Chapter XI
"All strange and terrible events are welcome, but comforts we despise."
-Cleopatra
Andrea sighed. She was currently seated in the library. Mitchel was next to her, his face buried into a book. Rayna was sitting in front of her, sniffling. She'd recently caught a cold, and it wasn't letting up. Salvin was chewing loudly and pretty annoyingly on some food. Ever since they'd gotten back from Hell, he'd almost always be eating. Andrea flipped through her book. They were currently trying to find out any information on Xezal and other Demons that they encountered in Hell.
Andrea closed her eyes. The only thing she'd found was that they existed, and that Xezal was an oddity. Just great.
The sound of Salvin chewing a few chips sounded out. Andrea glanced up, noticing Draco. He looked absolutely pissed off. His fists were clenched and he was staring daggers into Salvin. Ever since hell he'd been more irritable, according to Aristide. Salvin also apparently didn't eat as much as he was now, and Rayna has been completely healthy.
Mitchel looked up, obviously sensing the tension. "We should take a break." He said, closing the book he had been reading.
Draco scowled, slamming his book shut. "Whatever..." he growled.
Salvin blinked, swallowing the food he had in his mouth. "'Kay then." He closed the book, wiping the grease on his fingers onto his pants.
Rayna frowned. She was about to say something when she suddenly let out a violent sneeze. She barely managed to cover her mouth. Draco scowled. "God, cover up better next time!" He shouted, standing up abruptly. Rayna looked down, sadness filling her face. Draco turned on his heels and stormed out of the room.
Silence filled the room. Mitchel carefully set the book he had been reading down onto a pile of other books they had finished. Andrea coughed awkwardly. "So, uh-"
Salvin rolled the chip bag up. Rayna sniffed, wiping her nose. She wasn't crying, she was just having another runny nose. Mitchel gently squeezed her shoulder. "Let's go." He whispered.
Andrea nodded, standing up. The two walked out, leaving the two Daevas alone. Mitchel gently grabbed her hand and led her to the garden.
As soon as they stepped outside, Andrea realized that her brother was standing there. He had a rose in his hands and he was twirling it around. Next to him was Darrin, who was busy cleaning his glasses. Mitchel gently pulled her behind one of the pillars, hiding them. He pressed a finger against his lips, signaling her to stay quiet.
"And what do you think will come of this?" Caleb asked.
A sigh. Most likely Darrin. "Timothy isn't telling us the whole truth, obviously."
"He knows the danger in that though. If he is hiding anything from us, then there is a large chance that we are in even more danger." Caleb responded.
"Especially with Lucifer's rise pretty much certain."
Andrea felt her chest tightened. She looked at Mitchel, who's face was now incredibly pale. She felt tears burn her eyes. Mitchel gently pressed his forehead to her and rubbed her arms. He began to whisper comforting words into her ear. Andrea immediately felt bad. Mitchel was probably also terrified, and yet he was comforting her. How bad of a girlfriend am I being right now?
"God, how much of a shitload are we in right now?" Caleb growled out. Andrea could tell her brother was stressed. How had she not seen it until now?
Someone moved, walking to a different spot. "Major. Natural disaster level." Darrin answered, his voice closer to them than before. There was a large pause. "And what about the Daevas?" Darrin whispered.
"What about them?" Caleb growled. He was angry.
"Head quarters sent out a message. Did you read it?" Darrin asked. Caleb didn't answer. "Well, it's about them. About their role in all this. Why they were- are- so important."
"What was the message?"
"Just that we need to keep an eagle eye on them. The higher-ups aren't saying the exact reason. I assume their Seers are the ones who know everything."
"We don't have to hurt them, right?"
"Nothing about that yet." Darrin said. Andrea heard a loud snap. A whip?
"Put that away. There's no need for it." Her brother snapped.
Darrin grumbled. "Whatever."
The door to the garden suddenly opened. Andrea and Mitchel looked towards it. They watched as Garroth walked out. He sighed, rubbing his forehead. He blinked, and then, of course, turned towards them. He frowned. Garroth stared at them, and then his face suddenly turned bright red.
Wait, did he think that they-
"Garroth, what's wrong with you?" Darrin asked.
Garroth rubbed the back of his head. "I- uh-"
Suddenly, Darrin walked up to him and looked at them. "Oh. Uh. How long have you two been there?"
Andrea felt her face flush. Mitchel let go of her and jumped away. "Heh, uh-"
Caleb walked up. As son as he saw them, his face paled. "Wait, were you two about to-"
"No!" Andrea cried, her face probably completely red. She covered her face, trying to hide her embarrassment.
Darrin frowned. "Were you eavesdropping on our conversation?"
Andrea felt her heart skip a beat. Oh no. Mitchel chuckled awkwardly. "Uh..."
Caleb pinched the bridge of his nose. "Really, kid?"
"Don't call me that!" She said, crossing her arms.
Mitchel sighed, gently putting a hand on her shoulder. "Yeah, we were listening in. We weren't planning to, we just found you here."
Darrin frowned. "So you heard the stuff about the Daevas?"
Caleb suddenly grew quiet. The anger on his face vanished, and he looked away. Andrew nodded numbly. "Are we dangerous?" She whispered, hugging herself.
Garroth sighed. "We're not sure. The higher-ups haven't said anything to us."
Andrea closed her eyes, trying her best to hide the fear. She felt someone put their hands on her arms, pulling her against them. Andrea sighed as Mitchel buried his face into the back of her head. She felt herself relax at his touch. She had missed him so much. Everything felt so much better now that he was back.
"But I'm sure that whatever they're holding back is nothing." Caleb said, still not meeting her eyes.
