Evenstar (72 page)

Apple shrugged.
 
“You only do what you
want
to, Whitney.”

Dahlia tried walking.
 
“Oh good.”

Celeste cocked her head and sniffed.
 
Her eyes flashed red.
 
“I smell something
delicious
.”

Whitney inhaled.
 
“Oh my gosh!
 
What is that!
 
Are we having this place catered?
 
I want whatever that is.
 
Food?”

Apple and Belial snickered together.
 
Apple grinned.
 
“Quite.”

Tracy jumped to her feet.
 
“I need food
now
!”

“I am starving.”
 
Dahlia looked at her wine glass and licked her lips.
 
She caught the scent of food and dropped her bottle.
 
“What have we been drinking?”

Apple held up her bottle.
 
“The wine of Bacchus, Maenad wine.”

Dahlia gulped.
 
“But the Maenads devoured
men
.”

Apple grinned wickedly and looked at her glass.
 
“This does whet one’s appetite for certain things.”
 
She looked to the stairway that led down to the wine cellar.
 
The door on the floor above them opened.
 
“The men are arriving.”

Dahlia pushed her way to Apple.
 
“I am not
eating
anyone!”

Apple smirked.
 
“Just chill, Dahlia.
 
Wait and see.
 
Tracy has to go first anyways.”

Tracy growled, overwhelmed by the scent.
 
“I do not feel drunk anymore, I feel great!
 
I feel strong!”

Celeste grinned.
 
“Me too!”

Dahlia inhaled, the scent revitalized her, and she felt stronger than she ever had before.
 
She no longer felt dizzy, her vision sharpened.
 
She was hungry, ravenous.
 
Her fingers curled.
 

Paimon jumped down the stairs and bowed deeply.
 
“Evening ladies!”

Dahlia gaped.
 
“Paimon?
 
What happened to you?”

Paimon touched his short hair self-consciously.
 
“Later.”
 
He gave them a once over.
 
“I haven’t had Maenads in so long, my beautiful man-eaters.
 
Furcas, dear!”

Furcas ran down the stairs.
 
“Yes?”

“Are the boys ready?”

Furcas smiled.
 
“Relatively speaking no, but what groom ever is.”

“Such truth.”
 
Paimon looked up the stairs.
 
“Bring ‘em down!”

Andrealphus shoved Tokala and Nodin down the stairs.
 
Helion, Berith, and Lucifer followed them.
 
Andy ran back to the top of the stairs, blocking the exit and any possible attempts at escape.
 
Paimon and Furcas stepped aside and pushed Nodin into the room.

Nodin gaped at Tracy.
 
“Shit!”

Tracy grinned.
 
“You smell
delicious
, honey!”

Nodin held up his hands and looked at Paimon.
 
“Seriously?”

Paimon nodded.
 
“She’s
your
bride so you have to get her.”
    

Apple and Belial stepped in front of Tracy.
 
“Through us.”

Dahlia took in the spectacle and laughed.
 
“I get it.”
 
Celeste and Whitney looked at her.
 
Dahlia pointed.
 
“If he really wants her, he has to fight for her.”

Nodin smoothed out his suit.
 
“Fuck me.”

Tracy grinned.
 
“Really?
 
Right now?”

Nodin clapped his hands and blasted everyone back with a burst of air.
 
He dove for Tracy.
 
Belial backhanded him.
 
Nodin slammed into the fountain of wine and the white parts of his suit turned purple.
 
He lost a shoe.
 

Nodin shook the wine off and dove as Celeste punched at his head.
 
Whitney strafed him with bottles.
 
Dahlia dove for his ankles.
 
Apple kept herself between him and Tracy.

Nodin sent off random bursts of air.
 
He swung and punched Apple.
 
“Sorry, sis!”

Apple punched him right back.
 
“I’m not!”

Nodin snarled and leapt.
 
Belial kicked him across the face, breaking his nose.

On the stairs, the Fallen laughed.
 
Paimon, Furcas, and Berith were reduced to tears.
 
Tokala looked ill.
 
