Chapter 8: Spicy Ginger
Half-succubus Carmen couldn’t believe her luck. She’d somehow managed to snag Archangel Raphael and was currently driving him back to her place in her sexy red convertible. Carmen looked at Raphael sitting in the passenger’s side seat out of the corner of her eye. He sat with his back straight, and was incredibly still. He also didn’t say a word as she drove. She pouted at his cold, serious demeanor and gripped her steering wheel a little tighter. Carmen was excited even if Raphael obviously wasn’t. She’d just have to change his mood to suit hers.
It wasn’t long before Carmen was opening the door to her apartment and ushering Raphael inside. They entered the apartment and she flipped on a light switch. Raphael looked around Carmen’s apartment curiously, and his eyes landed on the grand piano that was taking up most of the space in her living room.
Raphael probably would have stared at it all night if Carmen hadn’t grabbed his hand and led him to her bedroom. Again, she flipped on another light switch and her bedroom was revealed. She was proud of the way she’d decorated her bedroom and let Raphael admire it for a moment. She had a four-poster bed with a red comforter on it and matching heart-shaped pillows. Red velvet curtains decorated her windows and a red, blue and gold Persian carpet covered the floor. Her dresser, dressing table and night tables were all a dark mahogany.
Raphael was bewildered by how ‘normal’ the succubus’ bedroom appeared. There were no chains hanging on her walls, no table covered with sex toys or torture devices. Instead, the room appeared feminine, tasteful and sophisticated. The Archangel stood for a while just staring at the bed with a wary expression on his face.
Carmen let out a frustrated little huff as she sashayed past him. “Why don’t you go ahead and make yourself comfortable.” She motioned towards the bed. “I’m going to go…freshen up.” She winked.
Raphael watched as Carmen entered the bathroom and shut the door behind her. He would have expected her to leave it wide open. Raphael sighed as he looked at the bed with this feeling of dread welling up inside of him. He stripped off his clothes and folded them into a neat pile that he placed on a chair. After that he climbed on the bed and lay down. He reached over his head and grabbed the headboard. Whatever happened he wouldn’t allow himself to touch her.
As soon as the bathroom door was closed, Carmen stripped off her evening gown and put on a sexy, red baby doll, and a matching silk robe. She took off all of her jewelry and removed the bobby pins from her hair, letting her black hair cascade down around her shoulders in waves. She reapplied some red lipstick to her lips and smacked them together as she appraised her appearance in the mirror.
The half-succubus spritzed some of her favorite perfume onto her skin - Christian Dior’s Hypnotic Poison, which for some reason smelled like a combination of vanilla, cinnamon, and cotton candy on her skin.
Carmen reached for the doorknob and found herself taking a deep breath to steel her nerves. She may have been a seductress but for some reason she was incredibly nervous when it came to Raphael. Perhaps, because she had sincere feeling about him. The succubus slapped her cheeks to get some rosy color into her tanned cheeks. Alright! I can do this! She had a stubborn angel to seduce! Carmen exited the bathroom, entering the bedroom, and her eyes were drawn to the bed.
Who’s seducing who? Carmen thought as she sucked in a breath. There on the bed was a completely naked Raphael. He hadn’t even left his boxers on. Raphael was an impressive specimen of a man. He was six-five, and took up most of the bed. The man looked like some kind of Greek God that had been carved from a Renaissance artist’s white slab of marble. Just like the marble his body appeared hard, cold and unfeeling. Cold, hard, unfeeling, just like his personality. His battle-scarred torso was composed of impressive, bulging muscles, six-pack abs, and hard pecs. Her gaze traveled down his stomach to his muscular thighs.
Raphael was gripping the headboard above his head with his hands, causing his biceps to strain and flex sexily. He looked caged and dangerous. He’d taken his white hair out of his ponytail and it was splayed over the pillow.
A coy smile curled Carmen’s lips. “Eager are we?” She questioned. Some of her trademark confidence was returning at the sight of him naked and ready for her on the bed.
“No.” Raphael replied in a cold tone as he stared at her unemotionally.
Her confidence began to fade. “No? But you…you’re naked.” Carmen pointed out.
Raphael flinched. “I just want to get this over with as soon as possible.”
“Oh, I see.” Carmen said with an edge to her voice. She untied her robe and let it fall from her shoulders revealing her baby doll. Raphael watched her and there was a spark of something in his eyes as he looked at her cleavage.
Carmen smirked. She knew she had a good figure. “See something you like, angel?”
“No.” Raphael lied through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse. As much as he willed his body not to react to the sight of the sexy Latina before him - it was almost impossible. Carmen approached the bed and crawled on top of it. The succubus began to lean over him but before she could get too close Raphael spoke. “No kissing. This is just meaningless sex. Nothing more.”
