Halloween Challenge 2019 for GEVR
Two apologies: Firstly, I've tried to put this behind the cut, but not sure I've succeeded. Secondly, I'm sorry this AU story didn’t turn out much of a Halloween story. The misspelling of names is intentional, of course. I’m told the artwork is by Utopiatrunks.
Prompts: TV based, Preferably slash
The Devil You Know
By Blondie
Napolien was an Angel. Or to give him his proper designation, he was a Guardian Angel and his assignment was to safeguard specific humans allocated to his care.
Which wasn’t always easy.
At the moment, he was pondering the best way to go about saving one of his charges currently trapped in the midst of a raging forest fire. As she sat in her car, staring with horror at the flames and smoke surrounding her, Napolien vowed he would do whatever it took to keep her alive.
With a click of his fingers, he paused time within the immediate area and everything around him froze in place. Celestial beings weren’t subject to linear time. For them, the human laws of space-time didn’t apply; they could flit in and out of time the same way a human could hop on a bus from one place to another. Napolien was limited, however, to how long he could pause time in this place. It was a temporary measure, but it gave him space to consider the problem.
What he needed was a way to dampen the fire, but while Napolien could control time, he was unable to control the elements.
However… he knew someone who could. His superior would not approve, of course, but what was that human saying? Needs must when the devil drives. How apt and how fortunate that he knew just the devil for the job.
Il-aya.
Il-aya was a minor devil, as devils go. In fact, he was a demi-devil, part human, part devil. A mischief-maker rather than an evil doer, never involved in anything truly wicked. He had the ability to control the weather, a talent he used with impish glee. A talent Napolien hoped to exploit.
If an angel and a devil could be friends, Napolien supposed he and Il-aya were, in a loose sort of way. They occasionally sought each other out, when things were a little slow. Napolien enjoyed the banter they shared, the diverse debates that often took them into the sunrise of a new day. Talking to Il-aya was like playing chess, each of them trying to verbally outmaneuver the other, trying to put across their point of view. All the while Napolien would try to fend off Il-aya’s overt overtures. Il-aya was smart and sassy, but also very handsy, his dialogue often peppered with innuendo accompanied by a playful wink.
Napolien never questioned why they would occasionally seek each other’s company, but he supposed their respective occupations could be a lonely existence at times. And he genuinely liked Il-aya, despite their rather obvious differences. Right now, though, he didn’t need Il-aya’s company, he needed his unique talents.
In the blink of an eye, Napolien vanished to seek him out.
He appeared on the rooftop of a large country house and sensed Il-aya was around here, somewhere. He scanned the area and spotted him standing on the parapet of the roof. He paused a moment to study the devil and another mortal saying came to mind; The devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape.
Il-aya was pleasing to look at. Because he was a demi-devil his coloration was something of a mishmash, neither one thing or another. His torso and head were pale pink, while from the waist down, and from his biceps to his fingers, the rest of him was blue. A fine pair of golden curved horns parted the silky blond hair, framing an unexpectedly handsome face, and a long, sinuous tail hung down from the base of his spine to the ground, swishing restlessly from side to side. Covering his back were a pair of leathery wings, neatly folded, protruding just above his shoulders and extending down to his ankles.
And he was completely naked, though Napolien didn’t like to linger too long over that fact.
Yes, for a demi-devil, Il-aya was a magnificent sight.
Napolien took a deep breath and stepped up to the parapet. Il-aya, arms crossed over his chest, briefly glanced down at him before returning his attention to what was going on below. Napolien leaned forward to see what was holding Il-aya’s attention. In the beautiful gardens below, an outdoor wedding was in progress, a hundred or more guests seated neatly behind the bride and groom standing under a flower draped canopy. The Pastor’s solemn words drifted up on the breeze.
Napolien took another lung full of air. “Il-aya--”
“One moment.” Il-aya held up a hand, halting Napolien’s words. Below, the Pastor was just about to pronounce the couple Man and Wife. Il-aya waved his hand and the heavens opened up, discharging fat, heavy rain drops in torrential sheets whipped up by a sudden strong wind. Another motion of his hand and lightning struck a nearby tree sending the guests into panic. Everyone bolted out of their chairs, toppling them over in their haste to be away from the sudden maelstrom as they ran for cover leaving a bedraggled bride and groom following in their wake.
