A Big Mess [Past]

Alric woke up to the sweet smell of perfume and love. Next to him lay his escort for the night, a human with short blond hair and a large tiger tattoo on her back. She had gorgeous thick lips and long lashes. He gently traced the curves of her body with her finger.

"Mhm..." She was so deeply asleep that she barely noticed his touch. Alric lay there watching her breathe for a while before eventually getting up. Even though he kept forgetting her name, she was his favorite, and he often specifically requested her whenever he was on The Surface.

Going into the bathroom, Alric slipped the dreaded bracelet off his wrist. His wings reappeared, taking up half of the space. Cursing, he folded them back in tightly to ease maneuvering around. This hotel bathroom didn't seem too Winged-friendly. He crammed himself into the shower to wash the night off with hot water. Moments like these were perfect for reflecting on things.

Her face crossed his mind. Those alluring ruby eyes. Alric punched the wall in an effort to block Fiera out. Even after spending an excellent night with another woman, she still was there, like smoldering embers in his heart.

"Is everything ok?" Alric heard the muffled voice of his escort.

"Yes, I just hit my head," he lied in an exaggerated friendly tone.

"Ouch, be careful!"

"Too late!" He gave a fake chuckle to appease her.

Not being in a hurry, he leisurely finished his morning routine. As he was combing his hair, the girl knocked at the door.

"Mr. Alric?"

"Hm, what is it?" He stared at his reflection. Many features of his face came from his mother; the curves, the nose, even the eyes. Was this the reason why he was not gifted? Was he too much of a human and not an angel?

"Your assistant is on your phone and wishes to speak with you."

"Huh."

Alric considered his morning to be running smoothly. He was, therefore, absolutely not in the mood to talk to Samael. He sighed loudly, then wrapped a bath towel around his hips. His escort stood there, stark naked, holding his phone in her hand when he opened the door. Unlike her colleagues, she was the only one who had access rights to answer phone calls.

Alric gingerly picked the phone out of her hand and nodded in appreciation.

"What's the matter."

There was a moment of silence. Alric already thought Samael had hung up, but then he heard a loud sigh.

"Congratulations, Sir," Samael said in a very sarcastic tone. "We have lost the pitch that would have been a guaranteed success."

"Oh," was all that Alric was able to say. It took him a moment for it to sink in. Then, he added, "shit."

"That's all?!"

"Well, what's done is done."

"How about a little bit more reflection, Sir?!" Alric had to pull the phone away from his ear. Whenever Samael got angry, he had an incredibly shrill voice.

"I don't see how this is my fault, Samael. That bitch was not very professional either."

"That 'bitch', if I may interject, gathered some bonus points for speaking Chinese. Fluently. And the Clans highly value things like that."

"How am I supposed to know that?"

"You are the CEO, Sir. You should read up on your potential clients."

"And what about you then? You're my prompter, you know."

Silence. "Maybe I don't want to carry that title anymore, Sir."

"Come one, what do you mean? Are you sulking this badly?"

"I mean it, SIr."

"You sit tight right there, young angel. We'll discuss this in person."

Again pause. Did Alric just hear him whispering to someone, or was it merely his imagination?

"Alright. I still have some meetings to attend in your stead, Sir. Perhaps after business hours?"

"Fits my schedule perfectly. Then in a bit." Alric hung up with a sour face.

"I guess I should be going now," Alric's escort shyly said. Her hair was still dripping wet. He didn't hold it against her. After all, it must have been uncomfortable to hear him arguing.

"At least blow-dry your hair. I don't want you catching a cold."

Her lips curved into a little smile. "It's grand, really. My sister is coming to pick me up anyway."

"Alright. See you next time." He opened the door to set her free. She nodded goodbye and hurried down the corridor to the elevator. Once she was out of sight, he shut the door and sighed loudly. The day hadn't properly begun, yet his mood was already ruined.

Alric didn't care whether Samael was right or wrong. He was more enraged at how rude he had come across. The truth was that he had no schedule for today, but he feared he might say some very nasty words to his assistant if he had insisted on meeting up now.

After calming down a bit and enjoying room service breakfast, Alric got dressed. Since he had no plans, he opted for a loose shirt and a pair of black jeans. Right before leaving his hotel room, he slipped on his wristlet. He flirted with the girl responsible for checking him out at the reception as if he had no care in the world. She had red fox ears and a bushy tail that waggled furiously every time she blushed. Alric thought she was cute but missed the class mature women carried with them. He liked his escort so much because she could both be glamorous in the flurry of camera flashes, as well as sweet and pure whenever they were alone. He would be lying to himself if he said he hadn't considered her to make her his partner. But alas, he understood well she was merely conducting business. Any pleasantry she whispered, any favor she gave him was only to keep him happily paying for her services. An illusion that lasted for a night.

