In the morning the house was eerily quiet. The air was still and the only sound was that of her feet on the wood floors. She quickly got ready for work and left the house so she wouldn’t have to see anyone. She was ashamed of her outburst the night before but wasn’t ready to apologize just yet.
The day remained uneventful. She didn’t see a soul except for the horses. No one snuck up on her, tried to kill her, or even tried to talk to her. The drive home was equally uneventful and when she pulled up to the house there were no cars waiting in the driveway.
Unlocking the door, she jogged up the stairs and said, “I’m back.” At the top of the stairs she looked around, but no one answered her. Walking from room to room she noticed they were all empty. She was alone. The house seemed larger than it used to and oddly forlorn. She had gotten so used to someone always being around. Now that she was alone again it didn’t feel right.
Dinner was boring without Ben or Raguel, and she found herself eating in the sitting room instead of the temporary kitchen. The evening news was on the TV but she was having issues paying attention. Eventually there was story that peeked her interest and she quickly raised the volume.
“… the latest on the two mysterious deaths which happened almost one month ago.”
“Yes, Kristine. I’m standing here on the road in the very spot where the bodies of the still- unidentified victims were found almost one month ago, and as you can see, there are no signs of anything ever happening here now. The police say that any evidence has been washed away by the weather or by animals and the case has come to a grinding halt. The only compelling evidence collected were an assortment of white feathers found scattered around the crime scene, and now even those have gone missing.”
The scene switched from the woman standing on the deserted highway to a laboratory. “This lab located a few hours outside of Houston was asked to determine the origins of the feathers. Not only were they unable to determine what species they came from, but also all samples have mysteriously disappeared only two nights ago. The police chief has declined to comment on what might have happened to the feathers; however, he is still asking that anyone who might have any sort of leads to please contact the police. Reporting from Houston, this is…”
Elizabeth turned the TV off in a daze. Not only was no one there, but they had finished cleaning up the attack that happened awhile back as well. Was this it? Were they really gone forever? She spent the rest of the night in her room reading and ended up going to bed early.
The next day passed and was almost identical. She woke to an empty house, got through work without a hitch, and returned to an empty house. She ate leftovers for dinner before moving into the sitting room to watch TV. Everything appeared back to normal. Her first thought was that she should be happy but at the same time she had never felt more alone.
She was so bored that the TV didn’t amuse her anymore. She even found herself watching Animal Planet before heading to bed. It was early and the sun had only just gone down, but she had no reason to stay up. Sleep didn’t come, however, and after an hour she climbed back out of bed and walked around the quiet house. Eventually she came to Ben’s room. The bed was still there and everything was just as he had left it. Lying on the bed, she hugged the pillow and pulled the sheets up to her neck. The bed still smelled like him and it strangely comforted her. At some point she fell asleep and ended up spending the night in there.
The next day she really didn’t feel like going to work and had to force herself out of bed and to get dressed. Getting ready was a chore and she hummed absently to the radio during the drive. Pulling into the ranch, it was a buzz of activity. There were large trucks parked all around the main house and people were running everywhere. Slowing down, she had to stop several times to wait for trucks pulling out of the property.
Driving past the main house at a crawl, she saw a woman running towards her waving. It was her boss, Mrs. Landry. Her hair was thrown up in a messy pony tail and her shirt was winkled and sitting crooked on her shoulders. Pulling off the driveway, Elizabeth parked the car in the grass and got out to meet her employer.
“Elizabeth ,I’m so glad you got here early. I’ve got some big news. My husband was transferred to Europe and we’re moving this weekend.”
Glancing past her, Elizabeth saw some men carrying a couch out of the house and onto a truck parked out front. “We were going to sell the horses,” Mrs. Landry said, “but I can’t bear to part with them. So would you mind after feeding them and putting them to pasture grabbing a few boxes and some Sharpies and packing up anything that’s not used every day?”
“Yes, ma’am. No problem.”
Smiling, she turned back to the house. The movers were going quickly. They had already packed the couch and were bringing out a love seat now. Letting out a sigh, Elizabeth climbed back into her car and drove towards the barn. The horses were glad to see her as always, and after they were in the pasture, she did as Mrs. Landry asked and found some boxes at the main house. She enjoyed working in the field and repairing things, but packing wasn’t so bad either.