Napolien tutted, drawing Il-aya’s attention his way. Napolien shook his head. “Now, that’s just mean.”
Il-aya smirked, watching the chaos below. “I’m a devil. ‘Mean’ is what I do. Besides, they should take it as a sign; the rest of their marriage is downhill from here.”
Il-aya turned, giving Napolien an uncomfortable eyelevel look at his blatantly naked genitalia. Napolien grit his teeth and closed his eyes. “You really should put some pants on.”
“A little impractical with a tail, don’t you think?” Il-aya said, flicking said tail around. “Besides,” he said, leaning forward to stroke a finger along the front of Napolien’s thin cotton toga, “Your outfit doesn’t leave much to the imagination, either.” He gave an exaggerated wink. “And I have quite the imagination.”
Napolien batted his hand aside and got straight to the point. “I need your help.”
“Do you now. You do realize that it’s Halloween? I’m very busy this time of year.”
“It’s not Halloween till tomorrow. Besides, this won’t take long, then you can go back to…” Napolien waved a hand, “making people’s lives miserable.” Il-aya stared at him. “I’m just asking for a favor.”
“A favor?” Il-aya hopped down from his perch and sat on the parapet. “What’s in it for me?”
Napolien shrugged. “The satisfaction of knowing you’ve done a good deed.”
Il-aya frowned, but a smile played at the corners of his mouth. “You do remember I’m a devil, right?”
“You’re a half devil and you’re not a bad devil, as devils go.”
“But you’re asking me to do a good thing. That goes against my doctrine.” Il-aya narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “Why do you need my help?”
“One of my charges is in danger. She’s trapped in a forest fire and I need your…,” Napolien gestured to the continuing downpour, ”…unique talents to help her out.”
Il-aya frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re asking me to help you? An angel? To commit a virtuous act? How is that going to look if my superiors find out? I could be punished or ostracized. Or worse, I could end up stoking the infernos in the bowels of Hell.”
Napolien sighed. “Look, I’m just asking you to put out a fire, not join a seminary. I don’t have much time. Will you do it?”
There was a few seconds pause before Il-aya asked, “Just put out a fire?”
“Yes, that’s all. Nothing too laborious, I promise. In, out, then back to doing what you love best.”
Il-aya looked thoughtful a moment. “Okay.”
Napolien had expected a more robust argument from Il-aya. He eyed him with suspicion. “Really?”
Il-aya smirked. “For a price.”
Napolien nodded. This was more like Il-aya. He stuck out his chin. “What’s your price?”
Il-aya gave a wicked smile and let his tail, ice cold and smooth, tickle up the back of Napolien’s calf. Napolien jumped as it journeyed slowly up his thigh hitching up the skirt of the white toga, before curling around Napolien’s waist. He stumbled as Il-aya’s tail tugged him close.
Napolien put a restraining hand against Il-aya’s chest. “Why don’t you tell me what you want? And don’t say my soul.”
Il-aya looked offended. “Certainly not. That’s not within my remit. I make mischief, not martyrs.” He lifted a hand to stroke Napolien’s jaw. “If I’m going to doing something good, then you should do something bad to balance it out, don’t you think?” He saw a look of understanding on Napolien’s face and pulled him closer still, till the light from Napolien’s halo lit up his face. His hand rose and lazily trailed a finger through the
ethereal ring of light.
Napolien sighed inwardly. He understood the temptations of the flesh, he really did, and he was no saint when it came to being an angel. There was nothing in the angelic code that strictly forbade them from indulging in the more carnal pursuits. It was the purity of their heart that mattered, after all, and Napolien’s heart was one of the purest.
Napolien rolled his eyes. “You know fraternizing with the enemy is frowned on. Technically, I shouldn’t even be talking to you.”
“Yet, here you are, asking for my help.”
Napolien cleared his throat. “Are you going to help me or not? Just tell me what you want.”
