Destiny's Three Stars

21

"You can't hide from me, child." He said, his voice sounding more like water than an actual voice. He took another step toward me but didn't reach me.

Nona appeared behind him and got in between us. "Don't you dare touch her."

Lucifer laughed. "Or what? You'll have God smite me?"

Her expression darkened. "God is powerful enough-"

"Don't lecture me on God, sweetheart. I knew him long before you three did."

The sky darkened and thunder rolled close to us. It was continuous and it matched the tension around us.

"You can't scare me, divinitatem."

Lightning struck, sending dirt flying around us. God was watching. And he was mad.

"You missed!" Lucifer yelled. He grabbed Nona's arm and shoved her aside. Her arm was burnt where he touched her and she didn't move from where she fell.

I struggled to break free of Michael's grip, tears flooding my eyes. "Nona!"

"Destiny, don't. He'll kill you too." Michael whispered in my ear.

The girls ran to Nona's side. They started speaking softly in a language I didn't understand but heard them use dozens of times before. They were working frantically but they didn't seem upset. They were focused and determined.

They trusted God.

"We're going back to Hell. Right where you two belong." Lucifer said. He reached out to grab me this time but God was quicker. Lightning hit between Lucifer and I. Michael and I felt back away from him.

Lucifer screamed, his voice echoing in the silence. "You will pay for this. You will pay for all of this, creator. You will pay for Natalie."

---

Nona was staring down at me when I opened my eyes. She was leaning over the back of the couch, her arms crossed under her chin. She was wearing one of my sweatshirts and her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. She was missing her glasses.

I struggled to sit up, my arms shaking as I pushed myself up. "What... Are you okay?"

She helped me up and offered a smile. "I'm fine, Des. How are you feeling?"

"What happened?" Last thing I remembered was seeing Nona on the ground. I didn't know if she was dead or not. I knew nothing human could kill her but that didn't mean the devil couldn't.

"You were electrocuted."

"What?"

She nodded and came around to sit beside me. "God saved your life."

I ran a hand through my hair and saw my skin looked healthy again. It was more human and less demon. But it wasn't my natural tone. It was a brown, chocolate color that matched my hair.

"How?" I breathed.

"God must have thought you looked perfect this way." She rested her head on my shoulder. "I'd have to agree. Though I do miss boring Destiny."

I rolled my eyes. "What do you mean 'boring Destiny?'"

She pulled at something on my back and I winced.

"Ow."

"Come here." She whispered. She pulled me up off the couch and we went to a mirror hanging in the kitchen. My eyes were the same color as my skin and my hair. I still looked like me yet at the same time, I didn't. I was a new person. I was a new Destiny.

There were also wings extending from my back. Bright white wings with feathers.

"W-what..."

"You're an angel now. You can't die, you can't age, and, more importantly, Lucifer can't kill you."

I looked at her, my eyebrows raised.

"I made a promise to you the day we met. Do you remember that?"

I nodded, vaguely recalling meeting her for the first time.

"I said I'd never let anything happen to you. I broke that promise when Lucifer found you and made you a demon. But God had something better in mind. Lucifer wanted to kill you. No Heaven, no Hell. Just dead. He would have if God hadn't stepped in. He saved us both."

"So I-I'm dead?"

"Not dead, immortal. Like us."

"Wait-is Michael..." He couldn't be dead. He'd be trapped in Hell forever with his father. He wouldn't have his job to turn to, no friends, no... me.

Nona wrapped her arms around me, a big grin on her face. "He's upstairs with Morta and Decuma."

I pried her arms away and took off for the steps. I stumbled up them, barely able to stay on my feet. I had to see him. I had to know he was okay. I had to see for myself.

I shoved my bedroom door opened and Michael was sitting in the bed, talking to the girls. He looked perfectly fine and healthy, like nothing had affected him.

Except he, too, had wings.

His eyes met mine when the door slammed open and the words he was speaking fell short from his lips. Seeing him reminded me of the first time I met him. When I didn't know who he was but I wanted to. When he was the most fascinating person I'd ever met.

Everything came crashing back to me. Every feeling, every emotion, every thought. But it was all about Michael. Michael was the only thing that mattered in that moment.

The girls glanced at one another before they slid past me out the door.

I wasted no time. I went to the bed and sat in front of Michael, unable to take my eyes off of him.

Apparently, he couldn't either. He pulled me closer and wrapped his arms around me tightly. "I was so worried about you, Dessy."

I returned the hug and stared at his wings over his shoulder. "You and your dad..."

"I'd rather have you over him any day."

I sighed. "I'd give anything to see mine again."

"I think that can be arranged." Nona said, coming to sit down beside me. She wrapped her arms around me, stealing me from Michael.

"How?"

"They're angels. Only we can see them because they're dead."

"They're not... like us?" I asked.

"Yes and no. It's complicated."

"Tell me about it."