Michael studied Lucian for a moment. “Have you finally found someone you love more than yourself?”
Clenching his jaw, Lucian spit out one word. “Yes.” He scowled, as if admitting this truth left a bad taste in his mouth. “Two,” he mumbled under his breath.
Too terrified to care, I looked to my father. “Dad. I don’t want to lose him. I know it’s selfish, I know he’s in Heaven now, but I need him. And he needs me.”
“Are you sure, honey? If he doesn’t want to come back, I can’t make him.” My father’s eyes softened. “Do you understand?”
I nodded and bit my bottom lip.Hewouldwant to come back, right?In my heart, I knew I should do the right thing and let him go, yet I couldn’t. If he didn’t want to return, then at least I could say my goodbyes to him.
And maybe Dad could fly me to Heaven to see him every so often.
A crazy burst of laughter tried to climb its way up my throat.Yeah, great plan, Phoebe. Hitch a ride with Daddy Dearest, who just happens to be an archangel, to see your dead...boyfriend...almost-lover...?I didn’t even know what we were. We hadn’t had the time to develop our relationship.
Another reason to bring him back.
“I understand he may not want to come back, but we have to try. I think he’d do the same for me.”
Michael jabbed his weapon into the sand and held a hand, palm up, toward Lucian. “You know what needs to be done, then.” From the look on Lucian’s face, he fought against disgust and resignation.
“If you really care for you son, save him, thenshowhim.” I wiped tears from my cheeks, barely daring to hope. “Stop trying to make him in your image and let him be himself, let him be free of this place.”
“This boy’s been more trouble than I’d have thought possible.” Lucian’s lips flattened as he ran his hands across Cain’s arms to rest his palms on Cain’s chest. “But yes, I won’t deny I have a soft spot for him.” Lucian’s obsidian gaze met mine then shifted to Dad. “But I’ll need help. My powers aren’t quite what they should be, thanks to your surprise attack.”
My father frowned. “What are you talking about? You’re God’s equal, or near-equal.”
“That may be, but I’ve not been spending as much time in my realm as I should, and after our little quarrel and the surprise palace party”—he jerked a thumb toward Sheol—“I’m nearly spent.”
“How do I know I can trust you?” Dad stepped closer to Lucian, who still crouched at Cain’s side. “After everything you’ve done, everything you are?”
“Dad, stop. This isn’t the time or place.” I met Lucian’s hard stare, which seemed to sift through every thought I had, every memory I’d ever made, and every buried secret. Terrible and beautiful, his attention left me shivering and afraid. But I didn’t back down. “What kind of help do you need?” I kept my voice even.
“Absolutely not.” With a quick jerk, my father pulled me toward him. “You are not part of this—”
“You lost the right to tell me what to do when you left Mom and me to fend for ourselves.” I hadn’t meant to let my anger slip out. I’d always thought I’d be happy if I ever found out he lived, yet a tiny part resented him for letting us think he’d died. “I love Cain, and I’ll do whatever it takes to bring him back.”
“Phoebe, you don’t understand everything.” Michael turned his focus toward Lucian. “Use me, I’m a full angel, and I’ve still got plenty of ether.”
“Yet you have no love for my son, which makes your offering weak.” Lucian motioned me to kneel beside him, near Cain’s body. “Come here, Nephilim.”
I didn’t hesitate.
Grabbing my hand, Lucian clenched it in his then laid our locked fingers on Cain’s chest. “Keep your mind focused and only think of pleasant things, of happiness, of your love for him. I’ll do the rest.”
I closed my eyes and recalled the day with my father on the carousel, then I relived Cain and I visiting the zoo, how he’d seemed to open himself up to me. I thought of his lips on mine, of our night on his patio, of how beautiful his face was when he smiled, how his pale silver-blue eyes sparkled as our mouths came together for a kiss—
“Less lust,” Lucian said with a hint of snark.
My cheeks heated, but I kept my eyelids shut. I regrouped and thought about our past conversations. Fire ran through my limbs, burning the marrow in my bones as it flowed from me to Cain’s chest. I wanted to open my eyes to watch his face, but I was afraid I’d jinx whatever it was Lucian was doing to push life into Cain’s body. So, I lived the happy memories and prayed to God, to my father, and to Lucian.
Please bring him back to me. Give us both a second chance.
Underneath my fingertips, the barest hint of movement stirred.
I held my breath, hardly daring to believe.
A deep, barking cough broke the silence, and my eyes flew open.
Lucian released my hand and stood. “It’s done.”
