The Angel, the Vampire, and the Demon

Chapter Two- The Angel's Home

  "Uh, just to let you know Angel," Abrariel started as he got back under the quilt, "something other than lamb's blood next time, I hate lamb's blood," he closed his eyes and didn't catch the Angel's slightly hurt look.

                                                                                                        *

 Raziel went to the living room and sat down on one of the green sofas. He contemplated shutting the curtains in here so the Vampire could roam but remembered that he was nocturnal. Raziel wanted to keep an eye on the Vampire the first night, or at least give him the ground rules before he did anything. Raziel wasn't nocturnal, but he could easily keep himself awake while he watched over his Vampire son. He felt suddenly excited, he was finally a father!

 even if not by blood, I'm sure my parents will be happy, he thought as he left the sofa, a smile on his face. He didn't know if Vampires were allowed in Heaven, but he wasn't a Demon, surely it wasn't a Sin to bring one here. He looked at his hand where the Sin mark burned bright as day. It wasn't my fault...

 He didn't need another Sin mark.

                                                                                                       *

 When Abrariel woke, the sun had set below the clouds, bathing Heaven in darkness and stars. Through the closed curtains, Abrariel could just see around his room. But he didn't need any light, as he woke up more, he could see just fine. He noticed a bottle on the bedside table closest to him. It was full of blood, and a note was attached. He read the note as he drank. The wretched taste of lamb's blood filed his mouth. The stupid Angel hadn't listened to him! He turned his  attention back to the note in his hands, it was written in curly, old fashioned writing, but he could just read it.

 I'm so sorry to disappoint you with more lamb's blood, but I could only get lamb's blood, I will get a different kind next time.

So, the Angel had listened, he had just gotten a descent batch so he didn't need to keep going back so often, Abrariel knew that would have look suspicious. He finished his meal and went to see if the Angel was awake. He found him in the living room, sitting on the sofa, wings limp and shoulders relaxed, he was reading a book by candlelight, the curtains drawn shut, he looked up as Abrariel entered the room.

 "Good evening!" The Angel greeted, "had a good sleep?"

 Abrariel still didn't quite trust him, he wasn't planning too, but when he looked in those green eyes, he could see nothing but care and love, not like his parents where there had always been hate mixed in with their love. He nodded to the question; it was hard not to trust the Angel a little. Just a little bit.

 Abrariel looked around the living room, there wasn't much to see. Two sofas, a brown coffee table with a few books on it. A fireplace took up the back wall, the right wall by a large window, the left by photos of friends and family and two hanging plants.

 "What's your name?"

 The Angel's voice snapped Abrariel from his thoughts. "I will tell you after you tell me yours," his voice was hard, but not harsh, he was getting the point across that he still didn't fully trust him yet.

 The Angel smiled. "Raziel," he answered, "you?"

 "... Abrariel."

 "Nice sounding name," Raziel murmured still with the same cherry smile, "I'm sure we will get along well, Abrariel."

 Hearing his name come out of the Angel's mouth made Abrariel feel vulnerable, but also filled him with a strange sense of calm. His parents voice hadn't done as much. "We will see," he said, hiding a smile.

 "Why are you up so late?" He asked the Angel.

 "Just to tell you some ground rules," Raziel answered, his smile fading a little as his face became serious, "rules you need to follow."

 The words reminded Abrariel of Jeremiah. Gentle but firm, that was what Jeremiah was like, he had always seemed to love him more than his parents did, he wondered if that was a show as well.

 "What are the rules?" Abrariel asked cutting his thoughts off and looking at Raziel as he lent on the arm rest of the sofa.

 "You're not to leave the house, not until I know it's safe for you. Two, don't wake me up when I'm sleeping, I can get very angry if you wake me up. And three, this one is important, if your allowed out, you're not to break anything, you're not to hurt anyone, don't defy what your told, if you get hungry, go to the butchers. No biting," as he went, Raziel's voice got more and more serious, and Abrariel knew he meant everything he said. Jeremiah had taught him that if someone was in charge, you never disobeyed, unless you knew it was wrong.

 Abrariel nodded, "I understand, I won't break those rules. I swear by my fallen," it was the strongest promise you could make as a Vampire, and he hoped that Raziel knew it, he seemed too.

 "Good!" Raziel's voice returned to cheeriness and he smiled at Abrariel, "now, I'm going to bed, follow those rules, keep your promise," he patted Abrariel on the shoulder as he left the room.

 Abrariel looked after him, suddenly not wanting to be alone, it reminded him all too much of when his parents had left him behind. He got up and followed Raziel, he wanted to stay near the Angel for the first night.

 Not because he trusted him.

 He didn't.

 Or that's what he told himself anyway as he headed to where Raziel had gone. The bedroom door was ajar, Abrariel pushed it open and stepped into the room. Raziel was bundled under the covers of his small, single bed, seemingly asleep, but he opened his eyes when Abrariel came into the room.

 "Is there something you need?" Raziel asked, asked propping himself up on one elbow.

 "I... I don't want to be alone tonight, is it alright if I stay with you?" Abrariel asked feeling a little embarrassed.

 "Sure, so long as you're out before dawn, I do not want to wake up to a pile of ash," Raziel yawned as he snuggled back down.

 Abrariel knew he would be in bed by dawn, after some food, but for now he stayed where he was, sitting on the floor leaning against the bed and listening to Raziel's slow breathing. It was soothing, or it might just have been the sound of it, either way, it calmed him. Abrariel missed his home. An old and abandoned mansion full of secrets had been his home for ten years, and now it was lost to him.

 I'm going to adopt you...

 Raziel's voice echoed in his mind. A new parent. It didn't fill Abrariel with too much joy, but it made him feel calm. 

 He was no longer alone.