Mortal Wounds

Chapter Sixteen

Invidian's POV

A bead of blood falls from my finger, dropping onto Cosmo's couch where I sit, hoping Davian has enough common sense not to turn up. I play with my knife, balancing its tip on my finger as I ruminate over the conviction in his lips when they were against mine. I felt his drive to assist me in my schemes. It both frustrates me and sparks my curiosity. How far would he go to assist me? I'm tempted to taunt him, to push him and peel back his layers until his bare desires are exposed. My demonic spirit, my Ba, begs for me to mess with him, to somehow change him until his life becomes one of depravity and sin.

"I'm warning you lad, I can't imagine that swizzle stick being any good at dealin' out hard justice. The kid got himself a soft heart," Cosmo drawls, pouring himself a mojito in his kitchen.

He then decides a cup isn't enough and begins to drink from the bottle.

"So, you reckon Cassiel and Raguel are incarnated angels?"

"Could be. I only met Raguel when he was checking my pockets the other day. Nasty fucker. I hate cops."

"He profiled you?"

"Yeah, it was irritating, to say the least. With him, I assume he was being possessed or at least influenced by an angel. I felt a holier-than-thou presence around when it happened."

If they are people possessed by angels, it's going to be a pain. Angels are warriors who've torn down civilisations and slaughtered people that opposed their father. They are ruthless, but not indestructible. I must be careful. If they figure out I broke out of Purgatory, I will be sent back. I can only withstand so much power, but if I pull this all off without getting caught, it'll be satisfying as hell. I'm ready to risk that gamble.

"Tell me more about Davian. What is his deal?"

"Kellin told me their old man beat the livin' crap out of Davian once. What did the kid do? He visited the man in the psychiatric ward for years. It pissed Kellin off completely."

"Is their dad living in St Valentine's hospital?" I ask, recalling the way his eyes lingered there for too long.

"For the past five years now."

People crave human connection, even from the parents who let us down. At least, that is what I gather from what Henley taught me. This morning I had a strange dream about her, another memory resurfaced. We watched television and roasted marshmallows.

"I never thought anything could be so squishy," I heard myself say. I picked up a packet of marshmallows, squishing one in my hand. "It's like a pocket of diabetes."

My voice sounded so flat, robotic and nonchalant I could barely recognise it. It makes me wonder if everyone around me saw me that way; as someone empty inside.

"You're right. Why kill yourself with cigarettes when you can eat a s**t ton of these?" Henley drawled while popping one in her mouth and taking a smoke.

She wiggled her brows at me when I gave her an odd look. There was a grin on her face and a gleam in her eyes. It certainly wasn't the Henley I was used to seeing in my visions and memories. This one seemed happy. Her phone rang, vibrating off the coffee table. She ignores the ringing.

"Still ignoring your parents?" I asked.

She sighed loudly as if I've asked her that a million times over. She rolled off me onto her back, reaching for a blunt off the coffee table.

"I'm not ignoring them. I'm just not talking to them," she shrugged, holding the blunt over the fireplace, "So, what do you think of my life so far? Getting into my head must be a completely different experience."

She would let me into her mind sometimes so I could understand her. It was her weird attempt to help me feel something.

"It's... interesting."

I couldn't tell from my voice whether I thought understanding her mind was a good or bad thing. Another difficult aspect of possession is being bombarded by the host's feelings. I can't imagine Henley's mind was a walk in the park.

"Having you around makes me feel like I have a pocket psychiatrist with me all the time."

"Yeah, but unlike a psych, I'm not here to help. I'm here just to understand you," I responded, pretending to be more focused on the movie.

She snorted as if she didn't fully believe me.

"You know, in rom-com movies and tv shows, our hands would touch the next time we reach for a marshmallow," she muses, popping one of the marshmallows into her mouth, "Our eyes would meet. Our eyes would lower to each other's lips. We'd move forward and boom! We'll kiss! It'll be like magic. Butterflies would explode in our stomachs and we will fall helplessly in love."

In the reflection of her eyes, I saw myself staring at her as if she's an i***t.

"Why?"

She moved forward to poke me, "Because you're a guy," she then pointed to herself, "And I'm a girl."