There was a lot more to do than she expected and she ended up staying late that night to finish. Of course it didn’t matter since there was no one waiting at home for her and she was ecstatic to be around people again. On her way out, she drove the boxes to the main house and dropped them off on the front porch. Mrs. Landry was there. She had dirt on her face and was still working on getting the house packed.
“Oh, thank you so much, Elizabeth. You have been such a big help.” Handing her a check, Mrs. Landry continued, “Here’s what we owe you for the week. There’s a little extra in there since this was such short notice. We’re going to bring the horses to the vet tomorrow morning. They need to be boarded and placed in quarantine before making the trip.”
Nodding, Elizabeth remained silent while she continued, “It has been so wonderful having you here to take care of them. I can’t thank you enough. If you need anything else, like a letter or recommendation or a good reference, please give us a call. We’ll be happy to help.”
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you.” Giving Elizabeth a hug, they said their goodbyes. Getting into her car, Elizabeth drove back to her empty house. She was completely deflated. She prayed that someone was waiting for her—anyone, really--but no one was there. The house was dark and there were no signs of life except for the chirping of crickets and the occasional owl calling.
Trudging up the porch steps, she found her spirits lifted. Pinned on the front door was a folded piece of paper. Pulling it off the door, she quickly opened the house and raced upstairs. Opening the letter excitedly, she saw that it was from Raguel. He claimed to have some important news for her. He was waiting at a bar located in one of the upcoming neighborhoods in the center of the city.
Just a week ago she would have been suspicious and never would have gone much less alone. But now she was craving company, even if it wasn’t human. She reeked of horse and sweat, though, so skipping a shower was out of the question. She didn’t linger in it like normal, however, and was out and done within ten minutes. She didn’t even bother straightening her hair and instead immediately got dressed and left the house. The bar she was meeting him at was a nicer venue and was geared towards an older clientele. There was no smoking allowed, which was a plus, and unlike most bars in Louisiana, this one had an age limit of twenty-one and older.
The room was dimly lit but Elizabeth immediately spotted him. He was seated at the far end of the bar. Since it was a weekday, there were only a few other people scattered throughout the building, so it wasn’t hard to find him.
Seeing a new customer, the bartender tracked Elizabeth to the bar. The second her hand touched a barstool, the woman asked, “What can I get you?”
Blinking, Elizabeth was taken by surprise. She wasn’t ready for a drink yet and never even had a chance to tell Raguel hello.
“Um, an amaretto Coke, I guess.”
Nodding, the bartender whipped around and poured the drink in record time. She even placed an extra cherry in the glass, which was appreciated. Sliding the drink to Elizabeth, she smiled weakly at the woman. Pulling a barstool out, she took a seat next to Raguel. He already had a beer in his hand and waited for her get settled in before starting.
“I’m glad you came.”
Taking a long sip from her drink she turned to him and said, “I’m really sorry about my outburst a few nights ago. It was uncalled for and childish, and I’m sorry.” A huge load lifted off her shoulders and letting out a sigh she could breathe easy again.
Raguel smiled down at his beer and said, “No, we should be the ones to apologize. We came to your house and brought you nothing but trouble. You’ve been more than a gracious host and anyone else would have kicked us out a long time ago.”
That made her feel a little better about her behavior and looking down she realized that she had finished her drink. The bartender noticed as well and, striding back down the bar quickly offered, “Would you like another?”
Smiling, Elizabeth nodded. “Please.”
They watched the bartender fill another glass. Placing the new drink in front of Elizabeth, she quickly swiped the old one away. Placing it in a sink, she walked back to the other side of the bar and leaned on the smooth top. She was talking with a young man sitting by himself. They each had a beer and appeared to know each other.
Clearing his throat, Raguel took another sip of his drink. Stirring hers absently, Elizabeth stared at the dark liquid. Now that apologies were over with, it was time to get down to business. “So,” Elizabeth said, “what’s the news you have?”
Taking a swig of his beer, Raguel cleared his throat again. “I’m pretty sure I’ve narrowed down the being behind the attacks and my contacts agree with my conclusion.”
“Well, that’s good news.”
Raguel shrugged a little and didn’t share her enthusiasm. “Well, it would be great if we could find him. Unfortunately everywhere he normally goes, he’s been avoiding, and no one has any clue where he is.”
