The fanged prince looked at the angel in front of him, bright purple eyes stared back. He wondered if all angels, this being the first he’s ever seen, were that attractive. The one in front of him had long whitish blond hair to her mid back, which was nestled between large sprawling mostly grey wings. Her outfit was a body suit in nature a strip of black materiel trailing down her left leg while the right on bared creamy unclothed skin. The top of the body suit was low cut and definitely not angelic in purpose, a walking sin.

The grey eyes blinked. They were eyes Athen was far too familiar with. She was lost for words as the demon glared at her.

“I was on a mission on earth and I got sucked here.” Her words were breathless, sounding unknowingly seductive. She scooted further back again as the eyes roamed her face, noticing fleetingly that the room was now empty save for herself and the Prince.

“Are you a Principality?” The voice made Athen almost melt. Now that they were alone it wasn’t as menacingly frightening as it was previously. It was warm, curious and quite frankly really sensual.

“No, I don’t believe so.” She answered, knowing that Principality’s had no feet, and she felt the dull ache in hers from the long journey she partook in to get to the palace.

Familiar stormy grey eyes glared at her and Athen felt like crying. This was far too much for the Angel to handle. These situations weren’t taught in school. In all of her three hundred years of study they never taught what they should expect when in hell.

“Then tell me. What is your name?” It was then Athen was sure. When the demon Prince laid his hand on her cheek tilting her face there was no way of denying it anymore.

“On Earth, if I have the term right. You know me as your girlfriend.”

“I asked you what your name was.” The prince’s voice was stern now, pleading with Athen.

“My name is Athen. I’ve missed you Ford.” She leaned into the hand lovingly. The demon jumped back from the angel.

“Prove it!” He demanded; his once controlled power went from crackling to rolling off him in currents.

“How do you want me to do that, monkey boy?” She teased, no longer afraid of the demon. If she was right, which she had no doubt that she was, then she had nothing to worry about. Demon or no, the man she loved was a good person.

“So you’re an angel?” The girl smiled at the question, the rolling current of energy dissipating.

“And you’re a demon.” She replied.

“The prince of hell actually.” Demon was one thing. The devil’s offspring was another entirely. With that Athen fainted.

“I never knew you as one to faint.” Somehow the mischievous smirk Ford wore seemed so much more attractive accompanied with his sharp fangs.

“First time for everything I suppose.” She groaned, her wings under her being squished from where she laid on the floor. She mumbled, sitting up. She was completely unchained now. Her limbs free to move about as she pleased. “So that means. Lily, Luke, and Spence they’re all…?” She trailed off.

Before, Athen couldn’t accept that any demon she met could be nice, or even likable. But now the people who had openly called her family, the people she openly called family were demons. That wasn’t going to change just because she was supposed to be pitted against them.

“Yep, they’re all demons too.”

“And dad?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“He rules all.”

“Oh…” There were so many things she wanted to ask him.

“You have that look on your face, like you want to ask me something.” Athen glared at the man, no, demon, who read her like a book.

“Blinking, how do you do it?” She blurted out, and then blushed at her outburst. Ford laughed, it was deeper than his human laugh but still held the exact same warmth.

“Don’t angels do it too?” Athen thought about it and realized in a way the man was right. Only Angels ranked higher than Powers had that ability, and even that was less than fifty percent of the heavens.

“Only the higher ranked ones, the ones above principalities.”  She answered.

“Sorry I’m not familiar with Angel ranks.” From the tone of his voice Athen figured Ford was probably blushing. When she looked she confirmed her assumption.

“I suppose, since Powers are the fourth lowest ranks I guess they would be like Presidents down here.” She compared.

“Well, you feel a lot stronger than a President, so you should be able to do it as well.” Athen considered this and decided why not try.

“How does it work exactly?” She asked tentatively hoping Ford wouldn’t mind teaching her.

“I see a place, then when I want to go there. I am there.” He demonstrated by phasing in and out of spaces around her. She stared passed his quickly moving form, as to not get sick. The circle in which he was moving around her was quite dizzying.

She focused on the third largest throne in the room. Figuring that was as good as a place as ever to move to she concentrated.

“Did it work?” She asked a few seconds later. She was surprised to find Ford laughing. He appeared in beside her and looked at her from the corner of his eye. His arms were crossed and his smirk was planted on his face. Athen briefly wondered if he had that look patented yet.

“Try to aim next time.” He said still chuckling. Athen followed his eyes and looked down. To her surprise she was standing on top of the throne. Losing her balance she fell into the seat of the chair.

The throne surprised her most as she sank into the seat. Whatever the stone-like material was it felt nothing like how it looked. It was as soft as any bed Athen had ever slept on.

“This is comfy.” The girl sighed further relaxing.

“Really? I was scared you might catch fire or something.” The angel’s eyes widened at the statement and she looked over at Ford shocked.

“What do you mean?”