"I'm also the son of a demoness who rejected Heaven, The Garden of Eden, God, and gave birth to a fuckload of demons. So, what else does that say?" She laughed until she began snorting. "I'm just saying we're more than our gender. I don't see what's so funny about that."

"I know, I know. I wish more people would see how ridiculous it is too," she says, inhaling the smoke, "I bet my parents think I'll fall for a boy like that one day. They don't know that I won't. Doubt they even know what homosexual means."

Henley changed the channel to some animated show with a cat trying to brutally murder a mouse with explosives.

"Why would they reject you? They care enough to give you money for your apartment and school fees."

"It's because it's different. They expect me to grow up, get married and give them grandchildren. Even though they want to keep me at a distance now, at least they accept me. If they find out that I prefer chicks to d***s they'll disown me."

The reasoning confused me. I don't understand why picking a partner would offend other people. It's not them that's getting into the relationship.

"So, liking girls is worse than hating yourself and your life?"

"Yeah. I'd rather have my parents hate me for this messed up i***t that I make myself look like than reject who I really am," she stammers, biting her lips.

"It sounds like a waste to think like that. From what it looks like to me, everyone should be focused on finding someone you trust not to stab you in the back. That's already hard enough. You would think a family member would be happy for you if you experience that level of happiness," I mused.

I look over at Henley who rests her cheek on her knuckles, giving me an amused smile.

"You're more caring than you give yourself credit for."

"I'm just pointing out the obvious because I don't think anyone else has the brain cells to tell you."

"Still pretending you've got no feelings, huh? You can only pretend for so long."

I shrugged at her, not seeing a problem. Everyone was used to seeing the calm, collected and emotionless Invidian who was unable to develop feelings. That came with being a cambion. It came as a shock when I began to feel something. After observing everyone, especially Eden, I decided I didn't want to feel. I feared emotional pain knowing well it could destroy a person completely. So, I acted like the same, unfeeling bastard I was when my mother popped me out. Henley saw right through me. When possessing someone, they can hear your thoughts. She knew the way I reacted to the world she showed me. She could hear my thoughts and she could feel the emotions I didn't want to admit I had. She was the only person who knew who I was.

And now she's gone.

A buzz in my pocket drags me out of my thoughts.

Morgana (11:50 pm)

Hey, you're not home. Did you sneak out to go ice skating again?

Virgil (11:50 pm)

Uh, yeah.

Morgana (11:50 pm)

Ok. Just don't anger the guards and be careful. I have a favour to ask you. Lavender is having a hard time. Her parents won't stop arguing at home. I wanted to sneak her into the house and let her sleep in my room for the next few nights. Please don't say anything.

Virgil (11:51 pm)

Why can't Dwaine know?

Morgana (11:51 pm)

He doesn't allow any sleepovers, you know that. Lavender needs someone though. Her parents don't understand her, and she is too scared to sleep by herself.

Virgil (11:52 pm)

Do you like her?

Morgana (11:51 pm)

Well, she's my friend.

Virgil (11:52 pm)

More than a friend.

Morgana (11:54 pm)

More than a friend?

Virgil (11:54 pm)

As in lovey-dovey, kissy-kissy, the scissor dance-y.

Morgana (11:54 pm)

I have no idea what you mean. Anyway, thank you for going along with this. You're the best brother ever.

At least I'm not the most confused person I know when it comes to relationships. It could be worse. I could be like her and lead on a guy while not realising I have the hots for the same gender. I wonder how long it will take for her to realise.

"Out of your thoughts, Vidi. Your reaper is here," Cosmo drawls, flicking me on the forehead.

Heat burns my face as I whack his hand away. A moment later we hear a thump and a loud groan. The bathroom door flings open and Davian emerges from the hallway.

"Dad dressed you, didn't he?" Cosmo tsks, "Only he can make a frog-like ya look like you have any form of s*x appeal."

"Whoa, down Bessie, calm yourself. This body is off limits." Davian fans his face dramatically, making him roll his eyes. He strolls over to me, striking a few poses. "Ascanius and Lilu pointed out I should walk around with a disguise."