“I’ll help you.” Il-aya leaned back and uncurled his tail from Napolien’s waist. “Let’s discuss terms.”
“Fine, but make it quick. I stopped time and can only hold it for a short… time.”
Il-aya pursed his lips as he considered his options. “How about a kiss?”
Napolien’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Just a kiss?”
Il-aya gave him a sly look. “Unless you’re offering more.”
“No, no. A kiss it is, then.”
“And I don’t mean the chaste kind. I mean a proper kiss.”
“A proper kiss, no holds barred,” Napolien promised with a nod of his head. He put a hand on his chest. “I swear, on my honour. Once the deed is done.” Il-aya rolled his eyes. “Il-aya, please, I’m running out of time. You know I’ll keep my promise.”
Il-aya huffed and chewed on his bottom lip. It was a small thing Napolien asked, and he could be trusted to keep his word. He was an angel after all. “Fine. Show me where this fire is.”
They appeared in a smoke filled forest. Napolien’s time-freeze made for an eerie tableau, like a scene in a Polaroid picture. The flames looked like colorful crystals in hues of red, orange and yellow, twisting this way and that. Ash hung suspended in the air like grey snow, and smoke shimmered like ghostly clouds.
Il-aya looked around. “Hm. Looks simple enough. A heavy downpour over here,” he gestured to left of the road, “and over there,” gesturing to the other side, “will dampen the fire enough.” Il-aya turned back to Napolien. “You’ll need to re-start time so the rain can fall.”
Napolien nodded. “Okay. Ready?”
“Ready.”
Napolien waved his hand and the frozen surroundings lurched into life. The noise, the smell, the intense heat hit them with a jolt. Napolien nudged Il-aya. “Do your thing!”
Il-aya waved a hand left, then right and torrential rain hammered down. The flames began to falter, hissing as the fat, heavy rain drops hit burning embers. Steam replaced smoke, dissipating up into the canopy of the forest. Within minutes, visibility improved leaving the road open for egress.
As the area began to clear, the car’s engine revved loudly and the tires squealed as it jerked forward, but as it did there was a loud crack from above and the top half of a tree began to topple over towards the car.
Il-aya shouted a warning. “Napolien!”
At the devil’s cry, Napolien quickly stopped time again and the falling tree hung suspended in midair. He heard Il-aya exhale loudly in relief before raising his hand and throwing a lightning bolt at the tree trunk, shattering the wood into a million fiery pieces. Napolien re-started time and the burning embers showered down to patter harmlessly against the car’s roof as it raced away.
Napolien whistled, impressed. “That was quick thinking. Thank you, Il-aya.”
Il-aya looked embarrassed. With a self-deprecating shake of his head, he said, “It was nothing. I like blowing things up.”
“You promised me rain, nothing more. You could have let the tree fall, ended her life.”
“I don’t take lives.” Il-aya looked annoyed.
Napolien winced. For a devil, Il-aya could be very touchy. “I know, I’m sorry.” He stepped closer, brushing a hand down Il-aya’s arm. “Really, though, that was a good thing you did.”
Il-aya looked aghast. “I should wash your mouth out with soap and holy water.”
Napolien smiled. “You can’t touch holy water.”
“Then count yourself lucky.” With feigned annoyance, he folded his arms over his chest.
“Deny it all you like, Il-aya, you did good.” Napolien tried to hide a smile as he teased, “You know goodness can be infectious?”
“Like a disease, you mean?” Il-aya said sourly as he looked away. “Perish the thought.”
Napolien’s smile faded away. “Despite your denial, Il-aya, I know hidden inside there’s a light in you.”
Il-aya was aware that something deep within had stirred the unconscious part of him that was human. On the outside, he showed his displeasure; on the inside, he was ridiculously pleased with himself. He shook the thought away and decided he’d work extra hard on All Hallows Eve to make amends.
“We’ve had this conversation a thousand times before. Stop trying to convert me.”
“I’ll never stop. I happen to believe you can do greater things than making petty mischief.” He wondered, sometimes, why Il-aya worked for the other side at all, since he clearly didn’t have the temperament for true devilment. He also wondered, not for the first time, what it was about the devil he found so fascinating.
