Page 10 of The Human Element (The Human Element Collection #1)
Catching the pack, he pulled one out, tossing it back to Daemon before snapping his fingers.
To Lorelei’s surprise, a flame flickered on his fingertips as he dipped the cigarette into it and shook his hand, the flame disappearing like it had never been.
He took a drag and then shifted his weight, eyeing them both.
“You know that what you’re doing is pointless, right?”
Daemon shrugged his shoulders at this and having finished his own cigarette, flicked it into a nearby trash can.
“Wasn’t it you who told me that nothing in this world was pointless?”
“This is different. It’s not just Lucifer who wants you dead, Daemon. The other ArchAngels are thinking you have become too much of a problem to allow it to continue, too.”
“Oh? Well how thoughtful of them to think about me. I would’ve thought that I was too beneath you all to even be on your radar any longer.”
“You’re not if you’re interfering in what is meant to be.”
ArchAngel? Could this really be the ArchAngel Raphael? From the Bible!?
Lorelei tried to remember what she knew about him but she could hardly think due to the shiver that ran up her spine, her focus on the being before her changing first from admiration, to panic.
They were pissing off all the wrong people-and they had hardly begun their little crusade. This couldn’t be good.
When Daemon didn’t respond again, Raphael looked at him, with a slight desperation behind his eyes. Daemon at last acknowledged Lorelei, and gestured a hand towards Raphael.
“Lorelei, love, I’d be honored to introduce you to ArchAngel Raphael.
My old, best friend who so happens to be the one who carried out the ceremony to condemn me as a Fallen.
Surprised? Yes, as am I. He hasn’t dared return to Earth since that fateful day.
” Daemon’s mocking tone changed to pure venom in his next words.
“So tell me, Raph. What are you fucking doing here?”
Lorelei’s mouth dropped open. No wonder Daemon hated being in Raphael’s presence so much. It made far more sense the discomfort he was displaying, and it made Lorelei’s heart clench at the recognition of suffering she saw flicker in Daemon’s eyes while he looked at Raphael.
“I never wanted to have to condemn you, Daemon. You know that. But it had to be done. You disobeyed orders. The fact that I am here shows I still care for you like a brother. Please, don’t be a fool. This isn’t worth dying over.”
This sparked something in Daemon and he finally turned back around to face him, an anger seeped out of him which made Lorelei catch her breath.
“And what, Raph?! It’s worth the entire human race to die over some pricks who just want to show off how powerful they are? How can you stand by as humanity is slaughtered during a war that’s not really about them!?”
He was breathing harder, the anger in his words shook Lorelei to her core. It wasn’t just the anger she felt, it was compassion. For a moment, she thought of going to him. To comfort him. But she merely watched as the two men stared each other down.
“It’s how it is, Daemon! Only God knows the true meaning behind it, but we angels are ones tasked to carry out his will. Like YOU were supposed to do 16 years ago. Or did you forget?”
With those words Raphael turned and looked at Lorelei again. She shifted nervously under his gaze, like he was judging her. Inspecting her in some way. And he didn't look happy with what he was seeing.
“It’s wrong. And since I am no longer one of your lackeys—which if you recall was orchestrated by your own hands—I have no affiliation with your agenda anymore.
Therefore, you are free to go fuck right off.
Because you and I both know that unless you have direct orders, you have no authority to end my life. ”
Raphael looked like he might give a similarly angry retort, but Lorelei saw he stopped himself. She watched as he sighed, and took another drag of his cigarette.
“I came to give you a friendly warning. The rumors of what you are attempting to do has spread. Lucifer is more enraged than ever and is sending more demons your way. Not to mention if the other ArchAngels decide you need to be eliminated as well. The deliberations are ongoing, but I fear a decision will be made soon. I am risking everything by coming to tell you this, and you know that. So, please…hear me when I say you may want to rethink this plan of yours…before it’s too late. I don’t want to lose a friend.”
With a huff, Daemon walks slowly over to Lorelei and gives her a look.
