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He stopped at Uriel’s door. “Brother.”

Uriel greeted him, grasping both arms. “I hear congratulations are in order.”

Gabriel dipped his head. “Thank you. I am here on another matter, though. The reashes in America have reported a surge in nasdaqu-ush. I need all the support I can muster to find their maker and end her once and for all.”

“Would that I could, but I am tied up in the war in Syria.”

“If I come with you to curb the demon horde in Syria would you follow me to North America to quell the growing nasdaqu-ush population directly after?”

Uriel nodded, wrapping an arm around Gabriel’s shoulder. “It’s good to have you back, brother.”

They left, Gabriel stopping at Dina’s door to ask her to look after Adalaide while he was away. She gave her word, voicing her concerns in the same breath.

As Gabriel and Uriel touched down on mortal soil, they were immersed in battle. They fought tirelessly through one week and then the next, healing one another on too many occasions to count. By night, they watched over the humans as the demon populous moved among the soldiers, and both seraphim were helpless to stop them.

Their presence was the only thing keeping the demons from inhabiting and killing by night, and so Gabriel stood vigil beside his brother as thoughts of Adalaide drifted through his mind. He longed to go to her, touch her cheek and hear her laugh, but there was no end to the demons’ number, and the battle showed no sign of waning.

It was February or March—he’d lost track of mortal time, and the nights he’d spent waiting for the numbness to wear off could not be counted—when Dina landed beside him.

“She’s back.”

He sat up, groaning as the latest ache settled uncomfortably, healing too slowly for his liking. “Why are you here if Sanura is there?” he snapped.

“I’ve managed to drive her off for the night, but you must come. I cannot fight her and her new army alone.”

He looked out over the sea of moaning bodies and sighed. The sick and dying were always the ones in greatest need of protection from demons. “You must take my place. Their number is too great.”

Dina nodded, and he vanished.

A thrill of nervous tension ran through him. They hadn’t seen one other since the night they bonded, and for a human, the time must have seemed long. Perhaps she was angry; perhaps she’d changed her mind. He reached the door and knocked. He wasn’t sure why. He could have stepped through her wards and appeared inside, but he was hesitant to overstep their yet undefined relationship.

The door swung open and Adalaide appeared, her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkling brilliantly.

He swallowed the lump rising in his throat and opened his mouth.

She squealed, tossing the door wide, and threw her arms around him. “You’re back!”

He caught her, taking a step into the foyer and squeezing her tightly. For a moment, he held her and inhaled the scent of her very being. Apples and chocolate.

“Welcome home. Would you care for tea? But no, angels don’t drink tea. Would you care for…” she stumbled over the words as he released her, and she took a step back.

He grinned stupidly. Was she welcoming him home? They hadn’t discussed their living situation and he’d been hesitant to say more on the subject for fear of her reaction, but in this moment, all that consumed him were her thoughts. There were no traces of anger, hurt, regret. She was full to bursting with relief and joy.

Those same feelings warmed in his chest, his soul rejoicing at its other half’s nearness. Their two halves met on some invisible plane, wrapping around one another, and he took an involuntary step forward.

Their hands found each other, lacing together. The skin-to-skin contact woke his nerves; they buzzed to life, pulling him closer to her.

Adalaide swayed into him, her small frame pressing into his chest as she lifted up onto her toes and pressed soft pink lips to his.

A riot of emotion burst from her, but her thoughts died, replaced by a single word.

Mine.

He sank into her possessiveness, letting the feeling of their souls melding sweep through him. His whole body radiated with warmth.

He released her hands, wrapping both arms around her and backed her up into a wall, pressing himself firmly against her. His mouth moved on hers, sucking her bottom lip between his teeth and nipping softly.

She gasped into his mouth as her tongue darted out, tasting the blood pooling at the edge of her lip where he’d made a tiny cut. Her eyes narrowed on his momentarily, then they closed, and she repeated the action, biting down on his lip hard enough to draw blood.

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