Divinity: Transcendence: Book Two (The Divinity Saga) (33 page)

I admired
the view through a set of floor to ceiling windows that faced the ocean. High tech equipment, from a DJ turntable system, advanced gaming system, to a large screen, flat-panel television mounted on the wall in front of a long sofa, adorned the open living room. A rap music video was on, blaring bass from the high-grade sound system.

A foosball table and two arcade style games were set off to the left, flanked by a small bar with a mini-fridge. It was apparent that Durien never cooked
, let alone ever had many guests over at one time. The stove remained clean and unused, and three lonely barstools sat along the kitchen bar counter.

He sat, bobbing his head to the rhythm, nursing a cok
e, and munching on a bread pastry that smelled of pizza.

I joined him at the bar
, sliding onto a stool beside him, and briefly glimpsing the music video that he seemed so entranced by.

“
Sorry. I only had one hot pocket left, it was short notice and I was starving.” He spoke first, before turning down the sound with the remote control.

“I appreciate the forethought of hospitality
.” I replied.

“
I thought that was you and your peeps out there. You took a real big chance. All eyes were on you guys…and me.” He turned to me and shook his head.

“Did anyone
say anything to you?”

His looked at me strangely
. “No. And I guess I don’t have to ask why you wanted to talk. She doesn’t remember you.” He then said.

He then took
a huge bite of the pizza-filled bread. A string of cheese dangled from his bottom lip before he wiped it away, and briefly glanced back over at the TV for

a moment
.

Hearing those words of affirmation,
felt like a dull knife stabbing into and twisting in my heart. Sorrow gripped my insides.

“I was going to tell her a
bout you but I wasn’t sure if that was such a good idea.” He then said.

My jaw worked. T
hat actually angered me.

Though I understood why he couldn’t
speak about me, I still felt as if he should have told her something anyway.

“
You could have at least told her I wouldn’t be a threat to her. She’d believe you.”

He l
ooked over at me. “Whether I do or not, it won’t keep her from attacking you on sight. You saw her out there. She runs faster than everyone else, and she has moves that even a long-time seasoned warrior couldn’t perfect. She’s going to be lethal. If it ever came down to it and I kept her from attacking you, she’ll be looking at me with confusion and suspicion.” He explained.

“So?” I furrowed my brows in annoyance.

“So?” He looked at me incredulously. “That could jeopardize both hers and my standing at the hall.”

I sighed deeply.

“Yeah, I know all of that Durien. But I still want her to at least know my name.”

He raised a brow.
“You think just hearing your name again may jog her memory?”

“It may
. She’s safe with me, you knew the night that she was with me. Nothing has changed about my feelings for her. I just want to know that she’s okay and what’s going on with her, if you don’t mind filling me in from time to time.”

Durien sighed this time
, and looked at me with a serious note in his brown eyes.

“
Did she know what you were that night you two were together?” He then asked.

“She…figured it out.” I said flatly.

He paused in thought with a slight nod. “I guess that’s why everyone is a little stand-offish and suspicious when they see her. Technically, she can’t be held accountable when she was mortal. You have to understand the obvious dilemma for me though.”

That surprised
and enraged me at the same time. “I do. You have my complete gratitude. How are they treating her?” I wanted to know.

He shook his head
and shrugged a shoulder.

“
Some aren’t so welcoming.”

Durien
suddenly noted the look on my face, predicting exactly what I was thinking. My eyes began to flicker and glow. He knew demons well, especially the Fallen. Pissing one off and becoming their target was never recommended, for any being. Revenge, wrath, and destruction were our favorite things —and let the anger be over someone that I loved and cared about too? All hell breaking loose would be a weak understatement.

He eyed me, catching the glow in my eyes that signified my anger at the thought.

“Don’t, Cam. You’re cool and everything, and you’re the only one that I trust when it comes to the fallen, as weird as that may sound. I know that you and those in your group are the good guys. The others don’t see it that way, and they never will, which is understandable. I don’t want to start anything that will mess up the possibilities of our sides ever working together.”             

I inhaled,
“In the end, when it all explodes and survival becomes the ultimate goal, I don’t think anyone will be taking names and questioning loyalties. Believe me.”

He paused. “
Yeah, I know. I don’t want to be pessimistic, but I can’t change centuries of law and tradition among the elders and the council. The majority of our backing comes directly from the angels but you already know that.”

That last statement got under my skin. After what happened with Drakael, I was a little hard pressed to take full stock in the intentions and advice of some of those angels. Angels were falling all the time, lef
t and right, especially now that rule of the Earth was essentially being put up for bids. Granted, all other beings would have to pry it out of Morning Star’s cold, hard grip first. It was going to be a certain massive and bloody tug of war. A tug of war that humans are going to be caught in the middle of, and suffer greatly for as a result.             

The fate of Earth left the human realm
open to so much deceit and manipulation lately; it was getting difficult to discern the authenticity of beings and their words. Intentions and loyalties meant nothing anymore to many. It could easily fall either way. Even for me.

I got up and walked over to the windows.

