Licorice Love

Chapter 5: Phoenix's P.O.V.

~ A few days later ~

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Sh.it, Bexley really did find her. Of course, Bex has her connections, but none of us have any idea how she was able to do this. Something to do with her immense power, but...

"How did you find her?" I asked as we watched the girl from across the street.

Ariel Lynn Marshall. She's 24 years old and works as a manager at a bank. No college, but she graduated from high school. She's lived in the same small town of Magnet Cove, Arkansas for her entire life. She was raised by her single mother who died three years ago from breast cancer. All in all, she's pretty damn normal.

We've been watching her for a few days now, trying to get a feel of what kind of person she is. She looks nothing like Abba, I can tell you that. She has auburn-colored hair that hangs just past her shoulders, straight as a bone. Her eyes are this amazing blue-green color that I can't describe. She has a small nose, high cheekbones, freckles, and plump lips. She's also a small, little, skinny thing. Like a strong gust of wind could knock her over.

So far, personality-wise... We haven't seen much. Ariel clearly knows the people here. I mean, it's a small-as-hell town, so obviously. She's very kind to everyone, and it seems like everyone she comes into contact with... brightens. Like she spreads happiness and comfort to those she gives even the smallest bit of attention to. And people are drawn to her in the strangest way.

Like worship the ground she walks on kinda way, Lyre said.

Yeah, like that.

"Do you really want to know?" Bex said in response to my question.

We were sitting at a café at a table outside. Ariel was across the street at the local park. She was walking with some guy as they walked their dogs. I can't believe she has a dog. The cutest pitbull I've ever seen.

Hey! Lyre complained.

You're a wolf, you psycho! I replied.

But I'm the cutest, she pouted.

Yes, Lyre, the cutest, I said to appease her.

My fu.cking wolf.

"I broke into the Silver City," Bex told me, shrugging like it was no big deal. "Stole some DNA from Abba, and used my Demi-Goddess-ness to track her down. The moment I laid eyes on her, I knew she was the one."

Yeah, no kidding. Any supernatural creature could tell that she's something. They probably wouldn't know what, but you can just tell. Hell, Humans can tell that there's just something about her.

"How'd Abba feel about all of that?" I asked her.

"Oh, he's pi.ssed," she replied with a snort.

I rolled my eyes at her.

"He'll get over it," she waved me off.

"Okay, so what's the plan now exactly?" I asked. "I thought Kee would come and... say something by now."

Bexley shrugged.

"She told us to just keep an eye on her for now," she said.

"But why?" I muttered, looking at Ariel.

She and that man stopped walking and turned to face each other. It's clear that he has a crush on her, but I don't think Ariel feels the same. Which made my mind start to wander.

"Hey," I said, my eyes still on the couple. "You think that Ariel needs her mate first? Ya know, since Kee has hers? Aren't the two of them supposed to be like... a mirror of each other?"

"Yeah, they are," Bex replied, watching the couple. "He's not her mate."

"We're going to have to find him, aren't we?" I asked.

"Probably," she said and blew out a long breath. "This is taking longer than a month."

"Hey, maybe it'll just happen," I said, trying to stay positive. "Let's keep an eye on her for now like we promised Kee, and maybe they'll meet without us having to interfere."

Bexley turned her head to raise a brow at me. For a moment, I thought she was going to argue. But then she closed her mouth as a smirk spread across her face.

"Maybe you're right," she said. "The Fates did have Kee's back, right? Maybe she's already met her mate and just doesn't know it. That would explain why she shows no interest in anyone. And that girl gets hit on a lot."

True, she does. Like literally several times a day. I get it, she's literally supposed to be the Humans' new God. But I bet it gets annoying for her.

She never even considered it with anyone. Lyre commented. She turned them all down right away.

That's true, she did. This guy is the only one we've seen spend time with her. It's clear that they're just friends, but that he wants more. I wonder if she knows about his feelings.

"You really think they've met already?" I asked Bexley.

"No clue," she replied with a shrug. "But I think it would make sense."

"Okay, so where is the mate now then?" I asked.

"Who knows?" Bexley said. "But if I had to guess, I bet he was a Demon and ran away the moment he realized what they were to each other. He might not have been able to realize what she was exactly, but he could sense the goodness in her, the light. I bet it scared the sh.it out of him and he high-tailed it outta there. Or her," she added at the end. "She could be into chicks."

"That would make sense," I mumbled. "I mean, Kee's mate is an Angel. In order to keep balance, her mate would have to be something close to a Demon, but a high-ranking one, right? I mean who-" I stopped abruptly when a thought hit me. "Pops has got a lot of grandkids."

"He sure does," Bex agreed.

"Kee ended up with a Made Angel," I said.

"She did," Bex responded casually.

"Wait, but aren't they all technically... cousins?" I asked, slightly horrified.

"Well, firstly, the Devil and God are two different beings," Bexley said. "God stuff is complicated, but their Gods, I mean, they created Pops and Abba. That doesn't mean they birthed them though, right? And if that's the case... are they really even blood-related brothers? In which... would that even make them all cousins?"

"Okay, that's a theory," I replied, a little bit in shock.

"No, seriously, I mean... I really think that's what happened," Bexley said, her tone serious. "The knowledge of Pops' and Abba's parents is extremely limited. Even to the Gods themselves. Nobody knows for sure. I don't even think Pops and Abba do. I think only the Fates know the full truth about whatever those two have been cooking up for... well, all of time thus far."

"So, you think that Pops' and Abba's parents have had these plans in the making since... Since, what? They were born?" I asked. "And that only the Fates know why?"

Bexley nodded.

That's a lot to take in, Lyre said. How would we even know?

"How would we find out?" I asked Bexley, also wanting an answer to Lyre's question and hoping my bestie had one for me.

Bexley smiled as she looked at Ariel.

"We wait and see who she's mated to," she said. "Because I think you were on to something there, Nix. I think that in order to have balance that she needs a Demon mate as strong as Callum. He was the first ever Made Angel, and he was special before that in some way. The only Demons that really come up to par with Callum... Well, would be one of the Morningstars. And if that's the case, if she's mated to one of them... that would probably mean that Abba and Pops aren't blood-relatives."

"Probably?" I asked.

"Well, who knows if the Fates even care about that," Bex said with a shrug. "A mate is a mate. Nothing is above the bond. It's not like they're siblings." She has a point, but would the Fates do that? "But still," she continued. "I would think of it as a sign. I mean, if the Fates are as powerful as everyone says, then they should know about our suspicions."

"What would we even do with that information?" I asked.

"Give it to Kee and let her figure it out," Bexley replied.

"You think it'll be something big?" I asked.

"I think that it'll be something that will flip the world of Gods upside down," she replied. "But I also think it will be Kee's fight, not ours."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "We're here best, most trusted warriors."

"Yeah, but... this is something Kee and Ariel have to do and figure out together," Bexley said. "We're going to help them get started; help convince Ariel to take over in Heaven, standby while they take their thrones, and then let them figure out the rest."

"And we're just going to...?" I trailed off, wondering where the hell that leaves us.

"Well, our plan was always to keep working for the BOC, so I say we just keep on keepin' on," she replied.

"You're impossible," I muttered.

Bexley chuckled.

"So," she said. "Who do you think the mate is?"