just shy of Odin's Viking bulk.
There were indeed antlers on Azrael's head but they weren't ordinary stag antlers. They were golden, like a burol's, and yet looked completely natural. Azrael's chin was lifted, showing off the new sharpness of his features, and his eyes glowed harshly, casting green highlights onto raven-black hair that fell down to his waist in soft waves. His clothes must have been lost to his shift because he now wore a dark tunic and trousers reminiscent of fey garments. But there was something strange about the clothing and even the boots that came up to his knees. Something... fluid. No, nebulous. Shadowy! Morpheus had said that shadows had surrounded Azrael. It was the Darkness. His clothes were made of the dark element.
“Jiminy Cricket,” I whispered.
Azrael's stare met mine and he smiled serenely.
The helicopters lowered, blasting us with air, and a voice came through a megaphone, “Get down on your knees and put your hands behind your head! You are in the custody of the United States Government.”
Yeah, that would work.
Azrael cocked his head at the helicopter as if confused or, even worse, amused. He didn't hold up a hand or make any indication that he was using magic, but what happened next was obviously orchestrated by him. The wind picked up and blew downward until both of the helicopters were forced to land. The men inside them shouted and shifted frantically, unsure whether to use the guns they had trained on Az or try once more to apprehend him. Technically, he hadn't done anything.
Once the helicopters were grounded, plants grew rapidly over them and into them until the engines whined and died. Smoke streamed out along with the soldier who abandoned the helicopters while warily watching the ground. Unlike the other MZs, this one didn't try to evict the humans. Once it was done with the helicopters—which was likely more Azrael's doing than the MZ's—the land stayed dormant. I had a feeling that was because there was a new sheriff in town. The soldiers rallied and approached Azrael, pointing their weapons at him.
“Stop!” I shouted as I ran forward and set myself between the humans and Az. “He won't hurt you if you don't threaten him! Lower your guns!”
“Who the fuck is this now?” One of the men asked another.
“Get out of there, lady!” another man shouted.
“That ain't no normal woman. Look at what she's wearing.”
“Woman, come to me.” Azrael held a clawed hand out to me imperiously. “You and I are bound.”
“Azrael”—I turned to look at him over my shoulder—“try and remember who you are. You've been fused with fey magic. Fight it! You're Azrael Morningstar. You're my husband. Remember?”
Azrael frowned.
“Did she say fey?” one of the humans asked. “Is that like, faeries?”
Another helicopter approached—this one carried a news crew. Ballsy, but weren't they always?
“Fuck,” one of the soldiers cursed. “Someone get those reporters out of here.”
“Sure, I'll just flap my feathered wings and get right on that,” one of the men muttered. “Oh, wait, the only guy with wings is that freak over there.”
“I know exactly who I am,” Azrael said to me. “And I know you are mine. Come here.”
I went to him because I could never be afraid of Azrael, no matter what magic was inside him. I took his clawed hand and stared into his altered face and saw my husband there. My hand went to his cheek—barren of the mark I loved—and stroked the sharp angle of his cheekbone gently. Azrael pulled me close, his clothes writhing between us—tendrils of darkness curling over me. Those beautiful, glittering wings lowered around us as he bent his head to mine. I met his lips halfway. He kissed me tenderly.
And power burst across my tongue.
I gasped and breathed it in—tasted it. The mineral tang of Earth and the sharp bite of Darkness charred by Fire, sweetened by Air, and then quenched with Water. The elements didn't hurt me, not now that they were within Azrael. Instead, they called to me. They lured me. They promised passion and power and pleasure. I trembled as my wings burst free. Leather met feathers. Stroked and shivered. Darkness parted and a thick shaft prodded me intimately, slipping over my scales. I went dizzy with magic and lust. I clung to those muscular shoulders and lifted a leg to wrap around Azrael's waist.
I was about to withdraw my scales when shouting finally broke through the lust haze in my mind. I glanced up and saw the eye of