Carmen looked put out, and was disappointed by his declaration. “Alright, fine. It’s your loss anyways.” She crawled closer to his body and began to pleasure him.
Raphael closed his eyes and tried to block everything out. It will be over soon. He told himself.
At first Raphael’s body didn’t respond to Carmen’s ministrations. Qué diablos? What the hell? She looked up and noticed the Archangel had his eyes screwed shut, and his face was lined with worry. That’s when Carmen tried a different strategy on how to pleasure him that soon had Raphael moaning for more.
Carmen looked up at Raphael and their gazes met. Sparks flew between them. The angel wanted to slide his hands through her silky black hair. “More.” Raphael groaned.
Carmen noted Raphael’s frustrated expression. “Don’t worry, we’re just getting started, big boy.” The singer assured as she straddled Raphael and slid her body down over his abs.
Raphael’s hips bucked upwards of their own accord. “Carmen.” He said in a strangled voice.
Carmen grinned as she placed her hands on Raphael’s chest to steady herself as she began to unite their bodies. Raphael gripped the headboard so hard it began to crack. “Finally, we’re together again.”
Raphael reddened at the reference to that fateful Valentine’s Day Night he could barely remember. He’d been like this mindless beast. He’d ripped Carmen’s clothes off of her and taken her. From what he could recall, she’d cried out in pleasure. She’d also been extremely lustful because of those chocolates. Screw you, Tristan. “I barely remember that night.”
“Well, I remember every delicious second of it.” Carmen said, as she began to make love to him. He could feel pressure building within him, tension coiling in his gut. Raphael closed his eyes. He was disgusted with himself that he could be aroused by a she-demon. The feeling of being used for sex swept over him. And he couldn’t help but remember a similar time when he’d been in a cruel succubus’ clutches.
Carmen felt Raphael begin to lose his desire for her. “Raphael…?” She questioned looking down at him. She noticed that his eyes were screwed shut again. “Look at me.” The singer demanded.
Raphael opened his amazing stormy eyes and watched as Carmen ran her hands through her hair. “I wish these were your hands on me.”
Raphael swallowed thickly as he imagined fondling her dark tresses.
“I wish you would kiss me. You’re so beautiful Raphael. Look into my eyes.” She commanded.
Out of habit Raphael obeyed the command and looked into Carmen’s eyes. Her eyes were a soothing dark brown color…like chocolate. They were so very different from her fierce golden eyes. Carmen’s eyes were warm, kind and sweet. “Beautiful.” Raphael murmured in an awed voice.
His
softly spoken compliment made butterflies flutter in her stomach. “Look at me and don’t look away. Look only at me. Think only of me.” Carmen urged as she reached out and stroked his cheek lovingly. “And listen to the sound of my voice.” That’s when Carmen began to sing.
Raphael shuddered at her delicate touch and found that he could not look away. He was lost in the chocolate brown depths of her eyes and in the melodious sound of her husky singing voice. Pleasure crashed through Raphael as he reached his peak. “Carmen.”
“Raphael!” Carmen cried out as she joined him. The singer saw fireworks explode in front of her eyes at the pleasure. Her body ravenously sucked in Raphael’s sexual energies. Her body was so hungry for him.
And the sexual energy Raphael produced was unique - powerful - Carmen felt invigorated. Was this because Raphael was an Archangel, she wondered. Yum. I should screw angels more often. Carmen collapsed on top of Raphael, spent and panting for breath.
As soon as their eye contact was broken Raphael felt sick. All he became aware of was the feeling of a woman’s naked body on top of his own. He could feel this evil creature sucking the sexual energies out of his body like a vampire.
Disgusting…revolting. The words flitted through his mind.
Raphael let go of the headboard and pushed Carmen off of him roughly. He put a hand over his mouth before he hopped out of the bed and ran for the bathroom. He entered, sunk to his knees in front of the toilet, and began to puke his guts out.
Carmen lay on her back, flushed, sated, her body tingling, and listened to Raphael throwing up in the bathroom in sheer disbelief. The hell? She frowned. Had she disgusted him? Again? No - impossible - he’d been really into it once they had started to stare into each other’s eyes and she hadn’t allowed him to break eye contact. Also her singing had seemed to soothe him.
Just how much did Raphael hate demons? She found herself wondering sadly. And more importantly…why?
The sound of Raphael flushing the toilet was heard and then the sound of running water. He was probably rinsing his mouth out. A few minutes later, Raphael emerged and began to approach his pile of clothes. Carmen realized that he planed to leave, just like that. “And where do you think you’re going, mi cielo?”
“I’m leaving.”
“So you use me for sex and then you just ditch me? What kind of an angel are you? I thought you said you would take responsibility for your actions?” Carmen huffed.