“They don’t like a lot of people.” He frowned sitting in a different throne, or rather trying before the seat moved out from under him. “See, that’s Luke’s chair, it is very particular to who it lets sit on it. As for Spence’s chair, it’s pretty much just like its owner. Everyone has a go.” He demonstrated by sitting on the chair, it rippled in response forming to his body comfortably.

“Cool. Time, for round two,” Athen said standing and concentrating on another spot in the room.

“That’s it!” Ford praised her. Athen smiled and tried again. The two of them blinked jovially throughout the room, there was a slight vertigo that went with the movement but it was minimal. Athen was more exhilarated with the feel of moving so quickly and freely throughout the room.

As she did, she enjoyed the feeling, she closed her eyes. Though of course not being completely used to her blindness yet she unwillingly caused herself to lose her actually vision. She didn’t notice though, the larger objects in and just outside of the room, including four figures, were well spotted and easily avoided. She basically had a road map inside her head telling her exactly where she was and where she couldn’t be.

Her thoughts were lost and she recalled all the happenings of the past nine months.

Her first day on Earth and meeting Ford, their first conversation and her very first taste of chocolate.  Meeting Lily, and then Noel, Spence and Luke. Working for Yaya, and the night her and Ford spent together. She blushed hotly as she always did whenever she thought of that time.

She was pulled out of her thoughts as she collided hard with Ford. They landed smack together, both wanting to occupy the same space. Athen fell forward onto the demon prince as he fell backwards. They landed soundly and couldn’t help but to laugh at their collision.

Athen laid her head on his shoulder relaxing at the feel of his warm body. It was hotter than she was used to but she figured it was due to the nature of the energy that he continuously eluded. She looked up into his grey eyes, the almost stormy nature of them pulling her in.

She moved her head closer to his, hoping to close the distance. However she remembered that they had an audience. She gave her love a devious look and knew he instantly understood.

“Oof.” The four eaves-dropping demons landed unceremoniously in a pile on the marbled floor. Athen laughed from where she held the door wide open after. She had blinked there fully intent on catching them red handed. Who knew it would work so well.

“What’d you do that for?” Joseph was the first to roll out from the pile. Athen crouched near the group that still struggled and continued to giggle.

“You son of a-“

“Get off me, I can’t breathe! I’m going to die.”

“Sorry Mark.” Zack’s small voice proclaimed. Athen stopped giggling and just watched the boys untangle themselves. Once they were completely untangled Mark was still on the ground catching his breath.

“Marquis,” The four disgruntled demons blinked away from Athen silently. They formed a straight line bowed in front of the Throne where Ford now sat. “I would like to properly introduce someone to you.” Athen followed the lead of the four demons but she felt there was no reason to bow to Ford. Instead she took place standing just beside the seated prince.

“As you all are familiar with, I have been living on Earth for the past three years.” Athen blinked, seriously that long? “During my time there, I met a human, her name was Athen Darcy. Since that time that we met nine months ago.” His eyes flashed to Athen for a second. “I have taken her, and she has accepted me. When she was to die, her soul was to come here and she would be made my wife. That is as it seems no longer possible.” He finished off, expecting questions.

“May I ask why not, my prince?” Zack’s curiosity had gotten the better of him.

“This angel you see before you is the same human I had met on earth. She is my mate.” The young demon gasped at his prince’s confession. Athen herself was frozen stock still. Her hand went to her chest and she felt her beating heart. If she were human she could have been with Ford forever. She ignored the bead of wetness that rolled down the side of her cheek.

“Sorry.” The man stood from his seat and moved around to behind her. He placed the necklace he had previously ripped from her neck back to its rightful place. He leaned closer to whisper in her ear, “If you’ll still have me.” All Athen could do was blush. Once the clasp was done up Athen welcomed the slight heaviness on her chest.

“Even though she is an angel, I wish that you treat her like any other consort of the royal court.”

“Of course we accept.” The four demons stood up straight and silence engulfed the room. As soon as the silence had arrived it had fled.

“Welcome back!” Zack and Mark had flung themselves at the demon prince jovially.

“We’ve missed you Ford. It’s so lonely!” Mark whined and Athen smiled at the sight of them. It was like watching a litter of kittens welcome their mother after a long time apart.

“Those are so wicked!” Athen giggled surprising herself. The hands which eagerly pawed at her wings tickled the hypersensitive appendages. “I’m so jealous, I want wings.” The hands left and the dog demon bounded over in front of Athen. His tail wagged in excitement. “So you’re a really high ranked angel right? I’ve never seen one like you, though I’ve seen quite a few of them.” Even though his voice sounded quite young, only a teenager, Athen knew looks could be deceiving.

The dog demon was staring at Athen with eyes only knowledge over a thousand life times could bring. If Joseph was that old himself, where did that leave Akefia in the passage of time? Maybe such a realm was elusive to the white demon

“Someone stop them!” Ford’s deep voice was laughing as the two young demons bounced playfully around their prince.

“As you wish prince,” Akefia lifted the two of them by their scruffs and casually tossed them half way across the room. The two demons paid no mind to the rough nature and returned back still as excited, though this time their target was Akefia. The bat demon could do nothing to stop them           

“You have met others of my kind?” Athen asked, paying only little attention to the other three demons and the prince.

