Found

“Well, you seem like the catch of the century,” Seir announced after another long silence. “Scintillating conversationalist, fun to party with, superb taste in dead white guy music. It’s a wonder you’re still single.”

Raphael stopped and calmly stared at Seir.

“Sarcasm is not an attractive quality,” the angel said at last, “especially on a date. I was told your kind nature was rare for a demon, but I must confess I’ve yet to see any evidence of it.”

Seir sucked air in through his nose rather than reply. “And I heard you were blessed with the power of healing,” Seir countered back. “If there’s any time left on your stopwatch of romance, maybe you can, I don’t know, heal this train wreck of a night and stop it from bleeding to death.”

Raphael smiled for the first time. Seir could see how much more handsome the angel was with that flash of teeth. Those dimples were adorable, and the demon found it hard to look away.

“It’s been ordained from on high that I am to meet, fall in love, and mate with a demon. I don’t like the command any more than you do, but it is what it is. I followed the directions of my superiors and invited you out assuming the same impulse existed in you. I’ve tried to be polite, patient, and understanding and really give this night a fair try.”

“Have you really? I mean same, same,” Seir replied.

“I have more dates scheduled for the foreseeable future. I wish I didn’t. I wish I was not part of this list, which I know you know all about, but I am. Even an archangel like myself, with the rank and stature afforded someone in my position, is not exempt from the Master’s plan.”

“I’m sure there’s no one quite like you.” Okay, so Seir had tried charm throughout the evening, but Raphael hadn’t been receptive from the moment they met up. He wasn’t sure why he was bothering now.

“According to my watch, we have exactly ten minutes left on this rendezvous to fully explore whether we’re meant to be together.”

“I guess that rules out sex,” Seir said. If kindness wasn’t going to work, he might as well try some attempt at humor. “Unless you’re up for a blowjob.”

Again, the demon was joking. Both knew the terms they were meeting under and had agreed to no intimate touching, not to mention oral gratification. Not that they were being cordial or gentlemanly, but to ensure the balance between angels and demons was not unduly upset by unmated sexual contact. That had been an old rule between the two camps for as far back as anyone could remember.

Raphael unfurled his wings, the bright white feathers gleaming powerfully in the muted moonlight. “Let’s just be silent for these last minutes, shall we, and refrain from crude comments that degrade the intimacy between two souls.”

Seir considered the angel. My, but they get touchy and overly sensitive. Just like his friend’s angelic mate. Uriel. Haures mated with his angel just under a year ago, and Seir had hung with the two of them a couple of times. Despite Uriel being gorgeous, he failed to see the attraction Haures had for him. What an incredibly high-maintenance partner to be saddled with for all time. No, thank you.

When Raphael asked Seir out on this date, the demon went straight to Lucifer to report it. He had no interest in meeting up with the high and mighty archangel but was obligated to keep his boss in the loop. Any contact from an angel must be reported immediately, was the official instruction. So, Seir reported it.

“Try to enjoy yourself,” was all the Lord of the Underworld said. Seir had been confused by the response and he told Lucifer he would not enjoy himself because he had no interest in going on the date in the first place. “Interest or not, you will go on this date, and you will try to enjoy yourself. It’s not a suggestion.”

So that was that. Whether or not Seir’s name was on this so-called list was unknown to him, but he wasn’t about to disobey an order from Lucifer over it.

And as much as Seir hated the opera and the entire night, he was a bit saddened by the fact his date was almost over. Clearly, Seir hadn’t been picked to be an angel mate, but still, he would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t enjoy just sitting here with Mr. Sexy.

The rumor mill in the Underworld had been buzzing with speculation for weeks. The facts were clear, however: the archangel Gabriel had been told two archangels – Raphael and Michael – were fated to mate with demons. Those names were on the list, but nobody knew which demons were their intended mates. The local betting agencies were running huge books, including virtually every demon in the realm.

If Lucifer knew who was being mated yet, he was keeping it quiet. Unlike the first three couplings, whose names appeared on the list together from the beginning, these last three were burdened with mystery and secret. Seir wasn’t the first demon to wonder if the Head Office was starting to get bored with their toys and was looking for something – anything – to keep this show amusing for those on high.

Such thoughts were never spoken out loud, at least not directly. Not even in the Underworld. But Seir could tell some of his colleagues felt that way.

Looking at the expression on the face of Raphael as he sat in silence, waiting for the clock to run out on this disaster of a date, Seir wondered if the angel was not also coming to the same unspeakable conclusion. I should go in and bet against myself as a mate – that would take the sting out of this date.

A phone alarm went off. Raphael took his smartphone out of the breast pocket of his tailored houndstooth blazer and turned it off.

“Thank you for the evening,” the archangel stiffly said as he stood up. “Can I drop you anywhere?”

Seir looked at the wings spread wide behind the angel’s back. ‘Drop’ was not a welcome verb pertaining to any mode of transportation.

“No, I’m good. Thanks all the same,” Seir said, then started to add, “I know it didn’t quite live up to your idea of…”

But it was too late. The angel had lifted off the ground with a mighty flap and was soon indistinguishable from the stars sprinkled throughout the night sky.

The demon stood on the beach alone, looked one last time up to the light that was flying away from him at a rapid pace, and finished what he had to say.

“I know it didn’t quite live up to your idea of an ideal date,” Seir shouted, “but I had fun to a point.” He didn’t add what he was leading up to say: “I would’ve liked to get to know you better if you’d just given me a chance instead of an interview window...”

The demon kicked at the sand with his boots, turned his collar up against the chilly sea breeze, and walked alone along the shore for the remainder of the night. He could’ve given me a chance.