The figure swept silently across the green and blooming scenery, his bright blue eyes not even taking notice of the flowers that grew and blossomed around his ethereal feet or the mighty trees that grew, full of life and thick with health. His shoulder length black hair flew wildly about his face as his large and glorious white feathered wings propelled him with his swiftly moving feet across the landscape to his destination, a small part of the wondrous land around him where the others like him took their rest. They were all resting now, all but him. He rushed to them, silently, and to the dreaming Uriel, whose waist-length dark red hair was flung about him in a casual way, his deep golden eyes closed and his grand wings sprawled out beneath him. With a childlike look of anticipation upon the other's angular features, he silently and carefully slipped a silver ring from Uriel's right hand, so delicately that sleeping Uriel never felt a thing nor sensed the other's presence. The other grasped the ring tightly in his strong hand and disappeared from the area, glowing with pride as he paused by the large golden gates, ever intimidating, that were his link to that which he viewed as salvation.

He looked down at the ring he held, nestled in the palm of his hand. It was a simple slim silver band, that appeared to have been twisted into a corkscrew shape. Nested in a claw to prevent it from slipping was a pale blue orb, which caught the figure's eye and near put him in a trance at the swirling paleness inside the stone, as though it was merely glass filled with blue smoke. He slipped the ring onto his right hand, stone towards his palm, and held his hand out so his palm and the stone faced those golden gates.

In a deep, quiet, and seductively raspy voice, the figure said, "If this doesn't work...I don't know what I'll have to try next..."

The intimidating, large gates slowly and silently slid open, as the figure watched with childish hopeful eyes, until finally they lay open, awaiting him. Without a second thought he sped through them.

The figure's enormous white wings disappeared into small sparkles of white light, and he found himself falling backwards, without control over his landing. Within seconds it seemed he hit something, hard, knocking the breath out of him, and it was the first time he realised that he actually had breath. He didn't move for a few minutes, his naked skin shivering against the cool concrete. Had it really worked? Was he really there? He sat up slowly and carefully, his pale blue eyes blinking as he took in the scene around him. The sidewalk on which he sat was damp, and filthy. It was cold, but the air was thick. All around him he could see nothing but rundown buildings, some he assumed were places of residence, and others some kind of business. All made out of wood that was rotten, and occasionally a concrete step. Trash floated in the small stream of a nearby gutter as it rushed down to the foul-smelling sewers. The sidewalk was lined with dimly lit street lamps, that only succeeded in adding to the effect that could be termed somewhat frightening, illuminating the faint fog with their pale orange light.

"What horrible living conditions...how can they stand it? Well, such are the joys of humanity I suppose," he remarked quietly to himself, a bit snidely. Suddenly he felt something warm touch his bare shoulder.

"Are you alright?" a quiet feminine voice asked in a thick Romanian accent.

He looked up at the woman who stood over him with a worried expression. Her hair was orange and tightly curled, pulled up into a high ponytail at the back of her head with a few loose, soft tresses falling around her face. Her eyes were a deep and kind blue, filled with worry over someone she didn't even know. She wore simple clothes, a modest grey skirt that fell to her knees and a white blouse, covered by a large grey coat, but it was obvious to him that she was quite shapely beneath her far from provocative attire. "I'm fine, thank you for your concern." He slowly pulled himself to his feet, a bit shakily.

The woman smiled. "Come on, you can't wander around like that. You don't seem too dangerous, would you like to come home with me? I can get you some clothes, and some food," she offered sweetly, pulling off her jacket and placing it over his broad shoulders. "And maybe you can tell me why you suddenly fell out of nowhere?"

"Yes."

********************

Far above, a figure sat at a large desk, feverishly scribbling into a large book with a quill pen, which he paused every now and then to dunk into a small jar of ink that never seemed to empty. Occasionally he would pause and scratch out something on his ever-growing list, just as often as he added something. His long silver hair was loose down his back, spilling over the arms of the chair in which he sat, his bangs falling over his bright green eyes.

"Azrael! Azrael!"

The one leaning over the book looked up, to see another, this one with red hair that hung to his waist, golden eyes full of worry. "What is it?" he asked before leaning back over his book and continuing his endless writing.

"He's gone! He's taken my ring! I don't know how he did it, but he took by ring and left!" the golden-eyed man said frantically.

"Who has?" the other asked a bit frustratedly.

Uriel held his hands out, cupped as though holding a ball. Then a clear orb appeared in his hand, shimmering with gentle smoke for a few moments before it showed a clear image.

Azrael looked up to the orb. It was the black-haired man, sitting in a chair in a dingy apartment, hunched over beneath a large blanket that draped over his shoulders. He held a mug of an unknown liquid that poured steam over his face. A woman with flame-colored hair sat next to him, conversing with him. Who knows what he could have been telling her! Azrael stood, dropping his quill and slamming his hands on the book, causing the ink to smear. His eyes shone with anger as he looked up at Uriel. "Go and find Michael. Do not alert the others, it would only create chaos and confusion. But bring Michael here."

