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Joseph prostrated on the floor, mumbling, “I’m sorry, Abba. I’ll do better next time.”
Father chuckled as he lifted Joseph back to his feet. Thelial watched, a little surprised, as Father helped right Joseph’s robe and brushed a caress overtop of one wing. When Father pushed a long lock of hair off the prophet’s shoulder, Thelial clamped his mouth shut to keep from gasping. There had been gossip over the last century, always by those angels who had been chosen, but he’d never seentheiraffection shown so openly.
Thelial peeked at the Maccabee brothers, all of them with their heads down and eyes shut. He was the only one who saw. Lifting his chin once more, Father met his gaze and winked. Thelial didn’t think his eyes could get any wider. He smiled, of course. How could he not? A glance at Joseph found the prophet blushing, unable to meet Thelial’s brow-raised query.
“I know you will, Joseph. Go on back to the garden. I’ll join you when I’m through here.”
As Joseph left, the brothers all looked up and Father’s visage changed from a distinguished silver-haired statesman to something rougher. His hair darkened, skin shading from pale to tan, nose widening as if it had been broken a time or two. He stared down at Nate.
“Yonathan, I feel your confusion and sadness, but it must be this way. Do you not think I could have put Daniel in Thelial’s path sooner? Or Gabriel and Ari, Judah and Locke? Each one needed to happen at the right time, just as yours must. I will not deny you the one you love, but as that old adage goes… when you love someone, you must set them free, and if they love you, they will return, or in your case, await your return. Keep your eyes and your heart open, my son.”
Nate pressed his hands and forehead to the floor. “Thank you, my Lord.”
Father nodded, then bade them all rise. “I have information for you. Marchiosias was formidable. Troian…” Father sighed. “He remained hidden and went unnoticed for far too long. His power has grown by leaps and bounds since he took over Atlantic City. He feeds on pain, and there is much of that in my city. Thelial, I’m sorry I have put your chosen one in this position, but he is your best chance of getting close to the demon.”
“I understand, Father.”
“We’ll protect him,” John said decisively. The brothers, with stony countenances, nodded in agreement. “Our brethren here and on Earth will help.”
“They will. Some of our youngest recruits whose will it was to keep fighting have joined your ranks recently. With Ari, Judah, and now Thelial leaving, you have too many openings in your primary group. Simon and Eleazar will help decide who will join you, John. Bring Joseph your choices before dawn. I want you all working together on this while Thelial is gone.”
Gone!Thelial spun to stare at the globe on his desk. Only minutes remained until sunset in Atlantic City. He turned back to find the brothers had left and only Father remained.
“Troian’s hold on your other half is strong, but Daniel’s will is stronger. You just have to make him see that.”
Thelial frowned. “Easier said than done.” It was times like these when he felt like a failure when compared to the Maccabee brothers. They had practically been born warriors. Meanwhile, he’d gotten by as best he could growing up, and then spent his first millennium as an angel playing Cupid on Earth before joining God’s Army.
“Unfortunately, yes, but I have faith in you. In you both.” Father held out his hands.
Thelial grabbed them as he took a knee, burying his face in the gauzy robes of The One Most High. “Thank you for your blessings, Father. I will forever strive to be your humble servant and to earn your goodwill.”
“As you have done, so shall you continue. As I said, I have great faith in you.” Father guided him to stand and turned him around, placing a hand on his spine, between his wings. “Now go. Be with him, earn his trust and his love, for he wants to give them freely, but circumstances make Daniel leary.”
Bright light surrounded Thelial and when it faded, he discovered he’d arrived inside his mate’s apartment. Daniel was curled in a recliner, fast asleep. For long minutes, he stared down at Adonai’s choice for him. In sleep, Daniel’s relaxed features made him appear much younger.
Theo patted his back pocket, then pulled out the wallet tucked inside. His driver’s license put him at twenty-eight, so he suspected Daniel was about the same, maybe a few years older, based solely on the few silver threads in his hair that he’d noted. They didn’t detract at all from how good his other half looked.
Quickly, he peered around the room. Not finding what he wanted, he wandered the small apartment. Inside the small bathroom, Theo gazed at his visage in the mirror over the sink. He touched his artfully styled, shaggy blond hair, cupped his pale flawless cheeks, and leaned forward to better take in his unique light blue eye color. He’d been a handsome youth in his time, but Adonai had made him even better. Heavens, he wanted to be perfect for Daniel.
Theo turned away, feeling not very perfect at that moment. He always pushed himself to be and do better. It had taken him a long time to accept that his skill with a blade was nearly as good as the brothers who’d literally grown up with a sword in hand, fighting battle after battle against King Antiochus’ soldiers.
Would he be able to earn Daniel’s love in such a short time without angelic intervention? Was he good enough? Perfect enough? Ari was… Judah was… He could be, too. Right?
“No!”
Daniel’s shout had Theo running. His chosen mate thrashed in the recliner, deep in the throes of a nightmare. He reached for Daniel, then froze. Should he? Shouldn’t he? Throwing caution aside, Theo knelt beside the chair and placed one hand on Daniel’s forehead and the other on his chest. It took a minute for Daniel to settle, during which Theo held his breath. Once calm, Theo released it in a loud whoosh.
Daniel’s eyes snapped open. He grabbed Theo’s arm. “How the hell did you get in here?”
Quickly, Theo slid his other hand down from Daniel’s forehead, covering his mate’s eyes, and willed him back to sleep. Daniel’s grip on him loosened, eventually falling away, and Theo breathed a sigh of relief. That had been too damn close to revealing who—and what—he was. It was too soon.
And if Daniel knew too soon, it could ruin everything.
Daniel
Daniel stood outside the office of a dated motel Mr. Troy had sent him to soon after he’d been forced to accept Troy’s offer of employment. His hopes of leaving a life of crime behind with March’s demise flickered and died the day Troy and his men showed up on his doorstep.
He’d expected to be alone at the motel and had been surprised to find a couple of Troy’s goons waiting for him. Their sheer size and menacing growls did not bode well for the upcoming confrontation with the owners over non-payment.
