20. My rules are not your rules
Nevaeh
“Aren’t you a vision for sour eyes.” Angel runs up the stairs to where I'm standing and kisses me softly.
I Look down at my outfit—yet another pastel purple pullover I stole from Angel and jeans that Grace gave me.
“Yeah? I like it too. It’s someone’s mother’s jeans, but I’m not sure whose.” I shrug, rubbing my hands on my thighs over the rough yet smooth material.
“What?” Seiji looks around to see if anyone knows what I’m talking about.
“Grace said these are ‘mom jeans.’ I just don’t know whose mom gave them to me.”
Behind Angel’s shoulder, I look for Grace so she can confirm it. Sitting beside her mate on the dining table, I find Grace with her cheeks between her palms, pressing hard enough I can see her knuckles turning white.
Then suddenly, the room is loud. Obnoxiously loud. Every corner of the penthouse is filled with roaring laughter that I’m sure humans from the other side of town can hear.
I have a family full of weirdos.
Wiping a tear from his right eye, Anxo holds my face in his gigantic hands and smashes our lips together before I can ask what is going on.
“You are adorable, sweetheart.” His words are still breaking from how hard he’s trying to compose himself.
I had a feeling these people were weirder than average, but now I know how much.
I am surrounded by a bunch of idiots .
“I don’t have time to fix every brain in this room, so I’m letting this go.” I reach for the suitcase I abandoned because it was heavy and I didn’t want the workout. But before I can, Angel takes it from me, lifting it with ease.
Show off.
I’m willing to ignore their stupidity because I’m jumping off the walls, excited about finally going home today.
Now that Harvey is here and we’ve gathered all we can about August’s biological family, there’s no need to stick around humans.
After the night at the club, we took a few days to recuperate before the talks about leaving began. I used that time to talk to Harvey about what happened after he escaped. We are still coming to terms with the memories and hardships of a time that will forever stay with us.
It's not easy to accept we'll always be the two people who look for the exits as soon as they enter a room, but at least we are not alone anymore.
The last week was filled with one emotional breakdown after another for me. Surrounded by my people has soothed the little girl inside me who was afraid of dying alone with no one to remember her. The banter, silly fights and constant care from my newfound family have soothed my inner child.
I don’t remember the last time that kid felt so safe and cherished.
The night after the club wasn’t the only time I allowed myself to let it all go. Now when I break, I don’t have to fear about piecing myself back together because Angel is there with me. Holding me. Caring for me.
With my mate by my side, that voice in my head taunting me to keep looking over my shoulder feels so far away.
Seeing the bags huddled around the elevator, a thought strikes me. “Wait, how are we going home?”
“Same question,” Harvey says with a mouthful and dives right back into his breakfast.
He is eating from two different plates .
This man eats like no one fed him for a decade.
Oh, wait.
Seiji pushes some bags around to make space for all four of his bags. How long did he think he was staying here? “I’m not staying in this realm a day longer, that’s for sure. The pollution alone is a deal breaker. If humans keep this up, I don’t think we’ll need to step in. They are very capable of killing themselves on their own.”
“The cars are ready.” Hazel strolls into the living room, tapping her phone at lightning speed.
“Again? I thought we could finally ride our horses,” I complain.
Seiji turns to me exasperatedly. “We can’t just ride our horses—that fly mind you, among humans! Honestly, woman, have you forgotten the rules?”
By rules, I’m guessing he’s referring to the guidelines our elders left for us.
What they don’t know is that Papa thought he could do better than those elders and gave me his version of rules to follow.
By the grimace on Grace’s face coupled with her sympathetic smile, I know Papa fed her the same rules.
Rule number one: Don’t let anyone fuck with you. Always hit first and hard so they never get another chance.
Rule number two: Don’t go showing off your mumbo jumbo to humans because I won’t be cleaning up your mess. You know how annoying those little shits are, and I don’t like dealing with humans unless I absolutely fucking have to.
Rule number three: Mates are the most precious gifts in life. When you find yours, love them unconditionally. Give them all your love and devotion.
Rule number four: Family is everything. Consider Horsemen your second family. You protect them with everything you've got .
“It's not the best idea to risk an attack with August traveling with us. Not to forget you and Harvey don’t have your rings or weapons on you. We don’t want Mr. Big bad Grim Reaper to kill us for getting his daughter killed or kidnapped again.” Hazel comments.
