Duriel

I take several deep breathes, inhaling the salty ocean air. I agreed to this. I just have to keep reminding myself of that. The sunlight is warm on my bare skin, almost too warm since I'm forced to wear this ridiculous jacket while above deck to conceal my wings. Both my sister and Lucifer assure me that I have untapped magic of my own, but I don't believe them. I've never been as strong as my sisters, which makes me a perfect peace offering. I can't hurt anyone, even accidentally. I dig my claws into the steel railing and smile a little. Well, I'm not completely helpless. I still have inhuman strength.

"Miss, if you could move below deck so the men can concentrate, I would appreciate it." the captain says curtly. I bow my head demurely and head back to my tiny little cabin. The room is tiny and suffocating hot, but at least I can sort of spread my wings out. I strip the jacket off and spread them as much as I can, even though my feathers hit the walls before they're fully stretched out. Somehow I missed out on my father's genes. Andariel and Belial are both gorgeous, but I'm simply plain, almost human, with long chestnut hair, large brown eyes, and freckles. Who ever heard of an angel with freckles? Even my wings are a tawny brown with white spots, like a doe. I'm entirely too plain. A knock on the door makes me turn around.

"Yes?" I call. The door opens to let in another angel, my handler until we reach God's island. Both of my sisters volunteered to come with me, but Lucifer wouldn't allow them. He feared God would try to kidnap us all, which is not an entirely unreasonable fear. He sits down beside me with a sigh and offers me his wrist.

"I'm not hungry." I whisper. I hate feeding off of him, primarily because I can feel how much he detests me. The only reason he hasn't hurt me is because he fears what Lucifer would do to him. He shrugs.

"Suit yourself." he snaps. He lays down and closes his eyes. In a few minutes, he's fully asleep. I lay down as well with a deep sigh. I want to sleep, but I hate the feeling of his flesh against mine. He makes a soft noise in his sleep and wraps his arm around my waist. I fight the urge to scream as he draws me closer.

"Justin." he sighs as he buries his face in my hair. I smile slightly, wondering just who Justin is. Maybe I should ask, but I'm not sure it's a good idea. The fallen ones have a much more tolerant view of homosexuality, because they think that it's better for one angel to mate with another than for an angel to mate with a human. I close my eyes and try to sleep.

When I wake up, the angel is gone. I make my way back to the surface hesitantly, wondering if I should truly be here. I know the captain doesn't want me up here. My guardian angel stands at the railing, staring up at the full moon.

"Would you like to fly with me?" he asks. I stay in the shadow of the doorway, careful to not expose my wings lest a stray satellite find me.

"I can't." I whisper. "I don't have the magic to conceal myself."

He turns and offers me his hand with the first smile I've seen on him. "I can keep you hidden from sight."

I step into the light and take his hand. His wings are a pale, pearly gray, with an almost metallic sheen. In sunlight they're simply gray, but in moonlight they shine silver. We fly through the cloudless night, and as spiral up higher, he leans in for a kiss. I press my lips to his with a soft sigh.

"Duriel." he calls. I give him a soft smile and he frowns. "Duriel!"

My eyes fly open and I look up at my handler.

"Duriel, it is time to go." he says. I blink up at him.

"Huh?" I ask. He sighs and jerks me to my feet.

"It is time for me to finally be rid of you, simpleton. Now, come!" he growls. I stumble after him, forgetting my coat, but no matter. If we are truly arrived, then I will be fine. The island is protected from view by all non-magical beings. I launch myself from the railing, reveling in the feel of the air rushing through my feathers once again. I go a bit higher than is absolutely necessary before I come down to shore. The angels await me, somber and unsmiling.

"Child, do you know why you are here?" one asks. I nod. They surround me and my paranoia kicks in, but I don't argue. They march me off to a large tree and stop.

"This will be your home." another says. I wait until they leave before I fly up to explore. I alight on a thick branch and press my hand to the trunk. The tree feels ancient but happy. Woven into its branches is a small house. It takes me a few minutes to realize that the room was not built, but simply grown into the tree. The room is small, with irregular walls and a large, comfortable looking bed. No roof, though. If it ever rains, I'll be screwed, but for now, I'm fine. I fall into bed with a sigh and snuggle under the sheets. The tropical air is too warm and sticky for anything thicker. I want to strip, but I'm afraid of them finding me naked. Of course, considering their moral background, it's debatable whether they would scream in horror or jump me. I very intently don't think about my dream. Instead I imagine a cool pair of hands exploring my sore muscles, making the tight knots dissolve. I moan softly and shift, half asleep, and slip into my own little dream world.

