Sacrificia part five

“Fine with me,” Bianca said as we parted at the top of the stairs. I went to my bedroom and tossed on a clean pair of leather pants, biker boots, and a tight, plain black, v-neck tee shirt. I tied my hair up in a ponytail and grabbed a jacket in case I needed it.

I walked out of my room at the same time as Bianca came out of the guest room. She was wearing a much simpler outfit of an elastic waist skirt, long sleeve tee and a sweater. Bianca laughed at me and I let it go. We walked downstairs and I grabbed my wallet from my purse. We walked out through the store and I collected my deposits for the bank. As we walked out the front door I spoke to Bianca.

“Do you mind if I introduce you as a friend of my grandmother’s? No one would believe me if I told them I was friends with you twenty years ago.”

“That’s fine. I think it’s completely unbelievable how you haven’t changed in twenty years,” she said as I locked the door and we headed towards the bank. “Tell me about Backwater. What’s what? Who’s who?”

“Backwater. Population 3,145, counting baby Winnie born two weeks ago to the Weston’s. There is only one type of every business in town, not including restaurants. They’re all different so it doesn’t count. There are two gas stations outside of town owned by the same family that owns the one in town. There is a festival almost every month except from mid-November to mid-March. There’s one in December and one in February. I bet you can’t guess which they’re for,” I joked.

“Christmas and Valentines day,” Bianca said.

“Spot on and those festivals only last two days a piece. The festival that officially starts today is the Apple Festival. Next weekend is the end of this festival and the beginning of Oktoberfest, which will run until just before Canada’s Thanksgiving Day. Then there’s the Turkey Day Festival and that lasts for two days.

“The names to know here in Backwater are Leonard, Billingsly, and Pauls. They are the three most prominent, meaning richest, families in town. There are a couple of other families, like the Mont-Battens, the Smiths, and the Nelsons, but they’re all related, via the Mont-Battens. Don’t even touch Fatima Mont-Batten Nelson with a ten-foot pole. She’s in to the dark stuff and is the ex-wife of the police chief. Cindy, Mindy, and Lindy Mont-Batten Smith are strange but good kids. Lindy is like us. Don’t mention it to anyone,” I concluded as we reached the bank.

“Is Lindy a boy or a girl?” Bianca asked.

“A boy. Lindy is short for Lindbergh. Hello Jorge,” I said to the security guard as usual. “Meet Ms. Bianca Giancarlo. She was a friend of my grandmother’s and she’s come to see me for a couple of days,” I explained.

“Buenos Dias Senora Giancarlo. I am glad to make your acquaintance,” Jorge said.

“Muchos gracias Senor. I am glad to make your acquaintance as well. Have a good day,” Bianca said with a smile as we walked into the bank. Once Jorge was out of hearing range Bianca spoke again. “He misses his family very much. He’ll be hearing some very good news about them, soon. Keep him away form the tequila. He’s a recovering alcoholic and he could ruin his chances with his family if given his favorite poison.”

“I’ll make a note of it and call his sponsor,” I said as we walked up to the counter to see Patty. “Bianca meet Patty, my regular bank teller. Patty this is Bianca Giancarlo, an old friend of the family. Here’s my stuff,” I added as I passed her the leather back and account info ad I.D.

“Nice to meet you Bianca,” Patty said cheerfully.

“Nice to meet you too Patty,” Bianca responded. Patty processed all of my stuff and deposited everything and handed me the leather bag and deposit slip back.

“Have a nice day Patty,” I said as I took my stuff back and we left the bank.

“You too Gabriel,” Patty called.

“Did you get anything off of Patty?” I asked once we were out of the bank.

“I’m not a light switch, Gabriel. I don’t just turn my powers on and off. I see what I see. All I saw was an aura of happiness around Patty. Her life’s good and she’s not got anything coming to change that. Where else do we have to go this morning?” Bianca asked of me.

“Nowhere. I just make the deposits and go open the store,” I replied.

“Good. I can set up now. Do you think you’ll be busy today?” she asked.

“I’m always busy on Saturdays. I’ll be even busier than normal because it’s a festival day. Tourists,” I said as we walked up the front steps of the store. I opened the door and let Bianca in behind me. She closed the door as I started opening the blinds. “You can set up in the sitting room but once you do I need a little help finishing the clean up from last night,” I pointed out. She walked into the sitting room with all the tables.

