William
I woke up in the early morning, the birds just beginning to sing. I sat up and a slender limb fell into my lap. Looking to my left, I smiled slightly seeing Melanie's slumbering face. Her mouth was partially open and her eyes fluttered beneath her lids. She was so small beside me, making me feel gangly and awkward.
I carefully got up, mindful not to disturb her. Melanie muttered incoherently in her sleep and snuggled into my pillow. I quietly closed the door behind me and went down to the kitchen to get something to eat.
"Hello, William." I spun around to see Luke standing in the doorway, his gas mask hanging off the side of his head.
"Luke! I wasn't expecting you today." My body was tense as I stared at my brother, who had an unreadable expression.
"I was nearby, so I decided to drop by. There's a demon in the Human World; it's been here for the last eight hours. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"
I stared dumbly at him, trying to figure out just what to say. I obviously couldn't lie to him when he already knew the truth.
He added, "And you've yet to tell me where you went. You get dodgy whenever I mention it or your injuries. Care to tell my why?"
Dread iced my insides and gripped my heart. I felt my Adam's apple bob as I swallowed. My tongue felt like lead in my mouth as I struggled to think of what exactly to say to him. When I finally came up with a possibly viable excuse, Luke gestured to the ring hanging around my neck.
"What is that?" He inquired flatly.
My words seemed to choke in my throat, my mouth opening and closing like a fish's. There was movement behind him and my eyes flicked to his right shoulder, where Melanie was standing. She took a small half step back, her eyes filled with fear.
"Will." My eyes snapped back to Luke, who was beginning to look impatient. "You're hiding something from me. What is that around your neck and where did you go for three days? Also, pray tell, why you were seen walking through the town with a demon a few days ago?"
That certainly caught my off guard. Genuine surprise seemed to help me as Luke seemed a little less certain. He still had yet to notice Melanie, who was nearing the stairs.
"How do you know it was me?" I nearly smacked myself for asking such an idiotic question. Luke looked like he was thinking the same thing.
"William, you're almost seven feet tall and there are no humans nearby who have red hair." His eyes suddenly widened and he appeared before me, grasping the ring.
Melanie had stopped retreating, her face now looking worried for me. I heard Luke sniff me and he snarled. "William, what were you thinking?! Is this demon the reason why you're so injured?!"
He punched me in the face and I staggered back against the counter, gripping its corner. Healing wounds flared. I flashed my eyes in warning at Melanie when she began to approach, looking rather incensed.
"Luke, I can explain—she isn't like the demons we've dealt with. She's different!" I said, wiping the corner of my mouth.
He paused and stared at me incredulously. "Do you hear yourself? She's twisted your mind! Where is she?"
Before she could hide, he turned around and saw her. He was in front of her in a blink and she yelped, scrambling backward from him.
"Leave her alone, Luke!" I grabbed his arm before he could strike her.
He turned to me, his face contorted with rage. It startled me: he was usually in control of his emotions. "William, do you have any idea what the weight of your consequences will be?"
I glowered at him. "I don't care. I won't permit you to lay a hand on her while I'm still breathing. She protected me from Lucifer himself and I'll protect her from you, dammit."
His eyes widened. "You were in Hell?...They tortured you, didn't they?!"
Luke wrenched his arm from me and held his palm out facing me. A thick barrier of ice surrounded me, trapping my limbs. I grit my teeth, feeling the cold seep into my muscles and bones.
"I've been improving my power so that even you can't melt it." He said.
Melanie ducked under his arm to get to me, but he seized her by her hair, yanking her back. He began to drag her out of the house. I struggled against the ice, pleading with him not to harm her.
Melanie
The smell of ice and death woke me up. I sat up quickly, looking around the empty room warily. Will wasn't in bed. I got out of bed and got dressed before walking down the steps. I froze on the last step, hearing Luke's voice.
Get out of here. He hasn't seen you yet. Rayi whispered anxiously.
I ignored her warning and pressed forward, nearly running into Luke's back. I covered my mouth to hold in my shriek of surprise and peered around him to see Will standing in the kitchen, looking like a deer caught in headlights. His eyes met mine and I began to back away as slowly as possible.
Listening to their conversation, I realized with dismay that Luke had found out about us.
"...Where is she?"
He turned around and stared at me in shock before reaching toward me. Will was suddenly in between us, grasping Luke's arm tightly.
"Leave her alone, Luke!" He sounded like he was pleading, his face turned toward Luke.
