I glared down at the three human men standing at the front of the church and resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at them. Sulking, that was what Stavros had said. Like my being concerned by the way these humans just let a Fallen angel through their gates without a second thought was in some way a childish reaction.
“Idiots,” I muttered, not really caring if the word floated down to human ears from where I was tucked away in the balcony.
Except the only face that looked up was that of the angel’s. Azariah. Which was a pompous fucking name.
He stared at me without blinking as the men and women knelt and prayed at Zach’s urging. Even Stavros, my beautiful hedonistic lover, was on his knees. And the angel looked up and met my gaze, impassive and all too fucking observant.
I raised my hand, pointing two fingers at my eyes and glaring back down at him, before turning my hand and pointing them down at his face.
He shook with a little laugh and then winced as it jostled his wings.
Broken wings, twisted feathers, a few places where they were missing entirely, no doubt plucked away by some sadistic hand.
Fine. So Azariah had been tortured in hell. Wah, wah, hadn’t we all? What did he want, a medal? I’d get the gold on that one, buddy, I thought.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, swallowing my groan. Shit, the humans tasted good though. They were incandescent with happiness. They thought God had sent them a savior. What they didn’t realize was that it was more likely Hell had sent a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I’d been tossed from Hell under Kimaris’ petty temper, but there was no way Hell was casting off one of their Fallen. Fallen were like the infinite food source, if they didn’t sign up to be Hell’s greatest warriors.
I suspected this one was the former. I’d called him Hell-touched, but it seemed to be mild so far, just a couple decorative claws at the top of his wings and some black embellishment to his feathers. He hadn’t sprouted horns yet or anything.
Ha, ha.
A chorus of amens rose from the audience and then, before their heads were raised, that fucking angel winked at me.
Oh game on, you imperious little asshole, I thought.
The townspeople dawdled in their pews, gazing at the angel. They were waiting on another miracle, and I was simultaneously gleeful and wary of the moment that they realized he certainly wasn’t it.
“I know we’re all very excited, but let’s remember, folks, that there’s always work to do, every day. Go on home and get some rest. Our new guest isn’t going to fly away, right?” Kais said, an awkward and nervous attempt at humor made. Shit, even he was giddy.
“Not until my wings are healed at least,” Azariah said, attempting a sheepish shrug and then doing a drama queen’s best performance of a pained wince.
I rolled my eyes as the room cooed with worry and happiness. Give me a fucking break.
Slowly and reluctantly, they cleared the chapel, heading out the front doors. Stavros glanced up at one point, checking on me and grinning, his arms crossed over his chest and a dopey kind of happiness in his gaze. I wanted to believe that look was there because of me, which was a shocking revelation on its own. It was worse to know that it probably had more to do with the angel than the heady depth of emotion he’d been sharing during our sex tonight.
Because he’s just fucking me so no one else has to, I reminded myself spitefully. I was getting...too human about this arrangement.
I sighed and pushed off the balcony, ready to slink back to the office for the day.
“Deyva,” Kais called up to the balcony, stopping me in place. He and Zach were crowding around Azariah’s wings, frowning at the torn and mangled feathers. “What do you know about wings?”
A lot, actually. Before Belial passed me off to Kimaris, it’d been in my job description to patch up the Fallen and then remind them of the perks of being aligned with a succubus after they’d landed. I was good advertisement for the perks of Hell.
Azariah watched me, and the three men, my men in some ways, stared up at me.
“Just don’t...touch anything until I get down there,” I said.
Oh Deyva, we don’t trust you, but can you take care of our new best friend the