Page 16 of Destined for Eternity
The sensor shook her head. “I promised myself I’d cut back to just once a week, and I already shot him yesterday for interrupting Lucas and I while we were…”
“…having carnal relations in the dining room,” Kerbasi finished, sneering. “It was disgusting, and they were in the strangest position. I don’t know how I will eat in there ever again.”
“I’m sure you’ll manage,” Melena replied.
Lucas glared at him. “The only reason I allow you in the house right now is because your insight might be valuable in this situation. Once this is resolved, you will not enter again for a week.”
“I don’t know why you allow him inside at all,” Bartol said. He wasn’t happy when Kerbasi had come to his cabin before, and he never let the infernal man inside.
Melena sighed. “We can’t humanize him if we keep him away from people all the time. Social interactions are what helps him learn better behavior.”
The guardian whisked an invisible piece of lint off of his pressed, button-up shirt. “I behave just fine. It is everyone else who has a problem.”
Bartol resolved to ignore him. “What are we going to do about Jeriel?”
Micah put a dinner plate in front of Ariel. She looked at it suspiciously, still not used to having to eat like the rest of them. As immortals, they wouldn’t die from starvation, but it would weaken them considerably and hunger did make them uncomfortable.
She picked up her fork and played with a piece of shrimp. “Jeriel is formidable. He doesn’t seem like much from the outside, but he is a proven warrior. Whenever Heaven has a problem that needs to be taken care of swiftly and quietly, he is the one to do it.”
“He’s threatening to take my child if I do not cooperate.”
She pursed her lips. “What is it he wants from you?”
“To hunt and kill demons.”
“Would that be so bad?” She arched her brows. “From what I understand, you do it quite well.”
Bartol grunted. “Kill them, yes. Hunt them, no.”
“Have Jeriel bring your father down again. It’s a solid argument that you can’t do something without training from an expert and then at least you’ll have him around for a while.” She chewed on the piece of shrimp, delighted surprise lighting her face. “And this way I’ll get to see him again—it’s been quite a long time.”
“My offspring would still be required to work as an enforcer for a century after reaching maturity.” Fifty might sound old to humans, but it was like a teenager in immortal years. “I don’t want my child’s future decided when they’ve yet to draw breath.”
“A century is hardly that terrible,” Ariel argued.
Apparently, Hell had not changed her ways of thinking entirely.
Bartol crossed his arms. “Nephilim aren’t put to work like this.”
“That’s because we found you to be uncontrollable without incentive or blackmail, both of which were not always available depending on your lifestyles. And even then, you’re all too independent and rebellious to be of use for more than short periods.” She finished another bite, closing her eyes as she relished the taste. “We’ve found the nerou to be much better at obeying commands and pleasing us.”
There were only about fifty nephilim left in the world. There used to be hundreds many centuries ago, but they’d been picked off one by one over time, and many more during the Supernatural War. Heaven reviled them and mostly wanted them killed off because of their independent nature. Bartol suspected the only ones left among them carried a sensor gene, which was partly why the nerou had such strong abilities. They were getting advantages from both parents.
“If it was your child, would you want them indentured to Heaven for a hundred years?” Bartol asked.
Ariel winced. “I doubt I should ever be so lucky.”
Obviously, she could have a baby if she chose or else nephilim wouldn’t exist, but that didn’t mean it would be allowed. Her existence on Earth was tenuous since she should have still been in Hell. Melena broke her out nearly a year ago and convinced the archangels to let her be, but having a child now that she had a modicum of demon essence in her would be pushing the limits. They’d probably execute her if she had a baby.
“If I could keep my child, a hundred years of servitude would be a small price to pay.” She leveled her gaze at him. “No nephilim has ever been given the deal you’ve gotten. Take it and be glad of it.”
He looked away. She had a point, even if he didn’t like it. He would be the first one allowed to keep his child and raise them. How many of his kind would have killed for that opportunity? God knew many tried and died for the effort. Some of the nerou were orphans because their parents had attempted to fight the angels off in order to keep their children close, and lost.
“So you are saying to take the deal?” Bartol asked.
“Absolutely.”
“But it’s not fair,” Melena argued. “And this sets a precedent for everyone else who has children in the future.”
