6.

At first, his face contorted into a visibly shocked expression, for the briefest moment rendered completely speechless...

Until it suddenly morphed, his plump lips escaping a roaring laugh.

I simply stared at him whilst he doubled-over into a fit of crazed laughter, even tilting my head to the side as I patiently waited for him to get himself together and give me a plausible explanation.

I've asked a pertinent question after all.

"You know," He started after finally managing to relatively calm himself down,

"Eternity is a very long time...And this would be one way to kill it," He explained with a chuckle whilst briefly pointing a finger down to his little Raphie, my own lips escaping an amused giggle at the hearing of that.

"Not to mention that we were designed to be human-friendly...Though I'm not exactly sure why, since we're not even allowed to "get physical" with them and all that stuff..." He then said with a raised brow and a pensive look marring his features, finding myself frowning as well as I couldn't help but think about that too.

Huh...God really is a weird one...

His audible sigh pulled me out of my own thoughts, drawing my attention back to his visibly concerned expression, already knowing what was about to come before he could even open his mouth to say anything.

Another pity party.

"Are you okay? I mean I didn't mean to..."

And there it is.

I lightly shook my head and briefly closed my eyes, silently pleading for him to stop right then and there.

I cannot do this right now.

"You know there was a time when I would've definitely...I mean I still feel a little...And I'm sure you've felt it too," He only continued with his blabbering though, watching how he awkwardly scratched the back of his head with a small and humorless chuckle as my attention refocused back on him, obviously reffering to that stupid little moment we've had only minutes ago and how his little Raphie had also very eagerly responded to.

Well at least someone still wants me...

I bitterly thought, quickly dismissing that sole thought though before it could do any more damage.

"Are you okay though?"

I quickly nodded just to fucking shut him up already, thickly swallowing that damned boulder already lodged in my throat.

Fucking son of a...

"...I know you love her, more than anything..." I managed to say after a long exhale, looking into his dark brown eyes, that sickening pain returning into them full-force.

"And I..." My voice sadly cracked towards the end, feeling yet another, bigger lump forming inside my throat, the words now only echoing inside my head for I could not utter them.

...I will always love him like the idiot I am, forever and ever, no matter how much shit he fucking throws at me, over and over and over again...

I audibly swallowed, for the millionth time forcing those tears down yet again as my lips trembled into a failing attempt to smile.

He silently peered back at me, no doubt noticing my inner torment as those dark chocolate eyes warmed up with such intensity, almost tearing through my strong façade.

"Hey..."

He abruptly stopped, seemingly focusing on something else now as he simply stared right back at me for a few seconds, his gaze then momentarily turning aside and towards the closed door of my room before returning to me, silently telling me something that I already knew.

"Uh..." He rubbed the back of his neck as he peered at me, unsure.

"I think it's time to..." He trailed off as his gaze shifted to the door again, to his utter surprise, this time receiving a simple nod from me rather than a frown or a firmly negative response like he'd been used to in these past days.

I was missing them so much already...

And I really need her with me. I mean, who was I kidding? I was in dire need of my best friend...And my brother as well.





**Leila**







My lips sealed shut as I struggled to hold my breath and be as quiet as a cat, once again leaning as close as possible against the same damned door in yet another foolish attempt to get like, anything at all...

Even though she'd temporarily shut us out, I really couldn't stay away. That all-consuming worry and angst kept eating at me worse than a freaking termite colony, with each passing day gnawing on some more and more from my patience and sanity as well.

I was literally going crazy, desperate to make myself sure that she was at least okay and alive-

I loudly gasped as the door suddenly flew open, making me stumble a few steps forward and almost land flat on my face if it wasn't for those two strong and surprisingly warm hands that securely planted themselves at my sides, effortlessly restoring me into a safe and standing position.

Holy hell!

Slowly, almost hesitantly raising my sight, my eyes met a pair of vibrantly warm and dark brown ones casually peering right back into mine as we froze like that for a few moments.

Holy shit.

I simply blinked as I stupidly stared up at him, mouth agape in utter surprise and equal embarrasment for being caught in such awkward position.

Yet to my relief, he didn't even bother to comment and stepped aside instead, moving to exit her room and even close the door behind.

I was still recovering after the slightly tingling shock of being physically touched for a second time in my whole life by a freaking real-ass mother-effing archangel, before my eyes finally landed on the lithe figure sitting into a criss-crossed position over a pile of clothes, her back facing me.

I hesitated as I gazed at her form for a few long and awkward moments, unsure of what to say first or how to react since it's been so long since we last spoke and she appeared so...fragile that it hurt to even look at her.

What happened to you? What did they do to you?

I mentally whimpered as I took in her generally unkept appearance and the state of her dressing which by the way consisted in only a simple white tank top and a pair of black cotton panties, the thought of her prancing around like that in front of another male -angel or not- other than her lover making me feel downright mortified.

This is bad. Like super seriously bad.

I thought as my gaze then moved to roam around her completely thrashed room, casually finding my own reflection in her vanity mirror, that specific color shining on my curls and the sight of her current state now only reminding me of all those long months I couldn't even face her after what Rick did to me, let alone talk to her, leaving her to suffer in utter loneliness for so many days on end...

Never again.

The voice in my head firmly noted, effectively giving me the courage to finally step closer and make my presence known.

"Remember what I told you?" I started with a weak and unsteady voice,

"After finally finding the strength to ever talk to you again, remember what I told you?"

My words met complete silence, literally holding my breath as I waited for her to respond, in any possible way.

Come on, please don't give up on me!

"That you'll always be there for me, no matter how many times Ricky tries to shoot you in the face?" She eventually replied after a painfully long moment of quietness, her monotone and slightly raspy voice sounding so foreign to me.

Oh my god.

"Yeah," I managed to reply after a long and relieving exhale, silently thanking the stars and the freaking universe for such miracle.

"Well at least he's not trying to shoot me anymore," I then retorted, trying to keep it cool and casual as I eventually moved closer and took a seat on a large pillow laying on the floor somewhere relatively close to her, finally being able to face her.

"Yeah, he's tryna tap that instead," She rather annoyingly mumbled, my lips escaping a small chuckle at the sound of her words, feeling my cheeks slightly heating up as well.

"With no luck whatsoever..." I found myself mindlessly muttering under my breath as I briefly recounted our very few failed attempts.

If we could even call them like that...

"Yeah what can I say...These three winged dudes are the biggest cock-blockers history has ever witnessed..."

Oh my god.

I broke into a loud and unladylike laugh, stunned to see that at least her wittiness was still there.

Oh Blake...

I drew in a few calming breaths, still letting out small chuckles here and there all the while she quietly stared right back at me with a barely visible smile plastered on her lips.

We sat there in a comfortable silence for another few moments, my gaze still taking in every little detail of her disheveled appearance, not failing to also notice those small but visible purple rings around her big green eyes and the faint redness at the rims of her eyelids, clearly indicating the lack of sleep and many, many tears shed...

"Wanna talk about it?" I eventually dared to ask, hopefully peering into her tired orbs.

She only gazed at me, seemingly unsure as her sad eyes slowly lowered to her lap, unintentionally drawing my attention to that still visible and angry red symbol marking the tender skin on her wrist.

"By the way...Where's Raz?" I curiously asked as I haven't seen him around the house at all, unlike Raphael of even Lucifer -who by the way has been regularly stopping by to check in on Rick- watching how her features quickly contorted into a deeply pained expression at the mere hearing of that name, for once realizing that I screwed up big time as her big green eyes filled with tears to the brink.

Shit.

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