Uriel nodded and quickly pressed his hand together to make the glowing orb disappear, then swiftly turned and left the chamber, his large feathery wings propelling him.

Azrael growled deep in his throat and turned in the direction of the gate. "Gabriel! What are you thinking?!" he called to the air.

********************

"So what's your name?" the woman asked with a smile, sipping her coffee.

The man paused, closing his eyes over the mug and letting the steam warm his face. It was a nice sensation, this feeling of warmth. "My name is Gabriel," he said quietly.

"That's a lovely name. What happened to you? It looked like you just fell out of the sky."

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that. You're just going to have to believe in me and trust me when I say I'm not going to hurt you."

"Well I think some kind of explanation is in order, after you just fell out of the sky like that. You nearly landed on me I hope you know," she said with a smile.

Gabriel looked up and into her eyes, drawing her in with a gentle stare. "You will believe me..."

The woman looked dazed for a moment, then shook her head, averting her eyes from his after a moment. "...Alright...I believe you. Oh, I'm sorry...I didn't introduce myself. My name is Atanya, Atanya Tepes."

"You have a very interesting accent, Atanya."

She smiled. "Thank you...I was born in Romania. Now let's see, you're going to need some clothes. I think I have some of my old boyfriend's clothes here, he was about your size. Wait here." She set down her mug on the old wooden coffee table, then stood and walked out of the room.

Gabriel sat in silence, looking around the room as he heard her rummaging through drawers and closets. The room was simple, not very tasteful, but it appeared that this woman made the most of what she had. There was a rug on the floor that was tinted the colour of roses, that seemed to glow from the light of the small blazing fireplace. A single couch, upon which Gabriel sat, was near the fireplace. It had somewhat raggedy cushions, but it wasn't uncomfortable. A few more chairs were scattered around the room, one looking the most like a lounge chair than the others. There were various pictures on the walls, mostly photographs of people Gabriel didn't recognize, but a few were paintings of lilacs or tulips. Apparently this woman liked flowers.

Gabriel looked down to his cup, once again closing his eyes and letting the steam rush over his face. What would he do, now that he was here? The world was at his fingertips, but how to begin? Hmm. Perhaps a trial of his level of sexual prowess? He was certainly in an ideal situation for such a trial, and he was sure he could easily seduce that woman. It wouldn't take much with his powers. Gabriel had been given the special power of mind persuasion over mortals. He had other powers of course, but mind control was his specialty. Unfortunately, he was not all-powerful, and had to be fairly close to his victim, for lack of a better word, for the persuasion to work. He could seduce that woman. She was beautiful, after all. Yes, she would do.

He opened his eyes and looked up as Atanya re-entered the room.

She offered him a pile of clothing. "Here, these should do. I'm sorry if they're not to your taste, but they're all I have," she said kindly, with a sweet smile.

He put down his cup and stood, ignoring that fact that he revealed his naked form as the blanket slipped from his shoulders. He saw Atanya's face flush bright crimson and she looked away, but he smiled. "I thank you," he said quietly, his deep and raspy voice sending pleasant shivers down her spine.

Perhaps it is time to 'turn on the charm,' as they say, he thought to himself and took the pile of clothes from her, setting them aside. He literally turned on his charm, reaching up to touch her chin and make her look into his faintly glowing blue eyes.. He gazed intently into the deep blue pools that were her eyes and, using his specialty of mind persuasion, placed inside her head images that could make a prostitute blush.

She turned all sorts of shades of red as she tried to move away, but she found that though his gentle hand on her face didn't hold her, his eyes did. She could not look away from him, and could not stop thinking such sexual thoughts about him, despite how hard she tried. She could hold him, kiss him, take him into her room and perform deplorable acts of lust and passion on him...but she shouldn't.

Atanya debated for and against the idea mentally for a few moments, but he made up her mind for her.

Gabriel leaned down close to the small and delicate woman, gently pressing his lips against hers. The sensation was indescribable, for both parties. It had been quite awhile since he had experienced a kiss, and her lips were as soft as the rose petals whose colour they shared, and so gentle and supple. He found that she returned his kiss wholeheartedly, which didn't surprise him, and his eyes closed as he felt her arms around his neck. He responded by slipping his powerful arms around her slender waist and gently pulling her closer.

Atanya near melted in his arms, molding herself against his well-muscled and quite bare chest. He was so cold, as if he were made of ice, yet his skin was so soft, and his lips so gentle. She had never known a man like him, never in all her years. Nor did she think she was likely to again. So she made good use of the time she had with him.