Read I'll Create Heaven For You :: Chapter Fifteen Part 1: Approved Appointment/Mercury Blades

Hawk blasted through the door like a tornado, drawing every eye in the conference room his direction. He couldn’t care less, his burning gaze was affixed solely on the man at the head of the room.

“Out!” he barked. “Right the fuck now!”

No one hesitated. They gathered their papers, bowed to Havik, and walked from the room, giving the angry god a wide berth.

Havik, leaning over the desk with his own paper in hand, stared at his father. “Something I can help you with?”

Hawk stomped up to the desk, teeth clenched. “You know, you may have given yourself permission to age slightly each year after you peaked so you can look older than me and Hero, but I am still your father. Remember that, boy, and talk to me with a bit more goddamn respect!” He slammed his hands down on the desk. Havik didn’t even flinch.

He narrowed his eyes, almost bored. “Something I can help you with, sir?” he amended without sincerity.

“You authorized visitors?” Hawk demanded loudly, his blue eyes hard. “After I specifically ordered against it!”

Havik leaned back in his chair, his hands gliding over the smooth surface of the desk. “I did.”

“Mind telling me why?”

“He requested it.”

“Deny it! Just like we’ve been doing for five years!”

Havik frowned. “This is only the second time, Pater.”

“The point is the same, dammit. Why did you approve it?”

Havik paused, watching his father carefully, remaining still in his seat, his finger tapping softly on the desk. “He said he had some information to share.”

Hawk stared at him, standing straight. “And that would be?”

“Not sure at this point. All he requested was to receive a few visitors and he would provide it.”

“Did he say to whom he was willing to provide proffered information?” Hawk asked through clenched teeth. “And what makes you think it’ll even be accurate or trustworthy?”

“Because if it isn’t, he’ll be obliterated.”

Hawk froze. “Did you make that clear?”

“Crystal.”

“I don’t trust him.”

“Nor I,” Havik nodded once. “However, I’m willing to give him a single opportunity.”

“Only one?”

“Only one.” He reached for his tablet, tapped and swiped at the screen a few times, then handed it over. Hawk took it, brow furrowed, reading what his son presented.

The request was straightforward, visitors in exchange for valuable information related to “certain candidates in line for High Divine.” Hawk, not letting on that his interest was piqued, scrolled through the usual jargon until it reached Havik’s response.

In response to your request, one allowance is to be made. No further requests will be granted, provided the information given is valid and useful. In such matters, should a request be given in good cause, it will be given full consideration to the extent of three visitors per year for one hundred years, two visitors per year for fifty years, one final visitor for ten years. All visitor requests after this time will be considered on a situational basis. If the information provided is false and misleading, all requests will be denied consideration outright. If the misleading information leads to harm and/or death of any individual related to the pursuit of said information, you will be obliterated without trial.

Hawk’s eyebrow twitched. Chuck’s response was equally as impressive:

Agreed.

That was it. Just one word. He expected more from a deity who loved himself more than the humans he tried to destroy through backhanded means. He glanced up, handing the device back to Havik who set it on the desk without looking at it.

“Satisfied?”

“Nearly,” Hawk said, folding his arms across his broad chest. “I choose who goes.”

Havik nodded. “Yes, I expected you would.”

“Excuse me?”

Havik rolled his ruby red eyes to the ceiling. “The information is beneficial to you and Father, not to me. I couldn’t care less what the old man has to say. He could have the cure for the common human cold, it’s none of my concern. I would advise ensuring the one you send has no stake in the selection, but as it relates to you both, I won’t interfere in whomever you choose. That said, be mindful there are eyes and ears everywhere. Anyone could easily take the opportunity to claim you are finding means to sway the vote in your favor.”

“This has nothing to do with votes, Havik. This has to do with your father’s birthright. He has a legitimate claim—”

“So you keep saying.”

Hawk gritted his teeth. “I will kick your ass one day, you disrespectful wretch.”

