Azrael landed on the roof of his building. The wind fluttered his wings. He stared up at the sky. Heaven was beyond. He could feel its presence looming over him. He could no longer feel the pull of his father. He waited, not knowing what his father wanted. After all these centuries, it would be strange to hear his voice again.
“I’m here,” he said. “What is it you want with me, Father?”
There was a deafening silence. He’d blocked out all the permeating noises of human society. It was him and the wind softly brushing against his skin. Clouds were gathering above him. A storm was brewing. He could feel it in the air.
“Is this some kind of joke to you? Why would you call me when you have no intention of speaking to me?”
Typical. Is he trying to lure me away from Alice?
He sat down on the edge of the roof, his legs dangling off the side. His wings folded against his back. Alice was safe in the penthouse. He had nothing to worry about on that score. The floor he occupied of the building was warded against anything or anyone who might wish to take her. He didn’t look over when he felt a presence by his side. He could see their legs dangling over the side of the building next to his.
“It has been a long time,” said a feminine voice.
He ran a hand through his hair. This was the very last person he wished to speak to.
Centuries and I still despise her.
“You have been busy in my absence,” he replied.
“Azrael, you know I am sorry for what happened.”
“As if such things matter now. You called me using His voice, did you not?”
“I apologise for the deception. I could not be sure you would answer otherwise.”
She was right. He would never have answered a call from her. Resentment built in his chest. She’d betrayed him the day she stood with their father. After everything they’d been through together. He clamped down on the memories. Now was not the time for bringing up old wounds.
“What do you want, Ariel?”
“Why have you sought out my daughter?”
“I did not know she was your creation until she told me.”
He was not about to reveal he’d known about her because he’d spoken to Lucifer. His brother hated Ariel more than he did.
“That did not answer my question.”
“If you care so much about what I wanted her for, then you should ask her yourself. I owe you no explanations.”
He got to his feet, stalking away towards the door to the roof. He was done with this conversation already. He wanted to get back to Alice.
“Azrael…”
He stopped, turning back to Ariel, eyes blazing with unconcealed fury.
“What is it? Do you want to run off to Daddy again and report on my actions? Is that what this is?”
She flinched.
“I had no choice.”
“There is always a choice. Don’t test me. You know who will win if you try.”
Ariel was merely a guardian angel. She was no match for him. He had the might of an Archangel.
“Please, you do not know how sorry I am for it all.”
“Sorry isn’t good enough. You knew what we were trying to achieve. You agreed with us and yet when the time came, you were the coward who told Him of our decision to stand against Him. Where was your loyalty?”
Ariel stood, taking a step towards him, her hand out.
“There hasn’t been a day when I haven’t thought of you.”
He clenched his fists. Her thinking of him meant nothing at all. She’d been his closest confidant, but nothing stings quite like betrayal. Tamping down on his frustration. His pain. He stared at her for what seemed like an eternity. He could see the resemblance she had to Ella. Yet her half angel, half demon, human child was more than Ariel would ever be. He could feel it.
“You should not waste your thoughts on me. I have everything I ever need here.”
He might not have had it before, but now, now he had Alice. She was everything he never knew he needed. Their connection with each other surpassed reason or explanation. They belonged to each other.
“You don’t wish to return home?”
Her brow furrowed.
“You know very well that is impossible. I have not fulfilled my purpose. Even if I was allowed to return, do you think I would wish to be subjected to the scorn of our brothers and sisters? I have lived on Earth too long.”
Ariel looked conflicted, sad almost. She dropped her hand, her head bowing.
“I wish it had never come to this.”
Nothing she said would change things. She’d made her choice and they’d all suffered the consequences of their father’s wrath.
“You brought this upon yourself. Good day, sister,” he spat.
He strode away, wrenching open the door to the building. It slammed shut behind him. His heart pounded in his chest, wrenching painfully.
When Ella had mentioned her mother was Ariel, earlier, it had taken everything he had not to react to the name. He didn’t wish to think about his sister let alone see her again. She betrayed them. She was responsible. Nothing would ever change those facts.
He took the stairs two by two. There was only one thing he wanted at that moment and nothing was going to stand in his way.
§
Alice paced the living room. He was taking far too long. The morning had been full of surprises. None of them pleasant. Being separated from him made her anxious. Az was the most important person in her life. She wasn’t quite sure when that had occurred, but she didn’t care. She would go to the ends of the earth for him.
Wringing her hands, she stopped by the huge window, staring out over the London skyline. Where had he gone? This wasn’t helping matters. She needed a distraction. She put her hand on the glass. Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She tugged it out. It was Chris. She hadn’t replied to him earlier after the crap with the Darkness.
“Hi.”
“Ally, love, you left me hanging again.”
“I’m sorry, Chris. Something happened and… and now I’m really worried about Az.”
“What is it?”
“He had to go because he got a call from someone and I’m worried he’ll have to go back. I can’t deal with it if he’s taken away from me.”
“Slow down, what do you mean? You’re not making sense.”
“I need him, Chris. Like air. I know I haven’t talked about this properly to you… explained our feelings for each other. It’s hard to know where to start.”
The sound of the lift dinging startled her. She turned, finding Azrael striding towards her, his face a picture of determination.
“Az…?”
“Alice? Is that him?” Chris said.