They were leaving now. Fixing the strap of her bag that had fallen off her shoulder, Daemon being nearer to her made her feel safer.
They were not going to die this moment. At least that was a little comforting to know.
Turning back to Raphael, he ran a hand through his hair and once again put back on the blasé persona, shooting Raphael a coy smile.
“Well thanks, friend . But you and I both know I lost that friend the day you cast me out. You better be getting back to your cohorts, before you end up like me.”
Daemon’s tone was airy, but a sense of intensified concern laced it.
It hit Lorelei for the first time how much danger they were both in.
Not only did Hell wish to see their mission fail, but Heaven wasn’t on board with it either.
And from what she could tell, Raphael had something to do with Daemon becoming a disgraced angel.
Before he allowed Raphael to respond again, Daemon took Lorelei by her arm and started leading her back towards her hotel.
Taking one last look over her shoulder, she saw Raphael’s eyes pleadingly watching her.
Regret and sadness tinged his caramel irises, until he turned on his heels, walking in the opposite direction.
The fading, white silhouette disappearing beyond the descending sidewalk.
They didn’t speak for what felt like an eternity, and Lorelei found it hard not to turn around and look back at Raphael.
She thought perhaps Daemon was on edge from the unexpected visit from his old friend, seeing as he still had a gentle grip on her arm.
But he appeared to be in deep thought, and she didn’t want to disturb him yet.
She couldn’t help but find his touch soothing.
It made her feel less alone in this crazy, up-side-down situation she found herself in.
She had so many questions about the interaction that happened, so when they were nearly back at the hotel, she broke the silence.
“Are you alright?”
She was getting concerned. Daemon looked panicked, which didn’t reassure her. Upon hearing her voice, he blinked and finally released the soft hold on her. He placed the hand he just had on her arm on the back of his neck and rubbed it, looking a little embarrassed for forgetting to let go of her.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
She could tell it was a sensitive subject to him, so she waited a moment until he continued.
“I haven’t seen him since…well, you know. I was never allowed to return to Heaven after that, so I haven’t seen Raphael since that day. And since I also wasn’t affiliated with Hell, I was left to my own devices on Earth by both sides.”
His green eyes flashed with memory, like he could relive that day he fell from God’s grace in his head over and over. He sighed and once again pulled his cigarettes out, a habit of years of tormented loneliness. It was another few minutes before he spoke again.
“It’s a huge deal that he came to warn me of what was going on. If the other ArchAngels found out...he could end up like me; or worse.”
Lorelei could only imagine what “worse” meant.
The last image of Raphael remained in her mind, the way it seemed Raphael felt badly for what happened with Daemon.
How much it looked like Raphael wanted to say more, but thought better of it.
It honestly broke her heart, but it was Daemon she felt worse for.
Shoving her hands in her coat pockets, the warmth of the soft material inside, slowly warming her increasingly cold fingers, she watched Daemon’s face carefully as they continued on their walk back to the inn.
Worry and sorrow imprinted on each, handsome feature.
Clearing her throat, she let her gaze fall to the sidewalk ahead of them.
“He mentioned that there was a mission you were ordered to do that you didn’t and that’s why you became a Fallen angel. What was it you didn’t do?”
The worried, and haggard Daemon suddenly vanished, like a window into his true feelings was promptly shut between them. The collected, nonchalant Daemon returned. Turning his head towards her, he put on a casual smile.
“That’s not important right now…What is important is getting to Magnus as quickly as possible. Bright side, have you ever flown in First Class?” Daemon’s smile broadened as he picked up his pace—his mind already on preparations for the next phase of their trek.
“No, but is it absolutely necessary to fly in First Class? Won’t that draw more attention to us?”
When they finally reached the inn, Daemon opened the door for her to walk through and shrugged his shoulders as he spoke, a haughty tone now fully replacing the saddened one from before, a mischievous glint in his jade-inspired eyes.
“Who says we can’t have a little fun before the end of the world, hm?”