by Eryn Black
“You leave now and his life is forfeit,” he warned her.
Aurora hit the palms of her hands on the wood frame of the glass door, pressing hard and leaning her weight into it. She was trapped, and he knew it, not a loving testament to their recent interlude, but it was an honest statement to what she had driven him to. He took a couple of steps toward her, bending down to pick up the discarded robe he stretched his hand out to her, using it as a peace offering which she accepted.
“I suppose it would be best if we both stayed clothed.” There was a deeper meaning to her words which took him a moment to realize.
“Perhaps the next time I won’t be in such haste.” He tried to make a lighthearted apology, if he had made offense by not undressing completely for her. He took a slow breath and felt a hint of shame come over him with the realization that in his haste he had failed to put her feelings first. This was not a romantic interlude, but he still wished for her to enjoy their time together, even vampires have pride.
“I’m sorry,” he finally told her, his voice was low and stung with a tinge of regret, “I had not intended to be so rough.”
“Rough I can handle, but thoughtless…” she shrugged off his apology at first and then saw the slump in his shoulders, realizing he was being sincere, “Thank you.”
They stood there for a moment, Aurora fidgeting with her robe, adjusting the collar and sleeves, as though being clothed was almost a hardship. Her eyes lingered on Azrael’s bare chest and sleek frame. Unlike the common artwork of a skeleton in a black cloak and hood, he was a handsome man, and in his previous angelic form he had been majestic. But now there was a darkness to him, with a touch of bad boy, as some would put it, that she noticed standing there before her.
“You weren’t always like this,” she critiqued. “We weren’t always like this.” It was a statement that resembled more of a surrender, rather than fleeing from him she took a seat on a nearby iron bench.
“Neither of us are what we were,” he commented remaining in place, fearful that if he walked to her he would be struck by sympathy and let her go free without a fight.
“But you and I… We were happy. You were my dearest friend.”
That was a blow even his dead heart could feel. He had been cast off in the friend zone and found himself cursed by his desperate action to escape. It was odd to use such modern slang to identify his ancient role in her life, but the simplest explanation was the least painful one.
“Friend… I shared my heart with you… my body…we were not friends, we were lovers and you cast me aside for a mortal unworthy of you.” A stir of emotions was bringing him back to himself and he felt the brooding schoolboy melt away with a reminder of what he was and who was at fault for his damnation.
“What did you expect, marriage, kids, a home, with me in the kitchen? Our kind are not domestic and are incapable of such restrictions. We are charged with the tasks that bring the universe into harmony, and you wanted me to walk away from the duties I was created for to play Donna Reed?” Her voice kicked up in a higher pitch, warning him that she was not only defensive, but frighteningly so.
“Don’t be a fool,” he lashed out.
“A fool… Far better a fool than a jealous twat.”
“Twat?”
“So, I spent time in London, listen to yourself, you sound like you’re straight out of Southern California.”
“You are deliberately distracting me.” He walked toward her, tossing away his caution and standing only a step away from her, close enough to feel the familiar electric shock he had always felt in her presence. Already his body was beginning to stir, reminding him why he had brought her there.
“Talking was not my reason for my bringing you here and will not serve as proper payment of that Nephilim’s life.”
“You would go back on your word?” She stood up, rolling her shoulders back and looking him dead on in the eyes.
“Only if you do so first,” he challenged her.
“Fine! Use me, take me, extort from my body the payment you desire for his life and be done with me.”
Azrael winced at the crudity in her words.
“It wasn’t always like this,” he told her, remembering happier times.
“No, but as you mentioned before, we are no longer the same as we once were.” She raised her arms over her head and her robe billowed at her feet, fluttering from a silent wind that suddenly swirled up around her.
“Stop.” Azrael reached out and tugged at her robe, forcing it to remain in place until she lowered her arms and the air inside the greenhouse was once again still. “Not like this.”
With masculine confidence he wrapped his arm around her and lifted them off the ground, they emerged through the glass roof never even cracking a window and flew up into the night sky. The lights of New Orleans sparkled at their feet, the city was beginning to come alive with jazz as the nightlife took to the streets. He risked a quick look at Aurora and saw her face light up from the view of the city below them, she was radiant in her surprise and wonder and he hoped he could hold onto that image for centuries to come.
“Have you never been to this city before?”
“There is little opportunity for me to enjoy the nightly rituals of mortals.”
“Liar.” He scoffed, and she turned her head emphasizing an expression that screamed ’excuse me?’.
“You will soon be wanting to blossom as your senses take in their joy and your body will come alive dancing to their music.” He would never forget the first time he had seen her dancing over the campfire, over two thousand years ago.
“I was a fool then. I never knew how dangerous my interaction with them could be.”
1356 North American Frontier
Navajo Nation
A bright blue glow grew across the sky, chasing away the black night and preparing the landscape for the approaching dawn. Cool air blew over the countryside, and the golden field sparkled in the early morning light, it was a magical time that only a few had the pleasure to witness. That morning Azrael was alone with his thoughts as he approached the deer skin covered dwelling. This was an honorable death, a warrior’s death, and he would bring the brave spirit to his final destination.
