26 HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE #2
“Talking about shit is always better than running away like a bitch. It’s something I learned with Iris.”
Raum ground his teeth.
“Last time I did that, I ended up in Hell, and we had to go through a whole thing before we had a chance to make things right. Granted, Iris was the one that fucked up that time, but still.”
Meph looked smug about that. Made sense, since ninety percent of the time, anything that went wrong was his fault. He must have loved not being the culprit for once.
Unfortunately, he also had a point. Raum already knew he shouldn’t have left. Despite their argument, they both knew this wasn’t over between them. Not even close.
“He’s right,” Mist agreed. “I’ve also learned this the hard way.”
With a groan, Raum pulled his phone out of his pocket, only to realize he didn’t have Sunshine’s number. Did she even have a phone?
His notifications showed an unread text from an unknown number that had arrived since he’d last checked. Frowning, he opened it.
Hello, Raum, this is Sunshine. I would like to apologize for the hurtful things I said. It was not my intention to be cruel, even if I allowed my emotions to control me in the moment. I regret my words, and I ask you for the chance to explain myself properly.
I hope you understand that I don’t think any less of you because of what you are. Maybe you are right about some of the things you said about angels and Heaven. You’ve given me much to think about.
I realized I might be able to find answers about your past in the Empyrean Library, and I’ve gone back to the Realm to do some research. I will contact you when I return. I sincerely hope you answer when I call.
Sunshine had obviously never learned the art of casual texting, and it was kind of adorable reading what might as well have been a letter signed with “Yours Truly” and dated two hundred years ago.
There was one more message. It said simply, I already miss you.
Raum closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. This was what he got for getting involved with an angel. She was always going to make him look bad, wasn’t she? Her apology was so perfectly worded, she ought to become a press-release writer for politicians.
He immediately started typing out some garbled, ineloquent reply, only to stop, delete it all, retype it, and delete it again. He rubbed his eyes. All the while, his brothers shamelessly watched him.
“You’re trying to apologize by text, aren’t you?” Meph said.
Ash whistled low. “Bad idea.”
“Terrible,” Mist agreed.
Raum looked up. “She went back to Heaven. I have to.”
“Don’t think there’s cell reception there, man.”
“I know that,” Raum said through gritted teeth. “She’ll see it when she gets back.”
“Not to be a downer,” Meph said, “but you realize you can’t date an angel, right? Talk about your doomed relationships. If you ever got found out, I shudder to think what they’d do to you.”
“Perhaps erase his memory?” Mist said with a lifted brow.
“I always thought that was a stupid punishment,” Ash mused. “You know how many times I thought about what I did over the years, thinking that if I’d just … not killed those humans, then I wouldn’t have been cursed?” He blew out a breath. “Erasing your memory defeats the whole purpose.”
“But if it’s not about punishment and more about cleaning up a big messy mess, then it’s perfect,” Meph said. “Damn, that’s one hell of a scandal.”
“Why doesn’t the angel believe it?” Belial grunted. It sounded more like a threat than a question, but at least he was trying.
“She doesn’t have memory loss,” Raum said, slumping back into the couch. That was the one thing he couldn’t figure out. “I suggested that the angels messed with her head too, but she swears it isn’t possible.”
“So what are you gonna do?” Meph asked.
“I don’t know.” He scratched Luna behind the ears. “Wait for her to come back. Apologize for being a dick.” He winced. Apologies sucked, and most of the time he’d rather be loathed eternally than bother with one. But he’d do it for Sunshine.
And she wasn’t even mad at him—she was too goddamn nice. It just made him want to apologize more.
“Look.” Belial blew out a sigh. “I’m fighting my instincts here. I believe you believe the angel is trustworthy. But how can we know that for certain? She’s a fucking angel.”
“She told me how to remove the brands,” Mist said.
“She wants to cut your skin off with a consecrated blade. You’d be dead before you realized she’d lied.”
Mist looked at Raum. “I don’t believe she lied.”
“She didn’t.” Raum looked skyward. “I don’t have the energy to waste convincing you, Bel, and frankly, I don’t give a shit what you think either way.”
Bel dragged a hand through his hair. “Damn it, Raum. I’m trying.”
“Well try harder.”
Bel’s jaw clenched.
“Raum,” Ash warned.
Raum shot him a glare. Yeah, he was being petulant, but Bel had pissed him off.
“I know you’re mad I knifed you and tried to kill your girlfriend,” Bel said, “but—”
“You knifed him?” Meph cut in. “And I missed it?”
“ But I’m trying to keep everyone safe, and sometimes that means making hard choices. And I’ll do it every time. I don’t give a fuck who hates me for it.”
There was a silence in which everyone stared everywhere except at one another.
Eva had once told them their level of emotional constipation was equivalent to an impacted bowel requiring emergency surgery. They’d all grimaced at the image, but she was right. They really were terrible at talking about feelings, and Bel was probably the worst of them all.
But he was making an effort, so Raum supposed he would too. “I get it.”
That was all he said. But it was better than nothing.
“You’re always so sullen and quiet,” Bel muttered. “I never know what the fuck you’re thinking. Truth is … I worry about you sometimes.”
Meph coughed. Ash looked vaguely nauseated. Mist found something really interesting outside to look at. Raum grumbled, “I’m fine.”
“You never tell us shit.”
“Thought you didn’t care.”
“We care.”
“All right.”
“Next time, tell me you have a girlfriend first, so I don’t try to kill her when I meet her.”
“Fair enough.”
“Good. That’s settled then.” Bel uncrossed his arms and everyone relaxed. “I’m going out.”
Ash spun around to look at him. “What? Where?”
Now everyone was staring at Bel. Poor guy hadn’t left the house much lately because of his anger issues.
“For a fucking walk, I don’t know,” he snapped. “Calm down.”
First he was napping and now he was going for walks? Raum was almost afraid to find out what would come next.
At least he didn’t have a car. Belial with road rage was a terrifying thought.