Each of us bowed. I kicked Atlas, but finally after a minute of hesitation, he followed us to the wet ground.
“Rise,” Michael commanded.
The archangels were dressed in battle gear. Large golden armor covered them from head to toe. Swords, nearly as tall as I was, were hanging from their waists. Their white hair was pulled back into tight leather bands. I gulped and waited for Michael to direct his attention toward me. Instead his eyes narrowed.
“Atlas.” A tear ran down Michael’s cheek before he said, “Brother.”
Atlas fell to his knees, sobbing. Although he was a half-breed, he was just like me. He had suffered as I had suffered; he was half-human, half-angel. Though he had long ago given in to the side of his father, he was still innocent in this mess.
“He has a word for you,” Michael spoke confidently.
“He?” Atlas repeated, tears still streaming down his face.
Michael nodded then kneeled in front of Atlas, putting his large hand on his head. Never before had I seen an archangel bend a knee or touch the very earth that had created this mess. I watched in shock as he smiled and spoke, “Forgiveness works from the inside out. In order to forgive, one must accept. One must also receive. He says He forgives and asks why do you not receive?”
Atlas shook his head. “I’m not worthy to receive anything.”
“Says who?”
“Everyone. I’m an abomination.”
I flinched, because I was thinking that exact same thing. Didn’t I struggle with that same insecurity?
“You are His son.”
“I’m the son of Cronus.”
“And who is the father of Cronus?”
Atlas swallowed. “El.”
“Then I ask again,” Michael whispered. “Who is your true father?”
The air thickened with tension.
Atlas hung his head in shame. “El. He is my father.”
“Receive. In order to win this battle, we need you, Atlas, but you must receive.”
Atlas nodded.
Michael rose to his feet and looked at all of us poignantly. I tried to break eye contact, but I was never good at avoiding him. Raphael and Gabriel both cracked smiles in my direction. Helpful.
I knew they could read my thoughts, for both of their smiles widened. Gabriel coughed as Raphael cleared his throat and looked away.
Sometimes I forget that angels still have a sense of humor.
Michael sighed. “Athena, you’ve been busy.”
“Understatement,” I answered, putting my hands on my hips.
Michael chuckled. “What news do you bring me?”
I exhaled and clenched Adonis’s hand. “The Titans refused to fight for Azazeel, but…”
“But?” Michael prompted.
“They ask a favor.”
“A favor?” Michael seemed more amused than upset as he laughed. “And do the Fallen feel they are in a position to ask a favor?”
“To be fair,” Seth interrupted, stepping up beside me. “They helped save our lives. Cronus himself would have suffered eternity in Purgatory if it would have spared Athena’s life.”
“And who are you to question my authority?” Michael demanded.
Gabriel fell to his knees in that moment, weeping. “Uriel. It is our brother Uriel.”
Michael’s gaze narrowed, and it was as if the layers of his confusion lifted. He began to cry with Gabriel. Raphael soon followed. I have to admit I was feeling a little emotional. After all, once upon a time Uriel had stood right along with these angels. There were seven all together in the beginning, and Seth, or Uriel, should have been one of them.
Seth nodded, and in an instant, he was again transformed into his original state. The four angels hugged. I felt like I was watching something too intimate for my eyes, but Atlas, Adonis, and I stayed silent, as they all communicated with one another in a language I would never understand. The ancient language of my ancestors. The heavenly tongue.
After a few minutes, Seth stepped back, and the form of Uriel vanished. Again I was struck with gratitude. El must watch all, for I knew Seth didn’t possess the power to keep changing back into his original form. It was as if he was graciously allowing this reunion, despite what Seth had done.
“Our brother says Thanatus and Azazeel are still alive and well.” Michael said to me.
I nodded. “Yes, but for now they will leave the Titans alone. That’s part of the favor they asked.”
“I’m listening.” Michael crossed his arms.
“They want the protection of Light.”
Adonis’s hand gripped mine tighter; none of us breathed. As Michael’s nostrils flared, he began pacing in front of us, and then stopped. His eyes blazed white as his head tilted back. Power surged through him as he stood motionless, his eyes so white I had to look away.
Within seconds, it was over.
His eyes returned to normal, and he looked at me. “Consider it done. El agrees with this favor. Because the portal has been opened by Azazeel, they need protection from the Darkness.”
“Whom will you send?”
Michael looked up. I followed his gaze and noticed a star shoot from the sky and fall down to Earth. “One of their own. Despite what’s been done, El decided it would bring them something that all the protection in the world cannot give.”
“What?” I watched as the star disappeared into the earth.
“Hope.”
Chapter Twenty-One
My throat constricted with emotion as I took in what Michael had just said. When the Titans had fallen, it was like a great divorce in the universe, a giant tear between Heaven and Earth. They’d caused it, they’d been to blame, and still El had shown mercy in the form of offering hope.
Because He’d extended that grace and that same hope, my faith grew, for I was just as guilty as they were. I was black as sin, and I wondered, did that mean I had a chance too?
