In The Arms of an Angel - 23. Chapter 23 Pasha My Pasha

Pain. Pain like nothing he’d ever experienced before. Pain that tore at his very core and threatened to do exactly what Micha’el had threatened –to tear him apart, atom by atom. And yet. Pasha knew Micha’el wouldn’t kill him because somewhere in his tortured mind he could feel Uzzi’el.

At first he was cradled in Uzzi’el’s spiritual arms but, as the pain intensified the arms were torn away and a mind-splitting, tortured scream echoed through the core of his being.

“Uzzi’el!”

Although his cry was only in his mind Micha’el responded with glee. “That’s right, little one. Call to him. Drawn on his strength to save you. Make that connection. Deliver him into my hands.”

Pasha’s numb mind couldn’t comprehend the words, couldn’t understand what they meant, but he understood the malice behind them and he understood it was directed at his soulmate.

The pain intensified and every atom in his body vibrated. They were about to separate from each other and fly into the void. His eyes were still open, staring at Micha’el’s pretty face, made ugly by the expression that twisted it. Pasha’s entire world contracted into the two blue eyes but….

Unconsciously his mind reached out to Uzzi’el and feeling the backlash of his lover’s pain was worse than the torture Micha’el was inflicting on him. He couldn’t let him hurt Uzzi’el. He had to protect him, had to save him.

Somewhere, far away, Uzzi’el reached for him in desperation, in pain, in confusion, and Pasha did the hardest thing he’d ever done in his life – he pushed him away. He pushed as hard as he could and felt something snap. It was a very definite snap followed by a sensation of something rushing past him, as if he was slipping off the table into a river.

“Don’t you dare,” Micha’el screamed inside his head. “How can you break the connection? How can you escape me? You will not escape me.”

Escape? Yes, escape. He could escape. There was only one way. One way he could escape Micha’el and save Uzzi’el. He had to die.

“No!” Micha’el’s impotent scream of rage echoed in his head as he pushed himself further and further into the river, floating gently on the tide.

Something slammed into him and he felt himself falling, tumbling over and over, but not in the river. He came to rest against a wall and dragged himself to his knees.

Pasha couldn’t see a thing. He was surrounded by a blinding white light. Every part of him hurt. He had an idea that at a very basic level his body was remaking itself, atoms settling back into the places they should never have been shaken from. The pain was indescribable and he would have screamed if his voice hadn’t been locked in his throat.

He cowered against the wall, pressing his body against the cold, hard bricks, fighting to hold it all together, to get through the pain. He was alone, enclosed in a cocoon of fire and blinding, white light.

The first thing that changed was the light. It faded, turned orange, then red, then winked out altogether and left him in darkness. Then the pain began to slowly recede and he started to sob.

Eventually, there was no pain, only the sobbing, which faded into silence. Shaking and exhausted, Pasha slid to the ground and lay with his cheek pressed against the cold floor. He was completely blank. There were no thoughts or feelings inside him. He simply existed. And then someone came.

“Pasha? Pasha are you alright? Please tell me you’re alright.”

Realising his eyes were closed, Pasha opened them and gazed up into the most beautiful face he’d ever seen. Uzzi’el looked amazing. He was dressed in some kind of leather armour that hugged his figure and gleamed dully. His beautiful golden hair was loose around his shoulders and seemed to be lifted by a non-existent breeze. Best of all his eyes, his beautiful, beautiful eyes were bright and concerned and full of love.

“Micha’el.”

“He got away, but I’ll find him. I swear I’ll find him and I’ll make him pay for what he did to you.”

Pasha flinched at the terrible intensity of Uzzi’el’s words, and the fierce glow in his eyes faded to soft concern. Uzzi’el turned and called over his shoulder. Can someone please pass me a blanket?

Something soft and fluffy fell around Pasha’s shoulders. He closed his eyes and rubbed his cheek against it.

Two cool hands touched the sides of his face and tilted up his head. He opened his eyes and stared at Uzzi’el. He looked worried.

“Can you stand?”

“I… don’t know.”

It was hard to speak, hard to think, hard to move but Uzzi’el was here. Uzzi’el made everything better. Everything was alright now.

Standing was easy, staying on his feet wasn’t so easy. He leaned heavily on Uzzi’el, who held him close to his side.

“What would you have us do with the human, My Lord?” Pasha noticed there were other angels in the room.

“’The Human’ is my soulmate. His name is Pasha and I will have him treated with the same respect you would offer to me.” Pasha stared dumbly at Uzzi’el. He was so…commanding.

“Apologies, Lord.”

“Get him away from the city. Make sure he’s comfortable and taken care of but whatever you do, don’t let him come back.”

“Yes, My Lord.” Someone put their arm around Pasha and drew him away from Uzzi’el.

“No.” Pasha clung to his mate and wouldn’t let go.

“Pasha, my sweet. There’s a war going on and I have to fight it. I can’t do that if I have to worry about you. Let my men take you somewhere safe. I’ll come to you as soon as I can.”

“No. Don’t leave me.”

“I have to, but I’ll be back. I’ll be back really soon.” Uzzi’el kissed him and in a whirl of leather and sweet perfume, he turned and was gone.