Lucifer's Daughter [ON HOLD]

Chapter 2

  The school bus stops just a few metres from the school, as if stoping right in front was too hard. Max and I ride the wave of students getting off, then head towards the school radio station room. Both of us are presenters, which helps maintain our emo / hipster looks. Our show is called the Couch Potatoes, and we focus on music news, jokes and lunch specials. It's pretty sad, but we like it.

 When we shove the door open, some of the other presenters and the crew are hanging around, waiting for the current students to finish their report. Unfortunately, we can't really play any good music. No swearing, racism, crude language and jokes: none of the songs on the 'appropriate' list have any of this. We have a list of music that is deemed 'appropriate', as well as a list of suggestions from the student audience. Half of those songs aren't on the 'appropriate' list. Most students listen only for updates on tests, cafeteria specials, miscellaneous talking and jokes. We also get 'special' guests on some of the shows, such as the head cheerleader, captain of the football team, some of the student council, teachers, the cafeteria ladies, boring people like that. For most of us, it's our escape from the real world, where we can just be us. There are about ten of us, and of those, only four are hybrids. Three are demons. And then there are the angel hybrids.

 Yes, they exist. Most angels become fallen angels once their offspring are born, but the children still have access to Heaven. There aren't as many as demon hybrids, but we rarely talk to each other. Most are part of the popular group, or on the student council. We hybrids have an internal radar, which tells us how many and what kind of hybrid are in the area. It helps when you really don't want to see another hybrid, demon or angel.

 "Thank you for listening to the Couch Potatoes! Please stay tuned later for the daily Mayday report." Max signs off and places his headphones on the desk. I sigh, leaning back in my chair. I reach up and tie my flaming red hair into a messy bun. Max looks over at me hopefully. "Is Eidolon coming to school today?" Poor Max is still harbouring a hopeless crush on my demon hybrid half-sister, Eidolon. She is also part of the radio crew, but she's the DJ, and is heaps cool. She is one of the only demon hybrids I actually like to stay in touch with. "I don't know, Max. You have her phone number, why don't you text her?" Eidolon gave him her number last year, but he's only ever used it once. "Lily, can't you just text her? It would be weird if I texted her, and I don't want a repeat of last year."

 Last year, the first and only time Max texted Eidolon, he had been slightly tipsy and totally embarrassed himself. First, he accidentally called her 'mum', then he went on to say that she was beautiful, and that he didn't care that she was a demon hybrid. This had sent Eidolon into a frenzy, because she didn't know his number, and he had just told her he knew what she was. I had to set things right and told her that our secret was safe with Max, and that it was just a drunken prank text. I took the bullet and said that in my drunken state, I had dared him to text her. She forgave me, and I think she doesn't remember it, but Max is still too scared to text or call her, in case he stuffs up again.

 I pull out my phone and text Eidolon. Where are you?I sent it and waited for her reply, tapping my foot on the floor in time with the music. Max pounces on my phone and starts fiddling with it. Just as he's about to put it down, it chimes. I tear it out of his hands. The number it comes up with, however, isn't Eidolon's. It is dad's.

 I jump out of my seat and rush to the toilets, ignoring Max's questions and attempts to keep up. Being a hybrid makes us faster and stronger than humans, but only slightly. I stumble into a stall and sit on the toilet lid. I pull out my phone again and nearly burst out laughing in relief. Watch out, Lilith. A new Hybrid coming to your school. Michael's Son.Really, dad. You message me at school for this? K dad. I'll be careful.Another hybrid. Great. That means I'll have to stake claim to whatever territory I can. I am the only demon hybrid with the most devil blood flowing in my veins. This is good and bad. Good because other hybrids don't bother me; I'm dad's right hand girl. Bad because whenever a new pure hybrid is coming to school – demon or angel – pure hybrids have to stake claim to territory. I hate claiming territory. I'd rather peace and getting along, but if this new hybrid is the angel equivalent of me, he will probably hate my guts.

I fill Max in on the details over muffins at recess. Morning lessons dragged on, and we know from experience not to pass notes in class. His eyes widen. "Michael's son! As in, Arch-Angel Michael?! As in God's right hand angel?!" I roll my eyes. Max prides himself in knowing every important angel, fallen angel and demon possible. "Yes, of course it's Arch-Angel Michael. So what? He's just going to be another hybrid." Max's eyes get even wider. "Yeah, but when the angel hybrid is born, the parent gets cast away and becomes a fallen." "Yeah, so, your point is?" Max shoves his untouched food away and leans over the table. "Yeah, so, why hasn't Michael fallen? Isn't it a crime up there?" And yet, with all his knowledge, Max still doesn't know a whole lot. "Yes, but he's God's right hand angel, you said it yourself. So I'm sure God is willing to overlook this one time. I mean, seriously Max. Think about it. Michael is a one-time offender, and the only angel God still fully trusts. Getting rid of him would leave God vulnerable." A look of sudden realisation crosses over Max's face. I feel bad. It's not his fault he doesn't know this sort of stuff. "So does that make this new hybrid the angel equivalent of you? What does that mean? What do you have to do?" Here come the annoying questions. "Yes, Max, that makes him the equivalent of me. You know about laying claims on territory, so it means that I could forbid him to even take a step into the school, but you know me. I won't. I'll just lay claim to some bathrooms, maybe the library, maybe the radio station." At that, we get up and dump our untouched food in the bin. Walking out of the cafeteria is bliss. We start heading towards our lockers in a slow wander. I have calculus with Max, but then he has sport when I have English.