Sighing quietly, Alric called for a limousine.

"Where to, Sir?" It was an elderly male Fae. Even though he was wearing a bracelet to hide his wings, Alric could easily recognize them by their big eyes and very long pointed ears.

"Please head to this address," he replied, entering the information on a touchscreen integrated into the driver's seat. He felt like heading out to see his father, granted he was there. Wasn't he the one who got him into this whole mess in the first place? Surely, he would be able to offer a few words of guidance?

"As you wish, Sir." The driver set the limousine in motion. It glided silently through the upscale part of the megalopolis on its way out to the countryside. Alric stared out the window, watching the world pass him by. His mind drifted slowly away, hypnotized by the rhythmic hum of the electric car.

"Stop. Right now." Something in the distance had attracted Alric's attention. The driver shuddered at the sudden sharp tone but complied with his request, stopping the car by the sidewalk.

"Is something amiss, Sir?"

Alric did not immediately reply. He squinted, then said, "I'll be back. Please wait for me."

"Sir, this is not the best part of town." Indeed, by now, they had left the glamorous quarter behind. Once glamorous shops and hotels had been repurposed for housing people on the lower-income scale. Figures of all races stood huddled in groups, whispering.

"Lock the doors then, or drive around the block. I won't be long, I promise."

"Very well, Sir, if you insist."

The angel got out and hurried down a less frequented side road. In the distance, he had seen her. That damn succubus. What was she doing out here in the shadier parts of the town? Was she perhaps involved in something dubious?

He noticed way too late that he was being followed. By the time he thought he had caught up to her, Alric was entirely surrounded by a mob. To his surprise, they all carried the same tattoo as Fiera.

"Looks like a kitty got lost here," a wolf said, cracking his knuckles. The others laughed.

"I assure you, I am anything but a 'lost kitty'." Alric remained calm.

"Oh yeah? What business do you have here then?" The circle around him grew smaller.

"Nothing you need to be made aware of."

"Pretty much becomes my business if you walk on my turf." The wolf nodded, and the next moment the group pounced on Alric, all at once.

Alric deactivated his wristlet and used his supernatural strength to strike back. His wings fluttered, causing a distraction for some who just ran into a soft cloud of feathers. The leader of the pack snarled and joined in on the fight, using a butterfly knife. To Alric, this was almost child's play. If there was an advantage to being Gabriel's son, then it was being both strong and agile. Unlike other races, he didn't even have to train properly to gain the upper hand in street brawls. His eyes glowed up, and a devilish grin was plastered across the angel's face. This was the perfect moment to vent, and he didn't care. He enjoyed decorating the ground with the bodies of those he had knocked unconscious. Soon, it was only him, the wolf, and another guy left.

"What's going on here?"

Fiera's voice caught the attention of everybody. The two quickly went into a demure position, leaving Alric completely exposed to her. She stood there, wearing a simple oversized long-sleeved shirt, a pair of worn-out jeans, and sneakers. Judging from the paint smears on her face and pants, she was doing some renovation. Next to her stood Zan, who snarled at Alric.

"Cut it out, Zan," she hissed. She then looked at her group and shook her head. "I turn my back only once, and you guys cause trouble."

For some reason, Alric felt as if she was reprimanding him as well. Feeling somewhat guilty, he looked away.

"And you, Mr. Angel, reactivate your fucking bracelet ere you get banned from coming to the Surface." This time she was actually scolding him.

"Fine, fine." He begrudgingly did so, obscuring not his wings but also restricting access to his supernatural strength and speed.

Fiera did not seem satisfied enough. She walked up to him and grabbed him by the arm. "I don't know what made you come here, but you better get back to your car," she quietly said. "In these parts, Winged Ones are not highly regarded."

"Well, aren't you a Winged One yourself?" He retorted childishly.

"For fuck's sake, did you fall on your head or what? We are the only winged race that was banned from The Heaven. Or don't they teach that in your little angel schools anymore?!"

"No need to get all bitchy on me."

Slap.

Fiera hit him so hard that he stumbled to the side. Everybody gasped.

"Stop being a little brat. You're an embarrassment for the entire industry. Instead of grabbing the opportunity of becoming a veritable rival to my company, you just keep on riding on your father's coattails. No wonder you change assistants like underwear. I'm surprised your current one lasted this long without jumping on your neck." She then shoved him back in the direction where he came from. "I really had hopes for you," she quietly said once they were out of earshot. "That you could make my life more interesting. Seems like a miscalculation on my part." With a sad look on her face, she left Alric on the main road and walked back.