“Things are what they are,” Il-aya said. “I was cursed and this is my penance.” He walked over to Napolien, prodding him in the chest. “If you tell anyone about this, I’ll have your halo for a necklace.”
Napolien ran a finger across his mouth. “My lips are sealed.” He glanced around as the rain continued to fall and the fire started to diminish. “I think we’re all done here. Again, thanks for your help, Il-aya. I couldn’t have done it without you.” He rubbed his hands together. “Well, I know you’re eager to get back to your, ah, work, so I’ll leave you to it.”
Napolien started to walk away, but Il-aya stopped him. “Wait. Aren’t you forgetting something?”
Napolien smiled to himself and turned, tapping a finger against his lips. “Oooh, yes. Our agreement.”
He strode back till he was in front of the devil and without warning, grasped Il-aya by the horns. He pulled him close and pressed his lips against the devil’s cold ones. Unprepared for Napolien’s bold move, Il-aya froze and Napolien took advantage, pushing him backwards until Il-aya’s momentum was stopped by the trunk of a tree.
Napolien wasn’t sure what he’d expected Il-aya to taste like. Sulphur, perhaps, or something sour and foul. Instead, his breath was pleasantly clean and crisp like a winter’s morning. He raised a hand, his thumb gently pressing down on Il-aya’s chin to open his mouth and slipped his tongue between parted lips. Il-aya’s teeth were porcelain smooth, no sharp points, no cavities, and his tongue was cold and slick against Napolien’s.
As his tongue probed the devil’s mouth, his hands explored the ribcage. Here was another surprise; though Il-aya looked wiry, beneath the cold, smooth skin he was finely muscled. He let his hand travel around to the back and down over Il-aya’s wings, firm as calf skin, yet soft as velvet.
He deepened the kiss, pleased when the taut muscles beneath his fingers began to relax and Il-aya responded in kind. He wrapped his arms tighter around the devil, the fingers of one hand splayed across the flesh above Il-aya’s tail, while the other hand insinuated itself beneath the wings, pressing against his scapula.
Rain pelted down around them but they remained dry and untouched, immune to the elements. All Napolien’s senses were concentrated on this intimate moment with Il-aya. They seemed fused together, pressed chest to chest, thigh to thigh, arms wrapped tightly around each other. Napolien’s heat leached into Il-aya, gradually warming him. The warmth became fire as sparks of blue flame licked across their flesh where it touched, crackling like static. The heat between them became intense and Il-aya began to wriggle and squirm, his skin hot to the touch. Suddenly, Il-aya gasped and yanked free.
“Stop!” Il-aya’s wings quivered and his tail lashed from side to side as he pushed Napolien back at arm’s length, panting. He took a deep, steadying breath, and when Napolien leaned in for another kiss Il-aya stopped him, putting a restraining hand on his chest.
Il-aya wagged a finger in Napolien’s face. “Sometime I wonder which one of us is the devil,” he said. He took another deep breath, straightened his spine and smoothed his hair back behind his horns. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an important High School Football game to attend to.” He shook out his wings with a snap, spreading them wide as if shaking off any lingering doubts, and backed away, keeping his eyes on Napolien. With a last shake of his head, he turned and strode off.
Napolien called after his retreating form, “See you around?”
“Maybe,” Il-aya called back.
“Il-aya…”
Il-aya stopped, but didn’t turn around. “What?”
“In the future, should I need help…?”
Il-aya took a moment to consider the question. “You know how to find me,” he said. He looked back over his shoulder and slyly smiled. “For a price, of course.”
Then Il-aya flapped his wings and took off into the tree tops.
Napolien watched till he disappeared from sight. He would see Il-aya again, sooner or later. Maybe sooner. Something had passed between them, something significant. Something important. He’d felt it and he knew Il-aya had felt it, too. Deep down inside Il-aya there was good. He just had to help him find it. He had endless patience and endless time. Napolien had no intention of giving up on him.
He briefly wondered why he cared so much.