“I’m next?”

Berith ducked as a wine bottle was thrown their direction.
 
He wiped his eyes.
 
“Oh yeah.”

Tokala looked up at him.
 
“Can’t you collect Apple first?”

“No way.”

“No one else had to fight
Fallen
and Lilliam as part of their wedding, ever.”

Furcas smirked.
 
“Poor you, guess you shouldn’t date the berserker?”

Lucifer watched Dahlia fight, her body in that dress made his thoughts desirous in nature not violent.
 
“I thought they were supposed to be drunk.”

Paimon looked back at him.
 
“They are drunk as skunks, trust me, fucked up, tee-
rashed
, but they’re maenads now and this is what they do best.”

Tokala gulped.
 
“I thought maenads
ate
the flesh of men best.”

“Well, yeah, that too.
 
One generally leads to another you know.”

Nodin slammed through three cases of wine.
 
His suit was in tatters.
 
He ripped off his shirt to a round of catcalls from the girls.
 
He threw the pieces to the floor.
 
The girls froze, eying his body as if he was dinner.
 
Apple made a face and turned away.
 
The girls made no move to grab him.
 
Nodin took a tentative step forward.
 
He slipped off his belt.
 
The girls ogled him.
 
He shrugged and took the pants off too.
 
He edged closer and took another step.
 
They stared wide-eyed and grinned, but did not move.

Nodin folded his pants over his arm and dashed at a dreamy-eyed Tracy.
 
He grabbed her by a horn and dove for the stairs.
 
Apple grabbed at him.
 
He bashed her aside with his shoulder.
 
The other girls snapped out of their trance.
 
They leapt after him, but he made it to the stairs.
 

Paimon and Furcas blocked Apple and Belial.
 
Paimon held his hands up.
 
“Nope, he escaped fairly.
 
Keep your wits about you next time.”
 

“Your turn!”
 
Furcas shoved Tokala at the girls.

Tokala waved to Celeste.
 
“Hi, I have to get you.
 
If you would just come here we can leave without this pretense and messiness.”

Celeste folded her arms.
 
“You told them we
slept
together.”

Tokala blushed.
 
“Well, maybe, kind of, I had to.
 
I had to bring a date regardless.
 
Would you have wanted me to bring someone else?
 
They made me talk.
 
Have you seen my brother Grendel?”

Celeste stepped to the back of the group.
 
“I am not coming willingly.”

Tokala looked back and grimaced.
 
“My suit is getting trashed anyways.”
 
He shifted to a fox and launched himself at them.
 

Whitney bit Tokala’s ear and kicked him.
 
Helion gaped.
 

Dahlia kicked Tokala in the ribs.
 

Belial whooped and brought a barrel down on his head.
 
The fox snapped at them and kicked them to the side.
 
He bit down on Celeste’s arm and twisted, dislocating her shoulder.
 
The boys cheered for their side.
 
The girls glared at them.

Tokala jumped backwards.
 
Celeste went into a berserker rage.
 
She beat on his face with her free hand.
 
Apple bit his tail.
 
Tokala kicked Apple and leapt backwards.
 
He slammed Whitney and Belial into the wall and scratched at Dahlia, but she dodged.

Celeste slammed a fist down on his nose, making him yelp and drop her.
 
She rolled to her feet.
 
Tokala grabbed Celeste by the throat, shook her, and dashed up the stairs.
 

Paimon and Furcas let him go by.
 

Lucifer folded his arms.
 
“We are done now?
 
Dahlia, let us go together.”

Paimon and Furcas looked up at him.
 
“Are you kidding?”

Lucifer frowned.
 
“Why would I be kidding?”

Berith shook his head.
 
“You never had to do this before.
 
We
all
must collect our women.”
 
He stepped past Paimon and Furcas and smiled at Apple.
 
He unsheathed a sword.
 
“I would prefer if we went one on one.”

Apple looked to the other girls.
 
“I’m fine with that.”
 
She pulled a rapier from her back.
 
The silver weapon slid easily from her green silk dress.

