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He chuckled, low and deep. “It is perfect,” he said, but he didn’t look at the lights or the arrangements, just at me.
We turned away, heading back into the house, and even without my powers, I felt him behind me like always. I went to the large fridge, taking out an assortment of dishes we had prepared earlier.
“I hope they like it. I’m doing this for all of you. They have been kind to me, even when I didn’t deserve it, and Gabby….” I paused, my throat closing. “Stay here,” I said, deciding to bring down another layer of walls.
I ran upstairs to the one dresser where I kept some old clothes and one of Gabby’s shirts. My fingers found the note I’d buried at the bottom of the pile. When I returned, Samkiel was still in the same place, waiting. Samkiel always waited for me. I stopped in front of him, the warmth of his power enveloping me. I held up the crumpled piece of my heart.
He looked at me and took the note. Watching him unfold the paper made my chest ache. His eyes met mine once more before he read, and the seconds felt like years. He folded it as if it were the most precious thing he had ever held.
“She loved them. She felt like she had a family with them, a home, and she wanted that for me, too. So I want to do something nice for those who cared for someone so precious to me. Especially when I have not been so kind.”
His hands cupped my face and kissed my lips, his forehead resting against mine, grounding me in his taste, scent, and touch.
“This is beautiful, Dianna. Thank you for sharing.”
I nodded, a sliver of calm trying to overcome the recent rush of emotions. I laid my head against his chest, and we held each other. “You show me your dark secrets, and I show you mine.”
“That indeed.”
“I hope it gets better. For both of us.”
Samkiel swayed with me in his arms. “It will. Trust me. This is not something you just recover from in months or even years, but I will be here with you every step of the way, whatever you need, just like you have been for me. You led me out of my darkness, Dianna. Now let me lead you, or I can follow you into the dark, but there is no me without you. Not anymore. Do you understand?”
I shook my head. “No, I think you need to remind me. Preferably naked.”
He laughed for the first time since he had returned. “Perhaps later. If you’re nice.”
“So, that means I can’t kill Vincent?”
His hand stroked my back. “No, you can’t kill Vincent.”
“Fine,” I said with a disappointed sigh.
* * *
I fixed the back straps of the tiny black dress I had Samkiel make me. I told him he could only look and not touch until later since he forbade me from killing Vincent. He claimed I was torturing him and got me back by wearing a button-up white shirt and dark slacks that fit too fucking well.
Everyone arrived by one, all dressed up and devastatingly beautiful. I almost forgot they were mere celestials, given they all looked damn near godly in their finery.
I passed out drinks, nervous and desperate for tonight to go well. They stood around the kitchen, talking and laughing together. They had so many stories of battles and the time they’d spent together. If written, they could fill a library. After a few glasses of wine, I relaxed. I was still giggling over a story Xavier told me that involved Cameron and Imogen getting caught shooting at some old god’s favorite tapestry when the room went quiet.
Vincent walked in.
He wore slacks and a loose-fitting shirt. Samkiel stopped mid-sentence when he made eye contact with Vincent.
“I brought cake,” Vincent said with a small shrug, holding up a pink box as if unsure of what else to say. “Cameron likes chocolate, and that’s all they had.”
Cameron pushed past me. “Fuck yes, I do.”
“No.” The wine glass in my hand shattered, my temper snapping along with it. I focused on him. The predatory drive was so innate in me that I would shred his skin from the bone if I had my damn powers. Fire or not, my attitude was not something I’d lost with my powers.
“Dianna,” Samkiel said from behind me. Every eye, including Vincent’s, was on me.
I strode toward Vincent, crashing to a halt in front of him. “I don’t care if you loathe me, but disrespecting someone who would die for you is lower than low, even for you.”
“Dianna.” I felt Samkiel’s hand on my arm as he pulled me away from Vincent.
Vincent didn’t speak, didn’t move.
