2024 Story Collection

Succubus & Angel Soulmates IV

This was one of those times she was grateful to only live a block away from Isabella's mansion. She jammed in the key and swung the door to her small apartment, rushing inside and slamming the door behind her.

She leaned against the door, a sigh quickly turning into another horrible coughing fit.

She tries to step to the side but slips on the blood she'd just coughed up and falls to the ground, more petals erupting from her.

She gives up trying to move and just sits there, letting her heart calm itself.

Her headache just got infinitely worse. She squints her eyes, her vision going blurry.

She glances into the small apartment. It almost looks like someone climbed in through her window. She blinks her eyes rapidly, trying to get rid of the blurriness, but fails.

Another wave of pain rushes over her, and she curls up, holding her head between her knees.

She can just barely hear the sound of footsteps over her throbbing head.

"Lara?" She looks up. Her face is only inches away from him. "Is your name really Lara?"

"Shit," she says under her breath. She left her window open this morning and forgot to close it before she left. Though, she didn't think she had to worry about someone breaking into her apartment, considering it was on the 8th floor and has no fire escape.

"You realize this is considered breaking and entering, right?" she coughs, blood and petals fall from her mouth. She grabs one of her red towels to wipe the blood from her chin. "Don't angels have some sort of thing against breaking laws?"

"I will leave as soon as you answer my questions," his voice is kind, gentle even. It pisses her off.

She coughs again, this time not caring to turn away from him, so that she coughs right into his face. She expects him to pull back disgusted, but just blinks a few times before laughing. She smiles without meaning to.

Then another wave of pain. She groans, holding her head.

"Here," he says, handing her his shirt to put on.

"No thank you," she says, shaking her head. "I feel fine in what I'm wearing."

"It's practically nothing," he says and even through her blurred vision, she sees his blush. She smirks.

"I can wear whatever the fuck I want in my own apartment Azrael."

She watches as his cheeks get redder. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Yes," she says, finally answering his question from earlier.

"What?"

"My name really is Lara."

She wishes she could see the look on his face, but suddenly the lights in the room are making her sensitive eyes ache.

"Who is your soulmate?" he asks, serious. "Did he reject you?"

She sighs in relief. Lara is a common enough name that he likely can't justify our connection yet. Thank God.

"Doesn't matter," she replies. "And it's none of your business."

"It is if your soulmate is me." He moves, walks over to the bed, and sits on the edge. "Because that would mean you rejected yourself. Why?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she lies.

"You can't lie to an angel," he says with a frown. Right, angels are like pretty lie detectors.

"Actually I can," she says, trying to stand up. "I just did." She tries to smile but is pretty sure it comes across as more of a grimace.

She tries to take a step to her bed but her knees give out on her and she's falling but she doesn't hit the ground. Something worse happens: Azrael catches her. Her worst nightmare came true.

Her vision clears and all the pain leaves her body the instant they make skin contact. She gasps. She can actively feel the vines in her lungs recede. He was healing her.

She pushes him away, the blinding pain crashing over her again as she uses the wall to lead her to her bed. She falls back onto it. Her head spinning, her heart aching.

"It is you," she hears him say as he rushes to her side. He sounds wistful, almost happy.

She scoffs.

"Why did you reject yourself?" he asks, his voice laced with pain.

"I'm a succubus, and I curse like a sailor," she says.

"I've noticed," he replies with a small smile.

"Exactly," she turns away from him. "So leave, live your life. Don't worry about me. I gave you an out. You don't have to feel bad. I didn't expect to live this long, anyway."

There is silence for a few minutes before he breaks it finally. He moves around to sit on the edge of her bed across from her.

"God chose our soulmates for a reason-"

"My body count is in the thousands," she interrupts.

He stares at her wide eyed.

"I thought you didn't sleep around," he muttered.

He noticed? How-when did he-did he pay attention to her before this? But that's-no. He wouldn't've.

"I don't."

It takes him a moment to realize what she means and once he does; he jumps back away from her, covering his face.

"You honestly think god would give you a succubus killer for a soulmate?" she laughs. "You've got the wrong person."

He just stands there for a few moments in shock.

She rolls her eyes and gets up off the bed, finally feeling a bit of her strength coming back to her. She walks over to her closet and pulls out a change of clothes.

She looks back. He's still staring at the same spot, frozen in shock. Was that a habit of his?

She grabs her stuff and puts it in the bathroom.

"I'm going to take a shower," she says. "If you'd like to stay and watch-" she moves her head to look back out at Azrael, but is met with nothing. She walks over and closes her window.

She should feel relieved, but instead, she just feels empty.

He really left. Why am I upset? This is what I wanted, right?

To be continued...

March 29, 2024