He shook the thought away. He would ponder on it later; for now, he had other places he needed to be. He waved his hand and disappeared, leaving the forest silent except for the hiss of rain.
The End
Prompts: TV based, Preferably slash
The Devil You Know
By Blondie
Napolien was an Angel. Or to give him his proper designation, he was a Guardian Angel and his assignment was to safeguard specific humans allocated to his care.
Which wasn’t always easy.
At the moment, he was pondering the best way to go about saving one of his charges currently trapped in the midst of a raging forest fire. As she sat in her car, staring with horror at the flames and smoke surrounding her, Napolien vowed he would do whatever it took to keep her alive.
With a click of his fingers, he paused time within the immediate area and everything around him froze in place. Celestial beings weren’t subject to linear time. For them, the human laws of space-time didn’t apply; they could flit in and out of time the same way a human could hop on a bus from one place to another. Napolien was limited, however, to how long he could pause time in this place. It was a temporary measure, but it gave him space to consider the problem.
What he needed was a way to dampen the fire, but while Napolien could control time, he was unable to control the elements.
However… he knew someone who could. His superior would not approve, of course, but what was that human saying? Needs must when the devil drives. How apt and how fortunate that he knew just the devil for the job.
Il-aya.
Il-aya was a minor devil, as devils go. In fact, he was a demi-devil, part human, part devil. A mischief-maker rather than an evil doer, never involved in anything truly wicked. He had the ability to control the weather, a talent he used with impish glee. A talent Napolien hoped to exploit.
If an angel and a devil could be friends, Napolien supposed he and Il-aya were, in a loose sort of way. They occasionally sought each other out, when things were a little slow. Napolien enjoyed the banter they shared, the diverse debates that often took them into the sunrise of a new day. Talking to Il-aya was like playing chess, each of them trying to verbally outmaneuver the other, trying to put across their point of view. All the while Napolien would try to fend off Il-aya’s overt overtures. Il-aya was smart and sassy, but also very handsy, his dialogue often peppered with innuendo accompanied by a playful wink.
Napolien never questioned why they would occasionally seek each other’s company, but he supposed their respective occupations could be a lonely existence at times. And he genuinely liked Il-aya, despite their rather obvious differences. Right now, though, he didn’t need Il-aya’s company, he needed his unique talents.
In the blink of an eye, Napolien vanished to seek him out.
He appeared on the rooftop of a large country house and sensed Il-aya was around here, somewhere. He scanned the area and spotted him standing on the parapet of the roof. He paused a moment to study the devil and another mortal saying came to mind; The devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape.
Il-aya was pleasing to look at. Because he was a demi-devil his coloration was something of a mishmash, neither one thing or another. His torso and head were pale pink, while from the waist down, and from his biceps to his fingers, the rest of him was blue. A fine pair of golden curved horns parted the silky blond hair, framing an unexpectedly handsome face, and a long, sinuous tail hung down from the base of his spine to the ground, swishing restlessly from side to side. Covering his back were a pair of leathery wings, neatly folded, protruding just above his shoulders and extending down to his ankles.
And he was completely naked, though Napolien didn’t like to linger too long over that fact.
Yes, for a demi-devil, Il-aya was a magnificent sight.
Napolien took a deep breath and stepped up to the parapet. Il-aya, arms crossed over his chest, briefly glanced down at him before returning his attention to what was going on below. Napolien leaned forward to see what was holding Il-aya’s attention. In the beautiful gardens below, an outdoor wedding was in progress, a hundred or more guests seated neatly behind the bride and groom standing under a flower draped canopy. The Pastor’s solemn words drifted up on the breeze.
Napolien took another lung full of air. “Il-aya--”
“One moment.” Il-aya held up a hand, halting Napolien’s words. Below, the Pastor was just about to pronounce the couple Man and Wife. Il-aya waved his hand and the heavens opened up, discharging fat, heavy rain drops in torrential sheets whipped up by a sudden strong wind. Another motion of his hand and lightning struck a nearby tree sending the guests into panic. Everyone bolted out of their chairs, toppling them over in their haste to be away from the sudden maelstrom as they ran for cover leaving a bedraggled bride and groom following in their wake.
