Heaven Forbid: Falling Down

Late autumn cold fronts tore through the city of Houston at an alarming speed. The deluge seemed to come down in buckets. The empty midnight streets were reflective wet and aglow with the street lights and traffic signals.

Madeleine padded up and down the street, pacing and soaked to the point her clothes adhered to her skin. The chestnut colored tendrils of her hair clung to the side of her pale cheeks. Her lips void of color from the cold now.

Reclining back on the wall nearby, Dee held a droopy rain soaked cigarette in her mouth. Her hair had curled from the moisture. The maroon dress clung to her pale skin and was slightly illuminated by the lights.

For all that had happened in the past day the duo was finally back in their hometown. Only a few blocks from where they stood was the loft that they called home and all of the places that they loved to eat, the places where they shopped were right around here.

Upon getting back into the city they’d told Brandon to meet up with them—they’d needed to tell him some of the things they’d come across. They more than anything wanted him to know what they faced.

Dee spoke as Madeleine passed close to her, “Time like this Mom always told me to pray—God hears all prayers…”

“Do you think that’s any less true when we can just talk to him face to face?” Madeleine said.

“I never doubt that he loves us,” Dee started, “But he’ll only give us the strength to float on through this, and I don’t know if any amount of strength can prepare us for—everything.”

Madeleine folded her arms across her chest, trying to fight back some of the rain, “It feels like the weight of the world is on our backs and we’re on the eve of something too big for us.”

“I don’t think I ever told you,” Dee started, “When I was in North Carolina a while back I saw the Child.”

“What?” Madeleine froze in her tracks, “Why didn’t you say.”

“I kind of wrote it off as me hallucinating,” Dee paused now, “But if she’s really involved in this—we’re in trouble.”

Madeleine rolled her eyes, “Yeah—trouble with a capital P,” she paused, “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten the prophecies.”

“I’d rather forget them,” Dee said. “But one thing is for sure, we need to find this Charon bastard and off him before he gets any more power.”

“It’s going to be best if we just sneak up and do it assassination style,” Madeleine said.

Dee just stared at her, “Sounds a little bit gritty for your tastes…”

Madeleine sighed, “The times dictate such action.”

Down the street there was a slight splash and Dee looked up. Over the sounds of the pouring rain and the running water down the gutter this small sound stood out. Dee stepped off from the wall and glared down the empty road, “Brandon?”

From what she could see there was nothing of interest down the road. The water poured down into the street from off of the curb and there was splashing all around. Naturally she wrote off what she heard as some of that.

Madeleine looked back, “Something the matter?”

Something skirted across the water, just in the corner of Dee’s eye. She whipped her head around to see it and felt someone grab her by the shoulder and shove her back sharply. Dee’s glance shot up and she spotted Madeleine shoving her back as a long metallic flash cut between them.

When finally she stumbled back Dee stared at Madeleine. Only a few feet back with the rain water pouring over her body, dragging the blood out of the shoulder wound she’d received, Madeleine stood clutching her arm.

In between them a sword had been dug into the pavement, rain coursing down its shimmering blade. Gripped tightly around the hilt of the blade was a muscular hand with an arm to match. A man with a long brimmed hat held the sword there, his white blonde hair drenched and hanging around his face.

A devilish smirk spread across the mysterious man’s pale lips. A lightening flicker caught his pale blue eyes as he began to speak, “At last…we meet face to face.”

Madeleine winced, “Why are you doing this?”

“I think you both know,” his voice was soft, almost none threatening, “Dee, we’ve even met before—although you might have been unconscious.”

Dee stepped back a little, “How do you know my name?”

“You really don’t remember,” his tone was nonchalant as ripped his sword from the concrete, “North Carolina—the dragon, any of it?”

Dee’s eyes went wide with shock, “You’re…”

“Charon—but you two have been doing your research on me, haven’t you?”

Madeleine let her shoulder go and checked the wound, the blood still poured down her arm, “You—bastard.”

“Do you think me cruel?” Charon said as he slung the sword back over his shoulder. The shadows seemed to follow him, his face was almost always darkened out. “This isn’t me in cruelness—no—this is me indifferent. Indifferent to those who are below a rising god such as myself.”

In a sudden surge of energy Madeleine rushed, “Even a god can be killed on this plain—as someone once proved!” She twirled a knife out into her hand and came in for the attack.

Before she could even reach him he retaliated with two small throwing knives flung at her, the one nearest her chest was deflected off by the quick moving wall of rock that she summoned up, but the one near her neck was just fast enough to jab into her.

When Madeleine reached him she grabbed him by the neck and kicked her feet up into his chest flipping off him and trying to force him back. Without missing a step Charon kicked Madeleine in the center of her back sending her careening over the ground and rolling into a puddle.

Dee darted in behind throwing a hard punch only to have a it dodged. Charon spun to face her and when she punched again he caught her arm and dragged her in, jabbing out at her with a knife. In a fleeting moment Dee kicked off the wall and broke his grasp only to roll out into the street, her hair matted down with water and trash.

Her purple eyes flashed with fright as he dove for her, sword in hand. She pounced up into the air bringing her wings out to take flight. It was pretty taboo to reveal one’s wings at ground level but she had no choice.

Madeleine was up again slinging the knife from her upper chest and dashing at Charon to catch him off guard. She slammed into him full force tumbling over the flooded streets like a rock over a ponds surface. His hat slide across the water and he and Madeleine grappled and rolled trying to gain control or do anything to get a leg up on the other.

Charon negotiated himself so that she was on her back, underneath him and he stabbed through himself pinning her behind him, “You can’t keep this up, dear Madeleine, you’re already tired.”

She cried out as he twisted the sword, it seared inside of her body cavity and she prayed and begged for it to end. He granted her wish as he yanked the sword free and got to his feet leaving her lying on the ground.

Dee called to her friend, “Hang on!” and sailed downwards with her wings out to rescue Madeleine.

Almost instantly Charon grabbed Madeleine by the end of her hair and swung her up into orbit around his body and then released her directly in trajectory with Dee. Madeleine screamed in horrid pain before he let go and when she smashed into her partner it knocked Madeleine nearly unconscious and sent Dee rocketing back as she fought to steady herself.

Like lightening Charon was upon her back, forcing her down through the rain as she struggled to fly. He knelt into her back, just above her butt with the base of her wings in hand.

“Get off, asshole!” she hollered.

He ignored her cries and tightened his grip around her wing’s base and began to pull. She flailed her arms over her back to no avail as her feathers began to fall away and be beaten down by the rain. She was nearing the level of the building tops, Madeleine lay below in the streets writhing and trying just to move.

Blood poured fresh and warm onto her back, sticky despite the rain. Her voice reverberated like thunder from the buildings as she let out a shrill cry. Charon ripped her wings from her body and drove her down into the street with his weight on her back. The impact demolished a car and smashed her down through the roof of the car. The vehicles alarm sounded as Charon stepped off of her back and strolled around the rubble of the crushed car.

His hair seemed whiter than it did blonde now as it glinted off the street lights. He drew his blade and in a clean motion slide the sword down through Dee’s chest and into the car itself. She rasped and gurgled in pain now. Her face was scarred and marked with blood, bruised from the impact. Charon brought his face down on the side of her head and spoke over the alarm, “This isn’t mercy—I could end you right here, but I find you too amusing.”

Madeleine rasped out, “Get away from her!” she was pressed to the ground with her hands poised below her like she was doing a push-up. “I’ll level this whole city if I have to!”

The ground began to shake violently, cracks started to form in the street, alarms went off and street lights flickered. Charon placed his sword away and stepped down off of the car retrieving his hat despite the quake.

He walked right up on Madeleine and stopped down as he placed his hat back on. Still from this angle she could see his face so well, his wild blue eyes, pasty skin and evil smirk.

With a touch more gentle than she would have thought he could manage, Charon lifted her chin from the ground in his palm, “Until we meet again, sweet Madeleine.” He let her head fall back into the puddle and the quake ceased.

