✟ ✟Book 2: Black Hearts: Redemption ✟ ✟

Chapter Forty-Two: Sacrifice pt. 1

Michael sees the Dragon nearly outta the city. He twirls his sword around before tossing it up and catching it by the handle, he aims the sword at the Dragon. With all his strength he throws the sword like a spear. The sword zooms through the air and hits the Dragon in the wing. It roars fire as it tumbles back to the ground. It collides into a armor ruck causing a huge explosion. Raphael cries out in pain as his wings are burnt.

Michael sees them both laying next to each other. Michael suddenly soars down and punches the Dragon in the chest, his hand rips through its skin. Michael feels something, he grabs it and yanks out the creatures beating heart. The dragon kicks around and scratches Michael's chest armor. He looks down at it, he yanks his sword out and stabs the Dragon in the neck. The Dragons cry dies out as blood gushes out its wounds.

He pulls his sword back out and sees Raphael leaning against a lamp post already trying to heal his wounds. Michael leaps off the Dragon and lands in front of Raphael. He sees the blood trickling down Raphael's armor.

"How bad is it?"

"It nearly took my arms off when he grabbed me." Raphael says as he groans in pain.

"That was really stupid of you to do that. You shouldn't of done that. You could of been killed!" Michael shouts at him. Raphael look down at his legs and nods his head.

"It was just my instincts kicking in. You would of done the same thing I did if you were in my position." Raphael says as he looks back up at Michael, giving him a stern look.

"Your right, I would have. But you scared the living hell out of me when you did it. I disobeyed orders and came after you." Michael says as he looks up at the stormy sky. Raphael frowns in confusion, "Who's orders?"

"God. He told me not to follow you cause you were probably already dead. But I would never leave a man behind." Michael says as he looks back down at Raphael and smiles. Raphael's expression saddens as he looks away.

Michael notices that and gulps loudly.

"So I'm just a team mate. You didn't come after me for any other reason?"

"What other reason would I have? Your a valuable member of this team. But..." Michael slowly cuts himself off. Raphael glances at him.

"But what?"

Michael wipes away a few drops of sweat rolling down his face. "I uh... didn't want anything bad to happen to you because... I care about you. More than an Angel should care for someone, especially if their... of the same gender." Michael tries to quietly say it out loud.

Raphael's eyes widen in confusion, "What?"

"I'm trying to tell you, you idiot, that I have been feeling something more for you, Raphael. I've felt it more and more over the decades and it didn't hit me until after I saw you get taken away from me, did I actually care so much about you. I never said anything because I didn't know how you would react. I just hope I don't scare you away and make things...awkward." Michael says as he crouches down in front of a blushing Raphael.

"Which is why I don't ever want you to leave me. I don't think I could handle the pain if I saw you leave me. I want you Raphael. I want you to be by my side till the end of time. Will you?" Michael anxiously asks him. Michael tenses up after a few minutes of silence.

Raphael gulps loudly as he puts his hand on Michael's cheeks. "This really is real. I'm not dead." Raphael says as he squishes Michael's cheeks together.

Raphael smiles as he plants a soft kiss on a surprised Michael. After a split second, Michael begins to kiss him back. After a minute or two of kissing, Raphael pulls away, while still holding Michael's cheeks.