The Return of The Morningstar

Dakota witnesses Darius's power as a Nephilim wolf as he fights with one of the Nephilim and is taken to find one angel that is very important.

   Dakota looked down at Darius’s chains. He followed her gaze.

   “How’d you get free?” she whispered.

   “I’ve been yanking at these for a long time now.  Their anchors in the walls aren’t very strong and they don’t hold well against the strength of a werewolf combined with a Nephilim.”  He replied.  

   “Are they gonna be okay with you walking around having broken free?” Dakota asked.

   “All they care is that I don’t kill somebody.  But, the Changes are really painful and tiring to go through so, I’m just looking to rest without demons screeching in my ears and Damasen trying to drive me insane.”  Darius replied.  “I’ll have to find a place to sleep though because, it’s been a long time since I last had a room.”

 

   Dakota led Darius up the creaky wooden stairs, struggling to keep as quiet as possible with the ever present worry that he might turn back into a werewolf at any second and try to kill her.  The other worry was waking up the Nephilim and angels with the jangling of Darius’s chains.  He kept them wound around his wrists but, the slack parts of the chains still let out little clinks every once in a while.  

 

   They were close to the floor where Dakota’s room was when, it happened.  Darius started to wince and his chains fell to the steps with a loud clatter like someone dropping a ceramic bowl.  Dakota turned to see her nightmare coming to life.  He raked his hands through his dark hair, the claws elongating, fur sprouting in their wake.  The ears unfurled like tiny wings, He grew taller and his back arched.  He groaned as his face, always the last part of his Change apparently began to sprout fur and fangs.  

   “Darius, control it.”  Dakota blurted, fearing that she’d wake up the others.  She’d learned from Joel to never talk to a werewolf especially on a full moon night.  It wasn’t smart because they’re less likely to be in any kind of control.  The newer ones were the ones you should never try to talk into being in control because they’ll only know what the blood in them is telling them to do; hunt and kill.

 

   Darius looked down at her, his silvery eyes shining like topaz.  He leaned down close to her face, a question in his eyes.  His black lips pulled back to bear pearl-white fangs like a threat.  You don’t run and get help now, you’ll be dead.  The message was clear but, Dakota couldn’t make her feet move.  She somehow felt that if she did run from Darius and try to get help, he’d run after her.  All predators do that to their prey, come close and when they run, they follow and tire them out before pouncing and feasting.  

 

   Dakota stood her ground and slowly, carefully reached out to touch his dark fur turned silver in the shafts of moonlight coming in from the huge window in the foyer.  He watched her, the question still in his eyes: What are you trying to do?  I’m not some puppy you can train by petting and talking to all cute-like...  She placed her hand on his head and let out a deep breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.  The fur was coarse and thick where the neck began but, soft between the ears.  She scratched his ear with her other hand, gently.  

   “Darius,” her voice shook with fear. “I need you to try to push past the werewolf blood and focus on the Nephilim side.  Try to think of something that separates you from being a werewolf, something you never want tainted by what you’ve become.  That might help.  We can’t have you discovered yet.  They might try to chain you again if they see that you can’t control it yet.”

   Darius tilted his head to the side and his eyes closed.  

   Relief began to flood through Dakota’s heart like a slowly incoming tide and for a second she shut her eyes, sighing as she prayed he would find that one thing that anchored him to being a Nephilim.  

   She opened her eyes again and saw the fur melting away, a receding line of tiny insects marching away from his face.  The fangs shrank back from his lips, his face returning to normal.  In seconds, the fur was gone and Darius stood before her, full Nephilim again.  He opened his eyes and the silvery gold dissolved into the dark abysses of his eyes, leaving only the thin golden rings in the very centers of them.  

   Dakota let out another sigh of relief.  “Thank God, it worked.”

   “How’d you know it would?”  A voice asked behind Dakota.

   Darius’s head snapped up and Dakota turned to see a Nephilim boy standing behind her.   