There were no more words to speak to them where they lay bleeding profusely and worked over. He moved off down the street into the hellish deluge, never glancing back, never showing remorse.

Heaven Forbid: The Great Old Ones

To Amandah they’d given a small, yet lavish meeting room from which she was to conduct her talk with Madeleine and Dee. Fitting with the general neo-gothic feel of the house the room was ornately ordained with beautiful etched cement walls. Each section of wall was enclosed with a large arch.

The windows in the room were small and bullet shaped with metal patterns cut through them.

As far as the functional part of the room was concerned there was just an elliptical table made of sturdy oak and polished to a gleaming finish. Seven large, plush leather chairs stood around the table. At the head of the table, sat Amandah with her hands outstretched over the wood.

On the one side of the table Madeleine and Dee sat next to each other, leaning down on their arms. Madeleine riffled through her hair slowly as Amandah began to talk, “It’s been a long time since I’ve heard mention of the Great Old Ones,” there was a look on her face as if she were recalling something long forgotten. Her light blue eyes went up and to the side and she started to speak again, “I would be lying if I told you I remembered it all like it was yesterday.”

“It’s been over two thousand years…” Dee said.

Amandah gave a short forced chuckle, “Damn are you stupid—its been over four billion years.”

“That seems a little impossible,” Madeleine said, “For the first several years this planet was a molten ball of rock and junk.”

With a shake of the head Amandah sighed, “Do you think I always looked like this?”

“Until less than a day ago we had no idea what you even were!” said Dee.

“I’ll give you that one,” Amandah said, “But we Old Ones were immense creatures, we weren’t even created for planetary life. God meant for us to swim through the stars with the cosmos at our backs.”

Madeleine folded her arms, her green eyes staring hard into Amandah’s, “So what happened?”

“Same old story, we believed ourselves to be greater than God and with the great deal of power he’d given us, we resisted Lucifer and Michael’s attempt to warn us,” she paused, “They went on the warpath—I was spared because I hadn’t fought.”

“And that’s it, that’s how it went down?” asked Dee.

“More or less, but the thing is, they were banished here to sleep within the Earth—that mess about sacred objects is the cover story to keep people from searching for the real Old Ones,” said Amandah, “They’re just concealed in different spots around the Earth.”

Madeleine leaned down on the table, “So skip to the part where you tell us about the priest.”

Amandah ruffled her hands through her bistre hair and leaned down over the table some, “Do you think you could give me one of your cigarettes, Dee?”

In a smooth motion Dee plucked the pack from between her breasts and flung it down the table to Amandah. In turn Amandah slapped her hand down on top of the pack, “Don’t take more than one,” Dee’s tone was stern.

Amandah slipped a single cigarette out of the box and then placed it between her lips, “Will you do the honors?” she asked.

With a snap of her fingers Dee had lit the tip of the cigarette and Amandah slid the pack of Lucky Strikes back over to Dee’s waiting hand. “Alright now, are you going to talk.”

Now the cigarette rested between her fingers, Amandah sighed “I’m getting there—but you might want to know what I did for the few billion years I was here alone.”

“Got really bored?” Dee said, “I could really care less.”

A light hearted smirk appeared on Amandah’s face, “Well look who picked up their skirt and found a pair.” There was a short pause, “You could be nicer, I’m not even supposed to be telling you all of this.”

“So I’m guessing that you’re only doing it because you’ve got a bone to pick with God?” asked Madeleine.

“Heh, you think you’ve got me figured out?” asked Amandah, “I don’t have anything against God, he spared me the fate of having to take the long dirt nap and even gave me some pretty important tasks over the years—but I don’t want to get wiped from existence which is what will happen if the other Old Ones come back.”

“I could imagine that they’d be mad to see you walking around free,” said Dee.

“And I want to prolong that is much as possible,” said Amandah as she exhaled her smoke, “The priest was one of the worst of them.”

Madeleine slapped her hand down on the table, “Could you at least give us a name or something to go on?”

“It’s a name you might have heard before,” Amandah said finally.

“We’re going to need some way of doing research on this entity,” Dee said.

Amandah took another puff, “They call him Cthulhu and he was made to sleep in the deepest depths of the Mariana Trench.”

Madeleine froze, “The Cthulhu?” her eyes went wide.

Amandah nodded, “The very same.”

Dee stood up from her chair, “Looks like we need to go down the library and read a shitload of Lovecraft books.”

“Even if they were correct,” said Amandah, “It wouldn’t help you.”

“Is he that powerful?” asked Madeleine.

“No, more than likely the person trying to free him would draw in his power,” Amandah said, “If he can.”

Dee shook her head, “Things get far too complicated.”

“And all we seem is to get left in the dark,” said Madeleine.

Amandah folded her arms, “Well here’s a suggestion, find the person who trying to draw him out of the Earth and stop them.”

After a pause Dee spoke, “We kind of have an idea who it is,” she started, “Someone named Charon.”

The dead pan look on Amandah’s face was proof enough that she’d heard the name, “Oh that’s great,” she started, “Now we’re thoroughly fucked.”

“Reason?” Madeleine’s phone rang out from inside of her pocket, she dipped her hand down and plucked it out.

Amandah pulled her fingers down a tendril of hair, “Let’s just leave it at him being bad news.”

Now Madeleine held her phone open staring down at the screen, “It’s text from Brian.” The phone clicked as she pressed the button to scroll down, “He’s saying that he misses me.”

“You two are really something,” Amandah said.

Dee came close to talking right over her, “Text him back and tell him something.”

Madeleine closed the lid on her phone, turned it to the side and slid the top open to reveal a full keyboard. Without a word she wrapped away at the keys.

Amandah snickered, “You two don’t seem to know what’s coming.”

“What do you mean?” asked Dee.

“There is a huge storm on the horizon and you two are just oblivious,” Amandah shook her head in disbelief.

Madeleine headed for the door, “It doesn’t matter—this is a storm we’ll weather.”

Dee followed her to the door, “Thanks for the information.”

“Where are you going?” Amandah asked.

“Back to Houston,” Dee said.

“Well when this fight gets worse,” said Amandah, “We’re bound to be involved more often.”

Dee and Madeleine stood at the door gazing back inwards, “We’re going to try to finish this fight off as soon as we can,” Madeleine said.

“We might be able to end this war before it gets out of hand,” said Dee.

Amandah stepped down the side of the table with her arms crossed, “Darling…this is already out of hand.”

Heaven Forbid: Alexander

The basement control room of the Council house buzzed with activity as Dee entered with Madeleine following close behind. The room was filled with long white desks lined from end to end with computers. In the very center of the room there was a raised console with a computer atop it.

Almost every one of the work stations had a Vampire at it, working and typing trying to stave off the problem. At the bottom of the narrow staircase a woman in a black turtle neck sweater and jeans stood. Her rich mahogany skin was flawless, without blemish or scar or anything else.

She glared up at them with her dark brown eyes, her full lips flatten in expression before she spoke, “I had heard you were here,” she spoke. Her hair was dark like oil and when she began to movie it swished perfectly back into place after each step.

“Gwen,” Dee smiled, “It’s nice to see you again.”

“We met once before, briefly at that,” she started, “Now Daunte tells me you mentioned me—I don’t like having my name tossed about.” Gwen’s voice had no accent, there were no distinguishing fluctuations in her voice.

“We came to ask for the assistance of someone you have in your service,” Madeleine said, “Please excuse our rudeness.”

Gwen walked closer to them, her hands down at her sides, “The Russian Council house is crippled and you come to ask for our help?”

“We don’t need anyone—except Amandah,” Dee said.

“That’s not going to happen,” Gwen said, “Amandah is one of the best programmers we know—she’s the only thing keeping this virus at bay.”

Dee shook her head, “It’s not a virus,” she started, “It’s a demon.”

Gwen folded her arms, “It does bare a striking resemblance to that, but in all my years I wouldn’t know how one would go about exorcising a mechanical demon.”

