Peace (11 page)

They walked along the streets, weaving in and out of the crowds. Day brought Lam’s hand to the crook of his elbow, protecting him from a majority of the people pushing by them.

“Was there something you wanted to talk about?” He didn’t like the silence between them, though it wasn’t uncomfortable. That was why he didn’t like it.

“No. Not really. Just wanted to spend time with you. We don’t have to talk at all.” Day patted his hand then chuckled. “Let’s go find some music and dance. Do you know how to dance?”

Lam shook his head. “Of course, I don’t dance. Angels don’t do that, no matter what mortals like to think. Could we just walk?”

Day agreed and that was what they’d done. It had been one of the best moments of Lam’s life.

Coming back to the present, he eased a few inches away so he could look at Day. “Why did you pursue me? I never really understood what made you so determined to spend time with me.”

Day chuckled. “You never believed I just wanted to corrupt you and see if I could get you to fall?”

“No.” Lam shook his head. “You don’t care if others fall—or at least you have no interest in causing them to do so. Just like you’re not going out of your way to make mortals sin. You have a hundred other things to waste your time on.”

“True.” Day shrugged. “You were the only creature on Earth who wasn’t afraid of me. I remember how you looked at me when you walked in on the fight between Michael and me. There wasn’t any fear or contempt. You stared at me like I was the most amazing thing you’d ever seen, and while I know that’s probably not what you were thinking, that’s how I felt and I never forgot that.”

Lam pursed his lips as he thought about that day. “I’m not sure if amazing is what I thought, but I was struck by how beautiful you were. Also, how crazy you had to be to fight with the archangel. No one argued with him, yet you weren’t scared.”

“No. I was angry and that emotion never went away, even when they got me thrown out.” Day ran his hand up and down Lam’s arm while he seemed to be thinking.

“So you just chased after me because I wasn’t afraid of you,” Lam drew him back to the conversation.

Day hugged him tight for a second then loosened his hold. “It started out that way. Then I saw how curious you were about mortals. I’d catch you watching them and that caused me to study them as well. What did you find so unique about humans? I wanted to know.”

Lam turned his gaze toward the waves pounding the rocks they walked on. “I liked to see how they spent their time. I always thought they had a deep knowledge of how short their lives would be. Mortals always seem to be in a rush to live as much as they could in the time they had. It’s different from how we angels live. We never die, so we lose our joy in the world around us.”

“And that’s why I fell in love with you,” Day whispered against his lips right before he kissed him.

Lam allowed Day to take his mouth. The kiss wasn’t rough or demanding this time. Instead it was as gentle and easy as an early morning rain washing any worries Lam might have away. He slipped his hands into Day’s dark hair, holding him tight when it seemed like Day was going to break their embrace.

Only when his lungs burned did Lam let Day step away. He blinked as he stared up into Day’s face. “Beloved,” he said on a sigh.

Day’s smile lit up his face and he no longer looked bored—or angry. He looked happy, drawing a matching grin from Lam. “I chased you around the world and through time because you were meant for me, Lam. I don’t care what anyone believes. What’s between us was planned from before the realms came into being. Our hearts beat as one when we were but energy in the same star.”

Lam’s soul seemed to lighten at Day’s statement. Not that he ever really worried about Day turning his back on him. No matter what others said about Lucifer Daystar, he was loyal to those he loved. Of course, Lam was the only one who held his affection, but Day cared about Paisley as well, and would never throw her away either.

“There was no doubt, from the second I saw you. You are mine.” Day laid his hand on Lam’s chest over his heart.

“You’re right.” Lam covered it with his own hand.

Another kiss then cold water washed over their feet. Lam gasped while Day swept him up to carry him further up the beach. When they were far enough away, Day set him down.

“What made you ask me about why I stalked you?” Day clasped Lam’s hand before heading back toward their house.

“I was thinking of our meeting in Venice and how you dragged me out into the streets during Carnivale. I might have spent time watching mortals, but I never spent that much time among them. It gave me a different view of them.” Lam laughed.

Day joined in then said, “Yes. Spending time with them like that shows you just how ignorant they are in so many ways. They don’t know anything about the other realms and the creatures that wander among them. They don’t truly grasp how fragile they are, yet they live as though they are invincible. Was that when you decided to help the Horsemen become mortal again?”

