Propping himself up on his forearms, Andrew studied the man beside him. “How big is Caeli?”
Mikhail shrugged. “Probably the size of Manhattan, much less crowded unless you count the souls in transit. My keep is on a mountain top, overlooking the fields below.”
“Why did I think this place was underground?”
“No clue,” Mikhail chuckled.
Andrew sighed and rested his forehead down on the bed. “So now what?” He heard Mikhail shift beside him.
“Did Uriel tell you anything before?”
“No. We were too busy arguing.”
Mikhail snorted. “Now, that’s a surprise. Anyway, as we should have explained—Endtimes are nearing, Andrew. We’ve not found a living descendant of Christ, but we have the next best person: the descendant of one of his closest and most trusted disciples. Unfortunately, we aren’t the only ones. Those in Hell are stirring, searching for the only human get in their way.”
Andrew lifted his head and stared at the headboard with its intricate scroll work. “Me.”
“Exactly. With you alive, there will always be a strong opposition to the powers of Hell. Lucifer knows this, so he’s ordered your death.”
“Great,” Andrew muttered. “Nothing like having the Prince of Darkness wanting your head on a platter.”
“But you’re safe here,” Mikhail reminded him. “The others are gathering an army as we speak.”
“So this really is a war.” Andrew glanced over at Mikhail and the angel nodded. “It was stupid to hope humanity’s final war would be the last I’d see, I guess.”
“War is never final,” Mikhail said. “It’s a vicious cycle that doesn’t stop. It may have, yes, but it is ongoing in one form or another. It’s how life grows, how it evolves.”
“You learn this from humans?”
“It stands true for angels and demons as well. I was created as a Grigori, but I’ve evolved. I’ve been through wars—Earth and elsewhere. I’ve learned and grown.”
“How old are you?”
Mikhail’s brow wrinkled. “I lost count.”
Andrew laughed. “Guess?”
“Umm…a thousand? Maybe? I don’t remember. I stopped counting around six hundred-fifty years.”
Andrew blinked. “Damn. Well, this gives a whole new meaning to the older man younger man relationship, doesn’t it?”
Mikhail grinned. “You could say that.”
“So what’s the plan then? I hang out here until I die?”
“You can’t die here.”
“Huh?”
Mikhail sat up and slid out of bed, then held out a hand to Andrew. “Come. I want to show you something.”
“Okay…” Andrew rolled over and took Mikhail’s hand as he got up. “Dare I ask?”
“Just a little…geography lesson.”
Mikhail led him down the hall and into a vast room. A circular pool dominated the center, its pale blue contents swirling in a sea of cloudy liquid. Every so often, Andrew caught a glimpse of what he thought was a face. Much to his surprise, the sight didn’t startle him as he might have expected it would.
“This is where the souls remain once they enter my realm,” Mikhail explained. “The Pool of Caeli is the last stop a soul makes before it continues on to Heaven or Hell. The deeds one does, the decisions one makes in life are weighed against each other here.”
“Who makes the final judgment?” Andrew asked as he peered into the shimmering depths of the pool. “Do you?”
“No. Michael and Gabriel do, which is why Gabriel was here before. When a human dies, Azrael brings the soul here. The removal of the soul from the body is gentle if the person was good in life.”
“And if the person wasn’t?”
Mikhail looked over at Andrew. “Then the Angel of Death rips the soul free with his scythe.”
Andrew swallowed hard. “Um. Ow.”
“To put it mildly.” Mikhail grinned and waved toward a door across the room. “That way. There’s still more to show you.”
Andrew took one last look at the pool, then went around it to the door. “Whoa.”
Mikhail stepped up behind him, arms sliding around Andrew’s waist. “That is the only representation of time you will ever find here.”
The gilded clock face dominated the small room, its two hands unmoving, set at exactly midnight. The faceplate was covered in symbols, none of which looked even remotely familiar. Andrew went closer them.
“They are the symbols of the Archangels,” Mikhail said. He pointed to the one at the top, partially hidden by the clock’s hands. “This one is Michael.” His finger moved clockwise to where the three would be. “This is Gabriel’s.” Then down to the six position. “Raphael.” The nine position. “Uriel.”
“Wow. It’s…beautiful.”
“And powerful. Time stops here. It can take an eternity for a soul to be judged.” Mikhail tapped Andrew’s shoulder and pointed to a small door off to the right. “That way.”
Andrew followed Mikhail out the door, and they stepped onto a ledge with only a barrier between and a sheer drop down the side of a steep mountain. Below them lay a lush green valley, covered in trees and other rich flora. Andrew stared at the picturesque scene in nothing short of awe. It was a masterpiece come to life.
“It looks like…it’s how always pictured Eden.”
“It is similar, but not quite Eden. Caeli has two faces. To those who are good in nature, Caeli is a paradise. But to those who lived with evil intent, it is a living hell—of sharp, jagged rocks that snag at the bare feet, fires that never stop burning, choking, putrid air.”
