The room I was in was large, and Victorian in style. Dust floated through the air and coated everything. In the room there was a Persian carpet, two old couches, a long wooded dining table and marble topped end tables. High back chairs surrounded the table, and old portraits lined the walls. It seemed like the old owners had left in a hurry, not bothering to take anything with them.
I sat there for what seemed like hours, every now and then hearing voices but never figuring out where they came from. Finally, I heard footsteps approaching the room. I never heard him come in, but when I looked up, Jake we seated at the head of the table, watching me with those cat like eyes.
"I'm sorry I had to result to this, Azrael." he sighed, walking over and taking the gag from my mouth. "But I did try to offer you the opportunity to choose me, willingly."
"I could never choose someone who thrives off hurting people. I don't even know who you are. If you are what you claim then I'm pretty sure Jake Thorn isn't you're real name. It would also mean you betrayed my kind. "
"Oh, Azrael, dear angel, don't you remember what Lucifer's biggest sin was when you and your brothers stood by and watched as he was cast out?"
"Pride." I remembered that day vividly. I wasn't the Angel of Death at that point, but I had been chosen to go to earth an watch over man. I hadn't known I'd be watching over man's soul instead.
"Precisely, so you really shouldn't have wounded mine. I didn't appreciate it."
"I didn't mean to wound you. But all I am belongs to my Father and the purpose he gave me. I can't be in a relationship."
"That was your mistake." He growled, " And this is the part when I stop playing by the rules."
"That was playing by the rules?" I laughed bitterly, my voice hoarse from lack of water.
"Shut up!" He drew a knife from his jacket pocket and cut through the ropes.
I rubbed my sore wrists and heard a satisfying cracking sound when I rolled my shoulders. Jake pulled me up so that I was kneeling at his feet. Despite the tingling pain in my limbs, I rose to my feet, refusing to bow before him.
"Hardly the time for loyalty." He smiled, amused and seized my throat. "I hold your life in my hands."
"You can't kill me...I am Death."
"Oh,Sweetness...Who said I wanted to?"
He lifted me off of my feet and threw me across the dining table. I hit my head and fell to the floor, but didn't fight back. Jake wanted me to suffer in Maghen's place, so I wouldn't give him a reason to go back and hurt her.
"Alright down there?" Jake asked, coming over and kneeling, stoking the wound on my face, "It doesn't have to be this way..."
"Yes...It does... We're on opposite sides."
"Then you leave me no choice. I'm going to have to rip every shred of goodness out of you."He said softy, "When I'm done, there won't be a scrap of honesty or integrity left. I'm going to blacken your soul, and then claim it as my own." He ran a finger slowly across my wrist, leaving a ribbon of red welts where his skin burned me.
"Then I wouldn't be the same angel you want."
His eyes narrowed, "I'm afraid you won't be going back to Heaven any time soon, because by the time I'm finished with you, they won't let you in." He gripped my jaw tightly, "But don't fret, my angel. We're very hospitable in Hell." He kissed me roughly, pressing down on me with all of his weight. I could feel his darkness seeping across my skin, making me shake in pain.
"It's time to say good bye, Miss Church." He closed his eyes and concentrated, pressing both of his hand on my forehead, his nails digging into my temples. My eyes widened. I saw every evil thing that had happened since the dawn of time, all in a single moment. I saw every soul I'd ever reaped, every war, every plague. All of the evils of the world, and my heart felt broken. This continued until he wretched his hands from me.
It was then that I noticed the flames and smoke that were slowly engulfing the room. All of the evil Jake had showed be was enough to physically manifest itself. The smoke was smothering and burned my eyes, but Jake seemed unfazed. I couldn't breath. Once again, I felt myself slipping from consciousness before one of the outer walls was destroyed and i saw Gabriel standing there, wings spread in a column of light, our brother, Michel's sword in his hands and the world went dark around me.