The Ragnarok Trials

Day Seven: Temptation

Day Seven
         Temptation
Focus Word: Temptation
Word Count: 1537

Oh Lord, as the Angels say, deliver me from temptation. Because I simply cannot resist.

Some time around dawn, his lips found mine. I hadn't expected it, but when it happened I threw myself into it with my whole being. Time turned to honey, slow and sweet, and he tasted even sweeter. We were definitely drunk--he liked wine and I liked drinking with him--but that didn't matter, because I was aware enough to know what was going on and steady enough to enjoy it.

My hands found first his face, his eyebrows and his nose, the ridge of his cheekbones and the soft curve of his chin. His skin was smooth and warm, the blood beneath it pounding as he held me to him. He was steady, pressing against me, flush and willing, his breath coming in short gasps when we parted to stare at one another in the grey light. "You are willing?" he whispered, disbelief and shy hope warring in his eyes. "I never actually thought..."

"For you, I am always willing," I replied, head dipping to nip at his neck. He gasped, body tightening momentarily, breath hissing out as he yanked me down onto the couch and set about divesting me of my clothing. With every inch of skin he revealed, he planted a kiss to my flesh, all the while staring up at me, beautiful face glowing in the morning light. I laughed, allowing him his ministrations, and gloried in the feeling of having willing flesh beside me.

It had been too long since last I felt the touch of another being that wasn't trying to kill me.

Gabriel allowed his tongue to explore my navel, the taut skin of my stomach and around my hips, before lowering, circling my manhood. I jumped when he stopped, blowing cool air along the spit-moistened areas, a rumbling groan pushing its way from my chest out into the air around us. It was wonderful, warmth seeping in ever-widening waves throughout my entire body. Pleasure suffused my every limb, the warm wetness of his mouth surrounding me in my entirety.

I had never actually believed this would happen. I had never even imagined this moment, these last few minutes of perfection, my mind slowly losing itself within arousal. It was so much more powerful in flesh, so much deeper and more meaningful, as if every bone and sinew in my body stretched toward something, straining and pushing it's way toward a summit. Nothing, no love or meaningless fuck, had ever before felt so...amazing.

How the hell had it taken me this long to use my flesh in this manner?

Eventually, my hands rose of their own accord, yanking Gabriel up and twisting him around so he was beneath me. I was not so delicate with his clothing as he was with mine, tearing them free and tossing them aside like so much garbage. He was perfect, every muscle lean and taunt, skin glowing ivory. His chest rose and fell with quick pants, his body twisting and following my every touch, a trail of goosebumps following the trail of my tracing fingertips. Hooded grey eyes watched me, a small smile on his face as we stared at one another, an indolent grace to his every move.

"Over," I whispered into his ear, nipping at the lobe and smiling as a shiver ran down the length of him. "Now."

I slowly pressed into Gabriel, then, inch by careful inch to keep from hurting him, glad for his saliva to at least ease this moment for his sake, feeling the light of the new day's sun reaching into the room and bathing us with its warmth. We didn't need it, sweat shining on our skin, hearts beating faster to match our pace. Gods, but I could barely control myself. I wanted so much to let myself free, to feel the entirety of myself, to give all of me to him in this moment. But I resisted that particular temptation, satisfying myself with going slowly, with the sight and sounds of Gabriel beneath me, moaning with pleasure, rocking and moving in accord with his own needs.

The ball of potentiality grew, strings pulling taunt all over, from legs to fingers and in the flush warmth in my cheeks. It rose within me, a wordless growl growing louder and fiercer as the cresting waves of pleasure rose closer and closer to the surface, threatening to break over both of us. It was wonderful to feel him beneath me, to know that he felt as I had felt.

Perhaps I'd had more of a girlish crush, after all.

All of a sudden, it was too much, too big to hold within me anymore. My body went rigid for a moment, hanging over the precipice, staring down at the fall below; then it crashed over the side and everything exploded within me. For a moment, everything went dark, muddy, ephemeral. Then, with a sudden flash, everything seemed clear. Everything I'd thought, known, surmised, came together in a single moment of complete understanding. It was intense, an earth-shattering moment of such perfection that the universe seemed to float around me.

Within seconds, it was gone.

I had never experienced something like this in human form. As a god, my orgasm depended on what I wanted it to feel like. I've always preferred the lingering of female euphoria, or the power of making someone else shiver from my own expert ministrations. As a human male--or as close as I would ever come to one--I had no choice in the matter. It simply happened, like a force of nature. And what made it better was the sensation of Gabriel beneath me, experiencing his own earth-shattering climax, his flesh pliable and wonderful and perfect.

All at once, my strength gave out and I collapsed, Gabriel flush against me, my face in his neck. I couldn't move, so heavy were my limbs, so worn my eyes. "Wonderful," Gabriel whispered, sounding as exhausted as I felt. "I...I've never done that before."

My lips curled into a soft smile, my fingers dancing through his silver hair. "Me, either."

"Is this what it feels like for all humans?" Gabriel asked.

I shrugged. "Dunno. I imagine so. Lucky bastards."

Gabriel was silent for a moment. "I am glad it was with you. I always figured you were too...what is the human word...cool for this sort of thing. For tenderness..."

Chuckling, I kissed the sweaty flesh of his shoulder. "I can be whatever I want to be, remember? If I choose to be tender, I will be tender. I am no longer bound to sheer, random chance. And for you, I choose tenderness. But...I have had a thought."

"So much for sentimentality," Gabe muttered into the armrest. "Yes, Loki?"

"In human form...are you still bound by Michael's decree? You know, not to help?" I sat up, feeling energy returning to my limbs as thoughts danced through my head. Next to me, Gabriel shook his head and smiled, sitting up next to me and rolling his eyes.

"You know, I don't believe so. He never explicitly spoke of me as a human. I don't have access to all of myself when I'm in flesh, so I suppose I could use that as a means to circumvent the rule. Why, what is it that you need of me, Loki?"

I grinned. "I had a...a revelation, of sorts. During, uh...well, yeah. I was wondering if you could do some sneaking around for me, and some aura tasting? You can do that without accessing your higher Angelic faculties, right?"

Gabriel nodded, eyes flashing. "Yes. Where do you need me to go?"

"Odin's. I need you to scope out his hall and, in particular, Baldur's body. I've a feeling it will prove most illuminating and I doubt I'll get another look before they light that pyre."

Within seconds, Gabriel had new clothing and he was standing, heading for the door. He couldn't use his wings, but Angels have other ways of getting around that don't require flight. "I will do what I can, Loki. Whatever I can accomplish, I will bring back to you when I am finished. Keep in mind, I will not overstep my bounds. Michael is my master...I cannot circumvent his orders, no matter if I wish to. Understood?"

I nodded. "Yes. And Gabriel...thanks."

"For the help? Or the sex?" He cocked an eyebrow, hand on the doorknob, power dancing along his skin.

"When you'd develop a sense of humor?" I pursed my lips. "But, if you must know, both. The help is necessary, but the sex was damned awesome, so I'm not about to forgo thanking you for that particular piece of wonder. Now, if you could go...They'll light the pyre at noon, when the sun is at its apex. But for several hours before hand, there'll be chanting, incense burning, and a shit ton of drinking. And Norse gods get mean when they get drunk. Do not be seen, please. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

Gabriel laughed. "Please. I am Angel of God. If I don't want to be seen, I won't be. Sit tight, sugar. Daddy's gotta go to work."