With her head resting on Angel's T-shirt-clad chest, Charlotte—eyes closed—listened intently to his steady heartbeat as he slept. His warm body felt pleasantly cool against hers, as her own temperature was higher, creating a perfect contrast that made her want to melt into him.
It must have felt just as good to him, too, because the sheets they had slipped under when they went to bed ended up on the floor—discarded as their bodies naturally sought each other's warmth throughout the night.
She traced a finger along his arm, enjoying the feel of the firm muscles beneath his skin while curiously examining the various scars he had gained over the years. She hoped he would someday share the intimate stories behind how he got them. Each mark was a part of his history she longed to know.
Yawning quietly, she played with the hem of his T-shirt, her fingers occasionally brushing against the warm skin of his stomach as she reflected on her dreams. She couldn't remember them beyond hazy shadows, even with the crystals nestled under her pillow, but what little she did recall had been wonderful. Cassie's wish for her to "dream wonders" had been fulfilled, and she felt incredibly at ease and well rested.
As Charlotte continued to caress Angel's body, lost in her thoughts, she felt him stir beneath her touch.
Angel breathed lightly, keeping himself still as he felt her fingers trace along his arm and stomach. He'd been awake for a few minutes, enjoying her light, playful touches, letting her explore him at her heart's content. He could tell she was checking out his scars, and promised himself that one day he would share all the stories of his past and how he earned each one.
Content with her touches, he slowly opened his eyes and looked at the pool of messy blonde tangles covering his neck and chest.
"Good morning," he whispered softly.
The waves of hair shifted, and piercing black eyes peered up through the strands. "Hey." Charlotte's gentle voice floated over his chest. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay. I don't mind." He shifted slightly, his one arm pinched under her body.
She lifted her head, turning herself to snuggle up to him, her face just inches from his. He felt her soft, warm breath against his cheek and turned his face to her. Silently, they both moved the last few inches and shared a soft kiss. Angel was surprised when she broke away first.
"I must behave." She spoke with a mix of humor and regret.
Angel ran his fingers through her tresses, noting how soft and full each strand felt. He was still amazed at how it all turned black and fierce when she transformed, along with the other terrifying features of her demonic form. He mused for a moment on how strange it was that it didn't bother him in the slightest to be lying nearly naked in bed with a demon from Hell.
That thought brought fresh regret to the surface again, and if he could go back in time, he would handle the situation from the other night more maturely. He had agreed to share a bed with her both as an apology and because he wanted her just as much as she wanted him. But worry still lingered in the back of his mind, wondering if becoming lovers would even be possible.
It was a concern he wasn't going to share with her again. Instead, he simply replied, "For now."
She beamed at him, her eyes twinkling, "When—"
A firm knock at the door interrupted her.
"Are you two awake?" Cassie's voice flowed through the door, carrying a tone of concern.
Angel called out, "Yes. What is it, sis?"
"We need to talk. Kitchen. Now."
They heard her shuffle away without waiting for a response.
Charlotte looked nervous. "She sounds scared."
"Yeah," he agreed, adding, "and she doesn't frighten easily." He gently motioned for her to move, which she did, then he got up from the bed and reached for his jeans. "I'll go change in the bathroom. Give you some privacy."
"Okay." She nodded, slipping off the other side of the bed.
They had slept in decent nightclothes to avoid teasing each other with their nudity, so changing would be a private affair for the time being.
After Angel left the room, she lifted her nightgown over her head, placed it on the bed, and opened the dresser. After selecting a comfortable sports bra and her favorite black t-shirt, she decided to try out one of the skirts Cassie had left for her. Since it had been humid and hot over the last few days, the lighter clothing would be more comfortable. She would clean up later.
Once dressed, she slipped on her cotton shoes and stepped into the hallway just as Angel reappeared from the bathroom.
He stepped aside so she could take her turn. "I'll be in the kitchen."
"I won't be long." She promised, closing the door behind her.
Angel headed down the hall, apprehension fueling every step. When he reached the living room, he paused to observe Cassie keeping herself busy brewing coffee and setting the table. She set a bottle of water down where Charlotte had sat the previous morning, then put a bowl of fruit in the center of the table, spilling a couple of oranges, which she grabbed and slapped back into the bowl.
Coughing softly to catch her attention, Angel stepped into the kitchen. "Okay, sis. What's going on?"
