The stark white apartment was just as clean and soulless as it had been when I left it. I sank down on one of the pure white sofas. So where is Lucifer?
She sighed. Hes in some kind of stasis, and has been for millennia, since God first passed judgment on him. Hes conscious, awake, but no one can get to him. Only my husband and Raziel have been able to hear him, and the mountain caves are the only place quiet enough for Raziel to listen. As for what we want with himthe Fallen want him to lead them as they overthrow Uriel.
I blinked. Just my luckI died, and instead of a peaceful afterlife, I got stuck in the middle of an angelic coup détat. I pulled my legs up under me, hugging my knees, and cast a glance at a plate of blueberry muffins that was sitting on the coffee table. Before I could reach for them, Sarah went on, Ask Raziel about it. Hell probably think I told you too much already. You know how men can be.
I was ready to make a smart-ass commentso far Raziel had shown little inclination to tell me anythingbut I stopped myself. You called him a man. Is he?
A man? Oh, most definitely. When the angels fall, they take human shape along with their curses.
Humans arent immortal. Humans arent cursed. They cant fly and they dont . . . I hesitated. Once spoken, it would be too real. They dont drink blood.
Sarahs quick laugh took the onus off it. Dont be picky. Call them what you willthey are many things, as you already know. She moved over to the window. Theyre cursed, and the curse goes deep. If you understand that, it will make things easier on you.
I stared longingly at the blueberry muffins. If I had one, Id be hard-pressed not to eat three, and that would use up half my calorie count for the day.
Why dont you have a muffin? she asked, mystified. Youve been staring at them since we arrived.
I dont dare. The foods too damned good hereIll end up looking like a blimp.
Sarah laughed. Thats one advantage to living here. You wont need to worry about diet. The women may not be immortal, but we still manage to live a lot longer than most humans do. Its almost impossible to kill us. In a little while your cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and anything else will be textbook perfect.
Except that Im not mortal, Im dead. Arent I?
Sarahs forehead wrinkled. I dont know if anyones quite sure what you are. Youre something of an original, and we have yet to discover your purpose.
Even so, I think we all suffer a sea change when we come here. Those who come as wives and bonded mates become almost invulnerable. I dont think theres been a flu or a cold here in generations. We live very long livesI was born at the beginning of the last century, I have the body of an extremely healthy sixty-something, and I expect to live at least another fifty years. Its similar for the rest of us. The good news is we can give up glasses, contact
lenses, allergy meds, and diets.
How come you know about some things and not others, like contact lenses and Ben & Jerrys, but you dont know what Google is? I asked, confused.
It depends on what the newest wife brings to us. I dont believe Carrie has mentioned Google but she was very fond of ice cream.
So am I.
Well, youll be pleased to know that you wont have to worry about gaining weight. Youll stay exactly the same as you are now.
What? I was horrified. Im still fifteen pounds overweight. Are you telling me Im going to be like this throughout eternity?
Sarah laughed and patted my hand. Dont worryits a healthy fifteen pounds. And Raziel might like it.
I stared at her. What does that have to do with anything? He didnt even stay around long enough to say good morning. Besides, I dont like him very much either.
Sarah tilted her head, surveying me with eyes that saw far too much. Or read too much into an entirely innocent situation. He didnt say good morning?
she echoed. Did he sleep with you last night? The idea seemed to astonish her, which wasnt particularly flattering.
Of course not! I said, trying to sound horrified rather than . . . God, I was feeling almost wistful. What was wrong with me?
But he spent the night in the same apartment?
I hesitated, then decided to dump. If anyone was going to help me figure things out, it would be Sarah. In the same bed, I think. But he didnt touch me. I fell asleep in here, woke up this morning in bed, aloneI saw her mouth open to ask a question, and said firmlyand untouched. It looked as if someone else had slept there too, and hes the logical choice since these are his rooms, but if he did he kept to his side of the bed. He didnt even bite me.
Sarah blinked for a moment, then laughed, her voice light and curiously beguiling. Hed shag you before hed bite you, Allie. Thats the highest form of intimacy there is. Its the last thing hed want with you.
Of course it was. Thank God, I told myself virtuously. Im thrilled to hear it. So hes only intimate with you?
There was the faintest trace of color on her creamy skin. You mean because he took my blood? Didnt the two of you talk at all? I cant believe you simply let him brood around and not answer any questions.