“Pretty good, overall. Semjaza is in Hell,” Raziel began, “and Azazel is dead.” There was a murmur of surprise at that.
“Dead?” Kokabiel asked. “How?”
“Death by Archangel dagger,” Uriel drawled. “Azazel thought he’d try and kill Gabriel with a spear and ended up dead himself. Gabriel’s got quite a throwing arm. He’d be a great baseball pitcher.”
“Or cricketer,” Raziel agreed.
“Is Gabriel all right?” Penemuel’s voice was anxious, his expression mirroring his concern.
“Yes, he’ll be fine. Raphael is taking care of him, and Michael’s with him, so he’ll be right as rain soon enough.” Raziel looked at the three Grigori. “This is merely a courtesy call to let you all know that now that Semjaza is in Hell, enjoying the hospitality of Lucifer Morningstar—”
“I don’t know that enjoying is the right word, Razzy,” Uriel interrupted.
“I’m sure Lucifer’s enjoying it,” Raziel laughed. “In any event, Semjaza is in Hell, Azazel is dead. Ishtahar and her sons and the other Nephilim are now free to live as they choose. And so are you three.”
“Thank you,” Kokabiel said in a soft voice.
“You don’t know how much this means to us,” Baraqiel added.
“There are some restrictions,” Raziel said. “Nothing too extreme. As with all of angelkind, you are sterile and unable to procreate. I would suggest most strongly that you all strive to avoid romantic and sexual entanglements with humans.”
Baraqiel shrugged. “I don’t think any of the three of us would think of doing that these days, Raziel. We learned our lessons.”
“Splendid.” Raziel took a deep breath. “You may, however, wish to contact Ishtahar in a few weeks. It seems that four of the Nephilim that her son, Ahijah, has been protecting, are your children.”
Silence so profound fell over the room, and Raziel smiled faintly. “They’re speechless, Uri.”
“Well shit, Raz, if you popped up at my place and told me I was a daddy, I’d be damn speechless too.” Uriel pulled a cigarette case from his jacket pocket and removed a cigarette, popped it between his lips, and lit it with a snap of his fingers.
“What... are you sure?” Penemuel asked.
“Oh yes. Ahijah told us. Your daughter, Penemuel, and your son, Kokabiel. And your twin daughters, Baraqiel. All alive and well, and living in a village in South America. Like us, the Nephilim are now sterile, barren, unable to bear children. But the sins of their fathers, and those that their fathers’ ruler —Semjaza—visited on them are forgiven. I do not believe they will seek companionship with humans, for as you know, beings who live forever find it hard when their loved ones grow old and die.”
Penemuel had tears in his eyes. “My daughter,” he whispered. “I had no idea. I didn’t... Raziel, this is remarkable.”
“Call Ish.” Raziel pulled a card from the pocket of his jeans and held it out. “That’s her cell phone number. Like I said, give it a few weeks, but after that, she’ll be able to fill you in with the details.”
Penemuel nodded, taking the card. A tear slipped down his cheek. “After so long,” he said slowly, “I never thought that the child born from the woman that Semjaza ordered me to mate with might still be alive.”
“We know.” Raziel looked at the Grigori, his gaze intent and unblinking.
“We know that Semjaza’s crimes were not just limited to humans, but to his own choir. Your kids know too. Their mothers told them the stories, and Ahijah filled in the blanks. He’s really the one you have to thank, actually.”
“I will, most assuredly.” Penemuel nodded, Kokabiel and Baraqiel doing the same. “I... what is my daughter’s name, Raziel?”
“Eliora. It is the Hebrew name meaning ‘God is my light.’”
“Eliora,” Penemuel said in wonder. “A beautiful name.”
“Raziel, please, what is my son’s name? I was forbidden to know when he was born. Semjaza forbade it.” Kokabiel’s voice shook with emotion. He was clutching to Baraqiel’s hand, and Baraqiel was holding on just as tight to Kokabiel. Raziel smiled again, moved by their emotion.
“Your son is named Elazar, the Hebrew name meaning ‘God has helped.’ And before you ask, Baraqiel, your daughters are Liora, Hebrew for ‘my light’, and Odelia, Hebrew for ‘I will praise God.’”