The store was still a mess of sorts and I had to make sure the candles weren’t mixed up and un-mix the incense and essential oils. Bianca was quick with the set up. She pushed two tables together and took a cloth I used for displays and covered the tables, stuffed her bag underneath, rearranged the chairs and finally joined me in the essential oils section. I was busy putting them back in alphabetical order. I never could understand how people could just pick something like the vanilla tester and shove it back on the shelf twelve spaces over and four up. It was one of my pet peeves. I had problems with it everywhere. I perpetually put things away at the library and usually reported large amounts of things out of place in the grocery store.

“Ugh,” I groaned. “No one has respect for the alphabet anymore. 5,000 years of written language and organizational skills and people still can’t put vanilla back in its spot. Everything is labeled and I still find stuff anywhere and everywhere but the spots they belong in. The same goes for the candles. Just because a candle is red doesn’t mean you can just stick it with any old pile of red candles. Last night I found a lust candle in with the fire flower candles. I really need to put up warning signs. If someone had tossed a dragon’s blood candle in the mix the whole store could have exploded, violently,” I complained as I sorted a few more oils out and Bianca helped.

“Do you really believe in al this magic stuff?” Bianca asked as she wiped off a couple of oily tester bottles with a rag I kept in the cabinet below.

“I have to. I’m 3,472 and have seen what a lot of these things can do. I may have never seen a fire flower in the wild, and dragons’ blood is just sap but if you combine them with lust oil it equals an explosion and a vacuum where there used to be something. I’ve seen a few real dragons and fairies. Even what you do is a kind of magic Bianca. It’s all very real,” I said as I moved on and checked the candles again. Bianca threw the rag back in the counter and followed me.

“What you do is a kind of magic too,” Bianca pointed out.

“Yes it is, but I haven’t used it in a long time,” I said.

“Not that part. Well, not only that part. Who you are is magical; how you live is magical. Just living day to day with all you’ve seen is magical. It’s not only magical, it’s miraculous,” she said as we sorted out the candles one last time. “Now tell me about this Michael Angelus. You can help me finish setting up and get me a crystal ball while you describe him.”

“Just that moment Juliet walked in, followed by Cindy, Mindy, and Lindy. I guess that Cindy would be working the whole day with Juliet and Mindy and Lindy would be hanging out while their dad, a deputy, would be working security at the festival.

“Mindy, Lindy,” I called to them as I walked over to the register and pulled out a twenty. “Go get some coffee and hot cocoa for me. Get the big jugs from the coffee shop, please. Customers will want it,” I suggested as a way to get them out of the store so I could talk to Bianca.

“Who’s that lady?” Mindy asked.

“Shh,” Lindy said. “She’s special like Gabriel and Gabriel need to talk to her.”

“Yes I do, Lindy and you know the rules now. Her name is Bianca and she’s an old friend. Now go,” I insisted.

“Okay,” Mindy and Lindy said together as they walked out again.

“Juliet and Cindy, clean up anything you can. Bianca and I will be here in the sitting room talking.  Don’t try to butt in or you’ll be in serious trouble,” I warned as I grabbed a crystal ball out of the case and walked away. Even though the two girls were my apparent age they respected me and feared me just a little and stayed away. Once we were as alone as we were going to get I sat and Bianca finished setting up. “Ask me what you want to know and I’ll tell you what I can,” I said as Bianca pulled out her cards, smoothed out the table clothe, set up the crystal ball, and tied her hair back in an old gypsy scarf.

“What does this Michael look like? Bianca asked.

“He’s blonde, 6’8”, pale like me, green eyes, clean shaven, medium short hair with a wave to it, strong jaw line, broad shoulders, narrow waist. He looks like a comic book superhero sort of. I can’t tell you anything else really. I know practically nothing about him besides what he looks like. He also claims to be older than me and if I can take him at his word he’s about 5,000 years old. I could sort of feel his age. He claimed to know me before I was myself. He even claims that I look exactly like his Gabriel. It was weird but I have no idea who he is but I feel like I know him.”

“It’s magic. Past lives even,” Bianca suggested.

“I’m 3,472. How many past lives can I have had?” I said sarcastically.

“At least one if he’s telling the truth. What do you know about his powers?” she asked.

“Only what he told me. He apparently is my exact opposite. He can’t die. He has no visible scars like I do. The few I could see were tiny, normal, and old. He claims to have the power to cause death, but cannot die, at all. Like me his powers take three days, but unlike me when he chooses someone they die instead of live,” I explained.

“It’s like my cards said then,” Bianca said.

“Yes,” I replied.

“Is that Michael?” Bianca asked as he walked into the store.

