"We could start using human brokers again," I suggested. We used to reveal ourselves to one human, carefully chosen, to do things on Earth for us. They owned our properties, made business deals, and dealt with any offspring we might have had as humans. Of course, I'd never had any, but others had. The children of two angels in their human cycles had always been human. Another reason I'd assumed Ariel would be.
But then, Luc and I weren't normal angels, either.
I stripped slowly as the water heated up. Gabe sat facing away. "If I wasn't so tired, I’d argue for the first shower."
Goosebumps danced across my skin as I smiled at his words. "If I wasn't so tired, I'd let you."
Too bad for both of us, I didn't have it in me. If I laid down to wait, I would've been fast asleep.
The tankless water heater Lucian and Connie had installed was a blessing. I stood under the spray until my skin was wrinkly. My worried mind wouldn't quiet, even though the exhaustion was making clouds push in the edges. Where was Ariel? What was Raphael feeding her? Had he found someone to care for her? I couldn't picture him being particularly maternal.
If she appeared on Earth, would I feel her? Would I know?
I reached out with my magic to try to sense her, but it resisted.
I knew I'd pushed myself too far when even my magic didn't want to go out to play, and after four decades of not being used. It was normally very eager to be of use after an Earth cycle. As it lay dormant inside us, it recharged and reconnected with the Earth itself, giving us more power and vitality. It generally lasted about five centuries before it began to wane, and when it was too weak, it would launch us into our next Earth cycle. We never had warning specifically when it was happening, but we usually had a general idea and could prepare ourselves.
"Lil." Michael's voice pushed through my thoughts a few minutes later. Michael stood beside me now, a concerned look on his face. "You fell asleep."
I took my arm off the shower wall. "Wow," I whispered, and my voice came out as a croak. "I didn't even wash." I laughed and grabbed the shampoo. "I don't think I've ever fallen asleep standing up, in all my lives."
Michael took the bottle from me and turned me around. "Just try to stay upright. I got you."
Closing my eyes and focusing on staying awake, I let him lather my long dark hair.
He grabbed the removable shower head and rinsed the suds out. "You've always had hair that made me want to keep my hands in it," he said. "Silky."
I hummed low in my throat, barely keeping my mind focused on his words. When he turned me to rub my loofah all over my body, I opened my eyes in surprise. I hadn't even realized he'd stopped stroking my hair and lathered up with my body wash.
My gaze drifted down. I knew caring for me like this was thoughtful of him. He'd always loved pampering me. All part of his caring nature.
Did anyone wash their legs this thoroughly? That was what shaving was for. I giggled as he hit the inside of my ankle. It tickled.
His efforts relaxed me and put me into a state of calm peace. I wasn't exactly happy, but my sleepy mind pushed the panic and worry away.
He wasn't as tired as Gabriel. When he finished spreading soap over me, he dropped the loofah and grabbed the showerhead with one hand, holding me with the other to rinse me off.
When the soap rinsed away, he turned the water off and wrapped me in a warm dry towel.
I roused enough to wrap a towel around my head and let him lead me to the bed.
My stomach growled as I climbed in, toweling my hair and leaning against the headboard.
As if my hunger pang had summoned him, Lucifer walked in with a plate of pizza, napkin, and a bottle of water. "Thought you might want to eat in bed," he said.
I nearly cried in relief. "How are you not as tired as I am?" I asked.
"I am," he said. "I fell asleep on the couch waiting on the pizza. As soon as I shower, I'm out like a light."
The pizza tasted like the finest manna from Elysium after going so long without eating. "You realize you're chewing with your eyes closed?" Michael said. I opened my eyes to see Luc had left the room. The faint sounds of the shower coming on again told me where he was.
"I didn't realize that." The slice of pizza in my hand, which I thought I'd only taken a bite of, was half gone. "Another first. I've never eaten in my sleep."
Gabe walked in just in time to hear that and laughed at me. "I thought you were just resting and enjoying the water. Not asleep."
I giggled and chewed the last of the slice of pizza. There was another on the plate, but one was enough to stave off my hunger. I handed it to Gabe. "Want that?" I asked.
"Duh," he said. I burrowed myself in the blankets with a fleeting thought about where they'd all sleep. Drifting off, my last thoughts were of my sweet Ariel. I prayed she was warm and comfortable, and unaware of her separation from her parents.
