“You don’t speak for me—”
“I do when you’re being an ass. He’s telling us we’re fucking free. No one can force us back to Hell. No archangels can try to kill us. All we have to do is let Sunshine counsel us or whatever. I’d sit through way worse than that, and I know you would too, so shut up.”
Sunshine beamed like Ash had just paid her a great compliment. Bel’s lip curled, and his clenched jaw indicated there was more he wanted to say, but surprisingly, he held his tongue.
“But I want protection for Eva,” Ash said, looking back at Adriel. “If you want me to stop being evil and cooperate with Heaven, then you’d better find a way to make sure nothing happens to her.”
Adriel transferred his serene smile to Sunshine. “As the Principality heading this important operation, I believe Sunshine will have the authority to arrange that.”
“I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe,” Sunshine assured him, but her gaze was on Eva. Then she turned back to Adriel. “I can really stay with Raum? And regain my rank?”
“Yes. Unless, of course, you’d still prefer to become a Grigori?” Adriel’s brow quirked.
“No! No, thank you. I accept the position.”
Raum wasn’t jumping on board so quickly. “I thought relationships were forbidden to angels, no matter what rank they hold.”
“The Dominations have ordered an exception to be made in your case.” Adriel’s eerie eyes fixed on him. “Apparently, you have friends in high places. You were the primary case I presented of how a demon can evolve. Your history with Sunshine was a perfect example of how love, when freely given and received, can transform the hardest hearts, forming a soul in a body that previously had none.”
Well, fuck. The heavenly hosts were making a special exception just for him and Sunshine. Raum still kinda wanted to punch Adriel in his flawless angelic face, but…this helped a bit.
“Can you return our memories?” he asked.
Adriel shook his head. “I’m sorry. To maintain the balance, the exception must come at a price. The Dominations declared that your past is the sacrifice you have to make to secure your future.”
Raum looked at Sunshine, and she smiled apologetically at him. He felt her disappointment as much as his own, but…suddenly, it didn’t seem so important anymore.
He knew enough about what had happened, and while he wished like hell he could’ve remembered his lost time with Sunshine, if forgetting forever meant he could have her now, the choice was easy.
He took a breath, blew it out, and finally let go of the past.
“As I said before,” Adriel added, “when I altered your memories, Sunshine, I relived them through you. So if you have questions, I may have the answers.”
“Do you know why Raum is resistant to angel blood?” Sunshine asked.
“In your…intimate moments, he was unable to quell his urge to bite.” For a moment, a flicker of what looked like embarrassment crossed Adriel’s face. He blinked, and the expression was neutralized. “The first few times it happened were unfortunate, as he quickly lost consciousness.”
Meph barked a laugh, and Iris elbowed him.
“Eventually, you realized that the more he bit you, the more his tolerance built, and you began giving him infusions of blood as often as possible to increase his resistance. After many years of this, he was able to overcome the effects almost immediately. He also developed certain angel-typical abilities, such as communication with animals.”
“That must be how you broke through Raphael’s sigil!” Eva said with a gasp.
But Raum wasn’t thinking about that. He was too busy staring at Adriel. “I have a connection with animals because of Sunshine?”
Adriel nodded. “But your own inclinations increased your aptitude. On another, it might have simply diminished the aversion animals have to demons. But because of your affection for Earth creatures, it developed into a powerful magnetism. Your care for them was one of the points I used when presenting my case to the Dominations.”
Raum transferred his stunned gaze to Sunshine, who beamed back at him. He almost couldn’t believe she was real. His connection with animals had been one of the only things to bring him peace in the last centuries.
Even when they’d forgotten each other, she’d been watching out for him.
“I’ve reached the extent of time I can remain on this mundane plane without ill effect,” Adriel said, interrupting their moment. “Sunshine, please give me the scry glass and cuffs so I may return them to the Court of Ceremonies.”
“Of course.” Sunshine went to the kitchen where the items had been left on the counter and then carried them back to Adriel. “What about Raphael’s sword?”
He blinked. “Keep it. I don’t think he’ll miss it presently.”
Meph choked on a laugh.