Napolien tutted, drawing Il-aya’s attention his way. Napolien shook his head. “Now, that’s just mean.”
Il-aya smirked, watching the chaos below. “I’m a devil. ‘Mean’ is what I do. Besides, they should take it as a sign; the rest of their marriage is downhill from here.”
Il-aya turned, giving Napolien an uncomfortable eyelevel look at his blatantly naked genitalia. Napolien grit his teeth and closed his eyes. “You really should put some pants on.”
“A little impractical with a tail, don’t you think?” Il-aya said, flicking said tail around. “Besides,” he said, leaning forward to stroke a finger along the front of Napolien’s thin cotton toga, “Your outfit doesn’t leave much to the imagination, either.” He gave an exaggerated wink. “And I have quite the imagination.”
Napolien batted his hand aside and got straight to the point. “I need your help.”
“Do you now. You do realize that it’s Halloween? I’m very busy this time of year.”
“It’s not Halloween till tomorrow. Besides, this won’t take long, then you can go back to…” Napolien waved a hand, “making people’s lives miserable.” Il-aya stared at him. “I’m just asking for a favor.”
“A favor?” Il-aya hopped down from his perch and sat on the parapet. “What’s in it for me?”
Napolien shrugged. “The satisfaction of knowing you’ve done a good deed.”
Il-aya frowned, but a smile played at the corners of his mouth. “You do remember I’m a devil, right?”
“You’re a half devil and you’re not a bad devil, as devils go.”
“But you’re asking me to do a good thing. That goes against my doctrine.” Il-aya narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “Why do you need my help?”
“One of my charges is in danger. She’s trapped in a forest fire and I need your…,” Napolien gestured to the continuing downpour, ”…unique talents to help her out.”
Il-aya frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re asking me to help you? An angel? To commit a virtuous act? How is that going to look if my superiors find out? I could be punished or ostracized. Or worse, I could end up stoking the infernos in the bowels of Hell.”
Napolien sighed. “Look, I’m just asking you to put out a fire, not join a seminary. I don’t have much time. Will you do it?”
There was a few seconds pause before Il-aya asked, “Just put out a fire?”
“Yes, that’s all. Nothing too laborious, I promise. In, out, then back to doing what you love best.”
Il-aya looked thoughtful a moment. “Okay.”
Napolien had expected a more robust argument from Il-aya. He eyed him with suspicion. “Really?”
Il-aya smirked. “For a price.”
Napolien nodded. This was more like Il-aya. He stuck out his chin. “What’s your price?”
Il-aya gave a wicked smile and let his tail, ice cold and smooth, tickle up the back of Napolien’s calf. Napolien jumped as it journeyed slowly up his thigh hitching up the skirt of the white toga, before curling around Napolien’s waist. He stumbled as Il-aya’s tail tugged him close.
Napolien put a restraining hand against Il-aya’s chest. “Why don’t you tell me what you want? And don’t say my soul.”
Il-aya looked offended. “Certainly not. That’s not within my remit. I make mischief, not martyrs.” He lifted a hand to stroke Napolien’s jaw. “If I’m going to doing something good, then you should do something bad to balance it out, don’t you think?” He saw a look of understanding on Napolien’s face and pulled him closer still, till the light from Napolien’s halo lit up his face. His hand rose and lazily trailed a finger through the
ethereal ring of light.
Napolien sighed inwardly. He understood the temptations of the flesh, he really did, and he was no saint when it came to being an angel. There was nothing in the angelic code that strictly forbade them from indulging in the more carnal pursuits. It was the purity of their heart that mattered, after all, and Napolien’s heart was one of the purest.
Napolien rolled his eyes. “You know fraternizing with the enemy is frowned on. Technically, I shouldn’t even be talking to you.”
“Yet, here you are, asking for my help.”
Napolien cleared his throat. “Are you going to help me or not? Just tell me what you want.”
“I’ll help you.” Il-aya leaned back and uncurled his tail from Napolien’s waist. “Let’s discuss terms.”
