For the Birds

by Angela Roquet

  “Deal.” He actually reached his hand out to shake on it.

  I gritted my teeth and stuck out my hand to clasp his. “We might get through this without killing each other, after all.”

  Chapter 30

  “Forgiveness is like faith.

  You have to keep reviving it.”

  -Mason Cooley

  There were far too many people at the condo Friday night. We almost didn’t have enough room to set up for the poker game. The junker table in my old apartment had barely fit Josie, Gabriel, and I around it. It felt all wrong having such a big crowd, like maybe I should have been wearing a frilly little skirt and carrying around a tray of cigars and a decanter of brandy.

  “Here.” Josie handed me a spare deck of cards she had found buried in a kitchen drawer. She looked around the room and sighed. “This isn’t right.”

  “I know.” I frowned. “We might need to borrow a couple chairs from Warren.”

  “No, I mean someone is missing.” She picked up a kitchen towel and set to work wiping down the table. Again.

  I knew the someone she was referring to. Gabriel hadn’t been over to visit in months. It’s crazy how a full room can still feel so empty at times.

  Kevin and Beelzebub were exchanging the typical guy small-talk over a cricket game playing on the big screen. Jenni and Ammit were sharing a bowl of chips on one of the other sofas, mindlessly watching the game. They both looked like their thoughts were buried in faraway places, neither pleasant. They were completely ignoring Ellen sitting on the opposite sofa, chattering on about Duster’s last birthing.

  Asmodeus came out of the guest bathroom and cast a quick glance at Jenni before jumping in on the cricket discussion.

  The doorbell rang out a churchy tune, and I jumped.

  “I’ll get it.” Josie tossed the kitchen towel to me over the breakfast bar before getting the door.

  “Gabriel!” she squealed.

  The angel filled the doorway, fanning out his wings to balance himself against Josie as she threw her arms around his neck.

  “Hey,” he laughed. “Nice to see you too. Think I could talk to Lana a minute?”

  “Are you staying for the game?” Josie asked.

  He tossed his curls back and gave her a meek smile. “I really can’t.”

  “Oh,” she pouted.

  “Hey, Gabe.” I came out of the kitchen and stood in the dining room.

  Gabriel cleared his throat and waved his hand at me, motioning for me to join him in the hallway. “Think we could talk out here in private?”

  “Sure. Why not.” I stepped out of the condo and quietly closed the front door behind me. “What’s up?”

  His wings fluttered nervously, and he wrung his hands in front of his chest. I was surprised to see that he was wearing one of his nice, white work robes instead of a pair of drawstring pants. His hair was even combed. I couldn’t remember the last time I had ever seen him look so nice. He also appeared to be perfectly sober. On a Friday night.

  “What is it, Gabe?” I prompted him again.

  His bushy blond brows bunched up in a pained expression. “Amy left me,” he blurted out.

  “Oh, man. I’m sorry.” I wanted to hug him. I wanted to offer him a beer and invite him in to watch John Wayne movies until we passed out on the couch, but I couldn’t do that with a full house ready to play poker, and I still didn’t know what kind of shape our friendship was in.

  Gabriel sighed. “Look. I’ve been a real ass. To everyone. Not just you, but you especially. Amy just kept pushing and pushing, trying to get me back into politics, but I don’t want to be back there, Lana. I’ve been there. I’ve seen the hoops, and I’ve jumped through them long enough. I know it’s been a few centuries, but it still doesn’t feel like enough time has passed. Top that with my continuous ranting about your recent choice in men, and well, you can see how she might have taken offense and kicked me to the curb.”

  “Yeah, I suppose I can.” I wasn’t trying to be mean, just honest.

  Gabriel lowered his voice. “Lana, it’s not just the fact that he’s a demon. He’s in with the Hell Committee. I know, I know,” he said, raising his hand before I could say anything. “So was Amy. But that’s part of the point I’m trying to make. When did our lives begin to include so many politicians?”

  My voice was barely a whisper. “Last fall. A lot happened. A lot is still happening.”

  Gabriel forgot our feuding and pulled me in for a tight hug. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me before you took off on that crazy mission Monday. What were you thinking?”

  “I couldn’t tell you. I couldn’t tell anyone.”

  “I could have gone with you.”

  “We did alright,” I said, breathing in the frosting scent of his robe. The demons would have smelled him coming from a mile away.

  “I don’t want to fight with you anymore,” he sighed.

  “Then don’t.”

  “I still don’t like that you’re dating Beelzebub.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  Gabriel leaned back to frown down at me. “And I don’t want to play poker with him. I bet he cheats anyway.”

  “Like you don’t?” I snorted. “Why are you wearing your work robe? Did you get in trouble with Peter?”

  Gabriel stepped back from me and turned solemn again. “I told you that I don’t want to get back into politics, but with everything going on, I don’t see much of an option. I’m no good to you as I am. I want to be a real friend to you, Lana. Not just a buddy that hangs out with you and crashes on your couch on occasion. I want to be the kind of friend you can trust to watch your back, and the only way I’m going to be able to do that is by infiltrating the political system again so I can keep an eye on the powers that be and what they have planned for you.”

  “You don’t have to do that, Gabe,” I said, shaking my head.