“Guess I should be glad the worst I’ve ever really done is run when a guy said ‘I love you’,” Andrew muttered.
“You have nothing to fear,” Mikhail whispered, arms snaking around Andrew’s waist more. Andrew shivered when the angel’s lips brushed his neck. “Your soul is pure.”
“Well, not so sure about pure…” Andrew closed his eyes when Mikhail moved higher, breath warm on his skin. “Mikhail…”
“Hmm?”
“You keep that up, and you’re gonna get me hard.”
“And this is a problem why?” Mikhail licked the curve of Andrew’s ear.
Andrew groaned softly, tipping his head a little to give Mikhail more room. “What if someone sees?”
“Since when are you concerned with such things?” Mikhail’s hand lowered, cupping Andrew. “You are unclothed now, as am I. The souls do not see us, and we are the only other here.” He circled Andrew’s shaft with his hand, stroking slowly. “Let me love you, Andrew,” he whispered.
“Mikhail.” Andrew bit his bottom lip, hips beginning to rock into that touch. “I don’t believe…Oh, God…”
“But you believe in us.” Mikhail’s thumb grazed the tip of Andrew’s cock, slicking it with precome. “I know this.”
Andrew shook his head, caught between fear of opening up when all he knew of love was his mother losing hers, and the near-overwhelming need for whatever Mikhail could give him. “Please…”
A warm breeze blew around them, caressing Andrew’s bare skin, sensitizing it. He felt Mikhail in the wind, around him. The angel was everywhere, his essence the very heart of this place. Andrew shuddered and leaned back into Mikhail’s strength, gasping when black wings enfolded him in feathered velvet.
“Let me in…”
Andrew cried out, the rush overwhelming as he came in Mikhail’s hand. Behind him, around him, Mikhail moved, heat splashing over Andrew’s lower back. The angel’s wings tightened, enveloping Andrew in safety.
“I am not perfect, Andrew, but I will never intentionally hurt you. Trust me.”
“I do,” Andrew whispered. “I do, Mikhail.”
* * * *
A trumpet sounded, dragging Mikhail out of a deep sleep. Andrew stirred beside him, but didn’t wake. With as much as care as possible, Mikhail got out of bed and slipped on a pair of loose pants. Then he went down the hall, past the pool,
through the clock room, and out onto the terrace.
Gabriel, horn in hand, lifted into the air, then dropped to his feet before Mikhail. “The army is assembled. We need you.”
“What about Andrew?”
“Bring him. He will be our standard, and he will be well protected.”
“Where is Uriel?”
Gabriel looked off into the distance, then back at Mikhail. “Gone to take care of a small matter on Earth. He will join us soon.”
“You don’t look particularly thrilled,” Mikhail said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“He and Michael are at it again,” Gabriel sighed.
“I swear, those two fight like they’re…” Mikhail’s words trailed off and he stared, mouth agape, at Gabriel. “They are…”
Gabriel nodded. “They’ve kept it quiet, but yes, they have been lovers for some time. It’s a stormy relationship, but they would go to the depths of Hell for one another.”
Mikhail blinked and shook his head. “I don’t know why I didn’t see it before,” he mumbled to himself. “It makes perfect sense now. They way they’ve always argued. It should have been obvious.”
“Perhaps it was and we just missed it.”
“Did I miss something?” Andrew wandered out onto the terrace and yawned. Dressed in nothing but his green pants, he was a truly a sight to behold.
Mikhail pulled the young man to him. “We have to leave.”
“Leave?” Andrew looked up at him, sleep still making his eyes a little hazy.
“The armies are ready. You will be safe, though. With legions of angels around, nothing can harm you.”
Gabriel nodded. “I will see you both when we go into battle. First, I must alert Azrael.”
“Does he fight, too?” Andrew asked.
“No,” Mikhail said. “Azrael is quiet, quite content to stay out of warfare.”
“Can’t blame him,” Andrew muttered.
“Don’t worry.” Mikhail smiled and cupped Andrew’s chin, tilting the young man’s face up for a soft kiss. “The fires of Hell itself could not stop me from protecting you.”
“I hope so,” Andrew whispered, “because I don’t have wings and superhuman strength to save my ass otherwise.”
Mikhail chuckled. “No, but you have me.”
THE END
ABOUT MYCHAEL BLACK
Myc has been writing professionally since 2005, solo and with Shayne Carmichael. Genres include pretty much anything (no steampunk yet), though Myc is well known for paranormal stories. When not writing, Myc is usually playing PC games, reading, editing, watching movies and shows on Netflix and Amazon, or spending way too much time on Facebook.
Find out more at arianderwyddbooks.com.
ABOUT JMS BOOKS LLC
JMS Books LLC is a small queer press with competitive royalty rates publishing LGBT romance, erotic romance, and young adult fiction. Visit jms-books.com for our latest releases and submission guidelines!
Apocalypse Rising Book 1: Descendant Page 4
