“That, my sweet Eddie, is an excellent question, and one I don’t have an answer for.”
She knew Shade better than that. “But you have a theory.”
“I do.” He chuckled. “And so does Sophia. We think Ramiel was unhappy about what is developing between Wrath and Haziel, and he sent her there to separate them.”
Eddie remembered Haziel for her quirky smile and her sweetness. “That is fucked up. Ramiel risked the end of days because he was jealous?”
“Basically.” Shade growled. “We may be near immortal, but that doesn’t always prevent us from behaving like asswipes.”
“Is Haziel okay?”
Shade nodded. “She is, but she was badly injured.” He cleared his throat. “And she went back to Ramiel’s demesne to heal.”
“Wait.” Eddie wriggled around to face him. “But he’s the reason she’s injured.”
“I know.”
“And she went back with him?”
Shade gave her a loaded stare. “Exactly.”
“Why?”
He shook his head. “That is the question that haunts Wrath, I believe.”
Eddie pictured her father’s face. He’d looked tortured. “Surely Wrath tried to stop her.”
“He did.” Shade pressed his forehead to hers. “And she begged him to let her go.”
That fucking sucked for Wrath, and Eddie’s heart felt heavy for him. “Is that why he’s so grumpy.”
“Yes.”
“Poor Wrath.” He had the worst luck with women. First, he’d fallen for Rosabella, and now, Haziel had walked away from him. “So he has feelings for Haziel.”
Shade nodded. “It certainly looks that way. To be honest, I’m not sure even he was aware of them until this all went down.”
Her heart hurt for him, and she said again, “Poor Wrath.” And then there were the bigger consequences to consider. “Surely someone is going to do something about what Ramiel did.”
“The arches are dealing with Ramiel.” Shade grinned. “And don’t call me Shirley.”
“And he makes crappy jokes.” And they still made her laugh.
“Hey.” He jostled her gently against him. “Leslie Nielsen was a comedic genius.”
“You’re so old.”
“You have no idea.”
She took a moment to bask in the tender warmth of his smile. And then it was back to business. “So what’s the plan now?”
“Plan?”
Yeah, if this thing between them was going anywhere, he needed to learn that she was on to his bullshit. “The plan you, Sophia, and Wrath have been whispering about for the past two days.”
Groaning, Shade dropped his head back and stared at the ceiling. “Eddie, why can’t you be like most of humanity and wallow in blissful ignorance?”
She poked his stomach to get his attention—and holy ab overload. “What are you three cooking up?”
“It’s unrelated to Haziel.”
Not good enough. “Try again.”
Shade’s eyes gleamed silver. “There are far more interesting things we could be doing than discussing this.”
Holy shitballs. She’d almost forgotten how powerful his lust thing was. It hit her in the core like a promise of Nirvana…but she was on to him, and she breathed deep and punched him. “Stop that shit and tell me.”
Later, she promised her rioting woman parts.
“Eddie.” He tugged her against him. “Please don’t ask this of me. Please don’t ask that I expose you to danger again.”
How could you simultaneously want to hug and smack a male? “I think the time for shielding me flew out the window when Ashe abducted me.”
“Exactly.” Shade drew back far enough to meet her gaze. “You suffered, and I would not have you suffer again.”
“I’m in this. I want to help.” She nestled against his chest, needing the connection. “I didn’t choose this, but it is what it is now, and pushing me to the sidelines hurts like hell.” She looked up at him so he could see her truth in her eyes. “And I’m tired of being a victim.”
His struggle played across the finely made bone structure of his face and settled in the silvery depths of his eyes. “I never want you to suffer again.”