As always, the archangels were brief, and of course, confusing. They ordered us to rest for a bit before we found information of Azazeel’s next move. Though they imagined it would be soon, they figured we would be safe for a few days.
Adonis pulled Michael aside briefly.
I stood by Seth and Atlas, watching the exchange.
“He’s talking about you,” Seth whispered.
“How can you tell?” I didn’t see anything telling about the conversation.
“He’s flushed.” Seth snickered. “And to top it off, he looks like he’s about two minutes away from grabbing Michael’s sword.”
I gulped. “They’re arguing.”
“Big time.” Seth laughed.
I punched him in the arm. “I haven’t forgotten that you tried to kill me. Don’t push me.”
Seth sighed and tugged me, so I faced him. Crap. He was perfect. “Icarus, or as you know him now, Thanatus, was very powerful. When I was near Darkness…”
“It takes over,” I finished for him.
He nodded. “It’s no excuse. It’s like watching yourself captive in your own body, watching yourself make decisions and do stupid things, but you don’t have the will to stop it.”
“I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “Don’t be. Remember, I chose this. I fell. I chose to separate myself from whom I used to be. In Heaven I helped command armies. I was in charge of the souls of people. I had dominion over humans. Here, I’m merely Seth.”
“That’s kind of awful.”
He laughed. “You’re telling me. I used to envy humans. Now? Not so much.”
“They aren’t that bad,” I mumbled.
“Says the half-breed.” Atlas coughed behind me. I glared and turned my attention back to Seth.
“For what it’s worth, I forgive you.” I squeezed his hand. He looked down at our hands clasped together. Power surged between us. If it hadn’t happened before, I would have been a little freaked. “Why does that happen? I could have sworn each time we touched you grew or got more powerful.”
Seth fl
ushed and looked away.
“What?” I laughed. “Now you have to tell me.”
Atlas chuckled behind us and lifted his hands. “I’m officially stepping out of this conversation and walking toward the water. Have at it, Seth.”
Seth tugged the back of his hair and shook his head before biting his lip and facing me. “It’s kind of embarrassing.”
“Try me.”
“What Adonis is to you, the way he gives you power gives you… feelings?”
I nodded.
“A Seeker, a half-breed, does similar things to a Fallen. When you fell, El put every human emotion into you, only it’s a thousand times worse as I’m sure you know, because you have your heavenly side as well. So when I’m exposed to Light, or something good, my supernatural side calls out to it.”
I gulped. “It calls you home.”
He nodded his head. “Yes. It does, and it’s really hard for me to not take advantage of that. In a way I lust for you, but it’s nothing more than that.” His eyes held mine. I don’t know if he was trying to convince me or himself, but I was never given the chance to ask. He dropped my hand and shrugged. “It’s not a big deal, Thena.” With a wink he walked off.
“Where are you going?”
He nodded to where Adonis stood. “He has his answer. I think it’s better if I join Atlas. We’ll see you both back at Headquarters tomorrow.”
“Where will you go?” I demanded.
“Thought I’d take Atlas down.”
I rolled my eyes. “Just make sure he comes back up from that place. Stupid vampires.”
“Hey, they fight for us,” he interjected then turned back around and slapped Atlas on the back.
Warm hands gripped my shoulders. “Ready?” Adonis’s honeyed voice whispered in my ear.
“Yes.”
“Good.” He held my hand as we walked along the shore in silence. We were only a few miles from our apartment in Ballard. I hoped we were going to stay there tonight. I wasn’t ready to go back to Headquarters just yet.
“So, how was Michael?”
“Unhappy.” Adonis sighed.
“Because of what you asked him?”
Adonis clenched my hand then brought it to his lips and kissed the soft skin near my thumb, his eyes closed as his lips made contact with my hand. “Yes,” he murmured across my skin, making me tremble.
“You can’t tell me, can you?”
Adonis grinned. The same grin I’m sure he gives women when he’s distracting them so I can go in for the kill. Awesome. “I can tell you.”
I stopped walking. “Seriously?”
“Yes, but not here.”
“Why?”
“No protection. What I have to tell you isn’t exactly known in this realm.”
“Well.” I grabbed his hand and took off in a run, “Let’s go.”
****
It took us exactly ten minutes to run to the apartment. Naturally, we weren’t out of breath, and it had felt good to stretch my legs. We laughed on the way to the top-floor penthouse, where we sometimes lived.
The apartment had a gorgeous view of the Sound. I sighed quite contentedly, just looking out the window, holding Adonis’s hand. But I wanted the story, the full story. I needed to know why he had lied.
“Have a seat.” He pointed to the couch.
I sprawled out and watched him pace in front of me. Honestly, now that I knew, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t noticed it before. His lips were slightly larger than most Seekers’. In fact, his face was a lot like Michael’s or Raphael’s, as if someone went to great pains to shape him out of rock. Every plane, from his cheekbones to the length of his neck, was in perfect symmetry. Even his hair didn’t have the same texture mine did. I just thought it was part of his enticer tricks. But the closer I looked, the more I realized he didn’t look half-human at all.
