Page 61 of Grave Consequences
The ebony-skinned angel eyes him for a moment. “The Major will be with you shortly,” she snips, and then just like that, our entire escort marches out, the door shutting behind them.
I listen for a click, assuming they’re going to lock us in here, but one never comes. I round on Tazreel. “What the hell is going on?” I demand. “Did you fuck an angel or something? Why the hell would the scythe bring ushere?”
Tazreel’s face goes utterly offended when I ask about his angel proclivities, and he looks at the guys like he fully expects them to be offended on his behalf too. “I beg your pardon, but I would never,” he defends.
I have no idea why he’d be so offended about this. In the short time I’ve known the guy, I’ve learned that neither pixies nor flowers are off-limits, so what would be the issue with an angel?
“Like I said before, the elixir would take us to your motherorsomeone in your bloodline who can tell us where she is. That’s clearly what happened here. And before you go getting all judgy, the Abdicated were part of Heaven before we made the sacrifice for the greater good and established the realms of consequence—aka Hell. So it’s possible that your mother, who I’m sure is a perfectly respectable demon, has relatives on this side of things.”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Turning to my demons. “I thought you guys said that Heaven and Hell got along? That is not the impression I just got. Those white-winged fuckers were staring us down like they were imagining skewering us.”
“We do get along, in the sense that we’re both working toward the same goal. Both sides want the betterment and growth of all souls so they can claim their divine right if so desired. But keep in mind that both sides have different views on how best to accomplish that,” Iceman explains.
“That looked like more than issues with a difference in opinion,” I grumble.
“That’s because they’re all fresh meat,” Jerif adds. “Think about the mortal military, for example. Kids join the service and they’re all gung-ho, convinced that what they’re fighting for is right. They’re filled with pride and sure of their convictions. Now take that same kind and fast forward five years. They’re more seasoned, more lethal, and most importantly, more experienced. They know that not everything is so black and white. They’ve seen some shit. They get that both sides of a battle are just fighting for what they believe. They’re still proud and honorable, but with time, they’re wiser.”
He nods his head in the direction of the door.
“Out there are the new recruits, training and getting ready for their first posts. All they see is the light right now, the end goal. They’ll of course look at us like we’re in their way, like our existence somehow taints what their ultimate purpose is. But see what they’re like in a century or two. They’ll get it then. They’ll realize the need for the dark in order to properly see the light,” he finishes, and surprisingly, that makes a ton of sense to me.
“Cocky little shits if you ask me,” Tazreel observes, and I just laugh.
“I think that’s a solid case fortakes one to know one,” I tell him on a chuckle that earns me a look that says,I am not amused.
Another rumble of thunder sounds off outside, and the noise shoots a spike of adrenaline through me. I flinch, unable to stop myself. The guys all look over at me, and I can’t stop the pink that suffuses my cheeks.
“Are you alright?” Iceman asks.
Distractedly, I look out through the window behind Tazreel and see the sky is getting even darker. My grasp flexes against my scythe. Suddenly, this room doesn’t feel vast and open. It feels like it’s one lightning strike from crashing down around me. Another rumble of thunder makes my shoulders hike up to my ears.
“We should just go. Don’t you think?” I ask suddenly, fighting the simmering panic that’s pushing up into my chest. “I mean, if they don’t want us here and my mother probably isn’t here, why just sit around and get glared at?” I ask, my tone rising with each anxious breath I take. I can’t tear my eyes away from the rolling, darkening clouds.
Iceman follows my worried gaze out the window, but before he can say anything, the door to the room slams open, and I squeak in surprise. My scythe immediately activates, the massive curved blade springing up, and the straight blade on the other end shooting out.
Immediately, two warrior angels draw their swords and step in front of the handsome middle-aged angel that just stormed in. My demons are by my side in a flash, and everyone in the room tenses.
Yep. It’s official. This scythe is trying to get me killed.
“I’m not threatening you,” I quickly say, looking past the fierce looking soldier angels and into the dark green eyes of the winged man they’re protecting. “It just activates on its own,” I offer awkwardly, and I work to keep myself from shaking the scythe and demanding it cooperate and stop trying to get me taken out.
After a beat, the kelp-green eyed angel nods, and his bodyguards back off. They step aside, and he walks further into the room, radiating confidence and ability. Or maybe it’s his shiny gold armor that’s doing all of that, but either way, he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy you’d want to mess with.
He scans the room, and when his eyes land on Tazreel, his stern face melts, and in its place is recognition and camaraderie. “Taz?” he asks, surprised. “They didn’t tell me it was you here, you old prick!” he announces, and then in three long strides, he and my sperm donor meet in a hug and a whole lot of back patting.
What the fuck?
I watch them take a moment to catch up and think about what Jerif said about soldiers getting wiser with time and experience.
“Louquin, when did you make Major?” Tazreel asks, holding him out at arm’s length and looking him over with pride.
“Not long. It’s been about a decade now,” Louquin answers with a beaming smile.
“Well, it was long coming, I’ll tell you that much. Congratulations. As soon as I get home, I’ll send some things to help ring in the good news,” Taz offers, and Louquin looks all kinds of honored and appreciative.
“You’re too kind. I should say no, but we both know I’m not going to,” he confesses on a dazzling grin, and the two angels laugh and hug again.
I share a bewildered look with my guys. Who knew Taz would actually be liked enough to have a friend? And an angel friend, no less.
