5

“I promised your mother.” A tear slipped from his beautiful eyes and in that moment, I knew this was likely our last moment together.

I pulled him to me and pressed my lips to his. Cement and dust rained around us but for a few breaths I pretended Senon and I were alone, flying through the clouds, swirling with the air, not a care in the world.

“I love you too, Senon,” I whispered against his lips.

“Ezra,” he sobbed. “You will die.”

I smiled and stepped back. “I won’t have anyone else die for me.” I couldn’t bear to look at the anguish in his eyes any longer, I spun and raced toward the mayhem, toward the screams and gunfire.

I came to a screeching halt when I turned into the main area of the station. Police were hunkered down behind their desks shooting in one direction. I followed their aim, eyes widening at the sight before me.

A demon for sure. Black as the dead of night, blood red eyes, teeth the shape and size of swords, and so tall the roof no longer existed.

He was going to kill them all.

“No!” I shouted as loud as I could. “Take me, Abaddon, I’m who you want!”

The demon spun, eyes like slits, a grin as evil as sin itself.

“Ezra.” Abaddon’s voice shook the floor. “Son of Sylvia the Great Divine.”

“Yes, leave them be and you can have me.”

He chuckled darkly. “I was going to have you regardless, they were just appetizers.” He motioned toward the police who had ceased firing but had their guns aimed at the demon. I knew the moment Abaddon took a step toward me they’d try and defend my life. I couldn’t let them do that.

“But you wouldn’t have gotten me as well.”

I turned at the same time Abaddon did. Senon, his dark wings spread wide, armor I’d never seen adorning his entire body.

“Son,” Abaddon hummed.

“Leave these humans alone and I will stand at your side.”

“Senon, no?—”

“And let Ezra live.”

“Senon, I don’t allow you to do that.”

A small tug on Senon’s lips told me he intended to honor my mother’s promise. “Ezra, go toward the police officers, now.”

Abaddon wasn’t taking his attention off Senon and I was torn between running toward the cops and wrapping my body around Senon and begging him not to do this.

“Senon, please,” I cried.

He said nothing, from his back he pulled out a wicked looking weapon. Part ax, part sword.

“Advance on him, Father, and we will battle to the death and I’m not so sure you believe you can win.”

I took a step to Senon but he shook his head. “I love you, Ezra Acker. Your mother would be so very proud of your strength. Now, please let me honor my promise to her and keep you alive.”

My body ached as if it were being torn in two. I could barely see through the tears and anguish crumpled me to the floor. Arms around me dragging me were unfamiliar and I realized police officers were covering my body…protecting me.

My whole life I thought I was equal parts lucky and unlucky. Roaming through life alone, just getting by, surviving but never living. I wasn’t alone, ever. My mother and my father both died for me, Gia died for me, these police were willing to die to protect me. And across the station I watched as the man I loved faced off with his own father, willing to give up his existence to protect me.

I was so very tired of it all. I couldn’t go back to the hospital or comic book store, not after this. Not without Senon in my life.

I wasn’t important enough…he was.

I waited for my moment. Watched as Abaddon nodded.

“Very well, Senon. You stand at my side and rule, you battle with me and for me. Do this and your human, your pet can live.”

Senon didn’t relinquish his weapon but he lowered it.

“If you harm any of them our deal will be forfeited and I promise I will kill you, Abaddon.”

Abaddon stood even taller and hummed. “Understood.”

With one last look at me, Senon walked toward his father who now had his back to us.

Senon slid his weapon into the holder on his back…I was out of time.

I was part of the Great Divine. It had to mean something, and maybe nothing, but I couldn’t let Senon do this, but these police would all die if he didn’t.

I closed my eyes and prayed. “Mother, hear me, if you can give me strength, I can’t do this life without him. I don’t want to. You sent him to protect me but it will kill me if he dies. Please, Great Divine, I know you want me gone but maybe my existence can do amazing things. Please.”

When I opened my eyes, Senon and Abaddon had just stepped out of the building. I moved back, all of the officers’ attention was with the demon so no one saw me.

Attached to the wall, glass case shattered, was a fireman’s ax. I pulled it out and exited through a hole in the side of the building. My hope was to flank them.

If anyone noticed I was gone they said nothing. I peered around the corner, they were coming. Abaddon in front. I pressed my back to the brick and listened.

“Please let this work,” I whispered one last time.

A dark talon appeared. Knowing I’d need to reach, I leaped onto the dented newspaper stand in front of me, lifted my arm, and swung. The ax embedded itself into Abaddon’s chest, his roar like thunder, but I didn’t let go. Not when he arched back and tossed me about.

“Ezra!” Senon’s voice was like sun on a cold day but all I felt was Abaddon’s grip as he wrapped his hands around my body.

“Foolish boy!” Abaddon squeezed.

“Stupid demon,” I forced out as he began cutting of my air.

I could see Senon pulling out his weapon. I hoped if I didn’t succeed, he would be able to so he could be free, so he could be as amazing as I knew he was.