Lam shook his head. “No. That came later.”

Chapter Eleven

“You never told me why you decided to break the rules and help the Horsemen. I can’t think I was that bad an influence on you.” Day coughed, hiding his laugh when Lam squinted at him.

“How could you have influenced me to help someone? You’re not altruistic enough to make me think I should do something nice.” Lam poked him in the side.

Day couldn’t argue with that statement. “I meant influencing you to break the rules, not help them. I mean, you had to threaten me to get me to help you with Gatian and Pierre.”

Remembering how Lam had threatened to stop seeing him if he didn’t help brought a frown to Day’s face. Lam patted his cheek.

“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t do it and I knew you’d be able to get what was needed.”

Huffing his annoyance, Day tapped Lam on the nose. “I don’t appreciate being blackmailed, love. You should know that.”

“Fine. I won’t do it again. I’ll simply ask you to help me.” Lam wiggled his eyebrows at him and Day shook his head.

“Asking would be better, though I can’t think of any reason you might want to help anyone. It’s not like you’ll be dealing with the new Horsemen—or any other angels for that matter.” He regretted his words the minute sadness sprung up in Lam’s blue eyes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have reminded you.”

Day hugged Lam, resting his cheek on Lam’s bright curls. Lam entwined his arms around Day then gripped the back of his shirt. A sob shook Lam and surprised Day. He hadn’t expected tears.

Idiot. Of course there’ll be tears. I’m pretty sure he hasn’t dealt with all that he’s lost yet. He was healing from losing his wings before he found you. Now that he’s safe, Lam can mourn.

He murmured while smoothing his hands up and down Lam’s back. He tried to ignore the bumps from the scars on Lam’s shoulder blades. He and Lam had a matching set. The realization didn’t make him happy. He’d have preferred Lam to never suffer such pain and loss in his life.

A sudden surge of power brought his head up and he searched the area around them to see what—or who—had arrived. He put Lam behind him when he spotted Uriel standing to the south.

“What are you doing here?” Day demanded of the archangel. “You’re not welcome in this place.”

Uriel studied both of them for a moment, his dispassionate expression never changing. “I’m here to ask you to repent, Lucifer Daystar.”

Day grunted as Lam’s hold on his arms grew so strong, he was sure to have bruises there. “We’ve gone over this before. I won’t repent for something I believed was right.”

“Leading a rebellion against the Quad wasn’t the right thing to do, Daystar. It was foolish to believe you’d be able to defeat us.” Uriel crossed his arms over his massive chest and stared. “Corrupting one of our angels is another act that is very hard to overlook.”

“He didn’t corrupt me. I knowingly joined with him,” Lam told the archangel. “It’s foolish for you to think I didn’t know what I was doing. He couldn’t have seduced me if I didn’t want him to.”

Day closed his eyes. “Probably not the best thing to say, Lam,” he said under his breath.

“Why? I’m mortal now. They can’t do anything worse to me than they’ve already done.” Lam stepped up to stand beside Day, his shoulders back and head up in defiance. “You don’t scare me anymore, Uriel. None of you do.”

“If you confess your wrongdoing to me, you might be welcomed back into the heavenly realm. I doubt you’d be able to get your wings back, but you wouldn’t live as an outcast for the rest of eternity.”

Day could tell Uriel was directing the statement to Lam. No matter what Uriel had said to begin with, he wasn’t there to hear Day’s confession. None of the Quad cared about him anymore. Once they’d been as close as brothers. Then they tossed him aside because he wouldn’t join in their grab for power, plus he’d had the gall to try and stop them.

Lam trembled and Day couldn’t tell if it was because he was angry or scared. Because while Lam could say Uriel didn’t frighten him, Day was pretty sure that was a lie. The archangel was imposing. Only Michael was bigger and stronger than Uriel, who showed the least concern for the mortals over whom they ruled. Yet that glimpse of sadness in Uriel’s eyes spoke of an emotion Day never thought the angel had.

“Only I can go back, right? You aren’t here to hear Day repent. You just want me to say I was wrong then you can take me home.” Lam snarled and Uriel drew back a little at the sound.