Lilu's redecorating craze didn't stop at Ascanius' house. A black wig with teal ends rests flows down to his waist. Dark eyeliner brings out the forest green of his eyes. The make-up on his face alters his appearance enough to make the contours his face indistinguishable to Davian's regular appearance. A leather black and red steampunk vest hug his torso over a blood-red, long-sleeved shirt. I prefer his normal look. He looks dressed to sing for a death metal band.

Here I was planning on using his lack of disguise as an excuse to ditch him. Ascanius must have known. He must have noticed the blonde wig and plain clothes I swiped from his wardrobe. I wear the disguise now, hoping to look different from regular Virgil.

"I was hoping you wouldn't turn up."

He smirks at me and tosses a packet of marshmallows onto my lap.

"I know but I'm having too much fun ticking you off."

This choice of food can't be a coincidence. Lilu told him his deceased brother loved marshmallows. Does he know my true identity? I toss the packet back at him and avoid his eyes while heading for the door.

"Are you planning on becoming a reaper yet?" Cosmo calls out, "Kellin won't see you if you don't."

Davian snaps his eyes back to him, his expression hardening.

"I can function without becoming what he wants me to be," he snaps before storming out of the apartment.

I raise both of my brows, impressed by his defiance. Davian stands in front of the house, looking up at the stars that struggle to shine past the light pollution.

"So, what is on the agenda?" he questions, following me when I walk on the road towards the commercial part of Gomorrah.

"Cassiel has a mistress. We're going to find her and use that information to humiliate Cassiel."

"Hold on, that seems kind of slack, doesn't it? I don't want to go after Cassiel's love life. I just want to expose him."

"There's no shame in playing dirty."

Besides, I need something to loosen the grip he has on the town of GoldVine. Outing him out as a cheater will accomplish that.

"There is. The shame is in the name itself!"

"If there's a fight stay out of the way."

"Oi, I'm not that helpless. You can count on me to help out."

If there is a fight, I'll traumatise him by flaying the poor victim and play soccer with their head. That should be fun. Davian stands close, tense as he eyes the cops patrolling the area.

They don't notice either of us through our disguises. Instead, they give us odd looks and one even asks if we're going to an early Halloween party. Davian opens the marshmallows and offers me some. I give the packet a dirty look and ignore him. Even the scent of the packet is giving me nostalgia.

"I swear Cosmo wanted to tear you limb from limb before. Why is he fine with you now?"

"We bonded over our mutual hatred of you."

"He doesn't like me because I'm a cockblock between him and my brother. You are only ticked because I am involved in your personal business."

I turn away from him and navigate us to the poorer side of Gomorrah. We scoured this part of the town for any information about the Candy person Cassiel has been seeing. I ask some of the streetwalkers around. Most of them deny knowing the person; snitches get stitches kind of crap.

Finally, one streetwalker was willing to tell me Candy was working at a club for fifty dollars. I gladly give her a 100 I pinched from Beau's wallet. Davian didn't seem too impressed by that. He follows me around, observing me with silence. If I ignore him for long enough, he might leave.

Taking the streetwalker's instructions, I navigate myself through a series of alleyways until I hear a building pulsing with music. I scan the area to find a large, blank building with a bouncer standing in front of the door. I stride inside noticing a bunch of male demons being thrown out of the club by a mountain of a woman decked in sparkly sequins.

To anyone, he would appear no older than twenty when really she is as old as Lilu. And true to the powers she possesses, she is a sight to behold. Her body captures the beauty of a goddess with golden hair sweeping down her pale shoulders, her intense red eyes surrounded by darkness.

In reality, it didn't matter what she looks like. She could look as mundane as a desperate housewife named Karen shopping at K-Mart and still appear unbelievably gorgeous to those who weren't immune to the natural allure of a succubus, her curves the golden ratio, her beauty equal to Aphrodite. I would know, we were related.

I probably still have a natural allure about me, carried by my spirit. That could be the reason why Davian is so insistent in hanging around me. Davian winces at the scene then begins to size the succubus up.

"Why is she so strong? She's not that much taller than me," he questions, puffing his chest out a little in an attempt to make himself look bigger.

"What's going through your head this time?"

"I want to be as muscly as her but I am starkly reminded of how lazy I am. So, I'm pushed into another cycle of self-loathing."

