Iniquity (The Premonition, #5)(111)

“Do you want to see the rest of the house?” Reed asks. I nod enthusiastically.

Getting up from the sofa, he takes my hand. He gives me a tour of the house. Much of it I recognize from high school, but he leads me upstairs to a room I’ve never been in. It’s the master suite. The far wall is made entirely of windows. Two doors lead out to a grand stone porch overlooking the water. “Please tell me this is our room.” I grin. He closes the door behind us.

“This is our room,” he says. He walks to me and takes me in his arms and together we make it our own.



* * *





Living with Reed is effortless. He fills a void in me. I’ve been given a second chance at love. I appreciate it so much more than I did before; I take nothing for granted. My obligations, however, have not gone away. I am still the queen to my faeries. There are things that I have to do that I can’t discuss with Reed. He has his own secrets that he’s not allowed to share with me as well, secrets of his key and its gate to Paradise. Because we have mutual respect for one another, we’re able to get past it and accept the things we cannot change.

I glance at my watch again, and then gently move Reed’s arm from my shoulder. As silently as possible, I get up from my seat and I try to creep out of the dark home-theater room so that I don’t disturb the angels as they watch a movie. Reed follows me to the door. I slip out into the hall. Reed murmurs, “You have to leave now?”

“Brennus is coming to pick me up. We have a strategy meeting.” I gesture with my thumb over my shoulder. “He should be here any minute.”

“What’s your meeting about?” Reed asks as he follows me up the stairs and into the foyer.

“I can’t talk about it,” I say awkwardly. “I’ll be back in the morning, though. We can have breakfast together.” I gather a light jacket from the closet and my bag, which contains my battle hammer in it.

“You’ll be gone all night?”

“I’ll stay at the seminary tonight,” I say with a cajoling smile. “We plan to get back late and there’s always that transition from Sheol to Earth that I go through. It’s better if I just stay with the fellas until I’m over it.” He knows what I’m talking about. It’s hard for me to relate to anyone or anything upon my initial return from Sheol. There’s always a period of adjustment, but I’m working through it. I see concern in his eyes. “It will be okay.”

“I know you will,” he says, but I know he’ll worry about me until I return tomorrow. He can’t guard me when I’m in Sheol and it bothers him.

The doorbell rings. “I love you,” I say, pulling on my jacket. I give him a quick kiss goodbye, and turn away to get the door, but Reed hauls me back to him.

“He can wait,” Reed murmurs and he leans down and kisses me until I’m breathless and wanting more.

The doorbell rings again. “I have to go,” I whisper.

“I love you, Evie,” Reed says against my lips.

“I know.” I smile at him and go to the door. Opening it, I grin at Brennus. “Hi.”

“Ye look grand, Genevieve,” Brennus says. “Are ye ready?”

“Yes,” I say, and then hesitate. “Wait. I forgot! I bought the fellas some paczki. They’re in the kitchen. Can you wait while I get them?”

“I’ll wait for ye,” Brennus replies.

“Come in for a second.” I hold open the door. He steps into the foyer.

Seeing Reed, he nods his head in a stiff greeting, “Aingeal.”

“Faerie,” Reed replies.

I rush to the kitchen and retrieve the boxes of paczki. When I near the foyer, I pause and listen.

“How long do ye tink dis arrangement of ours will last?” Brennus asks.

“As long as it takes for her to realize that you’re still evil.”

“She knows I’m na. But I do worry about ye, aingeal. Ye have a much more dangerous job dan we do. Ye guard da key ta Paradise. Dere are many who would give anyting ta possess such a priceless commodity as dat.”

“I have a team in place, just as you have.”

“Ye’ll need more dan a few aingeals. Na many demons are aching ta get inta Sheol, like dey are Paradise.”

“I control two armies—Tau’s and Xavier’s.”

“Ye’ll need dem. Ye put Genevieve in danger jus by her being around ye and dat key.”

“I’ll protect her. She’s agreed to be my aspire again.”

“Have I ever told ye da story of da Faerie queen, Reed?”

“I’m not sure, Brennus. You’ve told me a lot of stories.”

“Did ye know dat once upon a time, dere was a faerie queen? She was da heart of her realm until one day when an aingeal came ta her world from Paradise. He warned her dat her world was destined ta be destroyed—dat a time would come when da Faerie realm would be overrun by its enemies and dere would be no peace.

Da queen, caring only for da welfare of her subjects, begged da aingeal for mercy for dem. Da aingeal relented, tellin’ her dere was only one way for her subjects ta be reborn after its destruction. Da aingeal told her dat if she agreed ta be human, she could one day save da human world from da evil dat is jus a thin veneer away. She listened ta him when he said she would face terrible danger and suffer greatly, but one day, a Faerie king would return from da grave ta save her. He said dat once da queen was finished wi’ her mission ta help da humans, she would again be da queen of da faeries and da savior of her race. Have ye heard of dis tale, Reed?”