   

   He was almost as tall as Darius and slighter.  He had a mohawk of white hair peppered with black, similar to Sumaria’s.  His eyes were a dark purple in the reflected moonlight.  He had a saint trinity tattooed to his chest, over his heart.  The intertwining circles looking dull black.  

   “I...didn’t.  I just...prayed that it would.” Dakota replied.

   He nodded once, like he approved of her choice. “How’d you get free?”

   “They broke.” Darius nodded at his chains.

   The boy threw his head back and let out a short laugh.  “Those don’t break that easily.  They’re supposed to mute your powers.”

   “Why does it matter?  They’re broken and I’m here.  I’m a Nephilim and I put myself down there.  I have the rights to be here if I want to.  Got a problem?” Darius snapped.

   “Do you?” the boy asked calmly with a smart look on his face that made Dakota’s hand itch to smack him.  

   “From the way you were looking at the human just now, I’d think you weren’t ready to be free yet.  I’m just looking out for her life and the rest of ours.” the boy said.

   

   Dakota remembered who the boy was now with his smart attitude.  Idris.  He was another one of the best.  He was still below Joel’s skill - and Darius’s from what she’d learned from Noah earlier - but, they could still get in a fight.  There was no guarantee for either to win.  Darius had the advantage of being a werewolf and having more than two years of training.  Both gave him speed, amazing eyesight, even in the dark and good hearing, should he lose sight of Idris in their fight.  Idris on the other hand, has been training for two straight years.  He has the advantage of Nephilim training constantly fresh on his mind.  However, Idris only had the sight and hearing of the Nephilim which wasn’t as good as a werewolf’s.  But, even though Darius had the advantages of twice the supernatural strength and senses, he hasn’t trained for over a year and has the chains to drag around.  The chains will wake everyone and give away his placement if he tries to run, Dakota thought.  

 

   “You saw that I can control it now, right?  She’s still alive and unharmed.  Now, I know how to control it and both of you are safe unless you give me a reason to make you...unsafe.” Darius snapped.  

   Dakota saw the veins beginning to rise on his arms and neck.  His muscles were tense; his hands were clenching and unclenching at his sides.  The nails were black and pointed slightly.  His anger is rising, Dakota thought.  The werewolf inside him is struggling to be contained.  Idris needs to stop trying to prove something that doesn’t need to be proven right now.  He’s gonna get himself killed.

 

   “You should know how to control it better after a year of dealing with the Changes.  I mean, really.  There are werewolves out there that have been dealing with the Changes for a year and we can barely manage to kill them because of how quick they are at finding us and how cleverly stealthy they can be.  You should control it so much better being part Nephilim on top of that.”  Idris pointed at the veins rising on Darius’s arms.

 

   Darius changed into a wolf in the blink of an eye as he flew through the air over Dakota’s head.   Idris saw him coming but, was too astonished by the fluid Change that Darius had allowed.  In the next second, Idris was sprawled on the floor beneath the huge black wolf that had been Darius.  Darius switched back to his Nephilim self in one fluid swish of fur to dark skin.  

   Idris’s arm came up with a flash of silver.  He slashed the silver thing; Dakota assumed was a knife of some sort, across Darius’s face and yanked the wolf boy’s head back by his fur.  Darius punched Idris in the face, making the Nephilim boy wince loudly and let him go.  Idris pulled his leg up and kicked Darius in the ribs.  Taking the silent message from this, Darius stood, dragging Idris with him and throwing him into the nearest wall with as much strength as he could manage without killing him.  Idris hit the wall with an audible thud, leaving cracks.  Darius wiped the blood off his face from a long gash in his right cheek.  He flexed his hands and, long, black talons curved from his fingers.  

   Dakota wanted to jump in before Darius carved Idris’s eyes from their sockets...or worse but, she had to think of her own life.  She was human; her life was as fragile as glass.  Darius could kill her faster than Idris if he wanted to.  She wanted to yell for them to stop but, she knew they wouldn’t.  Darius’s werewolf side was taking over his fighting and Idris wouldn’t stop simply because he was too full of pride and always wanted to prove he was stronger, even if he would end up looking a fool.  

