by J. J. Dean
"He'll be okay, babe. Don't stress too much. And I’m fine. It’s just a little sore, but it’s tolerable. Stop worrying so much. Now jump in the shower. We all need sleep, and I'm about ready to pass out," he replies, dropping a lingering kiss on my forehead. He taps my ass before moving away, reaches for a fresh towel, and says, "I'll get you some fresh clothes for you to throw on as soon as you're done."
He drops another kiss onto my head before leaving me to shower by myself. I don't know why, but a grin breaks out over my face. I know Eli is in pain, and I'll soothe him as soon as I'm done. But for once in a long, long time, I've been taken care of.
It feels really nice.
Chapter 12
Devon
I pick up the bowl from the coffee table and head to the kitchen, keeping my back to Luna. I can hear her drag herself up off the couch and her feet carefully walking towards the stairs, but I remain facing the sink, pretending like I'm seriously invested in cleaning up after the mess that's been made.
Luna's footsteps pause before she clears her throat. I turn just as she says, "Thank you for, uh, rescuing me. And Eli. And taking care of me."
Well, who would have seen the day that I was helping the thorn in my side while said thorn thanked me. I can feel my face morphing into one of surprise. Telling her she's welcome, and meaning it, I receive a smile in response before she makes her way up the stairs.
Alone, I turn back to the sink and rest my hands on either side. I hang my head and breathe in and out deeply while it sinks in that we almost lost Luna again. Again. Had we not showed up when we did, found her moments later, she'd be dead. How does one angel attract so much damn trouble? And why in the heavens does it feel like I can finally take a normal breath again now that I know that she's safe and sound with us?
"You alright, Dev?" Noah's voice asks from behind me.
My head snaps up, and I clear my throat. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."
Busying myself, I clear away the washcloths, throwing them in the bin since they're stained with Hellspawn blood. The bowl hasn't fared much better, so I turn and hold it up for Noah to see. "Think you can replace this for me? It's ruined, and I don't want to throw it if I can get a replacement."
He nods and takes a quick look at the bowl. A second later, his eyes glow a faint gold color, and he holds his hand out to the counter beside me. In a blink, an identical bowl sits on top of the marble.
"Thanks." I nod at him and pick the new bowl up before putting it away and throwing the ruined one in the bin.
"Anytime," he says, watching me with a careful eye. "Sure you're alright?"
I pause before releasing another long, deep breath. I drop my hands onto my hips and turn to face Noah. "Know a way to chain the woman to parts of the furniture? Because that angel seems to be a magnet for bad luck. How many more times is she going to up and disappear on us?"
"Sounding pretty worried there for someone who's been nothing but an asshole to her as of late," another voice says. My head comes up to watch Asher descend the stairs. My eyes narrow on him even though he is right. I have treated her like shit from the very moment I saw her purple hair, gray eyes, and tattooed skin. I don’t know what made me do it, or why, but as soon as I saw her and she opened her mouth, I couldn’t help the assholery that passed through my lips. It’s like she brings it out in me, and I’m completely helpless to do anything about it. I am trying to curb the attitude, but the frustrating angel makes it a difficult task to achieve.
"Of course I'm worried. She may be a pain in my ass, but she's the only thing standing in the way of tipping the balance between Heaven and Hell," I explain, feeling a pang in my chest that I don't really understand. I mean, that's the only reason I'm worried... right?
Asher eyes me with a sharp look and says, "That's the only reason? Looked like more to be, but what do I know?"
My jaw clenches together, and I look away. I'm here for a job, to make sure the angel stays safe and nothing more. I'm not here for anything else. I can't be. Though, at this point, I don't even know if I'm still working the job He gave me, or if I'm working a job of my own creation. The job being protecting the stubborn, frustrating, infuriating Fallen angel upstairs.
How did this get so complicated in so little time? The plan was to draw her closer to picking the side of Heaven. To bring her home before the war breaks out and then be done with it. But no. Luna and anything pertaining the crazy woman never comes easy. Instead, she's been kidnapped twice, attacked three times, had her powers returned to her, and all in a short matter of a month. How is that even possible?
