Chapter 4: God's Don't Bleed
Dean and I slept peacefully in our drunken states in our moving caravan that the angels carried on their shoulders through the streets to wherever the hell they were taking us. Last night's party was insane. After Dean finished flirting with his angel he came back to the thrones and pulled me into the party, shoving every type of alcohol the angels had down my throat.
"Good morning, Vietnam!" Dean and I yelped in surprise as Lucifer swung down into our bed of pillows and fluffy blankets. Lucifer had to work on his wake up calls. What the hell was Vietnam anyway? Some sort of town or something in this city?
"He's back," Dean whispered disgustedly as he attempted to cover his face with a pillow. Lucifer chuckled lightly.
"Come along my lords. The ceremony is about to begin!" with that, the crazy witch doctor vanished. I groaned, running my fingers through my hair. Another ceremony? We're still hung over from the first.
"Do gods do anything, but party?" I moaned, pulling myself from the comfortable pillows and stretching. Dean reluctantly sat up, clearly still hung over yet too, but we scurried from our bed and stepped out of our carriage. We were at a large cliff and angels surrounded the area with solemn looks on their faces. Gabriel and Cas approached, throwing strange petals from a wicker basket by our feet whenever we took a step. Cas and Gabe's wings were gone and so were the wings of the other angels. They looked nervous. Hell, they were more than that. They looked frightened.
"Gabe, what's going on?" I whispered so not to be heard by Lucifer.
"It's not going to be good," was all the angel whispered before disappearing from our side and dragging Castiel with him.
"The gods deserve proper tribute," Lucifer began as he appeared in a blast of white light and smoke. The dude knew how to make an entrance. The warrior that had brought us to El Gracia, who we learned was called Raphael dumped a large sack in front of Lucifer before bowing and stepping away. Lucifer turned his slit eyes on us, smirking darkly before bright strings of light left his finger tips and ripped the sack to pieces to reveal a young woman with red hair. She looked like she hadn't seen the light of day in forever. Her fire red wings looked twisted and matted and dark bruises outlined her bony body. "Sacrifice!" Lucifer shouted for all to hear. Small cherubs hid behind their mothers as Lucifer forced the angel onto her feet and towards the edge of the cliff. Even Michael looked sick, but he did nothing to stop the horrible act.
"Dean, we have to do something," I whispered with panic as the girl grew closer to the edge. Dean looked around frantically before rushing forward and grabbing Lucifer's shoulder, pulling him from the girl. The red headed angel collapsed to the ground, shaking and crying softly.
"Stop!" Dean shouted, staring darkly at Lucifer.
"This is not the proper tribute!" I added, stepping next to my brother for support. Lucifer frowned, glaring at us with fierce eyes.
"Why not?" Lucifer sputtered, forgetting that he was in fact speaking to his gods. Dean and I were silent, trying to think of something that would work. An idea suddenly popped into my head then and I stepped into Lucifer's face, waving a hand towards the sky.
"The stars are…not in correct alignment." I could practically hear Gabriel slapping his own forehead at my stupidity. Lucifer stared at me in surprise, glancing towards the sunny sky.
"You heard him." Dean stepped in. "Stars. Not proper." I forced back the urge to smack my unhelpful brother. Luckily, Michael chose that moment to step forward.
"My lords, may I offer you my tribute instead?" the chief with white wings asked with a hopeful smile on his face. My brother and I both nodded and several female angels stepped forward with platters of gold. "Does this please you?" Michael asked. Both Dean and I drooled at the sight of so much gold and nodded. Michael continued to smile and asked pleasantly, "To Shilbalba?" Dean and I shared an excited look.
"To Shilbalba!" we shouted, raising our arms into the air. The angels threw the gold into the air and Dean and I prepared ourselves to be bathed in gold, but the gold flew over us and over the cliff. Dean's face paled at the sight, turning a sickly shade of green.
"What are they doing?!" he shouted, directing the question to Gabriel and Castiel.
"Sending the gold to the spirit world you numb sculls!" Gabe shouted, gripping his hair with his fists as he watched the gold fly over the edge. Dean's face grew an even grosser shade of green and Castiel turned his back on us.
