But when he reached out and pulled her to him, just close enough for her to feel his glow, his incredible warmth, his strong energy.. she felt her eyes well up.
Dammit, no tears! she told herself.
He gently reached up and cupped her cheek with his hand, then tilted her chin up to him, his eyes holding hers despite her willing them to look away.
"Tessy... " he started..
"Don't.. don't use that name.. you know its Ilana now.." she said quickly, willing him to look away.
But he didn't.
"You will always be Tess to me." he said, a softness in his voice, and intimacy that she had so often willed away from the recesses of her memory.
"This is no ordinary time Little One.. the demons you hunt are stronger, more powerful than ever, and they hunt us as well. You are in danger. Please reconsider this assignment.." he said, his concern showing in his glowing blue eyes.
She swallowed and finally managed to look down. She took a deep breath, but could only breathe him in. His scent, of love and pureness and sensuality and raw energy all wrapped up into one.
"I can't, you know its what I do. I hunt. He asks, I do." she replied, her answers short to avoid speaking words she would regret.
"You have free will. He will not love you less if you resign this duty. All you have to do is ask Him."
She felt herself start to tremble.
"what are you not telling me Michael?" she asked softly, this time her eyes challenging his.
He stepped away slightly, just a fraction, but his body language gave him away.
"You are the consumate diplomat, but you really can't lie to me" she said more firmly. "What is going on that I don't know?"
He sighed. Looking out over the ocean, he nodded.
"Very well.. let's go to a safe place.." he said, and took her hand. She knew they would probably go to one of the Angel Gates, a place between Heaven and Earth where Angels could rest, recharge and be in neutral ground.
As she closed her eyes, he put his arms around her, and felt his wings encase her, the protection they offered drawing her into him, and for a moment, she was lost once more in him.
But just for a moment.
She steeled herself as they landed in the soft and hushed mist. The glow of Heaven surrounded them, and she sighed.
Michael's voice was steady as he started.
"When we saw the increased activity, we knew something was up. We wanted to figure out what had caused the destruction in that little town, and assumed it was a cut and dry human intervention directed by demons. We wanted the best, since we really didn't want to waste time. You are one of the best. So, you were sent."
She nodded, "go on"
Michael continued. "But, something else is happening. There is a strange energy, a tilt in the fields of good and evil that we cannot explain. We've sent scouts out to figure out what is going on, but..."
he hesitated.
She tilted her head and arched her eyebrow. "But what?" she asked
He cleared his throat.
"Two of the scouts are missing.. we cannot locate them in the energy fields."
Ilana looked at him and blinked. Scouts were never lost.
Ever.
They may die, or be caught, but they never just.. disappear.
"Have you sent out other Hunters to see if they can find them?" she asked, crossing her arms and shifting her weight. Her wings fluttered.
"No, we have not. This happened in the past 24 hours, so when I saw you had fought off a Warrior Demon, I knew something was up. This is why I came.. to get you."
"I'm not pulling out of the assignment, Michael. So go tell Him. I'm going now." she said, and spun around, willing herself to walk away from him as he stood there, so calm and collected.
Inside her head, she fought off the fear, and the yearning. Somewhere deep down, she wished he would stop her. That he would lose his cool and grab her and.. and... what?
Face it.. you are nothing but a halfbreed with insane hunting skills. He's God's right hand man, she heard her minds voice say.
She sighed and kept walking, hoping he didn't see her wipe away her tears.
.. to be continued.
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