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“OH MY GOD, LEIGH, YOU have to listen to this song!” Alyx exclaims. She pops out one of her earbuds and sticks it in mine—which would have grossed me out a bit, if not for the fact that we don't have earwax anymore. “Doesn't Kerry's voice just make you melt?”
“Uh... sure.” My honest answer would be a little different, but I don't want to hurt her feelings. This sounds like the kind of music my stoner cousin would listen to, and it wasn't my thing. Don't get me wrong, I like Alyx, but I sometimes wish she would spare a thought for something besides her favorite band. I wish we could find some common ground and discuss that instead. Like... hot Archangels, maybe?
Taishi, Alyx and I are standing in front of Archangel Tower, waiting for a mission report from one of the high-ranking angels. The tower, where the Archangels reside, is one of the most impressive structures in Heaven. The gold spiral tower is so tall, I can't see the top of it. The entire building is encased in so much light, I can barely stand to look at it.
Finally, after a twenty minute wait, Archangel Jophiel swoops down greet us. I think this is the first time I've seen his wings, and they're glorious. His feathers are so bright and white, they're practically glowing. As I watch him drift toward us, I'm in awe.
“Hello, Leigh, Alyx... Nakamura.” Jophiel greets us. I think I saw his nostrils flaring when he uttered Taishi's name. “Welcome back. I wish I could say it's been awhile, but it hasn't. I actually played a part in your mission... which is a bit unusual. How is Jamie?”
I answer on everyone's behalf. “He's doing okay. Everyone was saying his recovery was a miracle, and they were right.”
“I don't perform miracles very often, to be honest.” With a wicked half-grin on his lips, Jophiel adds, “You're a very convincing young woman, Miss Riley.”
“W-well... we needed help.” I can't bring myself to look at Taishi, but I'm pretty sure he's scowling at me right now. “I really didn't want Jamie to die.”
“That's understandable,” Jophiel says, turning to Alyx. “Miss Keating, where is your partner?”
“Wilma?” Alyx pops out her earbud and shrugs. “I dunno. She disappeared during the mission and she never came back.”
“So... you finished the mission on your own?” Jophiel's eyes narrow into slits. “That's unacceptable. Wilma should know better. You will immediately be reassigned to another partner.”
“B...but!” To my surprise Alyx looks upset. I always thought she wanted a new partner. “Wilma was supposed to take me to see Regal Crimson if our mission was a success!”
Oh. Well that makes sense. Alyx doesn't care about Wilma. She just wants to see her band.
“You will immediately be reassigned to another partner,” Jophiel repeats, a bit coldly. “And Wilma will be admonished.”
“Sir,” Taishi suddenly speaks up. For some reason, both men are glowering at each other. “With all due respect, sir, you don't know the whole story. I was the one who asked Wilma to take Richard to Home. No one else showed up to take him, so—”
“Who is Richard?” Jophiel interrupts.
“Richard was Shella's stagecoach driver,” Taishi explains. “He passed away in the middle of our mission. No one came for him, so I asked Wilma to take him Home.”
To be fair, Wilma has been gone a long time. Still, I'm proud of Taishi for standing up for her.
“Once again...” Jophiel repeats, sounding a bit annoyed, “Miss Keating will be reassigned. Do you have a problem with that, Nakamura?”
With a solemn shake of his head, Taishi replies, “no, sensei...”
“Let me remind you of something, Taishi...” Jophiel begins. “Though you are well on your way to becoming an Archangel, I still outrank you.”
“For now,” Taishi adds.
When Jophiel takes a step toward Taishi, he looks livid. I always thought they liked each other, but maybe I was wrong? Maybe they're rivals?
“I outrank you,” Jophiel repeats, “and you are not to question my decisions in front of the students. Do you understand?”
Taishi gives him a nod.
“Speak, Taishi!” Jophiel insists. “I will not settle for one of your tired nods.”
In the corner of my eye, I can see Taishi's twitching jaw. In a low voice, he replies, “I understand.”
“Good. Now... as for your mission, Leigh, I've decided it was a success,” Jophiel tells me. “True, the money isn't in Jamie's hands, but the mission parameters changed. He had the money, but he chose to give it away. His decision was made after your success, and it was out of your control.”
Our conference is interrupted by a chorus of girlish squeals. A few seconds later, I see Archangel Michael exiting the tower. Since he's the most popular Archangel, his fans sometimes amass in front of Archangel Tower, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.