Dahlia gaped.
 
“Where did she get
that
?”

Belial fell next to her, looking serious.
 
“Magic.
 
Pretty neat huh.”

“I want one.”
 

Sparks flew as Apple and Berith crossed blades.
 
Apple sliced clean through Berith’s tie.
 

Whitney dropped beside Dahlia and Belial.
 
“So are we next?”

Belial nodded.
 
“You two are yeah.”

Dahlia snorted.
 
“You are going to go willingly?”

Belial frowned.
 
“What?”

“With Andy.”

Belial looked up to Andy.
 
“I, oh…I suppose he is my date now.
 
Shit.”

Dahlia and Whitney laughed and sat back to watch Apple and Berith.
 
Apple sliced off a pant leg.
 
“You’re slow!”

Berith rolled his eyes.
 
“I don’t want to damage you, and your dress is rather lovely.”

Apple smirked.
 
“Damage me?
 
Doubtful.”

Belial cupped her hands around her mouth.
 
“Don’t let him taunt you, Apple.
 
He is trying to make you screw up!”

Berith parried her blade.
 
“Fine, then I will wait for you tire.”
 
He dove and sliced off a large lock of her long black hair.

Apple looked at the discarded hair in horror.
 
“You son a bitch I’ve been perfecting that for centuries!”
 
She kicked off the wall and punched him in the face.
 
She flipped backwards and brought the sword down, shearing off his sleeve.
 
He swept his blade to the side and took off another chunk of hair.
 
Apple growled and leapt on him.
 
Berith grabbed her arm and pulled her into a headlock.
 
He ran from the room while she kicked and screamed.
 
Fire blasted down the stairs.

Paimon pushed Helion in next.
 

Helion fiddled with his bowtie, still shirtless.
 
He looked at Belial.
 
“I cannot fight you.”

Belial got to her feet.
 
“Too bad for you?”

Whitney rolled her eyes.
 
She stepped up to Helion and punched him in the eye.
 
She hugged him.
 
“Okay, let’s go.”

Dahlia and Belial shared an ‘Aww’ moment, and looked up.
 

Lucifer and Andy eyed each other.
 
Lucifer pushed Andy ahead of him.
 

Andy stumbled into the room nervously.
 
“I never said I was going to do this.”

Furcas and Paimon got behind him and blocked the stairs.
 
“Too bad.”

Lucifer grinned wickedly.
 
“It is
tradition
, Andrealphus.”

Andy whirled to find Belial and Dahlia staring at him with toothy grins.
 
Andy gawked at Belial’s dress, and his cheeks went red.
 
He held his hands up.
 
“Belial, I did not purpose this for you and I.
 
In fact, I am appalled that they would put us in this position.
 
I mean, despite what we said to one another earlier no formal courtship was announced and I feel rather awkward about making this presumption since only formal couples are supposed to be involved.
 
So I understand fully if you wish to stay here, or stroll out on your own volition.”

Behind him, Paimon and Furcas looked pained.
 
Lucifer sighed and shook his head.
 
Belial smiled at Andy, amused.
 

Andy blushed and kept going.
 
“Not that I would not want to fight you, I think it would be fun, we’ve had lots of fights!
 
You are a great opponent!
 
In truth, I do kind of look forward to this, because we are such pals and pals can fight and that is okay.
 
Right?
 
Say something?
 
Please?
 
Can you hit me already so that I will shut up?”

Belial punched Andy in the stomach.
 
She shoved him to the wall.
 
“You are such a hopeless idiot.”
 
She kissed him on the lips.

Andy froze in shock.
 

Furcas hissed.
 
“Kiss her back already!”

Andy wrapped his arms around Belial, closed his eyes, and kissed her.
 
He felt as if his feet had left the ground.
 
He opened one eye to check, no, he was still on the ground.
 
He pressed her to him and slowly pulled his head back.
 
He looked dazed.
 

Belial let him go and smiled.
 
“You win, I have been vanquished, let’s go.”

Andy spoke in a daze, “No fight?”

Belial tore his tie off and shredded his shirt.
 