“Looking forward to it.” He leaned forward, folding his hands in front of him. “The appointment has been set for tomorrow morning. I truly hope this isn’t a waste of your time, Pater.” He pushed a button on his phone.

“Yes, Your Majesty?” the voice of Havik’s secretary came through.

“Send them back in.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Havik removed his finger. “Anything else? I have a meeting to resume.”

“Yeah,” Hawk said, his eyes darkening. “I’m on her side.” With that he stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Havik sat speechless, his lips pursing, his hands separating and fingers folding in, the nails digging into his palms so hard he drew blood. His ring tattoo from the soul union flickered once and dimmed, but he didn’t notice. He simply took a deep breath and stood as the officials and executives returned to the conference room, apologizing for the interruption. After another three seconds, the incident was forgotten, no longer his problem.

-*-

Hawk hadn’t made it twenty feet down the hall before Hero’s voice rang in his head.

Get home, NOW.

He didn’t question it, just ripped a tear in the Veil and stepped into his living room. The tear closed as he hurried to the library where Hero paced, the phone in his hand. He looked up as Hawk entered, face pale.

“It’s Julian,” he said. “They were attacked.”

“What?!” Hawk strode across the room and joined Hero at his side, his hand at his back, sending as much comfort through his waves as possible, doing his best to ease his husband’s shaking. “What happened, kid? Are you okay?”

“We’re fine,” Julian said, sounding tired but calm. “A few bumps and bruises, but nothing that didn’t heal up in less than an hour.”

“Where are you?”

“Four days from the coast,” Ruby’s voice came through. “Thanks to Ren, we had to speed things up a bit.”

“I was wondering how you managed to get that far so quickly,” Hero said. He glanced up at Hawk. “Ren and his guardian met up with them yesterday when the attack happened.”

“Yesterday?” Hawk balked. “Why are you just telling us now?”

“We had to find somewhere safe,” Julian said. “Callen knows this area pretty well so he led us here.”

“Who the fuck is Callen?”

“That would be Ren’s guardian,” Ruby sighed. “Huge ugly ogre with a bad attitude.”

From somewhere off in the distance, a gruff voice bellowed, “I heard that, annoying puny girl!”

Hero couldn’t help but snort. “I’m glad you guys are alright,” he said. “Tell us what happened.”

Julian and Ruby took turns recounting the event, leaving nothing out. Hawk and Hero listened with grim expressions, Hero’s eyes widening when they mentioned the blades.

“You said Modette took pictures,” Hero said.

“She did,” Julian acknowledged. “I’m sending them to you through Ruby’s account. You should be getting them now.”

Hawk breezed around the desk and plopped down heavily in the chair, wiggling the mouse to wake up the computer. He brought up Hero’s email and nodded as Hero came around to join him, peering over his shoulder. “Got ‘em,” he confirmed.

The two on the other end were silent as Hawk brought up the images, clicking through each one methodically, pausing on one image of an angel blade. “Is this similar to the one that got you?” he asked Hero.

Hero nodded. “Almost the same one,” he said.

“Moddy said they were definitely custom made,” Ruby said. “A few were original blades modified to match, but most of them were designed that way.”

“Does she know why there’s a green tint to the blade?”

“She has a theory,” Julian said. “But she has no way of verifying it without something to compare it to.”

“Which would be?” Hawk prompted.

“Mercury,” they said in unison.

The men shared a look. “The silver shit that leaks out,” Hawk murmured. Hero nodded.

“That makes a lot of sense, actually,” he said.

“I hate to ask, Daddy,” Ruby said, almost sheepishly. “But is there anyone you might know who could tell us why someone would make angel blades with mercury? That can’t be safe even for the bearer to wield.”

Hero frowned. “I might, actually,” he said.

“But why mercury?” Ruby asked suddenly. “Isn’t that poisonous to the Divine?”