Elizabeth let all of the new information sink in while the bartender brought him a new beer and replaced her drink with a fresh one. She didn’t recall asking for another but wasn’t upset by the assumption. After the bartender walked to the other side of the bar again, Elizabeth questioned softly, “Have you asked the demons if they’ve seen whoever it is?”
Shaking his head he said, “Since the night you ordered everyone out of your house we haven’t been in contact. It’s not normal for our societies to mingle and the only reason we were in each other’s company was because of you.”
“I see.” She really regretted her little outburst. Not only had it been lonely, but it appeared to be hampering everyone who was trying to help her as well. Without thinking she picked up her glass and emptied its contents in one smooth motion. Placing the empty glass back on the bar, Raguel’s hand touched hers and, pulling the glass away, he suggested,
“Maybe you should slow down on these. According to my research you’re not a big drinker and judging by your weight I think you’ve had more than enough.”
He was probably right, but she had finished the drinks so fast the effects hadn’t had a chance to kick in yet, so for the moment she was feeling fine. The bartender was on top of things and noticed the empty glass as well. Striding back over to them, she smiled. “Would you like another?”
Shaking his head, Raguel pushed the empty glass and bottle towards her. “No, thank you. Could we get two waters and an order of nachos instead?”
Smiling at him, the bartender grabbed the empty glass and bottle from the bar. Winking, she said, “Sure thing.”
Resting an arm on the back of the bar stool, Raguel looked around the room. Pointing to a small table near the outer wall, he suggested, “Why don’t we go over there so we can talk in private?”
Nodding, Elizabeth agreed, and they quickly changed seats. The bartender was right behind them with their waters and she returned only a minute later with the nachos. The loaded chips were surprisingly good and they ate quietly for a few minutes. Gazing out the window, Elizabeth watched a few cars drive by slowly. This part of the city was unique. There were upscale shops and restaurants all within walking distance from the houses in the neighborhood. It was almost like a little city contained within the bigger city and was actually kind of neat.
Smiling, Elizabeth placed a finger on the window. There was a bug sitting on the outside of the glass that saw her finger as a threat. It tried to get away, but she followed it, cutting it off and making it switch directions. Biting her bottom lip, she tortured the bug for a few minutes until it grew tired of the game and flew away.
Resting her head on her hand she stared at Raguel who was also looking out the windows. “How old are you?”
Turning towards her, Raguel cocked his head. “What?”
“How old are you? I mean, you have to be really old, right?”
A thin smile parted his lips. “You definitely had too much to drink.”
Waving her hand in front of his face, Elizabeth reprimanded him, “Don’t change the subject. So where do you live? I mean, when you’re not sleeping on my couch.”
A slight chuckle escaped his mouth. “You make me sound like some kind of hobo.”
The picture of him sleeping in a large cardboard box in a dirty alley popped into her head. Covering her mouth, she laughed at the thought of it. Cocking an eyebrow, Raguel leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. She couldn’t help it, though. Trying to hold back her laughter, a profound thought came to mind: “Who’s the other?”
“Who’s the other what?”
Pointing a finger at him, Elizabeth leaned over the table and said, “You know what I mean. The other. You said there was… was… uh… was one other like me. So who is it?”
His eyes narrowed. He wasn’t quite sure what she was talking about. He never remembered taking about other women with her. Then it hit him. His eyes lit up and locked onto her, “You mean the other with duel bloodlines.”
“Yeah. I told you you knew what I was talkin’ about.”
He was pensive and shrugging took a sip of his water. “I don’t know if I should tell you his name, but I can tell you a few things I suppose. For one, he’s a…, well, he’s a he. Secondly he’s… how should I put this? He’s unlike you in that he wasn’t blessed when it comes to looks.”
“You mean he’s ugly.”
Raguel laughed. Shaking his head he smiled, “No. Well, I suppose it’s all relative. He’s just not the resemblance of perfection that the rest of the angels and some of the demons have achieved.”
Elizabeth had a blank stare on her face. Her eyes were glazed over and Raguel wasn’t sure if that was due to the alcohol or his explanation. “Look,” he said, “I’ll be honest with you.” Leaning on the table, he moved closer to her, “The first couple of times you saw me I was doing some reconnaissance. Originally I wasn’t too happy that my superiors ordered me to take on this assignment--firstly because you’re a mortal, and secondly because the other with mixed blood is, as you stated so bluntly, unattractive. So I assumed that would be the case with you and I intended to just watch you from a distance until I saw that wasn’t the case. I suppose it was vain of me, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised when I saw you that first time.”