Slowly he approached the tent and listened for the silence to come with the man’s last breath. Struck down in battle he had lived through the night in pain from his wounds, but now he would find peace. Azrael emerged through the draped wall and into the dimly lit tent. The air was perfumed with the earthy scent of sandalwood and sage and the dying embers in the center fire pit left a touch of heat for the few bodies assembled. On a bed of fur and woven blankets the young warrior lay, his eyes closed, and his arms folded over his chest, his breathing had stilled into a disturbing rattling sound and the two women who had seen to his wounds during the night had surrendered to exhaustion, sleeping on the blanket covered dirt floor. This man had been well loved in his tribe and his loss would bring them pain, but they will all find peace and live on.
Hovering over the body, Azrael leaned down to whisper into the man’s ear, but there was an odd nagging sensation that pulled his focus away for a moment. Azrael shook his head and leaned in again, but once more that nagging sensation pulled at him. Closing his eyes and clearing his mind, Azrael did what he could to push the feeling away and reached out for the warrior’s hand. Still warm to the touch, he closed his hand over the man’s and with his last breath the young warrior closed his fingers over Azrael and opened his eyes.
“Come.” Azrael encouraged him in the man’s native tongue, and he sat up in response. It was sad to see how young the man was, but he had been given an honorable farewell from his tribe, which left his soul in harmony as he followed Azrael out into the morning.
Bright yellows, pinks and oranges were brushed across the sky offering an exhilarating tribute to the approaching dawn. The young man looked up into the sky, his shoulders rolled back with a posture that reflected pride in such a beautiful dawn, it had been Azr
ael’s intent as a tribute to the man and he could see in his face that it was happily received.
“You are a difficult one to track down.” Her familiar voice sang to Azrael and he turned his head to look toward the horizon where Aurora floated in the vibrant sky, her hair a tribute to the colorful display.
“How did you know where to find me?” He was hesitant, fearful of showing too much excitement in seeing her.
“I am the dawn and when you asked Michael for a tribute this morning I thought it would be best that I see the results for myself.” She smiled with pride.
“Pride goes before the fall,” he warned her with a broken smile.
She floated down to him, until they met face to face, her hair billowing around her face bringing out the bright green and yellow glow in her eyes. Azrael took in a deep breath restraining his temptation to grab her and hold her close. Their meetings were always few and far between and he had always been left in the wanting when she left, but he was too afraid to act on his desire.
“And will you be there to catch me?” she asked with an added twinkle in her eyes and an innocent laugh that sang in her voice and made his heart leap.
“Always,” he replied, but then turned his eyes to his charge reminding her that he had his duty first.
“Until next time.” Aurora leaned forward kissing his cheek, the touch of her soft lips against his warm face filled him with a longing for more, and when she broke away he fought to restrain the temptation to hold onto her. He watched her rise up into the breaking dawn, her hair flowing over her shoulders and blending into the colorful waves of clouds brushed across the sky until she disappeared into the majestic sight of a new day born.
Later that day
With the birth of a new life there is always the death of another, bringing a morbid recycling to the natural flow of life and keeping a balance in the world, though leaving little time for the Angel of Death to rest, but a peace had come over the earth that day. After his interaction that morning with Aurora, Azrael was feeling disjointed and out of place, when he saw her she’d enchanted him which only left him feeling empty and torn after they parted. Other angels had engaged in love affairs with mortals, but never had an angel taken another to bed, Azrael wouldn’t know what to do if he had been given the opportunity to act on his desires. If they would be received with encouragement, or would he be rejected, forever tainted as an unwanted and dimming the light that she had sparked in him.
Clothed in a light brown cloak he walked along the quiet beach, he enjoyed the feel of the cool water washing over his toes with every wave that rolled on shore. As the water pulled away, back into the ocean it left his feet clean and cold, the sand bubbling around him as tiny crabs dug deep for protection. With every step he took over the wet sand, water displaced, leaving a hollow effect over his toes until another wave washed ashore covering his feet once again.
A familiar feeling came over him. Azrael paused and turned his head toward the sun setting over the water, the rippling rise and fall of waves in the distance sparkling in the fading daylight, then above him where the dark hand of night was stretching out, swallowing the remaining glow of the day, then he looked forward, she was close and he could sense her.
“I had not expected to see you so soon.” He observed her approach him from behind.
“Patience is not my strongest suit. I gave you the day, that is a feat I would not normally offer.”
Azrael took a couple of steps in a circle, turning around to see her. Water splashed around him with every step, creating resistance as though the water were trying to pull him back, but he was resilient and turned to face Aurora. Standing knee deep in water, her white robe clung to her legs before being pulled with the water as it rushed back out. The wet fabric of her robe hugged her legs, drawing an outline of her lower form in the creases that ran down her body and when the next wave came in, the water rose higher than before, splashing against their legs and sending up a spray of water that kissed their faces and sprinkled the bodice of her robe and hair with salt water.