All her years, Gwen was by any means old. She was older than just old, she was ancient. She weighed in now at over a thousand years old. She’d been born in a Native American Village and had actually lived to see the birth and growth of America.

Madeleine sighed, “He’s not mechanical, he has form, he can just jump inside of computers and machines.”

The Vampires worked at their computers shouting things over one another, from the sounds of the comments none of them had made any headway with the problem. There was an aura of panic filling the room.

Madeleine looked to Gwen, “Have you ever heard of Alexander?”

“There are lots of Alexanders,” she said.

“Alexander is the name of the super computer in Heaven,” Dee piped up now, “Its actually a computer with a soul—made to hold records more than anything.”

“How does that help us right now?” asked Gwen. Madeleine could tell by the tone used that Gwen had become angry.

“The latest attack that was mounted on Heaven was by something similar to what we have here,” Dee said.

Gwen stood overlooking the room full of Vampires, “How can you be so sure we’re dealing with that same entity?”

Madeleine nodded, “Allow me,” she pulled out a small bottle with a corked top and walked down to one of the computer consoles. She dumped the liquid onto the console and immediately it began to sizzle and pop. Madeleine turned back, “Holy water, I’ve never seen a reaction quite like this.”

Now Gwen’s face reddened, her eyes were wide with anger.

Dee muttered to her, “Um, Madeleine—any kind of water is going to spark like that when you pour it into a computer.”

In a flurry of speed Madeleine rushed back to the computer, flailing her arms in a frantic jazz-hands motion, “Shit,” she hissed, “I’m so sorry.”

Gwen barred her teeth, her fangs were fully visible now, “What is it that the two of you need?”

“Amandah has information that we need and to get her we’re willing to help you with your plight,” Dee said.

“How do you plan to do that?” asked Gwen.

“We need to find a way to apply the normal rules of an exorcism to a computer and forcibly insert them computer,” Dee said.

Madeleine suddenly cut in, “We could have Amandah write a script, something simple that would in effect digitize the rite of exorcism!”

Dee shook her head, “Wouldn’t work,” she paused, “There needs to be more than just words for it to work—there has to be belief.”

“What if we recited part of the ritual ourselves while finding something else we can use that would represent parts of the rite?” Madeleine said.

Gwen thought for a moment, “You said holy water already—well the system is liquid cooled.”

“We could bless the cooling liquid and then press a cross against the some part of the computer while reading the rite,” said Dee.

Madeleine glanced around, “Where is Amandah?”

Gwen jogged a little ways across the floor to where there was a large wall panel pulled off, it had been hard to see from where they entered but the opening was almost covered by lengths of fiber optics and cables. The space was dimly lit.

“The cooling system and the server trays are back there,” Gwen said. Dee started to crawl down into the panel. Gwen grabbed Dee by the shoulder quickly, “Be careful in there, we’ve got petabyte of date stored on those things.”

“When have we ever not been careful?” Dee asked.

“Your idiot friend just poured holy water into one of my computers…” Gwen said.

“Good point,” Dee said, “We’ll be careful this time.”

Dee crawled off into the wall and then Madeleine started behind her pausing to speak again, “I’m sorry again, about the computer.” She paused for an awkward amount of time, “I can pay for it if…”

“Go,” Gwen said.

“I think I will.”

They fought through a virtual wall of wires to get inside. There was only just enough room for them to stand and the ceiling was lightly touching the top of Madeleine’s head when they did that. All around the room’s perimeter wires hung from the walls.

At the end of the room a girl with dark hair laid on her back underneath a control panel with a flashlight in her mouth and digging back into the folds of some wires to get to something. Her face was only visible in her flashlights glow as it bounced off the panel and back into her face. Dee moved forward carefully as to not catch on anything or snag any wires. She stopped a few feet back from the woman, “Amandah,” she spoke softly.

“Can’t you see I’m busy, idiot!” came the muffled reply.

“Looks like you’re making a futile effort there,” said Madeleine.

“No doubt you know what’s going on,” Amandah said, “Well I’m going to attempt to at least save these uncorrupted server trays by pulling them out, my firewall is keeping the thing from getting this far.”

Dee shook her head, “Your firewall is going to fail.”

“Inevitably,” Amandah said, “But it will help me preserve these mounds of data here and have a point from which to work on flushing that thing out of the system.”

“You keep calling it a ‘thing’,” Madeleine said, “What do you think it is?”

“It’s not behaving like a virus—if I had to give it a name I would give it a name I would say its more akin to cancer,” Amandah explained. “It wasn’t introduced from outside of the system—a chunk of the Operating System just mutated and began to corrupt other things.”

“That’s our boy,” Madeleine said.

“But we heard that the source was demonic in origin,” Dee said.

“That was speculation on my part—its not every day that when the system is taken over you get shots people covered in black oil burning in a lake of fire…” Amandah said.

Madeleine folded her arms, “Well it looks like you might be in luck.”

“Why do you say that?” asked Amandah.

“Because we know nothing about computers, but we’ve vanquished a few demons in our day,” Dee said.

Amandah drug herself out from under the panel, “Got a plan?”

“Show me to the cooling tanks,” Madeleine asked.

Amandah jumped to her feet and moved to a small black cylinder again the wall, “This is it, do you need it opened?”

“Yes, please,” Madeleine said.

She pulled hard to turn the valve on the front of the tank, “You can close the system off from the tank here to open it, but it can’t run long with out being circulated or it will overheat.” With the container cut off they lifted the locks around the lid and consequently were able to lift the lid out.

With a small plastic rosary in hand Madeleine crossed herself. Carefully she dipped the rosary down into the coolant “Bless this…coolant stuff, in Jesus name we pray, in nomeni Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, Amen.”

The coolant began to bubble, “Seal it up, Maddie!” Dee shouted.

Amandah and Madeleine fought to get the lid down and locked. The second the last seal was in place Madeleine started to turn the valve back the way it had been. As the coolant flooded back into the system there was a loud rumble followed by sparks from the various control panels and other parts of the computers.

“What the Hell is happening?” asked Amandah.

“Its reacting violently, the way a subject of exorcism does when the demon is extracted,” Dee yelled over the screeching whirl of something in one of the panels. “Say the lines Maddie!”

“I forgot them!” Madeleine screamed back.

Dee shook her head, “Son of a bitch—“ she moved to the center of the room and slipped her jacket off and exposing her bare back and wing tattoo on with small writing below it done neatly, “It’s right here!”

Madeleine ran over scanning the text, “Depart, then, transgressor. Depart, seducer, full of lies and cunning, foe of virtue, persecutor of the innocent. I cast you forth into the outer darkness, where everlasting ruin awaits you and your abettors…” the entire work station ground to a halt the lights were shut off and in a blink everything seemed to kick back on.

“Looks like it worked,” Amandah said.

“How can you tell?” asked Dee.

“We couldn’t get it to shut down before, or even control anything with it,” she explained.

“But this isn’t the whole rite,” Madeleine said, “Why did it work?”

“I paraphrased it,” Dee smiled back at her as she pulled her coat back up, “We’re Angels, we don’t need all of the clutter like Humans.”

Amanda exhaled loudly and dropped her head back as she leaned against the wall, “Well Lucy and Ethel, looks like you two pulled this one out of your ass to save the day…” Outside in the control room people clapping could be heard.

Madeleine nodded, “Maybe for this part, but we’re going to need to ask you about something that happened a long time ago.”

Amandah smiled, “I’m in trouble?”

Dee folded her arms, “Not in the least—we’ve just got questions only you seem to know the answers to.”

Heaven Forbid: The Council

It was awkward to see Victorian era Gothic revival architecture on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia. But the Russian Chapter of the Vampire Council indeed had made their home in a building built to model the Votivkirche in Vienna. It had even taken its nickname from the famous building.

Madeleine stood on the front steps of the building admiring the arching architecture silhouetted against the overcast gray skies. Her russet hair whipped about in the blustery winds and her eyes watered a little from the cold.

