40.

Taking a small, timid step closer I peered at the visibly pale, seemingly fallen into a deep slumber girl as her half-bare body rested in Death’s gentle embrace, skin on skin, safely covered by a white-fleeced blanket.

So small and fragile she seemed, cradled in between his muscled arms like a child in its parent’s protective embrace as her head rested against his shoulder, her slender palm resting against the middle of his bare chest, gingerly supported by his hand around her wrist.

A tiny, faint glow slowly pulsed from beneath, no doubt coming from that particular symbol deeply engraved in her skin, oddly enough pulsing at the same pace with Death’s faintly glowing as well midnight orbs as he sat in her bed with his back resting against the bed frame, unmoving.

“What happened? Why is she like this?” I found myself quietly asking, careful as to not disturb their very peculiar yet peaceful moment as we had already intruded their privacy the moment we stepped inside her room, unannounced.

“The moment she gave me my grace back, her body suffered a great loss of life force since she doesn’t even have a grace like the rest of us, so now Azrael must heal her through their bond,” Raphael quietly explained from right next to me, feeling that pang of guilt once again consuming me as the memory of our last conversation resurfaced, remembering how crude and selfish I have acted towards her when I practically threw her outside that room after she had finally disclosed the reason why Raphael lost his grace.

“I came here to apologize for my immature behavior, and now I don’t even know if I will ever get the chance to do so...” A lone, stray tear made its way down the side of my cheek as I took in her current very weakened condition, mentally chastising myself over and over again.

She gave away so much to aid me, they all did, more than my own mother ever did...Yet look at me, acting like they ever owed me anything at all...

Quickly covering my lips with my palm to muffle the small sob threatening to disturb the peaceful silence surrounding us, I blinked and finally let the hot wetness gathered in my eyes fall and slowly slide down my face, failing to even realize when I have actually slipped my other hand into Raphael’s, only now feeling that comforting warmth seeping into my skin like a flowing river.

And almost immediately, my teary gaze met his, momentarily losing myself in his dark chocolate eyes as we blankly stared at each other, lost for words, completely stunned at the sudden realization that we were touching once again, after that so unexpected confession of his true feelings towards me mere hours ago, the faint sensation of his lips on my skin still present.

My cheeks quickly heated as his eyes so longingly roamed all over my features, lingering on my slightly parted lips, feeling something stir within me, only to have it all suddenly drowned down the moment that distinct yet muffled voice sounded from the other side of the door,

“Where is she? I need to see her!”

And not a moment later, a rather harsh bang rang in my ears as the door flew open, lightly flinching at the disturbing sound before turning around, lastly noticing how my father stormed right towards me and before I even got the chance to realize what was happening he had already crushed me in a tight embrace, finding myself smashed against his crumpled white shirt.

I simply stood there, frozen like a statue whilst he held me in his arms like he were afraid I would disappear if he’d ever let go, soon enough feeling the touch of his lips gently pressing against the top of my forehead a few times before he finally pulled back, taking his time to roam his visibly concerned gaze all over me.

“You have no idea what I’ve been through,” His voice wavered a little bit as he said those words, that nagging feeling once again making its crib inside of me as all I could think of now were those last words I’ve said to him before expressing my wish to sacrifice myself.

I’m so sorry...

Was what my mind kept repeating, yet I did not dare utter a single word, nervously biting into my bottom lip to refrain myself from shedding any more tears. I simply couldn’t.

“Thank you, Erick. For summoning me back here,” I suddenly heard my father so sincerely say, only now noticing that Blake’s supposed brother was also present in this room as my father stepped aside to avert his attention towards him, just in time to catch him offering the trace of a faint smile before shifting his gaze to the couple currently fallen into a some sort of stasis.

My heart broke even more as I watched how his features contorted into nothing but pure sorrow and concern at the sight of his said sibling in such state.

I heard my father sigh from right beside me, noticing that same expression making its presence onto his features as well as he sadly gazed at the half-angel girl, almost inaudibly saying,
“How many times do you have to suffer from our wrongdoings?”


“I don’t understand...Why is she like this? Last time, she rebuilt almost an entire city and now-”

“Last time, she had Michael as a power source, that’s why she got away with only a minor nose bleed.”

Wait what?

My eyes widened after hearing my father’s small exchange of words with Erick, only raising so many new questions inside my mind, beside the sudden increase of admiration towards the fragile being currently under our attention.

Exactly how big is that half-human heart of yours?

I found myself mentally asking as I gazed at her with newfound wonder and admiration, faintly hearing my father say from right beside me,

“Right now, and I can’t even believe I’m saying this but let’s just pray our brother will be strong enough to nurture her body back to life.”