I've never heard a stronger truth. That woman means the damn world to not only myself, but the three others in this very room. And I know that we mean just as much to her. She wouldn't have run away if she didn't care. So, Noah is right. She will come back. Especially since I warned her there was no getting rid of me since I claimed her as my own. I didn't just fall and lose my wings for her. Luna made me fall in love for the first time ever.
And I'll be fucked six ways to Sunday if she thinks I'll let her slip through my fingers. She's mine, and I intend on keeping her.
Chapter 4
Noah
Silence descends on the room after my unplanned speech. I'd only just caught Devon's outburst. I hadn't meant to include myself in the discussion, but I felt my words were necessary. I saw Luna just as the others did, and I truly believe she will come back to us. Asher is observant, but so am I. I watched her encounter with Asher and heard the words that she pushed out of her mouth with strain. She warned us away, so we wouldn't get hurt.
If there's one thing I've learned about Luna in the time I've been blessed to know her, it’s that she will do all she can to protect the ones she cares about, and I think she's proven enough without words just how much she cares for us. She told us to leave the house because she knew we'd all be hurt if we didn't. She hadn't asked us to go with her, only said she had things to do, which makes me believe what she's going to do is dangerous, reckless, and will bring us harm. Even deep in her agony, she’s protecting us like we would her.
That's how I know Luna isn't gone, but only lost and hurting.
We'll get her back when she's ready.
For now, however, we need to make a plan for what we should do next. There might be a little merit to Devon's suggestion to look for her, but only to make sure we know where she is should she need us. Just knowing she's safe is enough to ease my mind right now.
"So you're saying we should let her roam England, high on whatever power is coursing through her, with a Cerberus carrying the corpse of her best friend by her side? You don't think that's going to raise a few fucking questions?" Devon gripes, not one to let things go if it's against what he wants or believes is the right course of action. Little does he know how well the three of us have gotten to know Luna.
I face the white-haired angel and explain, "You're not giving Luna enough credit. You never have. She's smart. She's survived this long, so she's had to be. Do you truly believe she'll risk getting caught now? She's suffering, not stupid."
The bite in my words doesn't go unnoticed, but Devon narrows his eyes on me. He doesn't respond, though I know he likely felt the dig I gave him. It's been difficult not to do something rash to the man given the turmoil he's put Luna through, but now isn't the time. Luna wouldn't want that.
Asher is already asleep, recovering from the hell Lucifer put him through. It's no wonder Eli isn't already in a pain-induced coma yet. Surprisingly enough, he's watching me with his head tilted as though he's questioning things he isn't speaking out loud.
"Are you alright?" I ask, keeping my voice low as not to wake Ash. "Do you need something? Maybe for the pain?"
I don't have anything on me, but I surely could go to a store and buy him medication he might need. Perhaps they should both douse themselves in antiseptic since that basement wasn't at all up to hygiene standards.
Eli shakes his head with the first amused smile I've seen from any of us since before Luna left us behind. "No, I'll survive. Just... thanks, I guess. I needed reassurance more than any of us, so knowing you and my brother fully trust that Luna will be okay has eased my mind some. Didn't know how much I was freaking out until now."
Shrugging, I tell him, "No need to thank me. I'm sure you would have come to the same conclusion sooner or later. I'm not offering anything you wouldn't have figured out yourself. Asher has said as much, just in fewer words."
"Yeah, my brother isn't one for talking," Eli huffs, laughing under his breath and checking on Asher before heaving himself off the floor. "I'm going to catch a shower and get this dried blood off me. We'll think of our next step when I get out. Dev, stop tearing everyone's fucking head off. We're all worried about her, okay?"
Without waiting for a reply, Eli shuffles to the bathroom on slow feet, leaving us behind without a backward glance. When Asher starts snoring, Devon sighs and slides down against the wall, landing on his ass.
"Sorry," he mutters, dropping his head back until it thuds against the wall. "I'm being insufferable because I'm worried out of my mind, and I feel guilty for how I left things with Luna."
He doesn't say more than that, the room once more falling quiet. It's the first time the angel has opened up since meeting him at the library. I don't know the first thing about this man other than he's stubborn, pig-headed as all get out, and doesn't know when to keep his thoughts to himself. Let's not mention how head over heels in love he’s in with Luna. He's just stupid enough not to realize she feels the same way and keeps hurting her in the process.
After a stretch of silence, I tell him, "I'm not the one who's in need of an apology. I think that's long overdue for the person you're so worried about. Maybe don't wait so long to offer her the apology when she returns to us. And pull your head out from your ass. You're not fooling anyone."
"Fucking preach, brother," Asher grumbles from the bed. I didn't even realize his snoring had stopped, so I hadn't noticed he was awake. Looks like Devon just shared with more than one of us. If I wasn't so sure it wouldn't ever happen, I'd almost believe Hell had frozen over. I think Heaven would erupt into flames before that would ever be a possibility.
"For fuck's sake," Devon mumbles, closing his eyes and shaking his head against the wall.
Ash snorts, but he doesn't say much more before there's a knock at the door. The shower turns off almost immediately, Ash, Devon, and I sharing a look without muttering a word.
Keeping his voice at a whisper, Ash questions, "Anyone expecting company, because I know I sure ain't."
Dev and I shake our heads at the same time, Eli coming out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and a severe frown on his face.
"Did I just hear the door knock?" he asks, his voice low enough to remain undetected. Or so we thought.
Another knock sounds out, and a voice I'm certain I've heard before rings out from behind the locked door. "Open up. We have information you'd be interested in knowing."
A pregnant pause follows, the four of us sharing a look before Devon speaks up. "Does that sound like the Sentinel that brought Brutus home to us?"
Eli nods. "Sure does. I'll go answer the door then."
Tightening his towel, Eli leaves the bedroom and heads to the door. Asher clambers off the bed with a grunt, and the three of us follow after him, taking various positions throughout the living room area portion of the hotel suite Luna paid for. Eli turns to look at us, and we all offer a nod. Without further delay, he opens the door to uncover the very Sentinel that brought us Brutus and revealed his true nature to us.