~~Young~~

Chapter Twenty Three

   Gage shook his head, “Intent wouldn’t have won me a white feather either.”

   “No, but because you forced my brother to remove his servant from earth you eliminated the demonic binds keeping those mortals trapped. They survived because of your actions and your actions alone.”

   “How many were in there anyway?” Gage asked.

   “Five, counting Chelsea,” Sera finally spoke up, “I would have been the sixth, only…”

   Only she hadn’t made it.

   It didn’t need to be said but still Sera frowned, those chocolate brown eyes were positively pained and she wrapped her arms around herself as if she was trying to hold herself together. She didn’t need to do it though, that was what she had Gage for and he was quick to comfort her.

   “It wasn’t your fault beauty,” he tilted her face up to his; “I don’t imagine you meant to die.”

   “No,” she said quietly and looked up to him, “because I didn’t want to leave you. That was all I could think of when I was…dying.”

   It would take her some time to get used to those words, but in time he hoped she would see that being mortal was only the beginning of her life. Okay, so that was another very selfish notion because as she was meant they had forever, just as Death had mentioned.

   He dropped a light kiss on her lips to show her it was okay, to Death’s sigh and God’s huff. That’s right, a hug was a hug was a hug, and a peck on the cheek was even acceptable, but anything that could be considered carnal affections was forbidden in heaven. No kissing and definitely no sex. If God wasn’t getting any then neither was anyone else. Anyone who knew him before as Zeus wouldn’t fuck him out of spite-the serial cheater he was with his many affairs- and anyone that only knew him as God he couldn’t fuck in order to preserve his image.

   Hmm…sticking around here suddenly lost a little of its appeal. Or maybe that was the catch in all this, that yes he could be with Sera, but not with Sera.

   Gage was about to question God about that, okay, argue with God about that, when another body burst into the room.

   “Seraphine!” She exclaimed and threw her arms around Sera.

   It was an angel, she was an angel. Slight of build but obviously strong, the blonde angel wore armor more intricate than he had ever seen Michael bear. There were silver plates over her arms and shoulders, covering the fronts of her shins and thighs, all held down by leather straps. Even her skirt was a mix of leather and metal strips hanging just about mid thigh. Each piece was engraved in intricate detail scenes of daily mortal life, something he was able to witness up close as she clung to Sera. This close he could also see the silver sheath at her side. Not leather, oh no, that couldn’t contain what was inside it, only the purest of silver.

   Gage took a step back. She wasn’t just any angel, inside her sheath was a sword made from heaven’s own light. It wasn’t meant to vanquish any old mortal or demon, it wasn’t meant for flesh but for souls, for immortals. He had only heard rumors of it till now, and knew it had a mate; a matching blade that belonged to her sister, God’s other guard. Two, he had two personal guards that had been created to protect his own self unlike his archangels, Michael and Gabriel, who were created to protect all of heaven. He was not at all comfortable with her presence, not near himself and most especially not near Sera no matter how friendly she seemed to be with her.

   “Oh Seraphine,” she mumbled against Sera, “I was so worried when I heard how they had to drag you away. I was afraid they’d give up fighting you and drop you off with the demons.”