Her mother is speechless as she follows Ariel into a helicopter.
“I promise it’s safe,” Ariel says and before long, they are joined by Jess Mess, who owns the helicopter. “Mama, this is the man that changed my life,” she introduces them as the helicopter takes off and they all make polite conversation through headsets that allow them to speak comfortably over the noise of the aircraft.
“Your daughter is going to be a huge star,” Jess says enthusiastically to the woman who is over forty, but youthful and doesn’t look her age at all. “Seraphiel couldn’t believe her voice when he heard. It’s all he’s been talking about since he arrived in New York.”
“I’m so nervous to meet him,” Ariel’s mother says and it seems that she is on the verge of tears. “When I was pregnant with this one, and when she was a little baby, she used to come alive when she heard Seraphiel’s voice. I’ve been listening to him since I was a little girl. It’s so unbelievable that my little girl is going to perform with him live on stage.”
“Trust me when I say, this is a real honor for Seraphiel,” Jess explains. “I’ve never heard him respond to a singer the way he has to Ariel. And they get along so well, don’t you?”
“He reminds me of uncle Travis,” Ariel says. “He’s so excited to meet you. I’ve been talking about you since we met.”
Ariel’s mother is crying now.
“This is just so unbelievable. I get to meet him and I get to go to Third Heaven,” she says wiping her eyes. “Never in a million years did I think I would be able to see Third Heaven in person. But my daughter is performing there and Seraphiel is introducing her to the world. This is all so unbelievable.”
Ariel hugs her mother and the two cry tears of joy together.
The helicopter ride doesn’t last long before they touch down on a large floating barge off the coast of Third Heaven Island that is large enough to have a helicopter landing pad. When they get out of the helicopter, gorgeous men and women in bathing suits with tiny wings at their backs greet them with food and drinks before Jess Mess shoos them away. They take a motorboat to the island and they make their way from the boat along a concrete pathway that is adorned with lights to a large vista that sits on the edge of the island. Even in the evening with the sun setting, the vista is illuminated and it seems otherworldly with its geometric design like rectangles of polished stone assembled into two floors.
They walk onto a concrete pavilion that surrounds the vista and Jess Mess leads Ariel and her mother inside the polished stone formation that doesn’t seem to have any doors or gates barring entrance. Inside the structure, Ariel notices doors along the polished stone walls that have light fixtures and paintings of various styles. Jess opens a door and when they are inside, they see Seraphiel sitting on a comfortable couch and he is barefoot. The floor is carpeted and Jess slips off the sandals he wears, Ariel and her mother take off their shoes and Ariel realizes that her mother is trembling with excitement at the thought of meeting the singer that had been the soundtrack to her life. The room is like a large living room with couches and a large screen TV that Seraphiel uses to watch the live feed of a set taking place on the island. When he notices his company, Seraphiel stands. He is a very tall and fit man and he wears a similar loose fitting white shirt and pants that Jess is wearing, as though they had been lounging on the island all day. He looks to be no older than fifty, though he is much older than that.
“Is this Ms. Baxter?” Seraphiel asks in his husky voice that fills the room. He smiles and his eyes are big and bright, just like Ariel’s, and his brown skin shines as though it is slick with oil. He looks like a painting of a man, or a painted sculpture.
Ariel takes her mother’s hand and leads her over to Seraphiel who hugs the woman. She cries softly and wipes away her tears.
“You are amazing, I’m such a fan,” she says steadily, having overcome her initial feelings of being starstruck. “And thank you so much for giving my baby this chance. You and Jess are so good to do all this for her.”
“Woah, woah,” Seraphiel said with a laugh. “If anything, she’s doing Jess a favor by signing with him. When I heard her demo, I knew she could sign with anybody she wanted to.”
Ariel watches her mother looking up into the man’s face and she looks like a child, her face the picture of wonder. It is as though her face is illuminated by the ethereal glow off of Seraphiel and it seems to hypnotize her as they talk more between themselves.
“Don’t worry,” Jess says to Ariel as he stands next to her, watching the two getting comfortable on the couch. “He’s celibate, I swear he’s not trying to pick up your mom.”
“I’m sure she’ll be very disappointed to hear that,” Ariel says with a laugh and she follows Jess to a bar on the other side of the room.
“He is using her for her admiration though,” Jess says as he plays bartender. “He’s a sucker for a dotting fan.”
“There’s something about him,” Ariel says, “like he glows. Is it just me?”
“Everybody says that after they meet him. If he’s glowing, it’s because he’s soaking in all the love and admiration people have for him.”
“Is it true?” Ariel asks, feeling a slight buzz from the strong drink Jess had mixed for her. “The rumors about the feud between you two.”
Jess nods. “Big personalities tend to clash. When I took over Third Sphere Records, he thought I was just a young kid riding my dad’s coattails. He thought I was gonna run the company into the ground, so he said if I kept Third Sphere relevant he’d entertain the idea of coming back into the fold. And I’m responsible for ninety percent of the number one hits of the past decade, so I think I’ve proven myself. Now the family’s all here and tonight we’re gonna make history.”
They toast to that.
When they rejoin Seraphiel and Ariel’s mother, the woman is taking a nap, drooling on Seraphiel’s shoulder.
“I think she’s had a busy day,” Seraphiel says graciously as Ariel wakes her up and leads her to a couch where she can be more comfortable.
While Ariel tends to her mother, Jess pulls Seraphiel to the side and they whisper to one another.
“What the hell are you doing?” Jess asks, keeping an eye on Ariel to be sure she is out of earshot.
“I didn’t mean to drain her, but I haven’t felt pure love and appreciation that close and intimate in so long. Humans are so jaded these days. But I’m back at Third Heaven and you are proving yourself to be quite the mogul. The festival is glorious again, and Ms. Baxter was so open. I took too much from her too fast, I’m sorry, but the set tonight will be amazing, and she’ll be fine in a few minutes. I know how to accept a sacrifice without harming them.”
“I know you know,” Jess says angrily, “which is why I’m upset. When you take from them and leave them like that, it’s unpleasant, you know that. I wanted tonight to be special for her.”
“It will be,” Seraphiel says with a wave of his hand. “I’ll put hands on her and give her a jolt of ecstacy. Don’t worry, I know how special this Ariel is. And to think, she isn’t even Aerphim.”
“She is this planet’s equivalent, Pristine Black mmoatia, descendant of Pultine herself. Lêgba thought they were extinct, but Pultine’s seed is strong and they were bound to spring up here again. We just have to find them and not scare them by sucking humans dry of their life energies. They are mostly human now.”
“I know, I know. Why are you being a bummer? Tonight is a special night! Let’s have a good time. And let’s get this show started. I’m so excited for the duet.
Jess distracts Ariel long enough for Seraphiel to bring a ball of white light to his fingertips and then massage it into the shoulders of the sleeping Ms. Baxter, who sits up refreshed and energized for the rest of the evening.
Seraphiel’s Sunday night set to close out the Third Heaven music festival is a stunning display of artistry and the crowd will talk about the show for years to come. Ariel’s introduction is a highlight. Not only does she perform a duet with Seraphiel, but she performs an original song without musical accompaniment and video of the performance goes viral all around the world.
Ariel is an overnight sensation.
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