Lucian Divine(48)

I flew poorly to the bay and dove in. Fuck, it was cold. I tried to hold my breath. I counted to three hundred then almost passed out, so I shot out of the water. I had a hard time getting lift with sopping wet, sparse wings and boots on. I found an empty public bathroom and dried my clothes under the hand dryer. Everything in me had weakened.

Next stop, the bridge. I went to the Golden Gate and stood on the railing for a long time, looking for angels. I couldn’t see any. I started teetering like I was going to fall. I was visible to humans.

I heard someone gasp and a woman scream, “He’s going to jump!”

Then there was a voice behind me. “You don’t want to do that, man.”

I turned around and saw the faint outline of wings.

“You’re an angel,” I said to the man, but why didn’t he know I was? It just validated my point even further. He couldn’t see my wings. I jumped down and stood face to face with him.

“I’m not an angel, but if I’ve convinced you not to jump, then I’m very happy to know that.” He was lying. Those lies we tell.

I leaned in and whispered, “I can see your wings, man.” I extended mine to their full glory.

“Oh, I didn’t see yours before. Let’s get out of here before we make a scene,” he said. “Nothin’ to see here, people.” He tugged on my shoulder, pulling me down the walkway. “Once we get to the end, cloak yourself and meet me on Pier 39.”

“I hate that place. Too crowded.”

“My souls are down there. I’ve got to get back. Just saw your little stunt and flew over here.”

I followed him to Pier 39, although it was hard to keep up with him. We stayed cloaked and found an empty bench to occupy.

“So what’s your name?” I said.

“Leo.” He looked like a newer version but not as new as Zack.

“I’m Lucian.” I shook his hand.

“Oh, Lucian. I heard about you.”

“What’d you hear?”

“You the one who married one of your souls.”

“Word spreads fast,” I said.

“Yeah, I was banging this chick, Abigail—”

“Yeah, I know her.” Fucking Abigail, such a big-mouthed brat.

“Sweet little ass, huh?” Leo said. I just shrugged like I had no idea what he was talking about. “So what were you doing on the bridge?”

I was texting Evey and mindlessly responding to Leo at the same time. “Just trying something out.”



Me: You ok?

Evey: Yes fine, have fun.



“Trying something out?” Leo said.

“Well, I have this theory. Since I’ve been with my soul, my angel gifts, so to speak, have been failing or fading. I don’t know, just changing.”

“So what’s your theory?”

“That I’m becoming a human.” I looked at him and arched my eyebrows.

He shook his head. “Nah, no way. It can’t happen.”

“Really, you don’t think it’s possible?”

“No.”

“Evey, my wife, is pregnant.”

“With what?”

“See, that’s my point,” I said. “It’s not a litter of fucking puppies, man. She’s pregnant with my baby.”

“I don’t know.”

“It’s true.”

He looked off into a restaurant, seeming to think about what I had said. “Hey, let me get these two home. Then you wanna grab a drink, and we’ll talk some more?”

I looked into the restaurant and saw a couple enjoying a meal. “Are those your souls right there?”

“Yeah.”

“Looks like they’re enjoying themselves.”

“Give me a second.” He opened his hand and revealed a giant roach.

“No, you can’t do that.”

He shook his head. “Yeah, I can. These two never stay home. I’m constantly following their asses around the city. I could use a beer.”

He left me on the bench, then a moment later he was following two very angry people out of the restaurant. Leo was laughing and waving for me to follow. I would never have done that to one of my souls.





WE ENDED UP at the Star Wars bar, and Han, the bartender working when Evey first met me, was manning the bar once again.

“You,” he said when we sat down. “I thought you’d be dead.” He addressed Leo, “Your friend can drink.”

“Whiskeys and IPAs,” Leo said.

Han poured us two fingers of Whistle Pig and some local IPAs in pints. Leo dumped part of his IPA beer into his whiskey, so I did the same. I’d told Evey that I wouldn’t drink like that, but we were fighting, and I needed something. I downed the first cup then the second, and I was toast. My body wasn’t recovering very fast.

Leo was looking at me strangely. “Why are you so fucked up, man?”

“I don’t know. This is what’s happening to me.” I shook my head. “I can only have one more, then I gotta get home.”

“Home?” he repeated. It wasn’t exactly angel-speak.

“Yeah, I gotta get home to Evey. She’s pregnant, and she’s gonna get mad at me for getting trashed.”