He was wearing a long coat just as he had the previous days but he was wearing a t-shirt under in unlike before. I kept the store at 75 degrees so compared to the cool morning air outside the store was warm and he took off his coat and hung it up on one of my coat racks like he was going to stay for a while. That’s when I saw his wrists and neck for the first time. He had a tattoo on the back of his neck above the green metal torque that wrapped around his neck. The tattoo was of Yggdrasil, the world tree of Norse mythology and a depiction of the nine kingdoms done in great detail. His wrists were wrapped in arm guards made of the same green metal of the torque and the arm guards went halfway up his lower arms. Other than the metal being green his jewelry was very similar to mine.

I could see no seams in the metal, just like mine. There were no scratches in the surface, just like mine. I’m sure he’d had the metal tested jut as I did and the metal had probably healed just as mine had. I’d had a few samples taken with a metal borer and after they were taken the metal had filled in on it’s own like it was liquid within five minutes. I may not be able to remove the metal from my body but I’ve never had a problem giving small samples of it to scientists for testing. I was still waiting for some government scientist to show up with agents of various agencies to try and take my cuffs, anklets, and necklace by force once they found the metal to be self-replicating. If and when they did they’d probably want it for body armor and military vehicles. They’d also wan to know where I got it. The only problems with that were that I had no idea where the metal came from and mining, probably killing anything and everything in the way, would devastate wherever it came from.

Michael spied came walking and me over. “That’s him alright,” I told Bianca as he smiled at me and came to a stop before us.

“Hello Gabriel,” Michael greeted me in Old Norwegian. “I hope you are well today.”

“Quit the bullshit,” I responded in Old Norwegian. “We can speak freely here. Bianca is like us.”

“I can trust no one, not even you and especially not that psychic. What of the others?” he asked, still in Norwegian, gesturing to Juliet and Cindy. Mindy and Lindy walked back in carrying the coffee and cocoa and Cindy pulled them away from us to set up near the back of the store.

“You can trust me and Bianca. Juliet and Cindy aren’t paying attention and even if they were they don’t understand what we’re saying. Old Norse is tricky and a dead language. I clearly understand you. If you still wont trust me you can at least give me the benefit of the doubt. I spared your life yesterday when I didn’t have to and I didn’t call the cops and send them after you. Bianca is the strongest psychic I’ve ever met. She’s not a fake. I know you can tell because you identified her right off the bat. Sit down and tell us, in English, what you’re doing here,” I insisted.

“More than 3,000 years and you still understand Old Norwegian,” Michael said in English.

“I grew up in Norway. I think I should remember it,” I replied.

“That was Old Norwegian?” Bianca asked. “It was beautiful.”

“Yes that was Old Norwegian. Unless you want to learn 14 different words for snow of come across someone like Michael or me it’s a useless dead language though,” I replied.

“Much like ancient Egyptian, but it’s useful for keeping secrets,” Michael added.

“I told you. You can trust Bianca. Even if we’d continued in Old Norwegian she would have figured it out eventually. Now out with it,” I commanded.

Michael sat and sighed. “I partly came to apologize for yesterday,” he said. “I’m sorry for attacking you. It was rash of me and stupid. I can see now that you are the same Gabriel from my past, even if you don’t remember me.

“The other part is because I need your help. I’ve been researching where I come from and found some strange portents. All the signs point to the return of the old gods and the signs led me here. Something is coming and I need to find out what and when and what it has to do with me and now you apparently.”

“How do you expect me to help? I know even less about the situation than you do,” I pointed out. “Although maybe Bianca can help. She had a vision last night.”

“You said the old gods? Do you mean the old Norse gods?” Bianca asked Michael.

“Yes,” Michael responded, “and no. I truly meant all the gods. Ragnarok wasn’t just the end of the Norse gods. Almost all the other pantheons ended around the same time. Everyone knew their gods and still worshipped them until about 2,200 years ago, but the gods from all over seemed to disappear about 9,000 years ago,” Michael explained.

“Right after humans started thinking for themselves,” I added. “We didn’t need their guidance beyond the spiritual after civilization was started.”

“What was your vision psychic?” Michael asked.

“My name is Bianca,” she insisted. “You need my help so the least you can do is be civil. I’ll tell you my vision only after you ask nicely.”

“Fine. Please tell me your vision Bianca. I would greatly appreciate it.”

“Much better,” she said. Then she started quoting. “The Allfather comes again. The Bifrost will be opened and Midgard and Asgard will be reunited. All nine kingdoms will be opened and Ragnarok will be no more. Only Mani and Sol, dark and light, can bring this about; bring about the end of Ragnarok. It must be done or all will be lost to the tenth kingdom, the void.

“I saw it playing out, but I don’t know why. I very rarely know the why,” Bianca explained.

