Darkness Wanes (29 page)

“That is rather presumptuous of you. We have watched humanity evolve from the beginning,” Gabriel replied sternly.

I stiffened. To hell with not antagonizing the council, the only way to make them see was to make my point abundantly clear. I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket and turned it on. There was no signal, of course, but it would still serve its purpose. I walked toward the council table and set it in front of Gabriel.

“If you know the modern world so well, find a song on my phone and play it.”

Gabriel picked it up, angling it to the left and right. My senses detected confusion and curiosity coming from him. “There are many devices on Earth,” he said, setting it back down. “Even I cannot know how they all work.”

I took the cell phone back. “Nice try, but if you’ve truly been watching the world, you know almost every human on the planet uses a cell phone. Narrow it down to any particular teenager and you’re more than likely going to find them using one at this moment. How is it you can judge what humans are ready for or not if you don’t even understand the basic technology they use on a daily basis? Even the oldest nephilim and vampires have cell phones now, which tells me they’re more in touch with what is happening on Earth than you are.”

“Give the device to me,” Remiel said, holding out his hand.

I set it in his palm. He tapped at the screen with his index finger and appeared to be scrolling through a list. A moment later the song “Angel” performed by Sarah McLachlan filled the vast room, echoing off the marble walls. Behind me, Lucas grunted, and Lorna muttered something about of course that would be the song an archangel would choose to play. Remiel let it continue for a few moments before shutting my phone off and handing it back to me. I swallowed and tried not to let my disappointment show. He’d beaten me at my game—this time.

He lifted a brow. “It is not so difficult.”

“Can you work a computer, too?” I asked, hoping to nail him on something.

His lips thinned. “I am certain I could figure it out.”

“But that’s the point. Humans are using technology every day as part of their lives. They have access to more information than ever and it has changed how the world works. Yerik understood this. He chose to bring supernaturals out at a time when they could no longer hide, even if you all refused to acknowledge the problem. Were you not working non-stop before trying to keep humans in the dark?”

Remiel’s jaw hardened. “My job has not become easier in the aftermath of their public reveal, I assure you.”

“It will, though, with time.” I stuffed my phone back in my pocket. “Humans will eventually get over it, and the world will be no more violent than before. We just have to get through the transition period.”

“There is also the matter of the daimoun killing one of our brethren,” Azrael said, her voice the epitome of feminine strength. “This is not something we can overlook, even if we disregard Yerik of Mesopotamia’s other offenses.”

I knew this would be the biggest sticking point, and I’d prepared myself for it. “As I understand it, there have been only three daimouns in the history of the world. Tell me, how many of them are left?”

Her expression shuttered. “He is the only one remaining.”

“What happened to the other two?”

She hesitated. “They were executed.”

“So let’s think about this for a minute.” I tapped my chin. “You’re Yerik, and you’re the last of a rare breed who has been hunted to near extinction. The only crime you’ve committed is that you chose your parents badly. But wait—we don’t choose our parents or our race before we’re born, do we? Not even archangels were asked before their creation if that’s what they wanted to be.”

“She has a point.” This came from Zadkiel.

I smiled at him. “Thank you.”

“Execution orders are not given out lightly,” Azrael said, annoyance now coloring her tone. “He was seen as too dangerous to live.”

I clasped my hands together. “And what, pray tell, did Yerik ever do that was such a threat aside from defending himself against an archangel? Was he worse than Hitler or any of the other countless human dictators and barbarians that have run amok across Earth?”

All four members of the council exchanged looks, but only Zadkiel answered. “No. While his behavior has never been…normal, he did not show the signs of derangement the other two of his kind exhibited.”

I was beginning to like this guy. Finally, an archangel with common sense.

“In other words, marking him for execution was a preemptive strike,” I said, shaking my head. “That hardly seems fair.”

“He proved he was too dangerous by killing one of our own,” Gabriel argued.

I met the archangel’s gaze. “And if one of you came at me with the intent to end my existence, I would fight to the bitter end as well, using every resource at my disposal. Human or immortal, we all have a burning desire to live. Defending oneself is not a crime. At least Ariel had the decency to see that and the heart to forgive him for it.”

Remiel stood. “We will take all you’ve said into consideration. You may take your seat.”

Damn him. He knew very well I had a point and wanted to stop me before I made my case even stronger. I gave him an annoyed look, but I didn’t argue. They got the gist of it and saying anything more probably wouldn’t make that much of a difference. I’d have to hope despite being a bit antagonistic that I’d gotten the job done.

“Thank you.” I gave the other archangels a respectful nod and returned to the bench. Lucas had a glint in his eyes when I met his gaze. Unable to help myself, I leaned down and kissed him on the lips. “Best of luck, honey.”

“If only you meant that,” he said, taking my place on the floor.

Knowing we might be coming to the courthouse today, he’d dressed well for the occasion. He’d donned dark slacks, a blue button-up shirt, and shiny black loafers. I envied him the fact he’d thought ahead and put a spell on his clothes to prevent our trek through the ocean from damaging them. I’d worn a blouse and slacks, but they hadn’t held up as well during our trip through Purgatory.

Lucas stood in approximately the same place I had while addressing the council. “I will attempt to keep this brief. Everything my mate has said is true, and I would not choose to refute her. In my early years, Yerik acted as a mentor and did his best to guide my brother and me. Having said that, I would ask that you wait to free him for at least another year.”

“Why?” Gabriel cocked his head.

“Melena has a burning desire to free Ariel. As we understand it, the only way this can be accomplished is with Yerik’s assistance. Should you free him, she will use him to gain access to Hell and quite possibly get herself killed while there. As much as I believe Yerik should be with his family, I cannot risk my mate dying no matter how just the cause.”

