Page 16 of Semi-Fallen

His lips twisted around the word angel like most peoples’ did when they spoke of ticks, bedbugs, and herpes. Clearly, he was not impressed with Lucien’s resume as a soldier of Heaven.

She glanced over at Lucien who had the decency to answer out loud and in sign language for her benefit, since he was holding her father’s cold gaze. “If I wanted to kill her, she’d be dead. Believe me or not, but I have no reason to lie to you. Either way, it won’t end with me. Others will come to destroy her.”

Her mother’s already hard expression got even harder, colder. “And we’ll kill anyone who tries.”

Lucien looked down at Lane, his mouth set in a firm line, something akin to pity in his eyes. Then he met Mischa’s eyes before signing, “You’d try. And you’d fail. All of you together could barely contain me, and I didn’t want to hurt you.”

Gabriel crossed his arms over his chest. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but he’s right. I’ve seen what happens when this guy wants to hurt people.”

Riddick raised a brow at him. “Or maybe you and your demon friends just aren’t all that tough.”

Gabriel gave him a smile that was little more than a feral baring of teeth. “Sounds like a challenge, old man.”

“Any time, any place.”

Harper rolled her eyes. “Ugh. Look, if I’m willing to stipulate that I think you’re both very manly, can you agree to not whip out your dicks to see whose is the biggest? Seriously, we have issues at hand!”

Benny and Seven snorted in stereo while Gabriel and Riddick mumbled apologies, but continued to stare at each other in a way that made Lane sure they were going to at least arm wrestle later to prove who was the strongest.

Section 8 men could be so predictable.

Quinn cracked his knuckles. “So, you gonna teach us how to kill angels, then, flyboy?”

“Now that’s a plan I can get onboard with,” Nikolai seconded before knuckle-bumping Quinn.

Benny shifted nervously in his seat. “Am I the only one who isn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of killing angels?”

“Yes,” Seven, Lucas, Riddick, Gabriel, Nikolai, and Quinn said in stereo.

Haven raised her pinkie. “I mean, I’m not entirely comfortable with it. Couldn’t we try to, I don’t know, talk to the angels or something? Maybe we could change their minds about Nephilim?”

Leave it to tenderhearted Haven to suggest a less deadly approach to the situation. Tina smiled at her and Harper said, “That’s my girl. Diplomacy doesn’t always work, but can we really afford to discount the idea—especially when we’re dealing with folks who could smite us all without trying too hard?”

Now it was Lucien’s turn to rub his temples. “I’ll be honest. I’ve never tried to kill another angel. We’re fairly indestructible. Diplomacy might be our best option. But I can’t guarantee that any other angel’s response to finding Lane wouldn’t be to smite first and ask questions…never.”

“OK,” Harper said, drawing the word out for several extra syllables. “So, maybe we can somehow slow angels down or hide her for long enough to convince them that Lane isn’t an abomination?”

Mischa crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m getting pretty sick of that word,” she said.

Lane smiled at her and signed, I love you, mom.

Love you more, baby, she signed back.

Hunter sighed. “I’m guessing it won’t be easy to convince an angel that their heavenly Father was potentially wrong about Nephilim?”

“You would guess correctly,” Lucien said, his face expressionless.

Haven leaned forward, talking almost faster than she could sign. And Haven could sign scary fast. “So, did God give you guys the order to hunt down Nephilim directly? Like, did he look you right in the eye and say, ‘L, you’re going to unalive Nephilim, ‘cause they’re totally suss and I hate them’?”

Lucien’s brow furrowed. “I…don’t know how to respond to any of that.”

Lane had to stifle a chuckle. She imagined no one in Heaven—or anywhere else—called Lucien “L”, and she also couldn’t imagine that God would ever use the word “suss.” But…who knew?

Lucas, one of the few people on earth who spoke entirely fluent Haven, leaned forward. “I think Haven is asking how heavenly orders are given out. Are there tablets? Scrolls? Or does the Big Guy give you your marching orders directly?”

There was something about Lucien’s expression that gave Lane pause. He’d been so open and honest up until now…but he didn’t want to answer Lucas’s question. She wasn’t sure anyone else knew that, but it was as clear to Lane as the nose on his absurdly handsome face.

She reached over and covered his hand with her own. She wasn’t sure why she did it. Maybe she wanted to offer him comfort? Acceptance? She had no idea. But when he looked down at her and let out a deep sigh, she knew it had worked.

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