You mentioned 'Chop Suey' in dialogue toward the end of this fic- thats
exactly the first thing this story sparked in my memory a few paragraphs in,
that System of a Down song where he says he cries when angels deserve to
die. Was that any part of the inspiration? This story sort of threw me for a
loop twice, though on the whole I like what your doing with it; with the
extreme film noir setting. You introduce Heart very well, I like the disgust
shown to her by her 'comrades' in heaven and the immediate threat of rape
and murder on earth. I sort of pegged this story originally as a
psyhco-sexual personal look into the mind of a recently fallen angel, but
then half way through the angel and her spark of temptation exit stage
right, and the Ghoul gets the rest of the spotlight. So maybe this is more
of a morality of the system piece than one on the morality of a single
individual within that system. My critisism might be that there were a few
too many 'I love you's', but then if that conversation was meant to be very
gushy disregard what I said. Also, the rape scene went very fast and yet the
police analysis of the incident took a long time. I cant tell whether you
were trying to call attention to the 'supernatural mechanics' of the fight
or not (as when you mentioned going through bone like butta). I hope you put
some time into describing, possibly through memory-scenes, exactly how Heart
made the decison to leave heaven for her lover, i.e. how she got the courage
to push the envelope of reason and what forces in her life professed to be
unwilling to forgive her if she went through with it. Usually after such a
bold move for love, there is that incredible high (especially for an angel
who's free wills are usually suspect) of knowing you broke down barriers and
evolved, then followed by a serious low as your fears and regrets catch up
with you. Maybe you have something similar in mind, and maybe you'll take
this in a different direction, i dont know. I would like to see more of
this.
Good Work,
Aes
-----Original Message-----
From: L.S McGill <lsmcgill@hotmail.com>
To: ffml@anifics.com <ffml@anifics.com>
Date: Thursday, January 17, 2002 2:44 PM
Subject: [FFML] [Fic][Original] LoveStruck [nc-17]
LoveStruck
By L.S. and Jennifer McGill
NC-17 Adult Content and Themes
Book One: Fallen Angels
She closed the door to the apartment in which she had lived all her life and
sighed. The door locked with a click that echoed in her ears with a finality
that bespoke doom. She picked up the single bag that carried all the
possessions she owned after a lifetime of service, a life now fallen into
ruin, and walked down the brightly lit hall to the elevator. She pressed the
button, and almost instantly, the doors opened. She stepped inside the roomy
interior, ignoring the cheerful voices of the choruses coming through the
speakers as the elevator descended. Today, the usually upbeat music seemed a
false promise of heaven.
As the elevator descended, she looked at herself in the mirrored walls,
glumly noting the redness of her eyes from crying, the disheveled mass of
her flaming red hair. She pushed her glasses back up her pert nose, the gold
frames settling back in front of her eyes where the oval lenses of pink
glass hid some of the redness. Better perhaps to take them off and not be
able to see the world she was leaving behind, but she hated her
nearsightedness without them too much.
The doors opened out to the enormous lobby and she walked across the vast,
echoing room to the front doors. She stepped out into the eternal sunshine,
the bright sunlight seeming dimmer, though she was the only one who seemed
to notice. She flagged down a taxi, watching as it turned to retrieve her.
The golden chariot dipped down to the street, the hooves of the Pegasus
pulling it chiming on the cool metal of the gold surface. The gorgeous blond
Adonis driving the taxi leaned down to help her up.
�Where to, miss?� he asked, the musical sound of his voice grating on her
ears.
�Pearly Gates Complex,� she answered.
As the taxi transported her to her destination, she sourly reflected on the
overdose of pleasantness that was part of her daily life. Rather� had been a
part of her daily life. Bright, eternal sunlight, unvarying temperature,
sweet scented breezes, and angelic choruses, Heaven was everything one could
want, and more�
Unless you wanted something forbidden.
She shoved her way through the crowds of incoming souls, heavenly agents,
and waiting loved ones she found when arriving at the complex. Finally, she
arrived at a desk she had always shunned before, as all good angels did. The
black marble counter exuded a chill aura that made her shiver. The clerk
behind it only added to her foreboding, his black glasses matching his suit
and wings. His face was blandly anonymous, as only a bureaucrat�s could be,
and the expression of official dislike could have been painted on.
�Papers?� he asked in a monotone, oddly contrasting to the typical musical
voice of most angels. She sighed and handed over the end of her life�s work.
The clerk eyed the pink paper emotionlessly. �Name?�
�Harteriel Serefina, Seraphim first class,�
�Not anymore.� Emotion colored his voice finally, a vicious, gleeful tone.
He reached up and Heart felt a wrenching sensation as the golden circlet was
pulled free and dropped with a clatter on the desk. Only the silver circlet
of light, innate to all angels, remained hovering over her head. The clerk
glared at it as though he wished he could take that away, too, but only
Heart could choose to remove it, and a glance into her eyes confirmed her
unwillingness to do so. The clerk changed tactics.
�This is the Exiles� Gate, girl. You come here, you don�t work in Heaven
anymore!� he crowed licentiously, a nasty smile on his face.
�I know,� Heart said, the jibe hitting home and chilling her all the more.
