Messenger

MESSENGER AN MM ROMEO AND JULIET RETELLING STAR-CROSSED CELESTIALS BOOK 2 A.L. MORROW Messenger: Star-Crossed Celestials Duet, Book 2 Copyright © 2023 by A.L. Morrow All rights reserved. No portion of this story may be reproduced in any form without permission from A.L. Morrow. For permission or other queries, write to: [email protected] ISBN (ebook): 978-1-7345058-3-2 Cover by Claire Holt at Luminescence Covers: www.luminescencecovers.com Beta reading by Kirk Waite on behalf of LesCourt Author Services: www.lescourtauthorservices.com Editing by Enchanted Quill Press: https://www.enchantedquillpress.com/ Deepest gratitude to the above-mentioned contributors! The characters, places, and events in this story are either products of the author’s imagination or are being used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is strictly coincidental. www.ALMorrowRomance.com AUTHOR’S NOTE Unlike Shakespeare’s original version of Romeo and Juliet, the Star-Crossed Celestials duet is not a tragedy. It is a romance—a love story that, by definition, concludes with a happily ever after. This isn’t to say there aren’t tragic moments in Messenger. There are. Plenty of them. Potential triggers include scenes of violence and death, implied past sexual abuse of an adult character, as well as depression, guilt, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and self-destructive behavior. Readers sensitive to these issues may wish to proceed with caution. Messenger is best enjoyed as a sequel to Watcher, as it a continuation of the characters’ story. That said, if you are jumping in without having previously read Watcher but are familiar with Romeo and Juliet and wish to quickly orient yourself, please note that Messenger picks up with events immediately following the banishment of Jace, our Romeo-equivalent character. With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls, For stony limits cannot hold love out, And what love can do, that dares love attempt. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, ROMEO AND JULIET CONTENTS The Cast 1. Cyrus 2. Cyrus 3. Jace 4. Cyrus 5. Cyrus 6. Jace 7. Cyrus 8. Jace 9. Cyrus 10. Cyrus 11. Jace 12. Cyrus 13. Jace 14. Cyrus 15. Cyrus 16. Jace 17. Cyrus 18. Cyrus 19. Jace 20. Jace 21. Cyrus 22. Jace Epilogue The Star-Crossed Celestials Duet Also by A.L. Morrow About the Author THE CAST In this version of Romeo and Juliet, the primary roles will be portrayed by the following characters … Romeo … Jace, a Watcher Juliet … Cyrus, a Messenger Mercutio, Romeo’s friend … Cassian, a demon Benvolio, Romeo’s friend … Hesper, a Watcher Paris, Juliet’s suitor … Xavier, a Messenger Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin … Eris, a Messenger Balthasar/Apothecary, an ally … Devlin, a demon Escalus, Prince of Verona … Astra, an Archangel Friar Laurence, an ally… Lynx, a Watcher 1 CYRUS As far as Cyrus could tell, no one had seen Devlin in days. Not that any of the demons he’d talked to had been particularly forthcoming, of course. The male with a shaved head and bulging arms head standing behind the cash register at one of the bodegas on Sheol Street was no exception. “Buy something or get out,” he said gruffly when Cyrus asked if he’d seen Dev. For emphasis, the demon curled one of his meaty hands into a fist and thumped it on the counter. Cyrus sighed and glanced around the cramped shop. There was a wall of refrigerated cases stocked with beverages. A few shelves were lined with boxed food mixes, hygiene products, and batteries. And closer to the register sat a display of premade snacks and sandwiches. The place was dingy and uninspiring, and the air conditioner made a racket, barely managing to keep away the desert heat. But if Cyrus wanted answers, he’d have to play along with the demon proprietor’s game. “Fine.” Quickly, Cyrus snatched at a sandwich and tossed it on the counter without bothering to read what kind it was. The demon grunted, then jabbed at the buttons on the register while Cyrus pulled his wallet from his back pocket. The total flickered on the screen in broken, neon-green letters—three times the amount advertised on the little white sticker stuck to the side of the plastic package. Cyrus raised his brows. “Seriously?” “The price is what I say it is, angel.” The demon’s eyes flashed like fire, amber flames daring Cyrus to argue. But Cyrus didn’t take the bait. He wasn’t here to make trouble, especially since Sheol Street—the main road in rundown Nocturna—still hadn’t recovered from the last fight between celestials and demons. The broken glass, piles of trash, and scorch marks on the buildings outside were proof of that. No, Cyrus only wanted to find Devlin. Finding Dev meant finding Jace—and finding Jace meant peace of mind. It also meant hope. So, he tossed the cash on the counter, tucked his wallet away again, and reached for the sandwich. Transaction complete. He was officially a paying customer. “Now, about Dev. He’s a forger. Used to work at Perdition Market—” The demon snorted now, his wide nostrils flaring. “Never heard of him.” Of course. Cyrus should have figured the demon would say that, whether or not it was the truth. “Are you sure? He’s about this tall.” Cyrus lifted his hand as though an invisible person was standing at shoulder-height beside him. “He has dark hair and a scar down the side of his face.” To be honest, Cyrus had never actually met Devlin in person. He’d only heard about him from Jace and Astra. But he’d been able to piece together this much about his appearance from the demons who had—likely inadvertently—let some information about Devlin slip. The bodega’s proprietor, however, was not so careless. “I already told you, I don’t know shit.” The male formed a fist with his other hand, and it joined the first on the countertop. “So, unless you want to get a cola to go with that sandwich, I suggest you move on.” Cyrus let out a long, slow sigh. He absentmindedly squeezed the sandwich in his hand, denting the side of its plastic container. “No, I’m good. No cola for me. Thanks.” He said thanks, but his tone