“The why bothers me too,” Michael said. “We haven’t needed the gods in over 9,000 years. Why would we need them back now?”

“Asks the man with Yggdrasil tattooed on his neck,” I pointed out. “I know that Mani and Sol were two of only a few gods the survived Ragnarok. One of Thor’s sons survived too. I can take a guess as to which Mani and Sol are, besides the moon and sun. It’s you and me. I’m dark. You’re light. I bring life through death. You bring death through life. Neither on of us ages and we could live close to forever and we don’t know why. It adds up,” I said as Juliet called my name. “Excuse me for a moment,” I said walking away.

“What is it Juliet?” I called.

“We need help out here. Tall help,” Juliet said over the din of several customers.

“Duty calls,” I said. “Help Bianca with her readings. Make everyone form a line as they come,” I suggested to Michael and walked away.

“I will not,” Michael protested.

“You will too,” Bianca said. She continued to speak but I was too far away and the din of the crowd in Arcane’s Arcane was too loud.

“What did you need my help with again?” I asked Juliet once I caught up to her.

“The short red head over there needs mandrake root and powdered asphodel. Our lower jars are empty and I can’t get the stepladder out and make enough room to get the stuff myself. Maybe you can reach it,” Juliet suggested.

“I maybe six inches taller than you but these are twelve foot ceilings. How am I supposed to fare any better?”

“You’ve got mad skills,” Juliet joked. I rolled my eyes and sighed.

“Michael!” I called above the din.

“What?” he called back as he started walking over.

“I need your help for a moment.”

“With what?” he asked once he was next to me.

“With reaching something,” I said pointing to the ceiling that was covered in bunches and baskets full of drying herbs.

“Can’t you use a stepladder?” he asked.

“There’s not enough space and it’s too dangerous with customers around,” I pointed out.

“Fine. I’ll help. Where do you need me to lift you?”

“Right over here,” I said walking to where the mandrake was hanging, “for starters.” Michael looked up and knelt down, holding his hands out for my foot. I rested my hip on his shoulder and placed my foot in his hand and he lifted. I grabbed the mandrake root without paying much attention to the customers.

When Michael grabbed my hips and lowered me down. I noticed everyone’s eyes locked on me. Many of the eyes were familiar. Most of the locals had the day off because of the festival and were doing a little shopping before the afternoon tourist rush. None of them had ever seen me in the company of a man before.

I blushed from the embarrassment at Michael’s hands on my hips and passed Juliet the mandrake root. I avoided looking Michael in the eye as I searched the ceiling for the asphodel and begged for my cheeks to fade back to normal.

Michael placed a finger under my chin and made me look him in the eye. “How long has it been since you had the company of a man?” he whispered.

“Two decades of more,” I whispered as I blushed again, breaking the eye contact. “Most men are afraid of me and those who aren’t make me afraid of them,” I admitted.

“What else were you looking for?” Michael asked changing the subject for my sake, I think.

“Asphodel,” I answered.

“Up here,” he said pointing to exactly what I was looking for. He lifted me again and I grabbed it from the bundle.

Juliet rang up the herbs at a discount to the tourist for the trouble and let me and Michael get back to Bianca. The line for her was getting out of control. I found the stands with velvet ropes I’d used for a sale last year in the back of the storage closet and brought them out and formed a cue. Michael forced everyone back and into the line as I did so and we sat down in chairs facing the throng to make sure they were as well behaved as any mob and waited while Bianca took her time to reach each person or group as they came forward.

Bianca handed me the money bowl after the first few customers so she could concentrate instead of counting money. She charged each individual 25 dollars even when they came forward in groups. One group of about ten people thought they should get a discount, which only got them a hefty glare form Michael, Bianca, and myself. In the end they paid the full amount and felt they got their money’s worth. Bianca told them the truth and scared most of them half to death.

I resisted the urge to giggle at their fright because what they’d been scared of wasn’t too big of a deal, but fear isn’t rational so I let it go.

Mindy and Lindy were the next in line. I was surprised that they’d waited patiently in line with the crowds for their turn. When they came forward I refused their money and told them that instead of getting paid for the volunteer work they’d get a free reading. They both smiled even though a few people behind them complained. I just glared at them and told them that if they didn’t want to pay double they’d shut up. They shut up.

Mindy and Lindy sat down in front of Bianca and waited for her to layout the cards. Lindy swung his legs back and forth on the chair. Bianca was slower to lie out the cards like she saw more details than with others as she turned each card over.

“You lost your mother recently,” Bianca said, “but it wasn’t unexpected after such a long struggle. She left you those earrings did she?” she asked Mindy.