"Then stop bothering me and go work out somewhere."

"I don't want to. Hence, the cycle."

I roll my eyes at his logic and examine the succubus. She's my sister, Lilitu, twin to Lilu. I think I passed by her at a few house gatherings.

"She's the daughter of the oldest succubus in existence, Lilith's daughter, Lilitu," I respond, "A succubus. She feeds on s****l energy and can infiltrate your dreams when you're at your weakest. Her magical abilities include illusions and mental manipulation. Lilitu is more aggressive than Lilu's children so don't piss her off."

As though they were flies, my sister tosses the male demons onto their asses. She stomps on one of their crotches with her heel, making him scream in pain. She arches a brow with amusement.

"Filth like you trying to date my daughter? Ha. Don't make me laugh," she sneers.

She was always protective of her family. Behind their backs, she would test their partners to see if they were worthy of being with them. It looks like these demons failed.

"I'll tell her what you did," the man threatens, making Lilitu smile, which is a terrifying sight.

She never smiles unless it's out of s******c pleasure.

"If she heard your squirming, she'd kick you down. You're denied entry. Accept it before I break your necks."

I glance down at them, hoping they are stupid enough to retaliate. I haven't seen enough blood in a while.

Scowling venomously the guy rips himself free and punches her solar plexus. She catches his fist. Davian practically jumps when there is a loud c***k noise, followed by a scream of agony. The i***t clutches his snapped wrist, balling his eyes out. I tilt my head, admiring the awkward angle the man's wrist is in now. That made my night.

"The next place will be your neck, little man. What will it be?" she warns, ripping his head up by the tug of his hair, "Gonna keep being a bad boy or am I gonna have to snap some more bones?"

The boy bites his lip, shaking his head. As soon as the succubus lets go the demon scrambles away from the bar, followed by his friend not after shooting him a death glare.

"Jesus, that was harsh" Davian sighs, "Was that even necessary?"

"I doubt we can get past her with all our limbs. I think she's feeling a limb ripping frenzy coming on."

"I guess we should go somewhere to spy on the entrance. To keep an eye out for Candy."

I nod in agreement, walking off to a building adjacent from the club, which happens to be a residential parking lot. We hide behind the side of its concrete entrance and I keep an eye out for Candy.

After a moment, a blonde man rounds the corner and approaches the bar with someone on their arm. I blink, recognising the blonde as Cassiel. There is an arm looped through his. A woman with pink hair walks flush against him suggestively. I assume this is Candy. They enter the club without a hassle.

I will have to talk to her when she is alone.

"Have you been drinking enough water?" Startled, I snap around to find Davian standing behind me with a water bottle. He hands it to me. "Humans need 8 glasses per day."

Where the hell did he get that from? Instead of asking him, I cast him another glare and avert my attention back to the club's entrance. He sighs and leans against the wall next to me, shovelling marshmallows into his mouth.

"Are you feeling better? You had quite the tantrum last night?" he asks, mouth still stuffed with marshmallows. I ignore him. "You want to talk about what is driving you crazy?"

I continue to ignore him. He chews, examining my face and doesn't take my silence as a hint.

"How old are you anyway? Are you crazy old or my age?"

"Twenty," I bite off, figuring to give him something to satisfy his curiosity.

He blinks rapidly.

"Whoa, really? You're younger than me!"

"Can you keep it down? We're spying."

"Oh, right," he drags his voice down to a whisper and begins blushing for some reason, "Well. I like waffles. My dad used to make them for breakfast every morning because he didn't know how to make anything else. Second, when I was two, I cried for a week after watching Jumanji and am terrified of board games. My brother could only calm me down by playing Bohemian Rhapsody. Third, I see the deaths of people when I touch their blood."

"All answers to things I never asked. Or care about."

"So, which one is the lie?"

"What?"

"I gave you two truths and a lie. Which one is a lie? If you get it wrong you've got to give me your name."

Hang on, does he think this a f*****g date?

"Is that why you had a seizure last time? Because you touched Virgil's blood?" I take the bait and ask him.

I was bleeding heavily after the grudge woman bit my shoulder, and it was after that when he began seizing. He shrugs.

