Azi
I am sure you have heard the saying "When life gives you lemons . . . throw them back and demand cookies."
I felt that more than applied to my situation.
Abbie . . . Or Grace, or whatever she was going by now, had thrown me. I was making progress, I was sure. It was close. Two more weeks and I would have been back home.
I did not know why I was surprised. Abbadon was the Angel of Destruction. The one who sank Atlantis, obliterated the Roman empires.
I was Azrael. Angel of Death, keeper of souls. We were well suited, certainly. Death and Destruction. Words whispered in the company of shadows, the smell of fear.
It went deeper than that, though. Abbie was my bonded. My light, my joy, my love . . . And my punishment, my ball and chain.
I will start at the beginning. After all, that is when we became, is it not? The second that the Lord decided to bring Existence into existence, we were there.
First came Lucifer, Michel, Gabriel. Then Abbadon and I, followed by the others. Raziel and Harbonah. Marchesh and Malyain. Omhana and Kuiloria. Jaymial and Dallius. The ones that had chosen to follow us.
The Overturning was chaos. With Lucifer himself at the heart of our ranks, we were surely indestructible.
How quickly we were proved wrong.
The Battle was short and peaceful. Angels did not wage wars, we simply protected our own from betrayal.
The Judgment, in front of the High Court, headed by Michel, was not short, nor peaceful. We were brought up in pairs. Sentencing was quick and painful. A thousand humanities on earth. Bonded to one another for eternity, even should we be deemed ready to return, the consequence for breaking it insanity for one and a bloody mark for the other.
The only way to return home was to prove our humanity, our remorse for ending lives. Of course, none of us felt remorse, save for me. Our bonds prevented us from all but a burning need to be with your bonded, and all the emotions constant exposure entailed.
Leaving Abbie was the hardest thing I will ever have to do. Every cell of my being screamed in pain and burned with the need for her. With time, the distance dulled the ache, but, it stayed with me always . . . And always would.
How could we prove our humanity, you ask?
Simple.
End a life and regret it.
A plan formed slowly. I would have to find a blank slate, someone who would not settle for anything except perfection. Angela, not even born at the time, called out to me from across the world. I knew that she was the one. She would return me home. Her blood would be spilt and the pain of regret would be crippling, but I would be home. It would be worth it.
I had made myself into the person she wanted: tall, dark, foreign, devastating. It had taken thirty years for our lives to cross.
And then there was Rayne.
Rayne, who I had genuinely surprised with my presence. Who blustered every time I walked by. Who did stupid things just to make me more comfortable.
Rayne, who was now cradled gently against me, too cold.
I couldn't love her. I didn't love her. Abbie didn't let me. She owned my heart and kept it under lock and key.
And yet, I felt enough to know that what I was doing was wrong.
Of course, I didn't care.
Rayne was beautiful, generous, kind and all-too-ready to give me her unprotected heart, her mind and her soul. I felt it deep in her, just a seed now. I knew it would bloom.
I also knew that I couldn't give it a chance to bloom.
As much as I tried to deny it, as much as I knew I didn't, I loved Rayne. My beautiful girl. My wonderful guide. My sacrificial lamb.
I would have to do it soon, before I couldn't.
Yes, there was no doubt in my mind.
Within the next week, Rayne would be dead and I would be home, even if it killed me.
Author's Note: Whew! Part 15; I never thought I'd get this far. Thanks to all those who have supported me, especially Monet1616. On a more serious not, I would like to remind everyone that this is a fictional story. By no means am I trying to convert you or discredit your religion. Please, I ask you to take it in the spirit it was written. Thanks and much, much, much love to everyone. <3 Alice