“Actually... Nevaeh doesn’t need a ring or weapon.” Everyone stops what they are doing and turn to Grace curiously.
Thanks for the unwanted spotlight, Honeybunch.
“We don’t either, but they boost our powers significantly.” Angel agrees with Hazel that it’s not worth the risk when the coven is waiting for us to make one wrong, careless move.
Grace nods, but I can see she has more to say. “Well Nevaeh is also the purest form of Divine in the flesh. Her powers are already in the same zone as a crowned Horsemen without a ring or weapon. She doesn’t exactly need them to— pardon my language —kick some serious butt.”
For every supernatural being, their Divine is usually their primary source of power. But with Horsemen, our weapons and rings blessed by Fates magnify those powers drastically.
Even without the extra boost, the Horsemen are a death wish to challenge. The magic our rings and weapons contain, when combined with our Divine, makes it impossible for anyone to stand before us.
Ask Heaven. They paid a huge price by underestimating my kind when they went after Papa for creating me.
We aren’t known as the physical manifestation of the apocalypse for nothing.
Harvey leans back in his chair smugly. No doubt, waiting for them to realize ‘what I’m capable of’ is entirely different from ‘what I can actually do’.
And what I can do is stuff my Divine as far back as possible because I’ve got zero amount of control over it.
Anxo’s forehead creases when he asks, “How’s your Divine treating you these days, sweetheart?”
“Good,” I answer through clenched teeth and maintain a bright smile.
“Hmn.” Folding his arms over his chest, Angel leans against a wall. “Let’s meet your essence then.”
I’m stunned for a moment at the firm order. Angel always gives me a wide birth over things I’m uncomfortable with, but it looks like I’ve finally run out of luck because he isn’t budging on this.
His eyes soften when I bite the inside of my cheek, hard enough to draw blood and hesitate. “Hey, I only want to see what you’re dealing with. I need to know how to help with your—what do you call it? Oh yeah, your wacky Divine. I’m right here, sweetheart. I will step in the moment something goes wrong.”
At least he’s aware this will be a mess.
Scratching the back of my head, I give up and let my Divine peek through. The room darkens with my Divine’s presence as my essence seeps out, surrounding me with a thick gold fog. But before anyone can blink, the fog dissipates.
Angel encourages me to try again, so I do. I take a deep breath and this time push my Divine out more forcefully. I certainly wasn’t expecting a pushback strong enough to make me stumble.
Every lamp, ceiling light, and even the TV running in the distance shatters as my Divine aggressively seeks out every ounce of light it can only to fail to contain it inside me. We’re never on the same page.
Thank Fates, I don’t have to differentiate between the living and the dead too. I’m messed up enough without having to guide souls. What if I accidentally scare off a freshly passed soul into running away?
That would be bad for business.
Angel smiles at my pout and pulls me in for a hug. I don’t know if I should hate or love the way I’m starting to depend on Angel for my peace, but the acceptance he gives me is addicting.
I’ve witnessed people freak out countless times when they see my essence and how out of control it is, but this man doesn't even blink.
Sheepishly smiling, I look up to the passive faces that scream ‘We knew you weren't fine’.
“Maybe we should take the cars.”
Everyone laughs at my sullen expression, but Angel reminds me it’s perfectly fine for me to take my time. He promises to help me practice control and makes me forget my grumpiness by mentioning Diamond.
Yes, I named my papa’s pale horse of Death, Diamond .
Whoever has a problem with it can fight me .
“Are you sure you’re not forgetting something?” Angel asks Seiji once he double-checks the luggage in the second car that will be following behind us.
“Of course, I’m not. I’m very responsible.”
Snickering at our dramatic Prince of Famine, Angel clears his throat louder than necessary and taps the wheel with his fingers.
“Where’s your phone?”
“I’m... getting a new one... yes.” Liar.
“And you packed your whips, right? Because I think I saw a familiar belt when I…”
Seiji leaps out of the car, screaming he’ll be right back. August giggles when Seiji almost trips over his legs, trying to run back inside the hotel. Smiling warmly at my little boy, Grace pats his head from the seat behind him, next to a sleeping Harvey cuddled into her side.
Suck on that, Seiji!
He owes me so many brownies.