Chapter 3

I pushed my feet up on the sofa. I could feel my eyes getting heavy drifting further and further asleep. That was when he came to me.

Raphael. His eyes were dark and his hands hidden behind his back. He had on a tight t-shirt that showed off his new body. The manly muscular frame hugged the t-shirt expanding it to the point that I could see every rip and cut in his body. He was an Italian stallion, drifting through the late afternoon with dark dreamy eyes and black hair. His goatee was so thick now and full. He looked like something straight out of some foreign romance movie.

“I got you something...”

“Listen Raphael---”

“No you listen. I know I was a dickhead to you in the past. Right now at this moment it's just me trying to make up for that.”

He looked so handsome and I noticed what this something was that he was bringing me. They were flowers. It was a bundle of roses but they weren't normal roses. They were long stem roses and when Raphael brought them close enough I could smell them. They filled the front lobby of Ariel's mansion where I was sitting in with a fresh garden scent.

“They are black.”

Black roses. I had never seen black roses before. I didn't even think that they grew in nature. I wanted to question them but I didn't want to lose the allure of these roses.

“They remind me of you,” he stated.

I laughed at the thought, “Because I'm black?”

“I'm not talking about your skin tone,” he responded shaking his head, “It represents that struggle that I have for you. This sin is black but it's the most beautiful sin ever.”

I shook my head. It brought me back to when I first met Raphael. He was an asshole blaming everything on his 'sin'.

“I'm sorry I make you feel so sinful.”

“It sounds stupid to you. Doesn't it. This beautiful sin concept.”

I shrugged, “Honestly it does. I mean I get it. These flowers. I get those too. I get you struggle with it all the time, but I can't take someone serious who will look who I choose to make love to as sinful. What...if I kissed you right now. You going to shower in holy water?”

He must have still been struggling with it. He must have still thought his feelings for me were something that wasn't right.

“Look. A lot of people don't know this but I didn't grow up with this life of luxury. You guys have your mothers at least. I never had anything like that. My mother abandoned me when I was a child. Ever since I was younger I had to fend for myself. The only thing that guided me was religion. The only thing that I owned was my faith.”

“And I get it. To each his own. But me. I need someone who looks at me and sees a blessing. Not a sin. Someone who just sees the rose...beautiful...red and vibrant. Someone like...”

I stopped.

“Uri huh?” he asked.

I nodded at that moment, “Yes. Uri.”

My heart was still there. My heart was still with Uriel. Just at the thought of Uri I could feel my heart pounding. My heart was more than just pounding. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

Footsteps ran through the corridor quickly and it was Cham who ran into the room as quickly as he could.

“Did you feel that?” Cham asked me, “Something's wrong. Something happened...”

“Uri...” I told Cham jumping to my feet.

I knew I was in love with Uri. That was the only way it could explain how crazy I felt at that moment at the thought that something happened to him.

“Where is he?”

“They are pulling up now...” Cham stated, “I can see them with my third eye. This thing is fucking useless. I swear it is. I should have seen it earlier. G'dam it! They are in trouble. G`dam it. Something is wrong.”

Cham, Raphael and I ran to the foyer of the mansion. By the time we got there we could hear Uri's car pulling up. By the time Cham ran to open the door it was swung open with such force the door looked like it was about to fly off the hinges.

It was Gabriel. She looked like she had just been hit by a truck. Her body was limp and barely moving. She wasn't what scared me though. She had Uri coddled in her hands like she was holding an upset child. Her strength was amazing even in her state.

“What happened?” Raphael asked running up to her.

“You may need to focus on Uri...” she responded.

She was cold with her response. She didn't have any emotion behind it. She dumped his body on the floor and we looked at him. Uri was blue. He had been beaten to the point that he didn't even look recognizable. Cuts reimagined his face. He once was this dark, handsome Derek Luke look-alike that would probably put any Hollywood star to shame. Now his handsome face was bulbous and blue. He looked like he was dead already.

“What the fuck happened to him!”

I didn't know what I was thinking running over to Gabby in the way that I did. She shoved me back away from her with a stiff arm. The arm sent my body hurdling back onto the floor. I felt my chest caving in by the time I hit the floor. Some sort of herculean might made me clutch to the floor on the brink of tears. I struggled to regain my breath feeling like I had gotten hit by a ton of bricks in the chest.