She had pulled the coat tight around her body and when she glanced to her side Dee was on the other end of the steps looking across the large front lawn of yard. In a seemingly blatant attempt to draw attention Dee sighed loudly. Madeleine folded her arms to keep warm, “What is it, Dee?”

“When are they going to come open the door?” Dee asked, “They must know we’re out here—I’m so asking for some Vodka when I get in there.”

Madeleine shook her head, “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” In her mind she was taken back to other times where Dee had gotten herself something to drink. The girl had little to no tolerance for alcohol and her reactions ranged from trying to undress herself to starting fights.

The large wooden door of the Council house creaked sharply as it started to open. Dee turned back to face the entrance as Madeleine stepped down the risers of the front steps. As the door was pushed full open a tall dark skinned man in a burgundy suit stepped out, his head was shaven bald. His eyes shone brilliantly hazel, held a virulent gaze.

He huffed the air in and then spoke, “What are you doing here?”

Madeleine moved up the steps, “We came all the way from America looking for Amandah the Trickster.”

“So you know who you’re dealing with?” he asked.

“You’re Vampires you dolt,” Dee said, “Now let us in, I’m freezing my ass off out here.”

Madeleine got right next to the door, “Look, contact Gwen at the American Chapter, tell her that we’re friends of the Liaison.”

The man stepped back into the door holding it open, “Tell her yourself,” he said, “she’s here meeting with the delegates.”

They entered the large house slowly while glancing side to side, the inside was covered in lavish paneled walls of polished wood and rich marble floors. The whole entry hall was covered with tapestries and paintings that seemed to represent most of the popular styles from different parts of the world.

The Vampire looked them over, “My name is Daunte, I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” he bowed before them.

“I’m Madeleine and this is Dee,” she introduced the two of them as the walked.

Daunte nodded, “Nice to meet you both, what business do you have here, if you don’t mind my asking.”

Madeleine was shocked at how fast the mentioning of the liaison could persuade someone in the Council. This man had gone from condescending and rude to this, “It’s a matter of the highest importance…” she said.

Dee added, “Like ‘upon high’, you know?”

Daunte glanced back at them, “You’ve both got to realize that things haven’t been what they should around here.”

“What do you mean?” asked Madeleine.

“There’s been a lot going on lately and we’ve barely had time to recover from any of it before the next thing happens…that’s why Lady Gwen was called,” Daunte said.

Dee knew that if Gwen was here it must have been something serious, she rarely ever left the other side of the world like this.

As they walked Madeleine started to examine the art on the walls of the hall, she knew some of the pieces from school and the like—but those were few and far between. Out of sheer curiosity she asked, “Where are these other pieces from, I haven’t seen a lot of them.”

Daunte glanced up and all around throughout the great hallway, “I really don’t know to tell the truth, like you I’m not from here.”

Dee examined the walls now too, “I didn’t think there were many blacks in Russia,” she muttered.

A voice started off to the side in one of the hallways and echoed out to them, “The majority of the art in this hallway is Russian by Russian artists—some of them are even the original paintings…” he said.

Madeleine and Dee were startled at first, then Daunte turned, “Elder Lushia, I had no idea you were down here.”

“Yes my child,” the man who stood at the edges of the shadows held a glass of blood between his slender fingers. “I couldn’t sleep for all the wrong that was going on in the house.” His Russian accent poured out through his words.

Madeleine stepped forward a little, “So you’ve been listening most of this time?”

He nodded, “Yes…you’re Madeleine sent from the American Council for some sort of work?”

“Not exactly,” Madeleine said, “But I was just wondering what kind of turmoil this is everyone is speaking of?”

Lushia started to step further into the light and froze, his white button down shirt now held two spreading spots of crimson. His mouth opened in shock and he dropped his long stemmed wine glass to the floor.

Two long forked hooks burst through his chest and lifted him off the ground. They came from the darkness behind him. Daunte jumped back in awe and Dee just spoke, “A demon attack?”

The Elder’s body was flung to the side off of the hooks and a huge beast stepped out of the archway. It’s tiny head and long rustic hooks caused it to resemble a distorted version of a praying mantis.

Madeleine slipped her coat off onto the floor and held her hands up in front of her. In a flash her forearms became incased in rock and she slammed them together, “You want to take this together, Dee?”

Dee’s coat was on the floor already, “Yeah but lets make quick work of this, it’d be a shame to mess up this dress.” Out of Dee’s back great glorious wings spread opening up in a flurry of falling feathers, she was holding her scythe now, “Daunte, tend to the Elder.”

Daunte didn’t know what to say, he didn’t even know what he was seeing.

In a rush of air Madeleine took off into the air as soon as her wings were out, her arms were heavy with the stones she had covered them in. The weight would be her attack, she got as much elevation as she could up into the towering top of the gothic palace and then swooped down pulling her wings in and slammed her fists down on top of the demon.

The creature screeched and was knocked to the ground skidding across the marble floors. Dee threw her scythe at the thing and it deflected the blow. Dee caught the scythe and Madeleine landed hard as she tried to run up on the creature. She drew her fist back and gave it a large smash to the face. Daunte had gathered the body of Lushia up and gotten him out of the way.

As Daunte stopped and place Lushia on the floor off to the side, he looked up to see the demon had teleported out of the punch that Madeleine had delivered and was right over him with claws drawn back.

With nothing else they could do, the two Nephilim froze unable to make it down the hall in time enough to stop the attack. Out of thin air there came a reverberating clomp sound and the creature looked up to its side. Before it could react or move, the thing was catapulted down the hallway and into Madeleine’s now sharpened rock arm.

Impaled. The thing gasped and died as Madeleine ripped it from her arm. It lay on the ground and Madeleine sighed, “Well this isn’t going to come off easily…” there was a spot of demon blood on the side of her dress.

Dee shook her head, “Apples.” The horse had manifested itself beside the demon and kicked it, probably saving Lushia’s life, “Come here you big baby!” she called the horse, the horse galloped the hall and stopped before her. She hugged him around his neck, “That’s momma’s big boy, you did a good thing—a really good thing.”

Madeleine examined the rocks now falling from her arm, “Seems I don’t have total control over my powers yet.”

“Why is that,” Dee asked.

“I didn’t sharpen my arm like that—it just happened,” she said.

Daunte stood supporting Lushia over his shoulder, “What are the two of you?” he asked.

“Long story short,” Dee started, “We’re Angels.”

“This isn’t a joke,” Daunte said.

“We’re not joking—we came here to get help with a problem,” said Madeleine.

Daunte started to move with the Elder slowly, “We’ve got problems of our own, that’s probably the thirtieth time a demon’s attacked the house in the last few days and then there’s the problem with the computers…”

“Computers?” asked Madeleine.

“Our house’s super computer has been crippled by a virus that seems almost…demonic in origin,” said Daunte.

Dee shook her head, “Sound like anyone you’ve heard of?” she asked acknowledging Madeleine.

“That dirty bastard…” she paused, “There was a demon who could get into different types of technology and mask himself,” she said. Something just told her this was him again.

“So what do we do about him?” asked Daunte as he continued to move forward slowly.

“Let us handle it,” said Dee.

Heaven Forbid: From Russia With Love

The air felt frigid as they stepped onto the Moscow Airport tarmac. The large coats they hand bundled up in, courtesy of Angel, offered some protection against the icy air. She had made sure they traveled in style while keeping them stylish.

Madeleine had gotten a sleek green dress that hugged her body tightly with its velvet fabric and offered extra warmth. On top of that she wore a large brown suede coat that went to just above her knees and had bushy fur adorning the upper and lower rim.

Dee was back in black leather, a long leather coat that had been designed by some Italian person she couldn’t remember the name of. Underneath the coat she wore a deep red dress that was diagonally cut at the bottom.