“I did. We had sex. I promised you nothing more.” Raphael said as he picked up his clothes and refused to meet her eyes.
“Well, I can’t sleep alone.” This wasn’t true but Carmen was desperately grasping at straws because she didn’t want Raphael to just leave her after they’d been intimate.
“And I can’t sleep with anyone in the same bed.” The Archangel found himself admitting.
“If you don’t stay and sleep with me…I’ll just go find a man who is willing to spend the night with me. And I’m sure that won’t be too hard. That patissier Ambrose Rune looked interested.” Carmen lay back in a sensual pose on the bed. She reached out, grabbed her cell phone that was on her night table, and pointed it at herself. “I’ll just take a selfie of me looking like this…and send it to Ambrose. I’m sure that he’ll come rushing over here.”
A muscle ticked beneath Raphael’s eye. The idea of Carmen sending a selfie to Ambrose Rune when they’d just had sex didn’t sit well with Raphael at all. Not to mention the fact that Ambrose Rune was a dangerous man. Without realizing what he was doing, Raphael had suddenly appeared by Carmen’s side and grabbed the phone out of her hand. “You’ll do no such thing! You will not be sending any ‘selfies’ to that man!” He growled at her before he crushed her cell phone to pieces in his hand.
Carmen’s eyes glinted with mischief and she didn’t really mind the loss of her phone since Raphael was acting so possessively towards her. He’s acting possessive. Deep down, somewhere inside of him he does care. I just know it. “That was a new iPhone 6, you know. You are so reimbursing me for that.” She patted the bed besides her. “Well, what are you waiting for big boy? Come on in.”
Raphael sighed in defeat before crawling onto the bed and lying down next to Carmen stiffly. Carmen was about to snuggle into his side when Raphael snapped at her. “No touching. And that means absolutely no cuddling.”
Carmen pouted at him. “Ay Dios mio. Alright, already. Geez.” She turned over onto her side, putting her back to Raphael. Raphael lay staring up at the ceiling. He knew he couldn’t allow himself to fall asleep because if he did dangerous nightmares would plague him. He stared at the ceiling for hours, struggling to keep his eyes open. Sometime just before dawn his eyelids drooped closed and he slept.
FLASHBACK
It was a disgrace. During a mission to Hell, Raphael and his unit of demon slaying Archangels had been ambushed. In order to ensure his men’s survival, Raphael commanded them to escape so that he could fight the demons by himself. He’d been overconfident and cocky. The demons had defeated him, taken him back to their lair, and had tortured him there for days. They’d chained him to a stone alter and sliced into his chest before chaining him up on the cave wall and whipping the flesh off his back.
They had tried to break him. Throughout his torture, however, Raphael had refused to scream. He wouldn’t give these lowly demons who’d captured him the satisfaction. He’d tried to stay conscious and wouldn’t allow himself to sleep, but eventually he’d fallen into unconsciousness due to blood loss.
When he awoke several days later, he found himself in a sunny bedroom. The bedroom appeared ‘normal’ as if it were part of a nice house instead of a dank cave. The room was square, its walls made of beige sandstone, and sheer green silk curtains that were moving with a hot breeze that was blowing in from the outside covered the windows. There were two night tables sitting on either side of the bed, a dresser, a desk and a chair. Everything was perfectly normal…except for the fact that he was still naked and chained to the bed.
Raphael was surprised not to feel pain since he was laying on his back, but when he peered down he saw that someone had treated his wounds by wrapping white cloth bandages around his chest. There were shackles on his wrists and ankles that were attached to chains connected to the rod iron headboard and footboard. His wings were spread out on either side of him and strapped down to the bed by multiple chains. Raphael tried to will his wings to return back inside of his body but when he couldn’t realized that the chains were enchanted.
With the way his arms were stretched over his head and his legs were spread eagle he felt vulnerable. The bed didn’t appear to be made out of wood, but some kind of metal that resembled rod iron. Fools. Raphael thought as he began to test his bonds. The chains were obviously enchanted, but if the metal of the bed was not he could easily escape.
“That won’t work.” Came a sultry voice.
Raphael craned his head to peer towards the doorway. There leaning against the doorframe was an exotic looking woman. She was tall with a cascade of emerald green hair that reached her waist. Her eyes were like molten gold with flecks of orange and red in their depths. Her pupils were slanted making her eyes look like those of a snake. Her skin had a golden hue, but there were small patches of green scales on her body. The seductress was wearing a sheer, gauzy, silk dress that was a pale green color. A golden rope belt was tied around her waist, and strapped leather sandals were on her feet.
No ‘lady’ would be dressed in something so revealing. Her lips curled into an amused smile as Raphael tugged experimentally on his shackles again. Her little fangs were revealed.
