No Shadows Fall

by L. J. LaBarthe

  “‘Shuǐlóng!’ Wu-gui cried as he went to his side.

  “‘Wu-gui. I did not wish you to see me die,’ said Shuǐlóng, ‘but I am glad to be able to bid you farewell.’

  “Wu-gui wept, for Shuǐlóng was his dearest companion and friend. ‘Oh Gods,’ the land-turtle cried, raising his face toward the Heavens, ‘please take pity on your poor creatures and let the rains come so that my beloved water-dragon, Shuǐlóng, may live.’

  “The Gods were moved by Wu-gui’s plea, and they caused the rain clouds to move in. The rain began to fall, and the river slowly filled up. Wu-gui remained beside his beloved Shuǐlóng, even as the waters slowly rose, for he would not leave Shuǐlóng alone.

  “As the waters grew higher and higher, Shuǐlóng, recovering from days in the hot sun, lifted his head. ‘Wu-gui,’ he said, ‘climb onto my back, and I will use my wings to protect you from the rain. I would not see you die when you have saved my life.’

  “So Wu-gui did as Shuǐlóng bid and was protected from the deluge of rain and the rising river waters. As Shuǐlóng’s strength returned, he carried his friend to the shallows of the river so that Wu-gui could be safe on land.

  “‘You saved my life before,’ said Wu-gui, ‘and now I have saved yours. But I would not leave you, dear friend, for you are my closest companion.’

  “And Shuǐlóng smiled at him and said, ‘I would not have you leave me, for you are my closest companion also.’

  “And they lived together until the end of their days, the land-turtle and the water- dragon, for even opposites may yet be great friends and the closest of companions.

  “You are my water-dragon, Gabriel. You are my Shuǐlóng. Without you, I am lost and I am alone. I do not want to lose you, da bao. Please be careful when fighting Semjaza. I cannot lose you, just as Wu-gui could not lose his Shuǐlóng.”

  Gabriel turned and faced Michael, his eyes wide. He cupped Michael’s face in his hands and kissed his forehead, then his nose, then his cheeks. “Solnyshko,” he said in a soft, intense voice, “I would never leave you. I promise that I won’t let Semjaza get the better of me.”

  Michael smiled. “Thank you, Gabriel.”

  “And that were a beautiful story, Mishka.” Gabriel rested his forehead against Michael’s. “Thank you, my poet.”

  Michael’s smile turned shy. “You are very kind, Gabriel.”

  “May I kiss you?”

  Michael nodded. “I would like that very much, in truth.”

  Gabriel kissed him, soft and slow at first but with growing passion. Michael climbed onto Gabriel’s lap, and Gabriel wrapped his arms around Michael’s body, holding him close as they kissed.

  Desire rose, pooling low in his belly, and Gabriel ran his hands up and down Michael’s back. “I want you, Michael.” His mental voice was a low purr of need.

  “Then you should have me.”

  “We should go somewhere a little warmer, though.”

  For answer, Michael only hummed, pressing even closer to Gabriel and sliding a hand beneath his clothes to rest his palm against Gabriel’s chest. There was a whisper of power and Gabriel felt his lover create a barrier around them so no snow or cold wind could be felt.

  He grinned into the kiss, laying Michael back on the ground, beside the crackling fire. Covering Michael’s body with his own, Gabriel kissed Michael harder, hungrily, sliding his hands beneath Michael’s shirt to stroke his stomach.

  Michael groaned into the kiss, arching into Gabriel’s body, moving his own hands straight to Gabriel’s wing joints and rubbing.

  With a low moan, Gabriel used his power to get them both naked, not caring where their clothing ended up. He kissed his way down Michael’s body, teasing each nipple with the tip of his tongue, then made his way down Michael’s muscled torso, sliding his tongue between each well-defined ab and oblique. Michael’s noises grew louder, hungrier, as Gabriel kissed his way down the treasure trail of dark hair that led to his cock, and as Gabriel gave the head of that straining hardness a gentle lick, Michael whined, bucking his hips.

  Shooting Michael a quick grin,

  Gabriel parted his lips and took Michael’s cock into his mouth. He sucked and licked, roaming his hands over Michael’s warm skin as Michael tangled his hands in Gabriel’s hair, tugging and pulling.