Half of what he said didn’t sink in. Her head was feeling as light as a feather. The room wasn’t spinning by any means but the effects of gravity seemed irrelevant at that moment and it felt like if she wanted to, she could fly. Taking only what she wanted from his speech, Elizabeth giggled and said, “You like me.”
Halfway grinning, Raguel cleared his throat and rising from the table walked around towards her. Helping her to her feet, he said, “I think it’s time I brought you home.”
Ho
lding onto him, Elizabeth leaned her weight on his arm. “Nah, I don’t have work tomorrow. My employer is moving so I can stay up all night.”
Looking down, he cocked an eyebrow at her and, smiling broadly, said, “I think it’s still better to get you home.”
Shrugging, she allowed him to put his arm around her. Walking slowly out of the bar, Raguel led her back to her car. Opening the passenger door, he helped her into the car and then climbed into the driver’s seat. Elizabeth was growing even more lightheaded with every passing minute and the car ride started out as a big haze. The city lights all blurred together. Yellow and black lines streaked across her frame of vision with the occasional red thrown in. It was beautiful in a strange, unnatural way.
Blinking, she rested her head back against the seat. Staring out the window she saw something. At least she thought she saw something. Sitting up, she tried to look behind them but it was too dark to see anything. They were moving out of the city and headed into the country. The lights were far and few between and would soon be gone.
“Is something wrong?”
Facing the windshield Elizabeth shook her head. “No, I just thought I saw something.”
Glancing in the rearview mirror, Raguel didn’t see anything behind them. Glancing at her, he looked back at the road ahead of them. “What did you see?”
Rolling her head around on the headrest, her eyes fell back onto him. “I dunno. It was dark.”
Frowning, he didn’t like this. She was drunk, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t see anything. Slowing around a curve, the headlights locked onto something in the distance standing in the middle of the road. Pulling off the road, Raguel stopped the car. Standing several feet away was an angel he knew very well.
“Who’s that?”
Raguel’s eyes never left the road. “An old friend.”
Smiling, Elizabeth leaned over the shifter and rested her head on his shoulder. Her head was hurting but only slightly. It was light, but then again it felt like a dead weight. Lifting it, she was met by Raguel’s eyes. Smiling weakly, she placed a finger on the tip of his nose. “It’s a trap.”
Glaring at her, he took her hand in his own. “No,” he said. “I know him. He’s not like that.”
Shaking her head, Elizabeth leaned back onto her seat and said, “Okay, but don’t say that I didn’t warn you.”
Raguel rolled his eyes. The figure didn’t move. It stood perfectly still on the road staring at the car. Gripping the door handle, Raguel said, “Stay in the car, just in case.”
Elizabeth’s eyes were closing. Her head felt heavy and she was fighting back the urge to sleep. She jumped when the car door closed. Raguel strode confidently towards the angel, but slowed when he neared the edge of the light. The headlights split around his body, cloaking the other angel in darkness.
“Zachariel, what brings you down to the earthly realm?” The angel didn’t answer him. Raguel’s body tightened. Something wasn’t right. The angel didn’t move, his head hung low, and he seemed distant.
Clearing his throat, Raguel tried again. “What’s wrong, my friend? Why are you here?”
The angel’s head lifted. His eyes glowed red in the darkness. “Friend? What friend?”
Taking a step back Raguel was on his guard. This wasn’t the angel he knew. “Who are you?”
Grinning slyly the angel said, “Don’t you recognize me, old friend?” Taking a step forward, the angel brushed his hair out of his face, “You have something with you, something unique. Give her to me and I’ll spare your life.”
Chuckling Raguel had to force back a smile, “Who put you up to this? Who wants her?”
The angel shifted his weight and walked towards Raguel slowly. Taking another step backwards Raguel tried to keep his distance but the other angel’s pace quickened. “I want the girl. Give her to me!”
Charging, the angel flew at Raguel with incredible speed. Dodging, Raguel tripped, nearly hitting the ground. The angel was on top of him in seconds, grabbing at anything within reach. His attacks were wild and not thought out. Raguel dodged him easily but was reluctant to fight back. Side-stepping, he was forced backwards towards the car. Glancing behind him, he could see Elizabeth still sitting in the passenger seat. Not wanting Zachariel getting too close, he had no choice but to go on the offensive.