“I already said - that won’t work.” She sashayed over to the bed, sat down on the edge, and crossed her legs. The woman pouted and drew circles on Raphael’s bare chest. “Are you really so eager to leave your sssavior so soon?”
Raphael arched an eyebrow at her. “Savior?”
The woman nodded, a glint in her golden eyes. “Yesss, I pu
rchased you from those other demons before they would have killed you. Your lack of response to their torture was beginning to irritate them, you sssee.”
There was a sinking feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. “You purchased me?”
“I’m going to try a very different kind of torture on the mighty Archangel Raphael.” The woman purred as she reached out and caressed his chest. “To have a legendary angel in my possession…I’ll be the talk of the city!”
Raphael gave no response to her touch.
The woman continued to caress the hard muscles of his torso. Raphael stifled a grunt. “Just who are you, female? To dare touch me…” Raphael snarled angrily.
“My name is Lamia.”
Raphael paled at the name, and any hopes he may have had that this woman was harmless shattered. Lamia. She was a widely renowned succubus in Hell, who was known for mating with males in order to produce children. Lamia was cursed, however, and none of her children ever seemed to be born alive. Even though the fangs had been a dead give away, Raphael was now certain that the woman before him was not human but a demon. She was the worst kind too - a succubus, a creature that fed off of its victim’s sexual energies. This also meant that he was still somewhere in Hell.
“You’re a succubus.” Raphael spat with obvious revulsion.
“Yes, I am.” Lamia agreed as she straddled Raphael and placed her hands on his chest and began feeling him up. Black claws began to emerge from the tips of her fingers, as she grew aroused. “Mmm, such a strong body. I wonder how much it will take for your spirit to break. I plan to make you my obedient pet, Raphael.”
Raphael quaked with rage. How dare this filthy demoness put her hands upon him. “Don’t touch me!” He renewed his struggles against his shackles until the shackles cut into his wrists and blood streamed down his arms.
“It’s no use, pet.” Lamia said absentmindedly as she ran her hands over his abs. “Those chains are made out of enchanted steel. Even you, a mighty Archangel, cannot break them. You are my prisssoner, Raphael. My pet. It’s best you accept that now. I am your new Mistress.”
“No.” Raphael shook his head, not wanting to believe what was happening. “Where are we?”
“We’re in the City of Dragonsss, Camelot…the city of our beloved King Arthur.” Lamia explained with obvious awe in her voice for the demon king.
Camelot…blazes! Raphael swore in his mind. This was the worst possible place he could be. Every single being there was his enemy and Camelot was inhabited by the most powerful demons around. The city was also home to dragon riders, and there was one clan in particular that Raphael had heard rumors about - the Crimson Sky Riders. The Crimson Sky Riders was a legion of fierce dragon riders that was led by Samael. Their name came from how they dyed the sky red with the blood of their enemies during their many aerial battles.
Lamia slid down Raphael’s body until she was sitting on his thighs, and then she began to pleasure him.
Raphael looked at Lamia with undisguised disgust and horror. “Get your filthy hands off me, witch.”
“Witch?” Lamia repeated with a dangerous edge to her voice, “That wasssn’t very nice. I really don’t think you understand the position you’re in, Raphael. You are completely at my mercy. It would be wissse not to make me angry…that will only get you punished.” Lamia reached out, wrapped her hand around Raphael’s neck and squeezed.
Raphael glared up at her even as his air was cut off. “S-Stop.” Raphael managed to get out through gritted teeth as the pressure on his windpipe became unbearable.
Lamia instantly loosened her hold upon him. “What’s the magic word, Raphael?”
“Curse…you…” He panted.
Lamia began to squeeze his throat again. Raphael saw spots swimming in his darkening vision. “Please.” He finally spat.
Lamia released his throat and smiled triumphantly. “There, was that ssso hard, pet? I can treat you nicely, you know…if you’re obedient.” Lamia began to pleasure him again.
“No…don’t…” Raphael objected. He’d never been touched by a woman before. Had never had sex. He was God’s Elite Archangel - a warrior for God - God’s sword. A tool. Nothing more. He had no use for things like feelings or for the desires of his flesh. If he had the option to forsake his fleshy body and have one of pure spirit he would have chosen to be pure spirit.
Raphael liked to consider himself pure, untainted, and superior to others. He liked to think that he had more control over his body and its desires than his fellow Archangels that sometimes succumbed to the desires of the flesh. Raphael willed his body not to respond to her touch, and for the most part it worked. But Lamia had many tricks up her sleeve and soon had Raphael’s body reacting to her again.
“So innocent, so naïve - I will have fun corrupting you.” Lamia said in a husky voice. She slid over his body sensually, placed her hands on Raphael’s chest and finally united their bodies.
