The Angel, the Vampire, and the Demon

Chapter Nineteen- The Angel's Tale

Two months later

Abrariel

The mud hit him square in the side of his face.

It had been two months since his visit to his lair, and he missed his family. The homesickness was made worse when the town kids started to bully him whenever he left the house.

Abrariel looked over at the laughing preteens standing amongst the wheat. Abrariel was shocked they were out at this time of night; he had woken up late due to how late he was in his pregnancy, and the fatigue he was feeling.

Raziel had been stressed and the house felt tense, and he had just made things worse by trying to talk to Telantes again, which had started a fight. Now he was going on a quick walk to get away and get some fresh air and to clear his head.

Abrariel bared his fangs at the preteens, having no patience for them. They got cold feet and flew off quickly into the night sky. Abrariel sighed and looked away, now a walk in the fields didn't sound so nice.

He turned and headed back towards home, hoping things were a little less tense in the house. He was locking the front door when he felt it.

A kick.

He looked down at his very swollen belly, feeling the sharp nudges against the wall of his stomach. He placed a gentle hand on his belly feeling the baby kick a second time, and he smiled. His baby was kicking! He couldn't wait to tell Raziel, he was sure the news would cheer the Angel up.

He headed down the hall to the living room, lit with moonlight. Raziel was sitting on one of the sofas, hands in his lap, looking stressed and tired.

Abrariel went over to his adoptive father and sat down next to him, a hand on his belly. "Father, guess what the baby did?"

Raziel turned to him and gave a smile, Abrariel knew it was fake. "What?" The Angel asked, his tone light.

"It started kicking! Did you want to feel?"

This time Raziel gave a real smile, and he placed his hands gently on Abrariel's stomach. As the child kicked a third time, Raziel's smile broadened. "We're going to have to start thinking about a crib, my father said now would be the best time!"

Abrariel wasn't really listening, he was looking at Raziel's hand, the one with the Brand, the Sin Mark. Up close, Abrariel could see which one of the Seven Sins it was for.

The Sin of Murder.

Raziel was still talking about cribs when Abrariel interrupted him mid-sentence. "Father, what happened?" He asked, looking up and pointing at the Mark.

Raziel paled visibly and stopped talking abruptly.

"What happened, Father? Why did you get a Brand? What happened to your child? Your other mate?" Abrariel asked, locking his blue eyes with Raziel's green, Raziel looked away, eyes distant.

"You really want to know?" Raziel asked, his voice was a mix of hurt, and worry, and was tense, like a wire pulled to fraying.

"Yes."

Raziel took a deep breath, Abrariel guessed whatever he had to say was a huge burden to him. "Promise me you won't hate me."

"I won't hate you; I swear by my fallen," Abrariel murmured, with force behind the words to show he meant it.

Raziel was silent. The air felt tense, like static electricity, and Abrariel felt like he was walking on thin ice, with a drop many feet below him. He clenched his hands into fists of worry.

Raziel spoke, his voice cutting through the quiet like a sharp-bladed knife.

~

Three years ago, I lived here with my mate, Mina. We were young, in love, puppy love like most of the couples in town. I was pregnant, and we were both so happy. Ha, Mina would make me go for walks with her every day, saying the fresh air would do me and the baby good.