Baraqiel made a sound like a choked sob, turning away to hide his emotion. Kokabiel swallowed several times and nodded, licking his lips.
“Thank you,” he said finally, his voice trembling. “It has... this is a priceless gift, Raziel.”
Raziel nodded. “One more thing. If your children express to you their discontent at not being able to have families of their own, point out that there are many children in the world who do not have families and who need loving homes. We Archangels have adopted human children over the millennia. There is no restriction on you Grigori or your Nephilim offspring from doing the same. Agrat would be most happy to assist you in that regard, I am sure.”
Penemuel nodded. He seemed unable to speak. Chloe got up and moved to him and hugged him. As Raziel watched, Penemuel buried his face in the girl’s neck and wept. Raziel turned away and looked at Uriel who was watching with a raised eyebrow.
“We should take our leave,” Raziel said in an undertone. “Give them some space.”
“Good idea.” Uriel headed toward the door.
“Raziel, please, a moment if you would?”
Raziel turned at the words, looking at Penemuel who seemed a little more in control of his emotions. “Yes?”
“At first, I was frightened you would take us back to Hell,” Penemuel began. “I didn’t want to tell you what we’d heard about Semjaza, but Chloe summoned you. I was angry at first, and then I realized that this was exactly what Semjaza had done to so many people—and angelkind—in Eden. She did the right thing and her friendship and the friendship of her mum have given me the strength to see this through.
“So, what I wanted to say was thank you. In a roundabout sort of way, you gave me the purpose to reconnect with my dear friends Kokabiel and Baraqiel, and to find the courage to confront Semjaza and deny him after so long living in terror of him. And now you tell us we are forgiven by God and that we have children... I now understand what Ishtahar said that day of the expulsion.”
“What did she say?” Raziel asked.
“She said that being made immortal for her part in Semjaza’s crimes was as much a blessing as it was a punishment. I didn’t understand what she meant until now. Being immortal has many drawbacks —as you say, watching those mortals you love and care for grow old and die is never pleasant—but it also has its positives. This is one of the most wonderful positives. Family, friends, home and the knowledge that we are not shunned and outcast.”
Raziel inclined his head respectfully. “Then you are most welcome, Penemuel. As are you, Kokabiel and Baraqiel. Uriel and I will leave now.”
“Go with God,” Kokabiel said, bowing.
“Be with God,” Raziel responded, and he touched Uriel’s shoulder and moved them.
“Whoosh,” Uriel said as they reappeared in the world on the broad porch of their beach house in Queensland, Australia. “That was a lot of emotion in one tiny room.”
“It was a bit.” Raziel sprawled comfortably on the porch, looking out at the gentle swell of the sea. He turned to look at Uriel, and his eyebrows shot up as he saw that his lover had tears in his eyes. “Do you have sand in your eyes, Uri?”
“Shut up. Yes, I do,” Uriel retorted, rubbing his eyes with the backs of both hands.
Raziel burst out laughing, nudging Uriel with his shoulder. “You old softie.”
“I am not, how disgusting. Next you’ll be making me watch those awful ‘rom-com’ movies the carbon apes make.”
Uriel rolled his eyes. “There was a breeze, and it blew sand in my eyes, that’s all.”
“Of course, Uri.” Raziel shook his head in amusement. “I quite understand.”
“You great fool,” Raziel said fondly. “Do you really think it bothers me that you show emotion every so often?”
“No, of course not. It bothers me, that’s all.”
“Ah, I see. Some sense of personal emasculation?”
“Yeah. Let’s talk about something else.”
“All right.” Raziel pulled sunglasses to him with a thought and reached over to grab the cigarettes out of Uriel’s pocket. “We should go fishing.”
“What the hell for?”
“To catch fish, duh.” Raziel lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. “Then we’ll cook them and eat them.”
“Don’t we have to clean them first?”
Raziel waved his fingers. “Magic.”
“Good.” Uriel looked disgusted. “Cleaning fish just sounds like something that would be really fucking gross if we had to do it the carbon ape way.”
“I’m not doing the gross things the human way if I don’t have to,” Raziel asserted.
Uriel looped his arm around Raziel’s shoulders. “Even better. You know I love you, right?”