“Fine, but make it quick. I stopped time and can only hold it for a short… time.”
Il-aya pursed his lips as he considered his options. “How about a kiss?”
Napolien’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Just a kiss?”
Il-aya gave him a sly look. “Unless you’re offering more.”
“No, no. A kiss it is, then.”
“And I don’t mean the chaste kind. I mean a proper kiss.”
“A proper kiss, no holds barred,” Napolien promised with a nod of his head. He put a hand on his chest. “I swear, on my honour. Once the deed is done.” Il-aya rolled his eyes. “Il-aya, please, I’m running out of time. You know I’ll keep my promise.”
Il-aya huffed and chewed on his bottom lip. It was a small thing Napolien asked, and he could be trusted to keep his word. He was an angel after all. “Fine. Show me where this fire is.”
They appeared in a smoke filled forest. Napolien’s time-freeze made for an eerie tableau, like a scene in a Polaroid picture. The flames looked like colorful crystals in hues of red, orange and yellow, twisting this way and that. Ash hung suspended in the air like grey snow, and smoke shimmered like ghostly clouds.
Il-aya looked around. “Hm. Looks simple enough. A heavy downpour over here,” he gestured to left of the road, “and over there,” gesturing to the other side, “will dampen the fire enough.” Il-aya turned back to Napolien. “You’ll need to re-start time so the rain can fall.”
Napolien nodded. “Okay. Ready?”
“Ready.”
Napolien waved his hand and the frozen surroundings lurched into life. The noise, the smell, the intense heat hit them with a jolt. Napolien nudged Il-aya. “Do your thing!”
Il-aya waved a hand left, then right and torrential rain hammered down. The flames began to falter, hissing as the fat, heavy rain drops hit burning embers. Steam replaced smoke, dissipating up into the canopy of the forest. Within minutes, visibility improved leaving the road open for egress.
As the area began to clear, the car’s engine revved loudly and the tires squealed as it jerked forward, but as it did there was a loud crack from above and the top half of a tree began to topple over towards the car.
Il-aya shouted a warning. “Napolien!”
At the devil’s cry, Napolien quickly stopped time again and the falling tree hung suspended in midair. He heard Il-aya exhale loudly in relief before raising his hand and throwing a lightning bolt at the tree trunk, shattering the wood into a million fiery pieces. Napolien re-started time and the burning embers showered down to patter harmlessly against the car’s roof as it raced away.
Napolien whistled, impressed. “That was quick thinking. Thank you, Il-aya.”
Il-aya looked embarrassed. With a self-deprecating shake of his head, he said, “It was nothing. I like blowing things up.”
“You promised me rain, nothing more. You could have let the tree fall, ended her life.”
“I don’t take lives.” Il-aya looked annoyed.
Napolien winced. For a devil, Il-aya could be very touchy. “I know, I’m sorry.” He stepped closer, brushing a hand down Il-aya’s arm. “Really, though, that was a good thing you did.”
Il-aya looked aghast. “I should wash your mouth out with soap and holy water.”
Napolien smiled. “You can’t touch holy water.”
“Then count yourself lucky.” With feigned annoyance, he folded his arms over his chest.
“Deny it all you like, Il-aya, you did good.” Napolien tried to hide a smile as he teased, “You know goodness can be infectious?”
“Like a disease, you mean?” Il-aya said sourly as he looked away. “Perish the thought.”
Napolien’s smile faded away. “Despite your denial, Il-aya, I know hidden inside there’s a light in you.”
Il-aya was aware that something deep within had stirred the unconscious part of him that was human. On the outside, he showed his displeasure; on the inside, he was ridiculously pleased with himself. He shook the thought away and decided he’d work extra hard on All Hallows Eve to make amends.
“We’ve had this conversation a thousand times before. Stop trying to convert me.”
“I’ll never stop. I happen to believe you can do greater things than making petty mischief.” He wondered, sometimes, why Il-aya worked for the other side at all, since he clearly didn’t have the temperament for true devilment. He also wondered, not for the first time, what it was about the devil he found so fascinating.
