He hadn’t been back here since Mikhail had left him standing in his bedroom. After that, Andrew had grabbed some clothes and went to wake Dale up, crashing on his couch. Now here he was, not quite ready to face the reality of the past—however long ago it had been.
The elevator dinged and they both stepped out. Andrew led the way down the hall and almost smiled when Dale’s breath caught.
“Holy fuck!”
“Yeah.” Andrew stared at the wreckage of what had once been his front door. Now, it was nothing but a pile of splintered wood scattered on both sides of the doorway, the twisted remains of the locks decorating one wrecked doorjamb. “Now do you believe me?”
“Uh.” Dale stepped around him and peered into the dark apartment, though he didn’t go any farther. “Yeah. Yeah, dude, I do. What the fuck did this, Andy?”
Andrew snorted. “Hell Hounds,” he said dryly.
Dale shot him a disbelieving look, but it quickly faded. “You’re not shitting me, are you?”
“Nope. And if Mikhail hadn’t been here, I’d be splattered all over my bedroom right now. They’d have to scrape me off every surface.”
“What the hell have you gotten yourself into?”
“Hell’s a good word for it.” Andrew shivered. “Let’s get the fuck out of here, man.”
“What about clothes, your other things?”
Andrew shook his head and hugged himself, the feeling of unease getting stronger. “Fuck it. It’s not worth it anymore.”
Dale’s mouth gaped open, the look of shock almost comical. “Who are you and what did you do with Andy Blackwell?”
Andrew glared at him. “Smartass. Now let’s get out of here.”
“After you,” Dale said with a wave of his hand.
Back out on the street, Andrew was finally able to relax a little. They walked in silence, though Andrew sensed Dale had questions but was simply refusing to ask. Hell, Andrew wasn’t sure he had any answers anyway. God, he needed Mikhail here, needed to know more about what was going on. At least with Mikhail, Andrew felt safe. Here, back on Earth, among the destitute and the greedy—the last dredges of humanity—nothing but despair remained. For the first time in his life, Andrew saw the world through different eyes, wiser eyes.
He couldn’t remember ever caring about the homeless lady who pushed her battered cart along the sidewalk. He passed her every morning on his way to work, simply sidestepping to avoid getting his feet run over. She wasn’t as old as he’d originally thought. In fact, she appeared to be close to the age his mother had been when she committed suicide. She’d been in her late forties. Andrew’s stepfather, Norman, had died, like many others, fighting for his family, for their freedom, and his death had been more than Andrew’s mother could bear.
Andrew stopped. “I can’t do this.”
“Can’t do what?” Dale turned and looked back at him. “Andy?”
“I’m sorry.”
Andrew pivoted on his heel and ran back toward his apartment. Once inside the building, he didn’t wait for the elevator. Instead, he took the stairs, two at a time, and came out in the hall a few yards down from his apartment. He stepped over the shattered remains of the door and went right for his bedroom. Dale, panting and not entirely thrilled, appeared in the bedroom doorway a few minutes later.
“What the hell?”
Andrew grabbed the big trunk out of the closet, emptied the sex toys out of it, and started tossing handfuls of clothes and shoes inside. “This is what he meant,” he said, more to himself than to Dale.
“Who?”
“Uriel. I understand now. God, I was so fucking stupid, Dale. So stupid and so pathetic.” Andrew tossed all four of his heavy coats and two lighter ones on top of the massive pile of shoes and clothes. “Hand me the lock box out of the top right-hand dresser drawer.”
“You’ve lost your mind.” Dale got the box and handed it over.
Andrew laughed and tugged his keys out of his pocket. Finding the one for the box, he unlocked the small safe and started tucking cash into one corner of the trunk: almost two thousand bucks. The other hundred dollars went into his back pocket.
“Holy shit. You’re rollin’ in it!”
“Doesn’t matter,” Andrew said as he squished the trunk top down and locked it. Then he took the key for it off his key-ring. He tossed the rest of the keys to Dale. “It’s all yours now. Get out of that shithole you live in and move in here. There’s another three grand in the canister in the freezer. Use it wisely. I recommend fixing the front door first thing, though.”
“Whoa.” Dale grabbed Andrew’s arm as Andrew pulled the trunk off the bed. “What the fuck, man?”