  “You’re living at Holly House. You’re captain of the Posy Unit, because you’re in with Horus—”

  “I wouldn’t go that far—”

  “You’re Grim’s go-to reaper for the hard assignments, and you’re a prime target for the rebels because of that.”

  “Really, Gabe. You don’t have to get mixed up in the politics just because I am.”

  “It’s already done. I was instated onto the Board of Heavenly Hosts today.”

  “Wow.” I gaped at him. “That was fast.”

  “Yeah, well, they’ve been after me for a while.”

  “Does this mean no more Purgatory?”

  “Yeah right.” He rolled his eyes. “You seem to have cut back though.”

  “Yeah,” I groaned. “Being captain is a lot more work.”

  “And you’ve been spending time with Bub,” he added, lowering his brows again. “I stopped by your office Wednesday.”

  “What for?”

  He shrugged. “I dunno. It was right after Amy dumped me, and right before I went to the board and signed away my free as a bird lifestyle. You might have stood a chance at talking me out of it at that point,” he laughed.

  Kevin poked his head out into the hallway. “Hey, Gabe! We’re about to get started in here, Lana.”

  “I’ll be right there,” I said over my shoulder.

  Gabriel sighed. His wings fluttered and folded over his back again.

  I ran my hand down the sleeve of his robe. “You sure you don’t wanna stay for the game? I think we have one more chair in there.”

  Gabriel grimaced. “I really shouldn’t. Maybe another time. Maybe when you’ve got a smaller crowd. I miss when it was just you, me, and Josie.”

  “Yeah, I do too sometimes. We’ll have to plan a night like that again.”

  “Yeah?” He perked up.

  “Yeah.” I smiled and gave him another hug. Gabriel gave the best hugs. “Call me tomorrow. Maybe we can get together after work and watch a John Wayne, and you can tell me all the gritty details of the last few months.”

  “We might end up with
more tears than beers.”

  “What are friends for?” I walked with him down to the elevators and waited for one to open.

  “Oh,” he said, “I almost forgot to tell you. I’m on the fifth floor.”

  “You’re still staying at Holly House?”

  He grinned. “Correction, I am living at Holly House. Just signed a five year contract on a two bedroom with the captain of the Nephilim Guard.” He winked at me as he stepped into the elevator.

  I stood in the hallway smiling for a minute. Things were looking up. I was still on the verge of having a meltdown over the wrath of Grim, but at least I was in a better place with my friends again.

  I made my way back to the condo and to the waiting poker game. Josie had saved me a seat between her and Ellen. The cricket game was over, and John Wayne was belting out a tune in Riders of Destiny.

  Ellen leaned into me as I sat down and whispered, “I’ve never played poker before. You’ll have to teach me.”

  I nodded and helped Kevin divvy up the chips.

  Bub was dealing. He passed the deck to Asmodeus who cut it five ways. “Sneaky devil, I’ll not fall for your hoodwinking this time,” he said, thumbing the rim of his fedora.

  Bub laughed. “Don’t be a sore loser, chap.” He took a closer look at the cards as he dealt them, squinting at the coffins, scythes, souls, and daisies printed in place of the traditional suits. “What sort of trick deck is this anyway?”

  Acknowledgements

  This was a really fun book to write. I got to research all kinds of awesomely creepy things! It’s highly possible that I was flagged by the FBI during some of that… just saying.

  There are so many people who have not only taken time out of their busy lives to read my books, but have also come to signings, tracked me down online to tell me how much they enjoy my series, written really nice reviews, and on occasion, pointed out typos. Thanks! You all are the greatest! Justina, Alice, Professor Shelley, Teresa, Bilan, Tommy, the Cupcakes girls…. the list goes on and on.

  I am extra thankful for the new friends I’ve made lately. Alice, it is so refreshing and exciting to meet someone as cheerfully creepy as I am! Thanks for inviting me to join the book club, and thanks to all the book club ladies for the fun conversations over books and coffee!

  I’ve also recently found some kindred spirits within the online book community, so I owe special thanks to Toni and Chelsea, who run the Paranormal Addicts blog, Carla with Book Monster Reviews, and Clare Davidson, as well as the indie authors who were part of the Indie Giveaway Clare arranged. I had a lot of fun getting to know everyone, and I’m really excited to be working with some of you on upcoming anthology projects.

  Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my husband, to whom this book is dedicated. You really take the cake, Sir Captain Sargent General. You not only tolerate the fantasy world I live in half the time, but you come hang out there with me. Thanks for being my sounding board, for letting me read chapters to you out of order, for plugging my series and bragging about me every chance you get, and for dressing up like the Grim Reaper for my book signings. I couldn’t have asked for a better man.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  ANGELA ROQUET is a great big weirdo. She collects Danger Girl comic books, owls, skulls, and random craft supplies. Her obsessions include the Wizard of Oz, over-sweetened coffee, and all things Joss Whedon. She's a fan of renewable energy, marriage equality, and religious tolerance. As long as whatever you're doing isn't hurting anyone, she's a fan of you, too.

  Angela lives in Sedalia, Missouri with her husband and son. When she's not swearing at the keyboard, she enjoys painting, goofing off with her family and friends, and reading books that raise eyebrows. You can find Angela online at www.angelaroquet.com

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