“Yes,” Mindy answered.

“She left you something else entirely didn’t she, my dear boy?” Bianca asked, turning her attention to Lindy. Lindy just nodded and stopped swinging his legs. “Well, you shouldn’t worry about it. It’s very special, very real, and very important. You keep nurturing it and a secret and it will come in very handy one day. Mindy,” she said turning back to the girl. No one had told Bianca Mindy’s name. “You hang on to those earrings. They’re very special and one day you’ll want them even more than you do now. Tell Cindy to give you the matching necklace because your mother wanted you to have it. Now I need you to leave because I need to speak to Lindy alone.”

Michael was barely able to keep the surprise off his face at Bianca’s insightfulness and true power when it came to Cindy, Mindy, and Lindy. I knew how powerful she was but Michael it seems, had been duped once before and believed all psychics to be frauds. Bianca had just proven him wrong.

“Now Lindy,” Bianca said, turning to the boy, “I need to tell you something then I need you to tell me something. You may not want to hear what I have to tell you but you have to hear it. Your daddy isn’t your real daddy. You can’t tell anyone else though, especially not your daddy, until the time is right or something very bad will happen. Can you keep it a secret?” she asked.

Lindy nodded. “Who’s my real daddy?” he asked.

“I can’t tell you that because I don’t know,” Bianca continued, “but I do know that you’ll find out someday, but not until you tell everyone the truth about your other daddy. When it’s time to tell everyone you’ll know. There will be three signs and they are as follows: a door with blood smeared on it, a man with white eyes, and a lunar eclipse. When you see those three things all in a day you can tell about your daddy. Now I need you to tell me something if you’re okay with it,” she said as tears welled up in that little boy’s eyes.

“What?” the boy squeaked.

“I need you to really look at my friend Michael here, like you looked at Gabriel yesterday and tell us what you see you can look at me too. You can tell us whatever you see,” Bianca assured.

“When I see you Ms. Bianca I see an oracle, a soothsayer. You’ll have to go soon though and stay away like my mommy went away. You’ll be safe and happy though. Someone will take your place soon. Someone always does. Oracles never last long,” Lindy said.

“Do you know who will replace me?” Bianca asked.

“Nope. It wont be me though. Oracles are always ladies,” Lindy answered.

“Now what do you seen when you look at Michael?” Bianca asked.

Lindy looked at Michael through hard eyes and stuck his tongue out at the man. Michael laughed and Lindy cracked a smile. “Michael’s like Gabriel. He’s the left hand of God where she’s the right. He looks like the light to everyone but he is in fact the darkness. Hati, the devourer of the moon follows close behind him wherever he goes just as Skoll follows behind Gabriel. Where as Skoll brings death to Gabriel, Hati brings death to others around Michael. Michael would be the vessel of Loki if he hadn’t already been chosen. He likes mischief and has a good sense of humor. He likes Gabriel and Gabriel likes him, but she’s more hesitant than he is.”

“Proof enough that I was right,” Bianca said. “You can go now Lindy. Michael, go with Gabriel upstairs. You need to speak alone. I’ll be safe enough. I see someone who will be of help now anyway,” Bianca said looking at Jorge, who just walked in and must have gotten off early form the bank for the festival. He had Deputy Fitzpatrick with him.

“Come on Michael. If Bianca says we need to talk, we need to talk,” I said taking hold of his arm and pulling him towards the back of the store and the kitchen door. “Juliet, I’m going upstairs for a while. If you need help with crowd control Jorge and Deputy Fitzpatrick are here. Use the stepladder if you need to. Customers will just have to get out of the way,” I said unlocking the door and letting Michael through. “Call Morticia, Victoria, and Chartreuse if it gets too overwhelming. They’ll be here before you know it if you make the call.”

I saw Juliet pick up the phone as I closed the door behind me and I laughed. I turned to Michael who was looking around my kitchen.

“It looks different from this angle,” Michael said to me with a look.

“It does,” I agreed. “Let’s go upstairs. It’s more private and a little less noisy,” I pointed out as a burst of laughter and a thud from something falling over came through the wall from the store.

“That’s fine,” Michael said as he gestured for me to go ahead of him up the stairs. I started up and heard him follow behind me.

I opened the upstairs door and let Michael in behind me. He shut the door and I turned to look at him. I tried to look him in the eyes and couldn’t for more than a second. Michael spoke first.

“We came up here to talk. Shouldn’t we talk?” he asked.

“Yes we should. The problem is that I haven’t been alone with a man who knows my secret that hasn’t tried to exploit it in centuries. I haven’t even been alone with a man in decades. I also have no idea what we’re supposed to talk about anyway,” I admitted.

