“Can any angel do that?”
“Only those with my skill set.”
Her mind went into overdrive, and Luc was once again amazed by how quickly she processed information and adapted accordingly. Not dissimilar to a supercomputer, and certainly faster than any human, demon, or angel of his acquaintance.
“I’d prefer to remain awake until I know the danger has passed.” She paused in pulling on her clothes and cocked her head. “Do you sleep?”
“I do. But I only require a few hours per day at most.” Indeed, he was twice as productive as a human holding the same CEO position as him, as he needed only a quarter of their sleep. His ability to manipulate the brain’s hormones allowed him to remain awake for long stretches when necessary or, like Nadia after learning of Dina and Raz’s fate, render others unconscious.
“In this, we are nothing alike. If I don’t get my standard eight hours, I’m a bear.”
“I’m well aware. Even more when you’ve had too much to drink,” he said with a laugh, grinning as she struck his arm. “Now hurry. They will be here momentarily.”
“We reek of sex,” she hissed.
With dancing eyes, he ran a hand along her body, dipped it beneath her waistband, and cupped her. “Are you embarrassed to have slept with me, pet?”
“Don’t even kid! Of course not.”
“Then you’ve nothing to worry about,” he said as he pulled away. With a wink, he licked her off his fingers. “I shall consume all the evidence.”
So saying, he waved an arm.
Nadia blinked as the body imprints on the ground vanished.
“Impressive.” She nodded approvingly. “I need you to teach me that one. It could come in handy.”
“If you’re with me, there is no need for you to learn it.”
She raised a brow, feeling reckless. “And if I’m not?”
“Then God help whoever you choose for a partner,” he growled. “They will need the Creator to hide from me.”
Laughing, she rose up and kissed him. “That’s my man!”
Looking worse for wear, Gabriel rounded the corner with Raphael and a displeased Thamiel on his heels.
“Would you mind if I snuck off to investigate the book?” she asked, with an uneasy glance at Raphael.
“Not at all. It might be best if you sequestered yourself,” he agreed, infusing a subtle warning in his tone. The chamber would provide her protection should Raphael attempt to double-cross them, as he was inclined to do.
With a slight welcome smile for her father, she darted away, leaving Luc to face the others.
“How does Mikey fare?” he asked, with no small measure of satisfaction.
He’d been quick to take advantage of Michael’s inattention, and for reasons of his own, Raphael hadn’t interfered when Luc knocked him out. He’d gone so far as to suggest they tie him up.
“He’s not happy, that’s for damned sure,” Gabriel replied with a grunt. “Why did Nadia leave?”
“She wishes to study her new find.”
“The Liber Inchoatus,” Raphael said with a shake of his head as he stared after her.
“You know of it.” Luc didn’t bother to phrase it as a question; the truth was stamped all over his frustrated features. “Did our father send you on a mission to retrieve the book?”
“Something like that.”
His brother’s cryptic reply was laced with bitterness, and the overall vibe of it seemed surly, as if he were tired of being thought a mindless errand boy. Luc studied him with fresh eyes.