Andrew sighed, grabbed Dale’s face in both hands, and kissed him hard. Considering they’d never kissed, despite all the fucking, it had the effect Andrew had hoped for: it shut Dale up.
“I’m leaving. Uriel was right, Gabriel was right, Mikhail was right. None of this shit matters, Dale. Don’t you see? My life here doesn’t matter.”
Dale shook his head, which was still cupped between Andrew’s hands. “No. I don’t. Where are you going?”
“I’m going to…” Andrew smiled. “I’m going to do whatever it is I need to do.”
* * * *
With Dale’s help, Andrew carried the trunk down to the street. It took nearly half an hour to find the homeless lady, but Andrew finally spotted her and followed her into an alley. Surprisingly, she was the only person there. When she turned, she met them with a half-smile. Andrew returned the gesture and he and Dale set the trunk on the ground before her.
“Good morning, ma’am,” Andrew said. “I know you don’t know me, but…I want you to have this.”
The woman stared down at the trunk, then back up at Andrew. When she spoke, her tone was soft, touched with emotion and confusion. “Thank you, but what is it?”
Andrew crouched down and opened it. The woman walked around to stand beside him. “It’s not much, but I hope it helps you.” He glanced up at her.
Tears welled in her eyes, though they didn’t fall. “Why?”
“Because you need them more than I do,” Andrew said as he stood. He fished the key for the lock out of his pocket and lifted her hand. After placing the key on her palm, he gently folded her fingers over.
“Bless you, child,” she whispered.
Andrew smiled and turned to walk away. The woman’s next words stopped him cold.
“Silly mortal.”
Fear shot through Andrew and he grabbed Dale’s arm, jerking the man with him as he bolted out of the alley. A roar echoed behind them and screams filled the air when a two-headed Hell Hound tore out onto the busy street.
“Mikhail!”
Light flashed before them and Andrew barreled right into a broad chest in silver plating. Sword drawn, wings unfurled, Mikhail looked every bit the warrior. He shoved Andrew and Dale to the side a fraction of a second before the Hound slammed into him. The impact sent shockwaves through the air itself, the ground buckling beneath Mikhail’s feet, sending both angel and demon into the earth.
The screams and shouts died out and a tense silence settled over the street. Andrew jerked away from Dale’s death grip.
“What are you doing?” Dale hissed.
Andrew ignored him and stepped up to the crater. “Mikhail…”
“Get out!”
The words barely registered in Andrew’s mind before Mikhail and the Hound shot up into the air. The Hound shrieked, its two jaws snapping at Mikhail as the angel parried. Mikhail’s wings stirred up dust from the ground, the cloud quickly obscuring the two combatants.
“Andy!”
Andrew waved Dale off, his heart slamming into his ribcage as he searched for a break in the dust cloud to see Mikhail. He caught a flash of steel, but before he could see anything more, thunderclouds rolled in, blocking out the sun. Lightning split the sky and a ball of flame hurled toward Mikhail and the Hound.
“Mikhail!”
The f
ire broke through the cloud and, a split-second later, the earth trembled under the weight of the Hound. It crashed to the street, shattering the asphalt. Its blood sizzled as it seeped out of several gaping wounds. A fiery arrow was lodged deep in its throat.
The cloud dissipated and Mikhail dropped to the ground, landing on his knees. Andrew ran to him and cupped the angel’s face, tilting Mikhail’s head up to see him. Cuts marred the strong features, but Mikhail smiled.
“You are too kind for your own good.”
Andrew rolled his eyes and laughed. Booted feet appeared in Andrew’s peripheral vision. He looked over and up at Uriel as the archangel slung his bow over one shoulder. “Thank you.”
Uriel nodded. Looking around at the people gawking at them, he said, “None of them will remember this tomorrow. The hole will be blamed on a sinkhole from the abandoned subway.”
“What about…?” Andrew glanced over at where the Hound’s body had been. “Where’d it go?”
“Back to the ether.” Mikhail grunted as he stood. “To be reborn. Eventually.”
“Oh.”
Mikhail stretched and flexed his wings. “Thank you, Uriel.”
“Don’t mention it.” The archangel smirked. “Don’t stay away too long. I’m not going to babysit your realm forever.” Then he was gone.
Andrew blinked. “Did I miss something?”
