“ I think my ears are getting old.” Alejo towered over the guard, glaring down. “It sounded like you just said no to me.”
“I- Yes sir I am sorry sir no you can not see him.”
“Thats my fucking husband in there.”
“I-” The girl stammered, crunching in on herself. “I’m not supposed to-”
Alejo shoved past the girl, slamming the lab door with a hearty shove. The lock held. The hinges did not. He all but threw the door to the side. Two armed guards waited on the other side. One raised their gun. The other stopped them.
“He’ll fucking kill you-” A whisper as Alejo stormed past.
“But we can’t just let him-”
“Do YOU want to fight him?”
Alejo pushed his way into the operating room, glaring at the room full of researchers in surgical gear.
No one dared argue, leaving with hurried whispers.
Ko laid motionless on the steel table, nude with his new horns. To the researchers- those horns and his white eyes were all that changed when Ko turned. To Alejo, he saw the way his ribs poked through. The more prominent hip bones. A dullness to once glasslike hair. As if his condition was eating him alive…
Alejo whirled around, glaring down at the stocky brown haired woman in front of him. “Emile.”
“It’s hard seeing him like this isn’t it?” Emile took a step closer to Ko, only to have Alejo block her path.
“What’s your plan here Alejo? To walk out with him?”
“Then I have to stop you. And I really don’t want to pick that fight with you.”
“Because if you hurt me the 20 guards outside will shoot you and him. You’re a lot of things, but not bulletproof.”
The reality gnawwed at Alejo, fed by the truth of Emile’s statements. Slowly he deflated.
“They’re going to kill him.”
“Yes.” Emile took a step closer, putting a hand on Alejo. “He did this to himself, sacrificing angel lives. Allowing the harbinger to escape. He put the world in danger to save a demon.
“This is his life’s work…”
“And it’s our purpose to destroy the harbinger. We almost had it.”
“He-” Alejo faultered, staring at Ko’s unconscious form. “I can’t just-”
“I know.” Emile rubbed Alejo’s arm. “But you need to.”
“I can’t.” Alejo turned to Ko, running his hand through that long white hair. Hair that always got in his mouth when they cuddled. Hair he tried to braid but was too damn straight to stay.
“You need to say goodbye Alejo.” Emile rubbed his arm. “I’ll give you a moment.”
Alejo stared down at Ko’s unconscious form, the man he loved doomed to never wake up again. With gentle hands he lifted Ko’s bruised and thinned body, holding it tight in his arms. His skin warmed Alejo’s, a demon’s warmth burning inside him.
Emile gently touched Alejo’s arm. “It’s time. Let’s go.”
“Alejo please don’t make this harder than it needs to be-”
White wings extended from Alejo’s back, surrounding him and his love. No matter what Ko did- Alejo was bound to love him. Forever. Regardless.
And then the world cracked.
Every piece of glass shattered, from the lights to the observation windows. Screams filled the air as the air seemed to split, compressing around Alejo.
They were in the Sierras, deep in the back country at a small hidden hunting cavern. The sudden teleportation churned Alejo’s stomach and he puked on the granite, almost dropping Ko.
But they were free. And they had to lay low. The hunting cabin had dampening magic embedded in it, inside they were nearly human, and as such were near impossible to track. Because all of heaven was hunting them.
The bed was a log cot with a sleeping bag but Alejo laid down, Ko still in his arms. He hadn’t done that in centuries and it wore on his body.
“Shh my love.” Alejo nuzzled his head into Ko’s wary of the horns. “Rest. You’re safe now.”
