God Seed

GOD SEED

Synopsis

A small group of rogue angels come together in an attempt to create an army of Nephilim children. Each angel must choose a gender before they can procreate. Naturally, the angels pick male because it is easier. One angel, Asarte, cannot make the choice. Humans had gender-committed her centuries ago to female form. As such, Asarte must carry her child as a human woman would.

These children, called Nephilim on earth, Dark Lovelies in Heaven and Hell, have powers slightly less than angels. Asarte’s child is different, more powerful, more dangerous. When Asarte realizes that her child is in danger, she hides the baby in the human world and attempts to kill herself to prevent being forced to give up any information to the infant’s location. The beings of Heaven and Hell, led by Sophia and Lucifer, hunt the powerful child.

On earth, a young woman, Shelby, struggles with her identity, and the birthmarks she cannot explain. Her shelter within the congregation of a small church becomes threatened when a new member, Jack, joins the congregation. He awakens feelings and sensations she has never experienced before. When Jack begins unlocking the secrets to her past, and Shelby discovers she carries a child, her world begins to spiral out of control.

Sophia attempts to maintain the balance between Heaven, Hell, and earth by doing the only thing Shelby’s free-will allows Sophia to do. The ramifications of Sophia’s attempt to maintain control changes everything.

Acknowledgement

As I sit down to write my acknowledgments, I find myself lost in gratitude, so many helped with the formation of this story. One person, more than any other, gave throughout, my daughter Andrea. She gave up time that otherwise would have been hers. She ate cold meals, and often had to look at her mother over the screen of a computer. She gave me ideas and is the basis for one of the characters. Also, at the stories genesis lie many conversations with Dawn Bona and Sally Hollingsworth where the mysteries of Lilith were explored in lost afternoons and late at night, over pots of coffee, and breaths held in finite moments. I want to thank Robert Chisholm and Allyson Pender for editing the story. I want to thank Robert again because he put up with me repeating myself over and over as ideas took shape in conversation before on white space. I want to thank my sister, Leanna Chaffins, lifelong friends Amy Vassen and Laura Puccino, and all the women who I have encountered in this life for showing me that within us lies the power of creation in many manifestations and that within us all sits the feminine divine.

Author’s biography

Leah Chaffins is a short story writer, a novelist, and a poet. Her primary writings are horror fiction, memoir, and poetry. Her work can be found in many publications, including the anthologies Ain’t Gonna Be Treated This Way: Poems of Protest & Resistance, and Behind the Yellow Wallpaper, Dragon Poet Review, OkieMag, Red Earth Review, and The Gold Mine. At this time, Leah has two works out for publication, Gravel Goats, a poetry chapbook, and Birthmarks which is a thematic chapbook about women and the burden of reproduction. Currently, Leah is an Instructor of Composition at Cameron University. In her free time, Leah volunteers with organizations that are using creative writing to positively impact the world we share. Her current volunteer work consists of being a submission judge for Ageless Authors and helping to create a cancer survivor’s art book that will be used to raise funds for the Duncan Cancer Society.

Contact Information

Leah Chaffins

Lellis@Cameron.edu

Chapter 1

Elorkhaios, I knew I’d find you out amongst the Preferred, Asarte said.

I go by Lor here. It makes me relatable, the angel said, pushing back a brown cowboy hat that sat neatly on his head.

Lor, huh? Seems relatable enough, Asarte said.

Gender committed to the female form, she looked easily through the pulsing darkness of the bar at the potential donors. She pushed her dark hair back over her shoulders and started swaying to the music as a young man passed them by. The man turned towards her and started dancing in front of her.

Laughing, she said, Move along, honey. There’s no way you are anywhere near ready for this.

It took only a little flex of angelic will to influence most humans and so the man turned without comment and continued on his way.

Around them, the music pulsed, and the air was heady with human anticipation.

Black Easter, my favorite holiday, Lor grinned as he stared out from under the brim of his hat at the mob of sweaty bodies on the dance floor.

I hear. You know the Orders and how they whisper of things.

Asarte’s eyes took on the green fluorescence of angelic seduction as a waitress stopped by them. Can I get y’all a drink?

No. We’re good, Lor said, smirking. He was, Asarte thought, becoming quite adept at adopting the human redneck bar twang. He waved the woman away. Asarte looked over the western-style shirt and tight jeans Lor was wearing. On top of his head sat a black gambler-style cowboy hat. The human outfit was so well-suited to the renegade angel.

I wanna play, she said. She pouted with mock dramatics and ran a finger playfully around his hat’s brim. Maybe a wager? she asked. We can see who produces the most children, or strongest, or something.

She was interrupted by a couple passing their table. They were walking arm-in-arm, smiling at each other, and heading for the door. Asarte’s brow furrowed against the onslaught of human thoughts that swirled around her. Human thoughts begged her attention until she gained control silencing all but the thoughts she found necessary. It was the same every time she was among the humans. She knew right away that the couple had just met and were leaving to know each other better.

Asarte could not help herself and called, He has a wife, four children—two by women other than his wife—and the beginnings of a really bad meth addiction. Oh yeah, and genital warts. Wear a condom and have fun.