Mikhail held out a hand and helped Andrew to his feet. “No. We need to go. I have to talk to you.”
“What about Dale?” Andrew asked, looking around for his friend. Dale’s dumbstruck expression made him smile.
“Send him home. We need to talk, Andrew.”
Nodding, Andrew left Mikhail’s side and went over to where Dale stood on the sidewalk. “Um…”
“Please tell me I didn’t see what I think I saw.”
Andrew sighed and raked a hand through his disheveled hair. “Afraid so, man. But no one is going to remember anything tomorrow, according to Uriel. I’m assuming that means you, too.” Dale met his gaze, and the man’s expression was blank. “Look, go home. The apartment’s yours now.”
“This is goodbye, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. It is.”
“Take care of yourself, Andy,” Dale said. “Gonna miss ya.”
“Same, but maybe we’ll see each other again sometime. Take it easy.” Andrew gave Dale a hug. Then he headed back to Mikhail. “I’m ready.”
Mikhail pulled him close and the angel’s wings wrapped tight around them. “Time to go home.”
Andrew slipped his arms around the angel and held on tight. He had no idea what was going to happen now, but simply being around Mikhail eased something inside him. Andrew wasn’t about to call it love, but given time, who knew?
Light burst around them and Andrew clung to Mikhail for dear life when the ground disappeared out from under his feet. When they touched down a few minutes later, his equilibrium was shot all to hell. Mikhail’s wings unfolded and Andrew knew they were back in Caeli. Hell, they were back in the same room he’d been in before.
“Mikhail, where am I—”
Andrew found himself pressed against the wall, Mikhail’s mouth devouring his. His question forgotten, Andrew groaned and grabbed Mikhail’s hips, tugging the man harder to him. The bottom edge of Mikhail’s wings brushed Andrew’s knuckles, and Mikhail growled, entire body jerking.
Mikhail broke the kiss, his stare hot enough to melt steel. “Andrew.”
A light bulb went off in Andrew’s brain then. Smiling slowly, he lifted his right hand and stroked the lower edge of Mikhail’s left wing. Mikhail growled and seized Andrew’s wrist.
“Don’t.”
“Why not?” Andrew tried to pull his hand away. This discovery was entirely too fun to ignore just because an angel was getting his feathers ruffled.
“Just…don’t.” Oh, there was heat behind those words, but from the look in Mikhail’s eyes, it had nothing to do with stopping…and everything to do with “fuck yes”.
Andrew finally freed his hand and drew a fingertip down the inside of Mikhail’s wing. Mikhail didn’t stop him this time, but Andrew could have sworn the angel’s cock throbbed against his own, even through their clothes.
“How sensitive are they?”
Mikhail groaned and his wings twitched. “Too sensitive.”
“Don’t make me tie your feathered ass down and find out for myself.”
One dark eyebrow rose and the angel snorted. “Yeah, right.” He ripped the button off Andrew’s jeans and shoved them to the floor.
“Hey, I liked those!”
“You won’t fucking need them.” Mikhail freed his own cock and smirked. “Get ‘em off.”
Grinning, Andrew sank to his knees, tongue sliding along smooth skin. Mikhail sucked in a sharp breath and one hand fisted in Andrew’s hair. The angel tasted like nothing Andrew had ever known—musky and male, yes. But there was something else, something pure. If Mikhail’s white light had a taste, Andrew knew this had to be it.
He nudged Mikhail’s hand away and circled the base of the angel’s cock with his fingers. Mikhail’s flavor burst on his tongue when Andrew licked the precome off the tip of Mikhail’s prick. Sweet, rich…Goddamn, this man could easily become an addiction.
“Andrew…” Mikhail’s fingers flexed on Andrew’s head, urging him closer.
Smiling, Andrew opened up and sucked the head of Mikhail’s cock into his mouth. He hummed and moaned, loving the almost desperate sounds pouring down onto him from Mikhail. He drew the angel in deeper, tongue caressing the underside, tracing one large vein. It throbbed under his touch and Mikhail’s cock swelled, the angel hissing. Breathing in deep through his nose, Andrew swallowed Mikhail completely, lips sealing around the base.
“Fuck!” Mikhail’s wings flapped wildly, his thighs shaking. Then he roared, searing heat rocketing down Andrew’s throat.