The fashion seemed unnecessary to them and Dee had been against the changes until Angel reminded them both how fickle the Vampires could be. They were all about appearances. The reason for taking the jetliner was a different story.

Madeleine and Dee hadn’t had the energy left to teleport around on a whim like that. So they’d take a jet that Angel had lent them. Angel’s very own private X-33 supersonic jetliner, the X-33 had once been considered the next in line for commercial travel and even space travel—but it was replaced by cheaper and more efficient means. Angel had invested her money in purchasing one for herself, as had other large organizations.

The plane was capable of mach thirteen flight, next to teleportation it was the fastest way to Moscow.

Dee stepped out in front of Madeleine and pulled her sunglass up onto the top of her head in disbelief of how the people reacted. The Moscow airport workers seemed to be in awe of the plane or maybe it was of them. Whatever it had been, the workers froze just staring.

The limousine that Angel had called ahead to make sure would be there for them was sitting a few yards from the plane. The two of them made their way to the car where a driver silhouetted against the Moscow skyline waited next to the door.

“I can’t believe Angel just gave us these beautiful clothes,” Madeleine said.

“The bitch is rich as Hell, what do you expect,” Dee said.

“You really dislike her, huh?”

“Don’t get me started, Maddie,” she paused and stared at Madeleine, “If Brian could see you now he’d jump your bones for sure.”

Madeleine sped up to catch up to her, “Do you have to be so nasty all of the time?”

“That guy was into you—and let’s face it, we look hotter now than we did three and a half hours ago,” Dee said. “He would have needed a cold shower if you’d walked in that club like this.”

“There’s something seriously wrong with you, but just to indulge your sick little mind, let’s stand in front of that big—jet thing and take a photo,” Madeleine said as she dug her phone out of her coat and ran over to the limo driver, “Sir, could you snap this photo for us?”

He nodded and took the phone as they got posed in front of the X-33; Dee dipped her hands into her pockets and gazed up as the first little bits of snow fell. Madeleine reached back into her curls, just behind her ear and pulled her fingers part of the way through. In that moment he snapped the picture.

“You look like the models,” the man said with a thick Russian accent.

Madeleine smiled as she retrieved her camera, “Thank you.”

Dee followed her over to the car as the snow increased in intensity some. The driver went back around as they got in and the door was shut. As Madeleine checked the picture in her phone Dee asked, “Are you going to send it to him?”

“That was the plan, right?”

“Don’t send it like that,” she said as the car was started, “Write something snazzy on there to catch his eye.”

“Something like what?” asked Madeleine.

Dee snatched the phone away, “Let me see that,” she plucked the stylus out of the side of the phone and started to poke around and write. After a moment she held the phone up, “See there!”

The message read, “From Russia with love.”

Before Madeleine could protest she sent it.

“Hey, what the Hell did you send it for?” asked Madeleine.

“Because you need to lighten up and take a chance once in a while, he’ll love it.”

“No, he’ll wonder why I’m in Russia more than likely,” Madeleine said, “I’m not doing this with you, so just don’t start.”

Dee turned away and leaned down on her hand, “Sorry for trying to help you out,” her tone was dripping with sarcasm, “I just thought that with your only choices for a date having ever been a different combination of fingers you’d welcome the chance to reel in a man for once.”

Madeleine narrowed her eyes, “We can’t all be as slutty as you.”

Dee folded her arm indignantly and scrunched up her face, “Nice to see what you really think.”

There was a short pause, Madeleine glanced over at Dee. She reached over slowly and touched her arm, “Hey look…”

“Stop it,” Dee said as she nudged her off.

Glaring down at her lap Madeleine fumbled with her phone. She opened the phone and moved through the menu back to the picture that Dee had just sent to Brian. A smile spread across her face and she opened the picture into a text and sent the picture off to Brandon.

She shut the phone, “Do you think Brandon would like to see you in this picture?” she asked.

Dee looked over wide eyed and suddenly ran her hand back through her hair in a fit of nervousness, “Maybe…I don’t know.”

“I just sent it to him,” Madeleine said finally.

In a rush Dee lunged across the seat towards Madeleine, “Oh my God! You didn’t!” she screamed excited, “You have to tell me if he replies!”

Madeleine giggled lightly pushed her back in a playful manner, “Alright, I will—just don’t crush me with your boobs!”

Heaven Forbid: Rebellion

There was no sign of Dee and with each passing second Madeleine grew increasingly nervous. Brian held her close now, they swayed in time to the music and the light in the room seemed dim now.

Something made her step in a little closer to him, his hands pulled closer around her hips. Brian smiled down at her, “You seem to be getting more comfortable,” he said.

“I guess you could say that,” she let out a nervous giggle.

He ran the back of his hand down the side of her face, “I can’t believe someone as pretty as you is this nervous.”

“I work a lot,” she said, “there’s a lot of us and the hours are long but the awards are spread kind of thin.”

“Not used to the attention?” he asked.

“I’m more used to getting overlooked,” she said.

“Well tonight I think all eyes are on you,” Brian replied.

Madeleine let the contents of her lungs escape and laid her head down against Brian’s chest. She closed her eyes and for the first time since they’d started dancing she wasn’t tense. Madeleine hadn’t considered herself human for a while now. But for the first time in her life she felt wanted.

“Brian,” she started as she let her hand flatten against his chest, “Thank…”

He shook his head, “Stop right there.” They continued to dance and he brought his face close to hers and she fought back and forth in her head with the issue of pulling away or not.

Madeleine’s eyes fell closed it seemed on instinct and their lips met. Her mind raced through everything that could be wrong with this situation. But with the lengthening warm sensation on her lips the thoughts melted into nothingness and even the mission faded from her mind.

Now she threw her arms up around his neck and pulled back some, a hungry look in her eyes. Maybe it was the Patron acting on its own. But as he started to suck on her neck she twisted her head off to the side and let him.

Her hands poised in his curly hair and her chin resting on his shoulder she felt her body tingle slightly. Despite the pleasure, something told her to open her eyes.

When her sight returned she found Dee standing in front of her with a huge smile plastered on her pale face and Angel next to her in all her fashion-model style glory. Now Madeleine sighed hard, “Brian—we need to stop.”

He rose off her neck, “Was I too forward?”

“Not at all,” she said, “My friends are begging me to go.”

Brian nodded, “That’s understandable,” he said, “Can I see your phone?”

She dug down into her pocket and handed it to him, he pulled his phone out too and started the Bluetooth contact information sharing feature. She accepted it and sent hers in return, “When do you go back to Houston?”

“Tomorrow,” Brian told her, “To tell the truth I should be headed back too.”

Madeleine kissed him on the cheek, “Before I go you need to meet my friends,” she pulled him by the hand to turn around.

It was as if he knew this was them, “Nice to meet you both, ladies.”

“This is Angel and Dee,” Madeleine said, “Meet Brian.”

Angel smiled wryly, “Well hello there Brian,” said Angel, “Looks like our little Madeleine here lucked out on the dance partner draw tonight.”

He just smiled, “I know you’ve got to go Madeleine, but I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Madeleine smiled, “I’ll answer.”

He nodded to Angel and Dee and hugged Madeleine before walking off and out of the club. Almost the second he was out of earshot Dee ran up “Oh my God Madeleine—you could have so got some.”

“Jesus, must you be so crude?” asked Madeleine.

“I’m not being crude—I mean you can’t tell me that you danced with him all that time and you didn’t at least feel his…” Dee said but was cut off.

“Stop right there!” Madeleine fought to keep herself under control.

Angel pushed in between them, extending her arms out to move them apart, “Ladies…let’s not forget that if you start fighting in my club I’ll bring you both down a peg.”

It was the truth, Dee’s powers had been useless here, but for some reason Angel’s still worked.

Dee glared at her, “How come your powers still worked?”

Angel stepped out from between them, “Despite all your powers, Seraphim—you’re no God, there are limitations and even things that can stop you all together.”

