Page 2 of Providence

Fuck, he was compelling. Now I know why you weren’t meant to make deals with the Devil.

I could see Raphael wrestle with the decision, but then he sighed. He placed a hand on Gusion’s shoulder. “Okay. I shall do this for you, my Fallen Brother.”

I wanted to scream for him to fucking hurry as I wracked my brain for what I knew about the Archangel Raphael. Shit, I should have spent less time holding my dick and more time researching the fucking Legions of Heaven. They seemed pretty positive that this guy could help Dippy where the Devil could not, and I had to have faith that they were right.

It was a pity I’d fucking lost all my faith a long time ago.

Raphael stood over Dippy, his delicate hands spread wide, like he was trying to use the goddamn Force to deliver the baby. After a moment, the pressure in the room increased so brutally that I was positive my remaining eye would explode inside my skull.

Then Serendipity’s stomach unfurled back like a freaking flower, a warm golden light surrounding her. Raphael reached inside her like she was Mary Poppins’ carpet bag, and levitated out a baby.

Fuck.

It was beautiful. He was beautiful. Beautiful golden skin like his mama, a tuft of unnaturally red hair on top of his head.

And wings. Beautiful, slightly damp, white wings, threaded with blue and gold. I wanted to cry. The Archangel looked down at the baby, his smile growing sadder still. “Hello little one,” he crooned, turning to hand the baby to the Angels behind him.

Angels I didn’t know. I didn’t trust.

“No!” I roared, drawing up the power of the Horseman inside me, not freeing it from the confines of my body, but letting it infuse my limbs all the same. I shook off the remains for Lucifer’s power, and I gently snatched the baby from the arms of the Archangel. He stared at me dumbly, as did the rest of the Angels in the room.

“He is not yours. He belongs to Serendipity, and we will guard him until she’s better,” I growled, clutching the baby gently to my chest, daring any of them to defy me.

The Archangel Raphael didn’t fight me, moving back to heal Serendipity. Lucifer looked oddly proud, and the golden angel looked as if he wanted to rip off my head and jam it somewhere uncomfortable.

Fuck him. I made a vow. I didn’t know him, and I didn’t owe him a fucking thing.

Luc snapped his fingers, and the rest of my Brothers, and Marco, sprang back into motion. Goliath whipped his shirt off, and I handed the baby to him quickly and gently, watching from the corner of my eye as he wrapped the infant in his huge shirt, the babe still quiet but alert. I wanted to study Goliath as he held this fragile life in his huge hands, but I didn’t dare take my eyes off the Angels in front of me for too long.

Gusion stepped forward. “You must heal her now, Raphael. If you ever loved me at all, you will fix her.” An edge of desperation colored his voice, and it was the same desperation I felt in my soul.

With another intense wave of golden light, Raphael healed her stomach, until it was perfectly flat. He ran his hand upwards, over her breasts, which made me want to growl but I resisted when he stopped just below her clavicle.

I held my breath, my eyes glued to her face. I couldn’t blink. I couldn’t look away for even a second because I wasn’t convinced she wouldn’t just disappear. The Archangel’s hand glowed softly, his brow creased in concentration as the light grew and grew until tears streamed from my good eye, but still I refused to avert my gaze.

Finally, the glow stopped and the Archangel stood tall. But Serendipity didn’t open her eyes. She didn’t move. She still looked–

My mind refused to even think about it.

The Archangel finally turned in my direction, his large, soft eyes boring into mine. “She should live. But her body needs rest.” He looked over to where Goliath had the baby clutched to his chest with one huge arm, his free hand holding his gun, resting it at his side. I might have imagined it, but the Archangel's lips twitched a little at the corners.

Raphael bowed his head. “Until we meet again, Horseman.” Then he disappeared, leaving behind Luc and Gusion.

I didn’t think Gusion was breathing either. He stepped forward, and I stepped with him, keeping the distance between us. He gave me a tortured look.

“I thought she was dead. I fell because she was dead, because they had stolen her from me.”

Cain shot him a look that was laced with far more compassion than I would ever have the capacity to feel. I would remove his head from his body if he even looked at her sideways. I was pretty sure it would be the last thing I’d ever do, but it would be worth it for her. I was beginning to think I would raze the world for this woman.

But I couldn’t love her. Not if it could hurt like this.

Luc stepped forward, placing a heavy hand on Gusion’s shoulder. “We all did, Gus. She split the Heavens, even if she hadn’t meant to do it. She was the most innocent of all innocents.”

Gusion reached out and pressed his fingertips to her cheek, letting out a shuddering breath. He was so focused, he didn’t even register Marco pulling his gun. Lucifer did though, giving him a look that would turn your blood to ice.

“You’ve been alone for so long,” Gusion said, his voice choked with emotion.

“She’s not alone anymore,” Cain said softly from her other side. “Never again.”

---