There was so much to say. Too much. So he said nothing, knowing Jacqui would speak when she was ready.
She did, eventually, though she never turned away from the glass. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“To protect you. And Eva. I was never supposed to—” He stopped, rubbing his temples. He had to say this right, had to make sure he didn’t make it worse. And yet, it seemed there was no right way. “I broke the rules, Jacqui. But I hoped that if you didn’t know, if I was ever caught, it would protect you. You couldn’t be guilty if you didn’t know.”
“And what about Eva? What if she was caught?” Her voice hitched. “Belial said they wouldexecuteher, Dan.”
“That was what the binding spell was all about. It was perfect. It even altered her lifespan. There would have been no way anyone, even her, would have ever learned what she was.” He breathed a bitter, regretful laugh. “It was sheer dumb luck that she got mixed up with demons and started giving them her blood.” He rubbed his eyes so hard he saw stars. “Why the hell did she do that?”
“She would have known not to if you’d just told her.”
It was true. There was nothing he could say to excuse that, nothing he could say to justify that colossal mistake. He had fucked up, but his fuck-up had gone beyond just screwing up his own life. He’d put his daughter in danger, whom he loved more than anything in the world. He was pretty sure he could live until the sun exploded and he would never forgive himself for that.
“What do you mean about her lifespan?” Jacqui asked, finally turning away from the window to look at him. There was a crease in her brow, her eyes full of trepidation.
She was right to be concerned.
“She’s half angel. Angels are immortal. Humans aren’t. That means, she’ll live indefinitely, until such a time as she chooses to cross over. Then, her soul will go to Heaven.”
“Angels are immortal,” Jacqui repeated, staring at him.
He nodded, knowing where this was going and dreading it with everything he was.
“Are you... ?”
He nodded again.
Her eyes widened. “Dan...” Her breaths grew shallow. So did his as he waited for her to put it together.
“How old are you?” she finally whispered in horror.
“Old.”
“How old?”
“Really old.”
“How old, Dan?”
He blew out a breath. “I fell thousands of years ago. Before that, I can’t say. Angels don’t experience time the way we do.”
“Thousands...”
He nodded.
Her hands covered her mouth, and she sank slowly to the floor, her back against the glass. “Why... ?”
There were so many questions that could begin with that, and he had no idea which one she was asking in particular. “Why did I fall? Or why don’t angels experience time like we do?”
But she shook her head. “Why did you choose me? Marry me? Live here with me?”
He blinked. “Because I love you.”
She blinked back. They stared at each other. “But...”
“Jacqui, you’ve known me for twenty-seven years. I know our concepts of time are different, but we both know that’s long enough to know someone. You know I love you, and I know you know.”
“But why did you fall in love with me in the first place? I was just a girl. Twenty years old. I barely knew myself!”
