Chapter Twenty-One

Finally Drops

TW/CW: burning a live human body and panic attacks

Tokyo Warehouse District: July 16, 2010

Balthazar huffed as he dodged Argan's attack, annoyance coursing through him. He blamed Lucifer full heartedly for this bullshit, and he'd happily tell the bastard that to his face.

"Fight back!" Argan demanded. "Or are you a coward and a liar?"

"If I fought back, you'd be a pile of ash," Balthazar said. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Argan lunged at him, and Balthazar side stepped. He hissed as a blade cut into his arm, held by one of the demon's minions. He was trying to hide damnit, and throwing grace around would not help him do that.

"Need a hand?" The cheerful question had two minions turning, and the one who cut him got a whip to the face as payment. The demon screeched, a furious burn seared into his skin. Azrial pulled the whip back, the flames around the tip dying down.

"Did you really break the case?" Balthazar scowled.

"Is that the thank you I get for helping you?" she huffed.

"I'm charging you for that."

"You won't be charging that bitch for anything!" Argan snarled. "You're coming with us, and she's dying here."

Azrial frowned, and Balthazar watched as she shifted her stance. "And who exactly is going to kill me?" The whip followed her mocking question, snapping forward fast enough that a loud crack filled the air. Flames went hurling at Argan, and the demon barely dodged in time. Azrial was already pulling the whip back again, and turned it on a minion who'd tried to get close to her. The leather snapped around the minion's leg, and Azrial pulled it back with all her strength. The demon hit the ground back first, screaming as the flames consumed its soul and host.

The silence that followed her kill was heavy, and Azrial used the remaining demons' shock to grab his hand, dragging him further into the back of the building.

"Stop manhandling me!" He tried to pull his arm free, but the archangel didn't let go. She pulled him into an alcove that would hide them, but only until the demons really started searching.

"Hush," she hissed quietly, loosely wrapping the whip around her arm. "You need to get out of here."

"Really, you don't say?"

She scowled at his sarcasm, pulling her blade from beneath the folds of her stola. "Listen to me," she said firmly. "We only have one shot at this."

He remained silent, the worry in her voice swiftly silencing another sarcastic question. "What's your plan?"

She handed him her blade, the bronze weapon feeling heavy in his palm as she forced him to grip it. "Get out of here. I'll distract them, and you can fly off. If you don't hear from me in an hour, I need you to call Crowley."

"And what am I meant to say?" Balthazar hissed. "Sorry mate, I let your lover run off to cover my arse?"

"Balthazar," she growled warningly. "He'll know how to find me."

"I don't agree with this."

There was a crash nearby, and they both stiffened. Azrial's worry seemed to double, and she gripped his arm.

"Hear me now, brother. I order you to obey my command."

Balthazar stiffened, his grace burning under the skin of his vessel. He could disobey. God knows he'd disobeyed a direct command before, but it would hurt like a bitch and leave him weak for several days.

"Damn you," he snarled. "Fine, on your head be it."

"That's the plan," she snorted, letting his arm go. "Get out of here."

She ducked out of the alcove, and Balthazar caught sight of the tip of the whip bursting into flames again as it went sailing toward the approaching group of demons. His gaze softened, and he tucked Azrial's blade into his jacket.

"Don't do anything stupid," he muttered. He waited until Azrial pulled the demons further away before flying from the warehouse.

Line Break

Bobby was cursing a blue streak in his head as he helped another person get out of the warehouse. There had been more demons, because of course there had been more, and he'd ended up putting down three of the bastards.

"Thank God you're okay!"

The shout had him snapping his head toward Rowen, who'd just finished helping bandage someone's arm.

"God ain't who I'd thank," Bobby huffed as he approached his friend. "At least not the one you're thanking."

Rowen frowned, looking past him. "Where's…Marcia?"

Bobby winced, shooting a worried glance toward the building. "Went to help Balthazar."

"And you let her?" Rowen demanded.

"You act like I had a damn choice!" Bobby snarled, worry burning in his chest. The longer Azrial was out of sight, the more bullshit went through his head. He couldn't lose another person he cared about to demons, not fucking again.

Rowen shut his eyes, taking a deep breath. "No, of course you didn't."

Silence fell over them, and Bobby looked around the area. Many of the non-humans had vanished, leaving the humans to their fate. Some had stayed though, and were walking around offering any aid they could. Above them, standing on the warehouse roof, was a man and woman that looked no older than Sam. They were formally dressed; the woman wearing a Hōmongi and the man a Iromontsuki. They both had swords, though the one on the man's back was massive compared to the katana at the woman's side. They were watching the crowd with obvious worry, and Bobby wondered who they were. He'd seen them on the floor at one point, the man's red hair having stood out against his clothing, but they hadn't had swords on them then.

"They're reapers, of a kind."

Bobby cursed as Thanatos appeared at his side. "Make some damn sound, will you?" The god's lips twitched slightly at the harsh tone. "And what do you mean, reapers? I shouldn't be able to see them then."

"You have much to learn, little Valerius. Many serve the Creator, and not even reapers are all the same. Those two are Shinigami, and they act under different rules than the reapers you've met."

"Not that this isn't fascinating," Rowen cut in. "But who are you?"

"A friend," Thanatos said with a sharp smile. "I will not harm you, priest. Your friend is under my protection until his lover returns."

"Lover, don't you mean wife?" Rowen asked with a raised eyebrow. The god tilted his head and Bobby cursed under his breath.

"I hadn't realized they'd already bonded. Interesting news indeed."

Rowen's jaw dropped, and Bobby winced. "Rowen, not now."

"You…you're actually…are you clinically insane?" Rowen practically shouted the question once he got the words out, and Bobby was grateful they were in their own bubble at this point.

"I said not now," Bobby growled. Rowen looked ready to object, but a massive crash cut him off. The two Shinigami standing on the roof stumbled, the woman's gaze snapping to look toward the back of the warehouse. The man grabbed the woman at his side, and they vanished from sight just as the warehouse burst into flames. Bobby felt his heart sink as the roof groaned under the weight of the fire.

"She got out," he said, glancing toward Thanatos. "She got out, right?" he demanded.

The god was watching the fire with wide eyes, scanning the building. "I do not know," Thanatos finally said.

Bobby stumbled toward the warehouse, but Rowen grabbed him harshly by the shoulder. "Don't be stupid," Rowen hissed in his ear. "Azrial will be fine. She's a damn archangel. If you go near that building, though, you're dead."

There was a harsh crack, and the roof crashed down into the warehouse. Bobby jolted forward, not really in control of his actions. He didn't find resistance, though he heard Rowen shout his name. Sharp pain shot up from his back, and Bobby barely registered he was falling before everything went black.

The next update is Saturday, May 7, 2022