Page 118 of Blood & Betrayals

Farrah walks to Luke and kisses the top of his head. “Showering with your lover is good for the soul, Lukey! It makes it glow!”

Luke groans, looking like he wants to die. “Mom, please.”

“You’d all be complaining if we were like Matthew’s parents. They hate each other.”

Zach comes downstairs, kissing his mom’s cheek as he passes. “That’s because they had an arranged marriage.” Zach sits down and serves himself eggs and bacon from the plates on the table.

I smile at Farrah. “I think it’s nice that you’re both so in love after all this time. And five kids.”

Farrah looks at Uriel lovingly, and he immediately moves toward her, like one magnet attracted to another. “Do you want to know the secret?”

I nod.

Farrah slips into Uriel’s arms, looking up at him. “We choose each other every single day.”

Uriel nuzzles his cheek against hers. “No matter what, good or bad.”

“And it doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes,” Farrah quips, smiling up at him.

Uriel laughs. “I snatched you with my rugged good looks, and you captivated me with your incredible beauty.”

I smile at them and lean against Connor. He, like the rest of his brothers, is engrossed in eating and completely ignoring his sappy parents. Farrah kisses Uriel, and he dips her over his arm.

“Please, can we have one meal without the public display of grossness? I’m begging you.” Zach groans.

Farrah pulls back from Uriel and walks over to Zach. She grabs his ears and smothers his face in kisses.

I laugh and lightly elbow Connor. “Ah, so this is where you get it?”

Zach’s expression is mutinous, but his eyes sparkle, revealing his enjoyment as his mom showers him with affection.

Connor puts down his fork and shifts in his chair. He grabs my head in his massive hands and starts kissing all over my face. I squeal and swat at him, not trying very hard to push him away. He laughs and pulls me onto his lap before going back to eating.

Farrah pulls Zach into a hug. “Trouble number one.”

I glance at Uriel. He is staring at his wife with nothing short of awe. “Con mentioned he wanted to train with you a bit today if you have the time.”

Uriel raises a brow, glancing at Connor before looking at me. He has the same blue eyes as his sons, but they’re sharp with wisdom. “Would you like to train with me? I noticed a holy dagger on your thigh.”

I touch the dagger Connor had insisted I wear everywhere I go, even here, and the small bubble of denial about the events that drove us to Eden pops.

“It’s for protection, Dad,” Connor says, covering my hand with his.

Uriel nods. “Well, she should know how to use it then.”

“I’d be very out of my depth with an archangel.” Who am I kidding? I am still very out of my depth in combat class. It is the one class I do not excel in.

Uriel shrugs. “Unless you know how to wield it, that weapon won’t offer much protection.” He looks at Connor, his eyes harder than I have ever seen them. Here is the archangel. “You haven’t told her what that is, have you?”

Connor looks away, sipping his coffee.

Uriel sighs and holds out his hand. “May I see the dagger, Summer?”

I pull the dagger from the sheath, offering it to Uriel hilt first. He wraps his hand around it and lifts the knife from my palm. The second it leaves my skin, bright white flames surround the blade.

“Holy daggers are not manufactured, Summer. They are not created as you would expect. They appear to an angel in times of need. As we grow older and stronger, more holy weapons will appear to us.” Uriel tilts the blade, studying it, and the flames slowly die. “It is a part of an angel’s essence. This is a part ofConnor, and it is one of the few weapons that can actually cause us harm.”

My gaze snaps to Connor, who is sheepishly watching me. Fear swamps me, but it quickly morphs into anger. Why did he give me this? It is not just a weapon capable of devastating damage, but it is meant to protect him, and he gave it to me. I don’t even know what to do with it.

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