“No…don’t.” Raphael begged - this action would taint him, corrupt him, and make him unworthy of God’s love. No!
Lamia let out a groan of pleasure as she united them. “We are one, Raphael.” The succubus began to have sex with him.
Even though Raphael was disturbed by what was happening to him, he could feel his body’s reaction to what she was doing. Warmth was pooling in his lower abdomen, and pressure was building inside of his body. His muscles strained and stiffened as he tried not to move. He was close to his peak.
Lamia seemed to sense this, however, and reached down to wrap her hand around his throat again.
Raphael gasped in pain but quickly bit his lower lip to stifle his cries. Lamia squeezed his throat until black spots were swimming in his vision once more. “Females must always reach their peak first.” Lamia explained. She looked down at the flawless, pale expanse of Raphael’s muscular chest and torso thoughtfully. Lamia willed a dagger to appear in her right hand and grinned. “I’ll have fun marring your beautiful flesh, angel.” Lamia said before she slid the dagger over his skin, drawing blood.
Raphael hissed in pain.
Lamia leaned over Raphael and licked at the blood. “Oh, yes…such delicious pain!” She gasped in abandon. “Ah! My pet!” Waves of pleasure crashed through her body. “Now it’s your turn, Raphael.” Lamia demanded as she released his throat and at the same time she cut into his flesh with the dagger.
Raphael’s body was conflicted by the pain and pleasure. But he found himself reaching his peak anyways.
“Oh yes!” Lamia cried out as a pair of bat-like wings with a green membrane emerged from her back and spread. Tiny black horns appeared on her head, her ears became pointed, and a swishing green tail emerged from her lower back with a barbed end. “Such delicious sssexual energy you produce, Raphael. I want more…give me more, my pet.” She hissed happily.
Raphael could feel the succubus sucking the sexual energy right out of his body and it left him feeling weak, used, and dirty.
“I’m going to make such a mess out of you, Raphael. I’ll have so much fun corrupting you…marring you. Soon you’ll be begging me for the knife as you reach your peak.” Lamia assured a she drew bloody circles into his chest with the dagger. “There has been some debate amongst my kind as to whether or not causing your mate pain during sex produces a more potent, powerful sexual energy.” She leaned over to whisper in his ear. “I like to think that this is true.”
Succubi were known for being sadistic lovers. They were also known for taking several male sex slaves to sate their insatiable sexual appetites. The succubi were always in control and in command during sex. Their pleasure always came first. Males were to bow down before them and submit to their will. “Let the training begin, pet.” Lamia began to have sex with Raphael once more.
And to his horror his body…responded.
END OF FLASHBACK
“Nooo!” Raphael let out a roar of rage, frustration, humiliation and pain. How dare she! How dare she? Raphae
l’s fingers closed around her neck and he began to squeeze-
I’ll kill her! I’ll kill her! Raphael chanted in his mind.
“R-Raphael…stop…please…! It’s me…C-Carmen…” Carmen gasped out.
Carmen. Raphael’s hands stilled and he blinked down at the face beneath him - it wasn’t Lamia. He was straddling the singer Carmen and strangling her! His eyes widened with the horrified realization. What have I done? He tried to release his hands from her neck, but his hands wouldn’t move. His breathing was coming in and out in ragged breaths as he tried to get himself under control.
Carmen reached up and placed a hand over his. “It’s okay, Raphael. It was just a nightmare. No one is going to hurt you.” She assured Raphael in a soft voice, even as he caused bruises to form on her neck.
“Argh!” Raphael forced his hands to loosen and as soon as he’d let Carmen go he scrambled backwards and ended up falling right off the bed to land on the floor on his butt.
“Raphael?” Carmen called out in concern and watched as Raphael continued to scramble backwards until his back hit the bedroom door. She sat up in bed and rubbed her sore neck. The singer stared back at him but she didn’t look angry, only confused and worried.
I don’t deserve her concern. “I…I’m sorry. I apologize. This is why I can’t sleep with anyone. It’s too dangerous. I’m too dangerous.” Raphael shook his head and put his face in his hand.
“Because you have nightmares? Are they from the battles you’ve fought against demons in the past?” Carmen asked in a voice barely above a whisper.
Raphael looked at Carmen in astonishment. “What…how…?”
“Tristan told me that you’re actually the Archangel Raphael.” Carmen admitted.
“And you believed it?”
Carmen shrugged. “I’m half-demon…it’s not hard for me to believe in the existence of angels. They’re just the other side of the coin. Where there is darkness…there is light. Raphael, I don’t know how you were hurt by those other demons but I would never hurt you.”