“Michael,” Jophiel mutters his colleague's name with a roll of his eyes. “He's very well-loved, isn't he? Anyway, that concludes our meeting. Alyx, I'll contact you about your new instructor as soon as I can. Leigh... do you mind staying behind? I'd like to talk to you for a bit.”
“Sure.” As soon as I take a step forward, Taishi grabs my arm and pulls me back.
“Don't,” Taishi whispers in my ear.
His instruction doesn't make sense. “Don't do... what?”
“Don't go with Jophiel,” Taishi whispers to me. “Just don't.”
Taishi's protest surprises me. My mind tries to conjure up a hundred reasons why he would say this to me. Does Taishi like me too? Is he jealous? Is he mad at Jophiel for lecturing him in front of us?
“Uh... why?” I ask, hoping for some insight.
But Taishi doesn't elaborate. Without another word, he lets go of my arm and storms away from Archangel Tower.
As soon as my instructor is gone, Jophiel grumbles, “Taishi... can be a bit of a pain, can he not? Do you find him difficult to work with?”
“No. Not really.” A few seconds later, I ask, “Why were you so hard on him?”
“Was I?” When Jophiel offers me an arm, I take it. As we drift closer to the Tower, he pulls me to the right. I think he's trying to avoid an encounter with Michael's screaming fans.
“Yeah. I thought you were.”
“Hmm.” As he ponders his behavior, Jophiel drags a hand along his chin. “Maybe I was hard on him. To be honest, Leigh, I think I'm a bit jealous of him.”
“Jealous? Of Taishi?” I didn't think Archangels were susceptible to jealousy. “Why?”
“Well, to begin with, he's the only man besides Michael who's ever beaten me in single combat,” Jophiel confesses. “That alone is enough to put me at odds with him.”
I try not to sound too awed. “Wow... I didn't realize Taishi was that good.”
“Additionally...” Jophiel continues, “he gets to spend a lot of time with you, and I don't.”
“O-Oh.” My cheeks warm as Jophiel leads me into a garden.
Home is brimming with gardens. I learned that on day one. In this particular garden, a cobbled path winds between walls of flora. Shimmering gold butterflies soar over pink petunias, while hummingbirds flit from flower to flower. A floppy-eared invader wanders into our path and studies us. A few seconds later, the rabbit disappears beneath the ground.
“I love it here,” Jophiel says. “This garden is my favorite place of refuge.”
“It is a nice garden,” I agree. When Jophiel reaches for my hand, I'm frozen by his touch. My feet don't want to move, but I don't want to look like an idiot, so I force myself to keep going.
“I wanted to take you here... to talk.” Jophiel gently tugs on my arm, encouraging me to face him. He's so beautiful, it's difficult to look at him. “Leigh... I like you. You know that.”
“Uh huh.” My answer is lame, but it's the only response I can manage.
“I've been doing a lot of thinking... and I want to be with you,” Jophiel tells me. “I want to be yours, and I want you to be mine.”
“Uh... wow.” Once again, my answer is so lame, it's cringe-worthy. “You mean, like... be your girlfriend?”
“Yes. Absolutely.” He pulls my hand to his lips, kissing my knuckles. “What do you think?”
“I think...” I'm surprised my voice hasn't died. Hell, I'm surprised I'm still standing. Jophiel as my boyfriend? It's almost too good to be true. “I think... I like that idea.”
“Good. That's a weight off my shoulders.” With a wicked smile, he adds, “I guess my celibacy might be at an end.”
“Uh... yeah.” Celibacy means no sex, right? Does that mean he's thinking about having sex with me? I must talk to Alyx about this!
“May I kiss you?” As he whispers the question, Jophiel's thumb gently grazes my cheek. When he touches me, it feels like my skin's on fire. In a good way.
“Y-yeah.” I wish I didn't sound like such a nervous wreck. “Of course.”
Jophiel leans down to kiss me. I detect a dizzying hint of mint as he lowers his face to mine. When I feel his lips on my mouth, I breathe a happy sigh. For the first time ever, I'm almost glad I died.
Happy as I am, I can't get Taishi's words out of my mind.
Don't go with Jophiel.
I can hear his voice so clearly, it's like I've got a thoughtshare stuck in my ear.
Ignoring the voice in my head, I wrap my arms around Jophiel's broad shoulders and deepen the kiss.
Nothing is going to ruin this moment for me.