“You do? What an astonishing thing!”
“Brat.” Uriel kissed the top of Raziel’s head.
“Your brat,” Raziel said.
“That’s the best bit, yeah.”
Raziel leaned into Uriel’s body, and they fell into a companionable silence. After a while, Raziel stretched. “What do you think of making our formal meetings once every two years?”
“Hm? Oh. I think it’s a good idea. We need to stay in touch.” Uriel hummed. “Once every thousand years might have been enough in the old days, but the carbon apes live their lives so much faster now. We need to adapt to the fact that things change much quicker than they used to.”
“I’m glad you see it the way I do.” Raziel kissed Uriel’s cheek. “Let’s take a swim.”
“Now?” Uriel looked at Raziel in surprise.
“Why not?” Raziel stood up and began to undress.
“What about bathing suits?” Uriel demanded.
“What about them?” Raziel looked at him in confusion. “I’ve seen your naked body before and you’ve seen mine.”
“The carbon apes might stare.”
Raziel gaped at him then shook his head. “I don’t care, Uri. I’m going to swim, and you’re coming with me.” “What?”
“Yeah, I said it. I gave you an order.” Raziel grinned as he shucked the last of his clothes. “Come on. Or are you a scaredy-cat?”
“Why you....” Uriel leapt to his feet, and Raziel laughed. He jogged down to the sea, then into the cool water, knowing that Uriel would follow him. Several moments later, Uriel was there beside him, splashing him with one wing.
“Happy now?” Uriel asked.
“Delirious.” Raziel swam over to his lover and looped his arms around Uriel’s neck.
“Good.” Uriel wound his arms around Raziel’s waist.
“Kiss me,” Raziel ordered.
“You’re lucky I love you,” Uriel grumbled. But he leaned in and kissed Raziel, sliding a hand up to tangle in Raziel’s shoulder-length dark brown hair.
Raziel deepened the kiss, pressing as close to Uriel as he could, moving one hand down to grip a strong and powerful wing. He made a soft noise into the kiss as he poured all his love and gratitude for having Uriel in his life into it.
“I love you, grumpy face,” Raziel’s mental voice was soft. “A whole hell of a lot. Warts and all.”
“I don’t have warts.” Uriel nipped Raziel’s lower lip. “And I love you too.”
“Metaphorical warts, Uri.”Raziel grinned into the kiss. “How do you feel about taking me to bed?”
“I thought you wanted to swim.”
“And so we are. But now I want to have sex.”
Uriel laughed softly in Raziel’s mind.
“You’re so demanding.”
“You love it, babe.”
“It’s true. Don’t you ever tell anyone.”
“I promise.”
Raziel made a happy noise as Uriel teleported them from the sea to the bedroom, drying them in the process. They lay back on the bed, still kissing and touching, and Raziel groaned softly as he felt Uriel’s hard cock pressing against his thigh.
“I want to feel you,” Uriel murmured against Raziel’s lips. “It’s been a while.”
“Since the cave on Iona,” Raziel agreed, rolling them so he was on top of Uriel.
“And now we’re on our bed, so we can take our time.” Uriel ran his hands down Raziel’s body.
“True.” Raziel shifted to kneel between Uriel’s thighs, and he leaned down, teasing one of Uriel’s nipples with the tip of his tongue, and palming Uriel’s cock. Uriel moaned, arching into the attentions, moving his own hands to Raziel’s cock and balls, and as Uriel stroked Raziel’s cock, he used his power to lubricate Raziel’s hardness.
“Magic’s awesome,” Raziel said as he lifted Uriel’s legs to his shoulders.
“You know what else is awesome?” Uriel moved his hands to Raziel’s hips.
“What’s that?”
“Your dick inside me. I’m not getting any younger here, you know. Fuck me already.”
Raziel laughed and slowly thrust into Uriel’s body, a loud, hungry moan coming from him as muscles flexed around his cock, the delicious friction adding wave after wave of pleasurable sensations. He moved slowly, taking his time and drawing it out, kissing Uriel artlessly, hungrily, stroking Uriel’s cock out of time with his thrusts.