…hurt you…Raphael looked at the bruises he’d caused on Carmen’s neck. This was so messed up. He raked a trembling hand back through his hair. “Why would you say something like that? Especially after I hurt you?”
Carmen did not look away. “Because you didn’t really hurt me - you were picturing some demon who hurt you before, weren’t you?”
Raphael nodded stiffly.
“Raphael…I want to be with you. I think I might even be falling for-”
“Stop. Say no more.” Raphael raised his hand. “You don’t know what you’re saying. You and I…would be impossible. I’m…damaged, Carmen. And incapable of the human emotion known as love. But you…you should find a man who can love you - one man. And marry him in a church before the eyes of God, and stay sin free.”
Carmen shook her head. “I don’t want some other guy - I want you. I don’t care if you think you’re damaged. And besides…it’s not easy for me to find a man who is resistant to my allure like you are. All men become enamored with me but not with me - just my body, my pheromones. They become slaves to my every whim. I hate it. I want the man I’m with to be my equal. I don’t want some enslaved guy…I want a real man like you. You’re the only one who can resist my charms, Raphael.”
“You’re wrong. I was unable to resist…I’m weak…just like the others.” Raphael admitted in a gruff voice.
“No, even now you’re resisting me. Resisting getting close to me emotionally - that’s resisting, Raphael.” Carmen pointed out.
“I’m…resisting…?” Raphael thought about what Carmen was saying and realized that it was true. “You’re right, I am resisting you, and that’s for the best.” The Archangel made his way over to the chair and began to get dressed while Carmen watched. “I need to stay away from you.”
“But you won’t, because you know that tonight I’ll need a man again, and that if you’re not here I’ll be forced to find someone else. You won’t let me do that because as hard as you try to deny it - I know that you like me, Raphael.” A smug smile curled Carmen’s red lips.
Raphael put on his boxers and pants, and began to button up his shirt. “Hah. You think I like you after I just tried to strangle you? Are you a fool?”
“But you also tried so hard to stop once you realized it was me. You looked…anguished that you hurt me. Regretful. And you apologized. A man with your pride apologizing is no small thing. You’ll be back, Raphael.” Carmen’s chocolate brown eyes were burning with passion.
Raphael shook his head at her as he grabbed his jacket, and exited the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.
“And I’ll be waiting.” Carmen said to the closed door.
***
As soon as Raphael left, Carmen quickly got dressed, and decided to follow him. She dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt, black pants, and boots. To complete her look she put on a long, black trench coat, fedora and a pair of dark sunglasses. Carmen looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked good in the standard outfit of a Shadow Stalker. Yep, you guessed it, Carmen had joined the Shadow Stalker Association.
She’d come across the interesting website online and had decided to join on a whim. After all, when she’d taken the ‘Do you have what it takes to be a Shadow Stalker Quiz’ she’d passed the test with flying colors and been told that her tendency to follow Raphael everywhere made her a stalker. Right away she’d received an interesting app on her cell phone that allowed her to track Raphael’s movements. She didn’t know who was the leader of the association, but apparently they were good with computers.
Carmen whipped out her cell phone and used the Shadow Stalker GPS tracking app to locate Raphael. Just as she’d suspected he was heading back towards his new chocolate shop Cloud 9.
Carmen hopped into her red Mazda MX-5 Miata with black leather interior and sped down the road in the direction of Cloud 9. She parked two blocks away and stealthily made her way to the shop. The singer made her way around to the side of the building and spotted a window that was too far up for her to peer inside. She dragged a trashcan over to the window before hopping up on it and peering through the window into the kitchen.
The lights were on inside, and Raphael was still awake and busy making chocolate. Or at least that’s what Carmen ‘thought’ Raphael was probably doing. It was kind of hard to tell because it also looked like he was doing chemistry. Raphael was weighing ingredients using an antique, Victorian, brass scale with weights. Carmen felt a trickle of sweat form on the side of her head. Hadn’t Raphael ever heard of a measuring cup?
The singer also noticed that he was wearing his white gloves once more. Carmen looked around the kitchen curiously and was impressed by how utterly spotless it looked. The kitchen had the latest chrome and stainless steel appliances, and an expensive looking stove with oven. There was a large kitchen island made of granite with a smaller slab of marble sitting on it for tempering chocolate.
There wasn’t a single speck of dust in the immaculate kitchen. Also, everything was neatly arranged at the right angles, and all of the jars of ingredients had been organized into groups of three. Carmen frowned at this observation. If she didn’t know any better she’d say Raphael had OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). But whoever heard of an angel with OCD?
Carmen leaned through the window to get a closer look at what Raphael was doing when she lost her balance on the trashcan. It tipped and fell over beneath her, causing Carmen to grab the windowsill and cling to it, lest she fall. “Ay, Dios mio! Oh my God!”