“Things are what they are,” Il-aya said. “I was cursed and this is my penance.” He walked over to Napolien, prodding him in the chest. “If you tell anyone about this, I’ll have your halo for a necklace.”
Napolien ran a finger across his mouth. “My lips are sealed.” He glanced around as the rain continued to fall and the fire started to diminish. “I think we’re all done here. Again, thanks for your help, Il-aya. I couldn’t have done it without you.” He rubbed his hands together. “Well, I know you’re eager to get back to your, ah, work, so I’ll leave you to it.”
Napolien started to walk away, but Il-aya stopped him. “Wait. Aren’t you forgetting something?”
Napolien smiled to himself and turned, tapping a finger against his lips. “Oooh, yes. Our agreement.”
He strode back till he was in front of the devil and without warning, grasped Il-aya by the horns. He pulled him close and pressed his lips against the devil’s cold ones. Unprepared for Napolien’s bold move, Il-aya froze and Napolien took advantage, pushing him backwards until Il-aya’s momentum was stopped by the trunk of a tree.
Napolien wasn’t sure what he’d expected Il-aya to taste like. Sulphur, perhaps, or something sour and foul. Instead, his breath was pleasantly clean and crisp like a winter’s morning. He raised a hand, his thumb gently pressing down on Il-aya’s chin to open his mouth and slipped his tongue between parted lips. Il-aya’s teeth were porcelain smooth, no sharp points, no cavities, and his tongue was cold and slick against Napolien’s.
As his tongue probed the devil’s mouth, his hands explored the ribcage. Here was another surprise; though Il-aya looked wiry, beneath the cold, smooth skin he was finely muscled. He let his hand travel around to the back and down over Il-aya’s wings, firm as calf skin, yet soft as velvet.
He deepened the kiss, pleased when the taut muscles beneath his fingers began to relax and Il-aya responded in kind. He wrapped his arms tighter around the devil, the fingers of one hand splayed across the flesh above Il-aya’s tail, while the other hand insinuated itself beneath the wings, pressing against his scapula.
Rain pelted down around them but they remained dry and untouched, immune to the elements. All Napolien’s senses were concentrated on this intimate moment with Il-aya. They seemed fused together, pressed chest to chest, thigh to thigh, arms wrapped tightly around each other. Napolien’s heat leached into Il-aya, gradually warming him. The warmth became fire as sparks of blue flame licked across their flesh where it touched, crackling like static. The heat between them became intense and Il-aya began to wriggle and squirm, his skin hot to the touch. Suddenly, Il-aya gasped and yanked free.
“Stop!” Il-aya’s wings quivered and his tail lashed from side to side as he pushed Napolien back at arm’s length, panting. He took a deep, steadying breath, and when Napolien leaned in for another kiss Il-aya stopped him, putting a restraining hand on his chest.
Il-aya wagged a finger in Napolien’s face. “Sometime I wonder which one of us is the devil,” he said. He took another deep breath, straightened his spine and smoothed his hair back behind his horns. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an important High School Football game to attend to.” He shook out his wings with a snap, spreading them wide as if shaking off any lingering doubts, and backed away, keeping his eyes on Napolien. With a last shake of his head, he turned and strode off.
Napolien called after his retreating form, “See you around?”
“Maybe,” Il-aya called back.
“Il-aya…”
Il-aya stopped, but didn’t turn around. “What?”
“In the future, should I need help…?”
Il-aya took a moment to consider the question. “You know how to find me,” he said. He looked back over his shoulder and slyly smiled. “For a price, of course.”
Then Il-aya flapped his wings and took off into the tree tops.
Napolien watched till he disappeared from sight. He would see Il-aya again, sooner or later. Maybe sooner. Something had passed between them, something significant. Something important. He’d felt it and he knew Il-aya had felt it, too. Deep down inside Il-aya there was good. He just had to help him find it. He had endless patience and endless time. Napolien had no intention of giving up on him.
He briefly wondered why he cared so much.
He shook the thought away. He would ponder on it later; for now, he had other places he needed to be. He waved his hand and disappeared, leaving the forest silent except for the hiss of rain.
The End