Andrew thanked God he’d learned to do this a long time ago, because the rush of Mikhail’s orgasm surprised him. He pulled off slowly and licked the barely-soft flesh clean, then sat back on his heels, pants still around his ankles. Staring up at Mikhail, Andrew stroked his own cock lightly, fighting the urge to come. Mikhail grinned and tugged him to his feet.
“On the bed.”
After stepping out of his jeans, Andrew went to the huge bed and crawled across it. Just before he rolled, though, Mikhail grabbed his hips, keeping him on his hands and knees. Then those strong hands moved over his ass, spreading his cheeks wide apart. Andrew damn near whimpered, head and shoulders lowering, offering up everything.
“All—” Mikhail’s tongue slid up his crack and Andrew groaned. “—mine.”
“Mikhail!” Andrew thrust back hard, impaling himself on the angel’s tongue. “Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck,” he panted. He’d never felt this, had only done it to other guys. Oh, dear God…
Spreading Andrew open, Mikhail thrust his tongue deep, licking and sucking the puckered hole. Andrew moaned and panted, sensations beyond anything he’d ever felt in his life. He fisted his hands in the blanket, chanting Mikhail’s name with each breath. He was so hard, he ached, precome dripping onto the bed. When two of Mikhail’s fingers pushed inside him, Andrew cried out, shoving back and shaking. Mikhail nipped his left ass cheek, pumping his fingers in and out.
“Don’t stop,” Andrew gasped. “Oh, sweet fuck, Mikhail…”
“Ready for my cock?” Mikhail murmured. He spread his fingers, forcing Andrew’s hole open. Andrew’s breath left him altogether and he could only nod. Mikhail chuckled and pulled his fingers out. Then the blunt head of his thick cock pressed in, slowly filling Andrew.
Andrew hissed, ass clenching. “How…how’d you do that?” he said between breaths. “How’d you make it slick?”
“Angel magic,” Mikhail whispered, hips rocking into Andrew. Mikhail slipped an arm under Andrew and pulled up, driving his cock deeper. “Plus it’s amazing what you can learn from an incubus.”
“Fuck me.” Andrew turned
his head and reached up, tugging Mikhail’s head down for an awkward, twisted, hungry kiss.
Moaning, Mikhail began thrusting, slow and easy, grinding against Andrew before pulling back out. Andrew curled his fingers in the angel’s hair and lowered his other hand to his own cock. Mikhail’s right hand joined his, and together they stroked Andrew’s shaft, fingers linked as they both pumped. Heat built up deep inside him and Andrew sped up his strokes, jerking his cock faster. Mikhail’s thrusts inside him strengthened as well, the angel groaning into Andrew’s mouth.
Tearing away from the kiss, Andrew shouted, pleasure exploding over his senses as he came, coating their hands. Then Mikhail shoved him down face-first onto the bed. Hands braced on either side of Andrew, Mikhail slammed into him, over and over, cock pistoning in and out of Andrew’s ass and threatening to make him hard again. Unable to find any way to push himself up, Andrew grabbed the blanket and held on, pushing his ass back for more. Mikhail shifted his angle and rammed inside, cock head hitting its target.
“Mikhail!” Andrew threw his head back, hips bucking wildly as more heat spread over the blanket beneath him.
Mikhail ground hard against him and with several quick thrusts, the angel came, pumping Andrew full. Andrew collapsed onto the bed, breathless and utterly boneless. Mikhail came down a moment later and kissed his shoulder before pulling out.
“I’m never moving again,” Andrew mumbled into the bed.
Chuckling, Mikhail rubbed Andrew’s back. “I won’t complain. I kind of like the view.”
“You’re insatiable.”
“I’ve been accused of worse, I suppose.”
“And you’re an arrogant smartass.”
“That’s a given.”
Andrew turned his head to look over at Mikhail. “I guess I’m here for the duration, huh?”
Mikhail seemed to think on it, then he nodded. “Afraid so. Earth isn’t safe for you anymore.”
“What about basics, like…food, water?”
“Angels eat manna, a bread type of thing. It’s pretty good. Though as a human, you’ll need more. I can travel to Earth to get whatever you need, but I suggest you stay here when I do. As for water, we’ve got that in abundance. There’s a river just outside my keep, and there’s no pollution here.”
Apocalypse Rising Book 1: Descendant Page 3