The Angelus Brothers Chronicles - The Red Witch

CHAPTER TWENTY

Lucius nodded to Winston as he strolled past the dwarf holding out his hat for him to take and entered the Angelus family home without waiting to be asked. His long slender tail swayed as he walked, his shiny shoes clicking on the marble floor.

"Is Cas about?" He casually asked as he checked his hair was suitably parted and combed back in the hallway mirror.

"I will just enquire, Sir." Winston hurried off leaving the well-dressed man to continue to check his reflection.

"The suit's perfect. What are you doing in our neck of the woods? Shouldn't you be harassing women in your club?" Cassiel appeared at the top of the stairs with a big grin on his handsome face.

"I do not hassle women, I charm them, and I have come by a bit of intel I think your family will be interested in."

"Oh do tell, old boy. They've been MIA for days now, Az says it's something to do with Merlin's spell and time moving differently." His long slender tail swished as he put his hand to his throat.

"I would, old chap, but my throat is just so dry." Laughing Cas pointed to the sitting room as he made his way down the stairs.

"Cognac?"

"Of course."

The two men strolled into the sitting room together.

He watched the young hybrid as he poured him a drink and carried it over to him. His black claws clicked on the glass as he took it.

"I have heard your brother rather carelessly lost his witch."

"You've been talking to Annie again." Lucius laughed.

"We have an agreement, Annie and I. If anything about one of my few genuine friends is heard she lets me know and you good Sir are one of my few genuine friends." He saluted Cassiel with his glass.

***

Lucius knocked on the front door again for the third time in as many days.

"Winston, long time no see." Quipped the demon as he handed his hat and swagger stick to the dwarf. Cassiel jogged down the stairs to meet his friend at the door.

"They arrived back this morning."

"About time. I was starting to lose interest."

As they entered the sitting room Gabriel looked up from a map he'd been studying.

"Cas, this isn't really the time to be entertaining."

"I bring news not merriment." Retorted the demon raising an eyebrow, his red and black eyes dancing with amusement.

"News?" Enquired the eldest brother.

Lucius took a seat and crossed his leg as Cassiel began to pour him a drink. He scratched the base of one of his small black horns as the hybrid handed him his glass and took the armchair opposite. Gabriel was growing impatient.

"Lucius, we really don't have time for one of your games."

"You should hear him out, Gabe."

"While I may like to play the odd trick I do not play games when lives and love are in the balance." Cassiel frowned at him.

"I thought you'd sworn off love for fun."

"Ah dear Cassiel, I do not speak of my own lost love but of that of someone else. Someone quite dear to you my friend."

"What is he talking about?" Asked Gabriel in exasperation.

"Well, he's always refused to tell me who his lost love is. But as for who's love he is talking about, he means our own dear Rouge May." Answered his youngest brother as he leant forward with interest. "I assume you're still not going to share the name of your lost love?" For a moment the flamboyant demon was quiet and his skin shifted from its human-looking pink colour to a deep blood red and back again.