Luke wrenched his arm away and covered Will with ice. I thought it would be simple for him to break out, but Luke explained this ice couldn't be melted. With his hand in my hair, he dragged me out of the house and outside.
The minute I was free from him, I sent a bolt of lightning at him, which he avoided. He grabbed my wrists in both his hands and snaked his hand down my tunic, pulling my necklace out. His eyes smoldered and he struck me across the face.
"Unbelievable. He married you?" Blood dripped from my mouth, the bruise healing just as fast as his slap. "How did you bewitch him? Answer me!"
"Let go!" I snarled, struggling against him. "I didn't bewitch him or anything; he wanted to marry me!"
I was struck again, my head snapping the other way from the force. "You lie!"
I breathed in and exhaled deeply, a small shock going through Luke's hands. He released me with a grunt of pain and pulled his scythe out, aiming it at me. His eyes were alight with abhorrence and I scrutinized him.
This was the first time I had seen him without his gas mask in place. I saw his horrific scars, his blind eye. The black tinge to the scars. I understood.
"Why do you hate me so much? I've done nothing to you." I said, emphasizing I never caused him injury willingly.
He gave me a look of disbelief, a harsh bark of laughter forced out of him. "You demons are all alike. You kill, you rape. I'll never forgive any of you."
He shot toward me like an arrow, wildly swinging his scythe at me. I hissed when it nicked my shoulder, the ice burning the wound. I avoided his next attack, grabbing his wrist. His skin was chilly, stinging my palm, but I didn't relinquish my grip. I attempted to disarm him but he kicked me in the side, knocking me away from him.
"Luke, I don't know what happened to you that involved a demon, but it wasn't me! You can't take your anger out on me for who I am!" I tried to reason with him, jumping away from him.
He disappeared and I bumped into something cold from behind. Before I could turn around, white hot pain erupted across my back. I felt my back grow wet and warm as I stumbled forward. I landed on my hands and knees, my mouth set in a grim line. I looked up to see Luke approach me, his mask in place.
"How dare you try to explain away what was done to me? Your kind will suffer for what they did to me. I'll kill them all myself if I have to!" He swung his scythe in a wide arc, slicing the ground where I had been just a second ago.
I struggled to my feet, my back stinging with every move I made. He came at me again and I lifted my leg up, kicking his scythe away. Before he had time to recover, I leapt at him, hooking my legs around his waist. He tried to pry me off as I clawed at his eyes until my fingernails were encrusted with blood. I was careful not to knock his gas mask off as I attacked him. I grabbed his head between my hands and sent a strong current of electricity into his brain. I felt his body spasm under my own before he fell to his knees. I released him, not checking to see if he was alive or not, and ran into the house.
Will was shivering, his teeth chattering violently. I stopped in front of him, touching the ice. I couldn't understand; I thought Will was invulnerable against the cold. Then, I thought back to his power and it only made sense he was not completely immune to the cold, or at least his brother's powers.
"M-Melanie, where's L-L-Luke?" He stammered, his lips blue.
"Outside. D-don't worry, I'm going to get you out of this!" I looked around frantically before running to the living room to grab the iron poker.
Returning to Will, I began to hit the ice with as much power as I could, gritting my teeth when my back flared with pain.
"B-behind you!" Will suddenly warned. I spun around to see Luke standing there, ready to bring his scythe down.
I blocked it with the poker, which easily snapped in two. I moved my head to the side, the blade hitting the ice directly over Will's chest.
"Enough!" A voice bellowed, causing the three of us to halt.
I peered around Luke to see Joel storm into the kitchen, a steely look in his blue eyes. Luke stowed his scythe away, bowing to my brother. "My Lord, I was just-"
Joel silenced him with a resound smack to the face. I gaped in astonishment, averting my eyes when Joel looked at me. I was hoping he wouldn't hit me, too.
"Lucas, you are to free William from his entrapment and then you will return to Heaven to wait punishment." He commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Luke shook with rage as he and Joel stared each other down. The Angel of Death clenched his fists and for a minute I believed he was about to disobey a direct order. In the end, he bowed his head and mumbled, "As You Command, My Lord."
With a snap of his fingers Will was free, sinking to the floor, gasping. I knelt beside Will, flinching when I felt how cold his skin was. A blue cloth was held by my head and I looked up. Joel had taken his shawl off, holding it out to me expectantly. I took it from him and wrapped it around Will's shoulders.