"I will handle it," the angel shouted over his shoulder as he ran to the chief. Michael turned his full attention on the blue eyed angel and Cas leaned close to the chief's ear. "Chief, the gods have decided to bask in the gold at their temple instead." Michael's eyes widened and he quickly raised his hands for the angels to stop.
"Take it to the temple!" Michael shouted and the angels quickly gathered the gold and began to carry it away. The color returned to Dean's face and he slapped Cas on the back when the angel returned to his side.
"Nice one Cas." Cas smiled at my brother and the two began to follow the other angels towards the temple. Gabe and I followed close behind, not noticing Lucifer glaring at a smiling Michael as he helped the red haired angel to her feet and away from the cliff.
"Smile while you can," Lucifer hissed before disappearing into the shadows.
"You need a boat?" Michael questioned, staring at us with raised brows. "We thought you were going to stay for the next hundred years!" I swallowed, putting on a small smile.
"Sorry, nope," I said, shaking my head. "We've got some big business to look after." Michael nodded, turning his gaze from my brother and I. He tapped his fingers against his gilded bracelet, eyes scrunched as he went deep in thought.
"It would take a weak…" he paused, rethinking his answer. "…but we could finish in three days."
"How are we going to last three days?" I barked as we finally made it back to our temple. The place was completely covered in gold after the angels moved it all there. You couldn't even blink without bumping into something. Gold wasn't our problem at the moment though. It was keeping up our ruse. If anything gave way that we were mortal we'd be the ones throne from a cliff. I froze, eyes turning towards my daydreaming brother as he fiddled with feather pins. My brother gasped as I grabbed him tightly by the shoulders and shook him. "Lay low. Promise!" I shouted. Dean pushed away from me, holding his hands up in defeat and I let the air leave my lungs at last. I let my brother go back to staring longingly at his gold and walked over to the entrance of our temple. I stared out over the city, marveled by its beauty. I'd love to go out and explore, but we had to lay low and knowing Dean he would find trouble in a heartbeat.
"Hey, Sammy!"
"Jesus Christ, Gabriel!" I yelped, jumping into the air as Gabe fluttered to my side. Gabriel chuckled, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and staring out at the beautiful view I had been occupied with moments before.
"Pretty isn't it? I know some pretty cool places to explore if you want to go?" Gabe suggested, waggling his eye brows at me. I bit my lip, tempted to go along with the angel.
"I can't. We have to lay low and Dean –"
"I will cover for you, Sam," a deep voice stated calmly from behind. I jumped out of my skin again, turning to see Castiel leaning against a golden pillar. My brain shouted at me that this was a very bad idea, but I couldn't help myself. I was way too curious not to take the offer. With a sigh I tipped my head in Cas' direction and gave him a smile.
"Thanks, Cas." Cas nodded back, watching as Gabriel spun me around and led me out of the temple. A soft sigh left Cas' lips and Dean walked over to him, fiddling with a few golden trinkets. He looked around, frowning when he didn't spot his brother.
"Where's Sam?" Dean questioned. Cas pointed out towards the city.
"Out," the angel stated flatly. Dean's face paled and his fingers ran through his hair, sticking it up in every direction.
"Shit!" he shouted, pacing back and forth in front of Castiel and kicking at the gold by his feet. "What happened to laying low? He's bound to get into trouble. Especially when he's with…with Gabriel!" Cas stepped behind Dean and grabbed the hunter's shoulders.
"You worry too much," the angel said gently, pushing the hunter towards the thick blankets and pillows on the floor and forcing the hunter to sit. Dean let out a frustrated sigh and allowed Cas to calm him down. The angel sat across from the con artist, draping his black wings around the two of them. Dean smiled, reaching out and stroking the dark fluff. A soft purr left Castiel's lips and Dean smirked.
"Dude, you're a fucking cat," Dean chuckled, continuing to pet the wings. Cas smiled at him, enjoying Dean's laugh.
"My apologies," the angel stated, watching as Dean grabbed a handful of gold jewels from the floor around them. Dean pinned the gilded feather clips among the black feathers, making Cas' feathers look like they were made of black smoke and golden light. He moved over so he and Cas were bumping elbows and started on the next wing, smiling to himself as he cuddled closer to the angel.
