Wings

Ch. 19: Glazed Eyes

'Deep breaths,' Jasper thought to herself as she looked at herself in the mirror. A light blue gown that touched the floor adorned her body, along with gold earrings and makeup meant to look natural. Her hair fell in curls, the shorter strands cropping her frame nicely. Jasper felt as if this night should have been the best night of her life, but she only felt fear as she knew she would have to fight for her life and the lives of many others.

After practicing a smile in the mirror, Jasper sighed and turned to leave. She met her family downstairs, all dressed in their finest attire. "Are we picking up Jisoo or will she meet us there?" Adrian asked. Jasper blushed profusely. "She's not my girlfriend. She'll meet us there," Jasper said as her cheeks returned to their natural color.

"Sure she isn't," Adrian said under her breath as the family made their way to the Zenvo and got in. "Elliot, remember, behave for mom and dad. This is a very important event and if you don't behave then we'll hire a babysitter next year." Elliot groaned, but agreed.

Jasper sat quietly in the backseat with nine-year-old Elliot as the car began to slowly pull from the driveway. 'If only Efah could fight with us,' Jasper thought to herself. Laying her head back, Jasper closed her eyes and tried her best to enjoy the ride.

Once the O'Celevano family arrived, everybody got out and Adrian left Jasper's dad in charge of Elliot as she went ahead of the family to discuss political affairs. Jasper paused to wipe her palms on the skirt of her dress and check her surroundings before walking into the ballroom. Jasper had only made it a few steps in the door when Jisoo approached her.

Jasper tried hard to not let her eyes show her interest as Jisoo walked forward in a gorgeous white gown, a diamond necklace, and her hair tied up in a thick bun with red tendrils reaching down to her chest. Jasper nearly cleared her throat in an attempt to keep from getting too attracted. 'God, she has no mercy,' Jasper thought as she strained to keep her eyes focused on Jisoo's eyes.

"Your nose is too good," Jasper told her fox. Jisoo smirked. "Hard to not want to track such a nice scent." Jisoo replied. Jasper rolled her eyes with a smile. "You almost make me forget that the fate of thousands lie in our hands," Jasper replied. Jisoo gave a smile that Jasper had yet to see. The smile wasn't playful like any other time Jisoo had smiled, but instead a sincere smile that made Jasper feel safe.

Jasper averted her eyes and Jisoo smiled wider before slowly lacing her hand with Jasper's. Jasper looked down to their intertwined hands and then back up at Jisoo with a smile. "Let's do this," she said as they entered the main room of the event. Not long after entering the room, Elenora took the stage and the room came to a stillness as everyone directed their attention to the head of the first bloodline.

"Council members and bloodlines, it is a great pleasure to have you all here tonight to celebrate the red moon ball," Elenora began. Jasper didn't hear the rest as she began looking around the room for Lucifenia, uneasiness gripping on to Jasper. Jasper looked behind her, but she quickly turned back around as she heard the demon's voice. "I will," Lucifenia declared, making everyone aware of her presence.

Jasper's eyes narrowed as she stepped in front of her family. Everyone in the room was tense and Jasper could feel Jisoo's eagerness to shift into a fox. 'Careful there, fox. Not yet,' Jasper told Jisoo through a mind link. Jisoo changed her stance and calmed her energy, heeding Jasper's advice. "You should not be here." Elenora said from behind Castiel.

"Oh, but I should," Lucifenia said before raising her hands above her head and making the air heavy. Jasper fought the urge to lay on the floor as the heavy air around her made her lungs hurt and put pressure on her body. "Quod aer non est tibi," Jasper whispered with fingertips of gold. Lucifenia gasped and her face contorted with annoyance as the air returned to its unheavy state.

"You think you're something, don't you, witch," Lucifenia snarled at Jasper. Jisoo waited no longer as she shifted into a fox and Castiel spread his wings, ready to join the fight. Jasper fired up her hands, rage and the need to protect everyone fueling her power. Lucifenia's lips pulled into a tight smile as her eyes narrowed. "Heute ist der Tag, an dem du stirbst," Lucifenia yelled.

Before anyone else could move, a body moved in front of Jasper and raven wings blocked her view of Lucifenia. Gasps were heard from around the room. 'Oh no,' Jasper thought as she realized who it was. "Over my dead body," Efah spat towards Lucifenia. Lucifenia gave a nonchalant shrug as her eyes set on Efah. "If that's what you wish, child," Lucifenia said with a smile and a couple pops of her neck. The air intensified.

Lights sparked and then went out, inducing screams around the room from the community members as many of them rushed for the doors. Loud clicks were heard before anybody reached a door as Lucifenia locked all the exits. The lights came back on with flickers and continued to flicker as Lucifenia laughed over the screaming.

"Your choice," Efah said boldly as she slid an angel blade to her palm and dove straight towards Lucifenia. Lucifenia snorted before tossing Efah aside with a literal flick of her wrist. "So weak," she said as Efah hit a wall. "Anybody else?" Lucifenia asked. "No, you're mine," Efah said as she slowly got to her feet. Lucifenia laughed.

"As you wish," Lucifenia said as she opened her palm upwards and Efah's angel blade was pulled from her hand and into Lucifenia's grasp. "Hey!" Efah yelled.

"Oh no, little dark angel, this was your choice," Lucifenia said with a look of pity as she started towards Efah. Jasper heard a growl from behind her before Jisoo took off in a sprint and tackled Lucifenia, gripping the devil's arm with her jaw and ripping flesh from bone. "Stupid mutt," Lucifenia yelled with pain as she hurled Jisoo off of her.

Jisoo gave a whine as her body hit the floor and Jasper's eyes widened. Both Jasper and Castiel began running at Lucifenia from different sides of the room, but Lucifenia saw them coming and threw them away with shots of pure energy. The devil's child then continued her stride towards Efah with the blade in hand. 'She's going to kill her!' Castiel screamed through a mind link with Jasper.

Sweat ran down Jasper's neck as the scene began unfolding before her. Getting to her feet as quickly as she could, she began running towards Lucifenia with a scream. Jasper was only a few feet away as the blade plunged into Efah's chest and the young dark angel's cry sounded through the room. Jasper's eyes widened as her hands blazed and she let loose three shots of pure energy at Lucifenia.

Lucifenia was thrown off Efah as Jasper reacher the dark angel and fell to her knees. Castiel landed beside her loudly and grasped to cradle Efah's head. "Efah, no," he whispered as he looked into her glazed eyes. Jasper shot to her feet and whirled on Lucifenia. "You will die for this!" Jasper screamed as the whole room buzzed with electricity and her hands crackled.

'Efah, I will rip her limb from limb.'