�I don�t think you do,� the clerk laughed, enjoying the opportunity to rub
the salt in. �You fucked up, girl.�
He tapped the pink slip of paper. �Exiled by orders of the Cupid.� He
stepped out from behind the counter. �An angel of Love, a Virtue no less,
and you had to be exiled? That�s a major fuck-up, girl. Takes a major
violation of the rules. You little stuck-up prisses in the office of Love
are usually too good to wind up here. What�d you do? Fuck a demon? Eh?� He
laughed maliciously at his supposed joke as he grabbed the front of her robe
of office. �Haven�t gotten to exile a Virtue since Valentiniel.� He yanked,
ripping the robe from her unresisting form.
Heart stood impassively, too numb to respond to the clerk�s bullying until
he grabbed her handbag and threw it into a scanner. She let out a small mew
of protest as her sole possessions disappeared. The clerk laughed at her
distress then pushed her through an arch next to the desk, his shove
sprawling her awkwardly on the floor, her glasses nearly flying away. She
desperately pushed them back over her eyes.
�So long, traitor! If I had my way, you�d fall a lot farther than the mortal
plane!� His ominously gleeful laugh was cut off as a door closed over the
arch.
Heart tried to orient herself in the blank circular room, her passage though
the arch having left her dizzy. She was shaking her head to clear it as a
beep sounded and her bag dropped on top of her. She clutched it to her
chest, but had no chance to check it as the floor opened beneath her and she
fell into space.
She clenched her teeth to keep from screaming, and tried to extend her
wings, but only a numb feeling existed between her shoulders. She cried out
in misery at the loss, but her grief did not change her punishment, nor
would it make her beg forgiveness.
She had done nothing wrong! Only loved�
She fell, a tiny speck in the wide shaft of open air that the giant golden
stairway defined, a fleeting spectacle for the mortal souls ascending. Below
her, a crystal sphere drew closer and closer. She gave one last look to the
blazing glory of her lost home before she struck the surface and passed
through.
She landed in a heap on a gritty sidewalk, her ears assaulted with noise.
She slowly rolled and climbed to shaky feet, taking stock after the rough
landing.
She stood on a familiar sidewalk in New York City, lightly trafficked at
this time of day. Across from her, a small row of shops quietly stood, their
glassy faces blankly staring at the empty street. A small caf� stood almost
directly across from her, a lone waiter cleaning tables left by the last of
the late lunch crowed. The entire street stood in shadow, overhung by tall
buildings on either side.
She turned to the store behind her, not noticing the strange look she was
getting from the owner of the flower shop next door. Her eyes sought out the
sign along the music store�s weathered fa�ade, which proudly proclaimed its
name to be Celestial Sounds. The windows were covered with an assortment of
garish music posters, among which two stood out most prominently. Many
passersby had noted the irony of Led Zeppelin�s �Stairway to Heaven� poster
being right next to AC/DC�s �Highway to Hell,� but only a few knew the
truth.
She stepped forward to place a hand on the poster of the golden stair, but
only smooth glass met her hand. She collapsed in tears, falling to her knees
at the base of the wall.
�Well, well, what have we here?� a cruel voice asked.
�Why, it�s a little slut, so eager to get fucked, she couldn�t wait for us
to strip her,� another voice laughed.
She looked around, her sight blurred with tears. Six men surrounded her,
dressed like a gang of typical punks; but they wavered in her vision,
looking one moment like a group of deliberately-bald teenagers from a neo-
Nazi gang, then shifting into the semblance of lower-level demons. She
pressed her back to the wall behind her, fumbling through her bag, hoping,
praying they hadn�t taken it�
�Leave me alone!� she said, her frustrated efforts in vain.
The tallest one leered. �Now why would we do that, when it�s obvious you�re
dying for us to fuck you?� The cruel malice in his eyes shifted between
merely human to diabolical. Hands grabbed her from either side. She screamed
as she struggled, but it was no use. Her sight finally cleared, revealing
the group to be truly demonic. Frantically, she glanced around. The street
was clear of would-be saviors, and all of her angelic protections seemed to
be gone.
The tall leader grinned, his sharp teeth glittering in the light from her
halo. �Into the alley, boys. We get to enjoy some angelic pussy before we
deliver her!�
She fought, screaming and kicking, as she was dragged by the two brawniest
of the demons into the alley and draped over a trash bin. Her legs were
forced apart by massive hands. She struggled with futility as the first
demon made to step between her legs, his hand reaching for the swastika-
emblazoned buckle of his belt�
In a squeal of tortured rubber, a midnight-black Corvette convertible
fishtailed around the corner of the alley and braked, the headlights
illuminating the shadowed corridor. A blur launched from the car into the
air, then flipped before slamming into the concrete, shattering it. The
demons froze in shock at the sight before them, but Heart sighed with
relief.
An Amazonian woman crouched before them, her feet buried to the ankles in
the shattered cement. One hand was also buried in a third hole, her fingers
puncturing the pseudo-rock as though it were clay. Long legs met under a
short black leather mini, and the skintight halter-top barely contained
oversized breasts. Her violet eyes blazed out of a heart-shaped face under a
long, white pageboy haircut, and a slight smile graced her lips. Her free
right hand held an axe-bladed trident. For a long moment, no one moved. Then
she spoke in a warm contralto that carried more menace than the gravelly
voices of the demons.
�Care to try someone your own size?� A wicked grin revealed inch-long
canines.
For a second, the leader seemed nonplussed, but then he grinned again. �How
sweet, twice the meat!� He motioned to the two closest to the strange
newcomer. �Get her!�
The two demons separated to come at her from both sides, but the stranger
didn�t move. As they aligned on either side and began to rush her, she
shrugged.
