The bellman came out to the SUV and Dash popped the tailgate. The valet opened my door and Vale’s simultaneously, though Vale was scrambling to gather up all the snack packaging he’d already mauled his way through.
I stepped out and grabbed the little cooler. “Sir, we can put it on the trolley. We’ll deliver your bags as soon as you check-in.”
The bellman reached for the cooler, but I shifted it to my other hand. “I’m sorry, but I’ll keep it with me. It contains my medication.”
There was a low growl behind me before Dash took the cooler and put his arm around my shoulders. “I’ve got it, thanks.”
He steered us toward the entrance, chuckling next to me. Suddenly, he stopped and walked back to the guy. “How about I rip yours off and choke you on it? That’s my husband. You can fuck off.”
Dash returned to me and put his arm around my waist to guide me forward. “What was that about?”
“He said, ‘God, I’d like to have that hot piece choke on my cock.’ Didn’t you hear him?”
“When did he say that?” I was surprised at Dash’s words. I hadn’t heard the guy say it.
Vale was walking next to us with his remaining snacks sticking out of his jacket pocket. “I didn’t hear that. If he said it out loud, he must be nuts, and I need to get my ears checked.”
Can you hear me? I didn’t speak out loud this time.
Of course. You didn’t hear that guy say anything about you giving him head?Dash stopped us, but Vale continued inside.
“No, love. I didn’t hear it. Can you hear others? Could you hear Vale?” Was this the next step on his journey? Were more gifts being given to him so he could prevail in the fight?
Would we ever be normal again?
Chapter Eight
Dash
We stepped into the hotel lobby, and I was bombarded by voices to the point I wanted to stick my fingers in my ears like the mature demon I was turning into. I quickly snapped my fingers and the cacophony of sound was silenced.
Keir scanned the ornate lobby, possibly looking for an aggressor due to my suspension of all activity, but I put down the cooler and took his arm, turning him to me. “Am I really hearing everyone’s thoughts, all at once? How is this possible?”
“It’s okay, my friend. I’ll explain.”
Keir pointed to Michael the Archangel casually strolling through the lobby in his usual sneakers, faded jeans, and vintageband T-shirt—Grateful Dead, which would have made me laugh if I wasn’t so fucking freaked out already. His long hair hung loose on his shoulders, and he wore a warm grin.
Michael approached us, hugging Keir, then me. “I got the Celestial Council to gift you the ability to read the minds of the living and the dead. Keir can hear them speak, but you can now hear their thoughts. It will be helpful with what’s coming next. You’ll need to learn to block out some of the noise, but we’ll help with that.”
“Did Jonas come to see you?” Keir steered the three of us toward an intimate seating area beside a large stone fireplace with a glowing fire.
Michael exhaled. “He did. He was quite upset that anyone would suggest a Celestial would allow harm to come to a child and not intercede. Unfortunately, there may be some merit to the idea. I don’t believe it’s anyone on the Council at the moment, but there are lesser beings who attend the Council meetings, and they may be more susceptible to temptation by Nyx. I’ve got Raphael looking into it since Jo is in hiding. We’re running out of Celestials, you know.”
Keir sat forward to address Michael, not appearing to be happy at all. “What do you know about my ancestors? I need to talk to someone to determine whether I’m the last Dearly. Dad did some research and—”
“Hang on a second, Gatekeeper. I don’t know the answers, but maybe we can ask someone who is well-versed.”
Michael stood and retrieved his phone from his back pocket. He walked toward the exit, staring at all the folks frozen in the lobby, including Vale standing in line to check into the hotel.
Seconds later, Michael returned with a smile and a hooded being behind him. The large hood was daunting, but when it slipped off, excitement pulsed through me.
Keir shot off the couch we’d been sharing and ran over to the being—the one and only David Dearly, Keir’s father and a member of the Angel of Death Collective.
“Dad!” Keir threw his arms around David’s shoulders. I teared up as Keir and his father embraced, my guy bawling his eyes out.
I walked over, joining their hug uninvited. It was the most beautiful reunion I’d ever seen, and if anyone could make sense of the dumpster fire about to consume us, I was sure it was David, my father-in-law.
I wiped my eyes before I turned to Michael. “How’d you swing this?”