Michael came over to me and cupped my face with his hands. “We don’t have to talk about anything in particular. We can just talk about ourselves. Alternatively we could not talk at all,” he said, as he looked me in the eye with a look of desire on his face.

I backed away from him because he was a stranger to me. No matter how my heart called out to him like he was the other half of me that had been missing for millennia as soon as he touched me downstairs or how attracted to him I was, I couldn’t just let myself go to him. I didn’t know him.

“Look at me Gabriel,” Michael ordered. “Look at me. You know you want to.”

“I can’t,” I said. “If I look at you I wont be able to restrain myself. I don’t know you.”

“Is that the problem? Is it that I’m a stranger to you?” he asked.

“Yes, and more. You could be trying to take advantage of me. Most men do.”

“I’m not trying to take advantage of you. Besides you have as much leverage as I do since you know my secret.”

“Tell me about you,” I said in a whisper as he came closer to me.

“My name is Michael Abraham Angelus. My mother named me for my father and the archangel Michael, 5,116 years ago. I was born in what consists of Istanbul today although it was little more than a few hovels at a wide space in the road at the time. My family was nomadic. We traveled until I was about twenty years old when my mother fell ill. I was one of seven children. I was the only to live through the sickness that year. On her deathbed my mother told me that I was special and not the son of the man I thought to be my father, but someone from the north. That was why I looked so different. She told me my true father’s name and then she died.

“I traveled north for years and found that my biological father was dead. I was alone in the world. I traveled all over the known world for more than a thousand years, finding my purpose along the way. I could see the evil in people’s souls and ease the passing of the desperately ill. When I came back through Norway again I found you; the other you. I fell in love with you. We were together for decades until you died. I spent much of my time after that wandering as you did. Only I was looking for you everywhere along the way and now I’ve found you again,” he finished, forcing me to look in to his eyes again.

“Do you like old movies and Chinese food?” I asked, desperate to look away and keep myself from wrapping myself in his arms.

“The stuff that they call Chinese food here isn’t as good as the real stuff in China,” he said. “I do like old movies, pizza with everything but anchovies, good books, and warm fires. I miss my bed. The one at the hotel is too hard and short.”

I chuckled. “You have that problem too?”

“Most certainly. I’m taller than you,” Michael joked. He smiled and I lost the battle. I kissed him quickly and feverishly. I tried to breath him in and devour him like I was drowning and starving all at the same time and he was fresh air and my last meal before I died.

Before I knew it Michael was lifting me up and slamming me into the wall, kissing me just as feverishly. I gasped as my back hit the wall and I wrapped my legs around him as he kissed down my neck and I regain my breath. I felt Michael harden between my legs and I writhed with pleasure as his jeans rubbed against my leather pants and he ground into me. I twitched happily and ground against him in retune and he found that spot on my neck that drives me wild and bit down gently, stifling a moan as it escaped his lips.

As I thrashed and moaned Michael adjusted his hold on me and let go of my neck. I sighed and kept my legs and arms wrapped around him. “Bedroom, now,” he breathed in my ear.

“That one, end of the hall,” I gasped, pointing as he turned, still carrying me.

“You’re going to have to walk,” he gasped. “There are too many scars on my back. My muscles will seize up on me if carry you anymore.”

“Okay,” I breathed as he put me down. I walked to the bedroom holding his hand and turned on the lights. I felt a sudden wave of embarrassment as the endorphins faded a little and I saw what a mess my room was. I hadn’t put my clean clothes away and they sat in the laundry basket, half spilling all over the floor around my dresser. There were shoes and dirty clothes and books and papers scattered all over. I also hadn’t made my bed or changed the sheets in about a month.

“Sorry about the mess. I wasn’t exactly expecting company in my bedroom,” I apologized.

“Don’t worry. It’s better than my bedroom back in Vancouver. I think there are dishes from three months ago growing legs as we speak.”

I laughed at that. “Don’t look in my refrigerator. It’s like that scene out of Ghostbusters, or maybe something out of the Muppets. Anyway, where were we?” I asked seductively.

“About here,” Michael said as he kissed me again.

“I remember now,” I said when we came up for air and I started pulling my shirt off. Michael stopped my hands and looked at me.

“Let me do it,” he insisted. “I want to linger over it all. I haven’t been with you in this life before and you haven’t been with me either. Sit down on the bed please.”

I did as he asked and was a little hesitant about it. I hadn’t had more than one night stands or extended flings in as long as I could remember, and every time had been about getting naked fast, getting my jollies, and getting out.