With blinding speed and the power of a piledriver, bat wings caught the two
demons and slammed them into the walls on either side, crushing the bricks
nearly a foot and a half back and turning the pair into mangled carcasses.
The leader blinked in shock at the altered appearance of his foe. Two purple
horns just poked through the sides of her bangs, and her skirt had been
pushed up far beyond the bounds of modesty by a muscular tail that ended in
a large spaded tip. Delicate points had appeared on her ears, while her legs
now terminated in an elongated foot that suggested hooves. The hand holding
the axe-bladed trident had five-inch nails of the same purple as her horns.
Violet light burned around her weapon, wisps of glowing vapor rising like
smoke. Her wings completely spanned the wide alley.
�What the fuck!� Surprise was evident in his gravelly voice. �You�re a
goddamned succubus?�
�Let her go,� she commanded, and ice was warmer than that eerie tone.
�Mephistopheles will have your horns for this, bitch! You�re interfering
with a sanctioned operation!�
�If you don�t let her go, I plan to do more than interfere.� The violet glow
around the trident�s head grew larger, brighter.
�Fuck this,� The leader nodded at the two holding Heart. �Kill this bitch.�
The two large demons grinned and moved toward the succubus, drawing long,
curved swords out of their long coats. The last demon drew out a 9mm.
The two swordsmen charged as the succubus launched herself upwards,
revealing that she did, indeed, have a pair of sharp hooves. Her double-
ended trident swung in a tight circle as she deflected three bullets and
landed between the swordsmen and the gunman. Her trident intercepted the
gunman�s wrist as he tried to re-aim; his hand flying away with the gun
still in it. He jumped back with a shout of pain and shock as the two
swordsmen swung.
Heart cried out in fear, the leader�s arm choked tight around her throat.
But the succubus caught the swords with either end of her trident and spun,
throwing the two demons in opposite directions as the gunman came up behind
her with a large knife�
�Then he was looking down in disbelief at the spaded tail that had
penetrated his ribcage. The succubus pulled her tail free and made two
passes with her trident, the larger of the two ends separating first the
head, then the upper and lower torso, sending them flying in all directions.
The larger of the two swordsmen charged her from the rear. She reached up
with her wings, their powerful thumbs latching on to an overhead fire escape
as she launched herself into a backwards kick. Her sharp hooves smashed off
the top of the demon�s skull as he vainly tried to swing his blade at a
target that had so suddenly gone from forward to up. His eyes rolled into
their sockets as black blood gushed from the mangled remains of his head.
Then the succubus landed behind him with a wing flap and gave his torso a
diagonal permanent vacation from the rest of his body with her large blade.
The remaining demon closed warily, drawing a second sword. He assumed a
Chinese sword stance and his blades began an intricate dance as bloody light
crawled along them. The succubus answered this with a light show of her own
from the trident, her wings shrinking to a fraction of their normal size.
Heart watched fearfully as the two combatants met in a spectacular whirl,
blades flashing too fast to follow. For long seconds, the sound of steel
against steel rang in the air, then the demon�s right arm, still clutching
its sword, flew theatrically away. A still-whirling trident caught the
second arm at the elbow� In a few more whirls, the demon lay in nearly a
dozen pieces at her feet.
Heart found herself flung back down onto the trash bin, and she screamed as
the leader pulled out a large knife and went to stab her. For a long frozen
second, her eyes focussed on the dagger tip as it descended towards her
breast, then a streak of purple fire burned across her vision, and she felt
the restraining hand ripped free.
The succubus-flung trident carried the leader nearly ten feet before pinning
him to a brick wall. He screamed as he tried to pull the triple- bladed
spear free.
�You goddamned slut! Bitch! Bhaalor will gut you for this!�
The succubus sauntered up to the demon as Heart�s eyes followed her. She
laid her hands at the haft of the trident.
�I could care less what Bhaalor thinks.� She wrenched the trident upwards,
the axeblades shearing through brick, flesh and bone alike. The leader fell
to the ground, his upper torso splitting wide as black blood poured in a
flood from his carcass.
Heart turned at a sudden crackle and watched as the demonic blades flared
and burned, leaving not even scorches where they had fallen. Only the 9mm
remained, still clutched in a demonic hand. She turned wide, relieved eyes
to her savior, who was approaching her with a smile.
�Are you okay, Heart? I�m so sorry I didn�t get here faster. They didn�t
hurt you, did they?�
Heart flung herself into the tall demoness's arms, her short frame nestling
into the succubus's as she laid her head against the base of the demoness's
chest. "No, Beloved, you arrived before they could do more than frighten
me."
Tension flowed out of the succubus as relief showed in her face. �I�m so
glad, Love. If they had hurt you��
�I�m fine, Seraph, just a little shaken.� Heart looked around at the remains
of the six demons. �You handled that magnificently. You moved so
beautifully. Have I ever told you how pretty you are when you fight?�
Seraph blushed, and self-consciously pulled her skirt back down from her
hips to where it belonged. �Really?�
Heart gave her a rib-crushing hug. �Yes! You were wonderful!�
�I just wanted to make sure you were safe, Love.� She returned the hug with
equal force, the looked down the alley, past her Corvette, and spied the
little sidewalk caf�. �Hey, let�s go to that place across the street.