Better yet, how is it possible that it doesn't bother me that my priorities have slowly shifted? The only thing keeping me on Earth instead of going home and telling Him I failed... is her.
That doesn't mean I like her or anything... right?
I'll keep telling myself that because it seems to be the safest option here. She drives me up the wall on the best of days, so surely it's just because I've grown protective of her since the others are smitten. But why does my chest tighten when that thought crosses my mind? Why do my eyes go to her bedroom door, and my mind goes to wondering if she's okay or fully healed?
I can't go there. I won't focus on that right now.
"Can we move on to the fact that Luna and Elijah were abducted, and it took us a day and a half to find them? Not to mention they were abducted by a Gargoyle and a Cherub, both of which I thought never left Heaven or Hell. And let's not forget that Luna almost got her ass killed again." By the time I'm done with my tirade, I feel a little breathless. I run a hand through my white hair and shake my head before turning to look at Noah and Asher again. "Oh, and Eli has Fallen, Ms. Frenchie and the dog are still missing, and I don't know what the fuck is going to happen next."
Noah nods sagely and says, "Things do seem to get a little crazy around here when Luna is involved."
"That's an understatement," I retort, rolling my eyes and walking towards the couch. I drop my body down, feeling truly exhausted for the first time since I came to Earth. My eyes are stinging from being open for too many hours and lack of sleep, my body aches, and I'm completely spent. I could sleep a week, and it still wouldn't be enough.
Asher is clattering in the kitchen, and Noah comes to sit on the other couch. I snatch up the remote and turn on the television, flicking through the movies until I stop on one that I won't pay much attention to. Once Asher is done, he comes to sit on the couch with Noah, leaving me to myself.
I notice he winces slightly when his back touches the couch and, without much thought, I ask, "Your back still hurting?"
He shakes his head, trying to get comfortable. "Not hurting, but aching when I move wrong. Don't worry about it. Luna's doing enough of that for us all."
Nodding, I sink into the couch, deciding to get comfortable after my entire body has been tense since we figured out Luna and Eli went missing. After a couple of minutes, I ask, "Eli doing okay?"
Asher shrugs. "Doing better than I did, but his wounds are still open. He's still in agony, but if I know Luna, she'll stay with him until he's up and walking again."
My chest tightens for a moment before it releases again. No way is that jealousy. Of course, it's not. I'm not even going there.
There's another pause before Noah clears his throat. "We should probably talk about a way to keep Luna safe since Devon is right. She draws danger to her like a magnet, and I can only assume more will come."
Asher snorts, taking a long draw of his coffee before telling us, "We'll make a plan in the morning. It's better to have Eli and Luna in on it too. Better to have us all come up with a plan instead of having to repeat it later on."
I guess that makes sense. My mind is fried, so I can't imagine I'd be much good at plan creating right now, in any case.
Noah agrees and says, "We'll have to think of a way to find Ms. Frenchie and Brutus, too. We all know Luna won't rest until they're home. The sooner we find them, the safer Luna will be since she won't be out
looking for them every day."
That's another good point. It's starting to grate on my nerves since I'm usually the one who's trying to be serious and plan ahead. If I wasn't so damn exhausted, I'd be on my game. As it was, all I can think about is sleeping for a few hours before putting any plan into motion. And Luna. Why am I still thinking about Luna?
Shaking my head, I turn the volume up on the TV and decide to block everyone out until Luna's rested. Before then, I'm not going to think about a damned thing. Why I'm suddenly acting like the caring type with the angel I was sent here to convince to pick Heaven, or why that makes me feel a little queasy when it didn't before, or why the hell I even care. Tonight, I'm going to watch lame TV before passing out for no less than eight hours. Everything else can wait for just one night.
One night where Luna hopefully isn't abducted again, and we're not attacked by Hellspawn. Two weeks of Luna being in a zombie-like state and nothing happens. She comes back to herself, and she gets kidnapped and attacked all in one day. I've never met anyone with that kind of affinity with danger.