"That vision was different. I saw Virgil's soul, but he was in some creepy, demented bathroom. It was strange, almost as if he wanted to be there."

I furrow my brows at that information. I still can't figure out why Virgil would want to be in Purgatory.

"So, the waffles are the lie."

"Nope. I like Jumanji. Robin Williams was the best. Now tell me your name."

"No."

A moment later, Candy leaves the club. I watch for a moment to see if Cassiel will follow her. There is no sign of him. I rush out of the parking lot to catch up with her. Davian at my tail, I finally catch up to her as she's walking towards the poorer, residential area of Gomorrah. She snaps around to look at us, her defences up.

"Who are the lucky gentlemen who get to stand in my presence right now?" Candy questions, sounding like a Northern British female.

"What are you?"

She arches a brow, scanning the area for any humans.

"Shapeshifter," she answers when she realises no one is around, "Who are you both?"

"I'll give you three hundred if you give us an hour to ask you questions."

She gives us a suspicious look but leads us to a broken-down house with most of the roof missing. Her place is small, with only a bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchen. I glance at her shoe rack, noticing there is a pair of small shoes. She must have a kid to support.

She sits down on the bed, suggestively folding her legs. I scan her trying to find a pattern between her and Henley. They don't look alike in the slightest. Their only similarity is the same gender.

"So, by talking, what did you sexy gentlemen actually mean?" she muses, shifting her leg to her other leg, flashing her underwear at us long enough that Davian chokes on air.

Great, so now he's back to being an innocent prude. Can't imagine what changed between now and a few hours ago. I roll my eyes at him then sit down on the bed beside her.

"I mean talking. I want information about your client, Cassiel."

She gives us an odd look, sobering a little.

"I don't talk about my clients," she tells me, pretending to be occupied by her nails.

I pull out some more money from Beau's wallet, despite Davian's disapproving stare.

"For an extra two hundred, would you?"

She licks her lips as she stretches out her palm. I hand her the money which she then uses to fan her face. She rakes me with a curious gaze, her lip tilting up in a smirk.

"Ah, there's strong feelings for Cassiel, isn't there? If you're so entranced by him, I can make myself look at him and have some fun. With this money, I will let you f**k me three ways till Sunday."

"We're only here to ask questions about Cassiel," Davian interrupts, clearing his throat in discomfort.

She inclines her head as she assesses Davian.

"Cute."

I'm not exactly sure what she thinks is cute, but I decided to ignore it.

"What does Cassiel ask you to look like when he screws you?" I inquire to see if he likes her to resemble someone in particular.

Davian begins to cough again, walking over to me.

"That's not something you ask like that," he whispers in my ear, "As bizarre this all is, I still think this qualifies as rude."

"Short dark hair, pale skin, twinkish stature," Candy answered without batting an eyelash.

Davian winces if that's a mental image he didn't need.

"What is that you both want?" Candy questions as she lays back on the bed, fanning her face with the money, "Cassiel isn't a man you want to mess with."

"I want pictures of Cassiel's affair with you."

Davian blushes further, looking like he'd rather faint than listen to this conversation.

"Kinky. Do you like him?"

"The fucker has a marriage I want to sabotage."

Davian arches a brow as if wondering why I'm pissed at Cassiel. She taps her bottom lip.

"Tempting. But Cassiel is the client that pays the most."

"How much does he pay?" I ask, figuring that I could try to bribe her.

"$10, 000 a night."

"Holy balefire of the f*****g cactus fucker, that much money?! How much money does this bastard have?!" Davian exclaims, running his hands through his hair.

From the way Davian is reacting, it doesn't seem like I have enough money to bribe her at this point. I rub my temple, trying to figure out what else she could want. I glance back at her shoe rack deciding that money probably isn't her top priority. I doubt she is going to send those pictures. She'll put her and her kid's survival first. She'll probably be gone before morning.

"I have my vendetta against Cassiel. I've been snooping into his personal life and some shady s**t is being revealed. I suggest you run to keep your kid safe," I drawl, "You might want to leave before you get sucked into this mess, especially for the sake of your little one."

She straightens, seeming uncomfortable by the way I brought up her kid. She scans my head to toe, checking a sign of a lie. I wonder why Cassiel blows so much money on her. Maybe that amount of money means nothing to him. But why sneak behind Ethelia's back? Why get married at all? I must be missing something.

