Ch.4

"Father sending his less valuable soldiers down to check up on me now?" I barked a laugh and continued towards my room.

Castiel moved to stand directly in my path and I stopped. My wings, sensing he was no real threat, retreated back into my vessel and I cursed myself for not having better control over them. I really hated throwing out clothes.

"He sent me to protect her." He said, as stoic as most angels.

"Excuse me?" I said, arching an eyebrow and hoping I had heard incorrectly.

"I was sent to be her guardian. Her guardian an-"

"Guardian angel, yes I know what the fuck it is Castiel. I was there. At the beginning. Before you." I said, brushing my hair back. It was getting so long. I'll ask Sofia to cut it for me tomorrow.

"Okay… well. That is why I am here." His vessel looked… strange. It was a woman, with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"And what are you supposedly guarding her from? Puppies?" I rolled my eyes and began to walk towards the brothel. I was exhausted and the last thing I wanted to do was deal with Castiel of all angels.

What an insult.

"From you, of course. You are a threat to her. You know it as well as I." He said. I rolled my eyes so hard I could feel them strain against the muscles holding them in place.

"I am no threat to Sofia." I said, ignoring the pitter patter of Castiel's vessel's dainty feet.

"You are evil incarnate and I-"

I swiveled around, my anger spiking.

"Evil incarnate, am I? Really, Castiel? Are you that fucking blind? He disowned me. His prized creation. His perfect son! Cast out of heaven! Cast out of my home." I felt my voice crack at the last word but ignored Castiel's slight change in expression. He decided to ignore it as well.

"Your pride-"

"YES! Yes I know. I know. My pride is my biggest downfall, but is it really? I wanted to worship my Father, and he wanted to worship the apes! He! The creator of all, worshiping these lowly beings. What he did to me, Castiel, that is evil. I am the product of my environment."

"Regardless of how you feel, Lucifer, I was sent to protect her. And protect her I will." Castiel said. I sighed. I really didn't want to have to kill him, it just seemed like so much effort. And his vessel was beautiful, it would truly be a waste.

"I don't want to kill you, Castiel. Please make your way back up to heaven and leave Sofia and I alone."

"Have you lain with her?"

My heart started pounding. I knew why he was asking.

Nephilim were… frowned upon to say the least. Sure, it still happened. A rogue angel here and there, it was bound to happen with the thousands of angels roaming around. But I… I had never. To create such a creature… would be dangerous to say the least.

The last known nephilim had angered Father so much, he flooded the earth he so loved.

"I have not, and even if I have…" I paused. Castiel raised an eyebrow.

"You know the consequences that could pose for your precious Sofia."

"Even I wouldn't produce nephilim, Castiel. Even I."

The air between us was heavy with tension, the weight of my words hanging between us.

I wouldn't be so low as to impregnate Sofia… There were angels, soldiers, that "took care" of situations like that and I would never put Sofia in harm's way. I would die first.

"I wouldn't put anything past you, Lucifer. You betrayed your creator. You're capable of anything, which is why they sent me to protect her." Castiel's vessel's hair was blowing in the wind, and if I were an ape man, I would fall for the beauty of her. She looked like the type of young woman that would be friends with Sofia. Beauty attracts beauty.

That was His plan.

"Get in my way, Castiel, and I will kill you."

I walked inside the brothel and took a deep breath, hoping to calm down my nerves. Why was I nervous? Castiel was no match for me, I could snap my fingers and he'd be gone. But why didn't I do just that? Has Sofia had that much influence on me already?

I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from it. Mustn't think of it.

I slowly went up the stairs towards my room, unable to clear my head of the beautiful image that is Sofia. Her eyes were my favorite part of her. They reminded me of the most exquisite forests in the world. They were so unbelievably green, showing just enough emotion to rock your world, but holding back certain truths. It was a perfect balance between truth and mystery, of pain and beauty.

They reflected both heaven and hell.

I stopped at my door, wishing for Sofia to be on the other side of it but knowing she wouldn't be.

Why did I crave her, so?

With a heavy heart, I pushed open my door and groaned.

Scattered around my room were half empty liquor bottles, and used condoms. My bed was a mess, and the stench of sex lingered.

For a second, I thought of Sofia's reaction if she were to see my room. She would probably run away screaming, like a chicken with its head cut off.

I cleared my mind and began to clean. I tried not to feel pure disgust at what I've done before Sofia, but it was shining through. I could not loath myself more.

I worked slowly, methodically. Focusing on the task at hand helped cleared my mind a little, but I could not help but replay in my head what had just happened.

My brothers and sisters really thought so low of me, that they thought I'd produce a fucking nephilim.

I felt the anger bubble inside of me and I stopped mid-motion, forcing myself to take several deep breaths. I focused on Sophia, and her beautiful face. How her smile could light up an entire room. How her laugh made everything better.

My beautiful Sophia.

My heart constricted at the sudden thought of Castiel befriending her, at the thought that he might expose who I am and what I've done.

My heart raced and I felt… panic. Panic at losing the only good thing I've ever cared about. Panic about feeling this way about an ape.

I had to see her.

I put down the bag I had used to collect the garbage, and set out to go see her. I didn't care if it was the middle of the night, I had to tell her. I had to tell her what she meant to me. She was an ape. A fragile ape. She could just die in her sleep, how am I supposed to live the rest of my existence knowing that I had the opportunity to tell her how I felt and didn't?

I wanted to marry her.

I stopped halfway down the steps, my forward momentum almost catapulting me down the stairs.

I wanted to marry Sophia.

Fuck.