24. Safe Space

Michael watched in disbelief from the porch as Elise drove away. ‘Did she just say what I think she said? Leviathan, the prince of chaos? No, she couldn’t mean him. She is clearly angry, but she wouldn’t be consorting with a Prince of hell. There is no way. There is someone though. Someone That she believes she can rely on given the way she spoke to me. Who could it be? Elise has never had a motorcycle. She rarely drives at all.’

Elise drove back to Levi’s loft. As she rode, she replayed her conversation with Michael. He was so off base. Resentment started to grow in her heart. She was still deep in thought when she pulled up to the garage. She didn’t have the code to get back in, so she pulled off to the side and pulled out her phone.

“Hello, my little angel.” Levi answered.

“I don’t know if this is okay, but I came back.”

“What do you mean?”

“I am downstairs. I can't get into the garage I don’t have a code.”

“The code is 5256. I’ll be right down. I’ll meet you at the elevator.”

Elise hung up and punched in the code. The gate came up and she went to park the bike. Then she made her way to the elevator. Levi stepped out as she came up. He was wearing black straight leg jeans and an ACDC t-shirt.

It made Elise smile, here he is this big bad demon supposedly and he loves band t-shirts. She couldn’t help being amused by his fasion choice. She didn’t say anything as she approached him. He was silent as well. A lot was said in the silence though.

Levi knew that Michael had been hurtful. He could tell by Elises face. That and the fact she came back told him everything he needed to know. Michael would be punished. He would have to be creative, seeing as Michael was an archangel. He could not do much to him, but he could inflict pain. That was something he was good at.

They stepped out into his loft on the top floor, and Levi pulled her into a close embrace.

“Can I get you anything.” He asked. She just shook her head. After a moment of silence Elise spoke.

“I just want to sleep.”

“Alright.” Levi went with her up to the bedroom. He went over to the closet and came back with his Black Sabath t-shirt which he tossed on the bed.

“You can sleep in my shirt.” Elise smiled as she started to undress. As he watched her, he could not help feeling the urge to be deep inside her. He resisted, however. This was not the time. She pulled his shirt over her head. It fit loosely over her shoulders and fell just passed her hips. Then she crawled into bed.

“I'll be back in a bit if that is alright with you.” Elise nodded and closed her eyes. She really needed to relax, and sleep was the best way to do that. Levi kissed her on the top of her head and left the room. He went down to his study. It was a large room. Books lined the walls floor to ceiling. The room was decked out with plush furniture to recline in while reading, and a small bar on one side. He poured himself a whisky and sat down in the large brown leather couch to think.

The angels had always been so controlling. They treated knowledge like a curse and tried to discourage humans from seeking greater understanding. Why were they so afraid of people pursuing the truth. It was a form of control no doubt. This was all Michaels doing. He had ingrained all the upper angels to enforce his philosophy. He had made them loyal to a fault. He could not understand this regimental totalitarianism. He was Michael's counterpart. He had trained his brothers just as Michael had, yet he never insisted they follow him blindly. In fact, he had composed the hierarchy of demons in such a way that lower-level demons were free to choose whom they served. Michael dictated the position of all the lower angels as well as his brothers. Levi had no desire to ever be so controlling.

Given how strictly Michael ordered the rest of his host it was a wonder how Elise had dug her way out of it. ‘She is half human’ he thought. Maybe that has something to do with it. Still, she was more like an archangel than anything else. Why was she so powerful? The difference in strength between his brothers and their second generation was significant. Yet Elise was just as strong as any Archangel he could think of. Perhaps it is because she is the daughter of Azrael. He is the most powerful of all Angels and Demons. Maybe that’s it. She is a part of him and so she shares his power.

He understood Michael's fear, but he should not have lied. Elise would never trust him again. It was his own fault. Levi had initially thought perhaps she could be useful to him. Though at the time he was not sure how. Now Levi had come to the conclusion that she was useful to him as a companion. He had never thought about taking a wife. He had a few brothers who had, and it made them happy. Perhaps it was time. He mulled these things over and over again.

If he did take her as a wife, he knew it would be different from his brothers' marriages. He would not be stepping out. Nor would she be allowed to be with another. No, from now on there was only her for him and he would not share her. After all he thought, ‘Elise is above any one I have ever encountered.’

He determined that when the time was right, he would broach the subject to Elise. In the meantime, he would be supportive. An ear if she needed one. He finished another glass of whisky and headed up to his room.

He walked in to find Elise already fast asleep. He was glad she could relax. He took off his jeans and shirt. And slid under the covers. As he settled in Elise stirred, throwing her leg over his and snuggling into his shoulder. He smiled and closed his eyes.