The small room was in shadows; lit only by a small lamp tumbled to the floor. Cat stared at the crumpled body in dismay. He had tricked her and now her heart was shattering into icy splinters, digging away at her insides, melting her warmth. Heath stood over her, blood soaking into his skin, dark eyes haunted but unrepentant. The mortal was dead. Raguel would be here soon, exacting the punishment she deserved. And still she loved Heath.
"You have ruined me," she sobbed. Her heart soaring and crumpling at the thought of being like him. Of being his forever. Forever damned.
Heath gripped her arms, holding her steady and smearing blackening red on to her fair skin. "It will only hurt for a few seconds beautiful, and then we can be together," he said. His eyes looked worried, but his self-satisfied smirk was back in place and it angered her.
She pushed his arms away, determined to not weaken at the relief she felt from his touch. Pretending to ignore him had planted seeds of bitterness that refused to budge. She ached to tear at his clothes. She ached to tear at his skin and make him hurt like she was hurting.
A blinding fire erupted around them and she shielded her eyes, tumbling back against the far wall. Sulphur engulfed her nostrils and she recoiled. Her back flared with pain and she called out to Heath, knowing he could not help her, knowing this was what he wanted. She wanted it too, but not like this. Never like this. It crawled into her bones and ignited her blood. Tears trailed down her cheeks and pooled in the hollows beneath her throat.
White spots entered her vision and she scrunched her lids together tighter. The smell of burning feathers caused her to gag. She was a mess, a crumpled foetal form snivelling on the floor, and she didn't have the strength to care. Suddenly, Heath was there, his cool hands stroking skin, bringing her back from the brink. Then he was gone, pulled back by another set of strong arms.
She opened her eyes to stare around her, furrowing her brows at this new development. Raguel stood over them both, glorious wings extended, his cerulean eyes hard and unforgiving. He was more beautiful than any painting or sculpture could convey, and his beauty was his might.
"You are both found guilty of sins against Our Father. One of you has fallen today, one of you a century ago. But both must be punished and it is my sacred duty. Heath, I banish you to the first circle of hell. There you shall remain until Lucifer sees fit to punish you further. So it is said, so let it be." Raguel's voice thundered through the small room and Cat winced.
Terror filled her chest as she reached out for Heath and he met her gaze with anger and pain and love, so much love, pulling her apart at the seams. Then he was gone, swallowed up by the earth as if he had never been. Raguel turned towards her, almost slipping into pity at the sight of her pathetic form, then he too was gone. A zip of light flying to the Heavens, leaving her both hollow and swollen with feeling.