Fallen Into Hell: Fallen: Book 2, Layna Snow [the mitten read aloud .TXT] 📗

emotion here. You must ignore them so that we can talk.” Michael said.

There was nothing he could do but listen for now. These men were the closest to God, and if He had a message for him, Thanatos could not disrespect Him by disregarding it.

He had to be satisfied knowing that Sophie was safe for now. She was on Earth, and the danger was far away.

Thanatos stood, relying heavily on his determination to keep him upright. The gravity seemed heavier. The weight pushing him down.

“You are to be given the opportunity to receive your wings back.” Gabriel said, sweeping his blond hair back from his face in a dramatic fashion. If Thane didn’t know any better, he would have assumed that the Archangel of Messages was vain.

For a moment, the words filled him with hope.

He’d get to be an Angel again. He’d get his wings back, and his emotions removed. He wouldn’t have to feel this terrible, ripping pain at the thought of losing Sophia. He wouldn’t have to struggle with himself every moment to avoid temptation.

But he knew that this deal would not include Adrian.

He could not leave his friend behind.

Despite their recent fight. Despite the grief and pain that Adrian brought into his life, the man was his partner.

Thanatos would have died without him. Countless times Adrian saved his life and his sanity. Thane owed him eternally for that. Which included keeping the other man on a fairly moral track.

He also knew that Adrian would think that he was abandoning him.

It was probably what Sophia’s sister felt when she woke up without her twin there.

For once, he understood what Sophia must have felt. Being torn between people she cared about and things that she wanted.

He had assumed that she had just wanted to leave them. She had said that there was nothing for her in Hell.

Had she spoken out of anger? Had she snapped at them, as Adrian was so apt to do?

Sophia had stayed with them, accepted them. Even after meeting the Devil.

But, he knew all along that she didn’t belong in Hell. She deserved a life and a family. They could give her none of those things.

Mind at odds with itself, Thane met the eyes of the Angels in front of him. “Why?” he asked, his throat raw and aching.

He wanted to know why he was asked now. Why did they not offer him this when he had first Fallen? They must have realized that he had not sinned on purpose.

“You acted correctly. You were placed in one of the most difficult situations. You had to choose between someone you loved, and morality. You chose correctly. Adrian didn’t. We have seen that you have learned your lesson and you are now able to return to Heaven. We will give you your wings back, and take away those disastrous emotions.” Gabriel explained.

Michael nodded. “I will take you back under my command. You may begin as soon as you accept.”

Once, his whole purpose was to fight Demons. He worked to rid the world of beings that escaped Hell to cause pain and damage. It had been his only goal for 2490 years. He saw the world change, and didn’t care about what happened to it. He didn’t even care about the people who he had saved. They could die an hour later from disease and it would not have affected him.

Because he had no emotions.

He had taken no joy in fighting, there had been no joy in his life at all when he was an Angel. And it had been acceptable.

Then he Fell, and the world around him changed.

He changed as well. He could no longer feel nothing. All the decisions in the past had overpowered him with emotions. He saw people he knew die all over again in his mind, and felt the overwhelming loss. At the same time he felt guilt for mistakes, anger at those that wronged Humanity, as well as every other emotion possible. That much sensation could not be housed in his body.

It had broken him. It had ripped him apart from the inside and left scars that he couldn’t see, that couldn’t be fixed.

Since then, he avoided emotion. He pushed it down until it was nothing but a insignificant tickle. He tried to make sure that he never felt that all-consuming pain again.

But it hadn’t worked. At least it had not worked completely. He still felt exasperation and annoyance at Adrian. He felt anger at the Demons, and regret when he didn’t act. He felt lust, satisfaction and happiness. No matter how hard he tried not to feel, some got through.

He’d thought that it was nothing, he’d grown used to it over the years. In the last week, however, realized the truth.

His connection to Adrian, the companionship had given him happiness and hope. It had given him something to hold onto and look forward to.

The time with Sophia had given him something as well. A lightness, a joy that he had never expected to find. Or expected to like. But he craved it like a drug.

Even now.

“No choice,” he responded, needing them to understand why he let Sophie go. He could not keep her there. He could not make her want to stay, so he had let her go. He had done what he thought was best for her.

He couldn’t take away her choices and allow her to resent them. It would kill him.

Of course, he hurt now anyways.

Because he loved her.

The emotion expanded, pressing in his head, too big to control.

“You must stop feeling.” Raphael warned, his voice filled with false concern. “We know that you do not enjoy emotion. You have tried not to feel it.”

He had tried, however, it didn’t matter, he still loved her and she still made