  “G-Gabriel,” Michael panted as Gabriel snaked his tongue around the crown of Michael’s cock.

  “Mmm, Michael. You feel good.”

  Gabriel slipped a hand between Michael’s thighs to fondle his balls, and Michael gave voice to a low cry and arched, coming thick and hot on Gabriel’s tongue.

  Gabriel swallowed him down, and slowly pulled back, giving Michael’s cock one last gentle lick. Then he crawled up to kiss Michael’s mouth, a low noise of contentment coming from him as Michael wound his arms around him.

  “Take me,” Michael whispered between hot, hungry kisses. “Please, Gabriel. I need you.”

  Gabriel nipped Michael’s lower lip gently. “I want you to know, Mishka, that I love you. More than I know how to say. I need you, want you, love you.”

  Michael reached up to touch Gabriel’s cheek with gentle fingers. “I love you also.”

  Gabriel used his power to slick himself, and as Michael lifted his legs to wrap them around Gabriel’s waist, he slowly thrust into Michael’s body. Gabriel groaned loudly in desire, and Michael tugged him down for another kiss, just as hard and hungry as their first.

  It wasn’t going to take him long, Gabriel thought as he thrust hard and deep into Michael’s body and kissed him with artless passion. He was too aroused, needed this too much. Michael responded to Gabriel’s need with his own, rocking onto Gabriel’s cock, his hands in Gabriel’s feathers, his wings sliding against Gabriel’s.

  As Gabriel worked a hand between them to wrap around Michael’s cock and stroke it, Michael cried out, his legs clenching around Gabriel’s body. Gabriel moaned, breaking the kiss to breathe, and with one more hard thrust, he came. He continued to stroke Michael’s cock, and it was only a few moments later that Michael came as well.

  They lay together, panting, unwilling to let go of each other or move away from each other. Above them, the sky grew darker, and the snow created a blanket of white on top of Michael’s barrier. Gabriel chuckled as he looked up at it.

  “We’ll have to send the snow somewhere else before you let that barrier down,” he teased. “Or we’ll be frosty snowmen in our own broken snow globe.”

  Michael laughed. “In truth, I had forgotten it. I was focused entirely on you.”

  Gabriel kissed him softly. “Aye, I were the same.”

  “You will be careful in Washington?”

  “Aye, I will.” Gabriel cupped Michael’s cheek with one hand. “Anyway, you’ll be close, keeping an eye on things.”

  “I will. I would not be anywhere else.” Michael’s expression grew somber. “I must tell you, Gabriel, that I do have some misgivings about this plan of Raziel’s.”

  “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have any,” Gabriel agreed. “But there ain’t no other way to do this. Is there?”

  Michael shrugged. “Perhaps. In any case, I will not mourn Semjaza’s passing. In truth, I will be glad of it.”

  “You know what I’ll be glad of?” Gabriel slowly began to rock into Michael’s body, running a hand down his side.

  “No, what?” Michael’s voice was a little breathy as he rocked into each thrust.

  “I’ll be glad when we can spend a good long while together without any bloody drama or disaster rising up to tear us away. I ain’t wanted much in my life, but I want us to have a proper post- bonding holiday.”

  “I confess that I like the sound of that.” Michael reached up to pull Gabriel down for another kiss. “I like the sound of that a very great deal.”

  Gabriel kissed him eagerly, as his thrusts gradually sped up, and his wings twined with Michael’s as they fucked.

  Afterward, they lay together as their fire die
d down. Finally, a few hours before dawn, Gabriel got to his feet, helping Michael stand up.

  “We should probably be getting back, yeah?”

  Michael sighed and nodded. “Yes.”

  They dressed, and Gabriel extinguished the fire. Then Michael removed the barrier, making sure the snow didn’t land on them. Hand in hand, Gabriel and Michael walked slowly back toward the cottage.

  “Not long now,” Gabriel remarked.

  “No indeed.” Michael’s grip on Gabriel’s hand tightened.

  “It’ll be okay, solnyshko,” Gabriel said, kissing Michael’s cheek.

  “I hope so.”

  “Trust me.” Gabriel smiled at Michael.

  “I do, Gabriel. Completely and implicitly. I do not trust Semjaza, however.”

  “Nor do I.” Gabriel wrinkled his nose. “Still, we’ll get this done and then we can relax.”