 

   Darius waved the Nephilim boy on, the moonlight glancing softly off his black claws.  Idris came at him carefully; watching Darius’s deadly claws for any lightning fast movements his Nephilim eyes might be able to process.  He slashed out with his blade at Darius’s gut.  Darius couldn’t block it fast enough and doubled over in pain, blackened blood poured from the wound and Idris came in for another strike.  Darius sensed it coming and struck upward at him with his claws.  He caught Idris along the side of his forearm.  Dakota could almost feel the pain herself and winced at the thought of how bad it had to hurt.  Darius yanked his claws out of Idris’s arm without mercy.  Idris bit back a yelp of pain.  Blood spilled from the wound like several separate rivers of Hell.  

 

   While Idris fought against the pain, Darius rammed him into the wall and pried the knife from his fingers.  Idris, let one hand hang loosely by his side.  Dakota’s eyes widened as she realized what he planned to do.  But, she didn’t know how she could save Darius.  Calling to him would distract him and get him killed.  She didn’t even know if he still had the ability that Idris had despite only being half Nephilim.  Darius didn’t hesitate before stabbing Idris in the side.  The Nephilim boy winced and groaned in pain, his injured arm leaving stains of blood across his stomach as he struggled to reach the knife.  Dakota knew he was just putting on a show to keep Darius from noticing his idea.  He yanked the knife out and jabbed it into Darius’s hand.  Darius growled in pain but, didn’t bother to take it out.  It protruded gruesomely from the palm of his hand like he was born with it there.  He scraped the small point of the blade across Idris’s chest.  But, Idris had the sword in his hand now, Heavenly fire covered it like a second skin but, didn’t burn Idris’s hands as he heaved it up from his side and swung it at Darius.  Darius ducked to the side and was only grazed by the dying fire on the blade of Idris’s sword.  The fire on Idris’s sword died out in his next swing and the sword was the purest, glass-like silver Dakota had ever seen on any of the Nephilim’s weapons.  

   Darius changed into a wolf in a flash of black lightning.  He leaped up and bit into Idris’s sword arm.  Idris yelled in pain.  That’s when Dakota decided she’d had enough.  She jumped in and tried to pry the sword from Idris’s hand but, it was scorching hot to the touch.  It seared the skin off her fingertips.  Idris didn’t seem to notice her attempt.  Darius let go of Idris’s arm, dropping lightly to his feet and flickering back into a Nephilim.  He punched Idris in the face before he could swing the sword again.  Idris stumbled back from the impact.  As Darius began to go after Idris, Dakota stepped in front of him.  She splayed her hands across his chest.

   “Stop.” she said.

   Darius pushed her out of the way.

   Idris stumbled forward with the sword leveled at Darius’s heart.  Darius stopped where he was, unsure of how to handle the sword without burning his hands or getting killed.  Idris smiled, splitting his busted lip, making blood drip slowly down his chin.  

   “So, this is what it comes down to, Darius.” Idris said darkly. “I have a sword of Heavenly metal ready to pierce your heart and you have nothing.  You’re supposed to be the stronger one, right?  You’re supposed to be the powerful one, numb to most things.  I’m nothing compared to you with all your training and experience.  Yet, somehow, I’m the one just inches from killing you right now.  Tell me how that can make any kind of sense.”  

   Idris inched toward Darius as he spoke.  Darius stepped back, his fangs dripped with saliva, as if he wanted to devour Idris like any werewolf would have by then.  He lowered his head as if to be ashamed of defeat.  

   “Darius, just…”

   Dakota was cut short by Darius lashing out with his chains.  The chain that clung to Darius’s right wrist wrapped around the hilt of the sword and made Idris yelp as the end of the chain, heated by the Heavenly metal, scorched his skin.  Darius yanked hard on the chain.  It gripped tighter to Idris until; the sword went up in a small blast of flame.  

 

   “ENOUGH!!” an authoritative voice bellowed from the end of the hall.