“Of course, Agnus Dei. Daystar sealed his fate the moment he chose to rise against us. His soul is past redeeming, but yours isn’t. You still have a chance to return to what you were meant to be.”

There was a tone in Uriel’s voice that made Day think he was simply repeating something he’d been told to say.
He doesn’t believe what he’s saying. Does that mean he doesn’t think Lam can be redeemed, or does he think I might have a chance at returning to the heavenly realm?
Day gave himself a mental shake.
Foolishness. They can’t bring me back because they would risk me rebelling again, and I might succeed the next time.

Lam took a hold of Day’s hand. “I won’t be apart from him. Never again. Not even if you promised I could get my wings back. You can tell the others not to bother about trying to get me to turn against him. I’m mortal now and the heavenly realm is no longer my home.”

Uriel shot Day an annoyed glance. “You taint everything, Daystar. None who come in your orbit leave untouched. One of these days, it will catch up with you. You’ll finally be forced to endure the punishment you should’ve had instead of being banished.”

“Leave us.” Day held up his hand, sending a bolt of lightning at Uriel. The archangel dodged it without any trouble. Day hadn’t been trying to hit him. He just wanted Uriel to go.

“You’ll regret this, Lamb of God,” Uriel warned. “This was your only chance. Now you’ll suffer the consequences along with Daystar.”

Before Day could throw another burst of power, Uriel vanished. Lam drooped as though all of his strength left when the archangel did. Day caught him then took them back to his bedroom.

After shuffling him to the bathroom, Day stripped Lam naked before propping him against the wall. “We should take a shower to warm you up then we’ll crawl in bed and try to get some rest.”

“Okay,” Lam mumbled then shuddered when Day helped him under the warm water.

Day rubbed Lam down once they got out before sweeping Lam into his arms then carrying him over to the bed. He managed to tug back the blankets before laying Lam down. After climbing in beside him, he took Lam into his arms. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe. They can’t get you while you’re here with me. I strengthened my barriers. None can get through here unless I let them in.”

Lam patted his chest. “I’m not worried, Day. I know you’ll do everything you can to keep me safe. I’m just a little shaken. I’ve never been in Uriel’s presence before, and I’ve certainly never stood up to an archangel. It’s a little overwhelming.”

He agreed. “It is. I never really enjoyed meeting with them when I was in heaven.”

“What?” Lam braced on his elbow to look down at Day. “You were one of them. We all considered you one of the archangels. I mean you, were as powerful as they were, and as arrogant.”

As much as Day didn’t like hearing that, he knew it was true. Before he’d been banished, he’d been confident of his position in the heavenly realm. Then in the moment it had taken for him to blink, he’d been thrown out for daring to question the others. “I think it was my arrogance that led to my fall.”

Lam nodded. “I’m pretty sure you’re right.”

“Yet it wasn’t an arrogance where I thought I was better than anyone else,” he hastened to explain. “It came from believing they couldn’t touch me. That they would listen to me simply because I was one of them.”

“Little did you know they weren’t about to listen to anyone. They wanted to keep the power they had and gather more if they could.” Lam trailed his finger along the slope of Day’s nose. “As terrible as it might sound, I’m glad the Judge only banished you to the earthly realm.”

Frowning, Day studied Lam’s face, trying to figure out what he meant by that. Lam smiled at him before leaning down to place a kiss on his chin.

“Don’t overtax your brain. If the Judge had done anything else, like sending you to the hellish realm, we never would’ve met. I never would’ve fallen in love with the most notorious angel in the universe. I think that would’ve been a great loss.”

He couldn’t deny that since he felt the same way. “You’re right. I have to admit I don’t understand why the Judge didn’t throw me all the way into hell. Stripping me of my wings then tossing me to Earth didn’t turn out to be that great a punishment in the end. I still got to find you.”

“So maybe we should thank the Quad for being idiots and taking you before the Judge.”

Day wouldn’t go that far. He still thought they were taking too much power for themselves. As he’d wandered the Earth, he’d watched as more and more chaos had erupted. Not just where the Horsemen had been sent, but places where nothing should’ve been happening. Yet there was violence, and good people dying. The Quad had never stepped in to help these mortals out, even though it was the very reason they’d been created.