"Melanie, your back..." I bit my lip to keep from crying out when I felt Joel place a hand over the wound. Warmth seeped into it before the strange sensation of my skin knitting back together replaced it.
"Will he be alright?" I asked him worriedly when Will's shivering didn't seem to lessen.
Joel bent down and grabbed Will's arm, hauling him to his feet. I trailed behind him as he took Will to the living room to lay him on the loveseat. "He'll be fine once he warms up."
He looked down at me, placing his hands on my shoulders. I pulled back from him warily. "Don't touch me."
He sighed and stared at me as if I were a bothersome child. "There's no need for that, Melanie. I knew the nature of your relationship with William almost the moment it began. In fact, I have protected him a handful of times from discovery. Congratulations on your wedding, by the way."
Will, who had been quiet up until now, asked, "Y-you're not angry, J-Joel?"
Joel glanced at him, a warm look on his face. "I am not like my counterpart, William. Besides..." His eyes flicked over to me, the warmth somewhat leaving them. "I have to look out for my half-sister."
Will's jaw dropped, as did mine.
"Joel, you're a Semifacta Angel?" Will questioned, incredulous.
Joel smiled sadly at Will. "I am afraid so. Melanie and I share the same mother. I must ask for your discretion, however; it would not bode well for morale if Angels and humans realized their God is half demon."
"You have my word." Will said solemnly, though he still looked mildly perturbed.
I recovered from my own shock and sneered, "I did not think you would ever admit to being Semifacta."
"It matters not; I am who I am and it is about time I accept that. Holding grudges is more poisonous to the holder than the receiver, after all. However, there will be repercussions for lying to me, William. Ten lashes should do it."
"Yes, Joel." Will ducked his head like a scolded dog.
I chewed my lip, wanting to object, but knowing I had no say in the matter. Joel faced me again and said solemnly, "Your lack of presence has been noticed. The king and your family are searching all over Hell for you. It is only a matter of time before they come to the Human World to look here."
I pushed my bangs out of my face, sighing loudly. "I expect no less. They discovered my involvement with Will as well, though they were far more sadistic about it than you were. I suppose it will only be a matter of time before they find me."
"What makes you think they will find you?" Will inquired, no longer shivering. I touched his arm, relieved to feel it was almost as warm as it usually was.
"Hellhounds. They'll likely use my own to get my scent and follow it here." I explained, trying to think of an option to escape them.
Joel accepted his shawl back from Will, hanging it over his shoulders. His face remained somber, "It is true; once a hellhound gets a scent it never forgets."
Will placed his hand on my shoulder, squeezing it gently. "I won't let them get you."
"Neither will I." My half-brother voiced. I stared at him, unimpressed.
"If this is some misplaced sense of fraternal-"
"It's not." He cut me off, his eyes partially narrowed as he regarded me coolly. "Don't misunderstand. I am doing this for William, not you. He has always been a loyal follower and if he sees something in you, then I shall protect you for him. If it were my way, I would toss you back to Hell myself."
The hint of a growl was laced in his words. I growled back, glaring daggers at him. Will coughed uneasily and the tension broke momentarily. Joel straightened and clasped his hands behind his back.
"I know of a ward that will make this area invisible to demons. They will not be able to see, feel, hear, or smell you. Melanie, you will have to build an immunity to the ward in order to be here."
I pursed my lips and nodded curtly. "Very well."
"Thank you, Joel." Will said, his voice filled with relief.
God looked at him and smiled tenderly, "You have no need to thank me, William. I am only sorry you felt you could not come to me with this matter."
Behind Joel's back, I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. Will smiled sheepishly, "Not exactly a great conversation to have, y'know?"
As he relaxed his face back into a neutral expression, Joel swept out of the house, announcing, "I'll begin making the ward."
Once he was safely out of earshot, Will peered down at me. "Is that why you were so upset with him when you were brought to Heaven?"
I hesitated before nodding once. "Yes. He insulted our mother and I lost my temper."
Suddenly, he let out a laugh of disbelief, "I can't believe my brother-in-law is God Himself. Mercy take me."
I deadpanned. "That's the only thing you're going to focus on, huh?"
He grinned. "Maybe."
Shaking my head, I said, "Well, I'm going to go to the library. It's been a while since I've read something."
I strolled out of the room toward the library where the books had remained untouched for a little over a decade. Yet, there was not a speck of dust on the books or tables, though the smell of aged paper permeated the air. Fingering the spines, I yanked one book off its shelf and curled up in what would become my favorite armchair.
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