No Shadows Fall (4 page)

“Quite so, sire.” Azazel inclined his head and returned to his machines.

“Later, you must teach me how to use these devices,” Semjaza said. “Now, with your permission, I would like to explore your home.”

“Of course.” Azazel turned again. “As I said, my lord. My home is yours. You are most welcome here.”

“Thank you, Azazel.” Semjaza paused. “One thing. What happened to your family? After Eden?”

Azazel sighed. He turned away from Semjaza, and his face became wreathed in shadow. “They died, my liege. My children, my two beautiful sons and my three sweet, innocent daughters were slaughtered by Gabriel during his genocidal destruction of our offspring and their offspring. My wife was killed, drowned, actually, in the flood that Uriel unleashed at Hashem’s command, to cleanse the planet.”

Semjaza’s hands clenched into fists. “They shall be avenged,” he said in a low growl. “I promise you, old friend.”

Azazel nodded once. “Thank you, sire.”

Semjaza opened his mouth to say more, but the set of Azazel’s shoulders indicated that this was not the right time to discuss such a tragic subject. He nodded instead and quietly stepped back, closing the door to the room behind him in respect for Azazel’s grief.

Closing his eyes, Semjaza took a deep, slow breath. He had seen it all from his prison among the stars. Gabriel, his sword burning with the pure white flame of Archangel power, slaughtering thousands of innocents because God had so ordered him. Uriel, gathering up one human—Noah—and his family, and one male and one female of every creature and plant on the planet, building a large ship to carry it all, and then making it rain for forty days and forty nights. Raziel, taking his book of secrets and mysteries and hiding it, far away, out of sight of even Semjaza. And Michael, Michael who had stood back and watched and said nothing, shed no tears for the lives that Gabriel had taken, those lives that were kin to angelkind through their fathers. Raphael too, had done nothing, and Remiel had saved Ishtahar and hidden her with the last clans of the monsters in the high places of the world.

All gone, all dead. Nothing but memories in Semjaza’s mind and soul. He let out his breath and opened his eyes. Soon, there would be a reckoning. It was well overdue.

Squaring his shoulders, Semjaza resumed his exploration of Azazel’s home and forced himself not to think about grief and loss.

G
ABRIEL
WAS
in shock.

He didn’t protest as Michael hauled him to Tzadkiel’s apartment. He heard them speaking without really listening to what they were saying. Everything sounded far off, distant, as if he were underwater. He continued not to protest as Michael, his hand still in Gabriel’s, ’ported them from Tzadkiel’s home to Remiel’s.

Remiel’s house was a sprawling farmhouse in the country, the closest town being North Canaan. Any other day, Gabriel would have laughed, would have found the connection between the New World of America and the Old World of the Bible delightful.

Not today.

On the doorstep of Remiel’s home, Gabriel came to an abrupt halt. He needed to think, to process.

Michael frowned, turning to face Gabriel, concern written all over his face. “
Da bao
?”

Gabriel shook his head. “I can’t. Not yet. I just… I need a minute to think.”

Michael’s frown deepened. “Are you certain?”

“Aye. Walk with me?”

“Of course,” Michael said at once.

Gabriel gave him a small, relieved smile and turned, walking toward the fields, Michael falling into step beside him.

Head down, Gabriel turned the events of the last several hours over and over in his mind. Shock gradually gave way to incredulity. Semjaza had escaped from his prison in the stars, escaped an Archangel-warded jail cell. He had freed himself and come to Earth, all unknown to the Archangels until Aquila called to Gabriel, and Michael had reported to the others in the Brotherhood.

How had he done it? Gabriel couldn’t figure it out, and it was frustrating. That prison had been made to be secure. Evidently, it wasn’t as strong as he’d thought. The incredulity and frustration slowly gave way to anger, and as Gabriel, with Michael at his side, topped a low hill, he let loose a string of invective that made Michael gape at him in surprise.

“Gabriel!”

“Michael, don’t scold me.” Gabriel was shaking, suddenly so angry that he couldn’t believe he was still coherent. Rage burned through him, the rage that made him what he was, rage he felt because Semjaza had escaped. Gabriel could only imagine what Semjaza planned, and he was worried—those plans would most likely not be pleasant.