“We all have. You don’t become a Marquis just by sitting in hell all day. Marquis are the highest ranks below royalty. There is a reason for the quote experience and hard work and all that.” The serious look the blond once had disappeared behind a mask of a bright smile.

“Does this mean Athen is staying?” Zack asked looking up from his spot sitting on Akefia’s knees.

“Is she? We could play together.” Athen shuddered only slightly at the glint in Mark’s eye. He and Akefia were at a certain tie for most threatening

“Really? Awesome, I want to talk to her more. She’s really cool!” Athen couldn’t help but smile and shrug her shoulders at Ford’s questioning and yet painfully pleading glance. She had nowhere else to be right?

“This is your room.” Finally after spending a week hiding in Ford’s room Athen was finally granted her own. It was quite beautiful actually. The stone walls were a slate grey and the large window allowed Athen to see far beyond the reach of courtyard.

“Joey- do you mind if I call you that?”

“It’s no big.” He gave a twitch of his ears, which was for all, intents and purposes comically cute.

“Aren’t you guys annoyed with doing stupid tasks like looking after me? I mean you’re a Marquis why don’t you just own your own land and have a small village maybe?” The girl looked at the golden haired demon in anticipation she was beyond curious.

“We could do that, I guess.” Joseph took a seat on the large bed which sat in the centre of the room. “When the war was over every Marquis was given a choice. They could either go out on their own or work with and under the royal family.” Athen sat down listening intently to the story. The man in front of her with the wise amber eyes was intriguing as were the other three that accompanied him.

“A choice…” That was certainly different from heaven. Once you graduated from school you had nine months before your rank is assigned and then you were placed somewhere.

“The four of us chose to work here for different reasons. Zack was young, and he didn’t want to live alone, the same with Mark. Akefia I’m not sure of the full story, you’d have to ask him but I think he just respects the royal family. And myself personally; I was too old and too tired. Over three millennium of life does do that to you!” Yet again Athen was taken back by the quick change in demon’s demeanor.

“No offense Joey, but you’re old.” Coming from a three hundred and twenty-some year old Angel that meant something. The blond demon couldn’t help but laugh.

“I don’t feel a day over five hundred.” Athen giggled at that and pushed her senior. “So, you’ll be here for a while then?”

“I believe so.” She answered.

“Great! Boy, do I have stories to tell you!” The energetic demon bounced out of the room waving. Athen shook her head, there was no way she would have guessed that he was such an old soul.

She was on fire. She was freezing. She was everything and yet she was nothing. She actually had no idea what she was. Well that was a lie, she did know for sure without a doubt that she was going crazy…she thought. But that’s okay crazy is good, crazy is fine as long as she wasn’t corrupt. As long as she was still a righteous angel. As long as she still saved her charge. As long as Athen was safe.

“As long as you end up alive.” The floating girl whispered to herself. At least then she could hear something. Floating in this place with no one around for miles was hard. She tried to reach for anyone out there any one at all. But one can only think so loud before they get a headache. Can only be so overloaded before one completely breaks down.

“Athen, Athen, Save me!” Athen side stepped to avoid the running fox demon as he bolted into her room. The flying mass of sandy yellow and copper flung itself under her sheets and hid. Athen sighed and held her hands up flat, she made a shield. The invisible force field shielded the whole bed.

Over her few weeks at being cooped up in the palace Athen had a chance to discover her new powers. They were, without a doubt remarkable.

“MARK! When I get my hands on you, you are going to wish you were born without bones to break.” She rolled her eyes as another figure came speeding into her room. This time however, the golden mass couldn’t make it to where they wanted. Instead hitting the shield with an audible smack and sliding down the invisible dome onto the floor.

“So not fair,” Joseph ground out. “No force fields Athen. That jerk has to pay.” The blond dog demon growled as he stood up on his four limbs. He was crouched on all floors pacing the bed, his ears and tail stood straight up. It was then that Athen noticed the very lacy blue bow tied around Joseph’s tail.

“I’m going to untie this. Then I’m going to levitate Mark out of my room. I’m going to give him five seconds then the shield is coming down.” Athen bent down and went to remove the bow from Joey’s, as Athen preferred to call him, tail. She ignored the slight nip the dog tried to place on her fingers and instead tapped the man-dog on the nose.

“Sorry.” Was the quiet and ashamed growl. Athen didn’t mind though, when Joey or any of the Marquis got antsy their instincts far out-weighed any human like functions they possessed.

“Alright.” The angel stood and with a wave of her hand picked up the fox demon and quite literally threw him out of her room. “Don’t. Mess.” She pronounced each word carefully. “Up. My. Room.” With that she let the force field drop and the chase between dog and the fox continued.

 She rolled her eyes and continued to tidy up the room she had been staying in the past few weeks. One look over to her now destroyed bed and she closed her eyes. Mark and Joey were going to pay.