Page 2 of The Redeemable 4

Luc gave me a lopsided grin. He was so happy, and I was so torn. I was ecstatic to be back with him, always, but not at the cost of Arcadia’s life. I wouldn’t be truly happy until she was back in that weird poly lovefest she called a relationship.

What are we going to do? Arcadia asked, her voice suddenly small.

We're going to fix this, but first…

I uncloaked myself and so did Luc.

“Luc? What’s going on?” Eli asked

“Who’s the naked angel?” Ri joined in, though there wasn’t anything remotely lascivious about the question.

“Arcadia?” Lux asked, but his face said he already knew.

Luc looked at me and I shrugged. “They’ll take it better from you.”

He shrugged out of his jacket and handed it to me. It had slots for my wings, and I put it on and zipped it up. It fell to my upper thighs, but covered all the important bits. It was still warm from Luc’s body, and smelled like him. God, I’d missed his scent.

“You should explain, my love. You were there.”

“My love? Ace?” Oz gaped at me, and I could feel Arcadia’s desire to reach out and stroke his cheek.

“Yep, it’s me. Acerezeal. I got my body back, though it was touch and go there for a second. The Father sends his regards by the way,” I said to Luc.

“Arcadia?” Lux prompted again.

I grimaced. “It went badly. The babies are both fine, I imagine they’ll both be in neonatal about now, but there were complications for Arcadia. She… died.”

Nothing could have prepared me for the look of utter devastation on their faces. Each one. It was like a sucker punch to the heart.

“Azriel came, separated her soul from her body, and then Luc turned up and stopped Arcadia’s ascent. We decided it was best if we placed her soul into my body until you,” I looked at Eli, “can fix her body enough that she won’t die as soon as it’s returned.”

Tolliver slumped down on the chair. “So she’s there, with you now? She’s the voice in your head?”

I gave him a small smile. “The irony isn’t lost on me. But it’s okay, we are used to sharing now.”

Arcadia was beginning to cry. I didn’t know a soul could cry. Wail yes, there were plenty of wailing souls in hell, but not cry.

I’m just a passenger. I didn’t realize how frustrating this would be. I’m so sorry you had to do this for so many years, Ace. I miss them so much already. And my babies. I’ll never get to hold my babies.

I firmed my jaw. You will. I will make sure of it. She deserved her happiness, and I was determined to help her get it. Now, suck it up. I don’t want to listen to you cry for a month.

Arcadia let out a soft laugh. We needed to get used to this as the new normal, because shit was only going to get weirder.

“How will this work?” Eli asked, sinking down into the chair beside Tolliver.

“You work on getting her body better. I want her to be able to skip out of this hospital and never come back except to have Casanova’s pretty babies.” I poked a thumb towards Ri. “I’m going to find a way to get her soul from my body and back into her own without involving Azriel the Dickhole.”

“Can’t he do it?” Lux asked, his voice a combination of pain and promised retribution that made my skin prickle. The dude was gonna spiral without Arcadia.

“Luc can put a soul back into a body, otherwise deathbed deals with the Devil wouldn’t be a thing. But he can’t take one out. That is the strict purview of very few of our kind. Just the big three, and Azriel the Douche Canoe.”

The big three?

“The big three are Michael, Raphael and Gabriel, in case you are wondering.”

Maybe we can try Michael? He showed an interest before.

I looked at Luc. My sexy, short tempered lover. He was as beautiful as the day I first saw him, when his wings were still milky white and he hadn’t yet fallen. He liked to pretend he was okay with his new role, but deep down being cast out still hurt. Especially being cast out by Michael, who he’d considered a friend. I’d considered him a friend.

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