Michael took off my boots one at a time and then crawled his way up to me and made me lay down. He kissed me, caressed my breasts through the cloth of my shirt and started on my belt buckle. He came up for air and yanked my belt from it’s loops with ease and un-tucked my shirt the rest of the way while I waited breathlessly in anticipation. His hands touched the bare skin of my torso and it felt like an electric charge ran through me straight to m core and it made me gasp and cry out in pleasure.

I sat up and Michael pulled my shirt off over my head. He eased me back down, rubbing his hands over my breasts that were barely contained in the lace of my bra and then he took off his own shirt. I smiled at him and rubbed my hands down the muscled expanse of his chest. He looked like a god carved of flesh colored marble if marble could breath and radiate warmth. He had battle scars that could compare with mine on his torso that could only be seen when he didn’t have his shirt on. I traced a finger across a few of them. He trembled with pleasure at this and fell on top of me and kissed me and ran his hands over every bare inch of flesh of mine he could touch. I returned the favor as he pulled one of my legs up around him and I nibbled at a scar on his neck. He gasped and trembled more, happily.

“Are all your scars so sensitive?” I queried as he looked in my eyes lustfully.

“Not all of them, but you seem to keep finding the ones that are,” he answered as he ran a hand down the front of my leather pants and stroked in between my legs. It felt fantastic and dulled at the same time and I wanted him to feel me like that without all the fabric in the way. As I gasped and arched my back in pleasure Michael moved his hand, lowered the straps of my bra and bared my breasts.

Before one wave of pleasure could end another began as he sucked and massaged my breasts like no other had ever done before. I threw my arms out and raised my shoulders off the sheets to meet his lips and hands. He pushed me back down and ripped my bra off with ease. If I hadn’t been so wound up sexually it would have hurt but I couldn’t feel pain in the same way anymore.

“Michael,” I called out. He stopped his pleasuring of me and looked at me.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked with concern in his voice.

“No, but for future reference that would have hurt if you weren’t pleasuring me so well and that was one of my better bras,” I breathed.

“Oh, okay,” he said as he undid the button on my pants and worked down the zipper. I moaned as he reached inside my pants and rubbed his fingers firmly over me on the outside of my lace underwear. The pleasure was so overwhelming. I had never had anyone concentrate so much on jut the simplest touches and how much pleasure they could bring. Foreplay had never been a concern with anyone else I’d ever been with. Michael seemed to relish it all, trembling as I gasped and moaned and rubbing himself against me like a cat scent marking its owner.

He reminded me of a great big cat, all strength and grace and agility, who found the catnip and I was the catnip. He worked my pants down and off and every brush of his fingers sent electric waves of pleasure coursing through me again. I yanked the ponytail holder out of my hair because it was digging into the back of my head and my hair spilled out in a wave as I got to my knees to kiss him. He met me halfway by crawling up the bed on his knees and pulling me closer to him. He cupped my ass with one hand and held my back with the other and kissed me passionately I responded with pleasure and rubbed my lace-covered privates against his denim covered and he cried out, breaking the kiss.

“Don’t, or I’ll lose control,” he confessed.

“Isn’t that the idea?” I asked.

“Yes but not right this second. Not our first time together. I know you’re not a virgin but you said it’s been decades. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I’m not some delicate flower that will bruise and break under the slightest touch,” I said.

“I know,” he said as he kissed my neck, “but I want it to be special. It’s our first time together.”

“You’re definitely not the typical man who comes to my bed. I don’t know what to expect with you and what’s expected of me. Any other man would be fucking my brains out by now,” I stated.

“What kind of man have you been going to bed with that wouldn’t want to worship you in all your glory?” Michael asked.

“The easy, one-night stand kind of men. They were fun but there were no attachments and no needs outside of sex,” I told him.

“Well, I’m a little different. I admit to my share of one-night stands but for you I’m going to stick around. It’s not just sex for us. It’s making love,” he said looking in to my eyes.

I sobbed as my eyes teared up and I lost control. Michael held me and kissed me as I cried my pain and need out. Centuries of wanting what Michael offered me made my heart cry out and I wasn’t sure if my heart was breaking or being made whole again. He made me naked and vulnerable and whole and safe all with a few simple words. When my tears ran out I kissed Michael and spoke.

“Make love to me. Don’t leave me. Stay and make me whole again,” I begged, my voice still thick with tears.

Michael shuddered and gave me a look like I’d said what he needed to hear. “For you anything. To see that want on your face I’ll give up everything. For as long as you desire me, I am yours. Until the end of time and even if you reject me I’m yours,” he professed.