“Never run up on me again,” she replied.

Raphael grabbed Gabby's arm, “Never touch him like that again.”

Gabby was about to do the same to Raphael but his touch was different. She weakened to his touch. Raphael's touch had the power to help or hinder. In his hands she became a regular woman, weak to the point that she finally fell to her knees.

On her knees she was finally passive, “None of this is my fault. Why are you all looking at me like that? Huh? Stop that. Stop judging me.”

“No one said it was your fault. We want to know to what happened?” Cham stated.

“I saved him. Weak. What a weak angel. I thought he was stronger,” Gabby replied in her same uppity stance. Raphael had finally let go of his touch but she seemed finally at east now. The rage in her eyes seemed to mellow over. It was as though someone had cut Sampson's hair. She seemed like another woman.

The reminder of her strength was still on my chest though. I struggled to regain my composure and stand up. She was strong. She was too strong and a simple stiff arm to my chest had nearly caused my chest to collapse.

“Heal him, please,” I told Raphael.

Raphael walked over to Uriel. He paused for a second. He was thinking. I had no idea what the hell he was thinking about. As he looked down at Uriel's body he seemed to be examining it but I knew Raphael's angelic abilities worked through touch. He wasn't touching him!

“He isn't breathing,” Raphael stated.

“You have to try.”

Cham shook his head, “His energy is there. It is very faint though. I've seen aura's like this with my third eye only on someone right before their moment of death. I see colors. Dark purple hues and grays. This isn't good.”

“Touch him!” I demanded to Raphael.

I looked over at Raphael. He shook his head, “It's too late for him. I've healed a lot of people. I can't bring someone back from that. Look at him.”

I didn't know what came over me. I was at Raphael's feet. I had never felt so vulnerable in my life. Tears were streaming out of my eyes. I could just feel my heart racing. There was this impatience in my tone.

“Please...please Raphael...try.”

Gabby shook her head at that moment, “Pointless. He failed. We were attacked and he needed to be rescued. How shameful is that to be rescued by a female? He wouldn't want to live.”

Raphael looked hesitant still. I looked up at him. My hands cupped his hands. I got up to his eye level. I didn't know why I was so desperate.

“Do you care about me?” I asked Raphael.

“Of course...”

“Then please try. Please. I'll do anything you want. ANYTHING. If you save him.”

Gabby rolled her eyes, “How pathetic. The mighty Michael begging? Is this what we have been reduced too. If I ever am on the brink of death, please no beg for my life.”

Cham quickly rolled his eyes, “I don't think you have to worry about that Gabby.”

“Everyone be quiet,” Raphael stated, “ I need my time. I need a room. A quiet room where no one can bother us. If I'm going to heal him from the brink of death I'm going to have to do it alone.”

Raphael touch could heal or destroy. He wondered why he wasn't doing the latter as he hung over Uriel. He could have. He could have killed Uriel. No one would have known any different. This was his chance. This was probably the only chance he would have to be done with the Uriel/Michael connection for good. He could have had Michael for himself. Michael wouldn't have blamed him. He could have taken the little energy that Uriel had. Uriel wouldn't have survived it.

“Ergh...” Uri grunted.

Raphael shook his head. He had to stop thinking like this. Before he got his destruction powers he had his healing powers. God was teaching him a lesson. His main purpose in this war was to heal. The destruction powers were secondary. He was a healer. Even if it was his mortal enemy.

Was Uri his enemy though?

He hung over Uriel. Beautiful...dark...Uriel. The room that he was put in was right beside Ariel's bed chamber. He could hear her sobbing still from the other room. That's all she did all day. She sat in her room and cried over her own issues. She probably wasn't even aware that Uriel and Gabriel were attacked. He needed quiet. Her crying was very distracting.

“Mi...” Uri's voice stated faintly.

“Uri? Did you just say something?” Raphael asked.

“Michael,” Uri stated.

Uri was staring up as though looking at someone that wasn't there. His eyes were reaching out towards something. He was calling Michael's name. Raphael walked back over to him and laid his hands on Uriel.

“You should rest,” Raphael told Uri.

