hangups left to overcome. Not the part about loving all of them. I'd finally figured out how to accept that there wasn't some hidden downside to it. No, this was just minor stuff. The kind that I'd get over in about four to seven days.
"Sam?" I asked, dropping down a little more so my shoulders were under the water.
He lifted his chin. "Yeah, sweetie?"
"Thank you for not making me feel like an idiot."
And the look on his face softened. "You are not an idiot," he promised. "Think of this as nothing more than an excuse for your legion to pamper you a little more." Then he paused, tilting his head. "I'll be right back."
2
Satanael
I was sitting beside Ronwe with my shoulder lightly brushing his. The pair of us were teasing Luke about how soft Sia's bed was as compared to the lumpy mattress in the loft. And yes, I caught the looks Ron kept giving me, but Luke did too. The more I pretended to ignore Sia's most recent "boyfriend" - since she hadn't officially given him that title yet - the more Luke smiled at him.
And it was good to see that angel look so happy. The arrangement he had with Ronwe was exactly what he needed. It was safe. It was relaxed. Most importantly, though, it was also filled with understanding. On both sides. Luke gently helped Ron learn the new worlds he was experiencing, and Ron carefully pushed Luke to do the one thing we'd never been able to. To stop holding himself away from his legion. When we'd accepted the demon of knowledge into the First Legion, I'd been worried that it would push Luke away. Instead, it seemed to be doing the opposite.
All of that made me realize that Ronwe was a lot stronger than anyone had given him credit for. The man had lived four and a half billion years in near-isolation. He'd been laughed at, taunted, and threatened by bigger and stronger demons, yet he'd somehow managed to come out ahead. He might also be the nicest person I'd ever met in my life. I had no problem understanding how Luke had fallen for this man accidentally. Ron was the kind of person who made it too easy to stay with him and impossible to walk away from him.
I had a feeling he was also responsible for finally helping Sia overcome her fears about our relationship. All of ours. My beautiful Muse was amazing in so many ways, but she'd never been able to believe it until he'd told her. When we said it, she was convinced it was an empty platitude like so many men used to get their way. When he said it, she felt like she'd found someone who could understand. Now, he'd turned his talents on Luke, doing his best to convince the angel among us that the same rules applied.
"All I'm saying," Ron told Luke, "is that she'd curl up against you, too. I mean, with Nick on one side, her on the other?"
"And where would you be?" Luke asked, lifting a brow to prove he could see through Ron's argument.
But Ron wasn't fazed at all. "On Sia's other side, of course. I think it's called the big spoon?"
I chuckled. "And that bed is big enough for Bel to cuddle up with him, and I could just ignore Sam poking me in the back."
"Ass," Luke corrected. "Sam would definitely poke you in the ass."
"He's really more of a getting poked type and less of a poker," I teased. "I'm sure you'd know nothing at all about that."
Luke's jaw clenched, but I had a feeling it was more to hide his smile than any real frustration. "You let Ron on top, and then we'll talk," he teased me. "I mean, he certainly knows what he's doing. It's better when he has a tail, though."
"Which is why Sam wanted the change to the veil," I pointed out. "Well, I have a feeling Sam has plans to show Sia what a tail can do, but I think we'd all benefit from it."
"I miss my tail," Ron groaned. "I can handle not having the fingers on my wings, but my tail? I can't tell you how many times I've tried to open a drawer in the kitchen only to remember that my ass has been amputated."
Luke almost snorted. "Your ass is still there."
"My tail!" Ron groaned. "You know what I mean!"
I reached over to rub his back in sympathy, chuckling as I