The Real Story of Heaven and Hell

“Brian!” The name came out of my mouth like a growl, an animalistic noise that made me wonder just how much I was like Leviathan and Lucifer. I was all the way outside of the hospital, following the one demon I was willing to kill without being in serious danger. He didn’t even turn around when I called him.
“Damn you, you beg to come along just to break her fucking heart!” I snarled, shoving him. I’d just gotten my sister back and I wasn’t gonna let him hurt her. He stumbled for a moment and kept walking.
“I’m not done here jackass. Whatever you did to her is unforgivable.” He spun around and I was grateful for just a reaction.
“Unforgivable? You want to talk about doing something unforgivable? What did you have to promise Lucifer to get Jimmy out? Sera’s soul? You’re no better than Lucifer and you know it. Who knows if one day you won’t snap and massacre everyone?”
That couldn’t have hurt me worse if he’d stabbed me with a cross. Before I could even begin to think of a response, a dark form stepped between us.
“Don’t you dare even think of saying that to her.” Jimmy’s voice was silky smooth, with a barely veiled threat hidden just under it. For a moment, I forgot who the demon was and who the angel was.
“Or what?” Brian must have lost all of his sense. Jimmy punched him in the face with an audible crack. I guessed that Brian’s pretty face was messed up.
“If you ever talk to her like that again, I’ll break every bone in your body and let the lamia feed on you.” Jimmy wrapped his arms around me and cuddled me to his chest. I felt something soft wrap around me, almost like a blanket. I lifted my head up to see that a pair of inky black wings were wrapped around me, sheltering me.
They were Jimmy’s wings. They were beautiful, so beautiful I almost cried.
Well, I was already crying so it didn’t really change anything. We stayed outside until I stopped crying and went back inside to sit with Sera. I’d deserted her yet again when she needed me the most.
“Ser?” I whispered, sitting down on her bed.
“What happened?” She saw the tear stains on my face. I shook my head and motioned for her to scoot over so I could lie down next to her on the bed. I fell asleep next to my twin again, just as we should every night.
--
Brian was nowhere to be found when we finally got back to the house later that day. I was fine with that fact. I didn’t want him anywhere near my sister, who hadn’t spoken to anyone except me in the three days we’ve been home.
I had kicked Jimmy out of the room regretfully, choosing to spend the time comforting Sera.
I opened my eyes to find a pair of blue ones staring down at me.
“Planning on getting up any time soon Hell Girl?” Jimmy was hovering over me on all fours, a fact I would have rather enjoyed if I didn’t feel like complete and utter shit.
“I’m kinda comfy here.” I murmured, trying to focus my eyes. What the hell is wrong with me?
“Jesus, you’re burning up.” He rested a cool hand against my forehead. I reached up to hold his hand and in doing so, my right sleeve fell down, revealing the horrific bite on my arm.
“Oh my God.” Jimmy yanked my sleeve all the way up to survey the extent of the damage. In the week and half that I’d kept it hidden, the bite had swollen up and started to ooze black crap. My veins were sticking out and turning bright purple, something I didn’t need medical training to know was a VERY BAD THING. “Matt!” I’d never heard Jimmy sound so panicked. Pounding footsteps got louder until every single fucking person in the house was in the room.
“What happened?” Cory asked, assessing the wound.
“Lamia.” I croaked out.
“How do we fix this?” Jimmy lifted my head into his lap, stroking my hair gently. His eyes were starting to fill with tears.
“Don’t cry Jimmy. Please don’t cry.” I pleaded. “Where’s Sera?”
“I’m right here honey.” My sister’s face appeared over me. “Why didn’t you tell anyone?”
“Finding you was more important than a bite.” I closed my eyes. “I need to rest. I’ll feel better later.” Everybody but Jimmy left, even Sera.
Ever since I got together with Jimmy and she came back, there’s been a…distance between us. I even sat them both down and told them that no matter how I felt about Jimmy, Sera would always be my sister and nothing would change that.
I guess it didn’t work very well.
--
I lost count of the days, of the hours. I shake from the cold even when I was wrapped in a pile of blankets and Jimmy was holding me. Then I’d sweat from the 109.2 fever I’d been running for the past however long I’ve been like this.
“Jim?” I croaked, cracking open one eyelid. I know for a fact I look like utter shit. I haven’t been able to get up and take care of myself, let alone eat anything. I’ve been throwing up everything that hits my stomach.
Sera tried to heal me, but it didn’t work for some reason. Maybe that’s another reason she’s been staying away from me.
“I’m here baby.” He’s been so good to me, taking care of me and keeping me warm.
“Can we…can we go outside?” I needed fresh air, to get out of this stale room.
“Okay.” He lifted me into his arms carefully and carried me out. “I’m gonna take her out for some air.”
“If you’re not back in fifteen minutes I’m coming after you.” Johnny assured him. After sticking a sword into his belt and a couple daggers, he carried me out into the snowy darkness.
“Let me try to walk.” He didn’t look happy about it, but he set me down on my feet. I wobbled at first and had to lean on him to walk, but I was standing.
“Lili, we should go back inside. You’re not strong enough to go much farther.”
“And why is that?” I almost fell over from the shock of hearing that voice. Leaning against a pine tree was Lucifer, looking like he chilled in the forest all the time. Jimmy drew his sword and stepped in front of me.
“Peace angel. I didn’t come here to fight.” If it was anyone else, I would have expected him to roll his eyes. “Child, what happened?”
“Your fucking lamia bit her.” Jimmy snarled, backing up to keep us apart. I swear Lucifer’s face got pale.
“Let me see the bite.” He demanded, blurring as he moved to stand in front of me. I rolled up my sleeve and showed him the wound. He drew in a breath that sounded like a hiss. Without warning, Lucifer sliced his palm open with one long fingernail and dripped the blood into the puncture holes.
That burned more than the wound had ever and I had to bite down on my lip to keep from crying out.
In a few moments, the bite had healed up and the nasty purple veins had slid back into my skin. In the place of the puncture however, was a star with a sword through it. It was black, but it seemed to glow a little, like the glow in the dark stars Sera and I put on our bedroom ceilings when we were little.
“Be well my child.” For a moment he seemed almost paternal as he kissed my forehead. “Your friend Brian sends his regards.”
“He’s no friend of mine. Tell him the one he loves is dying and he needs to get his ass back here.” I snarled.
“I’ll pass on the message.” Lucifer vanished in a cloud of black smoke.
“Let’s get home before Johnny sets a search party on our asses.” Jimmy picked me up and ran all the way back to the house.
Maybe now I can show him just how much I love him.