“Michael, enough words. Show me how you feel. Give me everything your body can and make me feel what you feel,” I commanded.

“Yes, Gabriel, yes,” he said. He kicked off his boots and shed his jeans to show he’d not been wearing underwear. I couldn’t help but stare at him. His jeans belied his actual size and contained him too well. He was only half erect when I’d felt him through the pants. His penis hardened to its full length once he was naked and I gasped as he came to me.

“I can understand why you said you didn’t want to hurt me. You’re much bigger than I thought,” I said as he climbed over top of me and I laid back. I touched him and felt the soft silken flesh belying the marble-like hardness of him. He shuddered with pleasure and his eyes rolled back in his head and I wrapped my hand around him.

“By the gods, Gabriel,” Michael growled, “You’re dangerous.”

“How am I dangerous?” I flirted.

“You’re beautiful and desirable and skilled and if that weren’t enough I’ve wanted you for 4,000 years”

“If you want me then take me, have me, possess me,” I said as I kissed him. He shuddered again and lost control. He pulled my underwear off with a yank and began kissing me. He ran his large fingers between my legs and began stroking me. I felt the orgasm building and just before I burst he thrust one finger in to me and I went. Before I could catch my breath he thrust again with his fingers and brought me again. I screamed my pleasure as with each thrust he brought me again and again. He kissed me and caressed every inch of me once he was satisfied by my orgasms and I moaned with pleasure and caught my breath.

When I could breath normally again Michael lay beside me and caressed me and snuggled with me. “That was just the beginning,” he whispered in my ear as he rolled me over and pressed himself against my back. He kissed my neck and pressed the whole length of his penis between my butt cheeks.

“Tell me what you want,” I begged.

“You. I want you. I always want you,” he whispered.

“Then have me. Take me and fuck me and claim me as yours,” I whispered back.

“Not yet. First I want to do this,” he growled as he took hold of my hair, thrust his fingers between my legs again, bit down on my neck, and made me scream my pleasure again. I felt him thrust between my cheeks and while he humped me from behind I screamed and while I orgasmed I felt him go on my back as I let out one final scream of pleasure.

“Not fair,” I moaned when I could breath again. “Now we have to wait for you to be ready again.” I watched Michael roll over and find my t-shirt and he kindly cleaned off my back with it.

“No we don’t,” he said as he rolled me on my back and climbed on top of me. “I’ve had 5,000 years of experience. I’ve perfected the multiple male orgasm, at least on my part. I’m ready to go as soon as you are,” he said with a smile.

“This is going to be fun,” as I smiled and pushed Michael down on the bed. He laughed and gasped as I went down on him. Soon enough he was screaming his pleasure for me as I preformed oral sex on him. I truly love giving oral but very few men were comfortable with me sucking them off and just moving on. I could get all my satisfaction form it and leave men high and dry and move on to the next man who would fuck me. I’d had several three ways that way where I was the only girl. I’d even had a five way, me being the only girl in the group with two gay men. I blew one gay man while the other three men fucked me. One fucked me from behind and one from the front at the same time and the other one took the man I was blowing. I felt fully satisfied afterwards.

I know that makes me sound like a whore but most of my strange sexual escapades happened during the day and age when sex with multiple partners at once wasn’t taboo. In fact it had been the norm in Greece and Rome at one point or another. I’d been a priestess of Dionysus and Aphrodite. Sex with multiple partners had been a requirement.

I sucked off Michael and came up for air just as he orgasmed and I felt his seed spill across my breasts. “Gods,” Michael screamed. “You’re good at that,” he laughed.

“Glad to hear it,” I said as I crawled up him and spread my legs over him and rested with him between my legs. “Shall I give you a moment or do you want more?” I said as I sat up and threw my hair out of the way.

“Are you wet enough and open enough for me now?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“Then I’m good to go,” Michael said as he rubbed his hands along my thighs. I rose up on my knees, took hold of Michael’s penis, and guided him into me carefully. He was so long and so wide, as wet as I was, I could barely fit all of him in me.

“Gods,” Michael and I said together as I slid into place and a wave of pleasure hit us both. I rode Michael until the heavy bed shook and banged against the wall and we both cried out in pleasure. I orgasmed so many times I lost count and threw my hands up in joy and ecstasy.

Michael thrust up in to me on last time and we both went. I collapsed on top of him and breathed. It was a few moments before my heart stopped pounding in my ears and my breath calmed enough for me to hear Michael whispering something. “Gabriel, my Gabriel,” he was saying over an over again and when I looked in his eyes. They glistened with unshed tears.

“Oh, Michael,” I said as I attempted to get off him.