"My Lord?" a high voice called from the temple entryway. Dean and Cas both jumped apart and the golden feathers clattered to the ground. Cas quickly pulled back his wings so they were tight against his back. His eyes were wide and fearful.
"The High Priest!" Cas yelped in a hushed voice. "What is he going to think if he finds one of the 'Gods' like this with me?" Dean let out a chuckle as Cas used air quotes as called Dean a god. The angel looked at Dean urgently, but the hunter only continued to smile nonchalantly as he began to run his fingers through Cas' feathers just to mess with the angel.
"That I'm a lucky God?" Dean offered, presenting Castiel an answer to his previous question. Cas glared his way, informing the Winchester that it had been a rhetorical question. Lucifer called out again and Cas quickly spun into action. "Go! Go! Go!" Cas shouted softly at Dean, pushing the man off the comfortable pillows and pushing him into view of Priest Lucifer. Flapping feathers rustled softly as Lucifer glided farther into the temple to great his lord.
"Ah, Lord Dean, is your brother around?" he questioned, folding his wings back and allowing his feet to finally touch the ground. Dean shook his head, calming his nerves from Lucifer's sudden appearance. "But…then he must be out in the city? That is no place for a God," Lucifer hummed, looking rather concerned. Dean watched him, hoping that simple act hadn't ruined their chances. Lucifer met Dean's eyes then and he straightened up, muscles tensing. "My lord, you are beyond perfect." If Dean had been drinking something he would have spat it all over the high priests face. Perfect? What? Please go on! Lucifer hummed softly, turning his back suddenly on Dean. "Perfect; unlike humans and their devious ways," Lucifer hissed. The air whipped around the room, clanking gold pieces together and ruffling Dean's hair and Castiel's feathers. The light in the room disappeared and was replaced by a hideous red fog that curled around Dean and Castiel's bodies. Castiel unconsciously stepped closer to Dean, wings spreading over the pretend God protectively. Images started to appear in the fog and Dean felt bile rise up his throat as Lucifer continued. "Like snakes, they are spineless and slippery. They are as untrustworthy as rats, stealing and cheating, with no remorse. Spinning webs of lies, like spiders!" Dean shivered as a spider crawled towards his face.
"Enough!" Dean shouted, voice echoing around the temple. "It's disgusting."
"Beyond disgusting!" Lucifer agreed, picking up a gold feather from the ground that had once been on Castiel's wing. He twirled it between his fingers as he studied the golden flecks. Dean hummed back in agreement, wishing Lucifer would just leave already. A smile crawled across Lucifer's face. "Good. We are in agreement," he hummed, lifting the feather closer to his eyes. "I shall make preparations. Do you wish for your victims to be tied to a blazing alter or would prefer a bit of cat and mouse? Also, will they be devoured whole or piece by every bity piece?" Dean stared at the red winged angel, dumfounded. He looked in Castiel's direction, hoping to get some type of guidance, but Castiel looked just as astonished as him.
"Luci, ya lost me," Dean stated. Lucifer was about to roll his eyes, but caught himself before he did anything disrespectful to his lord.
"Lord Winchester, you must understand. These people will never respect you if they do not fear you. It is said so in the prophesy," Lucifer explained. Dean chewed on his lip. He didn't like where this was going.
"Right and this prophesy is…"
"The year of the Leviathan! Written in –"
"In ink?"
"Blood!" Lucifer cheered, completely giddy as he spoke of it.
"Right. Right! How could I forget? I shall go and discuss the…blood ink with Lord Samantha right away!" Dean announced pushing past Lucifer and grabbing Castiel's hand. "Come on, Angel, let's get out of here." Castiel quickened his pace, following Dean down the stairs of the temple. A relieved sigh left Lucifer's lips and he followed slowly behind, still twirling the golden feather in his hand.
"Finally! We are connecting!" His thumb smoothed over the golden feather in his hand, paying special attention to the black tuff of down that had gotten left there by its last owner. Lucifer's gaze burned into Castiel and his black wings. Humans weren't the only spiders, snakes, and rats in the world.