“Apparently, Shamsiel was a good liar,” Sunshine said with a shrug. “I don’t know how I did it because all my memories from then are altered. But I’m sorry if I gave you the impression I was the type of friend who would hurt your daughter because of mindless obedience.”
“No, that’s not it at all,” Dan rushed to say. “I just couldn’t take risks with her safety.”
“You don’t need to explain. Rest assured, there will be no more blind rule following from now on.” She pursed her lips. “In fact, I believe I have some difficult choices to make.”
Raum frowned at her in question, but she smiled and patted his arm. “You should have your shower first, darling, and then we can talk. There’s no rush.”
Darling?She may have been capable of chopping someone into tiny pieces, but he’d always find her sweet.
He leaned in. Without hesitation, she rose on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips.
“I think we’re soul mates,” she whispered when he pulled back, just loud enough for his ears only.
His lips curved. She was too cute. “I don’t have a soul, remember?”
“Well, whatever—”
“Actually, I believe you do.”
Sunshine jumped as the voice spoke behind them. Raum spun around and froze.
The most radiant, perfect fucking guy he’d ever seen was standing across the room by the windows. He was so perfect, light glowed from him.
His eyes were eerie—indigo blue with purple and white flecks that spiraled around his pupils like miniature galaxies. His skin was bronze and his hair was pale, the long strands lifting away from his face as if blown by a perpetual breeze. His robe wavered with the same movement, and that was when Raum realized he wasn’t even standing on the ground. He floated several inches above it.
Sunshine gasped. “Adriel!” Her grip tightened on Raum’s arm, but she made no move to step away from him, which was the only reason he didn’t do something stupid.
Tension spiked through the room. Anyone sitting lurched to their feet. Belial immediately shot to the razor’s edge of a rage. Faust cowered under Iris and Lily’s chairs.
“Greetings, Sunshine,” the angel said. He smiled like he wasn’t receiving simultaneous death stares from five different demons.
“G-Greetings, sir.”
He turned his head. “Daniel. A pleasure to see you.”
Dan couldn’t seem to form words, his mouth opening and closing silently.
“And Belial.” The angel turned to greet the seething demon in the kitchen. “It is an honor.”
And he actuallybowedat the waist.
Everyone stared. In any other situation, the look on Bel’s face—a mix of shock and revulsion—would have been comical, but Raum figured his own expression was probably similar.
The angel straightened and addressed the rest of the room. “I am called Adriel.”
Thiswas Sunshine’s mentor? The guy who’d rearranged her mind and neglected to tell her about it? But also…the guy who’d fought to keep her from being kicked out of Heaven.
And he was seriously powerful too. The apartment wards had all ruptured the second he arrived, a faint blood stain on the wall their only remainder.
While everyone stared, Adriel turned and bent to look closely at the row of plants on the shelf. He poked one of the cacti, drawing his hand back to look at the droplet of blood welling on his finger.
“It protects itself.” He leaned in closer. “What a tiny miracle.”
Sunshine cleared her throat. “Sir…?”
He turned back around, seeming just to notice everyone staring at him. He was still giving that creepy serene smile. “Shall we sit? I would offer tea, but—”
“We don’t need fucking tea,” Belial growled.