With one hand on an orange, rolling it around absentmindedly, Cassie looked past him down the hall. "Where's Charlotte?"
"In the bathroom, getting dressed."
Cassie turned to grab the pot off the stove with a quick nod. "Do you want some coffee?"
He sighed. It wasn't like his sister to be aloof. "Sis, something's bothering you; just tell me."
After pouring herself a cup, Cassie set it aside, grabbed a second one, and filled it as well. Picking it up, she turned to face him, lamenting, "I debated whether to talk to you alone. But this is too serious. Charlotte needs to know."
With a grim look, he sat down and accepted the coffee that was handed to him. She then set a carton of cream and a jar of sugar on the table, and he went to work fixing his cup. As he stirred the drink with a spoon, he prodded her, "Can you at least give me an idea?"
She sat down beside him and reached for the cream, shaking her head, "Patience, please."
Angel clicked his tongue in frustration, sighed, and sipped his coffee quietly.
A few moments later, Charlotte stepped into the kitchen but stopped short of sitting down. Trying to look at ease and failing, she tentatively spoke. "Morning."
"Good morning, sweetie," Cassie greeted her with a plastered smile. With a wave of her hand, she indicated that Charlotte should take a seat. As she did, Angel handed her the water bottle.
"Thanks." Accepting the bottle, she uncapped it and took a sip. Licking her lips, she stared pointedly. "I heard you, Cassie. What did you find out?"
"Right." Taking a deep breath, Cassie began, "OK, so… I couldn't sleep this morning, so I began researching some ideas I had from yesterday concerning how Charlotte arrived. My biggest concern was that demons don't just come to Earth; they need to be summoned."
"Are you saying I was summoned here?" Charlotte's worried eyes darted between them.
"I connected with someone on one of the witchcraft servers this morning."
Cassie then shared everything she'd learned. When she finished, Angel was scrutinizing the news, while Charlotte blinked in surprise.
"Not a demon? But… how I look? My powers? What else could I be?"
"There's something you're not telling us, sis." Angel tapped the table pointedly.
"This next part isn't easy for me to say, Kevin." Cassie steeled herself and took a deep breath. "But…from what I was told, that kid wasn't trying to summon just any demon from Hell."
"No." He saw the writing on the wall and glanced at Charlotte, who appeared extremely confused.
Cassie nodded. "He was trying to summon the Devil himself, Lucifer."
"Shit!" Angel whispered.
"No. It can't be!" Charlotte shook her head. "Lucifer is a fallen angel, right? That's what you've told me, right, Angel? A fallen angel from Heaven, and not female. So that can't be me."
"Right," Cassie agreed. "But as we've been discovering, theological events haven't exactly mirrored the scripture. What if Lucifer had children? More specifically, a daughter?"
Angel straightened up, getting to the point. "How do we prove this?"
"I don't want to know!" Charlotte pushed back her chair and got to her feet. "If I'm kin to the devil, I don't want to know!"
"Sweetie—" Cassie began.
She shook her head. "No! No! If it's true—" She looked at Angel, her face stricken. "I could never stay on Earth! He would come looking for me, wouldn't he? If he's what you say he is, I'd have to run and hide, or everyone I love would—" She began to cry, unable to complete her morbid thought.
Getting up, Angel reached out and embraced her. "Listen to me! Cassie said she didn't sense anything evil in you. You are not bound to the stories, even if you are Lucifer's child. You've already proven that! And perhaps Lucifer isn't what he's been written to be. But we need to know; we need to get your memories back."
She shook her head against his chest and looked up at him, her eyes bloodshot not from her power, but from the tears streaming down her cheeks. "This isn't fair! If I refuse, I can't have you! If I am his—" She couldn't complete the thought; instead, aching, she whispered, "Angel—I don't know what to do!" Sobbing, she broke away from him and fell against the wall.
Absorbing her words, Angel glanced at his sister. "What do we do?" For one of the few times in his life, he had no idea what to do or say. No amount of strategy would work in this situation.
Cassie's heart ached. She understood Charlotte's fear, but they needed answers, and they needed them now. Reaching a decision she had debated for the past hour, she rose from her chair, pushed it back, and moved to stand close to them. "They told me the demon would respond to its name. I was given two choices."
"What are they?" Angel asked plainly.
