38.

I only blinked a few times, staring at his brooding figure, moments before he swiftly circled around me, immediately feeling the burning heat of his body barely touching my back as my attention was now trained on the fallen before me, letting me know that he had moved right behind me.

And as I mindlessly watched Raph carelessly discard his jacket and slowly kneel right in front of me, I could feel Azrael’s hands gently grip my wrists, another shiver crawling up my spine as I could feel his breath tickling the shell of my ear, that tingling vibration lightly touching my back as he almost inaudibly said,

“Just so you know, I was never going to take her life. I am not a monster, you know...”

“I n-never said that,” I quickly stammered, feeling my heart already pounding inside my chest.

“Then why do you keep staring at me like I’m your worst nightmare?”

My breath faltered, completely lost for words, small tears already making their way down my cheeks as he quietly proceeded to carefully drag my sleeves up to my elbows, revealing those two very different symbols.

And with a gentle touch, his thumb glided over his own symbol, even without looking at it already feeling it starting to glow and tingle as without even wasting another precious moment he started to work his magic.

“Just breathe...”

“Let me in...”

“Focus on the bond...”

His words echoed in my mind in gentle whispers, tears still streaming down my cheeks as I numbly stood in between his arms, blankly staring into nothingness.
Until a very foreign sensation started spreading inside my veins like wildfire, something so powerful pulsing from within like begging to be released, forcefully pushing its way straight towards the surface.

And before I could even realize what was happening my right palm was already resting at the top of Raphael’s forehead, feeling that foreign tingle slowly making its way straight to the tip of my fingers, soon enough noticing how a bright light started to slowly take form right beneath it.

“That’s it...Let it out...”

“Set it free...”

Azrael’s words so distantly rang in my ears, feeling myself like falling into a trance-like state as with a slightly blurred vision I watched the light getting stronger and stronger, followed by Raphael’s small grunts in pain, soon to be turned in downright violent screams.

More tears fell as I witnessed the agonizing torment he was going through yet his hand held so tightly around my wrist like begging me not to let go.

So I held and held with all my might, until I could vividly feel that powerful force pushing its way out like a furious torrent, finding myself momentarily blinded by nothing but pure light and a deafening high-pitched ring buzzing in my ears.

“Blake...”

“Blake...”

“Blake!”

Dark brown eyes gazed into my own, filled with such warmth, soon noticing the pure white feathered wings slowly retreating behind his back before his calming voice reached my ears,

“You did it. You saved me...”

A tiny smile curled its way onto my lips between the salty tears as I looked into those so familiar dark brown eyes.
And only now I could finally notice the bottomless, hollow sensation filling my chest like a black hole, crushing me little by little.

Feeling something warm trickling down my lips, I watched how Raphael’s angelic features quickly contorted into a visibly concerned expression, right before my hand rose to touch that sticky wetness on my face.

Blood.

Lots of it.

“Uh Raz? Something’s wrong,”

I faintly heard the archangel before me say with a deadly serious tone, moments before the whole room started spinning around me and before I knew it I had already lost balance, ready to hit the floor when a pair of arms effortlessly caught me, cradling me in a warm embrace.

“Easy...I’ve got you...”

“Go to her. I’ll take it from here,” Those last words barely reached my ears, along with a gentle vibration against the side of my body before everything went black.