The sound of the trashcan falling over outside alerted Raphael to someone’s presence and he turned to see a shadowy figure in the window. Carmen was about to let go of the windowsill to escape, but in the blink of an eye Raphael was there. He pulled Carmen through window and slammed her down onto the kitchen island counter. In his right hand he willed his sword to appear and it materialized. The great sword was crackling with silver-colored elec
tric energy. Raphael swung his sword towards the intruder’s head.
But the intruder put up his hands. “Espera! I mean, wait! It’s me!”
Raphael stopped his blade an inch away from the intruder’s throat. With his left hand he yanked the fedora off to reveal a tumble of black hair. Next, he removed the sunglasses to reveal familiar chocolate brown eyes.
The ‘he’ wasn’t a ‘he’ at all but a she! Raphael blinked down at Carmen in shock. “It’s you.” He pulled his sword away from her throat completely and willed it to disappear. It returned to its pocket dimension instantly. Raphael ran a shaky hand over his mouth. “Carmen, what are you doing here? I could have killed you!” He snarled angrily.
Carmen sat up on the counter, “I got that. Were you expecting someone else?”
Raphael shook his head. “No…but it is not unusual for demons to attack me at this time. I have countless enemies. And an invisible war is brewing in this city…no, in the entire world now.” Lucifer’s army ISIS is already on the move. After my mission is complete I may be sent to the Middle East to fight against demon-possessed soldiers. I’ll have to leave Carmen behind. A dark cloud fell over Raphael’s face as he thought about what was currently going on in the world.
ISIS recently beheaded several men for cursing the devil. In America it was wrongfully reported that the men had been beheaded for ‘cursing God’. This was incorrect because the official ruling by ISIS, which was announced in Middle Eastern Sources, stated that these executions were carried out for ‘Sabi Rabul-Alameen’ in English ‘for cursing the Lord of the Worlds’.
Unfortunately, most humans still didn’t seem to understand that the title for Allah in Islam is always described as ‘Malek-rab-Al-A’lameen’ which means ‘The Lord of the Worlds’ - this is as defined in Islam, the Lord of this world, and the Lord of the underworld. In order words, the ‘Allah’ these people were worshiping was the same as Lucifer who is in control of the Earth and Hell.
Before the men were decapitated they were asked a simple question: ‘Will you give your soul to the devil?’ When they refused they were decapitated. Raphael knew that it was ignorant for the humans to think of ‘Allah’ as the generic name in Arabic for ‘God’. This ‘Allah’ had already been described in the bible by God as: ‘The god of this world who has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel’ (II Corinthians 4:4) ‘Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out’ (John 12:13) ‘The god of this world’ and ‘The Angel of the bottomless pit (underworld)’ (Revelation 9:11) is none other than Lucifer.
Raphael grit his teeth as he thought about how these ignorant humans still believed that it was the Archangel Gabriel, Michael’s brother, who passed down the Quran to Mohammed. That ‘Archangel’ was simply Lucifer in disguise doing what he did best - lying and deceiving. That prissy peacock…
Most Muslims had no idea just who they were actually worshiping, however, which is just the way Lucifer the Deceiver and the Imams wanted it. It made the war very complex though because the Muslims were still redeemable through Jesus Christ. Raphael knew one thing for sure - there were good and evil of every group of people upon the Earth. So to single out the Muslims for their blindness would be wrong. The answer was to instead spread the truth so that they could ask themselves: ‘Do I truly wish to worship Lucifer? Am I willing to give my soul to the devil? Do I truly wish for bloodshed…or do I wish instead for peace?’
Carmen gave Raphael a sympathetic look and put her hand on his shoulder. She could sense that his was a heavy burden to bear. “Raphael…” The singer hopped down from the counter wanting to hug Raphael and offer him more comfort but he stepped back in order to put more distance between them. That’s when he looked behind her at his workstation. The counter was a complete mess - jars of ingredients had been knocked over and spilled, the scale and weights were overturned, the bowl of chocolate he’d been working on had also been knocked over, and white chocolate was spilled all over the counter. A muscle ticked beneath Raphael’s eye in irritation. This encounter had cost him hours of work! Hours!
And everything was out of order. There was disorder in his kitchen. He hated this! Hated having anything out of his control. The Archangel was about to hyperventilate. I must always be in control. Everything must be under my control. “Look at the mess you’ve made…the disorder…” Raphael’s deep voice trembled with rage and something else akin to panic.
Carmen could sense that Raphael was about to have a breakdown of some sort. “Hey…” She tentatively placed a hand on his shaking shoulder again as he looked at the mess. “It’s okay. I’ll help you clean up.”
Raphael shook his head, and clenched his fists. “No…no one understands how I like things organized.”
