Page 70 of Alastair

Had he dreamed of me often?

I brushed our lips together. Once, then again. “I’ll wake you bright and early so you’ll know it’s not. I’ll even bring tea.”

“I look forward to it.” After another soft kiss, he rose into the air and flew over the treetops.

I prayed it wasn’t a dream too. Because despite the confusion and nerves, I found myself smiling as I turned and headed toward the villa.

***

“What the hell is that supposed to be?” Galen asked, staring at the target dummy in front of him.

“It’s Lucifer,” Castor said, poking the drawn-on grumpy face. Plastic blue gems had been glued on for the eyes, and it wore a long black wig. Fake wings were attached to the dummy’s back, like the type you found in costume stores with straps that went over the shoulders. “Duh.”

Gray cocked his head and scrunched up his face. “If you close one eye and squint with the other, it looks like… Kyo’s brother with cheap angel wings.”

“Or a Victoria’s Secret reject,” Bellamy said.

“Can you assholes stop mocking my hard work?” Castor put his hands on his hips. The rising sun made his red hair more vibrant. “This took me all night to make.”

“I can attest to that,” Kyo said, raising a hand. “I woke up to him giggling like a little kid as he drew a small dick on it.”

Daman studied it, unamused. “Good thing you fight better than you craft, or you’d be dead by now.”

“It resembles him,” Kallias said, turning his head from side to side. “I think.”

“Fuck, Cas.” Bellamy exhaled. “The more I look at it, the creepier it gets.”

“Says the one married to a literal demon,” Castor shot back. “You have no room to talk. Your definition of creepy is subjective.”

“Your face is subjective.”

“I think it looks good.” Raiden clapped Castor on the back. “A for effort.”

“But F for actual talent,” Daman said.

“All right. Enough.” I massaged my temple before lowering my hand. “Your dedication to our training is… admirable, Castor.”

“Wow.” His green eyes widened. “Someone’s being nice this morning. You need to suck face more often. And get laid while you’re at it.”

Gray crinkled his nose. “Is kissing Laz even fun? It’d be like kissing a rock. Well, I bet the rock would kiss better.”

“He kisses just fine,” I snapped, cheeks heating. “Now, drop it.”

As expected, the seven of them had bombarded me with a million questions first thing that morning. I had few answers to give. The relationship—if that was the correct term—was still new. Lazarus and I also had the council of angels to face, sooner or later.

The brotherly interrogation had come at a good time as well. I had intended to visit Lazarus for breakfast as I’d told him I would the night before, but he’d used our telepathic link before I’d left the villa to inform me he had gone to meet Michael in the celestial realm. So no time for tea.

“Choosing the archangel over us,”Pride grumbled.

“More than likely to tell him about our seal breaking,”I responded.“Michael is his friend but also a member of the council. He would have insight.”

Another grumble. My sin didn’t even like to admit whenIwas right. The prima donna.

A flutter of wings filled the air before Michael, Lazarus, and two other angels appeared. The sight of Lazarus caused warmth to flood my core.

“Here comes your boyfriend.” Bellamy lightly nudged me. “Or are you calling him Daddy now?”

“Bellamy, I swear to the gods…”