As Michael remained silent, Gabriel swore again, unfurling and furling his wings in agitation.

“I can’t believe he managed it,” Gabriel muttered as he reached the limits of his swearing vocabulary. “I don’t know
how
he managed it.”

“Neither does Aquila,” Michael said.

“No, and that doesn’t sit right either. Fuck!” Gabriel scrubbed his face with both his hands and turned to face Michael. “He’ll want revenge. He’ll want Ishtahar back. He’ll want all kinds of shit, and because his ego’s the size of all of Asia, he won’t believe he can’t have it.”

“I know,” Michael said. He reached out to touch Gabriel’s arm, his dark eyes full of compassion.

“And!” Gabriel waved his arms in annoyance. “We just got bonded! We should be at home, having loads of sex and cuddling! Not dealing with more crap, especially not from Sem-bloody-jaza!”

“Gabriel, breathe.” Michael moved closer, placed both his hands on Gabriel’s shoulders, and gently squeezed. “Shouting will not achieve anything.”

“It makes me feel better,” Gabriel grumbled. Then he sighed and shook his head, deflating. “I know. I just feel so damn helpless, yeah? I don’t like it. I don’t like this century, period. Most of it—the bits not involving you—has been shit.”

“Language. And I appreciate the sentiment, but there has been much that is good this century thus far.” Michael reached up to run his fingers through Gabriel’s hair. “Consider,
da bao
. We have spent time with our Brotherhood, more than we would usually. That is a good thing, is it not? We have stopped some very bad people from doing very bad things. And you have enjoyed yourself killing demons, I know you have.”

Gabriel smiled a little sheepishly at the last. “Aye, well, can’t deny that one, me. I’m made to kill, after all.”

“Gabriel,” Michael said with a frustrated sigh, “you kill, yes, but it is not all that you are. You are much more than a killer of demons.”

“Aye, true. I killed the Nephilim too.”

Michael raised his head and gazed Heavenward. “God give me strength,” he muttered, and then he looked at Gabriel again. “No, Gabriel, I do not mean that. You are a killer, yes. You are, if you wish to put it in such crude terms, a genocidal maniac when pushed. I have never seen your equal with the blade, and you are flamboyant and confident in battle, which inspires your troops to fight with more bravery and courage. But you are
not
just a killer.”

“What am I, then?” Gabriel crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. He knew he was sulking, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. In the back of his mind, he knew that Semjaza’s escape had unsettled him deeply and shaken him more than he liked to admit.

Michael, however, smiled and touched Gabriel’s cheek with warm fingers. “You are loved, my Gabriel. You are beautiful—your human form is very handsome and very desirable. Your true form is blinding to me because it is purity and light and love. You are kind and compassionate. You help others without giving any thought to yourself. You are generous and you are wise.

“You challenge me, Gabriel. You make me step outside of my comfort zone and experience things that I otherwise would not. I need that, and I think you know that I do. You challenge my beliefs, my thoughts, my very Grace. You make me want to be better. And when you touch me, look at me, kiss me, I never want it to end because to be touched by you, to be gazed upon by you, to be kissed by you, is to be blessed by Grace.
Your
Grace.

“I love you more and more with every day. It simply is how things are. I need you, Gabriel, more than you could ever possibly imagine. You have been a father to orphans, a brother to immortals, a comrade in arms, a general, a soldier, a lover. You are
my
lover now and my bondmate, and I am the luckiest of all of God’s creations.

“So cease this talk of being little more than a killer, for you are much, much more, and you are… inspiring.”

Gabriel’s mouth formed a perfect
O
of surprise as Michael talked, and it took him several moments to get his thoughts together when Michael finished. Michael’s love for him awed him. He knew himself to be a selfish being from time to time, and he wasn’t going to discourage Michael’s adoration or demur that he did not deserve it. He wanted Michael’s love and adoration, and having it described to him in such a way was a balm to his troubled mind and Grace.