  Michael gave him a sad little smile and said nothing.

  “ I FEEL like a damn gargoyle,” Uriel complained.

  “You look like one too,” Raziel replied.

  They were sitting on a ledge at the very top of the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral. They had shielded themselves so they were invisible to human, demon, and angel eyes, which, Uriel thought, was just as well considering Raziel had unfurled his wings and had them lifted up, the wind catching his feathers and making them rustle.

  “Why do you do that with your wings?” Uriel asked.

  “I like the feeling of the crosswinds in my feathers.” Raziel swung one leg slowly back and forth. “You should try it.”

  “Huh.” Uriel considered that and then shook his head. “Maybe later, when I’m not so worried.”

  “About the plan?”

  “Yeah.” Uriel scowled. “This isn’t guaranteed, Razzy.”

  “I know.” Raziel sighed. “Still, can you think of anything better?”

  “No. And that sucks.” Uriel scowled.

  “We’ll be very close if anything goes wrong.” Raziel looked out over Paris. “We should head down to the Champs- Élysées and meet Ondrass, Adramelek, and Markus soon.”

  “Hm. Maybe.” Uriel’s frown deepened. “I don’t like this at all.”

  “Lucifer ’s interest makes me nervous.”

  Uriel barked a harsh laugh. “You and me both, baby. We were very angry back then,” he mused reflectively, thinking back on deeds long gone and times long past. “Now... I understand why God ordered us to do what we did. In Eden, after the expulsion.”

  “The orders not to kill Ish’s kids were wise. We all need to love and be loved,” Raziel agreed. “It’s what separates us from the rocks.”

  “Profound.” Uriel lit a cigar. “Ah, Raz,” he continued, looping an arm around the younger Archangel’s shoulders. “I would be so damn lost without you around. And before you ask, no, I’m not getting sappy, because I’m not the Archangel of Cheese. That’s Gabriel and Michael. I’m saying that you’re not just my lover, you’re my best friend.”

  “I feel the same,” Raziel said, squeezing Uriel’s thigh with his hand. “We’re besties, as the kids say, and we’re lovers, and we’re bonded.”

  “Mm.” Uriel grinned as he remembered their bonding ritual. “That was a fucking sexy night.”

  “The others don’t know, though, do they?”

  “That we had a fucking sexy night?”

  “Ha-ha, very funny.” Raziel huffed, though he sounded amused as he continued. “No, they don’t know that we bonded, is what I meant.”

  “Haniel probably does.” Uriel was matter-of-fact. “Michael and Gabriel are new bond mates too, so they wouldn’t realize yet. The others... no idea. Maybe.”

  “Well, we can all talk about it later,” Raziel said.

  “Okay.” Companionable silence fell between them, and Uriel idly wove strands of Raziel’s long, dark hair between his fingers. He could feel his lover reaching out stealthily with his power, searching, watching.

  “Our Archdemons have showed up,” Raziel said.

  Uriel looked up, squinting at the sun as he gauged the time. “It’s around four p.m.”

  “We should go down and meet them, then.”

  Uriel nodded. “Hide your wings again, baby.”

  “I just did.” Raziel’s wings had faded from view. “Now, then, let us go and speak with Snarky and Snarkier.”

  Uriel laughed. “Okay.” Without another word, he moved them to a narrow street off the Champs-Élysées, and then the two Archangels walked around the corner and to the café where they were to have their meeting.

  “What a charming little café you suggested,” Ondrass said by way of greeting as Uriel and Raziel sat down at the Archdemons’ table. “The coffee is exquisite.”

  “I’m so glad you approve,” Raziel chuckled.

  “I can see why Azazel chose to settle down in this city,” Ondrass went on. “It’s so wonderfully decadent.”

  Raziel quirked an eyebrow. “How did you know about Azazel?”

  “Please, Archangel.” Ondrass looked offended, even as Adramelek laughed. “You have met me, haven’t you?”

  Raziel rolled his eyes. “Fine, whatever.”

  Uriel had watched the exchange with sardonic amusement. Now, he leaned on the table and said without any preamble, “Your little deal is accepted.”

  Adramelek drew in a deep breath. “Lucifer will be pleased.”