Fighting makes me so hungry.�
Heart appraised Seraph's blood-spattered state, then looked down at her own
voluptuous figure. "Um, I'd love to, Beloved, but you're a mess, and I
haven't a thing to wear!"
Seraph looked down. �Well, um, I have a spare tube dress in the car�� She
answered.
Heart smiled. �Then let me deal with the blood.� She spoke a few musical
syllables as the blood shimmered and vanished from Seraph�s form.
Seraph giggled. �That tickled.� She turned to lead the way to the car.
Heart smiled as she watched the demoness's swaying walk, then followed, not
wanting her beloved to get too far away.
* * * * *
It had taken nearly ten minutes for the two to move the �Vette and get seats
on the sidewalk patio, but the conversation still consisted of reassurances
that Heart was unharmed. For long seconds after the waiter left, they simply
gazed at one another before they simultaneously spoke.
�I love you.�
They both giggled. �We keep doing that,� Heart noted. �I think it�s
wonderful.�
Seraph smiled. �I think you�re wonderful.� Then a look of concern crossed
her face. �Oh, Heart, I heard what they did to you! I�m so sorry.�
�It�s not your fault, Seraph,� Heart sighed. �If nothing else, at least it
will help your job.�
The demoness couldn�t meet her eyes. �I know. Mephie gave me a raise and a
promotion right before I resigned.�
�Then some good came� You what?!!?�
�I quit. I resigned from the Department of Corruptions.�
�But Seraph, you showed me how necessary your job is to the balance of
nature! You make so many people happy, and you don�t have to hurt a single
soul doing it!�
�Yeah, and then they go to Hell because I damned them with lust� and causing
your fall� All I did was ruin your life!�
Heart reached out to cup the succubus�s chin, making her meet the kind,
heavenly green eyes of the angel. �That�s not true, Seraph. You�ve made my
life complete. You showed me the side of love I�ve always missed, the
passion I�ve always believed was corrupt, but is really so pure. You showed
me that, Seraph. You showed me the lies for what they were, showed me what
love is supposed to be!�
�I seduced you��
Heart laughed. �If I remember correctly, I�m the one who crawled into your
blankets.�
�Oh, Heart, if only I-�
�If only what?� Heart cut her off, a note of sadness creeping into her
voice. �Please don�t say if only you hadn�t challenged me to our duel. I
love you, Seraph. I don�t regret losing the duel.� She kissed Seraph on the
cheek. �Losing it won me so much more. You, for example.�
�But you belong in Heaven.� The anguish in Seraph�s voice was plain. �And
you didn�t lose our duel. You won it. You�re an angel of Love, here to show
mortals what love is. And you showed me.�
Heart was silent for a moment, pain in her eyes. Then she spoke with a voice
that was alien and cold, even to her. �Theliel said I have no concept of
what true love is.� She shrugged. �You�d think if anyone would have
understood about us, it would be the angel who holds the office of Cupid.�
She looked into Seraph�s agonized face. �But he seemed to get violently
angry about it. He wouldn�t even listen to me, just called me a whore and
threw me out of his office. Then, when I got home, I found my exile papers.�
�Oh, Heart!�
�I just can�t believe Theliel could be so unfair. He�s punishing me because
I�m fulfilling my oath of duty! I am being an angel of Love! Nowhere does my
oath conflict with our feelings!� Heart gripped her teacup with white
knuckles, frustration strong in her voice.
�I�m so sorry, Love. He�s doing this to you because of me,� Seraph hung her
head over her tea.
Heart was instantly contrite. She put her teacup down and slid her chair
over by Seraph�s. �Beloved, I love you. There is no law in Heaven against my
loving you. As an Angel of Love it is my sworn duty to bring love into
everyone�s heart, especially those who are unloved. My oath demands it,
Seraph, and I�m not capable of otherwise.� She hugged the succubus tight.
�And when we met, you were unloved and alone, yet you fulfilled your duties
as best you could without ever lowering yourself to the viciousness so
common in Hell. I�ve dealt with other succubi, Seraph, and most of them fed
indiscriminately, sowing only chaos and pain. In all the time I�ve watched
you, I�ve never seen you feed without giving so much happiness in return.
I�ve brought the gift of love to humans who�ve descended to the depravity of
demons. How could I not give the gift of my love to a demon that has such a
caring heart?�
�But Heart, all I�ve brought you is pain. I got you kicked out of Heaven.
I�ve cost you your job. And� and�� She broke off, sobbing.
Heart held Seraph�s head to her breast and stroked her long white hair. �And
you quit your job and saved me from those other demons. You chose me over
everything else you had in your life, Seraph. You sacrificed. I can think of
no greater testament to our love than that.� She lifted Seraph�s face to
look into her eyes for a moment. �I�ll bet you never even thought of it that
way, did you,� she said, more a statement than a question.
Seraph shook her head, her eyes still bright with tears.
Heart hugged her tightly. �Oh Seraph, you are such a treasure! Now I know,
without any hint of a doubt, that I love you, and no matter what Theliel
thinks, I know I�m doing the right thing�� She kissed Seraph lightly on the
lips. ��Because you love me, too.�
�More than life,� Seraph whispered, burrowing her head against Heart�s
breast again.
The waiter came and set down their food as quietly as possible, not
disturbing their moment of quiet as the two women comforted one another with
nothing more than mutual presence. Finally, Seraph looked at Heart.