“You’ve been fighting with me since day one.
 
Besides, I’d like to keep my dress intact.
 
Out.”

Lucifer waited for them to pass.
 
He gazed at Dahlia.
 
“This will not be a fair fight.”

She gave him a once over.
 
“Oh really.”

Lucifer stared at his fingers.
 
“You are not as strong as us.”

She folded her arms.
 
“Well fuck you too.”

He glared.
 
“I do not want to hurt you.”

She shrugged.
 
“So?
 
I do not think I care.”

Lucifer walked into the room.
 
Paimon and Furcas slipped behind him and stood in the doorway, grinning.
 
Lucifer held out his hand.
 
“You are drunk.
 
There is no point in this.”

Dahlia took a step away from him.
 
“Oh really?”

“Yes.”

Dahlia punched the wall creating cracks in the rock.
 
She pulled her hand back; her fingers were broken and bloody.
 
She shook her hand out and red light healed the wounds.
 
“I am just as strong as you are.”

He nodded, appreciative.
 
“Regardless, I have been in this form longer and I think you are still not used to being drunk.
 
In your head, you are still a twenty-something girl who cannot keep her footing when inebriated.
 
Face it, you are a happy drunk, not an angry drunk.”

Dahlia’s jaw dropped.
 
“You are going to be hurt.”

Lucifer grinned.
 
“Dahlia really, you are slurring your speech.”

“I do not need to speak well in order to hit you.”

Lucifer folded his arms.
 
“Can you even see straight?”

“No.”

“Then stop this.”

“Your pompous ego is so big I can hit you regardless of which one of you I throw punches at.”

Lucifer strode towards her.
 
“Enough.”

Dahlia moved in a blur and slammed her fist into his stomach.
 
Lucifer doubled over.
 
She kneed him in the chin.
 
She jumped away before he could grab her.
 

From the stairs, Paimon and Furcas watched rapt.
 
Furcas nudged Paimon.
 
“Which one of us would be the chick?”

Paimon smirked.
 
“Uh,
you
, obviously.”

Furcas glared at him.
 
“Yeah okay why?
 
I don’t dance or sing.
 
Oh, I also don’t bake cupcakes and decorate them with pink frosting.”

Paimon rolled his eyes.
 
“You preen over yourself and
sew
.”

“You write poetry.”

“
You
take it.
 
I
give it.”
 
Paimon leaned in.
 
“Case closed, you’re the girl.”

Furcas socked Paimon in the arm.
 
In the background, Dahlia and Lucifer plowed into a rack of wine bottles.
 
Dahlia shrieked as Lucifer pinched her ass.
 
She kicked him in the face and he slammed into barrels.
 

Paimon rubbed his shoulder and scowled at Furcas.
 
“You are such a child.”

Furcas sulked.
 
“I do not preen over myself, and I am
not
a child and I don’t always take it.”

“Preen queen, baby.”

Furcas knocked out Paimon’s front teeth with a punch.
 
“At least I’m not the mother hen of the group!”

“Mother hen?”
 
Paimon spit the teeth out and tackled Furcas.
 
The pair wrestled towards the fountain.
 
Lucifer tripped over them and fell backwards.
 
Dahlia laughed and jumped on top, kicking and punching all three of them.
 

***

Nodin gazed at his bride to be with fondness; she had blood on her horns and wine down her chest.
 
His heart fluttered happily.
 
He wore scraps of cloth and stood at the altar barefoot.
 
His mother and father looked on teary-eyed.
 
Tokala stood next to him, naked and nonchalant, his hands at his hips.
 
Across from him, Celeste stood with her arms folded, eyes red; she smiled when he did not look her way.

Whitney and Helion were next in the wedding party.
 
Helion sported a black eye.
 
Everyone assumed he had his shirt ripped off; Whitney and he let them continue to think that.

Berith and Apple stood beside them.
 
Berith’s clothing was burnt and sliced.
 
Apple’s dress was intact, but her hair was short, very short, and not cut evenly.
 
She glared at Berith.