“I do not know if you are proof of that as well, but you have been kind to me, always, and I wanted to warn you. To warn you and to give you, perhaps, some hope. It is my greatest wish that the hope I give you is not misfounded.”
Az looked at Kushiel, the angel who spent time in the underworld and Limbo. The angel that, as Gabe had stated, no longer glowed. A sadness overtook Az. How had none of them noticed? How had no one seen Kushiel’s pain, which suddenly seemed so obvious to Az?
“I am sorry I did not see you, my friend,” Az apologized.
Kushiel gave a one shouldered shrug. “You all treated me as an equal, as a brother. That no one saw… well, it was perhaps a blessing. Those who saw have not always been so kind.”
Az felt a quick anger burn in his chest. “Angels gave you trouble?” he asked.
Kushiel shrugged again. “I am… an anomaly. With you and your kin, I was never treated as such. I thank you for that kindness. You all thought nothing of calling me brother, of making me welcome. I enjoyed the many times we partied in Limbo,” he smirked, but Az still saw the underlying sadness even in his joking.
“Who is coming?” Gabe asked, and Kushiel turned toward him.
“I do not know. I am not privy to that.” Kushiel extended his wings then, as much as Gabe’s kitchen would allow. “I must be getting back, but I wish you luck. Hopefully, Asmodeus, I will not be seeing you soon in Limbo,” he said, a half smile on his face, and then his wings were folding around his body and he was gone.
Chapter23
Gabriel
Gabe stared at the empty space where the gray angel had disappeared. If he was even still an angel. Gabe had doubts about that.
But it also gave him some hope.
“Who is Minos?” Gabe asked. Kushiel had mentioned him as someone who had changed.
“He is a demon who is… mated, I suppose, to a mortal soul. None of us are sure how it was done, though, or even what exactly was done. Luce and Yahweh simply said that Adam was Minos’s soul. Yet if we have our own souls, I am unsure what that means. All I know is they cannot be separated. Ever. Where one goes, the other may follow,” Az replied.
“Can we…” Gabe started, then self-consciousness overcame him. Az was alust demon, and Gabe was just… well, he was just himself. He wasn’t particularly adventurous. Yes, he was more sexual with Az than anyone else, but in general, he wasn’t sex-crazed. He had no desire to partake in orgies or anything like that.
He just liked Az. Hell, helovedAz. Az had said he loved him back, but this wasn’t a romance novel. Gabe knew that sometimes love really wasn’t enough. How could he be enough for Az for all eternity? Maybe he could steal a few years, or if he was lucky, a few decades, but surely someone like Az would tire of him eventually.
He would have to be happy with that. When Az grew bored, when it was time for him to move on, Gabe vowed to himself that he would be thankful for what they had and for all they had experienced. He would let Az go with thanks for the experience and the understanding of himself he had gained during their time together.
Because already he knew himself better, helovedhimself better, because of Az’s influence. He had more confidence and trust in himself.
For that alone he owed Az so much. He swore to himself that he wouldn’t let things go sour. He would let Az go before things went bad between them. He loved Az too much to do anything else.
Az was staring at him, waiting for him to finish, but he stood up and leaned down over Az, kissing him on the lips softly.
“No matter what happens, I want you to know I am so thankful for you. You have given me so much, and I will cherish every moment we got to be together,” Gabe whispered.
“Hey, no, none of that. This is not going to be a goodbye. It isnot. Do you hear me? We will figure out what Minos and Adam did, and until then, you’ll keep summoning me, and we’ll be together. We will figure this out. I swear it. I will not be parted from you. It hurts to even think of,” Az said, cupping Gabe’s face.
Az stopped, searching Gabe’s eyes. “Unless…” he began, and Gabe saw him swallow, his face strained.
“No, no. I want that, Az. I want to be with you.” Gabe leaned forward and kissed him again. He couldn’t bear for Az to doubt his love. “I want that more than anything. If I could, I would be your soul.” Gabe laughed then, a little bitterly. “If you could be satisfied with someone like me,” he added. He knew it wasn’t very confident, but he couldn’t help it.
It was Az’s turn to gape at Gabe. He pulled Gabe onto his lap and kissed him, and not a gentle kiss like they’d had so far. Az ravaged his mouth, his tongue and teeth attacking Gabe’s. Their teeth even clicked together, and they slanted their heads to keep kissing, hands grabbing at one another. When Az sucked on Gabe’s bottom lip, they both groaned. It was only a persistent low sound that eventually made them part, both of them gasping for breath.
Gabe looked over to the counter, where his phone was buzzing rather incessantly. Whoever called it silent mode clearly didn't understand the meaning of the word. He sighed, starting to get up, but Az pulled him down, looking into his eyes.
“I want you. Only you. I willnevergrow tired of you. Iknowthis, and I don’t want youeverto doubt it. You have made me more happy in the last week than in all of my immortal life thus far. I did not know what it meant to love before you. I did not know what it meant to put someone else’s happiness before my own. You areallthat I desire,” he assured Gabe.
Az smirked then. “Besides, we both love to watch. I haveeveryconfidence that we shall findplentyof fun together, should we have eternity to explore. We can watch others together, butyouare all that I need. All that I want,” he finished.
They looked at one another for another moment, a thousand thoughts in their eyes. Oh, how Gabe hoped they would have all of eternity to explore each other. He smirked a little thinking of having all eternity to enjoy a little voyeurism too.
Gabe’s phone buzzed again, and he sighed rather dramatically. He did get up this time, walking over and grabbing it with some trepidation.