  “Frankly, I don’t care about him.” Uriel narrowed his eyes and looked at the two Archdemons and Markus who sat quietly beside Ondrass. “I want Semjaza contained. Gabriel might wish that Semjaza was still in Aquila, but he should have killed him in the first place.”

  “Isn’t that against Celestial law? Angelcide, that is.” Ondrass looked at Adramelek.

  “Don’t look at me,” Adramelek laughed. “I don’t know the intricacies of Celestial law.”

  Raziel pursed his lips. “It was, once, but after the expulsion from Eden, that law was lifted. After all, Michael did have to maim quite a few Grigori, and I do believe he killed one or two. Gabriel slaughtered a great number of Nephilim, and then Uriel here proceeded to drown any of them that weren’t dead yet. I don’t think the law was ever returned.”

  “Remarkable. Well, I have learned something today.” Ondrass reached inside his overcoat and withdrew a cloth- wrapped object. “Our part of the bargain, then.”

  “What is this?” Uriel asked.

  “It’s an amulet. Bury it near to where you plan to have your confrontation between Gabriel and Semjaza, and it will do two things. First, it will limit the amount of power that Semjaza can draw from external sources. Second, it will serve as a point of reference for Lucifer to reach out and take Semjaza down into Hell.”

  Raziel took the amulet and pocketed it. “Thank you,” he said.

  Ondrass shrugged. “Something for something, is that not right?”

  “Yes.” Raziel shook his head. “This has been an odd century.”

  “They are all odd in their own ways,” Adramelek said. He picked up his coffee cup and took a sip. “Mmm, delicious. Anyway, every year, every month, every day, every moment brings new and unexpected events. If everything were the same, it would be terribly boring, would it not?”

  Raziel nodded his agreement, toying with the salt shaker on the table. “True, but I can’t recall a century that has seen us working so closely with you Archdemons.”

  “To be sure, that is unusual.” Adramelek smirked suddenly. “But then, how do you know that we aren’t using these happy little meetings to gather intelligence about you?”

  Uriel hissed. “You son of a bitch.”

  “I didn’t say we were, Uriel, so don’t get your tighty-whities in a bunch.” Adramelek’s smirk broadened. “Your reaction, however, was exactly what I thought it would be. You’re so predictable.”

  “I wonder if you’ll say that when my sword’s buried in your gut,” Uriel growled.

  “Uri.” Raziel placed a hand on Uriel’s arm, and Uriel muttered under his breath
and slouched down in his seat. To the Archdemons, Raziel said, “I don’t really care if you do use these little tête-à- têtes as information gathering sessions. Like you just said, everything changes. There’s nothing to say that the way things are now is how they’ll be in a decade’s time. Or even in a week’s time.”

  “Touché,” agreed Adramelek. “And now—” He drained the contents of his cup. “—I am afraid we must leave. There is much yet to be done in Hell before Semjaza’s arrival.”

  “Give him my warmest regards,” Raziel said maliciously. “Tell him that I do hope he enjoys your exquisite hospitality for the rest of time.”

  Ondrass barked a laugh. “I’ll be sure to pass that on to him.”

  “Splendid.” Raziel smiled. “I believe we’ll see each other again at some point, although who can say when and where.”

  “Probably,” Adramelek agreed as he got to his feet. “Good luck,” he added, his voice now serious.

  “Yes.” Ondrass nodded, also standing. “Good luck.”

  “Thanks,” Raziel said.

  Uriel grunted.

  When the Archdemons and Markus had left, Uriel pinched the bridge of his nose. “They always give me a headache.”

  “Never mind,” Raziel said, taking Uriel’s hand in his own. “When we get back to Iona, I’ll give you a massage.”

  Uriel smiled crookedly. “I appreciate that, Razzy. You always take good care of me.”

  Raziel looked down at their hands and was silent for a long moment. Uriel raised an eyebrow. Finally, Raziel looked up and his blue eyes were hooded.

  “If something goes wrong,” Raziel began, “I want you to know that I love you, Uriel. I’ve loved you since... shit. For a very fucking long time, even by angelkind’s standards. I know we irritate each other enormously sometimes, and I know there are days when we simply do not understand each other, but in the end, that doesn’t matter at all. I love you and as far as I’m concerned, there has never been anyone else for me, you grumpy, uncouth, cigar-loving, farting in bed, binge- drinking bastard.”