All three of us sit around in silence after that, Asher sipping his coffee and Noah falling asleep slowly, his head dropping off his fist every now and then. In the silence, we can hear when the shower shuts off upstairs. Asher quickly finishes his coffee and says, "I'm going to stay with those two tonight. Spare room is all yours."
Without giving us a chance to answer, he heads to the kitchen, drops his cup in the sink, and then heads up the stairs to Luna's room. That niggling feeling in my chest tries to spread, but I ignore it and focus on the movie that's playing.
After the fourth time Noah's head falls off his closed fist, he yawns and stretches before saying, "I'm turning in. You can have the bed. I'll take the sofa bed. See you in the morning."
I nod and tell him, "Thanks. See you in a while."
He leaves a second later, turning down the hallway that leads to the spare room. We've all been giving Luna her space, so Asher and Eli have been in the spare room while Noah and I have taken up residency on the couch. Despite the feeling that's an awful lot like jealousy, I'll be glad to have a proper bed to sleep in.
I sit up a while longer, my eyes watching the movie that's playing without really seeing it. Instead, my mind wanders back to the silver-haired angel upstairs. We still don't know why the Gargoyle and Cherub took her, no idea who they are to her, but when we showed up, we caught them walking away from the construction site almost like they were in a daze. At least, the Gargoyle had been. The Cherub just seemed to follow after him like an unsettling, beady-eyed puppy.
What could they have wanted with Luna and Eli? It doesn't make sense. They're not monsters who involve themselves in the problems between Heaven and Hell. They just exist, offering their services to whichever being their loyalties lie with. So why were a Gargoyle and Cherub together, and why did they take the only angel who has to power to tip a balance we've all been waiting for? It doesn't make sense unless I'm missing something. But what?
I need to grill Luna about it in the morning. Until then, I'm going to bed before I pass out on the couch when I have a perfectly good bed to use for the first time since landing here.
Dragging my body off the couch, I snatch up the remote and switch the TV off. I head to the kitchen, pour a glass of water, and down in quickly, leaving the glass in the sink to clean in the morning.
Sighing, I make my way to the bedroom. Noah looks like he's already passed out, so I make sure to keep my steps quiet. Crouching next to my duffle bag, I snatch up the first pair of sweatpants my hands touch and a plain white shirt, changing quickly before climbing into the queen-sized bed.
My head hits the pillow, and my eyes close with a sigh. I'm seconds away from falling asleep when I hear Noah turn over and whisper, "I know we were both sent here for the same reasons Asher and Elijah were, but I meant it when I said I'm refusing. I won't do that to Luna. I won't hurt her."
Pausing to gather my thoughts, I ask, "I understand. What does that mean for you though? Are you going to go home and leave Luna? Or...?"
I leave the question hanging, though we both know what I'm asking. Is he going to leave Luna or Fall for her? Seems to be the trend lately. Two of the four of us have fallen already.
Noah doesn't answer for a few moments, the wind whistling outside the only sound to be heard in the otherwise silent room. He sighs quietly before saying, "I'll do whatever it takes to keep Luna safe. I won't leave her. If I Fall, then I Fall. It'll be worth it knowing she's safe and protected."
He turns over in his bed after that, depositing the room into silence once more. I don't have a reply for him. I think I knew his decision before he did, so I'm not all that surprised. What's rendered me speechless is the conviction with which he's determined to keep Luna safe. To look out for her, protect her, and make sure no harm comes to her. There's no hesitation, and more surprising is that I understand it. The need to be the shield for the Fallen angel who's getting under my skin.
Sighing, I turn over and attempt to fall asleep. My eyes close, and my breathing evens out. Before unconsciousness claims me, Noah's whispered question rips away some of the exhaustion I'm feeling. "What will your decision be, Devon? Are you going to carry out His will, or will you stay and protect Luna with the rest of us? What's keeping you here?"