He looked like a completely different being.
And then it hit me.
“You jerk!” I jumped up from the couch and ran at him. Lucky for him I wasn’t mad enough to push him through the window, but I was close.
“What?” He pulled me against his rock-hard body and sighed. “Another reason I didn’t tell you.”
I tucked my head against his chest. “You’re beautiful.”
He sighed again.
“You’ve been shielding me from seeing who you really are.”
“Yes.” His voice vibrated against my ear. I pulled back and looked at his face again.
“Why?”
“You’re very wise, Athena, as well as perceptive. If I hadn’t looked like you, you would have gathered that I wasn’t like you and put two and two together, and we needed you safe.”
“From?”
“Your father.” He shrugged and pried my body away from his. “Now have a seat.”
I couldn’t stop staring at his face. I wasn’t even embarrassed that I was doing so. He was so fascinating, so wonderful to take in. His skin was the same color as before but had a vibrant glow I hadn’t noticed before. In his original form that he had all the time, he looked like a very attractive supermodel. Right now, well, he looked like a much hotter version of Thor. You know, if Thor had dark hair and crazy blue eyes.
I cleared my throat. Okay, now I was embarrassed. I’d just compared him to a mythological figure.
Adonis walked me to the couch and sat down next to me. “Angels were, of course, created first, then came humans, and shortly after humans, after the original fall of Lucifer, El decided he needed to create more armies.”
“Why?”
“Lucifer, in all his persuasion and jealousy, was able to take a third of the heavenly armies with him. It’s not as if El wasn’t powerful enough to defeat Lucifer on his own, but his concern was for his new creation. The humans needed protection once they’d fallen into sin and darkness. The spiritual war created so much bloodshed that Michael and Gabriel fought for over one hundred days straight.”
Poor guys. I couldn’t even imagine.
“Anyway…” Adonis pulled my hand into his lap. “El knew he didn’t want to create more angels. After all, they were the Originals, and though they can’t reproduce, he thought of creating a similar race, a hyper-breed between humans and angels. A type of race that would be strictly for enticement and battle.”
So…” Adonis shrugged. “He created us. Zars.”
“Rhymes with Mars.” I chimed in.
“Helpful, Thena. Really, as if I haven’t heard that before.”
I giggled. He pulled the tablet from the table and typed in a few constellations.
“What are you doing?” I asked, once I noticed the NASA website.
“Hacking.”
“Oh, cool, just hacking into NASA. Michael’s not going to be happy.”
“One of the many reasons he didn’t want me telling you. He knew you’d be so curious that I’d actually have to show you the planet and break rules to do so.”
“He knows me too well.”
Adonis chuckled. “You have no idea.”
The tablet made a little noise, and Adonis quickly scanned different constellations. “Here, this constellation.”
My mouth dropped open. “Canis Major? Your… er… um, planet is from the Canis Major constellation?”
“Yes, if you keep repeating it, it makes it more true too.” Adonis widened the picture and scrolled over. “Scientists have known for centuries that there are planets located in this solar system. They just can’t get to them.”
“Is yours still there?”
Adonis’s hand paused above the screen. “Yes, but our people were no longer safe. So we left and joined in the heavenly wars.”
“What did it look like?”
Adonis laughed. “Honestly?”
I nodded. Because he had kept this story from me, I was eager for information.
“Water. We had a lot of water.”
“More than earth?”
“A lot more than earth. Our people gained our energy from the sun
and moon. The main city was called Zion.”
“Of course it was.” I shook my head.
“Anyway.” Adonis set the tablet back on the coffee table. “We had masses of land that had large crystal structures on them. The structures held people and were also temples of worship. We were only there for a hundred years before the battle was brought to our front door. El did everything He could. We knew what we were bred for, but we all hoped the battle wouldn’t start so soon, but it had, so we left with the archangels.”
I leaned against him. He rubbed my head with his hand. “The first minute I saw you, I was lost.” He laughed. “Michael told me to keep a straight head. I was given my assignment. Protect you at all costs. Lay down my life for you, and I was in no way allowed to give you my true identity, unless it was a matter of life or death.”
“Oh.”
Adonis pulled my head away from his chest and tilted my chin up so I could see directly into his blazing blue eyes.
“I’ve loved you for an eternity.”
What’s a girl to say to that? I wanted to cry and shout at the same time. Instead I embraced my human side, just for once, and leaned in and kissed him. Not because I needed any sort of energy or strength. Because I wanted to.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Adonis’s lips moved quickly over mine. His hand tightened in my hair; his other gripped my waist. His lips tasted like lavender. I shivered. Maybe that was another thing he had been hiding from me? Probably a good thing, considering it made me want to devour him.
I pulled back and looked into his eyes. They were blazing an icy blue as he kissed my head. “You need your rest.”
“I’m not tired,” I argued as I stifled a yawn.
“Right, okay, we’ll just rest our eyes, “ he said patronizingly as he picked me up and walked me to the room.
With a sigh, I cuddled into the bed, but it didn’t dip under his weight.
I flipped around and gave him a questioning look.