“Venomous,” Hawk said. “If it’s not removed quickly, it will eat away at us within days. Get enough into us, and we’re dead even sooner.” He glanced up at Hero, wrapping his arm around his waist.

“How did you survive, Daddy?”

“I got real fuckin’ lucky, that’s how,” Hero said with a small smile. “It definitely explains why Alerik’s hand is still numb. He only got nicked in that fight.” He put his arm around Hawk’s shoulder. “You didn’t touch any of them, did you?”

“Not us,” Julian said. “Callen did, though. Nothing happened to him.”

“He’s not a Divine,” Hawk said. “Still, make sure he doesn’t play around with it too much. One wrong move and it will give him a wound that will be difficult to heal and he’ll be sick as hell for a few days. You, young lady, don’t touch it at all.”

“Yes, Da,” she sighed. “Mercury is toxic to humans, I know that much at least.”

He smiled. “That’s my girl.”

“Hawk, these guys weren’t just after me,” Julian said with a slight hesitation. “They were after Ren, too. He managed to corner one and pull some info from him before he was obliterated.”

“Say what now?” Hawk said flatly, his finger unconsciously clicking the mouse. “Elves can’t obliterate Divine.”

“Ren can,” Julian said. “You forget, he’s unique. Celestial elves have cores, powerful ones. They can obliterate Divine alone, without needing any extra help.”

Hero winced. “That’s…terrifying, actually. Remind me never to piss your boyfriend off.”

Julian chuckled. “That would be wise. He’s not a huge fan of Divine, least of all gods.”

“You’re a god.”

“Not the same way as you are.”

They were silent, sharing a brief glance. Julian was right; Wanderers were gods in their own universe, intensely powerful ones. The Divine had every right to fear one, especially if what Julian said was true and the power they gave the celestial elves was enough to obliterate one of them. It made them wonder what else they could do.

Hawk clicked the mouse again, and Hero leaned forward, gripping Hawk’s shoulder. “Hang on,” he said, pointing at the screen with his phone. “I recognize that angel.”

“Which one?” Ruby asked.

“Do you have the images up on your tablet?”

“Aye, I do.”

“Third one after the blades.”

Ruby was quiet a second as she flipped through to the one Hero indicated. “Oh, yes, this guy. Modette said she knew him, too,” she said.

“Makes sense,” Hero muttered. “He served under her father at one point before he was executed.”

“Her father?”

“An archangel that helped create the Purities,” Hawk said. “Toji took his head and obliterated him at Gods Hall.”

“Wait, are you saying Modette’s father was Uriel?” Julian exclaimed.

“Yep.”

“Well,” Julian paused, probably running a hand through his hair as his mind began to race. “If that’s the case, then the angel Modette took out knew exactly who sent the order to stop us.”

Hero froze. “Shit, you’re right.”

Hawk put his elbows on the table and rubbed his hands over his face. “It’s a good thing we have an appointment to meet the bitch tomorrow morning.”

“Who are you talking about?” Ruby asked, not liking that she was getting left out of this part of the conversation.

“The former High Divine,” Julian said.

“Ol’ Chucky boy himself,” Hawk said, leaning back in the chair and gazing up at Hero. “I know who to send to talk to him.”

Hero sighed. “Me, too.”

“What’s our next move, Hawk?” Julian asked after a moment.

“Keep going,” Hawk replied. “Get to the ship and get off that continent. Hopefully once you're at sea, they won’t find you as easily. You may even be able to shake them once you’re in Norway.”

“After that?”

There was another heavy pause on both ends.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, kid,” Hero said softly.

Another pause. “Be careful. All of you,” Hawk said.

“We will, Hawk.”

“And, baby girl?”

“Yeah, Da?”

He smiled, glad to hear her soft voice after dealing with a child who caused him so much grief. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, sweetheart,” Hero added.

“I love you, Da. Daddy. You two be careful.”

“We’ll contact you again once we’ve made it to the shore,” Julian said.

“Thanks, Juli,” Hero said. “And yes, we do love you, too.”