�You really don�t think I�m silly for quitting?�
Heart looked at her with loving eyes. �Beloved, I know you must have had a
good reason.� She grinned. �Old Mephistopheles must have been angry, though.
I know you were his best agent.�
Seraph nodded, not going into the details. She was afraid to tell Heart why
the demon squad had been waiting. Her boss had been very angry that she�d
refused to lead Heart into a trap. He�d looked forward to raping and
breaking her. He�d kept Seraph tied up for hours eluding the agents of the
Infernal Revenue Service.
All of the demoness�s assets had been seized,
along with her official papers. Except for her car and her private bank
account, she was destitute, and probably about to be declared a renegade and
banned from Hell.
But the look of Heart�s eyes made it all worth it and more, and in that
loving gaze she abandoned all regrets.
Sometimes, love flies on fragile demon wings.
* * * * *
1 They ate between bouts of blissful gazing and many �I love you�s,� much of
the conversation revolving around how wonderful the other was or how happy
each made the other, but eventually, they got around to the ultimate
question: what next?
�Well, I guess we have to go down to Central Admin to get assigned a
residence and be evaluated for new jobs,� Heart said brightly.
Seraph raised an eyebrow, then shook her head. �Love, I keep forgetting how
new this will be to you.� She looked at Heart and smiled. �Darling, there
isn�t a Central Admin. We�re going to have to find a place to live on our
own, and find jobs on our own. Plus, we�re on the mortal plane, which means
we both have to feed to keep up our strength and powers, as well as eat to
nourish our physical bodies, and not just for the pleasure of the tastes of
mortal cuisine. All that takes money. I know you angels rarely deal with
such mundane trivia, but it�s gonna be part of our lives, now.�
�Oh, I hadn�t thought of that. I�ve always just called into being anything I
needed.�
�You don�t have your angelic lifeline anymore, Love. Your link to Heaven�s
been severed. You don�t have that thin beam of light in your aura that kept
you fed, and your aura�s definitely weaker. I�d say you have a week before
we have to find you a source of energy to feed from.� Seraph looked worried.
�And I have no idea what you feed on.�
Heart laughed. �Beloved, we�ve spent all this time together and you never
realized what my energy comes from?�
Seraph shook her head.
�You, Beloved. Your love feeds me. And you have spoiled me with a feast so
abundant and pure that I have no need or desire for any other source.�
Seraph looked at her, wide-eyed. �But � I�ve never felt you draw anything
from me!�
�I don�t draw, Beloved, I only take in what you give me, and you give me so
much love, I have a fear of growing fat.� Heart chuckled. �Have no fear of
me starving for energy, Beloved.�
Seraph fairly glowed with happiness at the sound of Heart�s laugh. She
leaned to give Heart a hug, and Heart drew her lips up to give her a long
and passionate kiss.
�Nor should you need to fear for your own needs, Beloved,� Heart whispered
when they broke. �The flames of desire you have woken in me are yours to
feed on as you wish. You will find in me a hunger to match your own.�
Seraph breathed heavily a few times. �Stop, Love, or you will have me
begging you to take me right here!� She shifted in her seat. �And I�ll wet
this seat cushion beyond its ability to soak!�
Heart giggled. �I love you.�
�I love you too, but I�m serious! I had a hard enough time not throwing you
down on that trash bin and making wild passionate love to you right then!�
Seraph whispered fiercely. �Another kiss like that and I won�t be able to
stop from orgasming!�
Heart smiled, very pleased with herself. Seraph took a few seconds to
compose herself, then drained her tea. She gave Heart a wicked look.
�You just wait till I get you in a hotel tonight, Love!�
�Promise?� Heart�s canary grin grew wider.
�Damn right!� Seraph nodded. They both fell to giggling.
�I love you,� they both said simultaneously, and broke out in laughter yet
again. Then Seraph reached out a hand to grasp Heart�s tightly. �We�re going
to make it, Love. I have faith.�
Heart�s face crumpled, and Seraph was afraid she had made Heart cry. But her
heart soared when her angel spoke again.
�I do, too, Beloved. I love you.� And while there were tears in Heart�s
eyes, Seraph could tell by her ecstatic gaze that Heart was not in the least
bit upset.
Seraph threw a fifty from her cleavage to the table and rose. �First thing�s
first, though, Love. If we�re going job and apartment hunting tomorrow,
we�ve got to get us both some clothes!�
They walked out of the small caf� over to Seraph�s �Vette. A myriad of
N.Y.P.D. crime units and several police cars had gathered across the street.
�Hm, when did they arrive, Beloved?�
Seraph shrugged. �Don�t know. I wasn�t paying attention to anything but
you.�
Heart stopped to look over at Seraph lovingly. �I love you. You always say
the sweetest things.�
Seraph blushed as she unlocked the car and held the door for Heart before
getting in, her tall frame barely fitting in the sports car. She looked at
the units in the rearview mirror. �I don�t think they�re gonna be too happy
over the mess I left. Just as well we were just leaving.� She started the
car and smoothly merged into traffic. �First stop, Saks�s!�
They accelerated away into the tangled traffic, neither one noticing the man
with the tan trenchcoat who�d tried to flag them down�
* * * * *
When it was first called in, the old lady who owned the flower shop had
called it a gang rape. But by the time the N.Y.P.D made it through the
holiday traffic to the scene, it was a homicide, and most brutal to boot.
