"No Quarter" Release Day & Excerpt.

[misslj_author]

No Quarter. You would never know it from his flamboyant lifestyle, but Gabriel’s not just the cheerful, fun-loving adoptive father of a pair of indulged young adult humans. He’s an Archangel, commander of Heaven’s legions of Seraphim, and despite his apparently easy virtue, he’s harboring a serious crush on his superior officer, Michael. For years Michael has devoted himself to developing a team of humans, the Venatores, to aid in the fight against Hell. He’s been pining after Gabriel for centuries without hope, believing himself to be too serious to attract the other Archangel’s interest. He’s happy to discover that he’s wrong, but their burgeoning relationship is stymied by a major problem: an egomaniacal human is recruiting demons and fallen angels in a bid to take over the world. It’s up to Michael and Gabriel, and the rest of the Brotherhood of Archangels, to beat back the forces of Hell before the Earth is overrun. Book One of The Archangel Chronicles. Buy it: paperback and ebook.

Read an excerpt below the cut. This scene is the first time Michael and Gabriel kiss. Rated R.



*~*~* Excerpt *~*~*

He noticed immediately that Michael wasn’t there, and he frowned, looking around for him. He had not felt or heard Michael leaving—at least using his power and teleporting away—so Gabriel reasoned that Michael must be nearby. He looked around once more, pausing as his sharp eyes spied a lone figure standing on the beach. Without a word, Gabriel started toward the sea, his gaze never leaving Michael’s form.

Michael was looking at the moonlit water, his handsome face calm. As Gabriel joined him, Michael smiled and Gabriel smiled in return.

“Is everything all right?”

“Aye.” Gabriel nodded, turning to face Michael. “The kids are asleep, and Tzadkiel were cleaning up the kitchen. I told him ’bout what I learned, and he’s going to follow it up in the morning.”

“I am glad to hear that.” Michael nodded. “You have chosen to settle in a beautiful spot, Gabriel.”

“I thought so.” Gabriel hesitated briefly, not sure what to say next.

Michael looked at him for a long moment and then took a small step closer. Gabriel held his breath, hands twitching at his sides as he forced himself not to grab Michael and kiss him.

“Gabriel,” Michael said, his voice very soft and full of emotion, “I fear I have a confession to make.”

“Oh?” Yes, that was an intelligent answer, Gabriel thought wryly.

“Yes.” Michael took a deep breath and another small step closer. “I apologize for having looked at you in an inappropriate way.”

Gabriel took a step closer this time, aware that now only the barest of millimeters separated them. “How d’you mean?”

“I do not wish to speak in base terms.” Michael’s voice shook a little as he spoke. “Yet I find myself regarding you in that fashion. I apologize.”

“Nothing to apologize for.” Gabriel moved even closer. “I hoped you were. I thought you were, but I’m glad to have it confirmed.”

“You are not angry?”

“No.” Gabriel laid a hand on Michael’s hip and felt him trembling beneath his palm. “I have always cared for you, aye, Michael, perhaps more than I should. My feelings for you have grown since that recent meeting in the caves.”

Michael’s eyes widened. “Truly?”

“Yes.” Gabriel leaned in, his lips brushing over Michael’s in the lightest of kisses. “Yes.”

“Gabriel,” Michael whispered, moving closer and pressing his lips against Gabriel’s own.

Emboldened by Michael’s response to him, Gabriel slowly deepened the kiss, the hand not on Michael’s hip reaching up to cup his cheek. Michael made a small, desperate noise into the kiss as their mouths opened to each other, tongues gently exploring, probing. He pressed against Gabriel and Gabriel groaned, sliding his hand around from Michael’s hip to wrap around him, palm resting against the small of Michael’s back.

He felt Michael’s arms wind around his neck, felt Michael melt into him, and Gabriel tightened his embrace, kissing Michael with all the passion and skill at his command. When the kiss finally ended, Gabriel rested his forehead against Michael’s. He realized they were both shaking.

“I want you, Gabriel,” Michael said, so softly that Gabriel had to strain with his power to hear him. “More than I have ever wanted anyone before.”

“I want you too,” Gabriel answered.

“I… are you… I am not a terribly sexual being.” Michael sounded nervous, and Gabriel could tell that he was blushing as he touched Michael’s warm cheek with gentle fingers.

“That’s okay.” Gabriel leaned up to kiss Michael’s forehead, although privately he thought that if that kiss was anything to go by, Michael was more of a sexual being than he gave himself credit for. And Gabriel, whose life had been full of extreme experiences, from violence to war to sex, couldn’t wait to explore every facet of Michael’s sexuality.

“I do not wish to have a purely sexual… affair, I suppose is the term,” Michael was saying. “I do not approve of such things for myself. They are… inappropriate and disrespectful.”

“Okay.” Gabriel gazed fondly into Michael’s eyes.

“You are not disappointed?”

“No, Michael, I’m not. I’m guessing this is your roundabout way of saying you want a proper relationship with me?” At Michael’s nod, Gabriel continued. “Then this is my very blunt way of saying that’s exactly what I want. I’ve been around. Unending debauchery gets boring after a while, but don’t you dare tell the others I said that!”

“I will guard it with my life,” Michael said solemnly, and Gabriel’s lips twitched in suppressed mirth.

“Thank you.” It was easier to accept the declaration than explain why it wasn’t really necessary. “It’s been a long, long time since I’ve cared about anyone enough to have a relationship with them,” Gabriel mused. “I’d like to have one with you, though.”

“You honor me.” Michael gave a shallow bow. “Thank you, Gabriel. May I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

“May I kiss you again?”

Gabriel grinned and for answer, leaned in and kissed Michael, a slow glide of heat and passion that made them both groan as Michael answered Gabriel’s desire with his own. Gabriel wrapped both his arms tightly around Michael, making love to his mouth with his tongue as Michael fisted a hand in the fabric of Gabriel’s T-shirt. The moon shone benevolently down on them as they kissed.

“I should go.” Michael sounded regretful. “I need to make sure everyone at the house is all right before they retire for the night.”

“Okay.” Gabriel reached up with his left hand to trail his index finger down the line of Michael’s jaw. “I’ll come over tomorrow to train your youngsters in the morning, then we can talk and spend tomorrow afternoon together, yeah?”

Michael’s smile was like the sun coming up. “I would like that very much.” Slowly, he stepped back, out of Gabriel’s arms, and Gabriel sighed at the pang he felt in his heart as Michael moved away.

“I will see you tomorrow,” Michael said.

“Definitely.” Gabriel smiled, watching as Michael’s form shimmered gold for a fraction of a second and then vanished, leaving the sound of rustling feathers in his wake.