“I as well as those in my group, all oppose Morning Star for the same reasons as the divine warriors. I understand your honor and loyalties. Unbelievably, I still have my own too. I don’t care if the elders or the council don’t trust or ever trust me. I have no expectations of that, nor am I asking them to. It doesn’t change my purpose and where I stand.” I turned back around to face him. “Starling is all I care about, Durien. I want to see her again, in person.” I told him

The look in his dark brown eyes flashed suspicion.
In the momentary silence, I slowly strolled over to his DJ mix table, and casually began flipping through his collection of burned CD’s. I was gathering my thoughts about what I wanted to reveal to him. Would it even be beneficial or wise for me to do?

He watched me with curiosity,
apparently not expecting my last statement.

“I’m only telling you this because you trust me, as I trust
you.” I then pinned him with my gaze.

His
suspicious expression turned to perplexed surprise.

“It has nothing to do with her being special
, or different, or even wanted by Morning Star. It has everything to do with me. I love her. And I will personally tear apart and even kill any being, or anyone who tries to keep me from her.” I looked him directly in his eyes.

Durien appeared shocked
and then he looked away. I continued to watch him; tuning into the changes in his bio rhythms and the sound of his heart beat speeding up a bit.

He finally
nodded, taking a long sip of coke, crushing the can in one hand, and licking his lips.

“
I’ll keep you informed about her, that’s not a problem.” Then he smirked, “It’s more a matter of her not killing you if and when she sees you.”

“I can handle myself.”

I hoped.

He turned all the way around on the barstool to face me with a single raised brow this time.
“Oh? How are you gonna do that without accidentally killing or hurting her to stop her?” His brows furrowed and he almost seemed angry about that possibility.

I had to wonder
if Durien held some sort of infatuation with Starling too. Again, it would have been understandable, but she was mine. I thought I just made myself clear about that with him?

“I’d
let her kill me before ever harming her.” I told him. I was absolutely serious about that statement.

There was a
nother moment of silence. This meeting wasn’t going as I thought it would. Durien confirmed what I dreaded hearing and knowing, ever since Starling died. It left me feeling physically empty.

“What about the
earthbound seraphim that was with her out there?” I then asked, leaning back against the DJ table, with my arms folded across my chest.

He knew exactly why I was asking about him.

“She’s not giving him the time of day if that’s what you want to know. At least, I don’t think she is, yet.” He smirked.

I eyed him briefly with irritation.

“Don’t warn him.” I simply told him, and Durien knew exactly what I mean by that.

Durien chuckled.
“I don’t think I have to. He already knows about you. I have nothing to do with that situation. He’s on his own.” He held up his hands.

I smirked.
“Good.”

“I’m taking huge risks
right now. I got some curious looks when I threw you those hand signals. They’re probably watching me now too, so don’t do anything to hurt him. I mean, he’s a really good warrior.” He told me.

I understood his obli
gations but it was still infuriating to me. I meant what I told him though, and it was more than a simple threat.

I blew out a sarcastic breath,
“Being earthbound took away about ninety percent of his angelic and supernatural advantages.” I said as I moved over to his television surround sound system and looked it over. I wanted something like this for my place.

Durien pursed his lips with a short nod of agreement.

“Did you do her brandings?” I looked at him over my shoulder.

He
moved over to the couch and plopped down in it, with his television remote in hand. “Yeah.”

“How did she handle it?” I wanted to know.

Durien sucked in a breath between his teeth, as if he wasn’t sure how to answer that.

“She actually did well, but not without all of the typical screaming and squirming. I still haven’t gotten used to it. It’s
still just as hard for me to endure having to hear and witness as it was the first few times.”

I hated hearing and knowing that, but I knew she was going to have to go through it. She was a warrior.

“So what’s her weapon?”

He paused and
then looked at me with a grin. “Deific blades.” He was proud to tell me.

Deific blades?
She had the deadliest weapons known to the spirit realm against…all of us, and I just happened to be in love with her. Imagine the convenient irony. Well, should I have imagined anything less magnificent or deadly, given the fact that she is unique?

I stared at him, wide-eyed
for a full ten seconds in surprised shock before finally speaking again, “And her essence?” I asked carefully. This information was more for my own benefit, so that I would be prepared for
when
we met, not
if
we ever met again.

“Don’
t know. She barely mastered toning down auras and she doesn’t know how to wield them yet, but it won’t be long for her. I guess if you want to see her again, face to face, now would be as good a time as any while she’s still untrained, if you get my drift.” He replied.

I nodded.
“When and where?”

Dur
ien shook his head indecisively. “I don’t know.”

I thought
for a moment. Maybe she’d be able to remember if she returned to the city where she lived while attending college. Then again, what if crow demon showed up again?

It didn’t matter. I had to see her again.

“It needs to be a public place, just in case something happens. What about a music club?” I suggested.             

That would be perfect. There would be many other humans around.
She would be held accountable to refrain from using, or revealing any weapons— at least in front of human eyes.

Du
rien nodded. “Yeah, I think I can convince her to come with me. I’ll talk to her tonight. If I can get her to hang out with me, then tomorrow evening about ten p.m., human realm time. We can meet at...”

I cut him off,
“Pick a place. You know it won’t take me long to find you guys, especially if she’s with you.” I smirked as I got up and prepared to ghost back out again.