Side-stepping again, Raguel jabbed at the angel. He was unprepared and took the brunt of the hit, falling to his knees. Pushing himself off the ground, the angel flew at Raguel again. Catching the punch, Raguel, hit the angel across the face, and then delivered a firm jab to the stomach. Zachariel hit the ground again. Rolling over in pain the angel groaned but Raguel wasn’t satisfied yet. Striding over to him, Raguel knelt on the ground and punched him in the stomach again.
“Who sent you?”
The angel groaned. But Raguel was persistent. Hitting him in the stomach for a third time he said, “Who sent you?! Answer me, Zachariel! Who gave the order?!”
Raguel’s eyes were wild. He was impatient and continued to hit the angel in the stomach repeatedly, not giving him a chance to answer. The angel coughed violently, spitting up blood and bile. Rolling over, he tried to crawl away, but Raguel was relentless, and continued to the beat the angel until he stopped moving. Glaring hatefully down at the beaten pulp, he didn’t move to aid the angel. Coughing violently, Zachariel spit up large amounts of blood and his eyes grew wide. Convulsing, he vomited.
A round lump hit the ground. It was covered in slime and blood and it pulsed violently on the pavement. The angel tried to move away from it, but was too hurt. Walking over to the lump, Raguel kicked it. It flew through the air and hit the pavement several feet away, exploding into a giant mess. Glancing back down at Zachariel, Raguel closed his eyes and shook his head.
Walking back to the car, he paused when he heard a voice behind him. “My friend, I…”
Glancing over his shoulder Raguel said, “We’ll talk later.” Not waiting for a response he got back into the car. Letting out a deep sigh, he said, “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
Elizabeth didn’t answer. Turning towards her, she was facing the passenger window. Leaning over the shifter, Raguel placed a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing steadily. Smiling, he let out a chuckle. Leaning back in his seat, he ran his hands through his hair. This was just his luck. He finally gets Belial out of the way and she falls asleep. Letting out another sigh, he pulled back onto the dark highway and drove them back to her house.
“My lord, I bring news.”
Lucifer glared at the demon kneeling in front of his desk. Growling, he said, “It better be good. I hope you didn’t leave your post watching my great-granddaughter for no reason.”
Bowing lower, the demon trembled, “It’s Archangel Raguel, my lord. He’s with her right now.”
Lucifer’s eyes glowed. “And you left her?”
The demon’s face touched the ground, he was bowing so low. “They were attacked, my lord, by Archangel Zachariel, but Archangel Raguel defended her. I thought you should know. Forgive me.”
Standing, Lucifer paced around the room. “Call Belial and Crocell.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Scrambling out the room, the demon was gone in a flash. Grumbling, Lucifer circled the room a few times. Nothing was going as planned. The girl was stubborn and the angel was in the way. Belial and Crocell showed up quickly but Lucifer was still in a foul mood. Pouring himself a drink, he sat back down at his desk and stared at the two demons.
“Archangel Raguel is with Elizabeth.”
Belial and Crocell looked at each other. Swallowing, Crocell hesitantly questioned, “What will you have us do? Should we take him out?”
Swirling the red liquid around in his cup, Lucifer thought over Crocell’s offer. “I had thought about it but Elizabeth is fragile. She likes the angel and I have a feeli
ng she won’t forgive me if something should happen to him.” Staring at Belial, Lucifer inquired, “What are your feelings on the matter? Surely you have something to say?”
Bowing, Belial responded confidently, “I will carry out whatever decision you make my lord.”
Cocking his head, Lucifer smirked, “I know you will, but that’s not what I asked. Don’t think I haven’t noticed. You care for her. Knowing the angel is there alone with her… surely that must bring up some sort of feelings in you.”
Frowning, Belial stared at the floor, “Of course I don’t like her being alone with him, but without your permission, I can’t go back.”
Lucifer’s eyes lit up. Belial was smart and knew to pick his words wisely. Smiling Lucifer nodded, “Very well Belial. I am giving you permission to return and guard Elizabeth. See to it that the angel doesn’t over step. I’d hate to lose her to unfortunate circumstances.”
Bowing Belial placed a fist over his chest, “Yes, my lord. I understand.”