The two officers who were first on the scene couldn�t even line it
themselves. The crime scene unit had had to, because one of the two beat
cops was a rookie, and his more seasoned partner was helping him gag up the
hero he�d had for lunch. All the older cop could think was, What a waste of
good pastrami� And the younger cop�s ongoing whining: �I�m so sorry, man,
I�m sorry�� � was beginning to get on his nerves.
New York � in some ways, the greatest city ever, in others, hell. The
numerous dismembered parts of an as yet unknown number of corpses certainly
proved that here was a slice of the latter. The older cop continued to pat
the rookie on the back as he looked around. What the fuck did the killer
use? he wondered. A fucking chainsaw? He shuddered as he watched a forensics
expert mark chalk around a severed head, then turned back to studiously look
at the brick wall his partner was vomiting against. The vomit was normal and
sane; the carnage surreal and terrible.
After almost thirty minutes of continual retching, the younger cop finally
sat back and gasped for some air.
�Wow� I mean, Jesus H. Christ! Who the hell could do that to someone?�
The older cop shrugged. �Enh, you get used to it after awhile. Work traffic
division for a while, kid, you�ll see worse.� He looked around and added to
himself: Not much worse, though.
The rookie gave him a disbelieving look. �Yeah, right.�
The older cop decided to forgive him; after all, he�d been young and dumb
once. He turned and stepped out to where he could see the hustle and bustle
of the crime scene, and noted sarcastically, What a surprise. The coroner is
here before Homicide. He walked to the mouth of the alley and nabbed the
officer who�d taken the statement from the old lady.
�So, what the hell happened here?� he asked.
The other officer, another long-time beat cop, shrugged. �Not sure. The old
coot claims it was the Devil bearing a pitchfork.� He tapped his forehead
and rolled his eyes. �From the old country, you know.�
�Jeez. Another religious nut. She say what the perp used besides a
pitchfork?�
The older cop shook his head. �Ask her. Makes about as much sense as
anything at this point.�
�Yeah, in this town, I suppose anything is possible,�
The two cops looked down the alley at the crime scene, reflecting for a
moment on all the evils man can inflict upon itself, and on the idealistic
flame that brings guys like the two of them in as rookies, only to flicker
and die with time. The older cop�s eyes fell on the rookie, his face still
pale. He�d been like his partner, once. They all were, but so many grew out
of it after seeing scenes like this one all over the city.
The statement cop looked at the older cop and his partner. �Stick around.
Lipton�s gonna wanna talk to you,� he said as he strode away.
The rookie, who was still within earshot, asked, �Lipton?�
A sour look crossed the older cop�s face. �Lipton. The Ghoul. Homicide,� he
said, like that should explain everything.
His partner stayed confused. �Why do they call him that? And what do you
have against him?�
�He�s a freak,� the older cop said. �He thinks he�s chasing demons, shit
like that. He gets all the weird cases, cases like this one. Occult murders,
bumps in the night, Freddy Krueger shit. He�s the department�s expert on the
occult, but he�s one scary fuck, I�ll tell you that.�
�Yeah, that Lipton, what a weirdo,� a voice from behind him proclaimed
brightly.
The older cop turned, freeing the rookie�s line of sight. Before them,
standing nearly six foot two, was a man in a tan trenchcoat that was open
enough to reveal a pair of jeans and a navy blue T-shirt labeled �N.Y.P.D.�
His badge, mobile phone, pager, and gun all hung off his simple brown belt,
and the pools of clotting blood on the pavement hardly affected his
N.Y.P.D.-issued combat boots. His chest was a bit broader than it should
have been, hinting at a Kevlar vest under his shirt, and his black hair was
slicked back impeccably. His face was severe and stern as his dark eyes
blazed at the beat cops. He had the air of someone who had stared Evil in
the face and laughed at it, or like someone who would cut off his own right
hand with a chainsaw if it was possessed...
�Is it true that he believes in demons?� the rookie asked, much to the
chagrin of his partner.
The tall man appraised him coolly before replying. �You�re on the streets
every day. Tell me � don�t you?�
Before the rookie had a chance to respond, the man turned, his trenchcoat
flaring with a flourish worthy of Superman as he strode away.
�Don�t go anywhere,� he told the two over his shoulder, then began threading
his way across the charnel ground of the alley.
When he was out of earshot, the veteran turned to the rookie.
�And that,� he said, �was The Ghoul.�
* * * * *
Detective Bruce Lipton made his way across the crime scene, looking for the
coroner. He�d always considered it ironic that he should be called The Ghoul
when, often enough, the New York City coroners not only reveled in their
terrible duty, but also looked the part. Young or old, they all seemed to
resemble the Tall Man from Phantasm.
However, the coroner for this particular scene was the exception that proves
the rule. Terry Shaw was a vivacious blonde who looked like she�d stepped
right out of a porno movie, but whose intelligence should have been honed by
the Ivy League. Lipton had always thought she was wasted among the dead. She
was far too alive.
He waited a few moments until she noticed him, then she bounced up.
�Bruce!� she said, her voice a cheery contrast to the grisly atmosphere of
the alley. �I�m so glad you could make it so quickly!�
Surveying the carnage, Lipton replied, �Yeah, this is one of those cases
alright.� Turning to face Shaw, he asked, �Ok Terry. Whatcha got?�
�Humph! Tell me you don�t love this.� She reached down into the tangle of
body parts she�d been studying and withdrew a hand and lower arm. She wiped
the severed end with a blood soaked cloth to reveal the bone as she
explained. �Whatever our perp used was very sharp. Cut through both bones
like they were melted butter.
