A Love Like No Other

Seven: Tragedy Strikes Home

Sariel

He stayed in Selene's bed holding her all night, because of her premonition. From what he could glean from her mind, she had dreamed of the ice labyrinth surrounding his castle again, only this time she saw his former Overlord, and how his obsession to have her destroyed at all costs was growing by leaps and bounds.

Castor arrived along with Azriel. Sariel kissed Selene's temple, and stood, following the two angels. He did not like seeing Azriel here, he was the Angel of Death, the one who helped the departed go to their judgement before the Father sentenced the departed to Heaven or Hell. He rarely showed himself in human form, and he wore a huge black cloak over black robes, but Sariel wasn't fooled by his deceptive weakness; he was just as deadly a warrior as any of them, he was just more passive about his methods.

They stood in the living room of the mansion, and Sariel asked, "Why are you here Az?"

Azriel sighed, and calmly said, "Her foster father is dead, and the mother is ailing as well. I'm uncertain if she will survive her injuries, due to the car accident. I thought you should be aware of these events, Sariel."

It burned him that the Heaven-side angels still refused to acknowledge him as a King. He stifled his resentment, and said, "And if she dies, the mother?"

Castor looked at him uncertainly. "Well, Sire, wouldn't it be prudent then to..." He cleared his throat, "Wed her? She would have no one else."

Azriel's silver eyes sparkled with amusement. "Or, you could leave her under the protection of Uriel and the Seraphs," He suggested in his calm voice. "We have, after all, been watching and protecting her her entire life."

"Well, it's not good enough!" Sariel shouted, his patience at an end. "Lucifer wants her dead, but not just dead, destroyed utterly so that she cannot become my Queen. He came perilously close yesterday with that phone number plot."

Azriel nodded his head. "A tragic end to a great believer. Father grieves for the loss along with the mortal family. It is certainly up to you in how you wish to protect your bride, but as Castor suggested, leaving your mark upon her will ensure that he cannot have her again."

Sariel knew what the insinuation was, but he knew that Selene wasn't ready to take their relationship to that intimate a level. But he had no choice but to leave guards around his betrothed. Pollux soon arrived, and his twin brother filled him in on what the problem was.

"We will guard her, Sire," Pollux volunteered. "Besides, I think Cas' kinda has a thing for her."

Castor growled, blushing. "I do not! Besides--"

"What the hell is going on in here?!" Selene demanded, coming down the stairs in her gray pajamas. She spotted Azriel, and nearly screamed. "Oh...Oh my God, who are you?! Who is this guy?"

Azriel bowed, and said calmly, "My name is Azriel, Selene Parrish. I thought it best to inform your champion of the tragedy that has befallen you."

Sariel tried to stop the Angel of Death, but Azriel said, "Relax. I will not harm her."

"You better not," Sariel growled.

Azriel approached Selene, and he touched two of his fingers on her forehead. Sariel knew what his brother was doing, and he wanted to stop him, but he figured it would be best if she knew, rather than find out later.

After a minute or two, Azriel stopped touching her, and said, "I can do no more to help her defeat Lucifer. I must go and do my duty as I was appointed. Farewell, Selene."

Azriel disappeared. Selene began to tear up, and she said, "Can you take me to see my foster parents? I need to see them."

Sariel nodded, understanding, and pulled her to him, hugging her. "I want guards on us from every corner, Pollux. A full escort. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sire."

Sariel let go of Selene, and she rose a eyebrow at that. "It's nothing, go along and get dressed. We can't leave without the guards any way."

She nodded. "Oh, okay. I'm going."

He waited for her, and she was back within twenty minutes dressed casually in jeans, sneakers, and a sweater. She put a black hoodie on over that, and grabbed her purse. "Okay, I'm ready. Let's go," She announced.

The guards had arrived, and he held out his hand. She looked at him with confusion. "It will be alright. We will be teleporting, it's safer than driving, and flying by far."

"Oh, well, let's go then."

She held his hand, and he teleported them to the hospital where her foster parents were being kept. No one paid them any attention when they just arrived out of the blue, and Selene took charge and handled getting in to see her foster parents.

They were heavily guarded, and it reassured him that Selene was protected. Still, he could not drop his guard around her. He had lost her too many times for that...