Pulling into the driveway Raguel parked the car and sat silently for a minute. Elizabeth was still sleeping soundly. He really didn’t want to wake her, but at the same time, this was one of the only times he’d had alone with her. Getting out the car, he walked around to the passenger door and opened it. Reaching over her, he unbuckled her seatbelt and pushed her hair behind her ear. Leaning close, Raguel grazed his lips against her ear. “Elizabeth. We’re home. Come on.”
Her eyes cracked open. She was lightheaded and wasn’t sure how they had arrived home so quickly. Taking hold of Raguel’s hand, she allowed him to help her out of the car. Tripping over her feet, she fell into him. It felt like she was falling for ages and when she felt his arms wrap around her she immediately busted out laughing. She was walking but he was carrying most of her weight.
Stumbling up the porch steps, she leaned against the door and fumbled through her purse. Fingering through its contents, she couldn’t find the keys. She had to have them. They made it home, after all. Digging through everything slowly, she realized that her keys were nowhere to be seen.
“What are you looking for?”
Raising the purse closer to her face, Elizabeth said, “My keys. Ugh, where did I put them?”
Grinning, Raguel pulled the keys out of his pocket. Jingling them in front of her, he teased, “Do you mean these keys?”
Grabbing at the keys, Raguel pulled them away from her. Dropping her purse on the ground, Elizabeth reached for the keys again, but he wasn’t ready to give them to her so easily. Holding onto him, she jumped for the keys but he easily held them out of reach. Stumbling backwards, she pulled Raguel with her. Her back hit the door and Raguel was now pushed up against her. Giggling, she couldn’t control herself. A big smile was plastered to his face as well and chuckling, he unlocked the door.
Once inside, he helped her up the stairs and into her room. She was having issues walking and almost tripped over her feet several times before reaching their destination. She stumbled into the room, laughing, nearly pulling both of them to the floor. Luckily Raguel caught her and, helping her back to her feet, placed her firmly on the bed.
Giggling, she pulled him onto the bed next to her and said, “So is the only reason you called me was to say that you don’t know where the guy you’re looking for is?”
A brilliant smile crossed his face and looking down at the bed he said, “Yes. I just wanted you to know so you’d keep your guard up. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Elizabeth giggled again. “Tell me about Heaven.”
“You know I can’t.”
Sticking her tongue out at him, she made a farting noise then started giggling again. A brilliant smile crossed his face and his skin glowed in the darkness. Yawning, Elizabeth stretched. “Do you have a female angel waiting for you back there?”
Glancing around the room his smile faded. Leaning on the bed, he rested his weight on an elbow and stared down at her. She yawned again and stared back up at him, he answered. “No,” he said, “I don’t.”
His voice was sad and remorseful and she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Rubbing her eyes she asked, “So what does an angel or demon or otherworldly being look for in a female counterpart?”
He chuckled softly and said, “You make it sound so businesslike. Although for the demons, from what I understand, you don’t get a choice. I’ve heard that the oldest male in the family decides who she is to be paired with. It’s all very political and the suitors more or less have to impress him rather than court the female. Angels, however, are allowed to choose their lovers, and I’d say half the women choose not to be monogamous.”
That concept was strange to her, but only because she was human and couldn’t live forever. Lying on the bed, Raguel remained sideways and stared at her intently. “Do you think Ben misses me?”
“What?” he said. “What brought that on?”
Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. It seemed like a logical thought to her, but then again, her head still felt like it was flying. Raguel rolled onto his back and folded his arms behind his head to rest on them. Staring at the ceiling, he sunk inside himself. Elizabeth stared at him for a moment but she could feel herself drifting away.
His voice pulled her eyes back open. “Even if he did,” Raguel said, “it wouldn’t matter. He’s a demon and since Lucifer has taken an interest in you he would have to convince Lucifer to let him have you.” Looking at Elizabeth, her eyes were only halfway open. “It’s like I said earlier: normally it’s political with demons. Feelings don’t play a part.”
Elizabeth took in what he said. Looking at the white ceiling, her eyes were heavy and were begging to shut. Her head felt even heavier and sunk into the soft mattress. Drifting to sleep, she could hear Raguel talking again. “Honestly, it looks like Crocell has his eye on you for some sort of advancement as well. The only thing that could possibly turn him off is if you’re not…” Out.
Chapter 19