Mitchel pulled himself away. "Say, Caleb, can I speak with you sometime? I have a few questions I have to ask you."
Andrea frowned. What was up with that? "Sure." Caleb said, nodding.
Mitchel gently pat her shoulder. "You free right now?"
"Yeah." Caleb said, glancing at his little sister.
Mitchel gently kissed her right above her ear. "I'll see you later." He whispered.
Andrea nodded numbly as he walked off. What did he have to talk to her brother about? Andrea brushed herself off. It wasn't her business, he'd tell her if he wanted to.
****
Mitchel sat in the bed of Caleb's truck. He watched the Monster Hunter open a can of Red Bull and take a drink from it. He'd offered one to Mitchel, but he declined.
Caleb took the cab away from his mouth. "So what do you need to ask me?" He asked, looking at Mitchel with an intense stare.
Mitchel shivered. Did he think it had something to do with Andrea? It did, of course, but it wasn't anything bad. Mitchel saw Caleb shiver as well. He was from the deserts of Texas, he probably wasn't used to the freezing weather. "It's about your sister."
"What about her?"
"It's about why she is a Daeva and you aren't." Mitchel said, looking out towards the forest.
Caleb frowned. "I've been thinking of that, too. I don't know if she's realized it herself. Or maybe she has, and has just pushed it to the back of her mind. She's been through a lot since she's been back."
Mitchel nodded. "You're only half-siblings."
"Yes. We're related by our mother. She is a fallen angel, though I'm sure you immediately realized that."
"She told you?"
"No, another hunter did. He can see what kind of being you are if you possess magic."
Mitchel cocked his head to the side. "I've never heard of someone having that power."
"He wasn't born with it. He got it from one of the weapons he has." Caleb answered, taking another drink of his Red Bull.
"Interesting." Mitchel said, still staring off at the forest. A few moments of silence passed before he looked back at Caleb. "That begs the question though, who is her father?"
Caleb's face paled. Mitchel raised his eyebrows. Clearly he was nervous. "I'm not sure." Caleb whispered, taking another drink.
He knew. But why wasn't he saying anything? "You know." Mitchel said, looking at him.
Caleb sighed. "And what if I do, Mitchel?"
She deserves to know, Caleb." Mitchel answered.
Her brother sighed. For the first time, Mitchel had a good chance to study him. Caleb resembled his father, mostly. He had his eyes and face shape, but his hair was defiantly his mother's. Mitchel could see the hollowness of his cheeks and the dark circles forming under his eyes. He was tired. Stressed. What could've caused so much pain?
As Mitchel looked at him, he realized just how much Caleb reminded him of his father. Shouldering the weight of the world, refusing to let anyone help him. When his mother died, his father fell apart, yet he didn't let Mitchel take any burden off of him.
This made Mitchel bitter. He didn't like his father trying to do everything. And when he met Victoria...
Mitchel couldn't handle it. He hated her. Mitchel turned on the man trying to protect him, trying to keep him safe against the world. He knew his father just wanted to best for him, but...
But at what cost? His father seemed to age faster. One moment he was a young man with a young son, and the next he was an old man with a boy in elementary school. His hair defiantly grated quicker than anyone had thought it would. His eyes lost their shine and he became thinner. Mitchel never really took much care in his appearance, but he really should've.
The naivety that Mitchel had harbored when he was younger made him think his father hated him. Mitchel hated himself for that. Even now he could barely be in the same room as him without feeling the overwhelming sense of hatred.
Even though he loved his father more than anything, he also hated him with his whole being. Mitchel understood how broken their relationship was. All because his father wouldn't share any burdens and because Mitchel had never stopped to understand him.
Mitchel sighed. "You don't have to shoulder every burden, Caleb. My father- he did that. When my mother was killed, he didn't let me help with anything. He never shared what troubled him. It made me hate him. He treated me like a child when all I wanted was to help him. It caused this rift in our relationship. One that will probably never be mended."
Caleb said nothing, simply drinking his drink. Mitchel continued. "I know that if you hide this from Andrea, it will only cause that same rift. If you refuse to let her know all the burdens you've faced throughout the years, she'll feel this disconnect and the next thing you know you both can't be in the same room as each other. You need to deal with it. Don't- don't let her get away. I will regret the hatred I harbor towards my father for the rest of my life. Don't make her one of your regrets, Caleb."
Her brother sighed. He stared into space for a moment before gulping the rest of the Red Bull down. He then crushed the can. "It's just hard. I never wanted her to get involved. I thought she perhaps escaped the genes of the Monster Hunters, but- but she never even got them. She and I- we aren't the same. I wish we were, it'd be so much easier." He sighed, bowing his head. "The higher-ups told me how the Daevas came to be."
Mitchel sat, awaiting for him to tell him. Caleb sighed. "Lucifer decreed that the Demons, the three head ones, go off and find fallen angels. They then either forced them or managed to bed them. In my mom's case..."
"She was raped." Caleb managed, tears brimming his eyes. "Rayna is adopted. Lilith is her mother. Salvin is Ezekiel's kid. Both consensual. But Draco and Andrea..."
Mitchel but his lip. "They're half-siblings."
"Who's their father?" Mitchel whispered.
"Xezal."
****
Do you hate me, or no?
I'm not sure if I deserve to be hated. I have a big plan and this is only part of it. I'm dropping major hints in this chapter about why exactly Lucifer had the demons make Daevas, and if you know a good chunk about Catholicism you might just figure it out ;)
Anyways, what do you think of this chapter?
I really enjoy it and I can't wait for the rest of this book. Part of me thinks it'll be longer than four parts, but who knows. I think I have enough material for more, but at the same time I don't think I do.
See you all in the next chapter!
-Paige