I wake up to the green light coming down through the leaves. The air is just as warm, but the sunlight has burned off some of the humidity. I change out of my dirty clothes and switch into jeans and a t-shirt. I make my way out to a higher branch, where I can see some of the activity around me, but I'm still concealed in the shadows. The angels move along quickly, with purpose. I don't see anyone smiling. Gods, this sucks.

I watch them for a few hours before I grow completely bored. I take to the air, looking for something to do, and immediately get surrounded by a small flock.

"Where do you think you are going?" an angel growls. I shrug and try to fly right past him. He grabs my arm and jerks me back against him. "Oh no, you are not getting away so easily, sweetness."

He grabs both of my wrists in one hand and reaches to lift up my shirt. I kick him hard and he lets me go. I use my sister's tricks and drop out of the sky, nearly hitting the ground before I let my wings catch me. Another angel reaches for me and I hiss.

"Relax, child. I am here to protect you." he says. I roll my eyes and back away, making my way towards the trees. He looks up and snarls something in a pretty, musical language. Immediately all of the angels disappear. He turns his attention back to me and offers me his hand. "Come here."

I shake my head and back further into the trees. He sighs and comes closer, making my pulse leap into my throat.

"You need to feed, do you not?" I hit a tree and squeak.

"No." I lie. He frowns at me.

"Why? I thought all of the fallen ones needed blood to survive." He leans against the tree opposite mine, less than three feet away.

"I- I-" I struggle to think of anything coherent to say and finally fall silent. He comes closer slowly, each step carefully placed. I whimper and press my back harder against the tree. He puts one hand just above each of my shoulders and stares down into my wide, frightened eyes.

"Child, will you talk to me?" he whispers. I shake my head and look down. He sighs softly and lays his cheek against my hair. This would actually be okay, but it puts his throat bare inches from my mouth. I swallow compulsively and fight my instincts. He leans in closer, putting my lips directly against his pulse, but keeping the rest of my body from touching him. I let out a low moan of need.

"Feed." he whispers. I lick his pulse eagerly and taste the scent of his blood. He's so sweet. I feel my hunger leap to the forefront and scrape my teeth over his delicate, lily-white skin. He makes a soft noise, somewhere between pleasure and pain. I growl and bite down hard, moaning as his blood spurts into my mouth. My claws come out and I dig them into the bark. I lean closer, sucking hard. He pulls me off and I whimper, staring up at him with glowing amber eyes.

"Child, what is your name?" he asks. I look into his eyes for the first time, and I forget to be afraid. Damn if they're not completely orange.

"Duriel.." I answer. He smiles slightly and brushes his lips over mine.

"You have pretty eyes." I breathe. He laughs a bit bitterly and shakes his head.

"Your parents have a sense of humor, I suppose." he teases. I shrug and start to pull away. I don't like to think about my father.

"Are you going to tell me your name?" I ask. He smiles and traces my lower lip with the tip of his tongue. I jump and hit my head against the tree.

"Perhaps," he purrs. I frown at him.

"How is licking me protecting me?" I ask. He gives me a mocking smile.

"I might be oath bound to protect you, but it does not mean I will not attempt to convince you to join me in bed." I snort.

"Underhanded for an angel of the light, don't you think?" He smiles wider, exposing dainty fangs of his own.

"At least I choose seduction over force." he says. I nod. That is nice, even though I don't think I'll go for it. Okay, maybe a one night stand, but I'm not going to mate with any of them. A couple of years and I'll be able to leave, to go back home to a place where the air is not filled with water.

"What were you doing before?" he asks to break the awkward silence. I shrug.

"I just wanted something to do." I mutter. He breaks into a wide smile and grabs my hand, dragging me along with him. I stumble along after him, trying not to trip over all of the hanging vines. The unrelieved green is starting to get to me. We break out of the trees and hit a sandy beach. The sun shines brightly on the turquoise waters. I can see brightly colored fish darting through the waves. I drop to the sand just before the water can touch me. He strips down to a pair of black boxers and wades into the water.

"Come swim with me!" he yells. I shake my head.

"I can't swim." I call. He smiles wider.

"Let me teach you, then." he purrs. I shake my head even harder.

"No way in hell." He wades back out and drags me to my feet. I yelp as he pulls my shirt over my head. I jerk back away from him and he gives me puppy dog eyes.

"I don't even know your name." I protest feebly. He opens his mouth to answer, then cocks his head to the side, his eyes cast skyward. He listens for a few moments.

"Yes, my lord." he murmurs. He kisses my forehead and takes to the air, leaving his clothes in a pile on the beach. I watch him go with a slight frown and turn back to contemplate the waves. It's going to be a long decade.