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"You are archaeologists, historians. You know that most legends, most myths, originate from a place of truth. So, I ask you, just for a moment, to set aside the part of you that calls for logic and order and scientific reason, and imagine what could be possible."
My brows lifted, but I didn't interrupt.
"Imagine a world where Heaven exists. Perhaps it is not quite as you were taught as children, but is a real plane of existence, where immortal beings are tasked with safeguarding human souls. And likewise, Hell lies on another parallel plane, and is home to another strict hierarchy of supernatural beings."
"Demons," I muttered to myself.
Luca nodded. "But angels and demons do not exist as is often taught in modern religion, to reward or punish the souls of humans who do good or bad deeds in their lifetimes, and enjoy or suffer the consequences of these actions for all eternity. No—Heaven and Hell are two sides to the same coin, the coin of human nature. They exist in balance, for without death, there can be no life; without hate, there can be no love; without destruction, there can be no creation. And so, too, without demons, there can be no angels."
Theo opened his mouth as if to speak, but closed it quickly when I squeezed his hand in warning.
Luca didn't seem to notice. "Angels and demons work in different spheres," he explained. "They influence human souls in different, complementary ways that do not intersect. They should never have an opportunity to cross paths. But the story I wish to tell you is one where something went wrong. A story about a demon, young and naïve, brought to the mortal plane against his will. And there, through a twist of fate, he met and fell in love with an angel."
The room was silent as he paused for a breath.
"Obviously, they were doomed from the start, for there is no room in the halls of Heaven for a denizen of Hell, and no place in Hell for the purity of an angel. But it was as if something…unexplainable…called the two beings together. Something larger than themselves, something they could not deny."
Julian gave a quiet snort from where he leaned by the window, but Luca either didn't hear him or chose to ignore it.
"The two were foolish, as we all are when we fall in love. They continued to meet, knowing full well that it went against the very laws of nature, knowing that the consequences should they be caught would be dire. They were aided, along the way, by a priest who had come to hear of their plight, and who took pity on the couple, and gave them sanctuary to hide in his church during their trysts. This continued for some time, meeting in secret, stealing moments together when they might not be missed. And yet, they both knew it could not last."
Theo scoffed quietly under his breath. I knew my logical friend would be having a hard time swallowing such an implausible tale, but the romantic in me didn't fully care if it was real or not. It was a tale of forbidden love; I was invested.
"What happened?" I whispered.
“The priest knew the risk. Knew that his life—maybe even his soul—would be at stake, were they caught.”
“Uh huh.” Theo still sounded skeptical. “So why would he even get involved?”
"Perhaps the priest found himself caught up in a love story, just as you are now," Luca said with a gentle smile. “And perhaps that is why, even after they were found out, he continued to help them.”
My breath caught. “Then what?”
Luca sighed. “They were forbidden from seeing each other ever again. The angel was given a warning—to stay away from her demon lover. But for the demon, the punishment was made clear: if he was ever caught on the mortal plane, his immortal life would be forfeit. He would be destroyed."
"That seems harsh," Theo muttered, and I hid a smile. Even he was getting caught up in the tale.
"But surely that's not the end of the story," I said, my heart hurting for the fictional couple.
A wry smile twisted Luca's face. "What is the phrase? 'Love will find a way?' No; this is not where the story ends. For you see, supernatural beings have supernatural powers, and one of the powers that demons in our story have is the ability to possess humans. Or, more accurately, to share their bodies."
A shiver ran down my spine. I suddenly wasn't sure I liked where this story was going.
"Demons are linked to their superiors through a bond that makes them easy to track and control. But hidden inside a human body, a demon becomes invisible. He cannot be hunted down or tracked."
"So the demon stole a human body," I surmised, the warmth I'd been feeling for the couple turning cooler.
"No, not stole," Luca corrected. "Was invited into. The priest made a choice. He offered the demon the sanctuary of his body. And so, in the greatest of secrecy, the couple continued to meet. The forces of Hell hunted them for years, led by a terrifying archdemon by the name of Olryg. But through the kindness of the priest, they evaded detection and their affair continued, undisturbed, for many, many years."
My mind was brimming with questions, not the least of which was how exactly a romantic tryst between an angel and a demon worked when one of them was inside a human body, but I resisted the urge to interrupt. Something dark and ominous hung over the tale, though; a part of me already knew this story didn't have a happy ending.
"So what happened?" I prompted when Luca didn't immediately continue.
He heaved a great sigh and lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "The demon, he was content. It wasn't ideal, but he and the priest had an understanding, and he was able to see his angel. But the angel…she wanted more. She believed there must be a way for them to be together as themselves, with no restrictions. She began to search, looking through arcane lore, asking dangerous questions of dangerous people, and unbeknownst to the demon, she found a way."
Luca's green gaze was fixed on the middle distance, as if he were seeing things that weren't really there, and I found I was leaning toward him. My legs had gone numb beneath me, but I scarcely noticed. For a moment, the cabin was silent except for the crackling of the fire in the hearth. Theo was leaning forward, too, elbows propped on knees as he stared at Luca. By the window, Julian was as still as if he were carved of stone.
"How?" I breathed.