Madeleine caught hold of Angel’s shoulder and she was popped in the fingers with an electric shock, “Ouch, why did you…”

“Up to my office if you want to continue this,” Angel said, “We can’t discuss these matters down here in the club.”

Dee and Madeleine nodded to each other as Angel started off through the crowds of people. The lights began to strobe as they walked and everything appeared as if it were a flipbook. They moved between the crowds of dancing people, getting bumped at basically every turn.

They made their way up to a staircase that was roped off on the side of the club. Another burly bouncer stood guard there. He waved them past as they followed Angel up the black metal staircase. The banister clanked and rocked as Dee tapped her hand on it lightly.

The door at the top of the stairs was set right into a wall with no hallway or floor around it. It opened into the club office. Angel’s office. It was a reflection of her. The décor so lavish and fancy with a padded deep maroon carpet. The curtains, the desk, all the furniture was designer.

Angel sauntered over to her desk and hopped up onto the desk crossing her slender legs over each other. With her hands pressed down into her lap she smirked wide with her gray eyes narrowed, “In here we can speak freely of course,” she dragged her hand back through her blonde waves.

Madeleine approached a slender table lined with pictures of Angel posed with celebrities, she stared down at them, “Looks like you’ve added some.”

“Yeah, that’s nice kiddo,” Angel said, “But that’s not what we’re here for.”

Dee plucked her cigarettes out from between her breasts and flipped the top of the box pulling out a slender stick and sticking it in between her lips. She placed the tip of her finger against the business end of the cigarette.

“Dammit,” she hissed, “I don’t have a lighter and my powers…”

“I got it,” Angel aimed her index finger at the cigarette and zapped the tip with a bolt of electricity until it lit.

Dee took a long drag and then exhaled.

“You’re welcome, doll.” Angel said.

“I’m sure that Dee told you why we were here already?” asked Madeleine.

“She didn’t really have to—I could have guessed that sooner or later someone would do this,” Angel said.

“Do what?” Madeleine walked back to the center of the room now.

“Go after the power of the Great Old Ones,” Angel said.

“It would seem these Old Ones are old news,” Madeleine said putting her hand against her chin. “How come it is I’ve never heard them uttered up in the Palaces?”

“Maybe no one likes to talk about their past failures?” Angel said, “Lets face it mistakes can blemish any record.”

“God doesn’t make mistakes,” Dee said in a puff of smoke.

Angel’s smirk increased in intensity, “Hm, that may be so,” she said, “But that doesn’t change the fact that we’re all in danger.”

“But what is this danger?” asked Dee, “What’s doing this?”

Angel started to pick at her nails, “If I had to guess I would say its probably Charon…”

“Charon?” Madeleine seemed confused.

Angel hopped down off her desk and heaved a sigh, “You Nephilim…it must be hard to have not lived all the Millennia we full bloods have.”

Dee slammed her hand down on the back of a chair, “It must be hard knowing God put you out of Heaven because you’re full of yourself.”

“How many times do I have to tell you, he didn’t put me out—he told me stop being so selfish or leave so I chose the latter,” she said.

Madeleine pressed her hand to her forehead, “Charon…who is he?”

Angel strolled up the room running her hands down the sides of her dress as she moved to a small table with bottles of wine and scotch lining it, “He’s a half-breed, like you—but immensely powerful, cunning and with a vengeful lust for power.”

“Power for what?” Dee asked.

“He’s got a hatred for God and Lucifer alike—I think that either of them could have easily told you who was behind all of this,” Angel said. Madeleine and Dee stared on in confusion, “What? They’re keeping you in the dark once again? Well that doesn’t surprise me.”

“We didn’t realize that it was any one person,” said Madeleine.

“The demon attacks, the bad weather, the constant wars—when Hell sneezes the whole world catches a cold, Honey,” Angel said, “The warning signs are there, Charon is trying to raise a rebellion in Hell.”

Dee gasped her hands together behind her back, “Correct me if I’m wrong,” she started, “But isn’t that how Hell came to be in the first place?”

Angel nodded, “Yeah, the exact same way.”

“So why isn’t Charon afraid he’ll just cause them to make some kind of crazy second Hell?” asked Madeleine.

“Now that I haven’t figured out yet,” Angel said, “There isn’t really anything Satan can do besides fight.”

“He doesn’t have the power to create a dimension of that magnitude,” Dee said.

Angel let out a short sigh, “Look I can’t be bothered to try and plot out what’s going to happen next for the both of you,” she pushed her hair back, “If you want my help with all of this you’re going to need to give me time and you’re also going to have to take a little trip.”

“We don’t have time for your pompous games, Angel,” Madeleine said.

The expression on Angel’s face was completely serious, “No game, I just happen to know where Amandah ran off to,” she paced across the room, “Amandah has been doing heavy work with the Council lately because there’s been something big going on—recently a small team of the American Council left bound for Moscow.”

“There’s been trouble in the Vampire Council lately?” asked Madeleine.

“It would seem there’s been a lot,” said Angel, “Although they’re so secretive that even I don’t know what kind of trouble they’re in.”

“Maybe we’ll be able to offer some help,” Dee said.

“The Vampires don’t like others meddling in their affairs,” Angel said.

Dee sighed, “You told me something about a Priest earlier, for the Great Old Ones.”

“All I could give you is a name, and right now you don’t need a name—you need a location,” Angel said, “And right now only Amandah can give you that.”

“What will you be doing?” asked Dee.

“Working my end of things,” Angel said, “I can’t just stand by let an Apocalypse happen on my watch,” she paused. “But if you’re going to go to the Council you’re going to need a wardrobe change.”

“What?” Madeleine seemed shocked.

“Come with me,” Angel gestured.

Heaven Forbid: Angel

Dee pushed her way through the thick crowds of people making her way onto a polished wooden floor where tables were laid out. She nodded her head to the music as she moved across the floor. With her arms out at her sides, she turned and dodged around people. The alcohol smell was stronger in some places and people’s hands with drinks would be in her face suddenly.

She moved on and kept her eyes wandering the room looking for Angel. She searched around the room for a tall blonde girl. But there was a lot of them and some of them were facing away so it didn’t work.

Dee sighed, “Dammit,” she cursed under her breath.

Then she had an idea. She could always use her powers to see any person in the room with Angelic amounts of spiritual energy. But that would turn her eyes all the way black and might get her noticed.

A hand caressed the front of her stomach and then moved around the side of her body. She glanced over to see a dark haired man with steely blue eyes standing with his hand running down her stomach.

In an instant she backed into the wall and flattened out. He followed close behind her keeping his hand against her the whole time, “How would you like a dance?” he asked.

Dee stammered nervously, “I really don’t think I should.”

“One dance,” he started, “Its all I ask.”

Her glanced shot from side to side for signs of Madeleine, “I guess one dance is okay…”

He pulled her off the wall carefully, “Anthony,” he said in a matter of a fact tone.

“I’m Dee.”

“Alright Dee, there’s one rule in this dance,” he led her through the crowd speaking back to her over the increasingly high volume of the music, “You’ve got to dance like you’re in love.”

The comment struck Dee as odd and in her mind something told her to stop while she could. But those overactive hormones wouldn’t let her. Her little precocious kinky mind wouldn’t let her stop entertaining the deviant thoughts that crept into her head.

She’d done it earlier with Brandon and now they were coming back. Usually Madeleine would step in and shoot her some comment right about now, but all that remained now was the soft smell of perfume and sweat, the hint of cigarette smoke and liquor and something else.

“I’ll try to follow the rule,” she said as their feet touched the lit tiles of the dance floor.

His slender fingers curled around the side of her stomach. His thumb made slow circles just under her breast and he pressed his body into hers. She fought back the urge to shudder as her heart beat wildly now; faster than the beat of the song, faster than the heart pressed near hers.

“Christ,” she muttered in a tone he couldn’t have heard.

His other hand encircled hers and then she reluctantly locked fingers with him. Suddenly her mind thought of how she needed to hurry, how the world was in danger and she was messing around and how this was so awkward. She thought of Brandon.