The woman dropped her arm from around the man and looked at Asarte.

The man turned and said, Do I know you, bitch?

Move along, Lor said as he waved the man away.

The couple turned without further response and headed once again for the door, but the woman’s steps were hesitant.

A wager? Asarte reminded Lor.

This isn’t a game, Asarte, he said. He sneered as he looked around the room. Once, the secrets of creation had been whispered into Lor’s ear. Asarte thought that surely, it was the burden of this knowledge that had him sitting in this bar on this night. It surprised her that he had carried the secret so nobly for so long. Had it been her, she would have made use of such a secret long ago. She smiled to herself. She had a secret all her own.

But she wasn’t giving up. I am aware it isn’t a game. Black Easter only happens once a year. You have one prime night, followed by two not-quite-as-strong nights to seduce and impregnate a human. What if you seduce more than one? What if you impregnate more than one? Asarte asked.

Lor looked around the bar and yawned.

Asarte pressed on. What if others help you, and the group gets as many as they can? We can create an army of Nephilim rather than a sad-ass handful of cursed progeny. If you really want this to be successful than you need to seed as many of the Preferred as you can in the next three days, she said as she raised a fist for significance. I want in.

I had no plans of seducing only one, Lor said. Are you willing to jeopardize the possibility of redemption?

"How long must we wait? Begging at Adonai’s feet, crying out our repentance while they, she said, waving at the mass of people, are the Preferred? Our crime is nothing compared to what they do every day. And still, they wallow in his grace as we grovel for millennia over a few small transgressions."

Lor nodded in agreement as he contemplated her offer.

She continued, I am going to seed with or without your permission. It would be a terrible waste if our progeny were enemies. Our goals are the same. Work with me. Otherwise you will have to fight me, and we will both fail.

Lor’s eyes flashed. He put his lips next to Asarte’s ear and lightly wrapped his hand around her neck. Do not ever think to threaten me, he said. He rubbed his thumb gently under her chin. You cannot begin to know my powers. Your only strength has been that the Preferred thought you a goddess. Listen closely, lowliest of Angels: we both know they don’t believe in you anymore. Now, you barely even exist.

He released her neck and his hand moved to rest on her shoulder, under her hair.

Humans have truly never been aware of the power of their beliefs, Asarte smiled as she pushed his hand away. Lor seemed so smug, but she knew he was a fool who believed himself stronger, more powerful, than she was, and nothing could be further from the truth.

He continued, I will let you work for me, but make no mistake—you do work for me.

Asarte pretended to consider and then shrugged. Sealiah wants in too.

Lor stared intently at her. Fine, he said. Just make sure he understands--

I understand. Sealiah appeared next to them, transporting himself to the bar as angels traveling alone can. We work for you. I’m cool with that.

Sealiah was playful by nature. Asarte enjoyed traveling and working with him.

Meniel—we call him Niel—is working with me also. He should be here soon, Lor said. He can help you and me, but Asarte is on her own.

Sealiah squinted his eyes and rubbed his head where human hair had replaced the feathers that usually grew there. Why is Asarte on her own?

Asarte snorted and said, You really do belong to the lower Orders. I am gender-committed. The Preferred— she waved again at the mass of people, —believed me a goddess. I will have to find a male to mate with, and then carry the child myself for nine months. Human gestation rate. Niel’s powers are only over human females. No help to me.

Lor smiled across the dance floor to the other side of the bar. Asarte and Sealiah followed his eyes and saw Niel sitting at a table watching them.

Lor clapped his hands. To work.

Niel had no trouble getting three women to join him and the other two angels while Asarte scanned the club looking for her victim. She picked out a tall man with a long ponytail and a Harley shirt, then made her way over to him.

She slid her hands through the air around her body. Wanna ride this?

The man glanced over at her and smiled.

Chapter 2

To Asarte, the party seemed to drag on for a couple of months. Human time meant little to angels. She leaned back into the plushness of a black velvet chair, and she stretched her legs across the matching ottoman.

My little baby, soft and protected, she murmured. She sat naked except for her open robe, rubbing a spiral with her forefinger around the slight swell in her belly. She smiled at her ivory skin and pondered how a human’s body must look, with their darker skin and belly button.

She asked herself why she had not thought of this before. She understood why other angels had not stumbled across doing it this way: it was too easy to take on the gender of a male and simply impregnate a female, thereby letting the human do all the work. No angel had tried being a female first, not until now.

The front door flew open, and Lor and Niel walked in with an innocent-looking but half-naked redhead between them. The redhead was kissing Niel. One hand ran through his thick, dark hair. Her other arm was around Lor’s neck, with her hand lost in his blonde curls.

Ah, Asarte, my darling, Lor said, waving an unlit cigar through the air. Look what we brought home. A new pet. Pet, tell her your name. He shoved the woman forward.

The woman threw one hand on her hip and looked at Asarte with the impudence of unspoken rivalry.

Who is she? Asarte asked.

The woman turned to Lor as she adjusted her miniskirt at the same time. Are you married and into the freaky shit? she asked.

Niel waved his hand in front of her and said, Speak your name, Pet.

Melanie, the woman said.

"Go