“I have to go.”
She hung up. Az barely gave her a chance to look up at him. His mouth crashed down on hers, his hands winding around her back. The phone fell from her hand. He pinned her to the window, devouring her lips before his tongue pressed against them, demanding entry. She relented, his presence overloading her senses.
His fingers found their way under her t-shirt, tracing lines across her skin. She arched into him, her body flaming with need immediately. She was aware in the back of her mind she should ask him where he’d been and what his father had wanted, but his mouth against hers was far too intoxicating.
He tugged her t-shirt over her head, followed by her bra. His mouth latched onto her nipple, tongue running circles around it. She groaned, her fingers tangling in his hair when he bit down. His other hand was busy with the button of her jeans before he tugged the zip down.
“Off, now,” he growled.
“Az… what’s the rush?” she asked, breathlessly.
He didn’t reply, tugging her jeans down, taking her underwear with them. He was on his knees in front of her, kissing her stomach. She trembled, not knowing quite what all this attention was about. She shouldn’t be complaining, but there was a nagging voice in her head. Telling her something was wrong.
He pressed her legs open and he buried his face in her sex. She lost all coherent thought. His tongue lashed against her, sending tremors up her spine. She pressed a hand to the window, steadying herself. The other buried in his auburn hair, tugging at the strands.
“Fuck, fuck, Az!”
She couldn’t help but cry out his name over and over. He held her in place when she bucked against him. Her vision blurred at the edges. The intensity of his tongue set her whole world alight. He was relentless, but not quite allowing her to fall over the edge. He had her wound up so tight, she could hardly breathe.
“Please, I can’t take it… please.”
There was no relief. He seemed hell-bent on driving her higher than she’d ever been before.
Please, I’m begging you. It’s too much.
It was almost as if he was playing her body like a musical instrument. She burnt everywhere, her skin tingling. Her fingers dug into his hair, trying to pry him away. He took her hand and pinned it to the window.
It started with tremors running down her back, followed by tiny sparks dancing across her skin. She panted, utterly surrendering herself to him. Her eyes rolled back in her head. She could’ve sworn she saw stars in her vision. It all exploded at once. She cried out, her legs almost buckling under the intensity. He held her up, pulling away to look up at her. His green eyes blazed with unending desire.
It was a long while before she stopped trembling. He got to his feet when she sagged against the window. He gripped her shoulders, turning her around. He ran his fingers down her spine. She wasn’t sure she could take any more. He nudged her legs open, his hands running over her behind. He tugged her towards him before forcing her to bend over slightly, her palms flat against the window. She felt him pressing against her entrance.
She turned her head to look at him. He’d done his angel thing and undressed within the blink of an eye. Her mouth dried up. The sight of him always did things to her. He pressed into her, forcing her to take it all at once. She yelped. He leant over her, his breath hot against her ear.
“You’re mine, Alice. I’m going to fuck you against this window until you lose yourself to me all over again. Nothing is going to keep us apart. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
She trembled when he began a punishing pace. Whatever happened when he’d left had clearly rattled him. She could tell that much from his actions. He wanted to lose himself in her. It made her heart ache for him. She wanted to ask questions, but she could barely form a sentence. His fingers dug into her hip, the other hand curling around her stomach, holding her to him.
“She’s everything to me.”
She wasn’t sure he’d meant to send that thought to her.
“I don’t want to think about my sister anymore. I just want this, here, right now. Sweet Alice, I need her. Only her. She is mine and I am hers. We belong to each other.”
Thoughts raced through her mind at a hundred miles an hour. His sister? He’d said God had called him. Had he seen another angel? And he thought they belonged to each other. Her heart lurched. Those were his private thoughts, not ones he’d allowed her to hear.
He grunted, pressing deeper inside her. He kissed her neck and shoulder. She had to put aside all the burning questions. She focused on the sensations he elicited. She wanted to be in this moment with him. For him.
We belong together. That’s all that matters right now. The rest can wait.
He held her tighter, his fingers curling around her throat. She tried not to flinch. He wouldn’t hurt her, but it didn’t make it any less disconcerting how much he had her at his mercy.
“Let go, Alice, I want to feel you,” he whispered in her ear.
His commanding tone was met with a cry from her. Her body shook. Her second climax racing through her. His hand tightened around her neck. His breath fanned across her cheek.
“I’m not done with you yet.”
Can you at least make this a little more comfortable if you’re going to insist on taking me yet again?
He tugged her up, flush against his chest. His thumb ran across her bottom lip. She was slick with sweat, but his skin was cool against hers. He spun her around. His eyes were dark with lust. She quaked under the intensity of his gaze. He backed her towards the sofa, forcing her down onto the L shape, her legs dangling off the side. He knelt before her and pressed into her again.
He was the most perfect being imaginable. The way they fit together. How he felt when he filled her. They were made for each other. A human and an Archangel. Yet, she knew she wasn’t just human. She was a vessel and one day, that would threaten to tear them apart. She felt it deep in her bones. The sticky feeling of the Darkness hadn’t left her completely.
She sat up, clutching Az as he thrust inside her. She held him to him for all she was worth. Tears ran down her cheeks, falling on his shoulder. He didn’t stop, but he tucked his fingers under her chin, forcing her to look at him.
“Why are you crying?”