“For the love of all that is good and holy in both realms, listen to us,” Maddox says. “This is the longest you’ve ever spent here,Gabriel. Your powers...change once you leave the celestial realm. Trust me. Please.”
The muscles in my back ache with a bone-deep pain, and my stomach has felt hollow all day.Maddox is not wrong. It has been a millennium since I passed more than a few hours in the earthen realm. And this time, I am not on a mission from the Almighty.
In truth, she may not even know I’m here.
Last night, after Maddox directed me to one of the guest suites in Sinclair’s penthouse, I thought Ichoseto sleep. To experience this very humanactivity as part of my education about this realm. And to speed my healing. But did I? Or did my body simply...give out?
“Fuck.”
“Did no one explain what would happen?” Killian asks.
I arch a brow at him. “Who, exactly, do you think would bother? Seraphiel? He hates me with his very soul. The Almighty is too busy to care—though I suppose she might have made the time if I'd told her what I was planning.”
Maddox gapes until Killian elbows him in the side. “He may be a proper arse, luv, but you told me the story of the first timeyouvisited this realm.”
The half-breed's cheeks flush bright red. His embarrassment should not bother me, but I avert my gaze. Why? I care nothing for the warlock and his mate. A strange sensation rolls through me, and I ask, “What happened?”
Shoving his hands into his pockets, Maddox pins his gaze to the floor. “Sinclair took me to a bar. I had never tasted whiskey before. I had no idea it could lead to...poor decisions. And vomiting. So much vomiting.”
“I will remember this. Whiskey can cause vomiting.”
Killian shakes his head. “Only in large quantities over short periods of time. The point, Gabriel, is that there is much you donot know about this realm, and you cannot simply take offand hope for the best. If you do, you will quickly find yourself injured, dead, or worse.”
“Worse? What fate is worse than death?” I ask.
The two men reply in tandem, “Marriage.”
I stare from one to the other, confused. They are mated—the supernatural equivalent of marriage. And yet they are opposed to the institution? This must be some sort of humanjoke I do not understand.
“I do not enjoy being fucked with, warlock. I have had enough of these delays. Helping Sinclair and Zoe convinced me that I know too little of this realm. As I cannot return to the celestial realm until my wings are fully healed, I have decided to spend some time on earth among those I am tasked with watching over to better understand them. After a week—perhaps two—I will return to the celestial realm for the rest of eternity.”
In truth, understanding humanity is not my only motivation. The past several days have been some of the most interesting of my existence. I am not ready to go back yet. I want…more.
I shove the crumpled bills into the pockets of my robes and step back so I do not injure the two men when I disappear.My power has been known to burst ear drums and render even the strongest of humans unconscious for hours.
“Wait!” Killian snaps and grabs my wrist. “You need more than money.”
“What else?” I ask, bored of this conversation.“Get on with it quickly so I may be off.”
Maddox shakes his head. “And I thoughtIwas naive when I came to this realm.”
Killian chuckles and presses a kiss to Maddox’s temple. “You were, luv. But at least you knew whatpantswere.” The warlock looks me up and down. “What do you think? Thirty-four long?”
“At least. Maybe thirty-six. He’s taller than either of us.” Maddox drops to one knee and jerks the hem of my robe up to expose my feet. “Holy fuck. Size twelve shoes. No. Thirteen.”
“Is there something wrong with my sandals?” I wrench the robe from Maddox’s hand. “They are comfortable.”
“It’s October.” Killian shakes his head. “San Francisco may be mild this time of year, but the rest of the country is not. And if you visit Canada or Russia or Iceland…” He shudders. “You’ll find rain, sleet, snow…”
“I am an archangel. Rain will not touch me. Snow will melt at the very sight of me. Enough of this fussing. I am certain Sinclair and Zoe need some sort of assistance. Perhaps you should…check on them?”
Maddox rolls his eyes. “When I knocked on Sin’s door this morning, he said, and I quote, ‘Fuck off.’” Killian gapes at him, and he adds, “He did text me five minutes later and apologized. But Zoe hasn’t woken up yet, and he doesn’t want to be disturbed until she does.”
“He’s lucky I wasn’t the one who checked on him,” Killian says, “or he would have found himself turned into a raccoon for a few hours. I know he’s worried about Zoe, but after what we did for him…”
The warlock’s shoulders slump. He expended so much magical energy creating the tether from this realm to the Underworld, I was almost…worried about him.
“He’s been alone for a long time.” Maddox scribbles on a small pad of paper, tears off a sheet, and hands it to his mate. “I think this should do it. Do you want to go? Or shall I?”