“Oh yeah?” Carmen challenged as she arranged a group of spices into a group of three.
Raphael looked at the grouping of spices in shock. “How did you…? Well, I suppose you can help clean up. After all it’s the least you can do since you’ve cost me hours of work. I’ll be up till morning making chocolate now because of you.”
“Is that so, mi cielo?” Carmen responded as she continued to reorganize everything the way she’d seen it from the window.
Raphael sighed and carried the bowl of ruined chocolate over to the sink, put the bowl in the sink, and turned the water on. He returned to his workstation and began righting his scale and weights, cleaning the counter of spilled ingredients, and letting Carmen arrange everything. They finished at the same time and Raphael was ready to start making his white chocolate bonbons again. He was slightly impressed and grateful Carmen had been so quiet during her task. He didn’t like distractions in his kitchen. “Well, now that you’re done, you can go.”
But Carmen made no move to leave. Instead she began wander around the kitchen and open and shut cabinets and drawers as if she were searching for something. “It’s got to be around here somewhere.”
A muscle ticked in Raphael’s jaw. “What are you doing, she-demon?”
“Aha! I knew you had to have measuring cups!” Carmen declared triumphantly as she held up a glass, measuring cup set. “How about I help you make your chocolates? I’ll measure the ingredients as you tell me the recipe, and you do the rest.”
Raphael frowned. “Using those cups? How do I know they’re truly accurate?”
“Just trust me Raphael. They are.” Carmen assured with a tinge of amusement in her voice.
Raphael sighed in defeat. “Alright, fine, you measure the ingredients and I’ll make the chocolate. But no talking. I don’t like distractions in my kitchen.”
Carmen saluted Raphael. “Claro que si, mi amor! Aye aye, Sir!”
The Archangel narrowed his eyes at her. “That means starting now.” Carmen zipped her lips and nodded. “We’ll be making Orange Ginger White Chocolate discs.” Raphael informed her.
“Oh, that sounds so delicious! I can’t wait to-” Carmen bit her lower lip to silence herself when Raphael shot her an irritated look.
“The recipe is as follows: two ounces edible cocoa butter, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon powdered milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon orange extract, 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger.” Raphael explained.
Carmen measured out the cocoa butter and handed the cup to Raphael. He scooped the butter out into a microwave-safe bowl and stuck the bowl in the microwave for two minutes. After that he continued to melt the butter in increments of one minute at a time until the butter was fully melted.
“Here’s the sugar.” Carmen handed the cup of sugar to Raphael. He stirred it into the bowl and Carmen handed him the cup of powdered milk next. “Powdered milk.” Raphael stirred it into the bowl.
The succubus and Archangel stirred in the remaining ingredients until Raphael frowned down at the final ingredient listed in his recipe book. “It says to add a pinch of salt. How the hell are we supposed to know how much-”
Carmen
leaned over the bowl and added a pinch of salt. Rapahel’s jaw ticked in irritation. The singer gave him an innocent look and shrugged. “What?”
Raphael then spooned the mixture into a silicone mold of heart shapes. Carmen raised an eyebrow at the mold. “Raphael, you do realize that you’re making heart-shaped chocolates, right?”
A slight pink tinge came to Raphael’s pale cheeks. “I own a chocolate shop now. I have to make what is popular with the females.”
“Uh huh.”
“This has nothing to do with my personal tastes.” Raphael assured her.
“Sure.” Carmen agreed but did not sound at all convinced.
Raphael shot her an irritated look, but he was unable to stay angry with Carmen for very long. The time it usually took Raphael to make chocolates had been cut in half due to Carmen’s help. The Latina watched him work over his shoulder, her eyes wide and expressive. Raphael sighed. “You look like you want to say something?”
“It’s just the chocolates look like they’re going to be delicious. I can’t wait to taste them…but next time you should add a little dark chocolate to make things more wicked.” She winked.
“Who said anything about you getting to try these chocolates?” Raphael grumbled as he picked up the tray, carried it over to the refrigerator, and put it inside.
Carmen pouted. “Raphael…you meanie!”
Raphael hid a smile behind his hand. Making chocolate with Carmen wasn’t so bad. Perhaps, they could do it again sometime. At least she was quiet during the process.
To be continued in…Chocolate 9: Tangy Lime
Raphael: Make sure to visit the following website where you can learn more about how to make white chocolate from scratch.
https://www.cupcakeproject.com/2011/07/how-to-make-white-chocolate-in-less.html
Interested in reading more about the connection between ‘Allah’ and Lucifer? Go to:
Shoebat.com/2014/10/29/isis-beheads-several-men-cursing-devil
Shoebat.coe/2014/05/30/biblical-evidence-worship-allah-worship-lucifer/