 

   Dakota and the boys looked up to see Lazerous striding down the hall leisurely despite his shout.  His DVD eyes nearly glowed in the darkness.  He nodded respectfully to Darius and looked at Idris, his eyes burning with his own anger.

   “Finally broke free, Darius?” Lazerous said.

   Darius nodded.

   Lazerous touched one of the shackles and the chains burned away.  Darius’s wrists beneath were rubbed raw by the year of struggling against the chains.  He wrung them gently, getting a feel for having his wrists back.

   Lazerous smiled faintly.  The smile faded when he turned to Idris.  “My office.  Now.” he growled.

   Idris ground his teeth and stormed down the hall from which Lazerous had come.

   “Wait there until I return.  If I come back to find you not there, I will have Sumaria see to you.  Or possibly myself.” Lazerous called to him in a lazy tone that spoke of years of dealing with the same thing.

   He turned back to Darius and Dakota.  “Come with me.  We have a visitor.”  He said quietly.  “Darius, do the honors?”  Lazerous raised an eyebrow.

 

   Dakota wondered why Lazerous was punishing only Idris and not Darius.  He seemed happy that Darius had beat Idris up.  Was it because of some unknown history between the two or just simple favoritism?

 

   Darius rolled his shoulders and huge white wings unfurled.  A look of bliss spread across his bloody face.  It almost distracted Dakota from the ugly gash across his cheek.  It seemed less ugly now that she looked at it.  It was slowly shrinking and she remembered that werewolves heal pretty quickly.  He wrapped his wings around the three of them.  

 

   The feeling of having her soul ripped from her body took place again.  She felt like she was floating in the middle of nothing and nowhere.  Lucky for her she’d remembered to close her eyes before they really started going.  She felt herself become whole again and opened her eyes to be greeted by a shock of dizziness.  

 

   Dakota looked around to see she was in the middle of an inky black sea.  The moon shone down on them only partway covered by clouds.  Only, Dakota realized that they weren’t in the middle of the sea.  She was standing on solid ground.  The inky black sea was actually the street in front of Aerie.  

 

   A tall man stood beside Lazerous.  He was roughly six feet tall and walked with purpose.  He stepped into the moonlight and Dakota could see the tattoo of the Holy Spirit scrawled in black down the right side of his face to his neck and ending across his heart.  He glanced over her with bright jade colored eyes and a slight smirk on his lips.

   “Lazerous.” he said, his voice nearly melodious.

   “Lucifer.” Lazerous almost sounded disgusted.

   “Happy to see me, aren’t you?” Lucifer replied.

   “Wanted to live another century or so before meeting you again but, here we are.” Lazerous replied tiredly.  

   “Nice to know you still love me like a brother.” Lucifer smirked more fully.  

   “Lucifer like, Lucifer Morningstar?” Dakota said aloud without meaning to.

   “Just announce it to the world.  Not like it matters that we stay hidden from the other humans and demons.  Go ahead and scream it.” Lucifer said playfully, gesturing all around him at the buildings and cars.

   He looked at Lazerous disgustedly.  “Where’d you get this one from, Lazerous?  An asylum?”

   “Sumaria.” Lazerous suggested, raising an eyebrow.

   Lucifer sighed exasperated and looked to Dakota, his bright jade colored eyes like green orbs of fire.  “Yes, I am the Lucifer Morningstar.”  The smirk returned to his lips.

   “But...I am not the Devil.”

   With that he smiled, his teeth pearly white and he dropped a wink at her.

　

Reviews

[Inject Positivity]

Finally finished reading this chapter... I was never a fan of fiction until I read this book of yours... The way you have described each scene with complete clarity makes me think I should read fiction... The way the characters are flowing in all these four chapters makes me feel amazed... I'm very much eager to know what is going to happen next... You know how to satisfy the reader...

Sincerely
Dhiman

[Tessa Melendez]

Thank you very much. Perhaps after you finish this book, you will start reading more fiction. I have PLENTY of suggestions for you if you want them.