The Angel, the Vampire, and the Demon

Chapter Eighteen- The Lair

 Abrariel

Abrariel threw on one of his new hoody jumpers, it was too big, but it hid the bump, unlike the white jumper Raziel had given him when he first got to Heaven. He pulled on a pair of track pants that Raziel had gotten him to replace his tight jeans.

"Abrariel! Are you ready?" Raziel called from somewhere in the house, more than likely the front door.

"Yeah! Just got to use the bathroom!" Abrariel called back before he headed into his bathroom.

When he finally met Raziel in the hall, Telantes and Jorden were with him, Telantes in the heat of a tantrum, Jorden trying to stop him with reasonableness.

"It's not fair!" Telantes was saying, crossing his arms and pouting, "Not fair! I want to go down to earth too!"

"I know. Maybe another day, I will take you, I know some good places we could have fun," Jorden said calmly despite the Demon's yelling, "Have fun down there!" He added, looking up from the small Demon and meeting Abrariel's eyes.

Abrariel smiled at him, "I will! See you, Telantes! Don't be mean to Jorden. Look on the bright side, the whole house is yours for the day!" He said to the Demon, giving him a bright smile.

Telantes just growled at him.

Abrariel shrugged and followed Raziel out the front door and into the night. Raziel took him under the arms and lifted him off the dirt path quickly but gently. "We're going to go a bit slower tonight, I don't want to give the baby a fright," Raziel explained as they flew.

Abrariel knew there was a more serious reason why, but he liked Raziel's reason better. They came within sight of the large golden Gates. Bleached by moonlight, they looked like silver bars.

Raziel headed towards them, banking right as an Angel swooped down next to them. A Midnight Angel, one who was familiar.

"Hello, Father, how are the stars doing?" Raziel asked as Dusk dipped and twirled around them, flapping his black wings elegantly.

"Great! The skies are clear, the air pristine, and the moon full! No better time to do the Blessings," Dusk responded with a smile, clasping his hands together as if in prayer. "Hey Abrariel, how's the baby doing?" He asked, flying down to Abrariel's level.

"Good! I can feel it moving inside me, it's active for four months," Abrariel answered, glancing at his belly.

"Hm, Raziel was very active at four months as well. I remember I couldn't fly for days because he was acting up. He didn't get his cravings that week as punishment," Dusk said with a chuckle, glazing up at his son.

Abrariel laughed, and he could tell Raziel was smiling. "That wasn't very nice, how would I know you wanted to do your job?" Raziel asked, pretending to sound hurt.

"Should have thought about that before you acted up," Dusk said with a smile, "where are you heading?"

"To my lair, so I can see my family," Abrariel murmured, beaming.

"Ah, well, have fun," Dusk murmured, glancing at the Gates, which were significantly closer. "I might come around later, might drop in tomorrow if I can, after the Blessings, see you later!" He flew off to continue his work in making the stars glow and filling the world with peace, his black wings glowing brightly with stars.

"I'm going to dive now," Raziel warned before they plummeted towards Earth.

***

Raziel gently placed Abrariel down on the dirt path leading to a run-down old building. The trees around were bare from the cold, the branches rattling together in the wind like bones. Dead leaves blew around the path, and the grass looked oily and sickly. It screamed a bad place, like a scene from a horror movie.