"Angel? Please…" Charlotte's expression showed naked fear.
"I'm sorry, Charlotte." He held his hand out to her. "We have to know."
Resigned to her fate, she gripped his hand in hers, her body shaking softly.
Cassie took a deep breath. "If this works, sweetie, we may get our answers."
Angel drew the fingers of his free hand along Charlotte's cheek. "Be brave."
Shaking her head, Charlotte closed her eyes.
"Here we go." With her eyes fixed on Charlotte, Cassie spoke the first name she'd been given. "Charlotte Magne."
Charlotte sniffled, blinked at her, and wiped her dripping nose. "What?"
There was no discernible reaction, so Cassie took a deep breath and pulled at her inner power, loudly speaking the second name: "Charlotte Morningstar!"
It was almost instantaneous. The lights flickered softly, and the air in the kitchen thickened, creating a tense, electric feeling that traveled along their arms. Cassie and Angel both felt their hair bristle, and they held their breath as Charlotte let go of his hand and straightened. It was hard to tell, but he could have sworn she'd grown at least half an inch taller, maybe more, and her physique seemed imperceptibly stronger.
Rather than the tentative, demure posture he recognized, Charlotte now exuded an air of confidence, almost regal in form. The transformation was subtle yet undeniable—her shoulders were squared, her spine straightened, and an unmistakable aura of power emanated from her.
As she wiped away her tears with deliberate grace, the siblings immediately noticed a profound change in her eyes. Instead of her usual penetrating black pupils, there were now soft yellow sclerae that seemed to glow with an inner light, featuring two large crimson pupils that burned like twin flames as they stared back at them. The effect was mesmerizing, almost hypnotic in its intensity.
When her new eyes met Angel's, her lips curled upward, revealing two sharp fangs that peeked out past her lips, which had taken on a rich black tint, darker and more lustrous than her usual maroon shade. The contrast against her pale skin was striking, giving her an otherworldly beauty that was both alluring and slightly dangerous.
"Charlotte?" Angel spoke her name just above a whisper. Calling out her name had sparked a visible change. Had it also changed who she was?
"It's me." Biting her lip, exposing one fang, she shook her head gently. "Sorry. I'm just feeling…" Scrunching up her brow, she shrugged. "Different? New?"
He studied her. "Do you remember anything?"
Holding her hand out, Charlotte sighed gratefully when he took it without hesitation, her new yellow eyes misting. Although she shook her head, her voice carried a hint of optimism. "No, not specifically. The Morningstar name sounds familiar, though, and I believe it belongs to me."
Moving her head from side to side, Charlotte cracked her neck, and an audible snap of electricity filled the air. "But I feel that my memories are just beneath the surface." She closed her eyes and squeezed Angel's hand. "Not lost, but just out of reach."
As a Wiccan, Cassie could feel the warmth of Charlotte's energy flowing over her in a way that sent a shiver down her spine. Not out of fear, but because she sensed Charlotte differently. Licking her lips, which had become dry in the last few minutes, she ventured, "Are you safe?"
Understanding the meaning behind her question, Charlotte nodded firmly. "I am. Even if I am Lucifer's daughter, I don't feel like I'm some monster." She paused, as it sank in exactly what that meant, and she turned to Angel, her eyes glistening. "And I still feel it in my soul that I'm meant to do good."
Angel opened his arms with a smile, and she quickly fell into them.
Cassie coughed to get their attention, and they both looked her way. "I believe you, sweetie, but we still have a major issue. The summoning attempted to call on Lucifer to rise from Hell, but apparently, because you're of blood kin, it reached you first. Do you have any idea why or how?"
Charlotte bowed her head, closed her eyes, and thought hard, trying to pull memories out from the fog clouding her mind. The air was quiet as they waited for her.
After a full minute, she looked up. "All I feel is that I was swallowed up by blackness—like I was pulled into something? It's still buried; I'm sorry."
Leaning against the kitchen counter, Cassie massaged her temple. "We do need to tread lightly here. But let's cover the facts. One, it appears that Charlie is Lucifer's daughter."
"Charlotte." The correction came as a quiet but firm reminder, again tinged with a demonic tone in her voice.
Smirking slightly, Cassie apologized. "Sorry. Charlotte. Two, calling you by your full name elicited a physical transformation in you. Your eyes, lips, and teeth have changed."