He had been healing Uriel for 3 days now. Uri had whispered before but he had never really made out what Uri was saying. Now it was clear though. Uri was calling for Michael. It burned Raphael's heart to hear him say it. He had reached out so many times as if Michael was right at the footstep of his bed.

“Raphael?” Uriel asked.

“Yes. It's me.”

“Where's Michael?”

“He's right outside the door. He's asleep.”

“I thought he was here. I felt him,” Uriel stated, “He was talking to me. He was telling me not to give up. Did he come in here?”

Uriel was stronger than Gabriel had given him credit for. He had this will to live that Raphael couldn't understand. He wasn't even breathing when Gabriel had brought him in three days ago. His pulse was barely there at all. His heart had all but stopped beating. Now Uriel seemed so aware. Raphael thought if he were to save Uriel he would be at least brain dead. Uriel wasn't though. Uriel seemed so aware at this moment.

“No one's been in here but me,” Raphael stated.

Michael had camped outside of the room as though that would make a difference. It killed Raphael every time he left the room to see Michael sleeping outside of Uri's room.

“He had wings. White wings. He had his halo too. He finally had his halo. He is so beautiful, don't you think Raphael?” Uri was saying at that moment, “Don't you think he's so beautiful?”

Uri's scars had healed. His outside looked the same. It frightened Raphael. It scared him to think that Uri was getting back to normal. He was back to his beautiful self. His dark tone was like milk chocolate. His lips folded over one another like soft red pillows. Nubian features intimidated Raphael. Even though Raphael had purposely grew facial hair and all these muscles there was something so manly about Uri. Uri's facial structure was strong with power and intent. He was the spitting image of Broderick Hunter.

Uri's eyebrows bent down in the same way that Broderick Hunter's would. They pierced the darkness looking around the room...probably searching for Michael.

“He's beyond beautiful,” Raphael finally agreed.

“Can I...can I see him...”

“You're too weak.”

“Please Raphael. I know I'm better now. I was on my deathbed and you brought me back. I'm so grateful for that and I know I shouldn't be asking for anything else. I saw the light and it was Michael who pulled me back. Please.”

Regret is what filled Raphael's mind at that moment. He should have took Uriel's life when he had the chance. Now Uriel was stronger. The first thing that Uriel wanted wasn't Gabriel. The first person that Uriel wanted to see was Michael.

“Wait here.”

Raphael left the room. He walked out into the hallway. He wasn't surprised to see Michael sitting there.

“Raphael?”

“He's awake. He wants you...”

“Me?”

Raphael struggled with it. He knew it was coming. He knew what was coming between the two and he felt powerless to stop it.

“Yes.”

Raphael walked away at that moment. He was stopped though. He was stopped by Michael. Michael's soft hand looked up at him excited. He had prayed so many nights that Michael would have this look of excitement when it came to him.

“Thank you Raphael...this means the world to me.”

Raphael nodded weakly and faked a smile as hard as he could. It hurt. It all fucking hurt. He knew heartbreak now more than ever. He had so much regret. If only he had been nicer to Michael in the beginning. If only he his religion hadn't made him think caring about Michael was a sin. If only he had killed Uriel instead of healing him.

As Michael walked into the room with Uriel...Raphael just looked at his hands. It was a Lady Macbeth moment. He just wanted to scrub his hands. His stupid hands. He should have killed Uriel. He should have gotten rid of him.

“You're so weak,” a voice said from down the hallway.

At first he thought the voice was in his head but when he turned he saw Gabriel standing there. She had healed on her own without Raphael's touch. He offered to heal her but she seemed to appreciate the scars she got from fighting. For some reason accepting that help would be worse than dying to Gabriel.

“Because I saved him from death. I would think that would make me strong,” Raphael stated.

Gabriel walked up to him. Her demeanor was strong, empty and dark. Her wild hair were curls of madness but her movement seemed to have been refined, elegant and feminine. She had a silk robe that addressed her provocative curves. She was a curvy woman as well. She was shaped like some sort of video vixen, huge round breasts slim waist and round ass.

“You might as well have put Uri's dick in Michael yourself,” she told him.

“We lost them,” Raphael stated.

“Speak for yourself.”