No grooves, chips or marks, just one clean
sweep. And it was apparently hot enough to cauterize the cut without searing
the surrounding tissue.� She turned bright eyes on Lipton. �Any idea what
kind of weapon would have done something like that, outside of a medical
laser?�
Lipton didn�t answer, though he could have. He�d seen weapons that did that
before, not that Terry would believe him if he told her.
She looked at a black smudge on the hand, then dusted some of on her finger.
She smelled it, and then tasted it. Lipton winced.
Didn�t she see what she was holding? Scratch that. He knew better from long
experience.
Terry spit the substance out. �Gunpowder.�
No, Lipton mentally corrected. Brimstone�
�Judging by the powder burns, this guy got off some rounds.� She said in
amazement. �Quite a few. And now, he�s Chop Suey.� She looked at the
detective, �what could have survived that?�
�Maybe our victims were lousy shots.� Bruce quipped. Or maybe bullets didn�t
matter to what they were shooting at, he added mentally.
�Well given the ribbons I�m seeing all over, I�d have to say that even these
guys couldn�t have missed someone who got close enough to do precision work
like this. On four people!�
�Still, I don�t see why you consider that so unusual. Maybe our perp wore
Kevlar.� He averted his eyes from the vicious looking thing she was holding,
and a momentary glint of silver caught his gaze for a second. He eyed the
caf� across the street for a moment, then dismissed it as a passing car. �So
we get four sliced up skinheads. You said this one was extra special. And
I�m not real impressed by what I was told of Mrs. Loggiabrazzia�s testimony
either. Anyone dicing up four people Yojimbo- style in an alley looks like
the Devil.�
Terry gave a little disappointed frown then brightened. �Ah! Wait. Follow
me.� She beckoned him with the severed hand, the long claws nearly raking
his chin. He dodged out of the way as Shaw continued. �You haven�t seen the
best part yet!�
She led Lipton towards the front of the alley, where about thirty feet in,
two clusters of forensics personnel were gathered. They parted like the Red
Sea when Shaw pushed through their ranks, followed by a bemused Lipton.
When he beheld the grotesque sight they had concealed, he admitted, �Ok. Now
I�m impressed.�
Crumbs of brick were still falling from the edges of the depression and
blood still seeped slowly to pool at the base of the wall, where the
forensics team had been trying to take care not to track it everywhere. The
corpse was embedded among the bricks; its ribcage and the back of its skull
crushed in from the force of impact. The face was distorted but Lipton
thought that he�d categorize the expression as shock. It held no weapon, but
it was dressed in the semi uniform of a local skinhead gang, this being its
only real resemblance to having once been human.
Of course, it never had been human. It just looked that way to the evidence
collectors. To Shaw. To the beat cops.
Not to Lipton.
Every single feature, from the horns on its head to claws on its hands or
the talons on its feet, all of it was readily apparent to him. Each scaled
or leathery limb, each bloodstained fang imprinted itself on his memory,
just as it had the first time�
He shook his head. �Hm�. Is there any chance Mrs. Loggiabrazzia could
identify the bulldozer that cruised through here?�
�Damn.� Terry said, her mouth forming a pretty moue. �I though for sure this
time I�d shock you speechless.�
Giving her a sidelong glance, Lipton said, �Yeah, right.�
He couldn�t look again� he�d be too gleeful about the demons� demise. He
looked around the alley. Six demons. He would dance for joy if something
weren�t bugging him about this.
He dug out the notes he�d collected from the beat cop when he�d arrived. The
call had come in as a rape, six guys against one girl. Then when the first
units had arrived, twelve minutes later, it had been a multiple homicide.
He looked around again, trying to lay out how the fight might have happened.
He moved toward the center of the alley to get a better view, and stumbled.
He glanced briefly at the pothole and dismissed it, looking instead at the
chalk outlines of where bodies had been.
There was nowhere to hide, no cover. It had been a stand up fight.
Some�thing powerful had waded through six demons in minutes, and saved the
girl they had been trying to rape.
He looked at the corpse embedded in the wall, then its mate, noting that
they were exactly opposite. He looked down and stepped back from the cracked
pavement, his mind not registering for a second exactly what it was seeing,
then not wanting to believe what it saw. He stared until he realized that
Shaw was calling his name.
�Bruce! Bruce! Are you ok?�
�Humm? Oh yeah, I�m fine Terry. Just lost in thought. Trying to figure out
the logistics of this fight.� He gave her his standard grin. �Anyway, I
think it�s time I took a crack at the witness.�
Shaw nodded. �Don�t worry Bruce. I�ll get you a souvenir.�
Lipton winced. �I�m sure you will.� He wandered into the flower shop.
Behind him, Terry looked down at the strange pothole Lipton had been staring
at. For a second, she stared in confusion, then her eyes widened. She
reached out and grabbed a passing technician. Pointing to the holes, she
said �Get a plaster team over here at once.�
* * * * *
Mrs. Loggiabrazzia was an elderly Italian lady who now, if not always,
vehemently believed in God. In her hands she held a prayer book and a rosary
and her portly body was perched on a small stool precariously, looking like
she would fall off if she shifted even slightly. Her perfume was strong
enough to overpower the fragrances of her stock, and the flower print dress
she was wearing combined with the tiny stool made her look like an oversized
bouquet. Her weathered face was dried and cracked with wrinkles, her weary
eyes fixedly staring out the front of the shop. Lipton shook his head. He'd
seen that stare before.