Azrael narrowed her eyes. “Are you saying you could not stop her?”

“I could,” Lucas conceded. “But not without resorting to methods that would likely make her hate me for years to come. If you know anything about Melena, then you know she does not take being controlled lightly. It is one of the reasons I love and respect her as much as I do, but it also means she is not easy to protect.”

Lucas might be trying to thwart me by speaking against my petition to the council, but he did it with the best of intentions. I’d spent months in Purgatory thinking about our relationship and where we’d often gone wrong. Intentions counted for a lot. We’d spent far too much time fighting each other in the past because we refused to see the other’s side of things. Perhaps he’d used the time apart to think as well.

Rather than resorting to force or coercion that would ultimately push me away, he chose a more palatable route where the issue would be left up to the archangels to decide—not us. It didn’t mean I was happy about his lack of support or intention to subvert my plans, but I couldn’t really be angry with him. He was only trying to protect me. If he were planning to invade Hell and leave me behind, I’d probably be doing the same thing as him. Of course, it could all be a moot point if the archangels decided not to free Yerik. We had no way of knowing the outcome. All we could do was give our sides of the argument and hope for the best.

“The decision to punish Ariel was not undertaken lightly,” Zadkiel said, a hint of sorrow in his voice. “There are those among us who would have preferred an alternative, but with archangels our options are limited. Consigning her to Hell was the only method we had to remove her from her position.”

“She could not be demoted?” Lucas asked in confusion.

“No.” Remiel’s shoulders slumped, and a wave of grief poured out of him. “There is no way to strip that level of power without also sending her to Hell. It is a complicated process.”

About a thousand questions ran through my mind in that moment. I started to stand up, but Gabriel shot me a stern look and gestured for me to sit back down. Gritting my teeth, I settled on the bench. I’d have to wait and see where this conversation was going.

Lucas shot me a warning glance, and then returned his attention to the council. “If by some miracle Melena manages to free Ariel soon, would she regain her full powers?”

“Not exactly.” Remiel’s jaw ticked. “The amount of time she’s spent there now is enough that she could never resume any type of role as an angel, but it is not so long that her soul has been corrupted yet. If she were to be saved soon, she could go on to live a life similar to that of a nephilim.”

“Which is the real reason you took Melena and Yerik off-world where they could not interfere,” Lucas said, his golden eyes glowing with anger. “They are the only two individuals who could pull off a rescue, and you sent them away, regardless of the families they left behind.”

“We did what we believed was necessary,” Gabriel said, rising from his seat. “It is not for you to question.”

“And if you choose to free Yerik now, there is no doubt in my mind that you’re feeling guilty about your decision and using my mate and my good friend as a way to rectify the situation,” Lucas spoke angrily, his voice thundering across the room. “You know very well Melena will literally walk through Hell for those she cares about.”

Lorna squeezed my arm and whispered. “Is this true?”

“I hadn’t actually decided for sure yet.” Until Yerik was freed and I could talk to him, it seemed a little early to make such a big decision. I just knew I wanted the option.

“He’d go along with it, you know.” Her lips trembled. “Ariel visited us many times over the years, and I saw her kindness. I wouldn’t have the heart to stop him or you from saving her. She doesn’t deserve that sort of fate.”

Hearing Lorna speak on the matter only made my decision that much harder. Now I was damned whether I saved the former archangel or not, assuming I got the opportunity. Leaving Ariel there to suffer would tear me up, but I’d also feel guilty if I risked Yerik’s life by using him. Who knew what would happen to someone like him if our invasion into Hell didn’t go as planned? I wasn’t only risking myself. The decision would affect all of our loved ones.

“We’ve heard enough, Lucas of Pistiros. You may take your seat,” Remiel commanded.

Lucas stood there for a moment, staring the council down. Finally, he turned on his heels and came back to sit beside me. Under his breath he muttered, “The fools are going to let you risk your life, wait and see.”

It surprised me that he seemed that confident in the outcome of this petition. “You don’t think I can pull it off if I do choose to go.”

“Not precisely.” He looked at me with apprehension in his eyes. “I do not know, but I have little desire to find out.”

“Lorna, it is your turn to speak,” Remiel said, beckoning her forward.

She walked with grace and pride toward the council, stopping a few feet from their table and holding her hands in front of her. “I admit I’m rather shocked over what I’ve heard today. Until a few months ago, Ariel was the only archangel I’d met. She was always good and kind to me. I never imagined the lot of you could be any other way.”

Lorna raised her voice, her subtle Scottish accent coming through. “Perhaps Ariel did break a few rules and go behind your backs, but she did not act alone—as you very well know. Hundreds of us, including nephilim, vampires, werewolves, witches, and other races participated in bringing supernaturals out because we believed in the cause. Melena made an excellent point that you’re out of touch with the world. More than any of you, Ariel understood humans and supernaturals well enough that she believed we could not continue living the same way anymore. The world needed the truth, and the nerou deserved to be free. Neither she—nor my Yerik—should have been punished so severely for doing the right thing.”

I wanted to add that Ariel wasn’t the only angel who’d supported us, but to mention that would risk implicating them if they hadn’t been caught. The one thing I did know was Remiel hadn’t referred to any other angels in the conspiracy, making me think they might still be safe.

As for the rest of the races, I could only be thankful the angels left them alone for the most part. They’d only sought punishment for me, Ariel, Yerik, and the nephilim involved—basically, anyone with angel blood in them. It may have helped that when supernaturals did come out, they were under strict orders not to hurt humans. The few idiots who failed to listen were executed by the archangels, ridding us of the bad ones we didn’t care about anyway.