Page 23 of Uriel
This kiss is different from our first. It’s not born of desperation or impulse, but of choice. It’s soft, tentative, a question asked in the language of touch.
And despite every logical argument, every stern reminder of duty and propriety, I find myself answering. My hands come up to cradle her face, thumbs stroking gently over her cheekbones as I deepen the kiss.
Emilia makes a soft sound of contentment, and it’s like a dam breaking inside me. All the longing, all the desire I’ve been suppressing comes rushing to the surface. I pull her closer, lost in the taste of her, the feel of her body against mine.
When we finally part, both breathing heavily, I rest my forehead against hers. “Emilia,” I murmur, her name a prayer on my lips.
She smiles, a radiant thing that outshines even the fire’s glow. “See? The world didn’t end.”
I can’t help but chuckle at that. “No, I suppose it didn’t.”
As we sit there, tangled together before the fire, I feel a sense of peace settle over me. I know there are still trials ahead, still questions to be answered and obstacles to overcome. But for now, in this moment, I allow myself to simply be.
To feel.
To love.
The storm rages on outside, but here in this room, with Emilia in my arms, I’ve found a different kind of shelter. And for the first time in my long, long existence, I’m not afraid of what tomorrow might bring.
CHAPTER 13
Uriel
The fire has dwindledto embers, casting a soft, warm glow across the parlor. I blink slowly, awareness returning in gradual waves. The storm still rages outside, rain lashing against the windows in rhythmic fury. But here, in this room, there is only peace.
Emilia is curled against me, her head resting on my chest, her breathing deep and even. One of her hands is tangled in my shirt, as if even in sleep she fears I might slip away. The thought sends an unexpected pang through my heart.
For a moment, I allow myself to simply exist in this space. To savor the weight of her against me, the scent of her hair, the warmth of her body seeping into mine. It’s a moment of such exquisite perfection that I almost fear to breathe, lest I shatter the illusion.
But the rational part of my mind, never fully silenced, reminds me of our precarious situation. The power is still out, the storm shows no signs of abating, and we have a world tosave. With infinite care, I begin to extricate myself from Emilia’s embrace.
She stirs slightly, a small furrow appearing between her brows. “Uriel?” she murmurs, her voice thick with sleep.
“Shh,” I soothe, gently laying her head on a cushion. “Rest. I’m just going to check the fuse box.”
Emilia makes a soft sound of acknowledgment before settling back into slumber. I pause for a moment, drinking in the sight of her. Even in the dim light, with her hair mussed and my oversized clothes swamping her frame, she is breathtakingly beautiful.
I shake my head, marveling at the direction of my thoughts. Is this what it means to be in love? This constant awareness, this ache in my chest that is equal parts joy and terror?
Forcing myself to focus on the task at hand, I retrieve a blanket from a nearby armchair. With gentle movements, I drape it over Emilia’s sleeping form. She snuggles into the warmth, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“Sleep well,” I whisper, resisting the urge to brush a stray lock of hair from her face. “Dream of happier things.”
With one last lingering look, I tear myself away and head for the cellar door. The old house creaks and groans around me, buffeted by the relentless wind. But even the storm’s fury can’t dampen the warmth blooming in my chest.
For the first time in my long, long existence, I feel... free. The burden of duty, of sacred vows and divine purpose, seems to have lifted. In its place is a lightness I’ve never known, a sense of possibility that both thrills and terrifies me.
Is this what humans feel? This dizzying mix of joy and fear, of hope and uncertainty? If so, I begin to understand why they cling so fiercely to these fleeting moments of happiness.
As I descend the stairs to the cellar, my mind whirls incessantly. If the prophecy is correct, if our union truly is thekey to averting the apocalypse, then perhaps... perhaps this isn’t a test or a temptation. Perhaps it’s a gift. A chance to save the world and find a love I never dared to dream of.
The thought sends a shiver of excitement through me. For millennia, I’ve viewed my duty as a burden, a cross to bear. But what if it’s been leading me here all along? To this moment, to Emilia?
I reach the bottom of the stairs, fumbling in the darkness for the flashlight I know is kept on a nearby shelf. My fingers close around the cool metal just as a chill runs down my spine. Something is... off.
The air in the cellar feels heavier, charged with an energy that sets my celestial senses on high alert. I swing the beam of the flashlight around, searching for the source of my unease.
“Well, well, well,” a voice hisses from the shadows. “The mighty Uriel, sneaking around in the dark like a common mortal. How the mighty have fallen.”