Uriel was loud in bed, Raziel thought in fond amusement as Uriel’s moans and groans of pleasure became loud cries for more, please, fuck, yes, yes! As Uriel clenched down on Raziel’s cock when Raziel was balls deep inside him, Uriel came and Raziel groaned, thrusting harder and faster until he came as well.
They collapsed on the bed together, panting, still touching each other, their sweat drying as a cool breeze blew in through the open windows. Raziel nuzzled Uriel’s shoulder as he ran his hand slowly over Uriel’s chest.
“You’re a shouter, babe,” he said.
“I’m a what now?”
“Shouter. Screamer.” Raziel grinned. “In bed. You make a lot of noise.”
Uriel shifted to look Raziel in the eye. “Is that a bad thing?”
“No.” Raziel kissed him. “No. I love it. I love that it’s me that does it for you.”
“No one else, baby.” “Even better.”
IT DIDN’T really take Gabriel that long to heal, once he was conscious. However, the fact that he was, in his opinion, perfectly fine, didn’t stop Michael and Raphael from fussing over him like a pair of mother hens. The day the bandages came off, Gabriel spent half an hour standing in front of a full-length mirror, examining the scar from the wound and the stitches that were still in place. He poked at it experimentally, and, pleased that nothing hurt, he reached for a pair of scissors.
He had been in the process of cutting out the stitches, tongue poking out between his teeth as he contorted himself in order to reach the more awkward spots when Michael had found him. Michael had yelled for Raphael, taken away Gabriel’s scissors and proceeded to scold him for an hour without taking a breath. Gabriel was very impressed at Michael’s orating ability, but he felt that really, Michael was overdoing it just a little bit.
Raphael concurred, taking out the remaining stitches himself. As Gabriel poked again at his scar, Michael had thrown his hands up in the air in despair.
“Mishka, I’m fine,” Gabriel said, for what felt like the fortieth time.
“You are not fine! You nearly died, Gabriel. What would have happened, then, hm?”
“I guess I’d be dead?”
That hadn’t been appreciated, for Michael had gone pale, drawn himself up, and marched out of the bedroom.
“He was really worried,” Raphael said as he slathered salve onto the scar. “He cried a lot, Gabriel. You were out of it, which is probably ju
st as well. He thinks he let you down, and that he was too weak to save you.”
Gabriel frowned, trying not to fidget. Raphael’s touch was beginning to tickle him. “But it ain’t his fault.”
“I know that, you know that, God Himself knows that, but Michael cannot come to that logical conclusion.” Raphael finished and gazed at Gabriel seriously. “How would you react if the situation were reversed?”
“I’d tie him to the bed until he got the all clear from you,” Gabriel said. Then he frowned. “Okay, fair enough, I get it. Am I allowed to go outside?”
“Yes.” Raphael nodded. “Light exercise only, though. You can do a little more each day.”
“Thanks.” Gabriel tugged on a T- shirt and made his way out of the bedroom and down the short flight of stairs in the tower to the garden outside.
Eden was, as always, beautiful and serene. The city was silent, devoid of humanoid life save those few of angelkind who remained while Gabriel healed. There was the song of many different varieties of birds, however, and the hum of bees as they moved ecstatically from flower to flower, gathering nectar. There was also the trickling sound of water, coming from the many fountains in Eden, and the rustling of trees and grass as a light wind wove through the branches and fronds, creating its own music.
Michael was sitting on the grass beside a pool with a simple rock fountain, letting water trickle over his hand. He did not look up as Gabriel moved to join him, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on the water. Gabriel could see carp and other brightly colored fish that he didn’t recognize swimming around, and he wondered what was so exciting about them that Michael couldn’t tear his gaze away.
“I’m sorry,” Gabriel began. “I hate being cooped up is all, you know that. I didn’t mean to upset you. I totally didn’t realize how much you’ve gone through while I’ve been recovering.”
Michael looked up at that. His eyes were glassy, and Gabriel realized with a start that Michael had tears in his eyes.
“Hey,” Gabriel reached out, taking Michael’s hand in his. “We’re together, yeah? Here, in Eden. And I’ll get stronger and stronger every day, and we’ll walk and talk and cuddle, and it’ll be good.”
Michael nodded and took a deep breath. “As you say.”
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