"He's paying my bills. Tell me why I shouldn't tell him you two are out to get him?"

"Because you won't gain anything. You would know too much and get rid of you and your kid. That's the kind of guy he is, but if you want to f**k with him, send pictures proving your affair to the CEO of BBB news," I tell her, before telling her his address.

Candy considers my warning with a conflicted expression. If she doesn't leak those pictures I will find another way to screw up Cassiel's engagement. Perhaps I will try to get ahold of his phone. He probably has texts proving his infidelity.

She pauses, squinting her eyes as she gets up to look at me. I frown, watching her with caution as she gets into my personal space. She slides off my wig and examines my face, eyes widening as if something clicked for her.

"Ok. I'll take your warning."

"What's with that look?"

"No, no, it's nothing. You look familiar is all. We've never met," she responds, folding her arms with a thoughtful look on her face, "I need you both to get out. I've got clients."

I'm not convinced but I don't push it. I fix my wig back on and leave. Davian's eyes bore into the side of my head.

"This is more than you helping me out," Davian points on the way to St Valentine's hospital. I'll need to scope out the best way to get in and out undetected. It has the information I need. "This is personal."

I don't respond to his statement and he stares at the side of my face.

"Are you Invidian?"

I sigh and snap my eyes to him. It is about time he worked that out. So, why does he saying that out loud make my chest clench? He searches my face for an answer before taking a step towards me. I take a step back. He's too far in my personal space.

"I'm right, aren't I? You're the guy who died in that apartment with Henley. The room you destroyed last night was yours. You've been looking into your own death. But... you're not dead. They think you are. Why?" he presses.

"Why are you so eager to know? Is this entertainment to you?"

He knows way too much about me than I am comfortable with. There is panic, uncertainty, I don't trust him. I don't know what he will do with that information. Will he blab and get me locked back into Purgatory? I must look like a pathetic soul that hasn't moved on. My jaw ticks at the thought of being looked at like a pity case. He shakes his head, puzzled by my question.

"I don't mean to come across like that. You're a mess. For good reason but you're unstable. I've seen what your situation has made you feel. You can't ignore it because it will build. It will bubble up and you will end up hurting yourself or someone else."

Shut up.

I try to ignore him as I walk past him because I open my mouth now, I do not know what I'll say. I don't need to hear this again. I already have everything around me to remind me how unstable I am; how unstable my reality is. Everything is so out of my control. This revenge plot is the only direction I see, the only thing keeping me focused and sane.

"You're upset and that is understandable but you're pushing everyone away. Hell, you're letting them believe you're dead. In what world is that healthy? Stop being so vague and communicate. I can help you if you let me in. I promise I can—"

I break into uncontrollable laughter. Laughter burns my lungs, my throat and my tongue. I taste the bitterness inside and my laughter grows. He steps away from me before I pin him to the side of a nearby building.

"Why don't you understand? There is no saving me. Don't f*****g dare give me false hope!"

He watches me with wide eyes. I begin to realise why he looks so shocked. At some point, I took my knife from my pocket and I'm holding it up to him. I don't even remember doing that.

"We're on the same side," he tries to remind me, placing a hand on mine.

His skin emanates a comforting warmth I want to ignore. I can't stand the way he sounds like Henley at this moment. I don't need anyone telling me I don't know how to control my emotions. He snaps his mouth shut, eying the point of the knife against his face. But there is a softness in his face, concern that glows in his eyes. It's the same way it had last night when he tried to calm me down. The same way it had earlier today when he caught me off guard by saying he wants to help me as I helped him. That had been unpredictable, uncontrollable that it haunted me for the rest of the day. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I couldn't get the picture of how sincere he looked when he said that. And a stupid part of me wants to believe him, to cling to the false hope he offers.

I drop my hands to my sides as my chest begins to feel hollow while my thoughts are convoluted. The anger fades from my system, leaving me deflated with nausea. I'm torn between lividness, confusion and a humiliating urge to cry.

"I get you want to play knight in shining armour but play it with someone who can be saved. There is no escape from the hole I dug for myself."