He pulled up a stool and seated himself before her. Before he could speak,
she told him in a hushed and weary tone "I already told them what I saw."
Lipton nodded. "I know. But I do need you to go over it with me again." He
said gently.
"You won't believe me any more than they did."
"You might be surprised at what I would believe Mrs. L." He'd decided to
give up on the full name. Like most surnames in New York, it took longer to
say it than to tap someone on the shoulder. "I'm here because of what you
saw. They don't know what to believe, but I believe you. I specialize in
these cases. Cases involving the supernatural. I want to know what happened
to those demons out there, Mrs. L."
He let the statement hang in the air, and was pleased to note that she
stopped staring into space and looked at him. Most people who could see the
"Others�, as he thought of them, didn't know what they were, or what to
think of their visions. Some were driven mad.
At times, Lipton even thought he might be one of those.
Unfortunately, the existence of so many others who could see angels and
demons was simply proof that he was all too sane.
Her eyes sought out his. "You can see them too?"
He nodded, and relief was apparent on her face. "Thank merciful God." She
closed her eyes for a second, and when she opened them, they were clear
again. "Where should I begin?"
"At the beginning, hopefully," Lipton smiled.
The old woman nodded. "Well, I was watering my flowers at the front of the
store when the angel appeared in front of the music store next door. I
recall thinking how scared she looked and wondered what was wrong."
"An angel?" Lipton asked. "That wasn't mentioned in the other reports."
"They asked me about the skinheads and wouldn't believe me about the demons.
And I didn't want to get the angel in trouble."
Lipton smiled. "I see. So what did the angel do?"
"Well I remember thinking that maybe I should offer her a robe or something,
she looked so cold, naked as she was, but before I could, she turned to the
music store and collapsed crying. That's when the demons came out of the
alley. They surrounded her and started to drag the poor dear back into the
alley. That's when I called, when I heard the one who seemed to be the
leader say they were going to rape her. I thought maybe the police would
scare them off.�
Lipton jotted that down. "I take it that when they got into the alley, the
angel killed them?"
"Oh no. I know I told the other officer that. It was Lucifer."
"The Devil?" Lipton raised an eyebrow.
The old lady nodded. "It had to have been. I was on the phone with the
precinct when the black Corvette came around the corner like a bat out of
Hell � � She crossed herself at mere mention of that place, then chuckled.
�NO pun intended. Anyway, it whipped around the corner and screeched to a
halt."
"And Satan got out?"
"Oh no. I didn't know it was him at first, I just saw this girl jump out of
the car and land hard enough to bury her feet in the pavement."
His eyes hadn't been lying, then. He nodded.
"I knew then that something was strange about her besides the pitchfork."
"Pitchfork? Like a three pronged spear?"
"No. It was fancier than that. Like a big axe, but it had heads at both
ends. When the demons saw her, they were surprised, but they went to grab
her. I thought for sure she was going to be killed, but she waited till the
two trying to grab her were on either side and she changed."
Lipton nodded. "Go on."
"She grew bat wings and a spaded tail, and her pitchfork got all glowing
purple. She used her wings to slam the two demons into the walls. That's
when the other demons drew weapons and tried to kill her. But Lucifer killed
them instead."
"Why do you think she was Lucifer?"
"Well, who else could kill demons so easily?"
Lipton raised an eyebrow. It made a certain kind of sense from her
viewpoint. He refrained from listing any of the other creatures who could
have done similar chaos. "So what did the demoness do to the angel
afterwards?"
"They hugged one another and the angel thanked her for rescuing her."
"Wait a minute. Are you saying the demoness rescued the angel? She didn't
kill her or drag her off or anything like that? Just let her go?"
"Oh no. They left together. They were so sweet on one another, like young
lovers."
"Are you sure the girl was an angel?"
"Oh yes. She had a lovely silver halo."
"And the demoness chopped up the other demons to save her?"
"Yes. She even apologized to the angel for being late."
Lipton rubbed his temples. This was getting too weird even for him. "And the
angel didn't try to kill her or anything?"
"Oh no! They've been ever so sweet and caring to one another. I'd definitely
say they're very much in love." Her eyes went back to looking out the store
front. "Detective. Can you really see them?"
Lipton spun and followed her gaze.
Just leaving the cafe across the street was a female couple, both in black.
A tall white haired looker was just closing the door of a black Corvette for
a stunning redhead.
A redhead with a silver halo.
Shock froze him for a second too long. He jumped from his stool and ran from
the flower shop just as the 'Vette pulled into traffic. All he got was a
glimpse of the tag SE2 YOU. He cursed his rotten luck as he punched a light
pole. They'd been across the fucking street!
Back in the flower shop, Mrs. Loggiabrazzia watched the frustrated
detective, then, satisfied that everyone was done asking her questions, she
went to make herself a cup of coffee. As she passed the open door to the
ally, she looked out at the evidence team pouring plaster into the holes in
the pavement and shook her head.
"When Lucifer saves an angel from his own demons, you know there's going to
be trouble."
_________________________________________________________________
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