Then as they turned together, her locked in his grip with his hips moved against hers, she spotted Madeleine across the room with the large man from earlier. He towered over her and was gazing down into her eyes, then he swept her hair back from her face.

Madeleine having fun was a comfort to her.

Her attention turned back to the boy in front of her, his dark suit crumpled against and his face growing closer and closer to hers as the song stormed on. It seemed like time slowed as he got closer to her, she prayed he didn’t try to kiss her.

His face passed on the side of hers and he whispered to her as the first song came to an end, “Turn around,” he said slowly.

Dee just whined unsure of herself, “Okay.”

He pulled her close dancing behind her with his head down over her shoulder. He smiled slightly, “You’re a good dancer, Dee…”

“I took lessons for years,” she confessed, “it’s kind of why I’m so flexible.”

“That’s good to know,” he said with a chuckle.

Right then she realized that wasn’t the best thing to say. His hands crept down the front of her shirt and then over the rise of her skirt. With his hands forcing the fabric down against her legs he whispered in her ear, “I’ve got a little rented VIP room for the night.”

“That’s cool,” Dee said.

He took her by the hand and pulled her away from the floor and off to the side down the stairs. There was a set of stairs that led down off to the side of the staircase and up under the dance floor where there was a hall with doors on either side.

Dee pushed her hair back from her face, “I’m not sure about this.”

He pulled her by the arm, “Trust me,” he opened the door with his other hand they stepped into a small room with a bar off to one side and a long couch with speakers on either side of it.

Slowly Dee stepped into the middle of the room, “I’m sorry about this Anthony,” she started, “I can’t do what you’re expecting me to do.”

In a flash he grabbed her and was upon her and in that instant she noticed his strength wasn’t normal. He pressed her back onto the couch and got over her. His leg was forced between hers and she couldn’t quite kick him. Mentally she called for her scythe, for Apples, for anyone.

But there was nothing.

He pinned her wrists above her head with one hand and ripped her shirt open with the other, “Come on doll.”

Her strength was severely limited too, she fought to get him off but her powers seemed sapped. She couldn’t blow or summon fire. And as she fought it seemed more hopeless. In a last ditch effort she popped her arms out with a quick jerk and slammed her head full force into his nose.

Anthony flipped back off the couch and fell to the floor. Luckily for her the pain tolerance that she had didn’t go down and neither did her flexibility. She got to her feet straightening her arms out and pushing her skirt down. Her legs were rubbed red from the fabric of his pants.

“Fucking ass hole,” she shouted, “I should kill you.”

He sprung back to his feet and slammed her back into the couch, her hands pinned behind her this time and her legs apart where so that he couldn’t be kicked. His mouth went down on her neck and there was a sharp pain. The pain turned into a burning sensation and then she knew what was happening.

She worked her hand down into the back of her skirt and got her fingers around a slick metal object that had been tucked against her leg. It took her a moment to get the object into the right position but as she got it pressed into her bare back she slipped her finger through the guard that protected the trigger and fired.

The bullet ripped through her back and into the chest of stomach of the man, he jolted slightly and the brought his face back up by hers, “You’ll have to do better than that,” his lips stained with her blood. Now she had a clear view of the fangs.

But Vampires usually didn’t give her this much trouble.

The door to the room opened sharply and a leggy blonde walked in and grabbed the man off of her. There was a loud electric pop and Anthony flew back into the wall hitting a picture and causing it to fall down.

His body was covered in arcing streams of electricity. The blonde was easily recognizable now, she pulled Dee to her feet. “Good to see you, Angel,” Dee said.

“What are you doing down here Death?” asked Angel, her gray eyes stern now.

“Looking for you,” Dee answered.

Angel rolled her eyes, “Fine lot you got yourself into, and how long did you plan to check out the VIP room that’s only ten by twenty before you realized I wasn’t here…”

“Sorry.”

The blonde walked over to the Vampire crumpled on the ground, “Boy I should really tear into your shit, bitch,” she pulled him up against the wall by the neck, “What have I told you fuckers about using my club as an all you can eat buffet?”

“Sorry Miss Saint John.”

“Bet your ass you are,” Angel said, “I could dust you right here, you know.”

“I know,” he answered in a frightened voice.

“Be glad I’m feeling charitable—but you know the kind of shit I could get into if the Council found out what you’d done here…” she dropped him to the floor, “Now get out of.”

He scampered from the room like a roach from the light, shutting the door behind him. Angel turned back to Dee, her long blue sparkly gown caught the light in an awkward fashion, “Your powers won’t work here, am I right?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“Because I built the club so that Angels and Demons lose most of their abilities upon entry,” Angel said, “Some sort of mystic mumbo jumbo…” Angel ran her hand back through her hair.

“Madeleine and I need your help,” she said.

“Now what would make me want to leave my nice cushy life and help the likes of you,” Angel said, “I could possibly get dirty or mess up my hair…or any number of other things that are unbecoming of a business woman.”

Angel was the definition of fashion, starting at her Donatella Versace dress right down to her Manolo Blahniks. She was perfect in every way—on the outside.

“This won’t be anything that even requires you to go outside of your normal realm of things,” Dee said as she buttoned her shirt back up the bullet wound had already started to heal, “We just need some information on a person and some artifacts.”

Angel’s eyebrows spiked in interest, “Darling, did you say artifacts?”

“Very valuable ones that Michael and Lucifer created long ago,” Dee walked over to the bar and opened a bottle of vodka pouring it into a napkin, she wiped the blood from the side of her neck.

“You mean the Talismans of the Great Old Ones?” Angel laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Dee asked.

“The majority of them are in Hell, and the ones that aren’t are hidden in the most trivial of objects at times,” Angel said, “Finding them all is nearly impossible…unless someone found the Priest…”

“What Priest?”

“The Priest of the Old Ones,” Angel explained.

Dee’s eyes were wide, “What can you tell me about him?”

“Not much, I didn’t help hunt him down—I had an appearance to keep up even back then,” Angel said.

“Of course,” Dee started, “Who can I talk to?”

“The one they left out—Amandah,” Angel said.

“We know her, but we need your help finding her,” Dee said.

“Why didn’t you say so, Death?” Angel said, “But first we need to get you into some style—you can’t be seen with me looking like that.”

“So you’ll help us?” Dee asked.

“In more than one way, hopefully,” Angel said.

Heaven Forbid: Club

Dee and Madeleine exploited most of their contacts trying to get a location on Amandah. But the Immortal proved to be challenging to find. They knew already that Brandon wouldn’t have known anything about what they needed. It had become abundantly clear that they were down to their last option.

Angel Augustus Saint John owned a nightclub off the Las Vegas strip for the tragically trendy. It was kind of a ruse for what she really had her hands in. Angel was a treasure hunter; except she dealt in artifacts, relics, and information. They’d asked for her help in the past only to have to deal with her less than stellar attitude. Still they were desperate enough to try her again.

The line outside of the club had been wrapped around the corner. The chilly Vegas night seemed a little much for the scandalously dressed parishioners. Thin women wrapped their waists with coats and sweaters, trying to stave off the night air from their bare legs. Men waited in fishnet shirts and mesh praying for the wind not to move or gust.

Madeleine’s arms were folded as the two of them waited near the front of the line. She’d spend the better part of the day lecturing Dee for her earlier behavior. “We’ve all got fears Dee, but you don’t have to be a wimp about it,” she said. Dee’s back was turned the whole time. “You think I would have done that?”

With a sigh Dee turned back, “I don’t know,” she paused in an abrupt fashion. “Did you happen to catch that guy in the clown outfit.”

Madeleine darted across in front of another person in the line and got behind Dee. The other person was visibly angry as Madeleine turned back to Dee, “Keep him away from me,” her words were garbled together.

“Way to face your fears,” Dee said.

Madeleine backed away from Dee some, “Just hilarious, Dear.”