Raphael didn't get it. Maybe Gabriel didn't see the look that the two boys had when they spoke about one another. That was love. Regardless of how he felt or regardless of how Gabriel felt nothing would change that. Michael and Uriel were in love with one another.

Still Gabriel held out. The only remaining soldier on the front line. Her rifle was still in hand.

“What are you going to do?” he asked her watching that look on her face.

Gabriel didn't reply. She just walked away...each step more intentional than the last.

“Come closer.”

I had walked into Uriel's room. I was shy as I walked in there. I stood in the shadows. I just wanted to really see him and make sure he was ok but he was so aware of me as soon as I walked into the room.

As I walked closer I noticed candles illuminating through magic. He was already using magic. I was impressed honestly. Uriel's flames lit up a few a candles and sent a flickering light on my face.

“Feeling stronger already?” I asked, “You smell like crap...”

He laughed, “You mind helping me to the bathroom. I've been here for three days...kind of, you know. Out of it.”

I walked over to him. Uriel grabbed a stick of was holder and wrapped a sheet around his waist. I had no doubt he was naked underneath it. He walked me over to the tub. The bathroom was attached to the main room that we were in.

As we got to the bathroom he waited at the threshold as I ran water for him. As I ran the water I could feel his eyes looking at me...gazing at me the entire time. He was staring at my body and my frame. I felt naked underneath him. By the time I got the water in the garden tub I looked back to him and saw that he dropped the sheet.

Uriel was standing there...naked. Butt naked in all his glory. And it was glorious. His body was tight. It was one dark perfect skin tone. His skin was so even. The only thing I could think of was milk chocolate. His dark eyes gazed at me under those thick eyebrows. He had the most intense stare that I had ever seen.

Uri had to be the prototype of a black man.

Out of all of us he was the one who just looked like an angel. Somewhere out there God was nodding in approval from the essence of this man.

He got in the tub walking past me at that moment and sinking down. He paused taking in the hot water. The room was filled with steam and I couldn't help but to almost drool watching him get deeper into the tub. He was beyond sexy.

“It'd be nice to have my back washed,” he stated.

“Should I call Gabby?”

Uri looked over at me. His perfect lips parted. His oval eyes stared over at me reflecting the light of his candle that he had placed at the foot of the tub.

“No...” he replied with so much intention, “You do it.”

The way he said it brought butterflies to my stomach. He was so confident. It was almost as though Uri knew I would jump at the chance to do it. He was running the soap all over him already and he handed it to me. I got behind him in the tub. It was a standalone garden tub. When I pressed the soap on his pack my fingers gently eased over his body.

“I was...worried Uri,” I stated, “I mean, we all were. We thought you were done for this time. Those demons have gone too far this time.”

“I was done. I feel like I was on my way to heaven. Pearly white gates,” he explained to me, “Then I saw him. Well I saw you but I think it wasn't you. I think it was your father.”

“The archangel Michael?”

Uriel nodded, “Yes. He spoke to me. He looks just like you. Spitting image. He is the only reason I survived man. I promise you he is the only thing that kept me alive. He told me not to give up. He said you were waiting for me. That sounds crazy doesn't it?”

“No. I was waiting for you.”

Uri's eyes caught onto mine, “He said something else too.”

“What?”

“He said you loved me.”

Our eyes connected at that moment. The feeling was something that I never felt before. My heart seemed to be beating just for Uri. He was sending butterflies through my stomach.

I nodded, “He was right...”

That was all Uri seemed to need to hear. He pulled me into the tub...fully clothed. If he was weak and still injured it didn't show when he pulled me into the tub. He had as much strength as Gabby. The crazy thing is I didn't care. I didn't care that my clothing was soaked with water.

All I cared about was Uri's tongue as it entered my mouth. He wanted me then and there. That was all that mattered. I could feel his tongue kissing me...lashing into my mouth over and over. His tongue was warm. It felt like I was touching one of Uri's flames. It flickered into the back of my throat purposely.

Before I knew it Uri was ripping off my clothes. His tongue was lashing at the side of my neck. I moaned over him. It felt so wet. My heart was beating faster and faster. By the time I was naked I could feel him over me. He was all over me.

I could feel his dick at my ass...

“I love you too,” Uri grunted.

He told me that right before he pushed into me...filling me with himself...

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