertently created. He should know he was one of those creations but it didnt bother him. He once told her that he enjoyed looking like a Fallen because it was better to be an angel than a demon. Hed also warned her about the fears humans had and that if they ever discovered what she really was they would try to kill her.
For years she and Skye had stuck together, moving from village to village every few years before the humans could catch on to the fact that they werent aging like normal children.
She still remembered the last time shed seen Skye. Hed smiled at her before walking into the forest with several of the village men who were taking him on a vision quest.
That was the day the demons had come so many demons. The earth shook with their arrival, killing anything that got in their way. The ground beneath them had opened up and actually sank before a great crack raced through the center of the village square.
Aurora could only stand there and stare in terror at what was happening. A demon roared and came running at her and shed stumbled backwards just as three men rushed in between her and the demon, blocking its path. She gasped waiting to feel the hard ground beneath her and screamed when the earth started to rise up around her.
One of the human men, a village warrior, dove down after her but was caught in midair by another demon that was the last she saw of him. Other humans were falling in with her, screaming all the way and it suddenly dawned on her that shed fallen into the huge crack. Her wings, only a smoky shadow to the naked eye, appeared and she tried to return to the surface but an inexplicable force continued to pull her down away from the home she and Skye had chosen.
Before the screaming had stopped, the whole village had been sent into the rift trapping humans and demons alike. She closed her eyes trying to block out the memory of what had happened to those humans and turned her thoughts back to Skye. She was glad he had went on his vision quest was glad he hadn't seen any of it. The only hope she held onto now was that he was still alive and living a full life.