I pressed as hard as I could against the ax, pushing it in. Darkness crept around the edges of my vision and just as Senon took flight, weapon raised to strike, Abaddon smiled at me and pulled me to his chest.

Pain radiated against my stomach, I looked down and saw the other side of the ax was buried in my abdomen.

“Somehow, I always win, pet,” Abaddon growled, just as Senon’s sword impaled Abaddon’s skull.

I was thrown, my body crashing against something hard and I slid to the ground.

I could see Senon on the shoulders of Abaddon, battling…winning. Abaddon collapsed and a light brighter than the sun washed over the area but I couldn’t appreciate its warmth as darkness won.

“Ezra,” a woman’s voice called to me softly.

Warmth engulfed me and where I thought there would be pain was numbness.

“Sweet boy, open your eyes.”

Slowly, I did what was asked of me. Dim lights shone above me, and a woman with raven hair and amber eyes smiled down on me.

“You’re so brave, so selfless.” Her fingers caressed my cheek.

“Who…where am I?”

“You know who I am, you called to me.”

Without thought, I gripped her hand and sat up. No pain, huh. I wanted to wonder about that a little longer but I was looking at the face of my mother.

“You’re alive?”

Her head tilted to the side, her smile never wavering. “No, sweetheart. I’m not living nor dead.”

“I don’t understand.”

When she ran her fingers through my hair, I relished the moment. Oh, how many times I wished for my mother’s touch to calm me when I was upset.

“You called to me, to the Great Divine. You woke the light that rests in your soul, my son. Whether the Great Divine wishes for your destruction or not, your plea can’t go unanswered. Your sacrifice was the most selfless of any they’d seen in hundreds of years.”

“I didn’t…I just?—”

“You gave your life for strangers. You wouldn’t let another live a life of servitude that would surely be riddled with torture, you gave up the love of a lifetime. For that not even the Great Divine could interfere with your plea.”

Senon. “Is he?”

“He lives.”

“Am I?”

She chuckled and it reminded me of windchimes in a soft breeze. “You have a choice. One you will never get to make again.”

“What is it?”

“You can stay in the Great Divine, unharmed, untouched. Peace and warmth for all eternity, never feeling alone, never in pain.”

That sounded amazing. “Or?”

“Or you can return to your world and to Senon. I cannot promise others won’t seek you both out at some point, but with the awakening of your light, it would be foolish to harm either of you.”

“I—”

“Ezra.” She held one of my hands in both of hers. “If you choose love, if you choose Senon, you exist while he does. If he dies, so shall you, and vice versa.”

My eyes widened. “Oh, I can’t do that. I’m human. I don’t have the lifespan of an angel demon man…whatever he is.”

She chuckled. “No, sweet boy, his immortality becomes your own.”

Wow. I looked into her honey eyes, her smile, the face of the only woman I ever wanted to know.

“But I won’t ever see you again.”

She pressed her hand to my chest. “I will be with you always, Ezra, no matter where you are.”

“How do I know Senon would want to be tied to me forever?”

She held up her hand, a soft light appeared, and I could see Senon huddled over my crumpled, bleeding body. He was pleading.

“Take me, please take me. I forfeit my life for this man, I choose death if he cannot return.”

“Does that sound like someone unwilling to be tied to you forever, Son?”

“Oh, Senon.” I reached for the scene in front of me but as soon as my fingers touched it, it blew away.

“What do I do?”

“Do you want to be with him, Ezra?”

“I’ve never wanted anything more.”

She cupped my face in her hands. “Then that is what your choice should be.”

I smiled, the moment so bittersweet. “I wish I had more time with you.”

“Ezra, I’ve watched you your whole life. Seen how Senon protected and loved you. A mother could never be as proud of her child as I am you.”

“I love you, Mom.”

She beamed at my words. “I love you too, Ezra.”

“How…how do I get back to him?”

“Close your eyes and wish it…it’s Christmas after all, the time of miracles.”

“But I’m Jewish.”

She laughed. “Don’t argue with your mother.”

I looked at her face one last time, then closed my eyes and wished to be back in Senon’s arms.

Pain…yeah, this part she didn’t warn me about. I was freezing, hurting, and being crushed?

“Ezra, come back, please. Great Divine take me!” Senon roared to the skies.

“Shhh…you’re yelling, and I have a headache.”

Senon gasped, his red-rimmed eyes widening as he stared at me in shock.

“Ezra!”

“I really hope you love me, Senon, because you’re stuck with me forever.”

“How? I mean you were—” He pulled away and while my clothes were covered in blood, the wound was healed. “The Great Divine.”

I nodded. “I saw my mother.”

He smiled and even though I was having a little trouble breathing with him crushing me, when he kissed my lips, I didn’t mind even in the slightest.

“Merry Christmas, Senon.”

He chuckled. I could hear people surrounding us and had no idea what we were going to tell them or how any of this would work. But I didn’t care. This was the best Christmas of my life, and I had an eternity with the man I loved.