“Then I must thank you,” he said taking a step forward, eliminating some of the distance between them, “It would have been a shame if we let a few more years pass before we could share a conversation.” His voice was deep and foreign to himself.
“Conversation?” she asked, a nervous flutter in her voice adding to her adorable demeanor.
“Of course, I do so love our conversations.” He dragged his feet through the water, taking a few more steps forward until she was well within reach of his grasp.
“I could not think of a better place or time to share a … conversation,” her voice dipped down at the end of the word, emphasizing that she had something nefarious in her intent and he was eager to respond.
“What do you wish to talk about?” He reached a hand out and combed his fingers through her hair. The soft curls tumbled from his fingers like tongues of flames edged with blue and green highlights. Waiting for her hands he lifted his hand up to his face, taking a long whiff of her hair and sighing with content. She smelled of spring, of whispering wind before the dawn as it blew in the scent of night blooming jasmine, fresh and clean with the faint luster of an exotic sweetness. He felt intoxicated by her scent, dizzy, but vibrant at the same time, his body was alive with a fire that he had never known before and suddenly temptation was presented to him as another natural act, as normal as breathing, though it was not necessary for their existence it was a common function.
“Talk?” she inquired, but her eyes hung heavy and her voice was deep and sultry expressing her desire to bypass talking.
Azrael was inexperienced in what to do next, created with the honorable purpose to protect the souls of those departing the world he was not familiar with physical affection and the sexual desires of man. Slowly his eyes trailed the contours of her face, fascinated by the luster of her skin and the elegant curve of her cheekbones, but it was her lips, her plump lips, slightly puckered. Something about her drew him in, he was lost in a vortex of desire, a physical hunger that he could neither comprehend nor deny and before he could question his actions he pressed his lips against her, tenderly feeling her soft pliable mouth move under his as she invited his kiss. Temptation soon turned to hunger as he deepened the kiss, crushing his lips against hers with a heated passion that stirred in his loins. Azrael felt a surge of power rise between his legs bringing to life a sexual desire he had never known. The fibers of his cloak brushed the sensitive tip of his growing erection and he felt his legs start to waver under him, leaving him weak and unstable.
Water splashed around their knees as the tide continued to make it’s stretch on shore, but neither of them took notice of the cold water. Azrael’s hands abandoned her hair to secure a hold on her, one reached around her waist with his palm pressed at the center of her back while the other cupped the back of her head, tenderly cradling her in place as he turned his head to the side, deepening their kiss. Aurora was the aggressive one of the two, reaching down and grasping his cloak lifting it up until her hands could slip under the hem, giving her access to feel his tense thighs and tight buttocks. The warm feeling of her palm cupping the round underside of his buttocks made his whole body jump with excitement, her actions expressed a confidence in what she did that displayed an experience which he was thankful for. Azrael had seen lovers embrace and the Archangels had shared some of their experiences within, but not only had he never lay down with a woman, no two angels had ever shared their bodies before. This was an exploration that was not only unknown, but frightening.
Aurora broke the kiss leaving Azrael’s lips abandoned. She took a deep gasping breath and looked up into his dark eyes, the sun had vanished completely from sight and there was a distant glow from the rising moon. Silver light sparkled in her blue eyes bringing to life a deep green that weaved in and out of the blue, like an emerald colored ribbon floating on water.
“Are you frightened?” Heavy with the burdening weight of sincere concern, she
looked into his eyes, her fingers frozen on his backside in a tender embrace.
“No.” It was the truest word he had ever spoken, he was about to step forward into the unknown, taking a chance at damnation, but he did so with an open heart and not a thought of regret.
Picking her up in his arms he carried her out into the water, waves broke against their bodies, but he was immune to the force and as their clothes grew heavy from water they fell away, vanishing into sea foam leaving them stripped naked and pure. Moonlight stretched out over the water like ribbons of silver that sparkled and reflected up onto their bare skin as they sank deeper and deeper below the surface. Aurora’s arms were wrapped behind his head keeping her close to him. He lowered his head and claimed her lips in a deep kiss, locking them together as the water came up over their heads pulling them deeper and deeper.
Aurora was weightless in his arms and he held on tight, securing her to him to prevent her from floating away, but his foot slipped on a rock and they tumbled in the water, floating up and turning over slowly. Aurora fell from his arms and when their lips were next to break apart he reached out and took hold of her face, keeping them linked by the power of their kiss. The undertow pulled their legs in one direction while the rolling waves above pushed them toward shore, Azrael opened his eyes and looked into her sweet face, the maddening storm of her hair floating all around them consumed their faces and she opened her eyes, to smile up into his. They broke the kiss together, their faces hovering close and their lips parted slightly as they let the water flow all around and through them, they were one with the earth as their bodies were soon to be joined.
In a joyful celebration Aurora spread her arms wide and kicked her legs to swim in summersaults, moonlight penetrated the surface of the water above sending beams of light to cut through the water forming columns of light for her to dance around. She was a glorious sight that inspired his own internal joy.