A/N: The six ficlets in this story are all inspired by gorgeous perfume oils from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. The italics at the beginning are descriptions of the perfumes. This story will be rated high for later chapters.
Disclaimer: The idea for writing ficlets based on perfume descriptions isn't mine, but belongs to the mod of 6impearfics at Livejournal. Brice belongs to Annie Dalton, while Astrid is an OC. These scent descriptions belong to the people at BPAL. I think that's all!
Shout-out to Puredeadthingy, who got me hooked on both BPAL perfumes and the Agent Angel books. Love ya, honey! :)
Sea of Glass
Upon the Sea of Glass, glowing with the perfection of spiritual union and the radiance of true wisdom, rests the throne of God. A scent of inimitable purity, crystalline grace, and limitless light.
You breathe in, you breathe out. Then you put things behind you. That's how you meditate. You let go of thoughts that distract you; you free your mind and focus solely on breathing.
Brice knows this. He is sitting on the beach by the sea, the Heavenly City at his back and the vastness of the rest of Paradise pretty much at his feet. The birds are singing, and the sun is on its way down, bathing everything in a warm, golden light. The air smells almost exactly like lilacs.
Heaven is beautiful. Everything about it is pure and good, There is no blackmail, no double-crossing, no bribes, no pain.
I don't deserve this.
You breathe in, you breathe out.
I can't believe I died. Shit. What the hell do I do now?
You put things behind you.
Who's taking care of Dom?
You let go of thoughts that distract you.
Brice's eyes snap open. Damn. He can't concentrate on meditation, because his head is filled with worries, uncertainty and doubt.
Michael says that they have people watching over Dom. Yeah, right... Brice hasn't been in Heaven for very long, but he didn't trust these angels. Fucking goodie-goodies... Dom was a de Winter kid. That family had been causing trouble since time began and were in deep with the real bad guys. So why the hell would Heaven go through the time and effort to keep their eyes on a "bad seed" like Dominic de Winter?
They wouldn't. They'd let Dom turn into a real member of the family, and that would be the end of it. Why would they bother to do otherwise?
Brice clenches his hands where he sits.
In all of Dom's life, only one person ever truly cared, and that was his big brother Brice. Unfortunately that big brother has managed to go and get himself killed some time ago (who counts time in Heaven?), leaving the three-year old all alone in an altogether hostile world. Now there was no one.
You breathe in and out.
You put it behind you.
You occupy your mind.
The calmness of the sea and the fading sunlight cannot soothe him. He is cold and distant. He doesn't want to be comforted, doesn't deserve it, doesn't long for it at all.
In the distance, someone is approaching. Brice squints to see who it is. He doesn't recognise the woman sauntering up to him, with hips that are swaying invitingly and dark hair that is cascading down her shoulders, but he thinks she is the most beautiful woman he's ever seen until he noticed her eyes. They are black as onyx, and empty of all emotions. Dead eyes.
When she speaks her voice is soft and putting, and her words make perfect sense. Leave Heaven? Take care of Dom himself? Why not. He doesn't belong here, that's for damn sure, and his little brother needs him. It's worth the pain. It's worth anything.
Her name is Astrid. Brice takes her hand and leaves the beach, which is now basking in moonlight.
Then he lets himself Fall.