“Jeez, if you’re going to ride my ass hard at least have the common decency to give my hair a tug or at least a tap on the bum…” Dee’s reply was laden with sarcasm.

After a few moments Madeleine glanced down at her dress, “Do you think they’ll let us in this place?”

“Why wouldn’t they?” asked Dee.

Madeleine glanced around, “You don’t have ID although your gigantic rack might work in our favor.”

Dee pressed her breasts up and together, “Do you really think notice these?”

Madeleine stared in disbelief, “Notice? How could they not notice? They’re larger than the bloody Royal Navy!”

“They’re not that big,” Dee glared down at her chest, “But maybe if I poke them out someone will notice.”

“Someone has to notice,” Madeleine said, “Because with how I’m dressed we’ll not get in.”

“It’s not that bad—we just need to slut it up some,” Dee said.

Without asking Dee dropped to her knees and grabbed the bottom of Madeleine’s skirt. She reached up under her shirt sleeve with her other hand and plucked out a miniature flat throwing knife. In one clean cut she slit down the side of the dress. She took the bottom up to mid-thigh level.

“What the Hell?” Madeleine jumped back as Dee finished.

“I’m going to bring out a little more of your best assets here,” Dee said.

“You could have asked first,” Madeleine said as she frayed her skirt out to examine it.

Dee sighed, “You need to lighten up, I did you a service there.” Dee took a long look at her friend’s dress, letting her eyes flowing up the length of the skirt, “Your dress was all down past your knees and stuff.”

Madeleine shook her head, “You’re so bad,” she said, “It’s going to catch up to you.”

With a roll of her eyes Dee turned back, “Look, we’re almost at the front of the line.” She pointed to the three girls and one guy ahead of them who were speaking with the bouncer.

The girls looked as if they must have been using fake identification to get in. One of them didn’t appear to be over the age of fifteen. She was little and blonde with a white top that had a low cut neckline. Her badly applied caked on makeup clearly ended before her clothes began.

The bouncer waved the group through and waited as Dee and Madeleine approached the front of the line. Madeleine clammed up, straighten her arms down at her sides. Dee glanced back at her and when she noticed her friend’s slight grimace. In a moment of hasty thinking, Dee reached back and grabbed Madeleine around the waist and pulled her close.

Madeleine glared over at her and as Dee stepped up to the bouncer, all the while making sure to push her chest out the way Madeleine had mentioned. She smirked seductively, to the best of her ability, “Could you see if you could work us in, maybe.” She ran her hand down the side of her neck and then down over her chest. Her white oxford was unbuttoned until about the halfway point.

The bouncer stared down at her body and then over at Madeleine, “You and your girlfriend.” He gestured for them to go into the club.

Dee pulled Madeleine through the small rope gateway and they walked down into short stairwell that led down into the basement club. As they took the steps the music from the club grew louder and more discernable.

Madeleine pulled away from Dee, “I don’t know about this, we could get in a lot of trouble in a place like this. Not to mention that we’re technically here illegally—what do you think God would do if he knew we were going to enter a miniature version of Sodom and Gomorrah to entreat someone that he utterly doesn’t trust to help us on a mission of the utmost importance…”

“You’re rambling again, Madeleine,” Dee said, “Calm the fuck down, I’ve got this.”

They made their way into the club and were instantly bathed in soft purple light that filled the place. The music was loud and the bass vibrated deep in their chests as they made their way past the bar, Madeleine looked all around, “The forgot to mark our hands?”

“Because we’re fucking hot,” Dee smiled over at her and then pointed at a pair of guys standing a little ways up next to a table. The one guy was tall and dark skinned with a muscular body and arms that were probably almost as wide as Madeleine. He was pointing at Madeleine and then talking to his friend.

The friend was a slender white guy with blonde hair and a smile plastered on his face, he waited as he was whispered to and then turned back to respond. Madeleine sighed, “What do you suppose they’re saying?”

“Not sure,” Dee said, “I was going to ask you which one you wanted but I think one of them already picked you.”

Madeleine pushed ahead, “Come on, we’ve got work to do,” her voice wavered.

Dee latched on to Madeleine’s arm and pulled her towards the dance floor. The club was dark and the air smelt of stale liquor and cheap perfume. The dance floor was raised up above the rest of the club on a plateau out past the bar and surrounded by tables on all sides. In the middle of the large floor was the DJ booth and a cage with a girl dancing in it.

The two of them had never come into this club during its business hours, so it was kind of hard for them to fathom a place they’d only seen when it was empty during the day with all the normal lights on being like this.

“Where are you taking me?” Madeleine asked.

“We have got to dance at least once,” Dee said, “We’ve snuck into our first club!”

Madeleine shook her head, “Will you quiet down before you get us arrested!”

“We can teleport out of the squad car or the jail…what the Hell does it matter?” asked Dee.

“Dee,” Madeleine sighed.

Before she could properly react the large black guy stepped in and touched her on the side of her arm, “Excuse me Miss, would you like a drink?”

Madeleine turned to face him, her green eyes went wide and she just stared combing her fingers through her hair. Dee leaned forward, “Talk to him, I’ll try and see if I can find Angel.”

As Dee walked away Madeleine shot her a dark glance and then turned back to the gentlemen in front of her. He was smiling at her out of the side of his mouth and he added to his original offer, “Any drink you want…”

Without a second thought Madeleine said, “Patron and Sprite.”

The guy took her hand lightly and pulled her away slowly, “My name is Brian, by the way.”

“I’m called Madeleine,” she had to speak up over the music.

“So you’re British?” he gave a delighted smile, “What brings you to the states?”

Madeleine searched around for Dee as she spoke, “I go to college in another city…but came to Vegas on business more or less, you?”

“I was born in the States,” he said with a chuckle as he leaned down on the bar.

“Sorry, I’m not good at this,” Madeleine said.

“Don’t get out much?” Brian glanced back over his shoulder to see if the bartender was done yet.

“I work a lot, I really just got drug out here by my friend,” Madeleine said.

“Yeah, my friend won a contest and he begged me to come to Vegas with him,” he said.

“Where are you from originally?” she asked.

“I live in a little town out on the coast of Texas, Lake Jackson—I’m studying to be a Marine Biologist out there,” he said.

Madeleine laughed slightly, “Small world, I live in Houston.”

Brian chuckled at her reply, “Wow, kind of crazy,” he turned back to the bartender, “Cherry Vodka Sour and the lady will have a Patron and Sprite.”

Madeleine stepped closer to the bar and put her fingertips up on the countertop, “I haven’t had a drink in a pretty long time.”

His smile spread wide and he was quiet for a moment. Over the boom of the music glasses clanked together behind the bar as the bartender rushed back and forth. Brian watched for a moment and then dropped a five dollar tip into the tip jar on the bar-top.

The drinks were placed in front of them and Madeleine picked hers up drinking from it in a hurry. She finished half of the glass before stopping.

“Slow down there,” Brian laughed.

“Sorry, I’m just kind of—thirsty,” Madeleine said.

He caressed the side of her bare arm, “Relax a little, you’re kind of wound up.”

Madeleine sipped her drink now, “I must look so stupid!”

“You look fine,” Brian started, “You know you’ve got really pretty eyes.”

Madeleine finished the drink and placed it on the counter, putting the napkin she’d had wrapped around it down in the glass, “Look,” she started, “I know this place pretty well…and the owner. I imagine you’ve only come here for one thing?”

“I came here to dance with a beautiful girl—and I think I just found one,” he took her by the hand.

“Shit,” Madeleine hissed under her breath.

Brian stopped, “What’s the matter?”

“It’s nothing, but you want to try that dance, because I have to warn you—I don’t actually dance,” Madeleine said.

“It’s okay, you’re a woman,” he said as they walked, “women don’t have to dance well, they just have to look good.”

As Madeleine laughed she glanced up to see if she could find Dee, she was even more nervous now. She’d been left alone without a safety net or plan for escape. When she thought about it this was one of the few situations she wasn’t ready for. Men.