I don't answer. I'm pretty sure I already know the answer, but I can't make myself utter the words. I'm not ready to admit it just yet, but I'm pretty sure the only reason I haven't abandoned this entire mission is lying in bed with her silver hair, gray eyes, and tattooed-covered body.
When did this get so complicated?
Chapter 13
Luna
After jumping out of the shower, I get dressed in the clothes Asher left on the toilet seat for me and towel dry my long hair before heading into the bedroom. Eli is still lying on the left side of the bed, his back bare and his wounds fully on display. They look like they've stopped bleeding, which should mean they'll start stitching back together soon.
My heart hurts, seeing the matching jagged scars running down his back, so similar to mine. And Asher’s. Why are angels Falling every left, right, and fucking center? Damn.
I shake my head and make my way over to the bed. I climb in carefully, doing my best not to jostle the bed too much. It doesn't help, and Eli hisses a breath, waking up a fraction before relaxing and falling back to sleep.
Hurrying up, I scoot in next to him and lay down. As soon as I'm comfortable, I start singing quietly to him, drawing on my power and sending as much as I can to him, just as I did for Asher. If I can help him sleep for a little while without so much pain, then I'll stay up as long as it takes to give him that short reprieve.
Eli relaxes immediately, his face smoothing out into one of peace. I burrow further into the bed, pulling the comforter over my legs. Moving closer to Eli, I look over the softened contours of his face. He looks content as he starts to snore. Smiling, I run the pad of my finger gently over his features, tracing his dark copper eyebrows, over his cheek bones, and moving along his stubbled jaw.
He sighs in his sleep, and his arm comes up to wrap around my waist. I smile again and continue to lightly glide my finger over his face while I sing, happy that I can provide some semblance of comfort while I know he's suffering.
We lay like that for a while, minutes slipping by while I sing or hum and vary between running my hand through his hair and tracing his features. I'm not sure how long passes, but there's a knock at the door a little while later. I don't bother answering because I know whoever it is will enter anyway.
Sure enough, Asher pokes his head around the door before stepping into the room entirely. He closes the door after him and walks towards the bed. He whispers, "You should be asleep."
I stop humming long enough to answer. "He needs the comfort more than I need to sleep. You and I both know that."
Sending him a look, I go back to humming. Ash doesn't answer, knowing his brother needs me as muc
h as he did when he Fell. Instead, he walks around the bed and climbs in behind me. He tucks himself under the comforter and wraps his arm around my waist just under Eli's. I can feel his entire body pressed up against mine, and it settles something inside me. As though having him so near eases whatever worries are plaguing me.
Pausing my humming, I say, "You should get some sleep. We'll still be here when you wake up."
I hear a derisive snort, and I roll my eyes. Asher pulls himself closer to me, pressing a leg between mine while the other molds the back of my knee. "I'll believe that when I see it. You've got a great fucking way of vanishing."
Cringing because he isn't wrong, I nod. I do have a tendency to disappear a lot since the four of them came in my life. In my defense, it's not my fault. Well, the one time might be considered my fault since I did sneak out of the apartment, but I'll be damned again if I take the blame for every other time.
With my free arm, I rest it over Eli's so my hand can reach Asher's. "It's a special talent of mine. I promise I won't go anywhere tonight, though. Want me to swear it just to make you feel better?"
I don't mean for my words to come out so teasingly. Okay, that's a lie. The last sentence was totally meant to tease him, but he really makes it too easy. As giddy as it makes me that he worries for me and that he's suctioned himself to my body so I don't disappear, it's hard to resist the call to poke the grizzly bear with the banter stick.
Ash pushes his face into the crook of my neck and nips at my skin. I snicker, but before I can tease him some more, the sound of flesh knitting back together penetrates the quiet room.
The smile slips from my face, and my focus turns back to Eli. He starts to twitch, his face morphing from content and relaxed to pained and anguished.
"Get some sleep. I'll take care of him," I whisper to Ash before I start singing a little louder and infusing more power into the lyrics.