Gabriel closed his mouth and smiled slightly. “I love you too, Mishka.”

Michael smiled back. “I am very glad.”

“So… how do I inspire you then?”

Michael promptly blushed. “I should not have said that. Forgive
me.”

“No, no, no, you can’t just say something then not explain it, that ain’t on. Tell me what you mean. Please?” Gabriel affected an expression of disingenuousness, knowing full well that Michael was unable to resist it.

“You are bad,
da bao
,” Michael said, but he was smiling. “Very well. You inspire me to be… passionate. I am not a passionate being, Gabriel, and you are. Your fire, your passion inspires me to try. In the past, I did not consider myself a sexual being. You, though, you are passionate in every way, and in our bed, you bring things out of me that I never knew existed. I like it,” Michael concluded, blushing crimson, “I like it a great deal.”

Gabriel leaned in and brushed a featherlight kiss over Michael’s lips. “I repeat. I love you.”

“As you say.” Michael wound his arms around Gabriel’s neck and moved closer. “I love you, also. Do you feel a little better?”

“Aye.” Gabriel slipped his own arms around Michael’s waist. “Not quite ready to face the rest of our Brotherhood just yet, but better than fifteen minutes ago.”

“There is no hurry.” Michael rested his forehead against Gabriel’s. “They are discussing the situation. They do not require our presence for that.”

“Are you listening in on ’em?”

“Perhaps.” Michael’s smile grew.

Gabriel tightened his arms around Michael’s waist. “You ain’t never to leave me, got it?”

“I would never leave you, Gabriel.” Michael gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Why would I, when I have yearned for you for so long and now have you? It would be foolish of me.”

“You could never be foolish,” Gabriel said sincerely. “Sometimes, you’re a bit silly, but that’s adorable, that is.”

“Hush,” Michael said.

“I will not.” Gabriel kissed the tip of Michael’s nose, laughing as Michael screwed up his face and wrinkled his nose. “We’re alone, we’re in love, we’re bonded, and I bloody adore you.”

“I feel the same way, I confess.” Michael twined his fingers in Gabriel’s hair. “It is lovely here, too, is it not?”

“Aye, it is.” Gabriel answered, although he didn’t look away from Michael.

Michael pressed closer, and Gabriel closed his eyes, soaking up the feeling of Michael in his arms, the sensation of their bond, and the touch of Grace against Grace. A light breeze blew over them, and Gabriel sighed softly and opened his eyes.

“There’s still a problem,” he said.

“Yes.” Michael pursed his lips. “I believe you and I should not be far apart.”

Gabriel blinked in surprise, raising an eyebrow. “Not that I’m complaining, ’cause I ain’t, but what’s your reasoning?”

Michael shrugged. “I know that Semjaza hates you,
da bao
. I do not want him to think that he can come upon you unawares and take you from me.” His expression became determined. “I will not allow it.”

Gabriel bit his lip. Michael’s declaration and his expression were more than a little sexy. “I like it when you get all possessive over me.”

“Good, for I fear that I cannot stop.” Michael kissed Gabriel’s cheek again.

“Kiss me,” Gabriel murmured.

“I just did,” Michael said, a hint of laughter in his voice.

“Brat. Like this.” Gabriel shifted and kissed Michael hard, a hungry, passionate kiss, his tongue making love to Michael’s mouth. Michael groaned and melted into him, pressing even closer, and Gabriel echoed the sound, roaming his hands over Michael’s back and sides.

Eventually, Gabriel ended the kiss and hugged Michael. He rested his chin on Michael’s shoulder, feeling his lover breathing against him, Michael’s hands moving in slow, gentle caresses up and down his back. It was peaceful, comforting, and Gabriel made a soft noise of contentment, feeling his worries and fears slowly fade.

The breeze picked up, blowing the grass and tossing dust and whirligigs into the air. Trees whistled as the wind swept through the branches and clouds sailed overhead, pale gray and smelling faintly of frost.
Winter is on the way
, Gabriel thought as he looked out over the hills with the thick grass undulating in the wind. The saddleback between two of the larger hills looked like it was carpeted with green and yellow.