Lifting her hand to her mouth, Charlotte felt her teeth, jerking slightly as the sharp tip nicked her finger. Then, as Cassie's words sank in, she blinked, "What's changed about my eyes?"
Angel smiled. "They're amazing. You can check the mirror in the bathroom in a few."
"Three, this means that what I learned early this morning suggests you could be contained if someone were to discover who and what you are." Cassie sighed. "And that's the biggest fear I have here."
"But no one else knows about me, or what I am, right?" Charlotte looked concerned. "We just keep it that way, and I stay invisible on missions as I always do. Right?"
Before Angel could respond, Cassie swore under her breath. "Shit." She saw the pair's reaction and explained: "To get the information I needed, I had to ask certain questions, and in the process, I let it slip that I'd seen you. The coven in Virginia knows you exist."
"Do you think they'll come looking for her?" Angel questioned.
"I doubt they'd be able to. I used a VPN and logged in under my persona, Chatterbug. Still, covens are resourceful, and they don't know you like we do, sweetie. I doubt we'll be able to convince them otherwise. For now, I think the best thing to do is lie low and stay out of sight until I can find a way to help you retrieve your memories."
"I'm not going to stop rescuing the children, Cassie. I don't care if I'm Lucifer's kid or if one day I have to return to Hell." She paused, the thought of losing Angel filling her with grief. To mask it, she continued, "I have these powers, and I'll be damned if I don't do everything I can with them."
"And I'm not going to try to stop her, sis," Angel added, squeezing her hand in unity.
"Yeah, didn't think so." Cassie shrugged with an accepting smile. "And honestly, I'm glad you feel that way, 'cause it just reaffirms to me that you're much more than kin to the Devil." She scratched her chin in thought. "I have an idea, but I need to do more research on it. For the time being, considering what we know now, I suggest keeping the crystals with you at all times and try to meditate as much as possible. See if you can dredge up some of those memories."
Charlotte nodded, tucked into Angel's firm embrace, but there was something she needed to know, and she turned her new yellow eyes to him. "If I am… what I am…"
Cassie took this as her cue to leave so they could be alone. "I'll give you two the room," she said as she grabbed her keys. "I'll be down in the shop if you need me."
Angel nodded gratefully and waited for her to leave the apartment. As the door clicked shut behind her, he sighed. "It was something we both knew could happen, and not to make a joke out of it, really, but if there's one father I'd never want to piss off by hurting his daughter in any way, he's the one."
Lying her hands on his cheeks, Charlotte pulled Angel into a real, deep, meaningful kiss, which he accepted and returned.
When their lips parted, she whispered, "You have never hurt me, my knight. Only showed me that I am something special. I accept this. I accept whatever the future holds, as long as I am by your side for as long as I can be." With a shuddering breath, she continued, "I'm not stupid, and I'm not naive, and I refuse to be scared anymore. I believe I'm meant to be here, dammit, and I am forever grateful that I get to be your partner."
Tasting her kiss on his lips, he pressed his forehead to hers. She reciprocated, comforted by his touch. "And I will be your shelter. I won't let anyone find you or hurt you, but I won't stop you or hold you back from being what you need to be, to fight at my side."
"Thank you." She breathed softly. "Cassie did the right thing by giving me back my true name, and…" It was getting harder to speak, because she'd reached a decision that tore at her soul. "I understand more clearly why you backed off the other night. This changes things, and until my memories return…" She paused and swallowed once to gain the bravery she needed. "Until we know for sure that I can stay here forever. What we want—"
"—Has to wait." He finished for her, having reached the same conclusion.
She choked back a sob. They had just started their relationship, and now they had to put it on pause—indefinitely. "I'm so sorry."
"Please? Don't be." He shook his head. "We'll figure this out, I promise."
"I know. Until then, I will focus on the job, being your demon in the night, to rescue those in need. I can accept this." She lied, then asked, "Can you?"
"I can," he fibbed back, a little too smoothly, and hated every second of it.
It worked because he felt her shoulders drop in defeat. Kissing her forehead for assurance, he stepped back and let her ease out of his embrace.
Turning away from him, Charlotte wrapped her arms around herself, swallowed softly, sniffed, and looked back over her shoulder. "So what do we do now?"
And as if on cue, Angel's phone rang.